COMPLETED, liliya was an inferni and one of general kirigan's closest advisors. she was not the conventional soldier, she didn't always listen but general kirigan liked her. however, when she jeopardises a mission to shu han, things change.
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TRIGGER WARNING: the first scene has an implied reference to suicide/depression, nothing major or explicit but it is there, so please be cautious!
The moon was high in the sky and Liliya still couldn't sleep. It was almost impossible to be able to do anything. After the reminder of everything she had been trying to hide, she had been on the verge of a panic attack the whole day. Her throat constricting, her chest felt tight and it was impossible to do anything. Even training with Botkin became unbearable, eating had been put to one side. Speaking to anyone felt exhausting.
So she was glad for night fall and she was glad that Arina wasn't sat at the pier in the gloom of the night. Liliya's toes were in the water as she leant back on her arms. Her gaze on the sky. She knew someone had been following her from the Little Palace down to the shore but she didn't care who anymore. She assumed it was Ivan, Genya or Arina. Somebody that wanted to speak to her but she didn't pay attention. There was no point. Everything felt... pointless.
"It's late," The voice of Kirigan made her jump. Her whole body jolting with the action and his voice made her stomach erupt in butterflies but sent a flood of sadness over her. Her eyes filling with tears but she blinked them away.
"I know," She responded. She then heard him walking closer and he sat down next to her. He seemed unsure of his own actions, awkward almost but she didn't look. She just stared off at the lake. Maybe if she just pretended he wasn't there, he would leave. But she quickly realised that he liked silence, they would sit in it so often, "What do you want, Kirigan? I made it clear that I don't want to speak to you. You made it clear that you don't care for me," She muttered as she stared down at the water. Getting a glimpse of him in the gloomy reflection of the lake. It was only a second before the light became too dark again.
He then turned to face her and he just waited for a moment, waiting for her to turn her head. She could feel him waiting but she didn't want to turn. If she turned to face him, she might just give in to him.
"I understand how you feel," He said. She chuckled and then turned to face him. Looking into those brown eyes and she paused. The look, the vulnerability. Maybe, maybe he did know.
"You can't know. If you knew, I wouldn't be sat here feeling useless," She said as she lifted her feet out of the water. She placed them against the wood of the pier and brushed the droplets away before crossing her legs.
"Is it so hard to believe that I want to protect you?" He asked and she nodded her head. Shaking the water off her hand as she looked up at him again. It was strange to sit here. He felt so normal all of a sudden. Not her General but Aleksander.
"I am just an Inferni. An asset to you, Kirigan. I don't know why I let myself believe it was anything else," She shrugged. He stared at her for a moment and a frown seemed to appear on his lips. He then cupped her face with his hands. She didn't have the energy to fight back and he just watched her, searching her eyes. Deciding to just bite the bullet, he pressed his lips against hers. A soft gasp escaped her lips and she found herself melting into the kiss.
