Reflection in the Snowflakes
A warmed heart, a frozen surprise
Sheena sat on the cold, winter-frosted bench that, resting her elbows on her lap and resting her chin on her palms with closed eyes. Her mind was racing over what she just said one part of her wanted to rush to Lloyd and just call this silly idea off and continues their journey for the Exspheres. The other part of her mind urged her forward and reassured her that opportunities like this did not happen and it could be a time for her to be able to express herself without words just how much Lloyd meant to her and confess what her heart and mind have screamed at her nightly to do.
"Sheena! Babe!" Zelos screamed in joy.
'Oh no, by Volt's lightning, no.' Sheena thought as she heard the Chosen's voice ring in the still busy mid-day streets of Meltokio. She did not need to open her eyes to know what he was doing now, his footsteps crunching into the newly fallen snow sent a creeping shiver up her spine.
"My favorite hunnie!" Zelos exclaimed with excitement.
Letting out an irritated sigh, she managed to remain calm even as Zelos lifted her off the bed in a squeezing embrace.
"Let me go..." Sheena muttered in irritation, but she felt him only lift her up higher and pressing her form against his own, he was speaking cheerfully but Sheena's ears did not hear anything he said. The only thing she was focused on was getting the red-haired man to put her down. "Zelos…" she muttered, her brows furrowing in growing irritation. "Zelos…Zelos…" she tried to remind, giving him a warning as he continued to speak to her while holding her close. "ZELOS!" Sheena screamed suddenly, forcing her arms out to break the embrace that he had on her, without even thinking she had already punched the man on the side of the head.
"Ow!" Zelos groaned as his head shot to the side, twisting his neck under the sudden force. "Happy Avalius Gift Day to you too." He moaned, rubbing the side of his head.
"I told you to put me down." Sheena huffed.
"I was just so happy to see you." Zelos frowned, lowering his hand from the origin of the pain inflected on him by Sheena. "You didn't tell me you were back though." Zelos said with a small smile.
"Well…" Sheena started, but felt her lips purse together when Zelos interrupted her.
"But I am glad you're back, I knew that that thing or deal or whatever you had with Lloyd would not last. I know you and I knew that eventually he would irritate you." He confessed, Sheena felt that irritated tingle crawl up and down her back, touching every nerve like lightning and that instantly gave her the instinct to hit him again but managed to suppress it. "How about it than? You want to be my hunnie for Avalius Gift Day?" Zelos offered with glee.
"Tempting," Sheena sarcastically started, her eyes glancing to the side for a moment, the sight she saw actually placed an almost evil smile on her face. Lloyd was making his way towards them and she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was surprised to see Zelos. Sheena looked over to Zelos as well; the difference between her glance and Lloyd was that hers had a subtle evilness to it. "But I am already celebrating my FIRST ever Avalius Gift Day with someone and ONLY them." Sheena made sure to add in the point of it being an exclusive celebration so he would not try and weasel his way into her holiday with Lloyd.
"Wha?" Zelos blinked in shock as he took the first few seconds trying to grasp what he had just heard, managing to compose himself he cleared his throat and forced a cheerful smile onto his face. "Someone I know?" he finally asked.
Sheena let her lips part, almost like she was going to respond before she gave Zelos her cutest smile possible. Gesturing to the side, Sheena pointed in the direction of Lloyd while stepping to the side and walking away from Zelos the moment she saw his head turn. Sheena closed the distance with Lloyd and boldly looped an arm around his, Lloyd was still looking at Zelos with a surprised expression.
"Zelos? What are you-" Lloyd tried to say, but Sheena already started to guide him away from the dumbstruck chosen.
"Come on Lloyd," she stated in a playful tone, keeping her eyes on Zelos's expression, placing a hand on Lloyd's arm and giving it a subtle brush with her fingertips. "We have a busy day."
"Huh?" Lloyd blinked as he looked over to Sheena and then Zelos. "What about-" he started to say, but was silenced by a sudden jerk on his arm by Sheena.
"Oh don't be silly, Zelos is too busy with his 'hunnies'." Sheena nervously laughed off, trying to silence the swordsman before he invited Zelos to come with them. She knew that Zelos might just jump at the opportunity to come along with them and that would ruin everything
"O…Ok." Lloyd staggered once but was pulled up by Sheena as she continued to lead him away.
Sheena led Lloyd down the road, turning around the corner so she was not out of sight from Zelos and left the young chosen choking on his own word, showing him that she was still with Lloyd and maybe…just maybe after this holiday she would be WITH him.
"Sheena?" Lloyd said in a bewildered tone, gaining her attention as she stopped and turned around to face the source of the voice. Her cheeks were warm and she knew that meant that she was blushing once more but at least she could blame the cold for that. "What was that all about?"
"Oh don't worry about it." Sheena gave her small smile again, letting go of Lloyd's arm. "Hey! So have you figured out what you going to get me?" she asked, trying to distract him from the event that had just happened and get his mind back on her.
"O…oh." Lloyd suddenly became aware of the moment and Sheena could tell that Lloyd had not yet found anything for her. "I'm still looking," he confessed, rubbing the back of his head lightly once more. Sheena could not help but find that adorable when he did that. "Did you find anything?"
Swallowing hard, Sheena gave a slight nod as she looked to the side, she found herself mimicking Lloyd by rubbing the back of her own head now, not as obvious as he did. "I was thinking and I found something for you." She confessed to him, she had been thinking about something to get Lloyd the moment he offered that they have this holiday together.
"You have?" Lloyd asked with a bewildered tone.
"I have lived in Tethe'alla; I know what Meltokio has after all." Sheena explained, she did not want it to sound like she put too much thought into it, trying to pass this holiday off as something casual and easy even though it meant so much to her to have this day with him.
"I see…" Lloyd blinked as he looked around the streets, she could feel the energy of desperation off the young man.
Nothing would prepare Sheena for what Lloyd would ask next.
"Can I speak with Celsius?" Lloyd asked, almost out of nowhere.
"Wh-what? Why?" Sheena blinked, stepping back with one foot to steady herself, the question along almost knocked off her equilibrium.
"I cannot say why, I just want to speak with her alone." Lloyd confessed.
"This is about the present isn't it?" Sheena confronted, folding her arms over her chest as she attempted to regain her composure from Lloyd's request.
"Maybe it is…maybe it isn't." Lloyd gave a casual, cool-mannered shrug.
Sheena eyed the man, trying to scan him as best as she could, but Lloyd was already hidden behind his deceivingly effective calm mannerisms. She knew this had to deal with her gift, but what he had in mind baffled her; Sheena could not help but wonder what he could want from Celsius.
"Fine," Sheena sighed out defeated.
Sheena walked towards the shop that she came from moments after Lloyd proposed they spend the holiday together. She could not help but wonder what Lloyd wanted with Celsius and what the summon spirit of ice could possibly provide for Lloyd. The best thing that she could determine was that he picked her to relate to the holiday.
'Maybe he will make like an ice sculpture?' Sheena gave a light smile, thinking how romantic that would be. But then she had to think about something that Lloyd would do and that really limited what she thought that he could do with Celsius's help. 'Maybe he wanted a woman's opinion? No…that cannot be.' She continued to think.
Sheena walked into the shop, still preoccupied by her thoughts that she did not hear the shop owners greeting for the young ninja. Sheena walked up to the counter, placing her hands flat on the cool wooden surface as she stared forward. She almost did not notice the shop owner looking at her with a confused look. Snapping out of her daze, Sheena blinked her eyes to shake her wandering thoughts.
"Oh…sorry." Sheena blushed in embarrassment as she cleared her throat.
"I remember you…you wanted me to craft something for you on the day of Avalius." The shop owner sighed out.
"Yes that is me and I am so thankful that you agreed to do this for me." Sheena gave a small smile trying not to push her luck with the shop owner.
"It was simple enough." The shop owner confessed. "Wrapped right?"
Sheena could only nod, speaking of the gift made her flush and throat tightens, crippling her ability to formulate proper words.
"Haha, must be some special guy." The shop owner confessed, handing Sheena the package.
"What?" Sheena asked in a shaken and bewildered tone, her brown eyes wide.
"Nothing," the shop owner smiled, Sheena knew that he could have made her life harder but he was showing some mercy on her and the position that she was in. "Happy Avalius." The shop owner nodded with a smile.
"Thank you," Sheena replied with a soft breath out, regaining her composure.
Sheena walked through the evening streets of Meltokio and she could not help but smile as she looked down at her package that she had made for Lloyd. Inside the package was something that Sheena knew would be biggest symbolic gesture she would ever be able to give to Lloyd and if he did not understand her flourishing emotions towards him than Sheena would not be able to help him.
"Sheena!" Lloyd called out from behind her; the very shock almost made her drop the package as her hands fumbled to regain control, holding the box close to her chest as she breathed out.
In response to her name being called out, Sheena turned around to face Lloyd, gracefully hiding the package behind her back.
Celsius walked beside Lloyd, her expression was not readable in any manner and she appeared to be calm and collected or even cold, like the snow that now rested on the ground that they walked on.
"She help you at all?" Sheena wondered, her eyes lingering on Celsius for a moment to try and see if that would gain reaction but all she got was a cold smirk from Celsius as her cold eyes looked to the side at Lloyd to let him respond.
"Yes she did, but we will need to go to Flanior." Lloyd nodded, looking to Celsius as the summon spirit responded with a very slight nod.
"Flanior? Why?" Sheena asked, her felt her eyes narrow in a suspicious manner as her brown orbs bounced between Lloyd and Celsius.