Chapter Text
A monotonous series of key taps bounced off the thin walls separating each cubicle in the office space. Despite being powered by her third cup of coffee – that at this point overpowered the scent of cheap cologne, the snow-haired architect desperately tried to keep herself awake by counting each tick of the office clock and buzz of the fluorescent lights above as she finished the last of the digital paperwork that she had left to accomplish.
11:00
“Finally!” Windsong stood up from her swivel chair, causing it to roll into the hall where her coworkers walked. “Oh, sorry–”
Breaktime – her beacon of salvation. Windsong giddily jaunted towards the staff break room to rest, preferring not to strain her already bloodshot eyes that had to endure the torture of the computer screen. She had planned to sleep early, but yesterday’s events had placed an unexpected but unwelcome strain on her otherwise carefully laid out schedule, which she couldn’t wait to share with someone she was expecting to meet again.
“Ah, there she is!” greeted her fashionable friend in green. “Welcome! There's no need to knock.”
“It’s the break room, so duh, Kakania.” Windsong chuckled at the friend and sat down at her table.
“Wow, look at you. I thought you said the move was smooth?”
“It was, it was,” Windsong assured. “I didn’t lose or drop anything along the way, I swear.”
“Then why do you look like you had to wait for hell to freeze over and thaw?”
“That’s… entirely different,” Windsong blushed and turned her eyes to her lunch.
“Oho? Please, do tell me more.” Kakania’s catlike smirk signalled her friend’s interest.
“I wanted to talk to you because… There was this woman–”
“Hah, and you shamed me for my experience!” her friend smugly laughed.
“Shut it– but yeah,” Windsong tried to find the words. “She was really nice; greeted me about the move and she even knew I was coming.”
“I’m getting the vibe she wasn’t just nice, now was she?”
“Okay fine, she was really pretty, but that’s not all.” Windsong swallowed some food followed by a chug of water. “She invited me to a cafe, to get to know the city and stuff.”
Kakania clapped. “Aha! Our Windsong finally scored one. I knew you had it in you–”
“She’s bringing her kid too, I think.”
“Oh.”
A moment of silence passed as both women let both their food and information sink in.
“You scored a mother!? Is she married?” Kakania interrogated.
“Hey, quiet down!” Windsong nudged her. “Well, it’s not a date– and I’m not actually sure about that second one… Yeah, I need your help.”
“If this is because of those rumors that I went out with a married woman, I’m not helping.”
“No, Kakania, not that!” Windsong begged. “Vila, she’s so nice, and I don’t wanna go into this blind. You’re also the closest friend I could ask for advice and…”
“Ada would tease you to death if you asked her, right?” Kakania added.
Windsong choked but nodded.
“Alright, alright, fine.” Kakania rolled her eyes. “If this means you finally believe me when I say I’m already taken and can’t be seen fraternizing with you bachelorettes.”
“Oh come on. There’s absolutely no way it’s who you say it is–” Windsong absentmindedly commented before seeing Kakania leave her seat. “Okay, okay! Please just help me…”
Her friend smiled. “Well, if she’s already familiar with the people in this city, then we could start by asking if anyone else knows her! Information is critical if you wanna start a conversation.”
Windsong nervously laughed.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
“Okay, remind me why we’re in the engineering department?” Windsong asked.
Kakania pushed up her glasses. “Well, if there’s one thing Laplace is known for, it’s for our more…”
A loud crash of metal and wood echoes from across the office space. Several employees could be heard shouting their complaints at the one who caused it, making Windsong curious if they had the right place.
“...eccentric individuals. Working in HR has its connections, Windsong.”
“I guess I’ll trust your people skills…” Windsong gulped as they walked across the foreign department.
Laplace Architects was far from what Windsong would call a typical architecture firm. Anywhere from its employee structuring, number of jobs taken, and target clientele would have more conventional firms scratching at their heads, wondering how they’ve stayed in business. Windsong heard the stories of their engineers as too crazy to be true, but Kakania’s nonchalant approach almost made her believe the sound from earlier was just another day here.
How was this supposed to help me talk to Vila again?
“Aha, Mr X!” Kakania opened a door. “Hard at work as always, I see.”
“Kakania?” the young man replied. “Why hello to you, too. I thought our next grievances counsel was scheduled for next week.”
“Oh, I’m not here for that. I want you to meet my friend, Windsong!” the green-clad woman pulled her in by the coat. “She’s new to the city, and we’re here to ask a few questions.”
“Uhh,” Windsong awkwardly fidgeted. “Hi, I’m Windsong– you already know that… What am I supposed to say?” She turned to Kakania.
“She recently moved into the residential apartments a few blocks away,” Kakania said. “Last I heard, you had a job for it recently, correct?”
“Why yes!” X confirmed. “It was for some brief renovations. They called me in to inspect the elevator mechanisms. Thanks to me, it was back in tip-top condition!”
Actually, it was broken by the time I arrived–
“Yes yes,” Kakania continued. “Now, did you by any chance know of a woman named Vila? Windsong can describe her for me.”
“Huh?” Windsong nearly jumped. “Oh, she’s… in her twenties, I think. Long golden hair, really pretty silver eyes, about a hand shorter than me… had a kid with white hair that looked about… five?”
“Hmm,” X mumbled. “The description sounds familiar. Oh!” His excitement made Windsong hopeful. “Yes, Avgust! The child and I had a long talk about installing a Goldberg machine in the lift mechanisms. He was a very enthusiastic discussion partner.”
“Didn’t you say this kid was five?” Kakania whispered.
“Hey, I don’t actually know!” she sighed. “Anything about his mom?”
“Oh, no,” X admitted. “After ten minutes, I was so caught up in explaining perpetual motion theory that I didn’t notice when the child had left.”
“So we don’t actually know anything more about Vila…” Windsong grumbled.
“Vila?” A foreign woman’s voice entered the room. “I know the woman.”
“Oh, you are?” Kakania didn’t recognize the visitor.
“Lilya, here to deliver a package for X”, the blonde woman in aviator goggles said while dropping a comically long cardboard box. “That woman you’re talking about; I know her. It’s not every day I meet someone from the motherland, so I’ve tried to invite her to my favorite places. Says she doesn’t drink though. Her day job involves kids or something like that.”
I knew I recognized the accent.
“Oh, interesting!” Kakania clapped. “Anything more you could tell us?”
“Nope!” Lilya shrugged. “Never seen her with anyone other than the small one. I just deliver packages.” She took a drink from her flask as X thanked her for her work.
Huh, so she might not be married?
“Thanks anyway, Ms Lilya!” Windsong waved as the delivery woman left. “I guess that’s better than nothing. Thanks Kakania.”
“Don’t celebrate too early, Windsong,” Kakania cautioned. “We know she’s good with kids, doesn’t drink, and where she’s from. Enough to start something, but you still gotta do the work yourself!”
“I guess you’re right… We should probably leave this office though.”
“Oh definitely. I don’t wanna know what was in that box.”
As both women reached for the door out of the mad engineer’s space, the handle inadvertently twisted itself to let another guest in. Before Windsong could react, Kakania immediately stood up straight as both of them gawked at the tall model of a woman with short brown hair and piercing yellow eyes whose silhouette was cloaked by a thick black jacket.
“M-Madam Lucy!” Kakania greeted her superior.
Lucy? That means she’s… THE Lucy!?
“It’s a pleasure to see you, ma’am! What brings you here?” the feather in her green hat slanted.
“Greetings, Kakania from human resources and Windsong from the architecture department,” the head boss of Laplace robotically listed their names and positions. “The latter of which I was told could be discovered here.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Windsong stiffened herself. The notion of the whole company’s boss personally requesting her woke her up faster than any cup of coffee could.
“No need to be so surprised, ha ha,” the scarily tall woman attempted a sense of humor. “I only wished to personally congratulate you for transferring to us safely, and also to give you the exact details of the projects that have been assigned to your expertise.” Lucy held out a thick envelope.
“Of course, ma’am– woah!” Windsong received the heavy stack of papers in her arms. “Just… a light day’s work…”
“Logically speaking, it is not. I wish you good luck with the heavy tasks.”
Note to self: The boss doesn’t pick up on sarcasm.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
The irregular scraping sound of chalk against the board washed over the classroom curiously stuck in anticipation. The woman’s hands, gentle with each stroke and careful with each line, handled the crude drawing tool as if it were as graceful as painting oil on a canvas. Eventually, the lines stopped as she smiled with a proud fang on her lips before turning to the class of children.
“Wow, what a pretty mermaid!” a young child cooed.
“Is it a siren princess? I’ve read about them in storybooks!” said another.
“She’s too scary to be a princess! Look at that armor!”
The teacher smiled and then clapped. “Settle down, children! You were very close, and I’m glad you’ve taken an interest in the folklore of my people.”
Vila picked up another piece of chalk to write the mermaid's name.
“What you see here is a Rusalka warrior. Their legends inspired both fear and awe in the mythology of my people,” Vila giddily explained. “While the modern world loves calling them mermaids, they are but one of many kinds that people have come up with all around the world! Isn’t that wonderful? How many different people came up with the same stories, but different because of where they’re from.”
The entire classroom reacted with a chorus of ‘ooooo’ as Vila organized the drawing materials on her desk.
14:00
Just in time, a bell signalled the end of her lecture. Vila clapped again to get the attention of a class excited to run home.
“Your assignment for today is to draw your own idea of a mermaid! Have fun and stay safe, children!”
As her class filtered out and her bags soon packed, Vila happily hummed a tune to herself as she prepared to head down her post. That was until one of the children, now left alone with her, pulled on her leg.
“Oh, hello there Nina.” Vila kneeled down to greet the girl in pigtails. “Is the Madam not here to come get you?”
The young Nina nodded, looking like she was holding back tears.
“Don’t worry, my child.” Vila patted the girl on the head. “I’m sure someone’s there to get you. Take my hand! Let’s go find them.”
As Vila enclosed the child’s hand in her own and stood up, the two made their way towards the door and into the hall. Luckily, they didn’t need to go far as waiting in the hallway was a familiar red-haired teen in a traveler’s coat and winter hat. Upon seeing her, Nina immediately ran towards the quiet-looking girl for a hug.
Vila chuckled. “Just you today, Yenisei?”
“Ah, Nina!” the young girl attempted to hug back. “Yes, Madam Vila… Madam Bessmert had errands today and asked me to go instead. Thank you, I hadn’t noticed she…”
“It’s fine, child. Little Nina usually waits for Bessmert inside the classroom.”
“Ah, I’m sorry Nina!” Yenisei held onto the crying child.
“She’ll come to grow on you too, Nina dearest.” Vila smiled. “And how’s Avgust, Yenisei?”
“Oh, he’s fine,” the assistant caretaker answered. “I saw him coloring today. Said you were coming to pick him up early?”
“Yes. I’d love to go back with you right now, but I need to arrange my early timeout with the school.”
“That’s fine, ma’am!” the younger girl respectfully bowed. “I-I can handle this!”
“That’s the spirit! Cheer up!” Vila bent down to pat both Yenisei and Nina on the head.
Vila liked Yenisei. Barely old enough to be bigger than the children she looked after, even Vila saw her as one of the kids sometimes, only differentiated by the autonomy she tried to exert as assistant to her wisened guardian. Eventually, the teacher accompanied both of the young ones to the school gate before waving goodbye.
Soon after, Vila checked with the elementary school’s office to make the necessary arrangements for the afternoon’s event.
“Clocking out early, Vila?” the blonde receptionist with a feathered hat asked from the desk.
“Yes, Ms Moissan. I made plans for the afternoon with the new tenant!”
“Oh right.” the seated lady scanned Vila’s file. “Are they nice? I know you do this for everyone, but you just met them yesterday, correct?”
“Yeah. Admittedly, she was a bit too tired for me to know yet, but little Avgust seemed to like her! That boy though… I keep telling him not to greet strangers.” Vila pouted as her friend softly laughed.
“Maybe he takes after his mother too much. You should practice what you preach,” Moissan advised.
“There’s a difference when it’s an adult doing it! Though, maybe you’re right,” Vila sighed. “Still, I have a good feeling about Ms Windsong.”
“That’s her name? Windsong.”
Vila nodded. “Beautiful, isn’t it? Reminds me of when I sang melodies by the ocean breeze…”
“You still miss it?”
“...”
Neither spoke as Ms Moissan gave her the clear that their business was complete.
“Thank you.”
“Have fun on your date.”
✦✦✦✦✦✦
The dainty bell of the cafe door jingled as Windsong entered the small but cozy space. In contrast to the bright white of wintery daylight outside, the small cityside cafe warmed her field of vision with gentle browns and shades of sepia alongside the instantly recognizable aroma of coffee beans and cinnamon spices. Laughter and chatter amongst friends gave the establishment a welcoming atmosphere, and it didn’t take long for her to spot a familiar friendly face waving at her from a set of plush seats placed perpendicular to the wall lined entirely by window panes.
“Hi,” Windsong sat across from Vila and her excited child. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”
“Nonsense. We only arrived a few minutes ago,” the mother smiled, immediately threatening to break Windsong’s composure from the first minute.
“Mama, mama!” Avgust pulled on Vila’s sleeve. “I want fries! Oh, the milkshake too!”
“Settle down, little Avgust,” she calmed the child. “We shouldn’t be rude to our guest. You’ll get your food sooner if you behave.”
Windsong chuckled. “Lively little guy. Is he always like that?”
“Hm? Oh, yes. My apologies for all the noise Avgust keeps making. I hope you slept well last night. I actually woke up to him knocking on our wall to try and talk to you.”
Ah, so that wasn’t just my heart beating–
“I slept fine! Best sleep of my life,” Windsong saved face as naturally as she breathed.
“Wonderful! You’re adjusting well already!” Vila smiled.
“Haha, yeah…” Windsong felt embarrassed.
A short lull passed as the topic had ended. Close to panicking, Windsong started mentally recalling Kakania’s earlier advice about starting a conversation. Should she start a new topic? Maybe ask about how her day at work went? No, Vila doesn’t know that she knows about her job yet–
“Mama!” Avgust cried. “I’m hungry…”
“Alright, alright, Avgust,” Vila consoled her son. “We can get the fries or your milkshake, okay?”
“Wah, why not both?” the young boy held back a tear.
“Silly child, you know our rule about spending too much…” Vila tried to hush Avgust, who looked like he was one moment away from sobbing.
Suddenly, Windsong leaned forward. “I can get him the other one!”
Vila then turned to Windsong with a surprised look in her eyes.
“Oh, it’s… as thanks for taking the time to do this! And… what happened yesterday. You’re just being so nice that I thought I could at least pay you back in some way.”
Very smooth, me.
“If that’s overstepping, I can just–”
Avgust giggled. “See, mama! I saw comrade Windsong’s drawings in her suitcase. She has all the money in the world with her job! She can buy us all milkshakes.”
“Avgust!” Vila playfully silenced the child by covering his mouth with her hand. “I’m really sorry. He’s normally well-behaved whenever I take him to one of these. He’s just been making up stories about you ever since yesterday.”
This time, it was Windsong who found herself genuinely laughing. “It’s fine! I guess the little snowball likes me.” She thought about what to say next. “I’m serious though. I wanna thank you in some way if that’s alright.”
Vila thought about it for a second. “If it’s fine with you, then alright. I’ll make doubly sure to tell you about all the best places in the city in exchange.”
“Hey, I thought I was the one paying you back!” Wingsong joked, causing them to both laugh.
“You really are kind, Ms Windsong. Thank you for being patient with my little one.”
“It’s no issue! And you can drop the Ms.” Windsong thought about what Kakania said about her. “And forgive me if this sounds weird but… you sound like you know how to handle kids. Do you look after others too?”
“Very perceptive, Windsong.” Vila smiled, piercing the snow-haired woman’s heart again. “You’re right. I work as a teacher for an elementary school nearby. Back where I came from–” Vila stopped. “It helped me find work when I was new to the city like you.”
“No wonder then…” the architect remembered her comment about spending. “And you take care of him with… your spouse?”
“Hm? Oh! I’m not married if that’s what you were wondering.”
THANK FUCKING GOD
“What about you, Windsong? Are you a wealthy artist like Avgust believes?”
“Oh, no no! Actually, I’m just an architect. He must’ve seen my stuff since I transferred for work recently. It’s why I moved…”
“Hmm, interesting! Maybe I could invite you to teach the kids too.” Vila joked.
“Oh, uhm, I mean… if you want to?”
Vila leaned forward. “What was that?”
“Nothing!” Windsong stood up, pulled out her wallet, and dropped several notes. “I’ll just uh, have whatever you’re having too and you can use the rest on Avgust. Bathroom, bye!”
The architect then ran to the cafe restroom to recover. Hoping it gave her enough time, Windsong soon found herself washing her face to wake up and snap back to reality, now realizing how fast her heart raced after the close proximity with Vila’s face.
She was waaayyyy too close! At least I got to talk to her… Okay, snap out of it! You still have the rest of the date… Or, not a date! Just a talk. Yeah, talk. You can do that, right?
After a moment, the architect found herself back at their table, where Avgust was seen happily chewing on his french fries and a smoothie to his side. When she sat down, Vila gave her a smile, causing Windsong’s heart to only skip one beat.
“Hope I wasn’t gone too long–”
“It’s fine, Windsong,” Vila rubbed Avgust’s head. “What do we say, little Avgust?”
“Thankh yewh comrade Whindsohng!” the boy said through a full mouth.
“Avgust!” Vila scolded.
Windsong burst into laughter. One part of her wanted to scold herself, that was until she heard Vila’s cute laughs join hers as the two reveled in one joyous moment. The only thought that crossed her mind was how much she wanted to keep seeing Vila’s face with that same happy smile…
“Oh, by the way, hold out your hand,” Vila said.
“Huh?” Windsong did so, pulling hers out of her winter glove.
Warmth then surrounded her palm as Vila’s narrow fingers wrapped around it, lingering with its gentle but rigid touch as she took in how each nerve ending sent threatened to burst out of her skin every millisecond the two kept contact. A second hand then clasped the back of her palm as Vila hugged her tired hands with their soft embrace, before letting go to reveal two bills and a dozen coins now in Windsong’s hand.
“The change,” Vila giggled.
This was starting to feel way bigger than a crush–