•National Academy of Science, 1st Ward•
Ana
She glanced up at him, searching his face for any signs of the familiar sarcasm or aloofness, but all she found was a genuine expression of concern. It was as if, for this moment, Valerian had shed his protective shell and revealed a softer, more caring side that she had only seen a few times before.
Ana gulped as she once again felt the butterflies in her stomach as she gazed into his clear, ocean-blue eyes. Ana noticed how long his eyelashes were, to the point where they were touching his cheeks wherever he blinked.
Ana quickly pushed the terrifying thought to the back of her head and tried to think rationally.
"Look, Valerian. I might be indispensable now but I'm sure you'll be able to find someone else you could use for your experiments who's immune to the virus."
Valerian's gaze didn't waver, and his voice held a hint of something more profound. "It's useless if it's not you."
