Valentine's Day… This wasn't a day that Neo had thought he'd ever particularly care for. Outside of the excuses (as if he needed any) to eat even more sweets or to bake them with his sister in the past, it wasn't something he cared for.

He wasn't a fan of all of that 'mushy gushy crap' as he'd put it. Seeing people and couples being all romantic with each other used to make him damn near puke in disgust, and even just thinking about it now was making him cringe a little— Eugh…

And yet, despite himself, that hadn't seemed to stop him from wondering… Maybe now, it would be just a little more bearable with you?

It was strange for him, really, finding himself counting down the days until a holiday that, up until now, he couldn't care less about (outside of the sweets, of course — and spending time with Mary and Rafael before). And, it was even stranger yet as he found himself meticulously searching through the memories that he could, trying to find the perfect places he could take you to celebrate that said holiday.

He'd even had the, what he considered to be absolutely insane, idea of possibly (to the best of his abilities) creating you and him a house to live in together from bits and pieces of his memories. Preferably, one with a decently sized kitchen, so the two of you could bake together. Or maybe, he could even cook for you! He's secretly hoping you'll help him clean up, though…

The moment the idea had popped into his head, and he'd processed it for more than a few seconds, he quickly tried to shake it away. The idea was ridiculous. It wasn't as if you were going to be staying there — He knew that better than anyone... or so he had once thought, at least.

You'd get bored eventually; God, he'd been so damn sure of that long ago. Before you'd started replaying his route of all of the ones available… His… ridiculously short, boring, unfinished, and pathetically lackluster 'route' — could you even call it a real 'route' at that point?? All you'd done with him before was just… met him briefly (which, by the way, was an absolutely horrible first introduction), and… listened to him before meeting him again, and…

… Well, he doesn't much like thinking about that now— How he used to treat you… He doesn't entirely know why, but it makes his stomach churn just thinking about it. Perhaps, it is some form of guilt that is eating him alive from the inside like an unforgiving parasite, or maybe it is something else entirely.

Whatever it is, however, he doesn't like to —nor does he want to— think about it. Especially not right now — not when he is in the midst of (attempting) planning out the perfect date for the two of you to go on this upcoming holiday!

"Dios mío… ¿qué me has hecho, mi alma…?" ("My God… what have you done to me, my soul…?")

He sighs the words aloud to (literally) nothing, though they hold none of the bite they would have if they had been uttered quite some time ago. Before he'd mistakenly broken the game — the best damn mistake he's ever made in his existence, he thinks. Instead, there's a small, tender smile gracing his lips at just the thought of you now, and the thoughts of what (hopefully fun for you) activities the two of you could do together.

During the days counting down to Valentine's, Neo had done his best not to give away his schemes to you, feigning nonchalance of the holiday coming up (he didn't want to spoil his surprises for you, after all). And although it was very difficult for him, he'd (somehow) managed to do such a good job that when the day did finally come, you were genuinely shocked when you'd opened your game that day to the usual save file with him, and while you did see him there ready to greet you (like he always was now), this time, his image looked a little bit different…

Instead of just his usual white button-up, black tie, and black pants combo that you'd gotten so used to, he's now added a black vest to his look (he did consider making himself a full suit, but it felt too stuffy…). The part that surprises you the most, however, is the small bouquet of colorful flowers in one of his hands that he's holding out to you, which you assume he must have retrieved from one of his memories.

The bright colors stand out immensely amongst his not only completely colorless body, but the completely blank white background behind him, as well. An oddly gorgeous mix of light yellows, blues, and pinks, accompanied with beautiful red roses and the greens of the flower's stems and leaves, all tied together with a rather pretty little white ribbon. It looks as though he'd put the bouquet together himself… as if he'd carefully picked out the bright colored flowers, tying them altogether just for you…

(Art by the lovely @offmoose!! <3 )

"Hola, cielito. ¡Sorpresa!~♡" ("Hey, sweetie. Surprise!~♡")

The smile gracing his lips right now as he greets you holds a palpable amount of excitement, as well as love. Although he is trying his very best to act as calm and casual as he can, the big grin on his face, accompanied with the small black blush dusting his cheeks —and what you swear are little hearts in his eyes— all give away that he is anything but 'calm and casual' right now.

It's rather obvious that he's been anticipating this day, this very moment, for what you can only assume is a decently long while now. The mental image of him impatiently waiting for today to finally come around, the small pout that was surely resting on his lips as he was counting down the days, hours, minutes, makes you smile and giggle to yourself.

As you take the beautiful assortment of colorful flowers from him, he takes one of your hands into his own. Though there's a bit of hesitance with how he holds your puppet's hand, his grip is still secure and gentle. His grin softens slightly, although it now looks a little uncharacteristically nervous.

"Venga conmigo. There's… something I'd like to show you…" (Venga conmigo. = Come with me.)

He doesn't wait for your response before he begins gently pulling you along to follow behind him, seeming to ignore the confused look on your puppet's face. You wonder what he could possibly want to show you, especially since it doesn't seem as though he's taking you out of this blank white 'void' (not yet, at least). You're made even more curious by how he said it, though. He seemed hesitant, speaking slowly, carefully, and his emphasis on… 'something' makes it seem as though it's very important…

And, you would be right. It doesn't take very long at all for you to spot something foreign within this blank white space. By this point, you've gotten so used to it being so… empty, that seeing what looked to be a structure (one with a very eerily similar sketchy messiness to Nulla's… he must have 'borrowed' some of it's assets, you assume) stood out immediately.

Once he deems that the two of you have gotten close enough, he stops and turns back to look at you as he takes a step to the side, allowing you to get a better view of the small and surprisingly beautiful, although a bit 'messy' looking, house. That small smile still remains on his face, and he seems eager to see your reaction, if not still a little anxious (but he will never tell you that, oh goodness no…).

The first thing he notices is your obvious confusion, accompanied now by even more obvious surprise, which elicits a (rather cute) light laugh from him.

"Ajajaja. I expected you to be surprised, but not this much so. Have I stunned you speechless, amor?~" (Amor = love)

There's an evident tease in his tone, and mostly rhetorical question, his eyes visibly softening when you turn to look at him and your gazes meet one another. For a moment, he just… stares into your eyes —stares directly at you and the utterly adorable look of bewilderment currently on your face— before he eventually snaps himself out of his daze.

He clears his throat as he averts his gaze back to the sketch-like house, still (unknowingly) holding your hand in one of his. He starts absentmindedly caressing it with his thumb —a habit he's (unknowingly) picked up since accepting his ever-growing attachment towards you— while rather awkwardly scratching his cheek.

"It took some digging through the files of the game and my memories, but I managed to put this together for your… for you and I to… stay in together…"

He speaks slowly, cautiously, as if he's walking on eggshells—

No, 'walking on eggshells' doesn't do how he's feeling right now nearly enough justice…

It's as though he is walking on a tightrope that is suspended over the world's deepest, darkest pit. And, should he say even just one thing wrong, he will end up slipping and falling off that rope and into that deep dark pit below where he will be swallowed up whole.

You catch it before he can 'correct' himself as well, however, and although you have a very strong feeling that you know exactly what he was going to say... you decide not to call him out on it. You can see how nervous he is already, see how tense his shoulders are, and feel how his grip on your hand has subconsciously tightened. You think ignoring his… 'correction' would be for the best — he deserves to dream, at the very least… Please, don't ruin that for him.

He then hums before looking at you again and speaking.

"I know it's not much, but… I hope you like it… mi alma♡." (mi alma♡. = my soul♡.)

Neo's dark eyes soften significantly as he speaks, his body turning towards you, likely without him even noticing it, like a sunflower turning towards the sun. It's natural, instinctual even. And, when he breathes out the (now) very familiar endearment, he does so as if it's akin to breathing for him. He says it with his entire… well, everything — you have become his everything.

The look in his eyes that are currently looking directly through your own is much serious, and vulnerable, than you're used to. Even after the swapping of their codes, Neo did still try his best to keep his… 'vulnerabilities' in check. He wasn't sure if it was a matter of him (attempting to) cling to whatever past dignity he used to have left before you'd all but tore those walls down with your foolish stubbornness, or something else. But, whatever it was… it didn't seem to matter, especially not anymore.

He loves you. He loves you so much, and truly… that terrifies him. He's obsessed with every little thing about you; every look you give him, every movement you make, every word you say. He's obsessed with everything about you.

And, in the beginning, he didn't want you to know that. He didn't want you to know just how badly he's fallen for you, just how much of a very terrifying impact you have made on him…

However, the more you have continued to spend time with him, even after he had accidentally swapped his and Nulla's codes, even after he's changed so much (because of you), and even after he has irreversibly broken the game… The harder it's gotten for him to keep it all hidden — and the less he cares about even doing so…

And, he fears he may be very well be reaching his breaking point; the point where he just… can't keep it all hidden anymore.

Ah, how fitting it would be if these terrifyingly overwhelming feelings of obsession, adoration, and love he's been developing for you all this time finally spilled out on the very day about love itself, wouldn't it?

Neo can't help the way his grin widens at your reaction to the house he'd 'made' for the two of you, nor can he seem to help the light-hearted laugh that escapes his lips. Your reactions are always the cutest, he swears…

He squeezes your hand that he's only just now realized he is still holding onto before he begins walking towards the house, lightly pulling you along with a big, elated smile on his.

"¡Ahora vamos, mi cielo!~♡ The breakfast I prepared for us isn't going to eat itself, you know! Ajajaja!~" (¡Ahora vamos, mi cielo!~♡ = Now come on, my darling/heaven!~♡)

Another laugh, full of genuine excitement (and love) leaves him, and you can't help noticing a few strands of his black hair (which you swear looks much neater today than usual) curling into small, adorable hearts at their ends, making you smile and even laugh a little along with him. You can't really help but to get excited yourself about whatever plans Neo has for the two of you today, especially not with how his own excitement seems to be radiating off of him like rays of light radiating off the sun…

You think this may very well be the first time you've seen him so... genuinely happy… And that makes you even more glad that you have decided to spend Valentine's with him♡...

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Ajaja… I'm glad you decided to spend this day with me, too, cielito. Gracias por esto. :)