Even Alfea has its dark place; this time it was that one lightless corridor where he was.
The corridor was like a desert, empty and roasting. Way too hot for him and his armor, and for a way too long time. He heard the sound of approaching pair of heels and smelled a familiar perfume. "Finally," he thought and hid in the shadows.
He didn't dare to look -he was afraid that she could notice him-, but he heard her yawning and searching keys. Especially that one little key that would get him out of his plight.
At the moment she opened the door, he caught her arm. "Surprise!"
"Good heavens!" Faragonda turned and looked at him straight into eyes. "That wasn't funny, Hagen."
"Strange, I thought your reaction was hilarious," he said and laughed. She looked still annoyed; however, she couldn't help but smile.
"So, were you waiting for me or..?"
"Yes, I lost my keys again."
Faragonda chuckled. "You probably forgot them on your table." They entered the room and she pointed out the shining pieces of metal. "There."
"Thank you." He took the keys and put them in his pocket. "What did take you so long, though? I was almost roasted there."
"Well, that's not my fault," she said while her gaze wandered from his head to toes. "You should have worn something less heavy. Why are you in your armor anyway?"
"That's actually a great story."
"Uh huh. Do tell me." She took off her jacket and put it in a closet.
"Well, I was in your office, searching for my keys", he explained. "Then your hologram… Phone… Thing rang. I answered and-"
"You answered my phone?" Faster than he could imagine, she had come face to face with him.
"Take it easy, sweetheart," he tried to calm her. "It was only Saladin. He wanted to talk with me, so no panic, you missed nothing."
She glanced at him suspiciously. "Go on."
"He offered a job for me. He wants me to lecture to his students about how it was to be in the Company of Light, to be one of the greatest. He said that it would motivate them somehow."
"Oh, honey…" Faragonda kissed his cheek softly. "That's great." Then suddenly, she pinched his ear painfully. "Ouch!"
"But I don't still like the fact that you answered my phone," she said and smirked. He rubbed his ear before he continued, "I had my first lesson today, that's why the armor. I thought it would be easier to remember things with it."
"But how did you get that if you had lost your keys?"
"… I forgot my armor in your office yesterday."
Faragonda laughed vividly. Hagen's displeased expression didn't bother her; it made her laugh even more.
"Thank you, that really helped my self-esteem."
"I'm sorry, darling." She wiped tears from her eye corners. "You were saying?"
"You know, it's kind of interesting to talk about those days." A faint smile appeared on his face. "It's hard to think that it was a painful subject few years ago."
"True." She was now bare feet and headed to the mirror. She took off her earrings and brushed her hair. "Now that Miriam and Oritel are back… It's like they were never gone." She hissed when she found knot in her hair. "We should visit them some day."
"Why not. But wouldn't they be surprised?"
"About?"
"About us."
"Not too much, I believe."
Hagen glanced at her in wonder. Faragonda snickered. "Don't you look at me like that." She walked to him and whispered in his ear, "Don't you say there wasn't anything between us in younger years. I bet that they noticed too."
He tried to answer, but Faragonda placed her finger on his lips and continued. "But then you vanished for years. Many, long years. I thought that everything was over then." She bit her lip and didn't look at him anymore. Hagen knew that she was hurt. He didn't find right words to say. Simple 'I'm sorry' wouldn't have been good enough.
She played with his beard and pulled it to have his face closer. "But look at us now." She smiled brightly and let go when she realized that the pulling hurt Hagen.
She walked to her closet and started to take her dress off.
"Uh, should I look away?" Hagen asked.
Faragonda gave him confused look. "If you feel like."
He felt so foolish for a moment. Maybe he shouldn't have asked. Their relationship wasn't shy anymore, it had never been. Well, those first weeks after their first public kiss had been difficult, since Faragonda had to explain things to many people. People asked always the same questions, 'Are you going to get married?', 'How did you fell in love at this age?' and so on. Those gossip seekers, their questions weren't necessary. Faragonda was known from her kind and calm personality, but he had hard time trying not to yell at those people.
He woke up from his musings when Faragonda put her arms around him. "Are you okay, darling?"
"Better now."
He watched the woman in his arms. She was now wearing her nightgown. It wasn't very different from her regular dress, just slightly longer and it actually had a neckline. It was probably the look on her face that made him say, "Well, don't you look seductive."
Somehow, Faragonda found that amusing and laughed. "What are you saying?"
"Sleepy. Sleepy is what I said."
She pinched his nose. "Well, Mister Sleepyhead, you should take this off." She knocked on his armor. "Or you'll sleep on the couch."
"What? Don't you love me as I am?" Hagen tried to look as awful as possible.
"I don't want to hit my head on that at night."
"If you insist…"
While he took that distressing weight off his shoulders, she already got the coverlet off. Hagen hugged her from behind and whispered, "You look like that you want to-"
"No, Hagen." She chuckled at his expression.
"You didn't even hear the whole sentence."
"I know what you meant. I'm tired, so, no."
"You have a dirty mind, woman. I only wanted a kiss." He grinned when he noticed her embarrassment. She swallowed her pride, and calmly said, "Well, in that case, go ahead."
And sure, he did. His lips on hers, for longer than mere seconds. What a good end for his day. Or a good start. Or a good moment in the middle of the day. To say it clearly, he would never refuse kissing her.
"Good night, love." Faragonda got out off his embrace and lay on the bed.
"Even you can't be that tired," he said, displeased.
"We both have jobs to do tomorrow, if my memory serves." She made room to him. "So I suggest you to sleep." He knew protesting wouldn't lead to anything, so he just lay next to her. He stroked her hair gently and said warmly, "Good night, darling."
"Night, honey."
In a snap of fingers, she shut down the lights and snuggled closer to him, knowing that getting up wouldn't be easy for either of them.