It wasn't a mission. It wasn't an escape. It wasn't even about a goal or a plan. Today… was just about being. Just Luke and Ilyrana. Together. Like any other two people who found comfort in each other's company.
Of course, neither of them said that aloud.
Indeed, not Luke, who mentally avoided the word 'date' as if it were some kind of ancient curse. And definitely not Ilyrana, who kept her thoughts close and her expressions neutral, though, if one looked carefully, a flicker of warmth always hovered just behind her usual calm.
Still, whether they called it anything or not, today's initiative was simple: No more naval matters. No more meetings or mechanics, or maps. No more worrying about Saint Cynthia, or the tangled knot of truth Luke had twisted into his identity.
Today was just… them.
