a/n: Irina is a rose, by any other name.
Monolith Soft owns all the good stuff, and I am truly grateful.
Irina couldn't focus on her comm device. She'd lost all interest for the novel she had been reading before she'd answered her door. She found herself glancing at her desk without thinking. The rose lay across it, looking a little tired on this late Valentine's evening. She tried to go back to the story (guns, horses, and arroyos, lovely escapist nonsense) but her eyes kept wandering back to the pink flower. It must be the slight perfume.
She gave up and checked her messages. Nothing much of interest. Gwin endlessly fussing over which new skell he should buy (did they make My First Skells? If so, then that one). A competition for collectibles, ostensibly to improve division morale (yeah, collecting, so much fun). A coupon for Army Pizza. Nothing else. She wasn't sure what she wanted to see. A cute cat video? An invitation? An apology?
Apologizing for what? Silence? Or saying something?
She started typing. thinking of going out She erased that. what u doing (erased) doing anything (erased) wanna have some (erased) u up 4 (god no, erased) i'm going to (no) was thinking of (no) hey (no) its irina (no) yesterday you (no) i hear (no) so about tonight (no no no)
Would you like to have a drink with me? Tonight? She sent it before she really started to feel nauseous.
The comm device chimed before she'd lowered her hands. It took her three tries to unlock the screen. She had grabbed her jacket and was heading out the door even while she fumbled a reply.
a/n: You decide.
The structure of this whole thing was inspired by *coughstolenfromcough* Arthur Schnitzler's La Ronde (Reigen). 10 lovers meet, part, and meet anew, written over a hundred years ago.
Love continues
imperfectly
through centuries and across planets.
Happy Valentine's Day.