𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭'𝐬 𝐋𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲 - 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐯

𝟎.𝟔 - 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐩

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Honestly, if it wasn't for Zoya's power struggle, Valeriya could easily see herself being friends with her.

The entire way back, Zoya grumbled and whined about the dire conditions in which they had to travel, thanks to their new saviour destroying the Darkling's carriage. In the core of her heart, Valeriya had to agree. It had been barely an hour since the girl was declared a Grisha and she had already caused so much damage, it made Valeriya shudder to think how many broken carriages her and her team of Fabrikators will have to fix in the future.

But now they were at the Little Palace, and every Grisha was running around like headless chickens, trying to prepare for everything. As if it was their saviour coming home to them.

Valeriya wondered if they thought of the Darkling or the girl.

But there was a storm on the horizon, Valeriya noted as she saw Baghra kick the girl out of her hut once again. Something bad was about to happen, and Valeriya would be in the front lines when it hit.

She could hardly blame their esteemed Sun Saint for cowering away from Baghra, considering she had never trained under the woman as an adult. She still shuddered to think of her first experience with Baghra.

At least Miss Starkov, First Army mapmaker, was fine at training with Botkin. Valeriya wondered why the Darkling wanted her to train for a physical brawl, because if he could help it, she would have to go beyond her gilded cage.

Valeriya well understood how it was, owing your life to him. She knew Alina felt as if she was taken away, but really, who could complain when your shoddy clothes are exchanged for expert-made keftas?

While Valeriya was trying her best to stay away from the Sun Summoner, it was impossible to not notice her presence. Every time Valeriya saw the Darkling, the faint scent of someone Tailored hung around him. And while what the Darkling did was in no way Valeriya's business, she couldn't help but make the connection in her mind. It took no genius to figure out that Genya had been Tailoring the girl, and now the Darkling had a similar smell around him.

So, yes, she'd really rather not think of what he did in his spare time.

To be honest, Valeriya had never really cared about his 'conquests' in the past. He was her mentor, her leader, and nothing more. While he was closer than most with her, she forbade herself to see that as a reason to poke her nose in other people's business. As reclusively private as she was, she strictly gave others the same courtesy.

Hence, in a palace full of bumbling nosy buffoons, Valeriya preferred to be alone, lest herself being open displayed itself as some sort of invitation to bustle in her life.

Clue — it was not.

So while everyone traded rumours and gossips about the nature of the blossoming relationship between the heartbroken seventeen-something old and the cool, indifferent leader, Valeriya had to make a conscious effort to ignore the giggling of the girls who gave her pitying looks, thinking the Darkling had 'broken up' with Valeriya to get with the Sun Summoner.

Which was a horrifying image, and Valeriya took to eating in her workshop for a week. It was only when Ivan, the snitch, ratted her out to the Darkling that she surfaced from the smoke of her room, begrudgingly taking her dinner with him, in his War Room.

"Care to explain why no one has seen you in the past week?" the Darkling conversationally, ignoring his plate of food and moving towards the tower of pastries Valeriya had ordered.

She took a moment, trying to budge a stubborn chocolate chip stuck in her tooth. When she emerged triumphant in the battle between herself and the chocolate, she looked at him again. "You know how much I loathe gossip," she said simply, setting her napkin on the plate.

While he never dined with his Grisha, that didn't mean that he was not aware of what juicy talks were spinning in the air. He was also aware of the way his Materialnik had a tendency to scurry into the depths of her workshop at the slightest sign of inconvenience.

He rested his chin on his hand. "I also happen to know that you have never cared for it, either."

She shook her head in response. "I heard you offered her a kefta in black," she said casually. It didn't bother her, no, not the fact that the Sun Summoner was offered black. She was one of a kind, truly, just like the Darkling. The Sun Summoner and the Shadow Summoner. What could be a better pairing? What bothered her was that despite telling herself to not overestimate her value, she felt replaced.

"I'm sure you also heard that she refused."

Valeriya snorted at this. "Did you not expect it, General?" she said, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.

He hummed. "I did. Not this soon, though."

"How is her training going?"

"Well enough. She's learning with Baghra."

Valeriya shuddered in response. "Are you going to have her present anything at the winter fete? Our local magical presentation for the bumbling idiots?" she asked with a sneer.

He looked at her, amused. "I think that's the most you've spoken in one go since Alina has arrived."

Before she could reply, a knock on the door interrupted her. Thinking it was one of the oprichnik, she leaned over the Darkling to grab a pastry from his side.

The door opened, and Alina stood there, flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't wait. I didn't know there was-"

"It's alright, Alina. If you could just wait outside for a moment," he replied calmly, cutting her off gently. She nodded mutely, slipping again outside.

And just like that, the talkative Valeriya that spoke just for him, just with him disappeared, going behind the mask he had so carefully told her to curate.

She truly was his best creation.

"Well, then, General. I'll excuse myself. Thank you for the meal." Thank you for caring, like you once did, she wanted to add, but just inclined her head slightly and walked to the door.

Outside, Alina stood next to the door, looking slightly upset. Normally, Valeriya would ignore the General's bumbling girls, but something bothered Valeriya, enough to make her turn back and face her.

"The Darkling and I, it's not what you're thinking," she blurted. "He's like a...father figure for me. There are no romantic inclinations, if it was ever a concern," she added airily, as if discussing the weather.

Alina flushed in response. She really did blush a lot, Valeriya noted. Was the First Army really so proper that the slight mention of romance made her this flustered? But there was the tracker...?

Shaking her head, Valeriya offered a small smile to her before resuming.

"Wait!" The Sun Summoner called out. Valeriya stopped in her tracks, but did not turn around. "Thank you. Fo- For that day in the carriage, and with Ivan, and," she stopped, hesitating. "And this. Thank you."

Valeriya simply walked away in the direction of her laboratory once again, the gratitude feeling undeserved. 

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