It had been an hour or so, and for some reason George was determined to find the perfect coffee shop. He didn't understand why he wanted to impress the girl so much. They walked down the streets for a while, just talking about life. Elaina knew quite a lot about music, so that's what they mostly talked about. But George kept wandering off the subject about other things. Elaina didn't mind at all. She loved hearing him speak. Heck, she just loved learning about things, period.
"Shall we go here?" Elaina stopped in front of another coffee shop. This one held memories for George. It was the one he said his first farewell to Domon and Rain at. He gave a thoughtful smile. "I'll take that as a yes?" the raven-haired girl raised a dark brow.
"Of course," George looked back to her, violet eyes sparkling. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a rose-bush. Something urged him to pick to most lovely red-rose out of it, cover the thorny stem with his handkerchief, and hand it to Elaina. "A beautiful rose for such a lovely rose of a maiden," he smiled.
The girl took it, blushing. No one had ever said anything so sweet to her before. "Thank-you," her words were so soft and timid. She tucked it into a pocket in her dress so that the face of the flower was peeking out. "It's beautiful."
"You're most certainly welcome," another gorgeous smile from the handsome young redhead.
The two proceeded into the shop and ordered their coffees. They began to talk more. For a couple more hours into the night. Finally, the shop-owner told them to leave, politely of course.
"I guess we lost track of time?" the ice-blue eyed girl laughed. It was strange. . . she hadn't laughed in so long.
George smiled at Elaina's laugh. It was so refreshing. He would have to admit, Marie Louise had quite an annoying voice and giggle.
Wait, why was he thinking this way about Elaina? He hardly even knew her! The young man shook his head to get such thoughts out. His love lay with Miss Marie Louise and no one else. But why did he feel so attracted to Elaina? A weighed sigh escaped his chest.
"Are you alright?" asked Elaina, ice-blue eyes soft and concerned. She didn't want her new friend feeling down. She'd never had a friend in her life. . .
The young knight looked back at Elaina. "I'm fine, thankyou. Just burdened."
"About what?" Elaina's eyebrow furrowed just slightly with worry.
"Well. . ." George's voice trailed off. Should he tell her? She still didn't know anything about him, save his name was George and he was twenty-three years of age. "I'll tell you," his reply was quite hesitant. Why did he feel like he could tell her everything?
"Okay?" the girl's voice was patient.
"Let's. . . go somewhere first, please?" George's violet eyes held the sorrow they had earlier contained. The sparkle had gone yet again and he wasn't looking Elaina in the eye.
Elaina nodded slowly, putting her hand gently on his shoulder."Alright. Where to?"
At the touch, George smiled again. It was a gracious and slightly happy smile. Mainly, because he enjoyed being with her. Again, the question. . . why? Why was he asking himself that today? That single word. . . why?
The two walked slowly and silently down the still-lit streets of Paris. Even during the nighttime it was a busy city. Many people still lived there. . . even though the French colony was envied by even more. They walked in silence until they passed through the city part and eventually ended up near a river. A tidy little park was on either side of the slow-flowing river and it was quite peaceful and serene. The stars shone brightly there, and the moon was peeping just out from under a dark cloud. The rain had stopped a long time before, right when George had heard Elaina's plea for mercy. But the clouds had just recently parted.
"It's very beautiful here. . ." Elaina commented, looking around with a pleasant smile. "A lot different from what I'm used to."
"What're you used to?" George couldn't help but ask. "Excuse my prying," he quickly added, mentally slapping himself for being so rude.
"Nono! That's alright," smiled the girl with a slight glimmer in her ice-blue eyes. George couldn't help but gaze into those lovely eyes. . .they were like the stars, catching that certain enchanting glow and twinkle in them.
"You see. . .those men. . .were my owners," she walked up next to a tree, forcing George's eyes off of hers. Her hand was place gently on the trunk of the tree and she leaned partially onto it.
"Owners?" George almost choked over that word. "You were. . .a slave?" Elaina nodded and she looked back to the young knight. Her blue eyes seemed depressed.
"I thought. . .slavery was outlawed?" he couldn't believe such a thing still existed.
"Yes it's outlawed, but people still own others. When there's a law, it will be broken," a burdened sigh from the girl escaped as her gaze went back to the serene river. "Thank-you for saving me. . ."
"You're welcome a thousand times mademoiselle. Even more than that. . .i'm sorry about. . ." the redhead walked up next to Elaina and rested his hand gently on her shoulder. Her skin was so soft. . .another mental slap. Why did he keep thinking like this?
"Don't be sorry. I learned to live with it," her body seemed to relax under his touch. She felt so. . .safe with him.
Her eyes closed in an attempt to hide the tears she felt coming. Too many memories began flooding her mind like a downpour of unwanted rain. She absolutely hated those memories with a fiery passion. Her every ounce of energy was used to forget them, yet they kept coming back and haunting her.
The redheaded man frowned at her sudden tenseness again, and did something most unexpected of both of them -- He pulled her into a tender embrace. Elaina was extremely surprised, and George's surprise wasn't very far behind Elaina's. The girl gave a sigh, in which a small hitch in her voice revealed her state of almost on the verge of tears. She didn't know what to say or think about his action, but she liked it. Her body nestled closer to his and she buried her face in his chest and let out the sob, which had been pushed down for so long that night. George blinked at the sudden let-down of the girl's emotional barrier, but held her tighter, and closer.
The raven-haired girl cried for a while as George held her. As soon as her crying seemed to fade away, back into the shadows of Elaina's mind, George rested his head against hers. Again, Elaina didn't know what to think. She'd never, ever been held or touched like this before. He was so. . .gentle and sweet. Why was he doing this? Why would anyone ever act like this towards her? She was nothing but a lowly piece of scum that couldn't do anything right.
The Gundam pilot was mentally slapping himself yet again, and he pulled away.
"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time, then both looked away. "No, it was--" again their voices sounded in unison.
"I. . .I haven't really. . .had a good. . ." Elaina's voice trailed off as her cheeks turned a rosy pink in her embarrassment.
"Life?" George finished, also giving a slight blush himself. "Are you feeling better though?" his question was so innocent and honest.
"Yes, thankyou yet again," Elaina turned her face back towards George with a grateful smile. "Now, did you want to tell me something?" the subject changed hastily, as Elaina didn't want to get to far into her past.
"You're welcome," the pilot looked down, then away towards the river. A far away look in his eyes took over, as his thoughts returned to that afternoon. "You see. . .i'm a Gundam pilot."
"You. . .are?" the girl blinked in surprise. That was something quite unexpected.
George nodded his head in agreement as his forehead was covered by the palm of his right hand.
"Things. . .have been happening lately, you see. . .i'm the pilot for Neo-France, and Gundam Rose," a short pause was taken before he continued. "And well, I hold the shuffle crest of the Jack of Diamonds," at that, Elaina gasped.
"Y-you're one of the ones. . .that defeated the Devil Gundam. . ." her words were spoken out of shock and awe. "And made it to the finals last time."
The Neo-France pilot nodded again. "Lately, strange things have been happening. . .and well. . .Miss Marie Louise. . ."
Elaina's eyes softened at the princess's name being mentioned. "You're lover?" she was catching on quickly. "I'm sorry. . ."
George sighed at the princess being called his lover. She obviously didn't want to be his lover anymore, and for some odd reason he was wishing Elaina hadn't found out. Yet again George found himself regretting those thoughts.
Elaina shivered. It was quite cold now that she wasn't in George's arms anymore. She wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to lessen the cold. The redhead looked at her shiver and took his cape off, wrapping it around her shoulders, like the gentleman he was.
"I'm sorry. I should've remembered how cold it gets here after it rains," he frowned in sympathy as Elaina's eyes widened.
Why was he being so kind to her? No one had ever treated her like this. . .it was so strange yet wonderful. It was like being caught in the rain with no umbrella. So vulnerable to the cold wetness, yet it was so refreshing.
"Thankyou," murmured Elaina as she tightened the cloak around her body even more. "I seem to be thanking you a lot tonight," she let out a short chuckle. Again George smiled at the refreshing laughter. He really couldn't help it. Everything about this girl. . .he loved so much.
They both remained silent for a minute, just taking in the
river's calming lull. Elaina had closed her eyes as she listened, but George
had turned his head upward, gazing at the stars which were now clearly visible.
The stars were shining and twinkling in all their brilliance. . .like pure
glimmering crystals studded against a black velvet sky.
"The stars. . ." he murmured without thought.
"Hmm?" Elaina opened her eyes and looked towards George, who was still staring
with awe at the nightsky.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just looking at the stars. They're so magnificent," George apologized, smiling and looking back towards Elaina, who gave a sweet smile back.
The man's violet eyes seemed to catch Elaina's ice-blue ones and he just. . .wondered at their captivating beauty for a moment, with the same awe-struck look as he had done the stars only a minute ago.
"S-something wrong?" the girl was blushing. . .she couldn't take her blue eyes off of George's violet ones.
Slowly, the captivated man shook his head. "Nothing whatsoever," he gently caressed Elaina's rosy cheek, causing it to turn an even darker shade of pink.
His hand was cupping her cheek tenderly as he leaned closer and placed a kiss softly onto the girl's lips. Elaina's cheeks were a beat-red by now, and her eyes were almost as wide as the moon. As George deepened the kiss, however, her eyes closed, and his free arm was wrapped gently around her body. Same as before, both were equally surprised.
George had no clue why…agh damn that word! Why was he asking himself that so much? There he went again. . .The knight's mind relaxed though, as soon as he felt the ecstasy of the kiss. Suddenly, he pulled away and their lips parted.
"I. ..i'm so very sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I should've at least asked," he was quite ashamed of himself and he stepped back a couple steps with worry in his eyes.
Elaina couldn't even speak. She was completely and utterly spell-bound. No one had ever, ever been so kind to her as George had been to her that night. And now this? A kiss? Why would he kiss her? She wasn't worth anything, and he didn't even know her. . .
"Please forgive me," he looked down. . .then to the river. Anywhere but the lovely, blushing young woman's eyes.
"Of. . .course," Elaina managed to utter, her lips trembling just ever so slightly from surprise.
George felt so bad now. . .yet so good. The kiss was amazing. Something he never wanted to end. He had felt the same way about her being in his arms. Never, he had told himself, had he wanted to let go. They stood in silence for a few moments, but what seemed to them an eternity.
"Don't feel bad," the girl spoke softly but with concern. "Please don't," her hand was placed delicately on the man's shoulder.
"Why?" George's violet eyes met Elaina's blue ones yet again. Elaina felt bad now, his eyes were full of so much sorrow and pain. Little did she know, he just wanted to be accepted by her. To have a love like Domon and Rain had.
"Because, you're the sweetest and kindest person I've ever met in my life. . .and I don't want you to leave me," George's eyes widened at Elaina's words. He hadn't expected that. "I just, want to know why. . ." she leaned her head against George's chest and closed her eyes.
"I-I don't know why. . ." he murmured, wrapping his arms around Elaina before closing his eyes and resting his head on top of hers. Elaina's hair was so soft. . .
By this point, Elaina didn't care his reason. She just didn't want him to stop. His arms felt so safe and warm. . .and she never wanted him to let go, ever.
"George. . ." she whispered, just loud enough for the man's ears to pick it up.
"Mm?" his murmured reply was muffled by the girl's black hair.
"Don't ever leave me please," her eyes were tearing up, waiting for him to reply.
"I won't, I promise," a smile edged the pilot's lips very faintly. It was strange, everything had happened so quickly. Was he. . .in love with her?
Elaina smiled at his reply, snuggling in closer to George, trying to get as near to him as she possibly could. Was it even imaginable he cared about her? Enough to be doing this? Maybe it was all a dream. . .or maybe he was deceiving her.
The two remained in the position for a while, until George took her in his arms and sat down, leaning against a tree. There they both slept, under the stars, until dawn.