Wendy
The kitchen smelled like home.
Not the sterile facility she'd become used to, or the medical rooms where she'd been forcefully confined.
But an actual home, with the scent of simmering meat and vegetables, the warmth of a stove, and someone else's presence in the next room.
Even if said person smelled like alcohol 90% of the time.
Wendy stirred the pot on Himeko's stove, adjusting the heat down slightly. The lamb was almost done, tender enough to fall apart with a fork. Just a few more minutes.
"That smells amazing," Himeko said from her spot at the kitchen counter, a glass of wine in hand. "What is it again?"
"Lamb stew," Wendy said. "Well, my version of it. My caretaker used to make it on special occasions."
"New Zealand special occasions must happen pretty often if you've gotten this good at it."
Wendy smiled at that. "I've had a lot of practice lately. Someone in this apartment can't cook to save her life."
"Hey, I can cook," Himeko protested, taking a sip of her wine. "I just choose not to."
"You set water on fire last week."
"That was one time."
"You were boiling water for tea. That's literally the simplest thing you can do in a kitchen."
Himeko waved her hand dismissively. "Unimportant Details. The point is, you're good at this now. A lot better than when you first started."
Wendy added a pinch of salt to the stew, tasted it, then nodded in satisfaction. "I had a good teacher."
"I didn't teach you how to cook," Himeko said, confused. "Have you been taking some lessons from Mei?"
"No, but you taught me to keep trying even when I failed." Wendy glanced back at her with a small smile. "Remember the first time I tried to make dinner? I nearly gave us both food poisoning. It was the first time I had to cook for myself in years."
Himeko laughed. "I remember. I also remember making you try again the next night instead of letting you give up."
"And the night after that. And the night after that."
"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Himeko gestured at the stove with her wine glass. "Now you're making lamb stew that smells better than anything I've ever managed. Aren't I awesome?"
"Yeah, yeah. Keep that ego in check." Wendy chuckled as she turned back to the stove, stirring the pot one more time before turning off the heat. "It's done. Though I still don't know if you'll like it."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"It's a comfort dish from New Zealand. The flavors are different from what you're used to." Wendy grabbed two bowls from the cabinet. "Not as spicy. More... earthy, I guess?"
"I'm sure it's fine."
"You said that about the pavlova too, and you barely touched it."
"That's because it was too sweet!"
"It's a dessert, Himeko. It's supposed to be sweet."
Himeko made a face. "There's sweet, and then there's 'I can feel my teeth rotting' sweet. That pavlova was definitely the second one. Heck, even Kiana would think twice about eating it."
Wendy ladled the stew into both bowls, trying not to smile. "I'll keep that in mind for next time."
"Please do. My dentist will thank you."
She set both bowls on the counter, then grabbed two spoons from the drawer. Himeko picked up her bowl and moved to the small dining table near the window. Wendy followed, settling into the chair across from her.
For a moment, they just ate in comfortable silence.
The stew was good. With tender lamb, vegetables soft but not mushy, the broth rich without being too heavy. Exactly how her caretaker used to make it.
"Okay," Himeko said after her third spoonful. "I'll admit it. This is really good."
"You don't have to sound so surprised."
"I'm not surprised. Just impressed." Himeko took another bite. "Though I still think you use too much rosemary."
"That's because you have no taste."
"I have excellent taste, mind you. Theresa can attest to that."
"Yeah, you mean like the scheduled drinking time the two of you always have?" Wendy rolled her eyes as Himeko sputtered out a response.
This was really nice. The kind of thing she'd never thought she'd have after everything that happened.
Just dinner with someone who cared about her. No experiments. No one treating her like a weapon or a victim.
"You're getting better at this," Himeko said, interrupting her thoughts.
"At cooking?"
"At Living." Himeko gestured vaguely with her spoon. "When you first moved in, you were so tense all the time. Like you were waiting for something bad to happen."
Wendy looked down at her bowl. "I guess I was."
"And now?"
"Now..." Wendy thought about it. "Now it feels real. Like this is actually my life and not just some temporary thing before everything goes wrong again."
Himeko smiled at that. "Good. Because this is your life. And it's not going anywhere."
Wendy nodded, feeling something warm settle in her chest. She took another bite of stew and let herself enjoy it.
They continued eating in comfortable silence for a few more minutes. Wendy had just finished her second bowl when Himeko spoke up.
"So," Himeko said, swirling the wine in her glass. "How was your day?"
Wendy looked up from her empty bowl. "It was fine. Why?"
"Just curious." Himeko's expression was carefully neutral, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. "You were out for quite a while."
"I was helping Kenji get some fresh air. He was getting restless being stuck in his room all day."
"Ah yes, Kenji." Himeko took a sip of her wine. "I saw you two earlier. By the garden."
Wendy felt her cheeks warm slightly. "You were watching us?"
"I happened to be walking by. You looked very... cozy." Himeko said innocently.
"We were just talking."
"Uh-huh."
"We were!"
Himeko held up her free hand. "I didn't say anything."
"You were thinking it."
"I merely made an observation that you two seemed comfortable together." Himeko's smile widened. "Very comfortable."
Wendy sighed and stood up to clear the dishes. "You're a pain in the ass sometimes."
"I get that a lot."
She huffed and carried both bowls to the sink and started washing them, trying to ignore the warmth that was still creeping up her neck.
It wasn't like that. They were just friends. She was helping him because she understood what he was going through.
That was all.
"Have you checked the forums lately?" Himeko asked from behind her.
Wendy's hands froze mid-scrub.
"No," she said a bit too quickly.
"Really? Because I heard there were some interesting posts today."
Wendy resumed washing the bowls, focusing very intently on removing a nonexistent stain. "I wouldn't know anything about that."
"Hmm." Himeko sounded far too amused. "So you haven't seen the photos?"
"What photos?"
"The ones of you and Kenji. In the garden. Having a very long, very comfortable conversation."
Wendy turned off the water and dried her hands on a towel, still not turning around. "People take photos of everything around here."
"They do. And then they post them to the forums with very creative captions."
"I really don't care what people are saying on the forums."
"Is that why you checked them three times today?"
Wendy finally turned around, her face definitely red now. "How did you—?"
"You're not as subtle as you think." Himeko took another sip of wine, clearly enjoying this. "You had your phone out during lunch, and you kept scrolling with this very specific expression of horror."
"I was just... curious."
"Curious about what people are saying about you and Kenji?"
"Curious about what kind of nonsense people come up with when they're bored!"
Himeko laughed. "Sure. That's exactly what it was."
Wendy crossed her arms. "We're just friends."
"I know."
"I'm serious."
"I believe you."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you know something I don't."
Himeko's expression softened slightly, the teasing edge fading. "I'm not looking at you like anything. I'm just... observing."
"Observing what?"
"That you're a lot happier now than you were when you first got here." Himeko set her wine glass down. "And that maybe having a friend who understands what you've been through isn't such a bad thing."
Wendy's defensive posture relaxed a bit. "I guess you're right, he does understand—about the being in a wheelchair thing. I think it helps him to talk to someone who's been through it."
"And it helps you too." Himeko probed.
"A little," Wendy admitted quietly.
She thought back to earlier today. Sitting in the garden with Kenji. Talking about small things. Things that didn't matter in the grand scheme of everything they'd both been through, but mattered anyway.
For a moment, she'd remembered what it felt like. Being stuck in that wheelchair. Feeling helpless. Watching the world move around her while she stayed still.
She'd moved past it. She could walk now. Fly, even. Nothing in this world could cage her anymore, and the open sky was her domain.
But the memory was still there, weighing her down like shackles.
And maybe that's why it was easy to talk to Kenji. Because he was living something she'd already survived.
And she could tell him, without having to explain too much, that it would get better. Even if it didn't feel like it right now.
At least, those were the words she needed to hear back then.
"I have a feeling you two are going to be great friends," Himeko said, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"I'm not doing anything special. Just keeping him company."
"That's more than you think." Himeko stood up and brought her wine glass to the sink. "Especially for someone like him."
"What do you mean?"
"Kenji's the type to shoulder everything alone. He doesn't ask for help unless he absolutely has to. Even the girls have trouble getting him out of that mindset."
Himeko rinsed her glass and set it on the drying rack. "Having someone around who won't let him do that is good."
Wendy thought about how he'd tried to walk across campus without the wheelchair today. How his pride had nearly left him stranded by the fountain. And how she'd picked him up with wind and floated him back like a stubborn child. She chuckled a little at the memory.
Maybe she should take a peek at the forums to find a picture of that moment. Kiana would absolutely die laughing.
"Yeah, I guess so."
Himeko nodded and moved back to the living room, settling onto the couch. Wendy followed, sitting in the armchair across from her.
"So," Wendy said after a moment. "Are you going to keep teasing me about the forums?"
"Probably," Himeko said cheerfully. "It's too entertaining not to."
"You're the worst."
"I prefer 'supportive mentor figure with excellent taste in entertainment.'"
"That's not a thing."
"It is now."
Wendy shook her head, but she had a smile on her face. Being able to laugh about something as silly as forum posts and photos. Being teased like a normal person instead of being handled like glass.
Himeko treated her like she was whole. Like she'd always been whole. And maybe that's what made this place feel like home.
"For what it's worth," Himeko said, her tone more serious now. "I'm glad you have him. As a friend, I mean." She added quickly.
"You talk as if I don't have many friends," Wendy said quietly.
Himeko turned to her with a blank expression, "Name three."
"Mei—"
"Without naming either Kiana or Mei."
"..."
"..."
"My point has been proven."
"Oh shut up!"
/ — /
"Can I ask you something?" Himeko said.
"You just did."
Himeko rolled her eyes. "Can I ask you something serious?"
Wendy turned to look at her. "Sure."
"What do you want to do now?"
"Right now? I was thinking about relaxing for a while, then—"
"No, I mean… What do you want to do? With your life, now that you can walk again."
Wendy blinked, unprepared for the question. "I... don't know. I haven't really thought about it."
That was true. The thought had crept in once in a while this past month, but her obsession with getting stronger and recovering her strength kept her mind occupied. She didn't expect Himeko to be the one bringing it up.
"I thought it was a good time to ask you," Himeko said gently. "You can walk again, you're strong again. You can do anything you want." She paused. "But what do you want?"
The question hung in the air between them.
What did she want?
A few months ago, she would have said she just wanted to walk again. To not be trapped in a wheelchair. To be free from the people who'd experimented on her and have her revenge.
And now she had all of that—minus the revenge part. For now.
But beyond that?
"I don't know," Wendy admitted quietly. "I've spent so long just… Stuck in one place, I never thought about what comes after."
"That's fair," Himeko said. "But you're not just surviving anymore. You're living. And that means figuring out what you want to do with that life."
Wendy looked down at her hands. "What if I don't know what I want?" She said quietly.
"Then you figure it out. Try things. See what fits." Himeko leaned back on the couch. "You're young. You have time."
"Do I?" Wendy asked before she could stop herself.
Himeko's expression softened. "Yes. You do."
The sheer conviction in her voice made Wendy silent again. It was… comforting to hear that Himeko believed in her future.
As a Valkyrie, your future is already uncertain. You can face death and countless dangers every day. Usually, it's never a question of "if" you will die, but "when."
Now that she was a Herrscher, even if she hadn't fully tapped into her potential, there were few things that could harm her in the world. But even then, it doesn't mean her life is secured. Having control over the Gem of Desire put a massive target on her back.
But she was ok with that. She was a Valkyrie, after all. And she has experienced attacks from both Honkai Beasts and Schicksal, she would be fine.
Wendy thought carefully about the past few weeks. Being Himeko's assistant. Helping with paperwork, sitting in on classes, and organizing training schedules. Small tasks that kept her busy.
It had started as just a cover. A convenient excuse to stay at St. Freya instead of being sent back to Oceania. A mere temporary arrangement.
But somewhere along the way, it had become... more than that. She had become close with Himeko and had formed close bonds with Kiana and Mei.
It also helped that they all bled for each other back in ME Corp, and there was no better way to bond than on a battlefield.
"I think… I think I want to stay here. As your assistant." Wendy said slowly, working through the thought as she spoke.
Himeko tilted her head slightly. "That's unexpected. I thought you would be dying to leave somewhere else now that Kenji is awake and well."
"Yeah, I thought so too." Wendy looked up at her. "I know it started as just... a way to avoid going back to Oceania. But I actually like it now."
"You like grading papers and organizing my disaster of a filing system?"
"I like helping. Like I'm doing something that matters, even if it's small. Besides, I am still your assistant when fighting Honkai Beasts." She paused. "And… I like being around you and learning from you."
Himeko's expression softened into something warm. "Wendy..."
"I know it was supposed to be temporary," Wendy continued quickly to hide the embarrassment on her face. "But I don't want it to be temporary anymore. I want to keep fighting here in St.Freya. I want… this, to be my life."
For a moment, Himeko didn't say anything. She just looked at Wendy with an expression that was hard to read.
Then she smiled.
"You know," Himeko said quietly, "when I first suggested making you my assistant, it really was just to keep you from being shipped back. It was a convenient excuse." She leaned forward slightly. "But watching you these past few weeks? Seeing how much you've put into it? I stopped thinking of it as temporary a while ago."
Wendy felt something warm bloom in her chest. "Really?"
"Really." Himeko's smile widened. "You're good at this, Wendy. Better than you give yourself credit for. And honestly? You've made my life a lot easier."
"I haven't done that much—"
"You helped organize three years worth of reports in a few days. Reports I'd been putting off because I was too laz—busy with missions." Himeko shook her head. "Trust me, you've done plenty."
Wendy felt her cheeks warm slightly. "A-And don't forget that you'd still be drinking every day and eating junk food if it weren't for me."
Himeko chuckled, "You're adorable." She stood up and moved to the window, looking out at the sky. "The question is, what happens when the temporary assignment officially ends? Because it will, eventually. Schicksal won't let you stay on loan forever."
Wendy's stomach dropped slightly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, there will come a point where Oceania wants you back, or Schicksal decides to reassign you somewhere else." Himeko glanced back at her. "We'll need to make this permanent if you want to stay."
"Can we do that?"
"Maybe. It would require a formal transfer request. Lots of paperwork. Approvals from multiple branches. And I don't know how keen they are on letting us have another Herrscher at our disposal." Himeko sighed.
"Schicksal bureaucracy is a nightmare, especially when it involves Herrschers."
"Oh." Wendy looked down at her hands again.
"Hey," Himeko said, and when Wendy looked up, she was smiling again. "I didn't say it was impossible. Just… complicated."
"How complicated?"
"The kind where I'll need to call in some favors and possibly bribe some very important people." Himeko moved back to the couch. "But if you're serious about wanting to stay, I'll make it happen."
"You would do that?"
"Of course I would." Himeko's voice was gentle but firm. "You're not just my assistant, Wendy. You're under my care now, a part of my family. The one that keeps my place clean and gives me good food."
Even at Himeko's comments, Wendy felt her throat tighten slightly.
"Thank you," she managed to say.
"Don't thank me yet. The paperwork alone might kill us both." Himeko stood up and stretched. "But we'll figure it out."
Wendy nodded, feeling that warm feeling in her chest grow stronger. Maybe being in St.Freya would help finally unshackle her from her past.
"Want some tea?" Himeko asked, moving toward the kitchen.
"Sure."
As Himeko filled the kettle—carefully, without somehow setting anything on fire—Wendy allowed herself to smile.
The kettle started to whistle, and just as Himeko reached for it, her phone started to ring.
Himeko paused, frowning. She pulled her phone from her pocket and looked at the screen.
"That's strange, it's Theresa. She never calls me on my personal number this late," she muttered, answering immediately. "Hello?"
Wendy watched as Himeko's frown deepened.
"What do you mean?" A pause. "Are you sure?" Another pause, but longer this time. "I'll be right there."
She hung up and was already moving toward the door, grabbing her jacket from the hook.
"What's wrong?" Wendy asked, standing up.
"It's nothing bad—probably. Theresa just needed me to go to the med bay," Himeko said, and there was something in her voice. It wasn't quite worry, but confusion mixed with... something else.
"Is it serious?"
"It's… No, it's not." Himeko said as she shrugged on her jacket.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
Himeko paused at the door, then shook her head. "No, stay here. I'll be back soon."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Himeko's expression softened slightly. "Don't worry. It's probably nothing."
But the way she said it didn't sound like she believed that.
The door closed behind her, and Wendy was left standing in the middle of the living room.