The Doctor crawled into the bed for the last time. This would be the final night he would spend in the lab before he bid her farewell and to all the memories he had made in one week.
It wasn't bad at all. It would be weird if he didn't cherish everything he went through here, despite the labor he was forced to take part in. His laziness was his downfall of him, but even on the days he stayed inside all day, Magallan talked to him every day and accepted him for who he was.
The Doctor let out a sigh. A sigh that was drowned out by the chatter of the heater as it expelled heat into the air to keep them safe from the bitter cold.
As he closed his eyes and succumbed to the drowsiness, he felt all the fatigue melt away from his muscles. The mattress pushed up and supported his mass while retaining its soft kisses against his body.
However, as soon as he closed his eyes, he found himself staring up at the ceiling of the lab. The Doctor raised his arms and grabbed his pillow to stuff it in his face while his sense slowly registered themselves into the world. But as he moved around, he felt a warm presence pressed up against him.
The Doctor's body stiffened as he lifted the blanket, half-expecting a monster to leap out at him like a cheap movie jump scare, but what he discovered wasn't something he expected at all.
It was Magallan, and she was curled up against his body with her head nuzzling his chest. The peaceful look on her face spoke volumes about how comfortable she was next to him. But what was she doing in his bed?
Taking several deep breaths, the Doctor sifted through his memories, wondering what transpired last night that steered him to sharing a bed with Magallan. Was it possible she put alcohol in his second serving of hot chocolate? That wasn't possible since strict company policies would dictate personnel abstain from liquor or strong beverages on the job, which should have been the case last night. But in an isolated spot in the country of Sami, who was keeping track?
"M-Magallan?" The Doctor whispered as his heart pounded out of his chest. He was hoping the whisper would wake her up, but she kept on dozing.
It took a minute for the Doctor to work up some courage to poke her and then another minute to gently shake her awake from her deep slumber when poking her didn't deliver the desired outcome.
This action finally worked as Magallan's eyes fluttered open as her vision made direct eye contact with him. The sleepy expression on her face was adorable, but that was beside the point. She looked up at the Doctor and gave him the sweetest smile he had ever seen during this week.
"Morning, Doctor... I'm woozy from last night, but it was fun while it lasted." Magallan muttered as she rubbed her eyes to clear the exhaustion from her system.
"Oh, that's nice... Wait, what do you mean by that?" The Doctor's mind spun around like a washing machine, except at the speed of a tornado. At that rate, the washing machine would have been obliterated. Luckily, minds didn't work that way.
Magallan blushed as she realized what she had just said and laughed it off as she averted his gaze for a few seconds. "T-That's not what I meant, Doctor! What I meant to say was I couldn't sleep well from all the sugar we drank last night! And how much joy I experienced while the week lasted! But I guess combining those two sentences the moment I woke up sounded suggestive in hindsight." She finished with a sheepish grin.
"That still doesn't explain why you're in the same bed as I am right now." The Doctor pointed out.
"Oh, that... Like I said before, I didn't sleep well. But when I looked over at you, you looked so comfortable, so I ended up joining you and it helped! There's just something about sleeping with a loved one that soothes the heart. Wouldn't you agree, Doctor?"
"Um… I wouldn't know too much about that."
Magallan giggled as she put an arm around him. "Now that you tasted a hint of it, how about now?"
The Doctor didn't know how to respond to her question, especially when she was this close to him. "Urk…" He was going to be forced to answer, wasn't he?
"It's fine if you don't tell me now, Doctor. So I'll do my best to bless you with more moments like this."
"T-That's nice to know, but moving on to the current situation at hand. Rhodes Island will be here soon, so can you help me pack everything? Also, you can stop snuggling with me." The Doctor said, trying his best to change the subject, so his heartbeat could return to normal.
"No thank you," Magallan murmured as she suddenly wrapped both her arms around him and cuddled against him.
"Gah, Magallan!" The Doctor cried out in surprise.
This caused Plume to wake up from her slumber and flip over in her makeshift mattress to stare in their direction with a slumberous expression. She sat up and rubbed her eyes to comprehend the situation unfolding before her.
"Good morning, Plume! How did you sleep?" Magallan asked, pretending everything was normal, even though she was still in the same bed as the Doctor.
Plume lightly shook her head to confirm what she was seeing was correct. "Good morning… Why are you in the same bed as the Doctor?" She asked, gunning for the apparent question straight away.
"No reason!" Magallan responded as she stood up and stretched her body to compensate for the position she was in throughout the night. "Let's pack up all your stuff, so you guys can make it out of here in an orderly fashion! I don't want you guys to be late!"
Plume shot the Doctor a look of confusion, but decided it would be better if she didn't know as long as he was unharmed. Plume stood up and studied him to see if Magallan had injured him as he walked around the lab to pick up all his bags of snacks, which happened to be under the bed.
The Doctor noticed her unease and played along with her by spreading his arms out to the side, so she could finish up her complete body examination of him. "I'll tell you later on the aircraft when Rhodes Island picks us up." He whispered.
Plume nodded her head and leaned in close to him. "I fear, I already know what's going on. Magallan likes you, am I correct?"
The Doctor went rigid at her question. He was sure the status of their relationship was confidential between Magallan and himself, but he shouldn't have expected any less from his stellar bodyguard. That and her discerning vision. "Er… Yes."
A rare sight graced the Doctor for a second time as Plume smiled, but it quickly vanished when Magallan jumped in to help the two of them. The Doctor noticed it, but it was because Magallan scared her from the sudden action.
Together, they shoved everything in the Doctor and Plume's suitcase while the sun rose higher into the sky. As they concluded, Magallan hopped into the kitchen and whipped up a quick breakfast for the three of them. When she placed a bowl of grits and a plate of scrambled eggs in front of the Doctor, his body language immediately reflected his conflicted emotions vibrantly.
Magallan laughed at his reaction. "I guess you're not going to miss this?"
"Tell me about it. Eating healthy is essentially flavorless."
Magallan sat next to him and gently bumped his shoulder with hers. "I'll bring some spice blends next time when we do this again. Just for you."
The Doctor's heartbeat quickened to her response, if only for a brief second. Now that Magallan had confessed her fond sentimental feelings to him, she boldly teased him, despite Plume's presence. Luckily, there were no other operators to witness the joyous occasion unfolding within the lab. If they were, rumors were bound to infect every corner of Rhodes Island.
Before they knew it, they could hear an aircraft nearing the lab. It signified the one thing Magallan didn't want, but there was nothing she could do to delay the inevitable.
The Doctor scrambled around as he finished whatever was edible in his breakfast dishes and put his mask on to prepare himself for the incoming team that was supposed to pick him up. Plume imitated the Doctor's action as she thanked Magallan for the breakfast and jogged over to grab both the suitcases and whatever else they brought with them.
The Doctor scanned the lab one more time before he made his way to where Plume was standing.
"Are you ready to leave, Doctor?" Plume asked.
"I think so. Hopefully, I didn't forget anything..."
"Well, there's always next year."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." The Doctor agreed.
He took a glance at Magallan, who was still sitting at the table with her head lying on her arms. A wistful expression sat on her face as she glumly looked at the both of them until she realized the Doctor was staring at her. Magallan perked up as her melancholy mood transformed into a smile. But he could sense her sorrow underneath the strong front she wore.
Magallan walked over to the Doctor and linked arms with him. "I can hear them landing, so we better make our way over to them!"
The softness of her touch won the heart of the Doctor in an instant. If it weren't for his embarrassment, he would've hugged her. "In your pajamas? Shouldn't you change or something?"
"Nah, it's too cold to get out of my warm and comfy clothes! I'll wear a thick coat over my pajamas and make my way to where they are with you guys!"
The Doctor nodded his head as Magallan swiftly grabbed her coat and wore it. They opened the door to the lab and stepped outside into the snowy terrain for the last time. They trekked up the hill to the landing zone of the aircraft, which was primarily a flat area on top of a hill.
But on the way there, Magallan reached out and wrapped her hand in his, startling the Doctor for a good second. "Doctor."
"Uh… Yes?"
"I know I said this yesterday, but thank you for coming this year. It sincerely made me happy that we got to spend a week here, cherishing each other's company. I just wish you could stay here for the rest of my expedition…"
The Doctor stayed silent for a second before he interrupted it with a small joke to cheer her up. "Is this the part where we express love for each other, have a saccharine moment, and fabricate a cheesy promise that we'll meet again?"
The expression on Magallan's face lit up with mirth as she giggled at his witty jest. "I'm going to miss you."
She stuck close to him until they were within the eyesight of the aircraft operators. That was when she let go of his hand, causing the Doctor to believe she also didn't want the others on Rhodes Island to know the status of their relationship like he did.
But now his hand felt empty. Instead, it was displaced by the bitter wind of Sami. To think spending one week with Magallan could make him appreciate her presence to this degree. He was also going to miss her.
Blaze shouted above the noisome engine, roaring. "A grand entrance for the grand Doctor! What a way to pick you up from your vacation!"
"Nice to see you too..." The Doctor trailed off as Blaze helped him climb into the aircraft. There was a certain smell that he could usually associate with her when they were at the bar on Rhodes Island, and it was the unpleasant odor of alcohol. "A-Are you already drunk this early in the day, Blaze?"
Blaze smiled as she held up an empty bottle in her hand that he hadn't noticed the first time around. "Nothing like a good drink during the afternoon to take the edge off the day!"
"I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." The Doctor noted as he turned around to help Plume up, only to find Sharp already on it. Next, he focused his attention on the person he spent an entire week with and waved his hand at Magallan, who neared the aircraft. "Until next time, Magallan!"
"Until next time, Doctor! Actually, see you when I get back to Rhodes Island before winter starts! Oh, and before you go..." Magallan dug around her pajama pockets and dug out a fossilized branch and handed it to the Doctor, who accepted it. "A little something for you to remember this vacation until next year!"
The Doctor turned it over in his hand and studied it for a few seconds before putting it in his pocket. "Thank you. I'll see you then."
Magallan waved her hand and bid them farewell as the aircraft lifted itself into the air and shot across the sky. The Doctor kept his vision trained on the lab until it was no longer visible to his eyes and just an insignificant speck on the ground. He had hardly left the vicinity of Sami, but he already couldn't wait for next year.
A week later, the Doctor would receive an email from Magallan, explaining how she caught a cold and was now recuperating for the next week. It drew a chuckle out of the Doctor as he sat in his office and read the message from his computer. He typed a few words of encouragement and a get well soon image to her.
He looked down at the fossilized branch that now sat next to his computer on the desk as a reminder of his vacation and smiled. He touched it and felt the roughness of it grate against his skin before putting it down.
The Doctor looked back at the screen of his computer and found a new email that only contained one thing; a red heart at the end of the message. He created a new email and sent a heart emoji back to her. Next year couldn't come any sooner.
Author's Note: At first, this was going to be a one-shot, but it slowly evolved into a two-chapter story since I felt like there was so much more I could add. The second chapter came as a result of me wanting to add penguins to the story, which turned out great in my opinion!
Then I wanted to end it there, but I realized there still wasn't enough content and I wanted to extend it by two more chapters, filled with winter festivity and activities, so I did exactly that and that's how this story was born! As for the last chapter, I wanted to make it special because this is a romance story in the first place!
Anyway, thank you guys for sticking around and reading all the chapters! This was my first attempt at a multi-chaptered story for Arknights, and I hope I delivered some quality stuff!
Also, early Merry Christmas, early Happy New Year, and early happy holidays! Whether you celebrate it or not, I still hope you guys are doing fine!
With festive love from your favorite writer, Out4Lunch!