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On stage, Leon paused as he walked up the stage to stand next to Layla.
His eyes widened slightly when he spotted a redheaded woman standing up and pointing at him. Some days he felt like miracles did exist, such as when he saw Sora pole dancing or when she called him by name.
Now was very much one of those moments.
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"Sora," Yuri hissed from his seat, "sit down."
But she didn't. Couldn't.
Not with Leon looking at her like he was famished and she was the only one to satiate that hunger. He slowly unbuttoned his overcoat, never breaking eye contact with her. She liked the cloud blue dress shirt and the generous peeking of chest from the unbuttoned collar.
She made to walk over to him, but Yuri's hand on her arm halted her.
"Sit down," Yuri firmly said.
She nearly whined when Yuri none too gently tugged her back down into her seat. She wanted to lick the batter. What was wrong with that? Leon had offered once before in her birthday card and she hadn't answered. She should give him an answer this time.
She was half way out of her seat, but then Yuri tugged again, preventing her.
"What's the matter with you?"
She owlishly blinked at him and then looked back at Leon as he turned around. He threw his folded coat over his shoulder with a flare and then gave her a half grin. Leon was always nice to her. Although a pervert, there was a line that he never crossed with her – it was a sort of understanding of how she wanted to be treated. Leon knew better than to push her over that boundary.
Yuri, on the other hand...
"You're not being nice," she pouted with a cross of her arms.
Yuri sighed. He felt like he was dealing with a child. During the rest of the fashion show, he kept his hand around her arm, making sure she did not move again. It wasn't until the silent auction that he relented.
"I'm going to get you some coffee," Yuri murmured. He stuck his forefinger in her face, catching her attention. "Don't move from here, alright?"
She mumbled something. He took it as an agreement.
When he turned his back on her, she stuck her tongue out at him. "Jerk," she darkly muttered.
"That's rather rude," a smooth voice intoned next to her, "considering that you came in together."
"Leon!"
He was wearing his original dinner clothes now, white unbuttoned collared shirt and black slacks. It seemed pretty ordinary compared to the other clothes he had modeled, but somehow, she found this ordinary look to be extraordinary.
"You've said my name again," he mused with a grin, "could it be that you've taken a liking to it?"
She blinked a few times and then laughed. "You would say that!" She snorted a little, but it did not deter her.
Leon hmmed as he considered her. "Did you like the show?"
She nodded her head as if her neck was made of rubber. "You got a cute butt."
It was Leon's turn to be taken back. "You've had alcohol," he concluded. As awful as it sounded, he knew that she would not freely admit such a thing if she was sober. "Perhaps I should see you some other time."
"No!" she latched onto his arm, her chest pressing against his bicep. "Don't go yet."
He tilted his head in curiosity. What did she have to say?
"I," she wet her lips, her mind fuzzy yet she felt like she was making the most sane decision since Yuri came. "I'm not engaged."
"I did not think you were."
"I was," she clarified, "Some years ago. But it was broken off."
He was silently for a moment and then locked his eyes on her.
"So why tell me this?"
Even drunk, she could read his tone. He knows. He just wants me to say it out loud. What was with him needing her to voice out things, like his name?
"I liked the roses," she admitted.
Leon tilted his head. It was not what he wanted to hear exactly. Something more along the lines of a confession of feelings or a desire to go out on a date would have been fine. Though this admittance, given who she was and how tight lipped she kept her emotions in regards to the things he said and did, gave him great insight.
"And the card?"
Her cheeks flushed a little. "I liked the batter too."
A slow, satisfied grin made its way on his face.
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AN: Finally some progress for Leon! But would her drunk state still mean the same thing?