"Oh come on! You look fine!" A sigh came from a man as he adjusted his mask on his face. His friend just had to drag him to this party that he doesn't particularly care for. Then again, it's a good reason to get out of the hotel. The man and his best friend got out of the car and began walking to the grand mansion.
"Kanen'tó:kon, why did you insist for me to come to this party? You know how much I don't care for them."
"Well, for one Ratonhnhaké:ton, you were the one asking me to get you out of having to stay in that long meeting with your father. Two, it's Halloween. Going to parties means costume contests which means prizes. And I plan on winning something tonight. And three, I need your moral support." Ratonhnhaké:ton snickered.
"Moral support for what exactly?" Kanen'tó:kon averted his eyes as he fixed his collar.
"I'm...trying to see if Patience is there and ask her to dance with me." The Mohawk Native snickered again. He knew Kanen'tó:kon had a difficult time asking out girls since the sixth grade and would punk out at the last second. But he had to give his friend some credit for finally having the courage to asking out the dark-skinned beauty for some coffee.
"I think she'd be there considering that she was the one who gave you an invite for the Halloween party." Both men looked at the mansion in awe. Loud music and some flashing lights emitted from the building. Several willows were on both sides of the mansion, decorated with spiderwebs and giant tarantulas. The door was covered with slime and fake blood, guarded by the skeleton of an alligator on the lamp post. Both Native men stopped in front of the door, fixing the details on their costumes.
"How do I look?" Ratonhnhaké:ton observed his friend. Kanen'to:kon wore a black shirt under his bright red leather jacket with black stripes accenting the material and pants with black dress shoes. The man's hair was pulled into a ponytail, letting only a strand of curly hair hang in front of his forehead.
"Like the King of Pop himself. I still can't believe you're making me wear this thing." The Native tugged his collar in distaste. He didn't fancy wearing a magician's tuxedo. It was enough that his cape was giving him shit, constantly getting caught in doors and stepped on.
"It was the only thing on clearance and we were in a rush to find you something before the store closed. You'd rather be wearing that ugly chicken costume or that Robin Hood costume with cheap tights? Besides, you look like a nice Tuxedo Mask!"
"Just knock on the door already." The younger Native chuckled before loudly banging his fist on the door. It opened immediately to find a man wearing an undead clown costume.
"Hello. Do you have an invitation to the de Grandpré's Halloween Ball?" Kanen'to:kon briefly showed the paper to the butler. "Very well gentlemen. Please enjoy the party." He opened the door wider and allowed the men to enter.
Some guests lingered in the hallway talking to each other or enjoying their snacks. Ratonhnhaké:ton and Kanen'to:kon continued walking through the hallway, taking note on how there were many people of shapes, sizes, and races attending the party. And all of them were either relaxing on the furniture in other wide open rooms, eating to their heart's content, or dancing until they can't dance anymore. The Mohawk Natives make their way into the grand ballroom, where there were countless partiers danced the night away in the blasting music. Several people stared at the pair, admiring their costumes. The men walked over to the snack table, getting some punch to steel their nerves.
"So, where's your girlfriend supposed to be?" Ratonhnhaké:ton chuckled when he saw his friend choke on his drink.
"She's not my girlfriend! Well, not yet." He looked around to see Patience's familiar face among the crowd. "And I'm not sure." Before he could say another word, the DJ spoke into the microphone.
"Everybody having a good time?" The crowd cheered in response. "Good! Because our hostesses of honor are here! Everyone, give it up for Aveline de Grandpré and Patience Gibbs!" A spotlight shined on two women standing at the top of a semi-long stairwell. The brown-skinned woman on the left wore a beautiful strapless white dress with gold accented circles on the bust. Her braids were put into buns on each side of her head, the tails cascading down to the middle of her back. A yellow crescent moon adorned her face along with her pretty makeup. On top of her head was a golden tiara with a heart in the middle. A bright red gem in the heart shined in the light. On the right was another woman, a little more darker-skinned than her friend, was wearing a navy halter dress with bright crystal diamonds shining on her waist and bust. The bottom of the skirt was sheer but shining with tiny gems. She also had a golden tiara upon her head but it was in a more complicated design with shiny diamonds.
"Merci monsieur! Thank you all for coming out tonight! Continue to enjoy the food and all!"
"Just remember that the party goes on until two a.m. And when it's all over, you ain't gotta go home but you can't stay here!" The crowd bursts into laughter for a brief moment. "DJ, put some good dancing shit on!" Patience looked around the crowd, hoping that her new "friend" was amongst them. Her eyes lit up for a brief second before she turned to Aveline and whispered in her ear. Aveline nodded as both women descended the stairs and dispersed into the crowd.
Ratonhnhaké:ton finished his cup before getting some more punch. Never in his life did his mouth get so dry from laying eyes on such a beautiful woman. So she was the lady of the house. And she's apparently friends with the woman Kanen'to:kon likes. At least the food and the music can keep him distracted.
"There you are! I was hoping you'd come!" Kanen'to:kon smiled when he saw Patience walk over to him and his friend. He felt himself flush from feeling the woman wrap her arms around his frame. He returned the hug, making a face when he saw Ratonhnhaké:ton holding in his laughter.
"And now I'm here!" The dark-skinned woman removed herself from the embrace, still remaining close to the Native. "Patience, this is my best friend Ratonhnhaké:ton. Ratonhnhaké:ton, this is Patience." The dark-skinned beauty shook the man's hand.
"So this is the hard-headed friend you told me about." Ratonhnhaké:ton scoffed.
"You told her I was hard-headed? You could've at least told Patience I'm just stubborn!" The group laughed over the Native's exaggeration.
"Are you two gonna enter the costume contest? You guys would win the grand prizes for sure!" Kanen'to:kon nodded.
"Yup! I plan on winning myself." The elder Mohawk Native scratched his head.
"I don't think I'll participate. Not really my thing." Patience smiled in understanding.
"That's fine with me! As long as you guys are having a good time, that's all that matters!" The group heard the DJ transitioned from one song into Thriller. Several partiers dressed as different eras of Michael Jackson immediately went to the middle of the dance floor. Seeing the opportunity, Patience tugged Kanen'to:kon's hands. "Come dance with me!" Before his friend could hesitate, Ratonhnhaké:ton gave Kanen'to:kon a push.
"Don't keep a lady waiting." He smiled as he received a casual stern look from the Native as he was dragged to the dance floor. Ratonhnhaké:ton pulled out his phone and recorded a bit of Kanen'to:kon's moonwalk before he almost tripped over his own two feet. He threw away his empty cup before stepping outside.
Ratonhnhaké:ton breathed in the sticky air of New Orleans. At least it wasn't stuffy like how it is on the inside. He walked into the large garden filled with many vibrant flowers. Ratonhnhaké:ton couldn't help but be amazed. The weather back home in Boston is a lot cooler with all of the leaves of trees turning orange, red, and brown. The weather down here in New Orleans is a little too warm for his liking at this time of year. Brown eyes looked around and spotted a nicely-sized gazebo. He walked over to it and stepped through the entrance, taking a seat on the bench. Ratonhnhaké:ton looked to the blackened sky decorated by the stars. He smiled as he saw the moon glow amongst her children.
"Oh! I didn't know someone would be out here!" The sudden pretty voice shook the Native out of his star-gazing. The beautiful woman he saw earlier smiled as she entered the gazebo. Aveline waved her hand as a means of peace when she saw the Tuxedo Mask partier raise from the bench. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you! I promise I don't bite!" Ratonhnhaké:ton slowly sat back down on the bench. The de Grandpré heiress sat down next to him, though keeping a bit of distance from the guest. She stretched her arms to the sky and inhaled the New Orleans air. "I love it when the moon shines so bright on this kind of night." The Native nodded.
"I agree." Silence danced between the two. Aveline glanced over to her guest, wondering why he was sitting outside by himself and not inside dancing with the others. Her heart thumped a little when she saw his smile. He looked so serene looking at the night sky. She could tell the man was tall and probably not from here. Her curiosity piqued from seeing the white mask on the guest's face.
"If I may ask, how come you're in the garden all by yourself?" The question Ratonhnhaké:ton wanted to avoid made him sigh inwardly. Then again the moon princess deserves an answer since it's her party that he's at.
"Parties are kinda not my thing." Aveline smiled.
"I understand. Not everyone likes likes to party. Especially if you go alone and you don't know anyone there." Ratonhnhaké:ton felt his heartbeat perk up from hearing Aveline voicing his feelings. Just...who is this woman? "Did you come here by yourself?" The Mohawk Native adjusted his gloves.
"No. I came here with my friend who's currently dancing with the other hostess of the hour." Hazel eyes widened at the new information.
"Wait a minute, the guy that Patience is crazy for is your friend?!" Now that got Ratonhnhaké:ton's attention.
"She told you about him? And she does like him?" Aveline chuckled as she recalled Patience finally telling her about a guy she was seeing after her asking constantly.
"Yes! It took a while to finally get her to talk. She told me about this guy and his friend are staying in New Orleans to discuss a business deal and get it running with the owner of the Le Coeur de Jeanne Hotel for a little while. I knew she invited him to come to the party but I didn't know he brought his friend with him!" It was the Native's turn to chuckle in amusement. Kanen'to:kon definitely has a girlfriend now. A lot of teasing will come in the morning over a plate of hot waffles.
"Did you meet Kanen'to:kon yet?"
"I did! I can see why Patience was so keen on finding him all night." Silence filled the void between the two, making it a little awkward. "They both told me to check on you. Kanen'to:kon didn't want you to be alone and not having fun." Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled. That's just like his best friend. "But how are you faring tonight?" The sudden question threw the man off course. The kindness in her voice made him lose his breath for a moment.
"I-I'm fine." Ratonhnhaké:ton adjusted his mask for the third time of the night. The Afro-French woman smiled. She could tell her guest was nervous and to be honest, so was she.
"Good! Are you going to participate in the costume contest?"
"No. That's also not really what I'm into. Kanen'to:kon will."
"I can tell that he'll win first prize for sure. Then again, Patience may be a bit biased when she judges him." Aveline pulled out her phone to see if she received any messages. She opened up her social media account to find her being tagged in a video of Patience dancing closely to Kanen'to:kon to a slow song. "Your friend is more than likely to win without question." The de Grandpré heiress shared her phone to Ratonhnhaké:ton while stifling her giggles. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled before snorting in amusement. This is so going to be blackmail somewhere down the line.
"Well I'll be! Kanen'to:kon successfully asked out a lady and danced with her without panicking!"
"I gotta give him some credit. Patience hasn't struck luck with guys in a while and I think Kanen'to:kon might've changed it!" The pair snickered over their teasing on their friends. "Speaking of those two, we should go back and join them! A little bit of dancing never hurt!" Hearing the suggestion brought a tiny chill to Ratonhnhaké:ton's spine.
"Um…I think I'll stick to just watching them instead." Hazel eyes blinked in confusion.
"How come cher?" The Native averted his eyes away from the brown-skinned beauty.
"I...It's kind of embarrassing." Aveline softened her gaze and smiled.
"If you don't want to share, I won't pressure you about it." Hearing the comforting words helped Ratonhnhaké:ton swallow his nerves.
"I'm...not a great dancer." Aveline blinked.
"I'm sorry?"
"I can't really dance without looking weird." A small silence passes.
"Oh...Was that it? Nothing to be ashamed of despite the amount of teasing you do to your friend about Patience." The smirk on Aveline's face almost made Ratonhnhaké:ton regret opening up to her. Almost. "In fact, I'll teach you!" Soft brown eyes widened at the suggestion.
"You're kidding." The woman rose from the bench.
"I never joke when it comes to dancing! Now come on! If you can waltz, you can do anything!" Aveline extended her hand to her guest. He looked at it for a few seconds before sighing and taking Aveline's hand. She pulled Ratonhnhaké:ton to the middle of the gazebo. "Now then," Aveline took the man's hand and placed it on her lower back, "This hand goes here and the other holds my hand." She placed her free palm on Ratonhnhaké:ton's shoulder. The Native gulped, hoping Aveline didn't hear him. Their bodies were close to each other, but not too close.
Aveline tried to keep herself in check from getting distracted by this man. He was built and his tall height didn't help the situation. It was difficult to not put her head on his broad shoulder. His cologne wafted in her nostrils, making Aveline use all of her strength to not bury her face in Ratonhnhaké:ton's chest to inhale more of the scent.
Ratonhnhaké:ton was no better. His heart pounded from even being so close to this beautiful woman. Her beautiful brown skin glowed under the moonlight. She looked adorable with her braids put into buns like Princess Serenity. And as weird as it sounded, she seemed to have fit perfectly in his arms. The lingering scent of jasmine and vanilla sugar rolled off of Aveline, forcing Ratonhnhaké:ton to not bury his face in her neck to get lost in it. It was weird of how much he wanted to lose himself with this woman he just met. And yet...it felt so right. Aveline cleared her throat before she began the lesson.
"Alright. Now, keep your back straight and your chin up." Ratonhnhaké:ton adjusted his posture. "Have your feet be apart just a bit."
"Okay, done."
"Good! Now, you'll follow my lead. First, you step out with your right foot." Aveline moved her foot out, guiding her guest to move with her. "Move your left foot back while my foot goes forward." Ratonhnhaké:ton moved the way the woman told him to. He hesitated when he accidentally stepped on Aveline's toe.
"I'm sorry!"
"Don't worry! You're fine! You're just a touch nervous. Itchy even." Aveline chuckled when she Ratonhnhaké:ton's pretty eyes roll in amusement. "Let's try this again. Just remember to relax and breathe. Move your right foot out, then your left foot back. Just walk in a square." Tuxedo Mask took a deep breath before moving his foot out again. He stepped out then stepped back in. He repeated the movements without stepping on his partner's toes.
"You're dancing! See? I told you you'd be fine!" Aveline's dazzling smile was contagious. Ratonhnhaké:ton grinned without realizing it.
"I guess you were right."
"Now, after this last rotation, you keep a good grip on me and dip me."
"Like in those romance movies?" Aveline giggled.
"Yes, but do it better than those movies." Ratonhnhaké:ton stopped in his place with his leg out and knee bent. He carefully dipped the moon princess, tightening his hold on her lower back. Aveline giggled in delight.
The woman's giggles ceased when she looked into the prince's eyes. Wow. She's never seen such beautiful brown eyes before. They twinkled brighter than the stars above. They were also filled with innocence and mirth. But there was an emotion there that she couldn't decipher. She didn't realize she was staring into the man's eyes for a little while until Aveline felt herself be lifted from the dip. The de Grandpré heiress felt crimson rise to her cheeks. She cleared her throat as she released the prince's hands.
"And there you are! You learned your full lesson in ballroom dancing in less than twenty minutes." Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled as he took a step back. He slightly bowed and extended his hand.
"I don't think I've fully practiced enough. Would you do the honors of continuing to practice with me?" The moon princess was taken aback. Who is this man? And how is it that he makes her feel butterflies in just one night? She chuckled as she carefully curtsied.
"It would be my pleasure Tuxedo Mask!" The pair laughed as Aveline took Ratonhnhaké:ton's gloved hand. The pair soon resumed their dance positions. Aveline was the first to take the step into the next dance. Neither one realized that they were closer to each other or that their fingers slowly weaving with each other. "You know, I never really catch your name." The man blinked.
"Didn't Kanen'to:kon tell you when he asked you to find me?" Aveline grinned sheepishly.
"See, what had happened was-," The beginning statement sent Ratonhnhaké:ton into a small fit of giggles, "Kanen'to:kon told me to find his friend wearing a Tuxedo Mask costume outside but I pushed him and Patience together for a song to dance to. I didn't want to keep interrupting their time!" The Native smirked.
"If you must know princess, my name is Ratonhnhaké:ton." He dipped Aveline and chuckled when her eyes widened.
"I'm going to need to practice that a few times." Tuxedo Mask raised the moon princess and continued to waltz.
"Then I'll teach you. Just repeat after me. Rah." Aveline giggled with mirth.
"Rah." The Mohawk Native released Aveline's waist and let her turn out.
"Ton." Aveline spun back into the prince's arms.
"Ton."
"Nnkhe." On instinct, Ratonhnhaké:ton spun Aveline, making her dress look like an expanding lily.
"Nnkhe."
"Ton." He brought the moon princess back into his arms once again.
"Ton."
"Say it all together now." Ratonhnhaké:ton dipped Aveline before staring into her eyes.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton." A bright smile graced the man's face. Her French accent made his name sound even more beautiful. The man pulled Aveline up from the dip, going back into their stances. "I can't believe I got it right on the first try!"
"Of course you did! I knew you would." Ratonhnhaké:ton spun Aveline out and brought her back into his arms again. The pair stopped their waltz to catch their breaths. Without realizing it, Ratonhnhaké:ton rested his hands on Aveline's hips. He thought his lungs would collapse when he saw Aveline's eyes. They seemed to have changed colors from green to brown.
Aveline seemed to have gotten lost in the moment as well. She felt herself get lost in her prince's eyes. Her hands had a mind on their own, traveling up Ratonhnhaké:ton's arms, then to his shoulders, then to his face. Dear God, Aveline's palms were so soft. Tuxedo Mask closed his eyes briefly, relishing the soft skin. Who is this woman? Ratonhnhaké:ton opened his eyes again to bask in the moon princess. Her palms traveled to the mask, feeling the soft material under her fingertips.
"I've never seen such beautiful eyes before." Both parties were stunned by the compliment. Aveline didn't mean to voice her thoughts out loud.
"The same goes for you." The Afro-French woman felt her heart grow warm. The compliment from the Native goated her into lifting the mask from his face. Ever so slowly, Aveline moved the mask upwards. The journey to reveal the man's face stopped when she glanced at Tuxedo Mask's lips.
Neither one moved for a minute. The atmosphere was set. Their hearts pounding. Aveline felt her head lean into Ratonhnhaké:ton's face. The man began to lean in as well. Their noses touched, evoking a small shudder between them. Aveline could feel Ratonhnhaké:ton's warm breath against her lips. She felt her eyelids grow heavy. Ratonhnhaké:ton made no effort to stop himself. He let his hand travel up Aveline's back, feeling her soft, smooth skin. His eyelids fluttered closed when he felt their lips almost touch. Just...a little...more…
"Avi! There you are! What the hell are you still doing out here? The party's over!" The sudden voice made the couple jump. Both heads turn to see Patience and Kanen'to:kon standing at the entrance of the gazebo. Worry came and left on their faces as relief set in. The moon princess and Tuxedo Mask released each other from their holds, distracting themselves from being crudely interrupted from their intimate moment. The realization of Patience's statement finally set in.
"Wait, what do you mean the party's over?!" Kanen'to:kon took out his phone to show the time.
"According to my handy-dandy device here, it's officially two forty-five. Meaning you missed judging the costume contest, several dance offs, and the rest of the line dances." Never in her life did Aveline want to hit herself for neglecting to properly host her own event. She sighed in frustration and self-loathing. "In any case, Ratonhnhaké:ton, we need to get moving. You got that meeting later on at eight. I suggest we head out now so you can attempt to get some rest." Aveline and Ratonhnhaké:ton briefly glanced at each other before leaving the gazebo.
They walked right behind Patience and Kanen'to:kon, who were talking amongst themselves. The silence between the prince and the princess was a bit unsettling. Not only were they close to kissing each other despite only knowing one another for a mere few hours, their friends almost caught them in their intimate moment! Ratonhnhaké:ton glanced at Aveline before looking at his friend. A smirk snaked its way onto his face.
"Looks like those two are gonna be getting more coffee together for a while." Aveline ceased her session of self-loathing and looked at the couple. Patience and Kanen'to:kon's fingers were laced together. Whispers and giggles of delight came from the couple, causing Aveline to smile. The group entered the mansion, going through the large ballroom emptied from the lack of guests.
"By the way Patience, who won the costume contest?" Kanen'to:kon looked back and smiled with pride as he took out a small envelope from his pocket.
"Yours truly! And by a landslide!" Aveline grinned.
"Define 'by a landslide'?" They made their way through the ballroom doors and into the long hallway. The open rooms were so tidy, it was as if a party didn't happen.
"'By a landslide!' And no, Patience wasn't biased in the judging. I made sure of that." The gang reached the front door in front of the stairwell. Kanen'to:kon hugged Aveline before he hugged Patience tightly. "Again, thanks for inviting us! The party was awesome!"
"And we're glad you enjoyed it!" The Xeris princess opened the door before leading her friends out the door. She hugged Ratonhnhaké:ton briefly before hugging the King of Pop again. "Be safe you two!" She pulled Kanen'to:kon's collar and whispered in his ear, "And I'll see you tomorrow at twelve-thirty." Patience gave one final hug before she sauntered back into the mansion. The younger Mohawk Native pulled out his car keys and twirled them with his fingers.
"I'll go ahead and go to the car. You say your goodnights to the princess!" Tuxedo Mask rolled his eyes as he heard his friend laughing as he walked. The man turned to Aveline, looking as adorable as ever. He attempted to calm his racing heart as he wrapped his arms around the princess. Ratonhnhaké:ton's stomach did a flip from hearing Aveline's contented sigh.
"Thank you for a pleasant evening. I enjoyed myself. And sorry for making you miss the judging and all." The brown-skinned woman looked up and smiled.
"You're very welcome. And it was no trouble at all! There's always next year for that!" A small silence comes in between them. "Is it alright if we join Patience and Kanen'to:kon on their next coffee date? But just us at a different table?" The sudden question almost made Ratonhnhaké:ton choke on nothing. This woman is full of surprises!
His heart melted at the sincerity in her eyes. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled as he took Aveline's hand. He slowly brought it to his cheek, nuzzling the soft skin. He then brought Aveline's palm to his lips and gently kissed the back of it.
"As you wish princess." Ratonhnhaké:ton leaned forward and sweetly kissed Aveline's cheek. He released the woman's hands and began to walk away. "Until we meet again princess. Adieu!" Ratonhnhaké:ton's cape waved in the wind as he raced to meet Kanen'to:kon. Aveline stood there in a daze. Her cheek burned with intensity from the kiss. She turned around and walked back into the mansion and locked the door behind her.
Aveline went up the stairs, still in disbelief of how magical the night was. She went to Patience's room and laid down on the bed with her hand touching the skin that was kissed. She felt the bed move, realizing that Patience sat down on the bed next to her. Aveline didn't have to roll over to see a teasing grin on her friend's face.
"Looks like someone had a good time tonight!" The dark-skinned woman continued to get rid of her makeup. "Can you unzip me Avi? If you're not too busy daydreaming about Kanen'to:kon's friend." The de Grandpré heiress rolled her eyes in amusement as she sat up. She pulled the zipper down then began to take off her costume. "So, what exactly were you two doing outside for three hours outside?" Aveline opened a dresser drawer and pulled out a tank top with short shorts.
"You probably wouldn't believe me if I said that all we did was talk and waltz." Patience stared at Aveline with a dead-panned expression.
"I'm finding that very hard to believe. That's all you two did?"
"Uh, yeah? Besides, you and Kanen'to:kon seemed to have done a little more tonight." The teasing in Aveline's voice caused Patience's grin to slowly widen. Both women squealed in excitement.
"Where am I supposed to begin? He's handsome, funny, a surprisingly great dancer, and he's so nice to hold!" Both women finished changing into their sleepwear and putting on their bonnets. They plopped onto the bed and pulled the comforter over their bodies.
"I saw how 'nice' he was to hold on the Chat." Patience scoffed.
"I'm gonna kill Robby for that. But overall, I really like Kanen'to:kon. We're gonna have our next date tomorrow." Aveline's heart warmed at her best friend's confession. She hasn't seen Patience this happy over anyone in a long time.
"What are you guys gonna do tomorrow?"
"Going out for brunch at L'étoile du matin restaurant in the hotel." Aveline blinked.
"The one where Papa and I will meet the executives to collaborate with our hotel's expansion tomorrow?"
"That's the one." Aveline sighed as she moved onto her side to feel more comfortable.
"Damn. I was hoping to see if we could make a double-date together."
"With Kanen'to:kon's friend? Raton...hnaton?"
"Nnkhe."
"What?"
"His name. Ratonhnhaké:ton." This piqued the dark-skinned beauty's interest.
"So that's him. Wait a minute, you mean to tell me that this guy you only knew for a few hours, who just happens to be Kanen'to:kon's friend, asked you out on a date?" Aveline pulled the covers over her head to hide her embarrassment.
"He didn't ask me. I asked him. And besides, I didn't really get a good look at him nor did I get his number."
"That is so not an excuse! I'll be sure to let Kanen'to:kon know that you two are going on a double-date with us after tomorrow! But for now, get to sleep. We both know how much of a 'morning' person you are." The woman chuckled, feeling a small sting from a pinch on her arm.
Ratonhnhaké:ton adjusted his collar after he rubbed his eye. His feet were slightly aching from all that dancing he did last night. Those shoes were supposed to be comfortable to wear! He knows not to wear those again when he goes dancing next time. He sighed as he gathered his papers from the table and puts them in his briefcase. Sure he likes being an early morning bird but the amount of dancing he did with Aveline last night tired him out. Well, that and teasing his best friend non-stop until they went to bed when Ratonhnhaké:ton saw faint smudges of bright pink lipstick on Kanen'to:kon's lips and cheeks. He got up from his chair and walked out of the room behind other businessmen.
"You seem a little tired today. What were you doing last night?" Ratonhnhaké:ton knew his father was nosy and hated every time he asked about what he does.
"Stuff. I did stuff yesterday." The men walked into the elevator and pressed the button for the first level.
"Fine, whatever. Just try not to fall asleep in your food when we meet Mr. Olivier in the next few minutes." The duo walked into the restaurant and were escorted to a booth. A waitress came and took their orders for drinks.
"Just a water is fine."
"Same thing please."
"I'll have a cup of earl grey Sunny with a vanilla butterscotch latte for the young lady." The voice coming from behind Sunny somewhat startled her. A man with silver hair and a casual business suit smiled as he walked over to the table.
"Right away sir!" Sunny smiled and turned to the opposite direction to the kitchen.
"Ah! Mr. Olivier! A pleasure to meet you!" The man shook hands with the northerners.
"Enchanté Mr. Haytham!" Philippe turned to Ratonhnhaké:ton. "And you must be…" A familiar voice cuts off the Native from saying anything.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton." Aveline's pretty face popped from behind Philippe. The young Native's eyes widened to see her wearing a business casual suit. What was she doing here?
"Have you two gotten acquainted with each other?"
"A little papa. We were only able to get a word or two in." The father-daughter duo took their seats and presented some documents. Ratonhnhaké:ton swallowed his disbelief and took out his own share of documents. It took great strength for him to not fluster from seeing Aveline's flirtatious wink.
"Well now, shall we begin?"
The meeting lasted for an hour and a half. Most of the main topics of each project were already discussed with the other executives. The group fully went over the details that were missed and read in between each line. Philippe imprinted his signature on the last line of the final document. He passed the paper to his daughter, then Ratonhnhaké:ton, then to Haytham. Ratonhnhaké:ton then pulled out a copy of the previous document and signed it before passing it around. Very pleased with the outcome, Philippe gathered his papers and stacked them.
"It seems that we've come to a satisfying close! It's a pleasure doing business with you two!" Philippe gave a firm handshake to both men sitting across from him.
"Likewise. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to a matter to attend to. I will see you later on Connor." Haytham left the money from his drinks and meal on the table before grabbing his briefcase and leaving the table. Ratonhnhaké:ton tried not to frown in irritation from hearing his father call him by his other name. Philippe called Sunny over and paid for the rest of the food and drinks.
"Speaking of which, I need to get going myself. I have another meeting downtown and I can't afford to be late. Aveline, is it alright if you show...erm…"
"Ratonhnhaké:ton, papa."
"Right. Ratonhnha...ké:ton around a bit? I'm sure he would make visits often with this deal in place and you both should get a little more acquainted with each other for this project." Aveline smiled at her father before kissing him on his cheek.
"I will. Be careful papa!" The businessman grinned before leaving the booth. Aveline turned to the Native, giggling at his surprised expression. "What is it? Tu as donné ta langue au chat?"
"Uh…" The man wanted to hit himself for stammering. He felt his cheeks grow hot from the woman's constant giggling.
"Don't worry! I was also surprised to see you here as well. I thought Kanen'to:kon was the one I would be seeing at this meeting today." Ratonhnhaké:ton relaxed his shoulders.
"Still...I didn't realize you were Mr. Olivier's daughter. I thought Olivier was his last name?"
"Definitely a misconception. Papa only uses his middle name as a guise for potential partners for his business. The last time he used 'de Grandpré', the business was about to go under due to shady investors trying to use his image for their own personal gain. Greedy fuckers." Hearing the foul language coming from the heiress sent Ratonhnhaké:ton into a fit of giggles. She just surprises him to no end! However, there was one thing he wanted to know.
"How did you know it was me from last night?" Aveline smiled softly as she propped her head on her hand.
"Because I recognized those eyes I've only seen last night." Ratonhnhaké:ton's heart pounded from hearing the compliment in such a soft, silky voice. He felt the air leave his lungs abruptly, causing him to almost choke on nothing. He took a sip of the left over water in his cup to try to ease his small fit. "You know, I did talk to Patience about the double dates last night."
"What did she say?" The man coughed as he cleared his throat.
"She's far from opposing it. In fact, she wants it to happen when we're available to do it." Brown eyes widen in shock. First Kanen'to:kon having the guts to really go out with Patience, now him? "But," Aveline held her thought for a moment when a different server came and took their dishes, "I want to give a coffee date a try first before we can do a double date. If that's alright with you…" Ratonhnhaké:ton's heart warmed from seeing Aveline be a little nervous about this whole date. He gently took her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
"As you wish princess." Aveline giggled before flagging down another server.
"Riley? If you don't mind, I'd like to get another vanilla butterscotch latte please!" She felt her fingers slowly lace with Ratonhnhaké:ton's.
"And I'll have a salted caramel mocha."
HELLO TO ALL OF YAAAAAAAAAA'LL! It's been a bit but I'm here to post this baby! I do apologize for not getting this uploaded on Halloween. I was busy feeling myself dressing up as Aveline for the holiday lol. Plus, I've been having trouble getting transferred properly so I could start working part-time near my school. But now it's all good. Also it was a bit hard trying to finish the ending. It's like I was procrastinating trying to finish it even though I could see the ending in my head. For their costumes, I went with Princess Serenity and Tuxedo Mask for Aveline and Ratonhnhaké:ton because let's face it, they're the prince and princess we deserve lol. I kinda wasn't sure about Kanen'to:kon's costume but Thriller just kinda hit me outta nowhere and why not xD . For Patience's costume, I went with Izira from the show LoliRock. I just love making Aveline and Patience into the pretty princesses they are! As for the coffees, I have a massive sweet tooth and I figured that Ratonhnhaké:ton would like sweet things but only if it's done right. In any case, I hope you guys enjoy this story! I know the characters will seem ooc but I couldn't stop writing it! Overall, I enjoyed making this one and there will be more to come! Stay safe and stay warm Angels! Happy reading everyone! :)
Also, if you don't know some of the words in French, here are the translations:
Le Coeur de Jeanne = The Heart of Jeanne
L'étoile du matin = The Morning Star
Tu as donné ta langue au chat? = Cat got your tongue?