CTS TIME RE250.09.04 — 01:05 AM
The reactors had dimmed now, humming faintly beneath their biomechanical layers, but the echoes of what they revealed still hung in the air like a live wire. The pink diamond at Luna's chest still burned in her mind—glowing brighter than any truth she had ever dared to speak.
And Valerian's octagon—green, but streaked with red. Acceptance… and resistance.
Luna sat on the edge of the bed, hands clutched to her knees, her entire face aflame. She could feel her ears burning, her lilac hair slipping forward to shield her expression. She had already decided to say nothing, to bury her truth deep inside.
But then Valerian's voice cut through the silence—flat, steady, and cold.
"I'm not good at faking emotions." He didn't look at her, his stormy eyes fixed on some invisible point in the wall. "That's why mine didn't turn fully green. It flickered. The machine saw the hesitation."
Luna's heart skipped a violent beat. Her lips parted, but her throat closed.
Valerian continued, voice sharp as glass: "You, on the other hand…" His eyes flicked to her, only for a second, but the weight of his gaze felt like a physical strike. "You're good at faking. That's why your reactor turned bright pink. Perfect simulation of affection. Convincing. Very useful for the mission."
For one moment, Luna forgot how to breathe. Her chest tightened painfully, and she had to force out air in a shaky laugh. She gripped her knees tighter to keep herself from crumbling.
He thinks I faked it. That everything I feel is just an act. Oh gods… he actually believes I… lied my way into pink.
Her cheeks flared deeper, crimson bleeding across her pale face. Her heart screamed the truth, but her lips betrayed her as she forced words out.
"Yes…" She stammered, voice high and trembling. "Yes, I—I actually faked emotions."
The words were daggers to her own heart. Lies. All lies. It's not fake. It's him. Always him. I love him. I love him so much it hurts.
Nikhil, leaning against the control console, burst out laughing. "Arre wah! Look at this. One says he can't fake emotions, the other says she's a master actress. A match made in bollywood!" He cackled, wiping imaginary tears from his eyes. "Bachche kaise banoge tum dono? Tum dono mein toh drama zyada hai!"
Luna buried her face in her hands, groaning. "N-no! Stop… please stop…" Her voice cracked with mortification.
Valerian didn't react outwardly. His lips pressed into a thin line, his expression as impassive as stone. But the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed something—annoyance, amusement, or perhaps the smallest flicker of irony.
Nikhil leaned closer to Luna, switching to a teasing sing-song tone "So, madam S-rank, tell me—how did you fake such perfect pink? Hm? Did you imagine cake? Or was it Valerian's face shining like blueberry frosting?"
Luna shot up so fast she almost tripped over her own boots, her cheeks glowing hotter than the reactor in her chest. "W-what?! N-no! I didn't—!" She stopped, clutching her head, her voice a stuttering mess. "Why are you—ugh—!!"
Valerian finally spoke again, his voice quiet, yet cutting "We don't have time for jokes. The reactors serve their function. That's all that matters."
But when his eyes flicked toward Luna, just briefly, he caught her expression—cheeks burning, lips pressed tight, eyes shimmering faintly as though she were about to cry. And for the barest instant, his chest tightened.
Nikhil raised his brows, muttering in Hindi, "Arre wah… storm boy actually noticed." Then, louder, in English "Relax, relax. Couples fight all the time. Pink, green, red—it doesn't matter. You two just have to hold hands, smile, and not blow your cover. Easy!"
Luna tried to smile at that, her lips curling weakly, though her voice trembled when she spoke "Y-yes… just acting. For the mission."
Inside, though, her thoughts spiraled like wildfire.
If only it was just acting. If only this was fake. But it's not. It's real, and it's mine, and he'll never know. Never.
The air still smelled faintly of ionized steel from the reactor installation. The faint hum of the biomechanical layers vibrated through the room like low background static, syncing with the distant rhythm of the Synthwave tracks leaking in from the city outside.
Valerian had already pulled his coat over his new storm-blue form, sitting straight, his composure iron-solid. Luna, on the other hand, was still flushed pink, her reactor dimly glowing as though betraying the storm inside her.
Nikhil clapped his hands together, grinning. "Accha, bas, no more rona-dhona. Enough crying, enough tension. If you're going to pretend to be couple, you better start acting like one."
Luna's head snapped up, purple eyes widening. "W-what?!"
Valerian narrowed his eyes. "…Acting training?"
"Exactly!" Nikhil said, switching between Hindi and English as though he barely cared if they caught every word. "Mechatopia ke log sab dekhte hain. They scan faces, they judge gestures. If you walk around like stiff mannequins, they'll know you're frauds in two minutes."
He pointed straight at Valerian. "You. Storm boy. You have to stop looking like you're at a funeral." Then he jabbed a finger at Luna. "And you, madam, stop trembling like someone stole your blueberry cake. Be natural. Relax. Laugh. Blush. You know… girlfriend stuff."
Luna almost choked on air, her cheeks igniting. "I-I… blushing is natural, I can't—" She cut herself off, realizing she was already blushing harder. "See?! This is why—!"
Valerian's voice cut in, flat as ever. "This is irrelevant."
Nikhil smirked, folding his arms. "No, beta. This is survival. In Mechatopia, if they see pink reactor with no affection gestures, they'll think something's wrong. And then—pfft—mission finished. You want that?"
Silence. Even Valerian couldn't immediately argue.
Nikhil suddenly snapped his fingers. "Okay! Exercise one. Hold hands. Don't make faces, just hold."
Luna nearly fainted. "H-h-hold… hands?!"
Valerian didn't flinch. He simply extended his storm-blue hand across the table, his eyes on hers—cold, unreadable, but steady.
Luna's heart went wild. She could practically hear it echoing in the chamber, her reactor glowing faintly brighter. This is just training, just acting… so why does my whole body feel like it's going to melt?
Hesitating, her trembling fingers finally touched his. The contact was electric—even through the biomechanical layering, she swore she felt the warmth of him.
"Good," Nikhil said cheerfully. "Now don't hold like you're trading money at a black market. Grip properly. Entwine fingers. Yes, like that. Ah, wah wah, perfect!"
Valerian did it without hesitation, his long fingers curling through hers. His face stayed impassive, but Luna's was scarlet, her breathing uneven.
Nikhil leaned back, laughing. "Dekha? Full bollywood poster! Hero aur heroine!"
"Th-this is humiliating," Luna whispered, cheeks burning as she looked anywhere but Valerian's stormy eyes.
Valerian, cold as steel, replied: "It's unnecessary." But he didn't let go.
Nikhil grinned wider. "Unnecessary? Haan haan, wait until people on the streets ask for your couple selfie. Then you'll thank me."
Luna almost buried her face in the table. Couple selfie? I'll die… I'll actually die.
But when Valerian finally let her hand go, her heart ached from the absence.
Nikhil clapped again. "Good. Exercise two—look into each other's eyes for thirty seconds, no blinking."
"WHAT?!" Luna squeaked.
Valerian simply turned, locking his stormy gaze on her. No hesitation, no flicker.
Her whole body froze, the room dissolving around her. The Synthwave hum, the soft flicker of neon through the window, even Nikhil's obnoxious grin—all of it vanished. There was only Valerian. His storm-blue eyes, steady and cold, but pulling her in like gravity.
She lasted five seconds before breaking. She covered her burning face with both hands. "I-I can't!!"
Nikhil burst into laughter again, slapping the console. "Arre wah! Total lover girl! How the hell did ISA make you S-rank?!"
Valerian finally spoke, voice flat but cutting "Pointless. We don't need theatrics."
But his lips twitched—just faintly, so faintly Luna caught it and her heart did another violent somersault.