Valentine's day seemed ridiculous to Eudico, given the circumstances. What was there to love when the world is in turmoil? Every step she took to work against the Corpus, they were two steps ahead of her efforts, making her feel like one of those Tenno arcade games of Whack-a-Pobber.

Yet the Tenno were in Fortuna, bringing their holidays with them. They colored their Warframes in various shades of pink and red, exchanging artificial heart-shaped candies with each other (and the occasional shocked Solaris). The Corpus on the surface loved this time of calendar year in the System, too, as romance was easily capitalized upon.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Nef Anyo said over the screens surrounding Fortuna. "What a lovely time to remember to work for those you love. Work for that special someone, and being home the Credits!"

Eudico was grateful her rig hid her eye roll.

"Someone seems right pissed off," a familiar voice said beside her.

Eudico groaned. "Now now, Zuud."

"What?" she asked. "Did someone not get a date for Valentine's Day?"

Eudico snorted. "Like you got one."

"You have so little faith in me." She leaned against Eudico's boss chair with one arm. "Me 'n Chatter've all got dates."

"You...and...Chatter?" Eudico wasn't sure if she wanted to know how that worked.

Zuud looked as though she were about to respond before she looked over at her work table. "OY, YOU MUCKIN' IDIOTS! DON'T TOUCH MY SHIT!" And she stormed off to scold some very-terrified-looking Tenno.

Eudico chuckled to herself, then zoned out as she gave directives to some festive Tenno. Zuud did, as usual, have a point. Eudico was bitter for more reasons than just capitalism.

There was a certain someone who Eudico had been attached to for a long time-cycles, maybe years-yet she had no idea how to approach the idea of a date. Organizing meetings or Girls' Nights were one thing, but a date? Eudico had only ever been on one date, and it hadn't gone well. Girls made her far too nervous.

"Oy, Bosslady!"

Eudico groaned internally. Even Little Duck was here, a obnoxious heart-shaped sticker on her rig.

"I didn't expect you back from Cetus so soon, considering the holiday," Eudico replied.

Little Duck's girlfriend-her main girlfriend, as she had several-was a Quill in Cetus named Mitsuki. She was a small, snarky little thing that Eudico quite enjoyed the presence of in the times she had seen her.

"Yeah, well..." Little Duck's hand rested on the back of her neck. "I couldn't visit long, as she has a personal meeting with the Unum. Super intense spiritual shit. I couldn't interfere, so I'm en route to visiting Suda. Did you see the sticker I got? Nakak, Mitsuki's little friend who's a future Quill, is making 'em for everyone. Says they're Valentines for friends, and everyone is her friend!"

Eudico sighed. She couldn't get one date, and here was Little Duck, having two.

Instead of expressing this jealousy, though, Eudico asked, "You're still seeing the Cephalon?"

"Hah, yeah. If I stopped showing up to drop off intriguing data, I'd never hear the end of it. Besides, Cephalons can hook up to your rig, and they can do-"

She continued to list off increasingly explicit things Suda has done to her and her rig, and Eudico wanted to disappear on the spot. Even the Tenno surrounding the chair listened in on Little Duck's descriptions, hand motions included. They began to whisper amongst each other.

"-So that's great and all that. Who're you seeing tonight?"

"No one. I have a job, D."

"Oh, come the muck on! It's a holiday! You gotta get laid at some point!" She trusted her hips, as if that proved her point.

To Eudico, it did not. "I'm dealing with thermia fractures on top of the elevated workload due to the holidays, and-"

Little Duck didn't say anything to cut her off. She didn't need to. All she did was cross her arms.

"Look, Eudi, you useless lesbian. I know who you've been thinking about. Just go ask her."

"What are you talking about? I have work-"

"I'll man the chair. Go ask her."

"But how do you-"

Little Duck took Eudico's power tool and scooted her off the chair. "Because you're useless and not subtle, Eudi. Remember that time at the pub?"

"No."

"Exactly. You fawned over Ticker like she hung the stars in the sky. It started off with her work in all she does for Fortuna, but it became so much more than that. You started telling me about how her voice does things to you-"

Eudico looked around at the confused Tenno crowding around the chair and interrupted "That's enough."

"Then go ask her. Are you a coward, or the Queen of the Deck?"

Eudico emitted a shuddering sigh. "Fine, D. I'll ask her if it'll get you to shut up."

"I'll never shut up!" She waved for Eudico to move along and began to address the Tenno. "A'ight, what d'you muckers want?"

Eudico hovered for a bit, partially out of anxiety, partially to make sure Little Duck really had a handle on things. Once she could no longer justify standing there, she made her way to Ticker's shop.

It was fairly busy when she arrived, the few and far between bleeding heart Tenno donating to keep couples together instead of repo, so Eudico hung back and watched.

Ticker was, for all intents and purposes, a goddess in Eudico's eyes. The way she talked, the advice she gave to people, her sassy hand gestures all melted her heart. How was Eudico to ask this queen of a woman out? She didn't have anything to offer in comparison but baggage and a reluctance to reveal anything of herself.

Unfortunately, Ticker noticed her. "Eudi, darling, what are you doing so far from the deck?"

Eudico pocketed her sweaty hands. "Taking a break. Just wanted to...see how things are over here."

Ticker watched her for a moment, then waved off the lurking Tenno. "Shop's gonna take five. Leave us for a moment, Sunshines?"

The Tenno nodded and departed, eyeing Eudico suspiciously.

Once the shop was cleared, Ticker motioned her closer, and Eudico stepped forward hesitantly. "What's bothering you, Eudi?"

"I…" She took a breath. "I just. Am stopping by. Saying hi. Checking on. Wares."

"Eudico, you're the worst liar I know." Ticker crossed her arms.

Eudico sighed again, leaving her a little dizzy.

"Look at me, Eudi."

She looked up. The Solaris were always rather unreadable to the layman, but Eudico was used to the posture and flickering lights that made the goddess that was Ticker, and she knew she was concerned.

Ticker held out her hands, and Eudico, hoping her palms weren't too disgusting, took them.

"What is it you want to say? You don't need to be nervous around me. You know that."

"Yes, but…" Eudico shifted her posture a bit. "Are you...busy later?"

"It's Valentine's Day."

Eudico's shoulders slouched. Of course someone like Ticker would have a date already. She was so stupid to have listened to Little Duck and all her lady-killing skills.

"Yes, I know, you probably already have plans-"

"Darling, are you asking me on a date?"

Eudico tasted bile. "Yes," she said quietly, "but of course, you already probably have plans, and-"

"Sure."

Eudico dropped her hands in shock. "Wait, really?"

Ticker chuckled, a low rumbling sound that made Eudico shiver. "Of course. You're exactly my type." She took her hands again, giving them a squeeze. "Strong, independent, fierce. I'd be an idiot to say no." With a little laugh, she added, "I'm surprised you thought I was already taken for the night. Not everyone can handle this ray of sunshine."

Eudico laughed nervously, unsure of how to respond.

"Where should we meet? You're off at the next cold cycle, right?"

"I….I am. Late. I understand if it's too late for you-"

"I'll meet you at your chair right before cold cycle. Let a lady treat you nice tonight." She gave her hands a squeeze.

"I...thank you. I will. See you then."

The Tenno began poking back into the makeshift shop area, and Ticker waved for them to come in, dropping Eudico's hands.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Eudico."

Shyly, she replied as she departed, "Happy Valentine's Day, Ticker." And trying her best to avoid the curious glances of the colorful Tenno, she made her way back to her chair.