as he comes closer she's rigid, still as the very mountains she loves. he closes the distance between them and wraps her up in a hug. a hug that she really, honestly, didn't expect.

but she should have. he expected her to reach out and hug him so he did it instead. he's a chameleon, she knows this. he acts as he is expected to act, she knows this as well. it's brilliant and it helps him get what he wants.

perhaps she doesn't care anymore, perhaps she loves that about him.

so she returns the hug almost as quickly as it's given and smiles into his shoulder, face buried by his frame. it's much larger than her, being she's barely five foot tall.

"i'd be flattered, but i know good and well i'm not the only person alive who's ever surprised you."

she releases him then, knowing that the physical contact isn't his favorite. she instead creates a distance of sorts, looking at the wine bottle and then back to him.

"... i didn't like, interrupt anything with anybody, did i? i just assumed you'd be alone, cause it's christmas."

. . .

panic.

"i-i mean! uh," oh dear, she's put her foot in her mouth. old habits die hard after all! "w-what i mean is, uh, um, that, i erm, i just, y'know, you're always working and there's no better day to get the upper hand on people than a day where barely anybody else works, right? exactly! yes! yep that is exactly what i uh, what i meant mmhm."

FERNANDO SILPH

the indication that he was there was in hearing the door open. she had held her breath and counted the seconds to occupy her mind and stop it from being distracted.

but the second her name fell from his lips her heart stopped beating. a smile blossomed over her features and she stood up from the chair, smiled at him that warm and fond smile, before clasping her hands together in an effort to contain the joy that wanted to rush out of her like a flood.

she wasn't going to just bolt forward and hug him like she wanted to. maybe because he looked tired, maybe because she'd learned to ask for consent before touching people.

"mr. silph." felt silly to be so formal, but time leaves little room for familiarity. "surprise! merry christmas."

FERNANDO SILPH

how long had it been again?

she'd known him for a total of what... seven years? she was twenty when she first met him, out at slateport beach. he had a glalie by his side. she was astounded, bewildered.

infatuated.

she recognized her emotions now... and even still, she finds herself this way with him. nervous. butterfree and beautiflies in her stomach tearing it apart; or so it felt like.

"i wish you'd just get outta there already and let me die in peace..." softly, she pokes her belly, talking to her nerves as if asking for a swift death. "but... then again... it is christmas. what a terrible day to go."

her mind travels to her parents, who had told her if she didn't go and get this thing with 'mr. silph' settled then they'd stick their feet, collectively, up her ass. it wasn't like she kept her emotions a secret. she'd even told fernando how she felt in a hot spring once.

not that she super clearly remembered that because it was like half a decade ago and wow if she hadn't been nervous as fneiwauogfbd.

so here she sat. in his office. on christmas day, waiting for him to get out of a meeting so that she could be with him the whole rest of his day. why?

nobody should be alone on christmas.

FERNANDO SILPH