The next morning, while the men diligently worked away in silence, the office door creaked open. In unison, five jaws dropped at the sight of a slightly bedraggled and clearly over-exhausted blonde first-lieutenant standing in their doorway. She was holding a plate covered in tin foil, and smiling tiredly as she stepped inside.

She barely made it two steps in before the cigarette-smoking second lieutenant was there to grab the plate from her and set it aside. This action was quickly followed by a short but tight embrace, along with a murmured comment along the lines of 'good to see you again'. The paunchy, oversized second lieutenant ignored the food entirely, up from his desk in a heartbeat to salute her and offer her a toothy, excited grin. The resident walking-library recited that he was very glad to see her return in one piece, and that she had returned sans frostbite, a common ailment found in soldiers returning from up north. The bespectacled sergeant was so excited to see her, he was positively beaming.

It seemed like she had little to say about what had occurred in her absence as she explained that she had been just a tiny bit short on flour, and that this years treats might be just a tad bit off compared to other years. Unwrapping her tin foil covered creations, a batch of homemade chocolate cupcakes, decorated with fresh frosting. She made a point to mention that she left the frosting and cupcakes to sit overnight, to allow the frosting to set up properly and make the cupcakes survive the journey.

They were so excited as they dug into their treats that they didn't notice that she had crept to the back of the room to her commanding officer's desk, holding his cupcake. She placed it beside his cup of tea, smiling at him tiredly. He stood, turning to her and, while checking carefully to make sure nobody was watching, grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek quickly. Taken aback, she took a quarter step away from him, her cheeks flushed a flattering shade of crimson.

If she had been surprised by the kiss, it was nothing to when, beaming proudly at her, he held a single white lily under her nose.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I'm not really certain where this came from, but I liked the way its come out, not using names but just descriptions. I hope you enjoyed Saint Valentine's Vignettes, Royai style!