The Sun to my Moon

III

The following morning, Max had still found herself in distress, but rather relaxed than sleep deprived.

'Another day of work..great.'

This particular day, Max was tasked to go into more depth with the case of Las Plagas and do research on how it could spread. Telling herself that she was better off going with another scientist, she knew that Luis would be upset that she had not chosen him.

She sighed, and walked to his room. She left a soft yet hard knock on the door, to alert him that he needed to get up.

"Luis? This is Max. We need to go and do some business outside."

The door opened, and with her being able to peak, it was him. He looked tired. A yawn escaped from his mouth as he rubbed his eyes.

A soft smile was plastered on her face at the sight. If she could be with her previous self, she would sure put some sense into her.

"Mi querida, te levantas temprano.."

"Sorry to break it to you, sleeping beauty, but we have places to be."

Luis groaned. "Do we have to? Do I have to?"

"Hm, just a while ago you were worried on my presence with you and all of a sudden, you DONT want to be with me? That's odd, don't you think?" Max retorted back at him.

Luis gave a smile and opened the door fully. "I was kidding; you know I'd do anything to be with you, even if it's boring, mi querida."

At his words, Max couldn't do her usual eye roll. She figured, 'Why keep playing him when I like him? What's the point.'
...
The two walked out of the base premises, as Luis had his science notations while Max held her gun close to her to protect each other.

"I assure you, Mi amor, there is no one here to harm us! Can the gun come down or be put away at least?" Luis asked frantically.

"No. You don't know what could be out here, and it's protocol."

Luis sighed at her answer, but did not argue back. After all, she was the one with the gun.
...
The two were tasked into going into a somewhat far laboratory by foot, to try and see if anything was available to them or the people nearby. Max hated it, but as she walked, she realized she could be with Luis more than she ever thought of.

As they continued to walk, Luis began moving closer to her. She did not budge, but in her mask, could see him with her peripherals.

"So! Have you always been a scientist?" Asked Max.

"Not really, no. Pero, once the plague spread, I felt that it was useful to help find a cure to end the misery in my home country."

Max smiled to herself. It was as if once something bad happens to your own country, a sense of patriarchy and nationalism washes over you, and she sensed that Luis thought of all that when he made his decision.

"That's nice to hear, you know. I joined from the base of my own heart. I didn't want to, but fearing if the plague would spread further out into other regions, I wanted to be apart of those people that try and stop it once and for all."

As the sun was setting, the pair had finally reached the laboratory. To their own surprise, the area was still green and in good conditions.

As Luis continued forward, Max had stopped him. "Wait behind that tree, I have to see if anyone is there."

"I too, have a gun mi amor. I can go as well."

"You have a pistol. I have an assault rifle. It's best you stay over there and wait for me to retrieve you. Won't be long."

Again, Luis frowned, but didn't argue. He hid behind a rather large tree and waited for Max to come get him.

Max walked into the unpopulated lab, and scanned the area quickly and quietly. She made sure she searched the whole property before bringing Luis inside. Not that she cared about Luis, or she thought.

Some time had passed since, and the sun had set. Luis was getting worried by the seconds, and just as he was about to go and see if Max was still alive, she came out of the lab, untouched and unharmed.

A sigh of relief came from Luis, as he worried deeply about her. "All clear for now. We can camp here for the evening and get what we need going by dawn."

Luis raised his eyebrows as he realized how serious she could get, aside from her dropping her formality when around him sometimes.

As night dawned against them, the two sat in the dark lab, in silence. The temperature was even, but dropping fast.

The pair were forced to squeeze next to one another to maintain body heat, but luckily for Max, her face was well off from being cold.

She saw Luis and felt bad. Though she couldn't take off her mask, she could take off her long, yet soft coat. She felt his hand topple over her own, and her own heart began to race.

Calmly, she removed her hand to drape her coat over his shoulders, just enough to cover what revealed of his skin from the cold. To his surprise, her hand went back to being inside his own, finding comfort in the warmth provided.

"Thank you, mi amor" Luis whispered.

"Don't mention it." She whispered back.

The two slept through what seemed to be most of the night, or at least they thought..