Arc - Genesis of Flux - Chapter 11

Chapter 11 - City Lights

December 19, 998 

Afternoon

South glanced around the restaurant. For once, he wasn't thinking about training or missions, the noise, the clinking of glasses, and the chatter of other diners made him feel like he was part of something normal, something he only experienced during Saint Volgenov's times.

The food arrived shortly after, filling the table with a feast that seemed almost impossible to finish. South picked up his fork, trying the wagyu steak first. The meat melted in his mouth, rich and tender, bursting with flavour. He couldn't help but let out a grunt.

Zofia watched him. "Good, right?"

South nodded, swallowing before speaking. "Better than good. I didn't know food could taste like this."

They dug into the food. Zofia told him stories about her travels, while South listened, occasionally adding in his dry remarks or asking questions that surprised even him.

As they settled into the euphoria, Zofia took a bite of her spicy fried chicken. "You know, South, this food is like a mini adventure in every bite."

South nodded. "Yeah, it's definitely a change of pace. Speaking of change, I was going through the drawers in my room back at the base recently. I found this book titled 'Safe Sex: A Comprehensive Guide.' I'm not really sure what it's about."

Zofia almost spat out her food. "Oh, that book? It's actually a guide about safe practices during intimate moments. Fischer probably kept it for personal reasons."

South frowned. "Intimate moments? I thought it might be some sort of tactical manual or survival guide. And there was this balloon thing with it that I ended up tossing. I didn't really know what to make of it."

Zofia contained her burst of laughter. "The balloon is a condom. It's used for protection during sex, and the book explains how to use it properly."

South's eyes widened. "Sex? I've heard the term, but I don't really understand what it is. I thought it might be some kind of advanced training technique or something."

Zofia tried to stifle her laughter even more. "No, it's not training. It's about personal relationships and being responsible. It's a whole different world from tactics and missions."

South shrugged, trying to make sense of it all. "Well, that's definitely not what I expected. It's strange to find something like that in my room."

Zofia grinned. "Yeah, it's definitely not something you come across every day. But it's good to be informed, even if it's not something you deal with directly."

South returned to his food, the conversation shifting to lighter topics as they enjoyed their meal together.

Zofia grabbed a piece of spicy fried chicken and nudged it toward South. "Try this. It's got a kick."

South hesitated but took a bite, immediately feeling the heat spread across his tongue. He coughed, reaching for his drink, and Zofia burst into laughter, slapping the table. "Oh, man! Your face, priceless!"

South was pissed, but he couldn't help it. "Yeah, yeah. It's fine," he muttered, trying to regain his composure. "Just wasn't expecting it to be that spicy."

They continued to eat, enjoying the food and the rare feeling of just being young and carefree. For a brief moment, South forgot about his rude personality, laughing at Zofia's stories and even cracking a joke or two, surprising them both.

When they finally finished, South leaned back, feeling comfortably full for the first time in ages. Zofia stretched her arms over her head, satisfied. "We should do this more often," she said. "It's nice seeing you… relaxed."

South gave a half-shrug, not wanting to admit that he'd enjoyed himself. "Maybe."

Zofia paid and left the restaurant, stepping back into the streets of Orion City. The afternoon had started its descent.

"Alright, next stop, the arcade!" Zofia declared, pulling South along. "I'm gonna win us something cool."

South followed, trying not to look too amused by her enthusiasm. The arcade was packed with flashing lights, the sounds of coins, and excited shouts of players. Zofia led the way, looking around between the rows of games and prize machines.

"Let's start with this," she said, pointing to a claw machine filled with plush toys. She inserted a few coins and focused, manoeuvring the claw. The claw snagged a cute stuffed dragon, and Zofia carefully guided it to the chute.

South watched, trying not to seem impressed, "aren't these rigged, good job though."

Zofia handed him the dragon. "Yeah, but here, a souvenir."

South took it. "I don't need this."

"Keep it. It suits you," Zofia teased, ruffling his hair before moving on to another game. They spent the next hour playing various games, racing, shooting, and even a dance-off game where Zofia outperformed South by a landslide. She laughed as he missed nearly every step, but he took it in stride, pretending not to care.

After collecting their tickets, they went to the prize counter, trading them in for a couple of small toys and snacks. South ended up with a black keychain of a wolf, which he tucked into his pocket without a word.

"You're keeping that one, huh?" Zofia giggled, placing her hand over her mouth.

"Shut up," South whispered.

Next, they headed to the skating rink, a massive space filled with people of all ages gliding across the ice. Zofia rented their skates and laced them up that South struggled to match.

Zofia took to the ice first, sliding easily, moving through the crowd like she'd been skating her whole life. South, on the other hand, looked hesitant, his feet unsteady as he shuffled toward the rink.

"C'mon, you got this!" Zofia called, gliding around him.

South stepped onto the ice and immediately wobbled, gripping the barrier for dear life. Zofia skated over, trying not to laugh as he clung to the edge.

"You're gonna need one of these," she said, bringing over a support penguin for beginners. South glared at it, hesitant but knowing he didn't have much choice.

He grabbed the penguin and started pushing it forward, focusing intensely on not falling. Despite his efforts, he slipped a few times, narrowly avoiding landing flat on his back. Zofia circled him, offering encouragement between laughter.

"You're doing great!" she teased. "Like a baby deer on ice."

South shot her a look, cheeks flushed from both the effort and embarrassment. "I'm gonna toss this penguin at you."

"Sure you will," Zofia grinned, skating backward effortlessly. "But seriously, you're getting the hang of it."

South kept trying, gradually finding his balance but never quite mastering the art of skating. When they finally left the rink, South was both relieved and exhausted, though he tried to hide it behind his usual stoic expression.

As the sky darkened, the city lights flickered on. They walked through the city.

Zofia noticed his silence and nudged him gently. "You good?"

South nodded. "Yeah… it's just a lot to take in."

They walked on, chatting idly until they reached their hotel. Zofia booked them a room, and they rode the elevator up. When they reached their room, South looked around, taking in the luxury bed, the city view, and the cosy ambiance.

"This is… nice," he admitted, though he quickly turned his eyes away.

Zofia tossed her bag on the chair and flopped onto the bed with a satisfied sigh. "Hell yeah, it is. You gotta enjoy the little things, South."

South stood awkwardly at the edge of the room, unsure of what to do with himself. The thought of sharing a bed, even in a large room, was enough to make him visibly uncomfortable.

Zofia noticed his hesitation and patted the space beside her. "Relax, it's just a bed. We're not gonna bite each other."

South rolled his eyes, slowly sitting on the edge, as far from Zofia as he could manage. "You're making it weird."

"I'm not," Zofia grinned. "You just gotta loosen up."

Zofia ordered pizza, and when it arrived, she went downstairs to grab it, leaving South alone in the room. He fidgeted with the TV remote, flipping through channels but finding nothing to hold his interest. When Zofia returned with the pizza, they set up at the small table by the window, enjoying the simple meal.

"This might be my favorite part of the day," Zofia said, taking a big bite. "Just us, chillin' and eating."

South nodded. "Yeah… it's not bad."

After eating, they took turns showering.

South emerged from the bathroom, hair slightly damp, wearing a clean shirt and sweatpants Zofia had insisted he buy, along with what he wore before.

Zofia was already in bed, flipping through her TV channels. She glanced up, smiling. "Look at you, all fresh and clean."

South rolled his eyes, brushing his teeth and slipping into bed as far from her as possible. He laid on his side, stiff and tense. The blankets and pillows felt almost too comfortable, making him painfully aware of how close Zofia was.

Zofia turned off the TV and looked at South, who looked like he was ready to run at any second. She couldn't help but smile at his discomfort, it was oddly endearing. "You look like you're sleeping on a ledge, South. You can relax, you know. I don't bite."

South grumbled, shifting slightly but still keeping his back turned. "I'm fine. Just… not used to sleeping with people."

Zofia laughed softly, settling in comfortably. "You're always so wound up. It's okay to let your guard down once in a while."

South stayed quiet, staring at the wall, trying to ignore the warmth from Zofia's side of the bed. He could hear her breathing slow as she started to drift off, and it made him feel oddly at peace, despite the awkwardness.

As he laid there, his mind pondered about the day, about Zofia, and how she'd pulled him out of his usual shell, even if just for a little while. He wouldn't admit it, but he liked this side of her that seemed to lighten even his depression.

As the night deepened, South found himself drifting off, but not without difficulty. He stirred, feeling the pull of sleep, only to shift a lot. He slowly rolled out of bed, moving stealthily. He squinted at the balcony, drawn by the bright city lights outside. The glow painted the skyline in blues, purples, and greens, flickering like distant stars.

South carefully opened the balcony door, the cool breeze hitting him as he stepped outside. He leaned against the railing, staring out at the city. The noise of cars, muffled conversations, and distant music could be heard.

Just as he lost himself in the view, a sudden voice whispered behind him, "Boo!"

South flinched, nearly toppling over the railing before Zofia's hands shot out, grabbing his arms. She steadied him, holding on just in case he made a sudden move. South turned, glaring at her, though his heart was pounding for a completely different reason.

"You trying to kill me or something?" he muttered, trying to sound annoyed.

Zofia laughed, still holding his hands. "Couldn't resist. You looked so serious out here, staring like you were plotting to save the city." She stepped closer, her expression softening. "Relax, okay? You're safe."

Before South could respond, Zofia cupped the back of his head, gently pulling him closer. She leaned in, her lips meeting his, with an unexpected kiss. It was brief but enough to send South's mind spiralling. He froze, unsure of what to do, but Zofia just smiled against his lips before pulling away.

They stared at each other for a moment, South flushed, torn between wanting to kiss her back and the immediate realisation that he shouldn't be doing this. He snapped back to his senses. "I… I can't," he stammered, brushing past her quickly.

Zofia watched. "I know," she teased. "You're all business, right?"

South mumbled something incoherent, quickly retreating back to the bed. He face planted down and buried himself under the blankets, trying to hide his embarrassment. Zofia closed the balcony door, giggling softly as she watched him huddle under the covers.

"You're cute when you're blushing, you know that?" she whispered, teasingly. South grumbled something unintelligible, refusing to show his face. Zofia slipped under the covers beside him.

"Goodnight, South," she said softly.

"Yeah, whatever," South mumbled, still mortified. Soon, they both drift off to sleep, South still trying to process everything, and Zofia feeling happy with how the day went. The city lights continued to flicker outside, keeping a silent watch over the city for the night.