Disclaimer: I do not own Galactik Football. "Dreams" belong to Fleetwood Mac.

What You Lost

He had been attending since the age of sixteen and yet he had still not gotten used to events like these. The ties were still too tight, the people still reeked of insincerity and he was now taller and bigger and it was harder to blend in and keep away from unwanted conversations.

And thanks to his height, there is now no way that he can miss the most dreadful sight he had ever been forced to witness. And trust him when he says that he is the most surprised to find it has such an effect on him.

After all, it's merely a hand.

Actually, his towering over most of the attending politicians and actresses and football players of the room cannot be the only culprit; she is, as has always been and maybe even more so now, quite radiant and quite hard to miss –especially for someone of her height.

It is rather unbalancing, seeing her so well grown into her skin. All those years he had spent with her, growing with her, and he can't help but compare this elegant woman to that determinant girl who crushed right into his life. She looks so different; maybe a little sadder (sadistically and quite inappropriately, he finds he wishes she was sadder), more mature and colder. There are still some similarities though, he can still see her tenderness as she greets a baby boy of one of her acquaintances (a tenderness he had been at the receiving end of quite many times) and she is still the same fierce girl, he can tell even from the other end of the room by the way she speaks to people with opposing ideas to her.

Their eyes meet for a brief second; clearly she must've felt him staring so intently. After all, she always had.

She is still the strongest person he knows, but he finds (and now it just sends daggers into his heart) that indeed, amongst all that icy cold green of her eyes, there is a sadness.

A mourning of a woman who was brave enough to give her all to a man she loved.

And as these things go, a man who had not been worthy of her.

His gaze diverts to the hand as it tightens its hold on her waist. He frowns and turns back to the conversation he had been having with the ambassador of Xenons planet and how the success of Luur and the rest of the team contributed to the rebuilding efforts after the war.

It is quite some time later that his eyes find hers again; and this time she is actually standing in front of him.

"Rocket, right?" the same hand is now offered to him, "I am a huge fan of yours."

His gaze lingers on hers for a second longer before he extends his own hand and resists the urge to crash the delicate long –probably precious, too, as it appears he plays the piano- fingers of the other man as they shake in greeting.

"My name is Robert," he introduces himself, "I couldn't not meet you tonight, I am sorry in advance if I am intruding on your time."

"Not at all," Rocket smiles –rather grimly, but that is the normal among these people, anyway, "Any friend of Tia's is a friend of mine." He can't help it; he turns to her, "Tia?"

"Hello, Rocket," she extends her hand. An attempt to indicate that hugs are not welcome, perhaps.

It's a bittersweet laugh that explodes in him and he knows that it is showing in his eyes as he takes her hand to his lips, leaving the ghost of a kiss over her knuckles. "How have you been?"

"Pleasant," she is quite proper alright, "How are you?"

"Swell."

"I hear you are making new recruitments to the team this year?" Robert asks.

Rocket looks down at him; he can see the man's appeal. Robert appears to be different than many a young chaperones in the room; he is quite handsome, well built and seems good natured, if maybe a little spoiled and Rocket is certain he must have hypocritical side to himself, if he hopes to survive in the world of these old sharks. And he knows he plans on it, as he knows Robert is planning on getting into politics himself, anyone with a brain could see his rounding up on all the important people tonight.

Maybe he was enthusiastic interest in football was most charming to Tia –that seemed to be the only thing they had in common apart from their families' mutual interest in a possible marriage.

"Yes," he answers, "Fresh blood is welcome, especially considering Yuki is pregnant and will not be able to play next season."

"Yuki is pregnant?" Tia looks genuinely happy for the first time, "How far along is she?"

"A couple of weeks, Dame Simbai only just confirmed it," Rocket smiles.

"I should give her a call," she muses, "How is she?"

"She is great –they both are," he pushes his fists into his pockets because Robert has again rested a hand around her waist, "You know how Micro-Ice is."

"He must be ecstatic."

"He is."

"And how is Sinedd?"

He hears the well covered jabbing tone in her voice, "He is fine."

The drums and the bass pick a rather melancholic tune and soon the vocalist starts singing:

Now there you go again
You say you want your freedom
Well who am I to keep you down

Tia is looking at him with an arrogant disdain, probably thinking, as he is, that the song is –as these things go- a little too fitting to where they had been four years ago, when they had last seen each other.

It's only right that you should play it the way that you feel it
But listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness

As Robert is dragged away by some senator, Rocket asks him if it is alright for him to keep his lovely date company. The young politician smiles and kisses her hand as he leaves.

Rocket smirks darkly, maybe childishly thinking of the gentlemanly gesture as a failed attempt to upstage him.

Like a heartbeat, drives you mad
In the stillness of remembering
What you had, and what you lost
what you had, and what you lost

He asks her to dance and she accepts with a challenging look in her eyes. He guides her to the dance floor and feels triumph for having his hand encircle her waist now. As it should be.

Thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing

She travels her hand to his shoulder and looks up to find him still smirking down at her, his eyes holding a challenge of their own.

They say, women, they will come and they will go

But she is the one who grins next -for the lyrics remind them of her upper hand in the situation.

When the rain washes you clean, you'll know

"How are things between you and Sinedd?" she asks, "Still going strong?"

You will know...

"There are no weddings in the near future," he shrugs.

"Ah, you've been following tabloids," she shakes her head. "You of all people, Rocket."

"No, it's the word that's been going around here all night," he corrects.

"Funny the way these things spread... you'd think the entire galaxy would know of you and Sinedd by now."

"You'd think Robert would know of you and me by now," she narrows her eyes at his words and he pulls her closer, "Bet he wouldn't be such a big fan of mine..." he whispers the rest into her ear, "...if he knew of all the things I've done to you."

Now here I go again, I see the crystal vision
I keep my visions to myself

She draws herself back, "No," she agrees, "He wouldn't be your fan knowing you cheated on me."

It's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams and

"So, you really are going to marry him," he changes the subject.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell,

"That is none of your concern," she raises her head defiantly.

Dreams of Loneliness, like a heartbeat drives you mad
In the stillness of remembering

"I've seen how he holds you," he pulls her flush against himself again; his hand drawing unknown shapes on her bare back, not caring of the formalities or where they are.

Tia freezes, she looks torn between running away and throwing herself at him. He knows, because she had once told him that was how she felt when he did small private things in public. He had never been when younger, but now he knows of his influence on her.

"I've seen how he looks at you," he says, locking his eyes on hers.

What you had, and what you lost

And he is in her very familiar gravitational pull again; feeling like the only way to go from here is a kiss. His gaze drops to her lips, he might even get away without a slap.

What you had, ooh, what you lost

Tia slips out of his hold, out of his hands:

"I repeat," she says, looking like she might cry but standing tall, "That is none of your concern. It stopped being your concern quite a long time ago. Thank you for the dance."

He watches her as she walks away.

Thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing

Say, women, they will come and they will go

He watches him catch up with her and put his hand around her waist.

I am so going to regret this in the morning when I realize I wasted a precious hour on it. But it had been in my mind for quite a long while and when "Dreams" came up on my playlist I couldn't resist it any longer.

I'm planning another chapter for this, and it may increase the rating maybe.

Wow, that's what, the 4th story that is waiting for a continuation after Us, Perfection and Feet then. I am disorganized even with fandom stuff.

Also, if there are any mistakes in this story, like with grammar, tense or anything, I'd love it to be pointed out because I'm sleepy and I couldn't check it well (lousy excuse)...

On the other hand, it is possible this might not get any reviews at all what with the activity levels of the GFers *serious look* really where are y'all people?