A/N: Yay another update! And I'd like to take this chance to thank all you guys who've read and reviewed this story! I love you guys! And I know I've left Regal out of the past chapters. I've been trying to figure out what to do with him since he isn't really paired with anyone in this story and barely appears. o.0
Disclaimer: Blah blah..I do not own Namco or Tales if Symphonia. Yeah I'm sure you've all heard I before too…
As Colette and Lloyd wandered back into the ballroom, much of the earlier excitement had died down. It seemed that the party was about to come to an end by the looks of it. Only a few couples were left waltzing on the dance floor while the others stood to the side chatting amongst themselves. The candles standing on the tables scattered around the room dripped wax onto their silver holders; their flames flickered weakly.
Lloyd was about to lead Colette over to sit at one of the tables when the sound of a gong being struck echoed through the room. The Chosen closed her eyes and gave a little sigh longing. It's over already? I was hoping to get at least one more dance with Lloyd.
The swordsman was also thinking about the same thing…in slightly more violent terms.
Damn, it can't be over! I'm going to kill whoever hit that gong! Let me at him!
Colette smiled to herself, suspecting what Lloyd was thinking about. Tucking strand of her blonde hair behind an ear, she lay a hand on top Lloyd's. "Come on. We better go find the others and leave together."
Lloyd nodded dumbly and allowed him to be dragged out of the room by Colette, silently cursing the person who hit the gong.
--+--
The reverbs of the gong reached Raine's ears as she stood on the outdoor balcony. Stifling a yawn with one hand she entered the castle and began walking down the marble stairs that lead into the main foyer.
Once downstairs, she began to look for any sight of her friends. The other guests bid one another a goodnight and left through the grade entrance; the door bowing to each of them as they departed.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Colette dragging Lloyd across the room, her eyes sweeping the room to find people she noticed. Raine caught her eye and they began to head towards each other.
"Whew! I finally found you Raine! It's so hard maneuvering through these big crowds!" Colette said cheerily.
"Yes I know what you mean…." The healer's sentence trailed off as her eyes traveled down Colette's arm and noticed with whom she was holding hands. Raine looked up and arched an eyebrow.
Blushing, Colette dropped Lloyd's hand and avoided Raine's eyes.
Snapping out of his "cursing trance", Lloyd looked down at his hand suddenly realizing that he had been hold Colette's hand for the past fifteen minutes. Hey why did Colette suddenly drop my hand like that? It's not like I wanted her to stop.
Looking up he noticed his teacher standing in front of him. Beginning to blush, he too avoided Raine's inquiring gaze.
The healer lowered her eyebrow and coughed lightly. "Anyway, Sheena and Zelos are back at the house and as for Regal I'm not exactly sure where he went off to. So I don't think we're forgetting anyone."
"Umm Raine. What about Genis and Presea? Aren't they still in the room we sealed them in?"
Raine snapped her fingers. "Ah yes that's right. Come along, I have to quickly let them out. It's long after their bed time anyway."
She set off at a quick pace down the hall and Lloyd and Colette followed both wondering what exactly had happened to their to young friends that night.
--+--
As Genis read steadily on, Presea found it harder to stay awake. Not that the story or Genis was boring her, but it had been a tiring day and she was up long past her "bedtime". The soft voice of the mage became a murmur to her ears, Presea's eyelids slowly drooped shut until they were closed and she fell asleep.
Genis oblivious to nothing else but the words in front of him continued to read until he felt a light pressure on his shoulder. Turning his head away from the book, he noticed Presea's head leaning on him as she slept.
"Presea?" he whispered calling her name but there was no reply except the sound of her even breathing. Blushing, Genis tried to figure out a way to get out of his awkward predicament without waking his pink haired companion.
What am I supposed to do now? I can't get up and move away or try to move her because then she'll wake up! Hmm what would Zelos do if he were in a situation like this?
The mage tried to imagine what Tethe'alla's chosen would do. Unfortunately, anything that Zelos might do would most definitely make things a lot more embarrassing and uncomfortable. Not to mention that it would be highly inappropriate.
Genis shook his head trying to clear his thoughts. If not Zelos, then what would Lloyd do? He at least would not do anything…uncharacteristic.
Again concentrating, he realized that if Lloyd were in the same situation but with Colette, he would probably be in a state of ecstasy and wouldn't do a thing.
Then a voice in his mind spoke up.
You do know hat YOU should be the one in a state of ecstasy right now? The girl that you've had a crush on ever since you laid eyes on her is asleep on your shoulder! Think about it if you're such a genius! Here you are worrying about what might happen if you waker her up, but what can she do if she wakes up? s long as you don't do anything inappropriate she'll have nothing to blame on you! Besides it was her own fault that she fell asleep anyway. So just continue sitting there like a tree stump until your sister takes off the spells on the room.
The voice then paused as if thinking then wickedly added as an afterthought, Oh and don't forget to keep your hands to yourself.
Genis blushed hotly at what the voice had said at the end but silently thanked it nonetheless for it's advice. It was true that as long as he didn't cross the line he'd be safe from his companion's anger and she couldn't do anything when she woke up.
He stifled a yawn with one hand and placed the book onto the small table at the side of he couch. The mage looked over at Presea once more before his eyelids closing. Tired from the night's peculiar events, he fell asleep.
--+--
"Ahh, we've finally arrived." Raine said as she stopped in front of the door leading into the room where Genis and Presea were trapped. "Time to take off the spells."
The healer held out her staff and chanted a few words quietly. After a few moments, the three heard a quiet click as if an invisible lock had been opened.
"Well time to see what our two friends have been up to." Lloyd sniggered.
Colette shot him a reproving glance as Raine opened the door to reveal the scene inside the room.
The healer gave a small smile at what she saw while quietly walking into the room. Colette and Lloyd followed close behind her grinning widely.
"Aww just look at them together! They're so cute!" Colette gushed, her eyes shining happily.
Lloyd nodded his agreement while thinking silently to himself; go Genis! Score!
"Well," Raine said eyeing her brother asleep as Presea rested against him, "How shall we wake these two up?"
"Aww don't wake them up! It'll ruin the moment! Besides they both look so adorable together!" Colette continued to gush.
Again the swordsman nodded his agreement and ran a hand through his short brown hair. "Yeah we shouldn't wake them up. Can't we just leave them here until they just awaken tomorrow morning?"
'Hmm." Raine paced in front of the fireplace tapping her chin with her slender index finger. "Well there is something I could cast Presea and Genis to keep them in a deep sleep so we could move them without waking either."
The Chosen clapped her hands together in glee. "Oh yes! Let's do that Raine! That way we can carry them back to Zelos' house and keep them together!"
The elf sighed and agreed. "Alright I'll cast the spell. Lloyd you'll have to carry Genis and Colette and I will try to bear Presea's weight between the two of us." She held her staff above the two sleeping bodies and a soft pink glow enveloped the pair and then disappeared in a bright flash of light.
Lloyd approached Genis and hoisted the young mage onto his back while Colette took hold of Presea's legs and Raine her upper torso.
The swordsman adjusted his friend's weight so he'd be easier to transport and turned his head to grin at his female companions. "Alright! Time to head back home!"
--+--
Sheena walked down the stairs of Zelos' house restlessly and sat down on a couch.
I wonder where the rest of them are. They should be back by now…
Her thoughts trailed off as she turned her head and saw her missing friends come in through the front door.
"There you guys are!" She exclaimed in surprise as she stood to see the two limp bodies. "What happened to Genis and Presea?"
"Oh don't worry about them Sheena. Raine just put them under a spell so we could being them home without waking them up." Lloyd grinned at the summoner.
Sheena sighed in relief. "Oh okay. I was worried that something might've happened. I wouldn't want to have three injured people in this house."
Raine nodded as she and Colette hauled Presea up to her room. "I hope you took good care of Zelos."
Sheena's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. "Uh yeah. Don't worry I did."
The swordsman noted her reaction and raised an eyebrow but said nothing while he placed Genis onto the couch.
"Well I think I'll be heading off to bed now. Goodnight Lloyd" Sheena waved to him as she climbed back up the stairs again and walked into the room she shared with Colette and Raine.
"Goodnight" He replied and sat down beside the snoring Genis and looked out the window into the cobbled streets of Meltokio. A few minutes later, two sets of footsteps could be heard upstairs and a door being opened and closed. He continued to sit there staring out the window until suddenly, a very wicked idea popped into Lloyd's had and he smirked.
--+--
Presea yawned and turned onto her side snuggling up to an object that radiated warmth. Feeling slightly cold, she wiggled as close to the soft object as she could and fell back into a deep sleep.
Genis felt something moving against him and mumbled, "Come on get off me Noishe! You're supposed to stay outside and not wander into the house!" The mage feebly attempted to push away "Noishe", but gave up and went back to sleep.
Presea feeling something pushing her away from her source of warmth thwacked whatever it was in annoyance. "Stop pushing me away whatever you are!" She grumbled.
The elf woke with a start at feeling something hit him. "Ouch! What was that?" He looked down to find who he thought was "Noishe" turn out to be Presea.
"P-Presea what are you doing in my bed?" Genis managed to splutter out in shock.
"Hmm?" His pink haired companion sat up rubbing her eyes and looked blearily at her source of warmth. "Genis? What are you doing in my bed?"
"I uh…" He blushed and took note of his surroundings realizing that he was in Presea's bedroom.
"I, well I'm not sure."
Presea's cheeks reddened slightly and pulled up the covers on the bed up to her chin. They both avoided looking into the other's eyes and sat in an awkward silence; until it was broken by the sound of the door opening.
Lloyd poked his head in winked at them. "So did you two manage to sleep well?"
"Lloyd!" They both shouted simultaneously.
The swordsman winked at them again and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by pillows being thrown at him.
"Well I'll see you guys downstairs at breakfast!"
A/N: Hehe, Lloyd can be very evil can't he? Anyway again thanks for the reviewers who've stayed with me through the whole of this story. And I forgot to mention, it's been one year since I started "Getting the Girl"! Yay! So happy anniversary all! (Even though I missed the date by a week or so heh.) I'll start working the nect chapter as soon as I can! D
