Special
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Ciel cheerfully cried, reaching into the large box in her arms to dig out a little bag. All eyes turn to her, and she marched up to Cerveau, dropping the bag with his name written on a card attached to it. She gave him a big smile, of which he returned. “Don’t eat it all at once.”
“You know me,” Cerveau joked as he peeked into the little bag of goodies. “I’m conservative.”
“Yeah,” a soldier snickered, giving Ciel a smile as she gave him a package as well. “Not like some people…” he glanced at Hibou, who was already enjoying his treats.
“Be nice,” Ciel scolded. She heard excited footsteps, whirling around with a bag already selected as Alouette hugged her around the waist. “A happy Valentine’s to you, Alouette!”
“Heee,” Alouette giggled, taking the bag. “Thank you, Sis! Happy Valentine’s!”
Ciel patted her head, smiling wider as the little girl’s obvious happiness when she peeked into the bag. Cerveau and the soldier once more began to talk to her, the soldier tossing his bag between his hands and making it jingle.
“It’s nice to have a peaceful Valentine’s Day,” Cerveau was saying as the door near the group opened. As Zero strolled by, more or less ignoring them, the engineer went on, “I’m sure everyone will enjoy getting a little present.”
Ciel looked past Cerveau to see Zero had paused to look at them after his statement, and with a sly smile, she snatched a package from her box, going to him. The red-clad Reploid looked at her, turning around to speak when she dumped the bag into his arms, giggling at his confused expression.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Zero,” Ciel giggled.
Zero stared at the bag in his hands, obviously lost at what she was going on about. Before he could ask, Ciel spotted other soldiers she had yet to greet, and the girl was soon rushing down the hall with her box in her arms, Alouette at her heels. Slowly the blond glanced to Cerveau, who had that knowing smirk on his face.
“Don’t know what Valentine’s Day is, Zero?” Cerveau asked.
Zero assumed his usual stoic look. “I would not be speechless if I did.”
Cerveau laughed, as if Zero made a joke. “It’s a human tradition. You give a present to the people you love.”
Zero glanced down the hallway to Ciel. “What do you mean, love?”
“It can mean any kind of love. Like right now, Ciel’s expressing her friendship-love to everyone. I’m sure later on she’ll give another present to the more special person in her life.” Cerveau gave Zero a look, one the blond was oblivious to.
Zero was looking at the package in his hands. It was just some energy crystals by the feel of it, a generic gift to give a bunch of Reploids. “What would one give a ‘special person’?” he asked.
Cerveau chuckled, now giving Zero an actual leer. “Anything special, of course. Something they’d really like.”
“I see.” Zero looked up from the bag, watching as Ciel continued to pass out bags. He tucked his under his arm, leaving Cerveau in the hall as he went to the human girl.
“Ciel,” she looked up, a little startled to see Zero there. The blond looked at her box. “Do you… have an extra bag?”
“Oh,” she smiled, digging to the bottom of the box. She pulled out an empty, unused bag and handed it to him with a light blush. “Planning to give someone a present?”
Zero looked at the bag, already with a blank card attached. “I’ll be back later.” With that said, he turned and walked away from the group, all of them staring at his retreating back.
Alouette glanced up at Ciel, a little smile on her face. “Do you think…?”
Ciel’s blush grew a bit. “We’ll find out…”
~*~
The bag was heavier than Zero expected it would be, but he clutched it close as he navigated the now darkened hallway. He never believed in silly little human traditions, but when Cerveau said someone special…
He wouldn’t say it aloud, but Zero had immediately felt a sort of tug on himself when he heard those words. It was silly, stupid really, but… he wanted to do it. It was the least he could do.
He entered the room, nervously glancing around before approaching his final destination. Zero stared intently, unsure if he were supposed to say something. Was there anything worth saying at this point? Nothing appropriate came to mind, so Zero just knelt down, setting the bag on the ground.
He flipped the card over so the appropriate side saying, To: X, was showing.
Zero stood, staring at the grave with an unreadable expression. What did one do, when one gave a present to someone special who no longer existed…?
He could only stare for a few more minutes, silent as ever, knowing he should walk away at this point. But that was too cold… even if X wasn’t there. He should do something else, right?
Zero remained unsure and confused, feeling as lost as he did that day he lost X. All he could do was stay silent and hope his meager present would have made X smile, should he had been there. Like he should have been.