Chapter 18

Table Talk

Xellos had been watching Lina all throughout dinner. Once again she'd had no competition for her food, but her attention to her meals had been a bit more determined than enthusiastic. At first he'd worried that something had displeased her, but he didn't sense anything like that from her emotions. After that it occurred to him that she'd displayed the same deliberateness when trying to hide her blush in her breakfast... though she didn't seem embarrassed at the moment either. Which meant Lina was doing some serious contemplating while eating.

Deciding to cheat just a little bit... it was in his nature after all, he took a slightly closer look at the emotions she was giving off. He hid a smile of triumph when he realized there were no negative emotions mixed in, while it deprived him of a slight snack it meant things were going well. Faster than he'd thought though... he couldn't be entirely sure of what she'd decide this early on. He'd planned on keeping her off balance a while longer, with more time he was sure he could have won the place in her life that he wanted. Already she was responding with more pleasure and less embarrassment to his overtures.

But is it too soon? He couldn't help the nagging doubt that Lina might decide on a more prudent course of action, after all no matter which way you choose to look at it being involved with a Mazoku of Xellos' power was dangerous. Lina liked danger... but Lina was still alive after facing some fairly harrowing experiences. After all, he wouldn't have liked her so well had she been a fool. With a mental shrug he pushed it all aside, the jury was already out. Lina would reach some kind of decision tonight and trying to interfere could only have negative effects.

With the practicality of someone who truly had forever, he choose to enjoy the moment, while waiting for her to make her choice. Worrying would do him no good, and he'd keep an eye on her emotions just in case. Sipping some of the fine wine he allowed himself to enjoy all that was Lina Inverse.

Xellos watched in anticipation as Lina put down her glass. Her emotions and actions indicated a decision had been reached, and while he couldn't' be sure, he suspected that it was not one he would find displeasing. He waited anxiously for her to speak, but when she did not reached out for her emotions again. In spite of her collected appearance she'd become very nervous over the past few minutes. Chuckling mentally he decided to put the next step of his evening into action. After all what he had in store could only help his cause.

Lina met Xellos' heated gaze and felt herself blushing again. What to say? Now that she had made her decision it should have been easy to act on. But one moment, and then another passed without her usual courage rising to the occasion... shouldn't thinking it through and deciding have made her less nervous?

"Are you ready for desert?" She breathed an inward sigh of relief for the reprieve, and gave him a curious look, but he just grinned and signaled a passing waiter. The man quickly came and gathered the dishes then departed again.

"He didn't take my order," muttered Lina slightly put out, but catching the anticipatory grin on Xellos' face her pout faded. "Another surprise?" His grin widened.

A waiter returned then bearing a large tray covered with deserts. "One of every desert item, including our house specialty the castle of mousse." After depositing the last of the deserts he retreated briefly before returning with a desert wine, which he poured for them. "Will there be anything else for the moment?" At their negatives the man withdrew leaving Lina to admire the many deserts, pies, cakes, sweet fruit in cream, and most of all the mousse castle. Which was indeed a small replica of the fortress she had seen earlier in chocolate, with different sections each filled like a bowl with different flavors of mousse.

Gazing at her array of desserts Lina felt a surge of pure giddiness, "thank you," she blurted with a huge smile. Xellos raised an eyebrow at her, and she blushed a little. Determinedly putting aside her embarrassment she continued in a more subdued tone, "for the dances, and helping me with research, and the dress... and this." Fighting her urge to look down she said softly, "it's like a dream." Her heart pounded for the few seconds that Xellos stared at her in surprise, but when his startled look changed into a smile bigger than any she'd yet seen, the pounding disappeared and she smiled back. I made the right choice...

Xellos almost couldn't believe what he'd heard. He had suspected that her decision had been in his favor, but not that she'd moved this far. Was winning Lina going to be so easy? Of course not, he scoffed at himself. She thanked him for the dance and today, but while that wasn't her usual procedure it also wasn't what he ultimately wanted... but it was definitely a step in the right direction. I may have to accelerate this plan a bit to keep up with her, he mused.

"I'm glad you enjoyed them Lina-chan," he responded with pleasure. Lifting her hand from the table he very slowly kissed the back of it, and relished the slight quiver that went through her. "But I'd like to give you more..." he murmured in a deeper voice. She blushed, but didn't pull away. "Would you like dessert now?" he asked in a voice deliberately filled with double meaning. Her blush deepened but she nodded. Slowly, he released the hand he had been caressing and began once more the strangely intimate act of feeding her dessert. When at last the food was gone, he once caught the attention of a waiter. At his signal they left with the dishes and a few moments later a group of musicians just inside started playing.

Lina looked up to Xellos who had risen and was holding his hand out to her. Slowly she stood as well and placed her hand in his. Once more they began to dance. Xellos held her close while they moved together to the slow tender melody of the music. He did all this for me she wondered at the thought. The depth of detail in his planning only made it all the more precious. With a sigh of contentment she rested her head on his shoulder, and with some of the boldness that had deserted her earlier, lightly kiss the side of his neck. She felt his arms pull her closer to him, and his fingers thread in her hair. A warm blissful feeling enveloped her, and she knew that this was another of those perfect moments... moments that as a result of her decision today might come very often in the future. Nothing was decided, nothing was certain, but this felt right and Lina would pursue it until she was satisfied one way or another. Maybe... just maybe this would be the rest of her life.