Work Text:
"Doctor, they've returned."
"Thank you, Provence. You may leave." He nodded at the Lupo messenger and stood. Reaching for his mask, he clasped it firmly over his face, sighing. How long has it been since he last saw them?
Three? Maybe four months? He couldn't remember exactly but it must be close. All he remembered was that Penguin Logistics were called for an urgent mission and that they left on short notice — not even a goodbye was said. Kalt'sit, his fellow doctor and one of Rhodes Island's most important figures, seemed to know about the details but she wouldn't tell him anything no matter how much he pestered her. Something about 'conflict of interest' was all she said.
Emperor, Mostima, Sora, Croissant, Bison, Exusiai and most importantly, Texas. He developed a mad crush on her when he took her out for dinner months ago and while no one said a thing, he was pretty sure it was an open secret in R.I. by now. It was one of those secrets which everybody knew but no one said a thing, presumably out of respect for both Texas and himself, and while she did not seem to mind either way, it wasn't as if she did not know. He knew that underneath that quiet, aloof personality laid a mind sharper than any razor.
In any case, he needed to greet them, to welcome them home. To welcome her home. Making his way down the corridors, he made his way to the hangar where the Penguin Logistics van was parked, anticipation growing in his gut. He had not seen
nor heard from her in four months. Has anything changed between them? Did she change? Did he?
He walked into the hangar, where a large party, as expected, was there to welcome them home. He spotted familiar faces among the crowd. Blue Poison, Thorns and even Silverash was there to welcome them home. No surprises there. The members of Penguin Logistics were wildly popular and well liked by everyone. Except maybe Emperor, for the Doctor at least.
"WHAT'S UP, NERDS! WE'RE BACK!"
Yep. Emperor is definitely the exception.
Doctor snaked his way through the crowd, inching his way closer for a better look. He watched as the penguin, brash as ever, winded down the windows and hopped out, signature beanie and shades on as he waved at the crowd. The doors opened and Exusiai was the first of the returning operators to step out, a happy grin on her face. "Hello, Rhodes Island! It's so good to be back!"
The Sankta looked different. More...rugged and tanned, her hair longer and bound into a small ponytail but there was no mistaking that cheerful demeanour and of course, that sparkling halo on her head. She took a look around, spotting the Doctor immediately before waving enthusiastically.
The rest of them followed. Croissant was the next to appear, arms around Bison and Sora as she hobbled out of the van, right leg completely wrapped up in bandages. Obviously injured, the Forte put on a brave smile anyway, waving to the crowd sheepishly before Whisperain and Silence appeared with a wheelchair, ready to carry her off to the medbay. Mostima was....nowhere to be seen, though that outcome was not entirely unexpected. The blue Sankta had a tendency to disappear and reappear at will anyway and the Doctor was not too worried as long as her fellow red Sankta seemed okay with it.
Then, the door to the driver seat opened and she appeared. Texas. Texas the quiet. Texas the cool. Texas the beauty. All those nicknames described her perfectly, yet none of them could do her justice right now. Clad in a smart white shirt, a black outer vest and leggings, completed with a blue skirt and fingerless gloves, she couldn't have looked more regal to him. He stood there, quietly soaking in her beauty as she scanned the crowd before her, analytical eyes picking out familiar faces until her purple orange irises met his.
Then, her expression melted and she shot him a warm, almost shy smile. She walked up to him, nodding politely at her fellow operators surrounding her until she stood before him. "Doctor. Sorry, doctors."
Doctors?
"Welcome back, Texas. Exusiai, Sora, Bison and to Croissant too. Welcome back, all of you. I am so happy to see all of you back, mostly unharmed. Your mission went well, I presume?" Kalt'sit spoke from beside him, nearly giving him a heart attack. Where did she come from? How long had she been standing there beside him?
"For the most part, yes. Cro took a nasty shot to her thigh, and Exusiai's got a mild concussion but otherwise I'd say it went along smoothly."
"I'm glad to hear that. We expect a full report tomorrow, but run along now. Get some rest. You look like you could use some sleep yourself. Anything else, Doctor?" Kal'tsit nudged him gently and he cleared his throat, glancing at his clipboard.
"Nothing so important that it cannot be relayed tomorrow. Like Kalt'sit said, freshen up and get some rest. There's food in the mess hall and the usual relaxation facilities are all priced at a hefty discount for the week just for all of you. Repairs for the van would have to come out of your own pocket, of course but I'm pretty sure Closure can-"
"Free! It'll be free this time!" Closure yelled from the back.
"You heard her. Go on now."
"Thank you, Doctors. Grazie." Texas smiled and nodded in appreciation before leading her team back inside, Emperor narrating their adventures as the doors closed behind them. One by one the other operators dispersed until it was just him and Kalt'sit left. He made preparations to follow suit too, stuffing his hands inside his pockets and heading towards the door.
"Doctor, wait." Kal'tsit called from behind him. "There is something I wanted to talk to you about. We'll talk in my office."
He turned back, an inaudible sigh escaping his lips. Meetings with Kalt'sit generally meant discussion of serious issues and the Doctor definitely did not want to think too much right now. But still, he regarded her as his boss despite their equal positions and when Kalt'sit spoke, people generally tended to listen. He envied her. His voice never carried that same authoritative aura.
Shrugging, he nodded and held the door open for her. "After you."
He followed her through the winding corridors, taking a look around the facility and inspecting the operators. The trading posts seemed to be doing okay with Courier and Matterhorn at the helm. Likewise, Eyjafjalla was equally busy contacting the outside world in the human resources department while La Pluma occupied herself in the workshop, crafting out skill summaries. Seeing them all of them working gave the Doctor a renewed sense of purpose and responsibility. They were like family to him. A family not bound by blood but by ties so much thicker.
Weiss. Matterhorn. Adele. Rafaela. The Doctor found himself repeating their names in his head.
That's right. These operators were family and there was no family on Terra that did not know the names of its' members. Sure, some of the operators were still reserved and he was more than comfortable referring to them by their codenames, but he was certain that with time, he would get to know them on a more personal level. It annoyed him then, that despite all his attempts at getting to know Texas and assigning her as his personal assistant, he still didn't know her real name. He never asked and she never offered so their relationship had never really gone past employer and employee.
"Doctor." Kal'tsit's voice shook him out of his thoughts as she stood by the doorway to her office, holding the door open for him. "Come inside. Take a seat."
Eyeing the comfy looking armchair, he took a step towards it and leaned ba-
"Sorry, no. That's my spot. Take a seat on the couch there."
"Right. Of course. Knew that." Yep. That comfy looking armchair was definitely reserved for Kal'tsit and Kal'tsit alone.
The Feline doctor raised an eyebrow at him before turning over to her pantry. Reaching into her cabinets, she pulled out two cups and a teapot. "So tell me," She called out, filling a kettle with water and setting it to boil. "What's on your mind?"
"I'm afraid I don't follow?"
"The return of P.L. I thought you of all people would be happy, seeing your favourite assistant return." The kettle whistled and Kalt'sit carefully poured into the teapot, lightening up the room with the soft, mild fragrance of Yanese Jasmine flowers. She placed the cups and teapot on a tray and brought it towards him, setting it down on the table before them.
"I am happy."
"Sorry, I meant happier. Right now you look like a lost puppy with no direction, so speak. I can't have you distracted, not when the war with Dublinn and the Sarkaz is still going on." She took her teacup with dainty fingers, blowing gently and taking a sip.
Ouch. Leave it to Kal'tsit to go straight through the point. It was one of her traits that he appreciated though. Awkwardness was never an issue with Kal'tsit and talking to her could either be the easiest or the most difficult thing in the world, depending on the situation.
The Doctor thought for a moment, fingers tapping on his lap as he thought of the words to say. "I guess I just miss her. A lot. Those three, four months without even a word from her..... It's scary, really. I mean, I know that Texas is strong. All of them are, in fact. But we've seen it before with W. With Frostnova, Patriot and Talulah. No matter how strong our operators are, there will be an enemy that is stronger than us. Faster than us. More dangerous than us.... I guess what I really want to say is that I was scared for her. Four months of silence? I didn't even know if they were dead or alive. I mean, she could have said something.... anything really. We have lots of means of communication these days."
"All of which can be traced back to us and put us in harm's way." Kalt'sit set her teacup down, refilling her cup. "Doctor, are you familiar with the Siracusan concept — Omerta ?
Seeing his dumbfounded look, Kalt'sit took a sip of her tea before continuing. "Omerta refers to a concept, or a code if you will, in the Siracusan mafia, said code being one of silence and misinformation. Capos and mafiosos of all rankings in Siracusa regard Omerta with utmost respect and reverence and to break the Omerta code means to effectively forfeit one's life."
"Okay, but why are you telling me this? Are you saying that Penguin Logistics got into a fight with the Siracusan mafia, more specifically with Texas' past as a mafioso? What does Omerta have to do with anything then?" Doctor pressed. He needed answers and Kalt'sit explanations were giving him more questions, the exact opposite.
"Omerta has everything to do with it, Doctor. Ignorance is bliss after all. By maintaining secrecy, Texas was trying to steer us clear away from the sights of the Siracusan mafia. Need I remind you that we have Dublinn and the Sarkaz royals to worry about? Our fight with Reunion is not over as well. We don't need another powerful enemy targeting us."
"But she told you." His voice was bitter.
"Because she needed someone to confide in. Besides, I'm good at making myself disappear. How do you think I survived all those centuries? If something went wrong and they target me, my chances of survival are much higher than yours. Besides, I have Mont3r with me. You on the other hand, have nothing but your limbs and a dream. If the Siracusan mafia were to come after you, I can guarantee you you're not surviving that ordeal."
"Do all of you have that little faith in me?" He snapped in frustration, shaking his head. "To be left in the dark... I thought I meant more than that to her."
"DOCTOR." Kal'tsit's voice grew dangerously cold. "I will not dabble in your personal feelings towards Texas, but do you have any idea how childish, how utterly unfair you are being to her right now? To say those things.... You are clever in strategy, Doctor but clearly a fool in everything else. That trip you took with the Silverash family high up in the mountains of Kjerag. Do you have any idea how worried she was when she heard that Enciodes betrayed your trust? I'll tell you. She nearly mustered up P.L to go to where you were just because of some family feud that concerned her nothing, all because you were caught in the crossfire. Texas of all people, Doctor! The quiet one, the Omertosa. That was the one who was ready to go to war with you, for you. So stop with your selfish arrogance and maybe mind your tongue in the future, lest you say something so utterly foolish again."
Doctor froze. It was the first time he heard Kal'tsit raise her voice in anger, and not for herself. He sank back in his seat, head bowed. "I'm sorry.... I didn't know..."
"Apologize not to me, but to her." Kal'tsit sipped on her third cup of tea. "She has to take some of the blame too. Honestly, that Lupo takes Omerta far too seriously. Maybe a bit of conversation is what's needed between the both of you to prevent these misunderstandings in the future. Besides, it will do the both of you some good to actually come to terms with what you are to each other. This mutual pining will make me throw up if it goes on any longer."
Doctor nodded, standing. He emptied his cup of tea and made his way to the door. Opening it, he turned back to Kalt'sit, nodding his head in appreciation. "Thank you, Kalt'sit. Oh, one more thing...."
"Yes?"
"Do you happen to know Texas' real name?"
***
She didn't answer him. Of course she didn't. He was going to have to ask for it himself and maybe he preferred it this way. Hearing Texas say her own name might be the biggest turn on for him after all. Right after that train of thought, Doctor cursed his own mind for thinking of such lewd thoughts. Sure he viewed her as a woman, but now definitely isn't the time. He needed to make peace with her and more importantly, himself.
He found Texas, now clad in a red shirt, hair up in a ponytail and finished with a black jacket and smart brown shorts, and Exusiai, sorry , Lemuel (He made a mental note to refer to operators by their names) in the chapel, in the middle of a Christmas service led by Hildegard — Archetto. Looking around, Doctor could see a few more familiar faces within the crowd. Operators Eula and Amber — Spindrift and Outrider, sat together, hands clasped in silent prayer. Elsewhere, Adnachiel, Ambriel and Arene formed a quiet trio as they too, gazed upon the Holy Cross of Laterano in reverence. Lappland, too could be seen following suit but he could've sworn she was shooting glances at Texas instead.
Doctor didn't take himself to be a religious person, but he knew of the deities and their powers, witnessing firsthand how benevolent and vile some of these gods can be. Thankfully, he heard that the Laterano God was one of forgiveness, love and mercy so it should be fine if an outsider like him took part. Slipping in, he made his way beside Texas and stood there quietly as she did her prayers.
Red looked good on her, he noted as he gazed at her while she prayed. He watched unspoken words pass through her mouth, watched those dainty lips utter wordless affirmations and requests for blessings and good fortune. Her hair, tied up in a ponytail, looked damp and smelled of pine and mint, almost elating a sense of euphoria within him until he remembered that he was supposed to be praying as well.
His prayers lasted less than a minute before Hildegard started the closing hymns and sang her blessings upon the congregation, wishing wellbeing and blessings for the week ahead. Next to him, he could hear Texas' voice as she sang along. Quiet but melodious and absolutely beautiful. Maybe she could form an idol duo with Sora? Doctor smiled to himself at that thought. No way will it ever happen.
"In Nomine Patris, Et Filli, Et Spiritus Sancti, Amen." The service ended and Texas turned to him, a small yet warm smile on her face. "Doctor."
"Texas." He replied in turn.
"Lemuel" A third voice chimed in.
"Sorry, I don't know any Lemuels." Doctor smirked, earning him a smack on the arm by the offended Sankta.
"Sorry yourself, Doctor. I've got Texas booked for tea and dinner later so don't you think of-" Lemuel started but was forced to shut up after Texas shoved a Pocky stick between her lips.
"Rain check on that dinner later, please?" Texas smiled, patting her colleague on the shoulder. "It seems that the Doctor requires my services. I'm not relieved of duty as his personal assistant, after all."
"Booo...." The Sankta jeered, stepping back before giving the Doctor a dirty look. "Don't you dare defile my pure, sweet Cel-"
Another Pocky stick flew in before she could finish, but not before his ears picked up on it. Cel? What the hell is a Cel? Cell? Celebrity? Or maybe her real name? Cel Texas? That didn't seem right.
Unfortunately, Lemuel was subsequently dragged away by her fellow P.L colleagues before she could get another word in much to the Doctor's dismay, though they did left him alone with Texas. Standing in the corridor with her, he suddenly felt so much more self conscious, like his body was on fire. There she stood, looking all regal, beautiful and wickedly sexy but he still couldn't look cool for her. "I-"
"Not here. Let's go to my favourite spot. You know it, right?"
The roof. Not only was it quiet and warm in the evening, but she could smoke there as freely as she wanted without bothering anyone. Depending on where they were, there was a chance that a nomadic city could come sailing by across the horizon, offering a breathtaking view, especially at night. Of course he knew her favourite spot. It was originally his favourite spot before she laid claim on it, not that he told her.
He followed Texas out of the chapel and into the elevator. Arriving at the roof, she sat on the ground and patted the space next to her, beckoning for him to join her. "God, I forgot how much I missed relaxing here."
"Yeah, It's pretty special. There hasn't been any Catastrophe attacks while you were gone as well, so we've got plenty of cities trading with us. We've got quite a diverse stock of festive food in our kitchens now. The sights and scenes are truly something to behold."
"I want Lungmen Bubble Tea."
"I'm sure we have that somewhere down in the mess."
She laughed, and oh how his heart skipped. He missed her so fucking much, yet he didn't dare tell her that for two reasons. One, he knew that Texas wasn't sentimental like that, or if she was, she never showed it. To be the only sentimental one would make him look quite the desperate fool. Two, he was afraid that she'd disappear the moment he told her that; that he'd wake up the next morning only to find her away again. Damn these feelings, they've only grown stronger the longer she was away.
Ah, to hell with it.
"I missed you." He confessed, running a hand through his hair. "You were silent these past four months, Tex. No hide nor hair. I feared the worst."
"Hmm..." She reached inside her pockets, pulling out a cigarette pack. Pulling a stick out, she twirled it around her fingers with amazing dexterity. "Remember the cigarette I shared with you those months ago?"
"Yeah. I thought I told you to quit. Your doctor's orders, remember?"
"Mhm. I made a decision to quit then... but I wanted to share one last puff with you, properly this time. Then, the call to return to Siracusa happened and...." Texas paused, looking at the cigarette between her fingers. "All those months away from you and your nagging, yet I didn't smoke, not even once while I was away. Got addicted to Pocky to cope with the withdrawals, though. But never once did I take a puff. Wanted to do one last one with you before I quit for good. Don't know why... I gave you your first smoke, seemed fitting that you should give me my last."
She reached towards him, placing the cigarette between his lips and lighting it up. Instantly, the flavour of apple mint smoke filled his throat and nose until it was too much, leaving him with a coughing fit. As expected of an unexperienced smoker. How lame.
That whole experience left him feeling giddy though and it wasn't because of the smoke. That whole mannerism. The way she slipped that paper stick between his lips, the movement of her hands, the gaze in her eyes. It was all so intense, yet so therapeutic that it left him in an euphoric high better than any drug could concur. Offering the cigarette back to her, she took one last deep puff, closing her eyes and savouring the feeling before crushing it against the concrete. At the same time, she crumpled the pack in her hand before tossing it out, far away from the landship.
"Are you familiar with the Siracusan Omerta?" She asked, opening her eyes as the evening sun finally fell below the horizon, the cool breeze of the night sky blowing through her hair.
"Only got a crash course from, Kal'tsit but I'd say I know enough."
"Then you understand why I couldn't say anything, why I couldn't call or write letters. They have eyes and ears everywhere, Doctor. I couldn't contact you even if I tried. I wasn't even allowed to speak to P.L during our infiltration into the Siracusian mafia. They cannot suspect anything from us. One wrong move from any of us and we would've been killed off. I couldn't take that chance, Doctor and all the time I was away...." Her voice cracked as her words tumbled out faster and faster. "... I could only think about how if I were to slip up, I would never see you or any of my friends ever again. I would never get to come to see the sunset here again, I would-"
"Texas." He reached out, rubbing her back gently. "It's okay, Tex. Just breathe.."
Reaching over, he pulled her into his chest, rubbing small circles into her back. "It's not been easy for you, huh? I can't imagine ever feeling that lonely, Tex."
"It's scary. I thought they were going to kill Croissant, and it was all my fault. I slipped up and Cro got hurt because of me. Doctor, you don't understand. I can't let this happen again. I can't let them target you, Doctor. I-"
"Texas." The Doctor held her face in his hands, taken aback by the tears falling from her eyes. Not just one or two drops, but a whole torrent of them as her emotions exploded from within.
"Shh...shh..." He held her tight as she cried in his chest, wails turning into sobs, sobs turning into quiet weeping and finally into small hiccups. "There, there, Tex. You're good. You're good."
"...."
"Sorry?"
"Cellinia.... my name. Cellinia."
Cellinia . What a wonderfully gorgeous name. Cellinia . Cellinia . Cellinia . He repeated her name several times, familiarizing himself with it. "That's a real pretty name."
"Funny..." She let out a watery chuckle. "I still don't know yours."
"Yeah, well... I don't know mine either so 'Doctor' will do for now, or 'Doktah' if you want to say it the Higashi way."
"Idiot." Cellinia smiled, leaning against him, head against his shoulder. "But grazie, Amore..."
"What's that?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just 'Doctor' in Siracusan."
***
-TEN MINUTES AGO / DORMITORIES-
"Texas. It's okay, Tex. Just breathe.... or at least, that's what I think he's saying." Lemuel murmured, passing her binoculars towards Utage, Sora and Gravel. "Poor Cel, she wasn't given much of a choice. She chose to save a mother and her child instead of prioritizing the assassination of a rival capo, which nearly blew our cover within our group. Cro was ordered to punish Cellinia for her failure by shooting her in the leg, but Cro herself refused so she was the one that got punished instead. At that time we really thought Cro would die... we had no medical supplies and Cro was losing blood...."
"Hold that thought, Lem-chan. Texas is....crying?" Utage squeaked.
"No way. Cellinia doesn't cry." Lemuel scoffed.
"But she is... Texas is crying. No, Texas, it wasn't your fault. You had no choice..." Sora spluttered, fanning herself as she looked through the binoculars. "A-And Doctor is comforting her... It's-It's just like...."
"THE AWARD WINNING MANGA — FINDING LOVE AS THE ICE QUEEN!" Utage squealed, much to Gravel's amusement and Lemuel's dismay.
"YOU SHOUJO-MANGA PEABRAINS!" Lemuel roared, snatching the binoculars and looking through them. "No way... Cel is actually crying... I can't believe it."
"Come on, girls. Interrogate them all you want later, but let them enjoy their moment, yes?" Gravel laughed, ushering the girls away. "But Texas and the Doctor... We've all been expecting it, no?"
"YES!" Sora nodded vigorously. "Oh, I can't wait to see them together. It is the stuff that dreams are made of. I want to make a song about it! A song of the thawing of cold hearts, where love is the fire that breaks all barriers! Wouldn't that be nice?"
Lemuel shrugged, still peeking through the binoculars. "I-di-ot, I think? But grah-zie, a-mo-we? Amowe? AMORE?!"
"What's an 'Amore'?" Utage asked.
"Let's just say..... These two better prepare a hell lot of answers for us, because we will have plenty of questions for them." Lemuel smiled, a triumphant grin on her face.