Itsumo kokoro no doko ka,
dareka wo motometeita
konna watashi wo hitsuyou nanda to ittekureru.
"Would you please stay still Sheena? It's difficult enough to try and get your hair up on its own, even worse when you continuously fidget!" Raine grumbled in exasperation, swatting scoldingly at the ninja to get her to stop. At the end of the spacious room of the mansion, Colette was giggling as Presea worked through her blond hair with steady fingers, braiding the long locks with surprising patience and skill.
"I can't help it, it's weird..." Sheena mumbled pathetically, not moving her eyes from the floor. Though Colette and Presea seemed to really be enjoying themselves with the dressing up, she hadn't looked up once to see what Raine was doing to her hair. It wasn't an issue of trust, even though she had no idea what sort of skill the half-elven woman had with any sort of dressing, she was simply too embarrassed. "I don't like sitting still..."
"It's okay Sheena, you look great no matter what you do with your hair!" Colette chirped helpfully from where she sat, drawing the ninja's anxious gaze. Smiling so brightly that she could have lit up all of Tethe'alla, the Chosen glanced at her own reflection in the mirror that shot the same grin at Presea, continuing in a giggle, "Lloyd will think you're pretty even if you show up in your regular clothes!"
Raine couldn't help but snicker, the moment the words were out of Colette's mouth the summoner went ramrod straight and turned crimson. Her hands gentle as she combed through the girl's long dark hair, the professor explained calmly, "She has a point. It's a day for getting a little primped, for lack of a better word. We're all uncomfortable to varying degrees, but the point of it is we get to enjoy ourselves. Just relax. You don't need to look in the mirror if it makes you feel worse."
She said nothing, knowing if she did it would make no sense anyway. Instead she simply continued to stare at the ground, closing her eyes as Raine made a silent but affectionate fuss over her hair. She could hear Colette's girlish laughter and Presea's soft giggles, every so often punctuated by Raine's motherly chuckle. 'It feels... so normal...'
"Professor, who's going to do your hair for tonight?" Colette asked curiously, drawing both Sheena and Presea's gaze as the question occurred to them as well. Tilting her head just a little so Presea wouldn't have a hard time fixing her braid, the angel watched as a hint of pink stole over the professor's moonlit skin.
"A-Actually, I think I'm going to keep it as is... There isn't really much you can do with my hair anyway." Raine answered as calmly as she could, though she saw Sheena lift one eyebrow, her expression disbelieving yet oddly amused. The professor froze for a second, knowing the little smile that was lifting Sheena's lips. She had worn that smile only a few days ago, the knowing little grin that told everything without words. She let out a soft sigh, shaking her head once as she continued to fix Sheena's hair, murmuring quietly to the ninja, "So our positions have reversed...? Now this is embarrassing."
"You think it's embarrassing? You haven't seen embarrassing." Sheena muttered back in what she hoped was a grumble, but her smile ruined the affect. Though she knew the other two were listening, the looked completely confused which gave her the courage to continue rather sheepishly, "When Lloyd and I walk in on you at the garden, then you can tell me that it's embarrassing."
Raine snorted once though she knew the statement had its merit, so she made no reply. She saw Colette and Presea trading baffled glances, which relieved the professor for a split moment. She pulled gently at the last strands of the ninja's dark hair, wrapping it slowly around itself before tying it into a tight but rather elegant looking bun. Finished and somewhat proud of herself, Raine tapped Sheena on the top of the head, commanding firmly, "Look up, tell me how you think it looks."
Hesitant, Sheena risked a peek upwards before her mouth fell open with a soft pop. The woman looking back at her in the mirror wore a surprised expression, a hint of pink colouring her cheekbones, topaz eyes wide and startled. Two golden hoops hung from her ears, accentuating the creamy tone of her skin and matching with the clip that held the bangs on her left in place, allowing the dark tresses to curve around the right side of her face. "Oh..."
"Wow Sheena... You look great. You're not even wearing much make-up!" Colette exclaimed in delight, clapping her hands once to express her joy. When Sheena turned to stare at her, the petite angel managed to smother her giggles at the awestruck look on the ninja's face. 'She seems really surprised at what Professor Sage did.' "You look so pretty."
"She does look very attractive." Presea agreed with a small smile, finding a strange amusement in watching the colour of the summoner's face darken. Her complete surprise was rather endearing, as though she couldn't believe the reflection in the mirror was her own. Turning her attention back to Colette in a vain attempt to hide her smile, she added somewhat wistfully, "I'm afraid I'm not nearly as skilled as Raine is at this sort of thing, I hardly know what I'm doing..."
"Presea, you should give yourself more credit." Raine scolded the young hunter in an affectionate tone, looking at the braid that was nearly completed. The Chosen's wavy blond hair had been aptly tamed into a straightened plait, and though she had yet to have any makeup applied, Raine could already see the change in Colette. 'She's truly going to look much older when Presea finishes with her... She's always looked like such a child, when in all reality, she is a young woman...' "Colette looks beautiful, I'm sure when you're done she will be enchanting. Perhaps she'll even attract a few charmers."
"I'd like to see that." Sheena laughed under her breath, drawing the very confused gazes of her friends. Snickering still, she attempted to find a way to phrase the meaning in her odd words. A hand over her face to hide her embarrassment, glee and amusement, she explained through her fingers, "I mean, I'd like to see how Zelos would react to Colette being fawned over. I wonder if it'd tick him off."
"H-He wouldn't get like that!" Colette exclaimed in a much more louder voice than she intended, feeling the heat of her blush burning at her face. Though she wouldn't admit it aloud, she had watched on with envy at the show as other women, clearly of higher status than her, flirted with the redhead in ways that she couldn't, seeming to be so confident in what they did and how they carried themselves. 'I'm nothing like that... He wouldn't care if someone, or anyone looked at me I'm sure...'
"I don't know, I think Zelos has a jealous side to him..." Sheena cajoled gently, watching with unmistakable pleasure as Colette hid her face in her hands, mumbling incoherently. A part of her winced in sympathy, telling her mind that she herself had been that girl only a few days before. 'Strange to think like that, it seems like it's been like this forever...'
Deciding to save the already flustered Chosen, Presea fixed a red ribbon around the end of the girl's braid, saying calmly, "Well regardless of that, I'm glad to know that my work is appreciated. I haven't had a look at your dress yet, so I'm not sure how to coordinate anything..."
"I'm sure it's going to be radically different for each of us, the king did say they would be specifically made." Raine waved off the suggestion with one hand, smiling as she noticed Sheena's anxious expression. She was still risking peeks at the mirror when she thought no one was looking, though the professor knew it was pure surprise and not ego that was making her look at herself. Pretending that she hadn't seen that, she continued genially, "Now I'm wondering what the boys will be wearing... I'm sure it's going to be a very extravagant affair if Tethe'alla's royalty will all be there."
"Well yes, if it's to be held at the reception centre... Only the finest in Tethe'alla attend those sort of get-togethers..." Presea nodded, stepping back once to get a good view of the finished braid that fell down the angel's back. Her lips twitched and the corners raised a little, and she commented idly, "It's strange to feel excited about it, considering I've never even traded more than five words with any royalty before... It will be an awkward event."
"Yes I believe it will be... Though this party is being held for us really, since we did save Princess Hilda from the hands of the Pope." Raine added with a small smile, watching as both Colette and Sheena turned a shade of pink and looked away. Laughing quietly, she gently lay her hand on top of the ninja's head, scolding quietly, "You all did your part to save the princess. We can't forget how much we've already done and also what we still have yet to do."
Colette paused, looking up to see the unfathomable expression on the professor's face. Her eyes were lowered and lips thinned, but there was a strange ferocity that coloured her irises and gave her a new strength. Quietly, she echoed her teacher's words, "She's right... We've... We have done a lot already... We do have a lot more to do too, but we can't forget how far we've already walked..."
"Yeah... It's important to remember all of that..." Sheena agreed with a rueful smile, feeling the stinging pain of her memories as they fought against the confirmation of her friends' words. The past was something she had spent most of her life running from, it had only been quite recently that she accepted it and allowed it to become part of her, as it always had been. "We've walked a long way... Taking the time to realize that and to take a well-deserved break, even if it's only for a week... It's... It's okay."
"Something we forget all too often is that despite how much we've lived through, all of us are still human." Raine commented quietly, ignoring the stinging whip-like pain that echoed in her chest, reminding her that she wasn't human. Slightly amused at herself for allowing the conversation to turn so serious so suddenly, she murmured under her breath, "A journey never feels as long as it does until you turn around and look at where you started when you finish..."
"Well just turning around now makes me feel like I've crossed a mountain or two, maybe even three." Colette joked softly, catching the way Presea smiled at the analogy. Her hand went to her throat, gently touching the key crest that subdued her Cruxis Crystal. Thinking of it now was oddly surprising, it did seem like it had been so long ago that she had been standing in the temple to receive the oracle. "Here's been just so much... So many faces in and out of our lives, so many roads we've travelled... It's kind of funny thinking about it, I never expected to be here today, sitting with my friends and talking about trivial things..."
"Your life was always yours to do what you will with it. Lloyd has taught us all that." Presea said simply, not raising her eyes from the finished braid, absently tucking a wisp of hair back into it every now and then. Needing something to do with her hands, she began to toy with her own hair, continuing quietly, "Though we also have the others to thank because if even one of us wasn't here today, it wouldn't be the same... We wouldn't be the same."
"As much as I'd like to say it would've been a lot quieter without Zelos, you're right." Sheena agreed with a rueful grin, glancing up to see Colette's shy smile and Raine's acknowledging grin. Their words all held truth and sincerity, something that both calmed her and raised a strange feeling that made it difficult to breathe. "It just wouldn't have been the same without anyone."
"It's so easy to forget that when you're travelling, so hellbent on accomplishing your next task and nothing else..." Raine mused aloud, leaning back on the balls of her feet and letting out a quiet sigh of resignation. She had felt it all hit her firsthand when she was alone in the tower, watching as Presea had to forcibly drag Genis into the far room. It had hit her all then, she would die as her friends had, as many innocents before her had even though their hope was continuing on. The adrenalin was gone, there was only an empty and aching acceptance that brought tears to her eyes, even now. "Life is so fragile, so fleeting... Emotions seem trivial but in reality, what we've been holding onto all this time, love, hope... Without that, we would have all failed a very long time ago."
"I don't want to think of failure." Colette spoke up quietly, her voice turning firm and brittle as her hand curled into fists in her lap. When Sheena and Presea looked at her, their expressions mirrored hers, a new resolve that hardened their faces into a strange and reckless smile. "There won't be a failure. We won't let it happen because we've gone too far and done too much to fail."
"Heh... That's a perfect way of thinking Colette." Presea stifled a low chuckle between her teeth, though she agreed with the Chosen's confident words despite her logic warring with it. The conviction could easily be broken, the iron will smashed, but she had learned time and time again that even allowing the thought of failure to enter a mind brought the reality too close for comfort. There would be no failure. A bit of a smile lifting her lips, the tiny hunter added playfully, "However this party may end up being a failure if we don't get into the formal wear, we only have an hour before we're expected to appear at the hall."
"Jizou, are we seriously that late?!" Sheena jumped with a muttered oath, causing Raine to start laughing before she cut herself off when she too realized the time. Laughing and not entirely sure why, the summoner was on her feet and grinning at the startled Raine and Colette, her topaz eyes flashing as they met the genial ones of Presea's. "C'mon then, we can't let something this small turn out badly because we couldn't stop gossiping. The boys would never let us live it down, right?"
"Yeah!"
"Correct."
"Absolutely. Let's get going then!"
Hiroi kono sora no shita,
sonna hitori aetara,
sukoshi dake jishin wo motte ikeru ki ga shiteru kara.
"Damn, I really can't breathe in this thing, why the hell do they need to dress us up in this garbage?" Lloyd grunted unhappily, yanking at his collar as he watched Zelos adjusting his bow-tie with an odd grin. The redhead's normally wild hair was straightened and slick, tied in an odd braid that, matching with his white and black outfit, made him look more professional than Lloyd had ever seen him. Unsure of what he was doing as his collar choked the air from him, he groaned, "Zelos help me out here, I've gotta have it on wrong!"
Zelos turned his head from the mirror, rolled his eyes and then left it to attend to their impromptu leader. The boy's collar was done up ridiculously tight, cutting off his air supply. With another roll of his eyes, Zelos loosened the ruff and adjusted it to better suit the boy, teasing him, "You back country hick, of course you wouldn't know what to do with formal wear. I'm just surprised you didn't put it on backwards."
"Zelos, do you ever stop teasing people?" Genis asked with raised eyebrows, fiddling just a little with his own bow-tie until he was sure it had been tied perfectly. He smoothed out the creases in his light brown pants, pulling at the dark blue sleeves of his dress shirt as he continued, "Besides, we're all going to the same party as you are, you don't have to get a narcissistic complex...." He smiled to himself then added almost as an afterthought, "or a worse one anyway."
"Considering that you're totally dressed up for Easter Sunday, brat, you don't have the right to heckle me about anything." Zelos replied carelessly, straightening the boy's collar before he turned to see Genis' scowl. Smirking a little, he continued cheekily, "Maybe Presea will dance with you tonight."
"Zelos..." Regal's baritone voice rung out warningly behind the Chosen's shoulder, and Genis watched with some satisfaction as he immediately closed his mouth and scrambled off back towards the mirror. Regal cast Genis a sly wink before he nodded his head politely and asked somewhat awkwardly, "Genis, I understand this may be a foolish request, but would you mind fastening the buckle on my shirt? I... I am having some trouble."
"Yeah sure, I'll do it Regal." Genis agreed with a chuckle, fixing the straps as quickly as possible to avoid embarrassing the duke any further. He noticed the man wasn't meeting his eyes, but chalking it up to awkwardness, the young mage added in an undertone, "Thanks for getting Zelos away from me, I didn't want to cast Fireball on him and burn my shirt in the process, y'know?"
Regal chuckled once before he caught himself, shaking his head and giving the young half-elf a nod. He glanced over at Lloyd who was grumbling oaths under his breath as he tried to find some order to his suit, commenting with amusement, "Why is it that only Lloyd is having trouble with his dress wear?"
"It's Lloyd." Genis answered quietly, though he couldn't stop himself from laughing under his breath the entire time. He was pleased to see Regal smiling as well, the older man looked much younger when he allowed himself to smile in their midst. Nodding towards the fully dressed Zelos, he added conspiratorially, "Do you think he'd notice if I set him on fire though? Or Lloyd for that matter? It'd be kinda funny to see them show up at the party with singed clothes..."
"Your sister would very well beat you if she heard you speaking like that." Regal replied with a slight smile, his chest warming considerably the moment he thought of the half-elven professor. It had only happened a few short hours ago that they had shared such a passionate time in the room together, yet it still felt like he was just pulling away from her gentle hands. Reminding himself harshly that he was standing with his lover's younger brother, he managed to shake the smile from his face before he continued somewhat sheepishly, "She was saying that it is a very important event we cannot afford to miss..."
"True enough... I don't want anymore of Raine's punishment." Genis agreed with a weak grin, painfully reminded of being caught in the Martel Temple with Lloyd. Wincing as the pain came back to him, the young wizard turned his eyes to Lloyd as he fixed the belts around his waist, adjusting his swords with a sort of tenderness. Coughing a little, he casually tugged at his own collar, mumbling under his breath, "Mind telling me what Zelos meant when he said I looked like I was dressed up for 'Easter Sunday'?"
"Ah, Easter Sunday is a holiday celebrated by young children in Mizuho." Regal answered automatically, jolted somewhat from his wandering thoughts. Looking at the curious and somewhat indignant Genis, he added, "I don't know very much about it, perhaps you should ask Sheena when you see her tonight. I'm sure she can tell you everything she knows about it."
"Did someone just say something about Sheena?" Lloyd asked suddenly, completely distracted from his business with his belts as he heard her name. Genis started to laugh almost immediately at his distraction, but ignoring that, Lloyd rolled the ends of his sleeves properly and asked again, "Seriously, who said her name?"
"That was me." Regal admitted as another smile stretched at his face. He had been smiling quite more often these days. Lloyd had finally finished adjusting his formalwear, and despite himself, the duke allowed himself a moment to tease his younger comrade. "Lloyd, those clothes suit you, in a strange way. You almost look like you could be a member of the royal family."
"You know I can never tell if you're joking." Lloyd shot back, though the grumble was lost in his grin as he recognized the warm light in Regal's eyes. It almost felt as though he was looking into a mirror, he knew that warmth, it was simply the heat of a love recognized and returned. Glancing down at the white ensemble, he lifted his sheepish face to Regal and then asked, "You really think so? I feel kinda stupid in this getup. It's really stiff..."
"Of course it's stiff, it's formal wear. If it was all loose and ragged like our normal clothes, it wouldn't make us look nearly as respectable." Zelos lectured the young twin swordsman with a wave of his hand, stretching his legs slowly and absently as he regarded the bouquet of roses that adorned the change room in the palace. The girls were in the opposite room, and they were leaving at separate times to ensure they wouldn't meet the others and see their outfits, a surprise of sorts the princess had insisted upon. 'Hmm...' "Stop worrying Lloyd, you'll be out of it by the end of the night."
"Thank Martel for small miracles, I don't even want to leave this room in this thing!" Lloyd groaned, yanking once more at his collar. The red fabric at his neck was coarse and itched something fierce, but he tried to ignore it anyway because he knew it only looked better if he left it alone. "It's so itchy!"
"Heh, you'll get used to it Lloyd. You probably won't even feel it by the time we get to the hall." Genis told him somewhat sympathetically, pulling at the hem of the dark blue shirt he was wearing. It itched as it rubbed against his bare skin, but he had caught one glimpse of himself in the mirror and though he felt ridiculous, there was a hint of ego bubbling through that. He looked better than he had ever felt beforehand, and if he felt that way it certainly couldn't be all that horrible. "Just try to think of something else."
"Like what?" Lloyd complained, gesturing unhappily to Regal and Zelos. Both of them seemed completely at ease with themselves despite the garments they wore, as though it was nothing new to them. Though he knew that while Zelos was probably used to these sort of parties, Regal had spent an ample amount of time in prison. 'I guess after a prison uniform you really couldn't care less what you're wearing...'
"Think about how the hunnies will fawn over you, the princess' saviour?" Zelos suggested with what looked like an uncaring shrug. Lloyd's eyes flashed unhappily, but the corners of his mouth softened anyway as he thought of the one woman he was truly looking forward to seeing. Zelos, despite himself, understood that look, as he felt it too. He had lost interest in the women that flocked to him, the women he never truly cared about anyway. 'I seriously couldn't wait to get away from them to be with Colette... I guess it's too late to stop the change...'
"I don't think anyone but you wants to think about that." Genis commented sarcastically, rolling his eyes and exchanging a knowing glance with Regal. The duke was trying and failing to hide his amused expression, so he simply turned around under the pretense of fixing his clothes. Looking back at Lloyd, he suggested half-heartedly, "Maybe you could dance with Sheena?"
"I don't know how to dance." Lloyd said it as though it was a question and not a statement, feeling a rugged heat beginning in his neck. He'd never thought of it, and immediately felt foolish. 'What am I supposed to do at a party anyway? I obviously can't stand around, but I don't even know how to dance!'
"It is not that difficult Lloyd, and I doubt you will be dancing at all tonight with Sheena." Regal waved away Lloyd's doubts with a small smile, not meaning the inference that Zelos read. The swordsman was snickering into his hand, and only was silent when he received a deadly glare from both the duke and Genis. Ignoring them, the duke continued patiently, "Sheena does not enjoy these sorts of gatherings... She would most likely try to hide herself in the background."
"Well I know how she feels, I don't want anybody seeing me in this thing!" Lloyd grumbled again, gesturing to his outfit for the fifth time since he'd gotten it. Sighing wearily, he adjusted his swords and then turned his head to get a glimpse of the back of his pants before he pulled a face. "I'm never wearing this stuff ever again..."
"But you're always wearing what your dad made for you, maybe it's good to get a change." Zelos laughed, ducking Lloyd's good-natured swing at his head with another laugh. The twin swordsman was chuckling at him, giving the redheaded Chosen a different sense of completion that was vaguely familiar. He'd felt it around Colette, a sort of welcoming warmth that let him know he was accepted, and now he felt it here as he joked with Lloyd and the others. 'Heh...' "C'mon, it's just for one night, then you can burn it if you want to."
"Will you be burning yours?" Lloyd questioned with a raised eyebrow, seeing Genis nodding vehemently out of the corner of his eyes. He had to admit the idea was very enticing, and he was trying not to laugh as he imagined the glee on his best friend's face as he burned his outfit. 'We could make a party out of it really...'
"I do not know truthfully, I would rather take a perverse pleasure in burning mine but I may have need of it in the future." Regal answered with a resigned note, looking at himself in the mirror with a grimace. Though he knew it was better than anything else he'd previously worn, he still had no love for the stiff collars and coarse fabric. He had never been a fan of the royalty or any of those who flocked to them. "I guess I may very well have to keep mine..."
"Why burn these though, they're probably worth a fortune if you sell 'em to the right people..." Zelos shrugged casually, plucking casually at the fabric of his shirt, doing the math in his head easily. He could already guess how much the suits themselves would have cost to be made, and with a wry grin he added, "We could always use more Gald."
"Heh, Zelos actually has a point." Genis remarked with a snicker, only to be clipped around the ear by the Chosen before he had a chance to duck. Rubbing at the back of his head, the mage cast a dirty look at the male before he grumbled, "I actually said something nice about you and you still hit me. That's so no fair."
"You said it in a bratty tone, brat." Zelos answered with a smirk, watching Lloyd cover a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. Barely able to stop himself from chuckling, he winked at the young half-elf and added pleasantly, "But thanks anyway for the compliment, nice to know that even you can concede to the great Zelos."
"I see what you mean about his narcissistic qualities." Regal said with a straight face, though he watched as both Lloyd and Genis burst out laughing and had to duck away from the indignant Chosen's wrath. Chuckling a little to himself, he glanced up at the clock and shook his head as he realized the time. The girls had left only ten minutes beforehand if they were on schedule, which only gave them a short amount of time before they too would be leaving.
Smiling a little, he glanced over at the fighting threesome and wondered idly, 'Is it true...? All of us have matured somewhat over the course of this journey... We all are new men and women... We all have grown.'
Kaze ga fuiteru kigi ga zawameku,
soredake de fuan na kokoro,
yasashii koe de namae wo yonde
tada sore dake ii no.
It was surprisingly loud, something the tiny hunter had not expected when she entered the spacious hall with her three comrades. Colette looked as honestly startled as she did, while Raine hd an expression of mild interest, Sheena however seemed both bored and terrified at the same time, and was the first to bolt from their group. Soon enough both Colette and Raine left her as well, leaving the little hunter to stay by the entrance, taking in her surroundings with bland curiosity.
She lost count of the guests somewhere around two-hundred-and-thirty-nine, and with a little sigh her arms closed around her waist. The frilly navy fabric of her dress brushed irritatingly against her arms, and she absently plucked at the white trim on her sleeves as her eyes ghosted over the crowd. She still didn't understand the real reason for their attendance despite the explanations she had received, and so with a little sigh, she abandoned her rationality and decided to watch the people.
She smiled a bit to herself when she noticed a couple beside the wall, the man leaning down to whisper something into the young woman's ear. She laughed aloud, her giggle swept from Presea's acute ears in the storm of babble from the crowd. The man offered the woman his arm, and she took it without hesitation, the two dodging the other noblemen and women for the door, escaping into the darkening night.
'Something so simple would have made no sense to me a long time ago...' She found herself thinking, watching as the door sighed shut, giving no evidence to the two escaped lovers. 'However now... I find myself understanding their wish to be away from the others and the senseless chatter, to simply spend time together... These concepts are still so hard to understand, yet I... I find myself beginning to comprehend...'
"Hey P-P-Presea!"
Her lips quirked without an order, and she turned around to see the very red face of the young mage she had been spending most of her time with. His crystal blue eyes were looking everywhere but her face and he was continuously wringing his hands, but despite that, she was happy to see him. "Genis... I am glad you are here."
"You w-weren't hard to find..." Genis tried, coughing over his words, still desperately looking anywhere but her face. He had been somewhat proud to say he wasn't nearly as clumsy as he had used to be around the axeman, but it seemed as though all of his hard work had fled him. Still stammering, he added, "I m-mean, you l-l-look really p-p-pretty in that dress!"
"Oh..." Presea was startled to feel a strange new heat building in her face to the compliment, as though her cheeks had become inflamed. Brushing the irrational thought aside, she barely had time to think before a memory came flashing back to her, shocking her entire body into stillness. "You're... p... p...pretty." 'Oh!'
"I feel k-kinda silly in mine... but you look c-cute..." Genis continued valiantly, not noticing the young girl's surprise as he still wasn't looking at her face. His shoes seemed much more interesting and wouldn't judge him as he stammered along in a vain attempt to seem somewhat sane. "N-Not that you don't look c-c-cute all the time, I'm just saying you look really c-cute in what you're wearing now!"
'He called me pretty...' Presea didn't know why she was smiling so widely, or what it was that was causing her skin to crackle with electricity. Her body was on a sort of auto-pilot, not taking directions as it moved on its own to do its own will, which she didn't understand. It was a simple compliment, yet her delight had sprung so high that before she could even think of what she was doing, her lips had pressed softly against his cheek.
Genis wasn't too sure what had just happened, all he was aware of was a soft pressure on his left cheek, followed by a giggle he knew and cherished. His hand flew up to press the spot where her mouth had touched his skin and in shock, he stared into the dancing eyes of the pink-haired girl he had long ago fallen in love with. "H-H-H-Huh?!"
"Ah.... I, uh..." Presea, as equally shocked as he half-elven companion, could only stare at him as he held his cheek like she'd burned him. Her lips felt hot, and without a word she raised her fingers to touch them, very aware that she was shivering from head to toe. 'What did I... Where did that...? H-How...?' He said nothing, merely stared straight ahead into her shocked face, his eyes a mirror of her own.
Her instincts kicked in as her rational mind disappeared from her altogether, and they demanded one simple order as she stood completely still and stunned. Flee. Her body had already twisted around, ready to dash and to where, she still didn't know. She never had a chance to even take the first step however, a small hand closed around her wrist and jerked her backwards with more force than she knew that hand possessed.
Genis knew he had probably crossed a line, though in the same thought, he knew they had been crossing lines for longer than they'd have ever admitted. His hand tight around Presea's wrist, he yanked her backwards and was surprised when she nearly fell into his chest. He had no words, he didn't even know if his mind was running fast enough to even form them, so he did the only thing he could think of.
Warm lips touched her own, and for one heart-stopping moment, Presea felt everything simply stop. She heard nothing but a loud static buzz in her ears, and then the steady thumping as her heart began to beat again. It was a chaste kiss, the contact only lasted for one second, but even then, the room around her was spinning so hard she couldn't keep her feet.
"P-Presea..."
She swallowed as he stared at her, a mirroring expression of horror and bewilderment transforming his youthful face. It had struck her so intensely that for a moment, she'd forgotten everything that held her aloof from the rest of them, from him especially. She was no longer twenty-eight years old, she no longer had suffered from the experimental process of the Cruxis Crystal, she was a young girl in the arms of an equally as young boy.
He couldn't find his words, staring back into the suddenly terrified eyes of the hunter he'd cherished long before he knew it. His hands were still resting on her shoulders and both of them were panting as though they'd just ran a sprint. The emotion was fierce in her eyes, changing the stoic face he was so used to. Her lips were quivering as they tried to find words, her eyes wide and stunned, reflecting the emotion he was struggling with.
He forgot too, in that strange moment of staring into her eyes and seeing himself reflected in that gentle cerulean, he had a moment of flashing clarity. He wasn't a half-elf, nor was he a magic-user, for one striking moment he was a boy who knew nothing of the world. Then, as quickly as it had come, the moment was gone, leaving him as confused as ever.
"Genis, I... I'm..." She tried again, not knowing why she wanted to apologize, or why she had wanted to run in the first place. His small hands felt so ridiculously warm against her clothed skin, and without thinking she raised her own to curl around his wrists. Her voice low, she found the fear swirling in her chest and held it tight in her heart as she murmured to him, "Genis, there's something I have been meaning to tell you... H-However, I... I've been afraid."
"Presea, you never have to be afraid. I... I'll protect you." Genis knew he had spoken those words before, they seemed to repeat endlessly in his head whenever she was near. However, he drew those words from a different place now, somewhere deeper that he still didn't recognize but believed in anyway. "I promise, I will protect you."
"Genis..." She began almost in an exasperated tone, before she stopped completely in her tracks. She had told him, she wasn't sure how many times, that she did not need his protection. For all rights, she was fairly sure that she could protect him under the circumstances. She paused however, almost drawing her lips into a shaky smile. 'I... I want his protection... more than ever, I want him to see me as I am, who I... who I truly am.' "Genis... The Exsphere... It... It was attached to me sixteen years ago."
He didn't need any more words to understand what she was trying to tell him, his brain did the math without a conscious order. At first there was nothing, a curiously empty sensation then he realized what it meant. 'Her age... Her 'real' age doesn't matter to me... I don't care how old she is.' That moment was enough to shake the girl, but he moved quickly to embrace her as though she had always belonged there. He was surprised how his nervousness seemed to fade away from him, as though it had never truly existed inside of him in the first place. Quietly, his voice so low only she could hear it as he whispered into her ear, "I don't care about that Presea... It doesn't matter to me how old you are... I'll still care about you anyway... Always."
"Thank you..." She clung to him and buried her face in the front of his shirt, feeling for the first time, the sting of pleasant tears in the corners of her eyes. She had cried before, but only in solitude, too scared to let the others see what she had relived along with her recovered emotions. This, however, was different. Two arms, as thin as hers yet still as strong held her now, forming a cage that offered both protection and something else, a warm and kind feeling that she had come to identify over the past few days. A strange feeling that could both scare and ease someone with just a few words. Love.
Itsumo kokoro no doko ka,
anata wo sagashiteita,
konna watashi wo sono mama de ii to ittekureta hito.
Raine smiled a little to herself, lazily swirling the last remains of the amango champagne in her glass before she finished it off with a quick gulp. The alcohol burned at her tongue and threatened to make her cough, but with surprising self-control, she hid it and continued to watch her younger brother.
He had pulled away slightly from the little hunter, offering her his arm as though he was truly a nobleman. She smiled, a real warm grin as she linked hers with his, allowing herself to be led away into the dance floor. Soon the two were lost in the dozens of swaying bodies, and with a soft laugh, the half-elven woman switched her now empty glass with a full one.
The alcohol did nothing to her system, something that both mildly surprised and disappointed her. She had hoped it would give her a boost of courage and perhaps settle her nerves, but she was still as shaky as a leaf being blown in the wind. She, like so many others, had stuck to the wall in a vain hope of fading into the background, settling for watching the others instead of joining in with the chaos around her.
A low voice chuckled just to her left, and she fought to hide a smile as the large man stood beside her. Not raising her eyes even though her curiosity was starting to perk up, she asked casually, "How did you find me? I was hoping to blend in."
"You cannot hide from me." Regal answered her simply, his mouth stretching into a smile as she giggled. She was lazily tracing the rim of her cup with her pinky finger, gazing into the crowd while her lips tweaked in the most absent of ways. Knowing that she could probably see him, he couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at her to scrutinize her outfit.
The white dress ended just below her knees, accentuating her long legs and the curves of her body. However those were hidden by the navy top she was wearing, giving the impression of a half of a suit while hugging her body in all of the right places ever so subtly. Unable to stop the smile from reaching his face, he complimented her politely, "You look extravagant Raine..."
"Extravagant?" Raine repeated with a bit of a grin, raising one eyebrow and she turned her head to glance appraisingly at her companion. The olive green suit he wore seemed to fit him in a strangely mannish way, giving hints to his chiselled physique without defining anything. His handcuffs, the symbol of so much about him, were hidden by the long sleeves, but the professor's keen eyes saw the glint of metal between his wrists. Casually, as though she wasn't even noticing the change in his appearance, she took a sip of the drink and added, "I like that word much better than what Zelos called me earlier... 'Glamourous Beauty', really... The hound."
"I could sort him out for you if he continues to irk you." Regal offered half-seriously, watching as her eyes sparkled with amusement and the prickle of annoyance was gone as quickly as it had come. Nodding towards her glass, she handed it to him without hesitation and allowed him to finish it off in one go, stifling a laugh as he did so. Chuckling himself at the sound of her laughter, he told her gently, "You do look beautiful, Raine... Your dress suits you."
"If you mean that I look more like a scholar than a woman, I suppose you're right, but coming from you I'll take that as a compliment." Raine teased light-heartedly, angling her body towards him to make sure he caught her smile. He did and returned it, the simple gesture sending a plume of warmth through her blood. Tilting her head a little, she continued playfully, "So, keeping up with the fashion, I guess I'll need to tell you that you look quite handsome also."
"That's definitely better than being called a dandy." Regal muttered under his breath, though Raine heard him anyway and almost immediately burst into quiet but forceful giggles at his side. Though he knew that the Chosen had only meant it as an affectionate insult, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed anyway. He could hear Lloyd muttering about burning the outfits, and he added sourly, "Yes, I will most definitely be burning this as soon as the night is over..."
She said nothing, just continued to smile as she unconsciously scanned the crowd of dancers to see her little brother. He was nowhere to be found, and while it gave her a sharp stabbing ache of worry, she couldn't help but feel at ease when Regal was at her side. He noticed her preoccupation, and with a soft sigh, she explained, "Genis and Presea were talking just a few minutes ago before they left to dance... I wonder how they're faring."
"I'm sure they're both just fine, they can take care of themselves... I also doubt that your younger brother will allow anyone to ruin the night considering how close he's become with Presea." Regal soothed her as only he could, with both logic and a gentleness that only she could hear in his deep voice. As he spoke he had cleared the distance between them, so her shoulder was pressing against his chest, and his mouth was brushing the top of her hair. "I think everything has finally become settled in our little group."
"Hah, whoever would've have thought it would've been!" Raine exclaimed with a snort, rolling her eyes when Regal raised his eyebrows in surprise. Explaining before he could put his expression to words, she waved her hand in a vague gesture as she spoke, "Well consider the facts... Sheena was too timid to confess her feelings to Lloyd, who was rather dense about the whole affair. Colette pined almost her entire life for the boy before she finally realized what her love truly was, and all the while was accidentally softening the heart of the philander Chosen we've all become oddly fond of. Then Genis, a hopeless boy finally managed to melt away the fear of emotional attachments in Presea. It's been one hell of a miracle, this vacation."
"That is very true." Regal agreed with a small smile, following his lover's gaze into the crowd, trying to sort through the bodies of dancers to find the two companions. Not having any luck, he watched as Raine shook her head with a resigned sigh, leaning back against the wall almost in defeat. Concerned, he leaned closer and asked softly, "Raine...?"
"Only yesterday I was sitting in Palmacosta with my book on the ruins of Triet and he was pulling at my pantleg, begging me to play with him outside." Raine murmured in an almost wistful tone, a sad smile raising her lips as she scanned the crowd for any sign of the young boy she loved so dearly. "Just yesterday he was learning how to walk, saying his first words... He was just an infant only yesterday. Time has flown far too fast for my liking."
"He is still your little brother." Regal told her firmly, not liking the way she was frowning, hugging herself as though she was about to collapse where she stood. Carefully he lifted his arms and lowered them over her head, drawing her into a warm hug while nuzzling into her hair. "Time flows quickly but facts do not change. You will always be his older sister and he will always be the newborn child you raised and loved all those years."
Raine sighed shakily, allowing her body to tremble and she leaned into his embrace while closing her eyes. His arms were comfortably tight around her body, and he was murmuring incoherent words into her hair to soothe her stress. Letting go another sigh, the professor murmured quietly, "I know what you're saying is correct... He will forever remain my little brother, but it's just so strange to watch him grow. I'm proud of him, of all of his great accomplishments but it leaves me aching to think that soon he won't need me as much as he used to. I'm so stupid..."
"You've been both his sister and mother for so long, it's natural for the two roles to intertwine." Regal scolded her gently, not liking the bitter tone she was using as she scolded herself. Nudging her forehead with his own, he waited until she looked up at him before he spoke again. "He has said so himself, that you have been both a sister and a mother to him during his life, do you think something as simple as aging will change that?"
Raine paused, biting back her instinctive rebuttal with a bittersweet taste in her mouth. He was right, she knew this and couldn't fight that logic, yet something still cried out in her, had been crying out in her the moment he had made a decision without her. There was more than ache, it was nearly a scream inside of her, something completely irrational yet welcoming at the same time. Laughing quietly at her own lack of knowledge, she mumbled softly, "My question is why do I have to have you tell me this when I should already know it all..."
"You are learning to be a parent, that is a process that never ends." Regal chuckled at her sad expression, knowing that she would never be pleased until she had finished this lesson. He knew already that the lesson would last her entire lifetime, as each parent's experience had been before and after her. "You will trip, and you will make mistakes along your journey... However, you will also learn with each time that you stumble, and never make that mistake again in your lifetime. You are well on your way to becoming a mother that you wished you had had when you where a child, and to becoming a mother that your own children will be grateful for in the future."
Raine blinked once, twice, then felt her cheeks reddening as she read between the lines of Regal's warm speech. He seemed to have caught his own words too and seemed properly stunned, and before she knew what she was doing, she had turned in his arms and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. "Now that, I was not expecting... But thank you anyway..."
"Ah... I suppose there's no way out of that particular blunder is there?" Regal asked with a weak chuckle, feeling both the warmth of her svelte body pressing against his own, and the flush in his face as his words nearly condemned him. He wouldn't lie, though he'd never given much thought to a future, his mistaken words had suddenly painted a fluorescent picture in his mind that nearly blinded him. Something out of his reach, yet not so far away that he couldn't see the images. He laughed softly to himself, ducking his face into her hair as he whispered, "I see you finally caught me in a checkmate..."
"It seems so, my love... Checkmate."
Yoru ga aketeku kyou ga hajimaru,
anata ga warau kono sekai,
watashi ni dekiru subete wo kakete,
mamoritai no negau no.
Zelos grinned as he spotted her, standing by one of the long tables, watching the dancing couples with a sort of wistful expression. Weaving through the crowd expertly, he caught her by the hand before she had a chance to see him, twirling her expertly into his arms. Her startled gasp melted into the giggle he loved as she nestled close, allowing him to take her hands as he pulled her slowly back onto the dance floor.
"You know I can't dance, Zelos... I'll look so silly." Colette mumbled in halfhearted protest, but she still let him hold her hands and sway slightly to the soft music playing by the band in the far corner.
"I can't dance either." Zelos told her with a chortle, finding her shocked look quite adorable. Leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose, he gently drew her closer, swaying slightly to the rhythm before he spun her in a lazy circle, only to draw her back into his arms a moment later. "It's just about listening to the music and forgetting everything else. Don't worry, angel."
"I-If you say so..." She sighed and did as he instructed. The music was lazy and gentle, giving her the strange impression that she was dancing on clouds. A piano hummed its chords gently, weaving into the woman's voice as smoothly as silk. Zelos twirled her again, and when she closed her eyes, it almost felt as though she was flying through the air. Her eyes widened in shocked delight when he pulled her back to him, and his replying grin told her that he had planned for this reaction.
"See? Nothing to get worried about. It's perfectly fine." Zelos grinned, watching as her braid twirled along with her, giving the impression that she was wearing a golden halo. The ivory dress contrasted magnificently with the strawberry red trim, splashing the colour onto her cheeks as she giggled. The way she smiled gave the illusion of her youth, even though her figure had yet to show her true womanly curves, she still looked beautiful to his eyes.
She gave another twirl, feeling exceptionally giddy as Zelos' warm chuckle mixed with her laughter. He was watching her with a strange fondness that left her feeling warm all over, and in an unconscious effort to avoid that, she looked around the crowd of people. Other dancers had moved unconsciously out of the way to give them room, leaving the two Chosen nearly in the centre of the dance floor. Colette went crimson in alarm, turned back to Zelos and hissed nervously, "Everyone's watching us! We took over the floor!"
"That's what people do when two dancers enjoy what they're doing." He chided softly, raising his hand from her waist to gently brush his gloved fingers along her cheek. He was arrogantly satisfied when more colour raised in her skin in the wake of his touch, and he quietly murmured, "Stop worrying so much Colette... It's okay to enjoy yourself here. The music's beautiful, the dance floor's ours for the taking, and it's just you and me right now."
Colette stopped her words mid-protest, feeling her heart give a loud and reassuring beat inside of her chest. His hands were strangely warm on hers as he pulled her close again, their chests now pressed tightly to each other. The embrace seemed natural to her, the way his arm curved just a little bit tighter around her waist, the laughing light softening until the cerulean in his eyes seemed almost liquid. "Okay."
She leaned against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder, a warm smile gracing her face. He watched this with a fondness he had become well accustomed to, the warmth in his heart no longer confused him as it had before. It hadn't taken him very long to understand that the healing light she radiated was softening the icy shield around his heart, was warming him until it was just too late. He had loved her before he had even understood why.
He kissed the crown of her hair, the action so natural she didn't even look up. They had stopped with the real dancing, now they were simply swaying together now as the floor crowded with more couples like them. He spotted Presea in the arms of the little mage, both seeming so blissful that they didn't notice the looks others were sending them. In the far corner, the professor was in the arms of the duke, watching the others with a fond exasperation that mirrored a strange wistfulness. It only took a few whispered words from Regal before she allowed herself to be led to the corner of the floor to join the dance as well.
He felt that contentedness settling deep in his bones again, the same warmth that had struck him while he was joking around with the others. There was a completion he had long ago forgotten as a child, a gentle feeling that enclosed him entirely. He knew the feeling, it was the same sort of love he felt whenever he was with Seles, and now the other members of his team now gave it to him now. In the wake of facing the truth about himself, he had also found the one place where he actually belonged and was wanted. He had a family.
She peeked up at him, seeing the silly grin he wore as he gazed out at something she couldn't see. When he noticed that she had moved, he immediately glanced down at her, wearing that carefree yet gentle smile that he reserved only for her. He raised a hand again, moving his fingers slowly along her bangs until she had turned crimson again. His smile broadened which only worsened her blush, and ducking her face into his chest, she mumbled softly, "Stop that please... You're making me blush..."
"I like it when you blush." Zelos told her cheerfully, and that only served to turn her creamy skin a shade of crimson that would've made the roses blush with envy. Chuckling, his thumb moved in lazy circles on her cheek, waiting until she leaned into his touch with a quiet sigh. "See...? It's alright to kick back and relax."
"I know... I just kinda feel awkward here." Colette admitted sheepishly, watching as Zelos raised one eyebrow in a disbelieving expression. Her words fled her mysteriously, and she stammered as she tried to find some way to explain herself. "I mean, everyone looks so nicely dressed up and so professional and–" He continued to stare at her like she had very well lost her mind, perhaps she had. Embarrassed, frightened, and nearly ready to bolt, she blurted, "Zelos, do you think I'm pretty?"
"Huh? Do I think you're pretty?" Zelos repeated in surprise, watching as the blond angel tore her hands away from him and buried her face in them. He said nothing for a long moment, confused as his mind went over everything first. 'Why would she ask that just out of the blue...?' He watched her intently, trying to scrutinize things he could not see working in her mind. 'Is she... Is she...?' A sudden smile lighting up his face as the realization struck like lightning, he gently placed a hand under her chin and answered her softly, "Colette, I don't think you're pretty. You're nowhere near being pretty. You're beautiful."
"R-Really? Y-You think I'm.... You think I'm b-beautiful?" Colette stammered, no longer embarrassed but honestly stunned. He was grinning at her, the cheeky smile that didn't show a hint of a lie in his handsome face. Hesitantly, she returned the smile, looking down at her feet to hide her delight from him. "Oh... Hehe..."
"Colette, come here will ya?" Zelos laughed, tugging her back into his arms for the second time. She didn't fight him, instead she leaned into his chest with a happy sigh that sent warmth from his chest to the very tips of his fingers. His arms wound tightly around her, and once again they began to sway to the soft voice of the singer. Chuckling quietly, he rested his chin on the top of her hair and murmured quietly, "Y'know... I meant what I said back at the springs..."
"E-Eh? Y-You knew I was listening?" Colette asked sheepishly, too afraid to look up to see his expression. Blushing crimson, she hid her face in the ruffles from his white shirt, silently praying that he wouldn't be too angry with her for eavesdropping on what was supposed to be a private conversation. 'Oh no...'
"Yeah, I knew..." Zelos admitted with a hint of a smile, almost glad that she wasn't looking up to see the nervousness he was hanging onto. All he knew was his own conviction, and despite the mild and subtle signals he'd received, he still knew nothing concrete. Quietly, his voice like satin as he whispered into her hair, "I kinda didn't want to say anything because of that but in the end... It didn't matter. I want you to know. I want you to know that you're important to me, that I care more about you than I've ever cared about someone before."
She took a moment, completely floored as her feet moved robotically along to the music, her skirt swishing seductively through the air as he twirled her as calmly as could be. His hands were warm against her skin and his mouth felt gentle on the top of her hair, urging her to look up. She did and took in a soft breath at the sight of his impossibly warm and hopeful face.
She saw it, the love she'd ached to see in Lloyd's face for what had seemed like a lifetime. But this was different, she doubted that even if she had seen it, that it would have made her feel so happy. Her chest swelled until it felt like it'd burst, and she was blissfully unaware of her feet even being on the floor anymore. 'Yes... I knew it.' A timid smile on her face, she stood on tiptoe and touched her nose against his despite the blush that was growing through her entire form. "Thank you Zelos..."
"Don't thank me, angel... I ought to thank you..." Zelos murmured back watching as she shivered in pure pleasure as his lips barely touched her own as he spoke. Her arms were loose around his shoulders and her eyes closed in bliss, already prepared to accept whatever was left for them. He tilted his head just a little, his voice the barest of a whisper before their lips met, "I love you..."
Taisetsu no mono shitta,
shinjiau koto wo shitta,
aisuru koto wo shitta no...
To say she was hiding would have been an exaggeration, but she certainly had no intention of going into the crowd like her friends had. Sheena felt her lips twitch into a smile as she spied Zelos and Colette sharing a rather intimate moment on the dance floor below, and laughing quietly, she leaned onto the balcony railings and murmured to them quietly, "Congratulations... It's about time."
From the balcony she had an amazing view of the entire party, to the point where she barely even had to turn her head to see all four corners of the large hall. She had watched with a smug sort of pleasure as Genis danced with Presea, and as Raine let herself be captured by Regal's warm embrace time and time again. Only a few days ago she would have felt awkward just watching the exchanges, but it seemed all too natural to her now.
She heard the soft footsteps behind her but didn't move, already knowing who would dare to come upstairs to disturb her. She wasn't disappointed, a pair of strong arms wound themselves around her middle, followed by a gentle kiss to her exposed shoulder. Smiling to herself, she leaned back into the clothed chest of her lover and murmured quietly, "How'd you know I was up here?"
"Easy enough to guess. You did keep telling me you wanted to run off, so I figured if you hadn't already left you'd be up here." Lloyd answered with a chuckle, nuzzling into her neck to hear her giggle. Significantly pleased when she did, he rested his chin on her shoulder and breathed in deep, the subtle perfume she wore sparking flames in his stomach. "Mmm... You smell good..."
"Th-Thanks." Sheena felt the telltale blush growing on her face at the lazy compliment, though she was well aware that it was nowhere as fierce as it would have been just a short while ago. She still marvelled at it, the changes that seemed so violent when she compared her life one year ago to where she was now. She twisted just a bit in his embrace, letting him now that she wanted to turn around to get a good look at him. When his embrace didn't loosen, she stifled a laugh of exasperation and asked, "Can I see how you look?"
"Nope, I don't want you to see me in this." Lloyd told her with a chortle, feeling her elbow gently poking at his ribcage, almost in warning. Grinning into her shoulder, he swayed lazily to the music from below and continued cheekily, "Though I don't mind you seeing me out of it..."
"We're at a party." Sheena scolded him half-heartedly, though her fingertips had begun to buzz as the desire lit up her blood. Squirming just a little until his grip loosened enough, she spun in his arms and laughed when he glanced away with a red face. The white suit seemed to fit oddly well on him, accentuating his messy hair and his adust eyes. Grinning a little to herself, Sheena raised her hands to lazily run her fingers through his hair. Her smile grew when he closed his eyes and leaned into the treatment with a contented sigh. "You look handsome... Like a real hero."
Lloyd opened one eye, wearing a petulant expression that had her giggling in his arms. Deciding to try and keep the act going while he could manage to hold back his laughter, he asked sulkily, "So I guess that means I don't look like a hero all the time then? That kinda blows... I thought I was getting better at it."
"Lloyd..." Sheena attempted to stop giggling long enough to scold him, but she couldn't help it as he hung his head in a long pout. Dropping her hands to her sides, she grinned into his hangdog expression before standing on tiptoe to kiss him gently on the cheek. "C'mon... You know you're a hero no matter what you're wearing. You look handsome."
"Heh... It feels kinda silly when you tell me that straight out..." Lloyd chuckled almost in embarrassment, rubbing at the back of his neck as he glanced down at himself. He couldn't see what she saw in him, though he doubted he ever would be able to see the reasons she loved him. "So can I see how you look now?"
"Do you have to? If you feel stupid, I feel really stupid..." Sheena mumbled wearily, but he only had to look at her before she gave up and took a dainty step back away from him. His eyes widened a little, and fighting the urge to cover herself up, she let her arms hang loosely at her side, looking away as the blush rose into her face.
"Whoa..." Lloyd whispered, blinking several times so he could try to process everything at once. The wine-coloured fabric hung around her body in all the right places, hugging her hips in a short skirt before arcing up her chest to loop around her neck. The long boots she wore hid her legs but the dress was enough of a consolation, revealing a diamond shaped portion of her middle to his hungry eyes. She had blushed again, unconsciously plucking at the golden band around her arm and avoiding his gaze sheepishly. Smiling darkly, he cleared the distance in one step and yanked her forward, murmuring against her neck, "You look great..."
"I feel like one of Zelos' hussies." Sheena mumbled against his shirt, though she couldn't stop the rush of pure pleasure at his gentle words. His hands gently settled on the small of her back, holding her close as he kissed along the bare skin of her neck and collarbone with a lazy absence. Even as she titled her head to give him more room, she murmured softly, "Stop that... We're at a party..."
"You shouldn't dress like that then if you want me to stop. You look amazing." Lloyd answered cheerfully, his stomach in hot knots as she held onto the front of his shirt with weak hands. The jealous pride that his inner animal emanated reminded him that what he saw, what he was holding, belonged to him and him only. He added playfully as she smiled shyly, "Really, you do. I'm almost glad you're up here, I can have you all to myself tonight."
"You can have me all to yourself every night." Sheena told him with a small smile, settling her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a chaste kiss that he seemed eager to deepen. Not able, and not really wanting, to stop him from adding passion, she finally surrendered and allowed him to have his way. The kiss seemed to last forever and only when their chests burned from lack of oxygen did they break.
"Dance with me?"
Laughing a little, he led her to the middle of the balcony and took her hands in his own, letting the rhythm of the slow song fill his chest until his had taken over the very beat of his heart. She seemed to know what she was doing, which gave him the courage to try too as they began to dance.
It was strange how he knew where to step and move as their fingers entwined, it was almost like they had practised it all beforehand. When he twirled her in a tight circle, her warm smile made him chuckle. That one smile, the way her eyes twinkled with delight and a hue of pink coloured her creamy skin, all his. That possessive feeling was no longer foreign, he knew that she belonged to him, the same way he belonged to her. They had made the bond and it couldn't be broken now.
She giggled as he spun her again, the flying colours nearly blinding before she stopped in his arms. They wound protectively around her middle and clasped her close, giving her a warmth she had recognized since he had first kissed her. It was a contentment mixed with a strange new pleasure that had a possessive tinge that she perversely enjoyed. 'All mine...' There was no hesitation for either of them now, they had finally passed all of the small double-takes and worries.
"You still want to ditch?" Lloyd whispered into her ear as they stopped the dance, now simply holding each other and swaying to the soft voice of the singer below. Her soft laughter was the only answer he needed, and holding her all the tighter, he continued to sway to the tune, closing his eyes contentedly. "Yeah... I don't really want to go either..."
"It's nice being here... with you and no one else..." Sheena explained with a little smile, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling the thud of his heartbeat against her hand. She could almost forget everything, that there was a world beyond her and this moment, a past and a future. Quietly, her voice barely above a whisper but loud enough for him to hear, "I could forget everything right now... I could just stay here forever..."
"Me too..." Lloyd agreed softly, feeling the tickle of her bangs against his mouth as he moved to kiss her temple. There was no pain of his past, worry for the future in that moment, he felt nothing but a contentment that covered his entire body like a cacoon. Not entirely sure if it was her presence or something else that did this to him, he decided it didn't matter. There was nothing else but this moment right then, nothing else but the feel of her svelte body pressed against his own, the quiet music and the warmth of a love accepted and returned.
His arms were tight around her middle, and she glanced down at the crowd below them. Many of the invited had split into pairs for the song, filling the dance floor with lovers. She could spot the members of their party, too busy in the arms of their significant other to notice anything else outside of their circle. A playful smile on her lips, she glanced up into the curious face of Lloyd and asked teasingly, "Should we go down there and join the rest of them? I'm pretty sure that they'll be wondering later where we ran off to."
"Nope, let's stay up here. It's nice and private." Lloyd answered without pause, grinning when she rolled her eyes with faked exasperation. Laughing, he lifted her from the floor with an easy tug, spinning around once before placing her back on her feet. She giggled aloud, ducking her face into his chest in an effort to muffle the bell-like sounds from getting too loud.
Sheena, raising her face and still giggling at his cheerful and carefree smile, poked him in the chest. Her tone scolding yet still joking, she asked half seriously "You just want to keep me away from any eyes down there, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do actually. I want you all to myself." Lloyd admitted with a strangely affectionate grin, ducking his head to kiss along her cheek gently. She giggled again, replying into the kiss as his lips found hers in a chaste but still loving exchange. When they broke for a short breath of air, he growled against her mouth, "I always want you all to myself... I love you."
"Jealousy becomes you Lloyd." Sheena teased before he kissed her again, hungrily now as his hands became liquid metal along her back, caressing and stroking, urging the desire into a new and higher peak as the dance began anew. Eyes closing in bliss, she could only think the words that had so long been her very lifeline and now had become the meaning of her life in only one short week. 'I love you too...'
Kaze ga fuiteru kigi ga zawameku,
soredake de fuan na kokoro,
yasashii koe de namae wo yonde
tada sore dake ii no.
Yoru ga aketeku kyou ga hajimaru,
anata ga warau kono sekai,
watashi ni dekiru subete wo kakete,
mamoritai no negau no.
Subete wo kakete mo
mamoritai to negau,
tsuyoku...
AN
I'm not dead, lol, but I sorta wish I was. (dives for the bomb shelter and locks the door) Ehh, don't kill me, I beg of you. Writer's block is the devil, I swear. It takes so long to actually finish a chapter than you realize the chapter fails and so you spend X-amount of time to rewrite it then you realize that that chapter fails so you do a third rewrite and you end up with worse failure than before so you go with the first episode of fail and figure you'll stick with that. I am a very sad authoress.
(cries) This isn't the end of Jealousy though, I have one more chapter left in me. Martel hopes it's not nearly as lousy as this one... The final chapter will take place in Heimdall pre-Kratos battle, just to avoid confusion and give you some glimpse into what lies ahead for this story, lol. It's not very much of a glimpse, but atm that's really all I have for you. Blah. It's been a madhouse around here.
Ahem, A New World announcement... Expect it up about a week after Jealousy. I'm hoping to do it in weekly installments, just to keep me on top of my game and to discourage reader boredom. XD God hopes that doesn't include writer's block, because if it does... Ehhh... If I don't end up doing the weekly thing, I'll inform you straightaway on my profile, because I hate to keep people waiting, especially when I promise to have X up at Y time, y'know? I'm a real people-pleaser. Which kinda kfcs you up if you're an author XD "Write for yourself!" I do, I do, XD But I like pleasing others too! Anywhosit, I liked the pace when I wrote GSE, but I'm hoping now that I'm more of an evolved author it'll show up way better than that story did, eheh... You know it's really bad when you look at your old work and go "WTF happened there?!" Either that or you're just really overcritical like me, lol... Bahah.
No review responses this time, gomen, but my net's been kinda funky lately so I was just lucky to get online to post this. My apologies, and there will be a full out note to everybody at the last chapter, promise! Ah, also, chapter dedication... XDThis one's for Swordude, who requested longer chapters awhile ago... Eheh, this one's so bloody long, XD Hopefully it's long enough for you? Even if it's not, lmao, I tried so please enjoy, or at least try.
Cookies for those who review, rofl.
Sky