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He had never exactly been fond of gatherings, particularly not royal ones, although if he were completely honest, he couldn't remember having ever attended a gathering that wasn't royal. Part of being a member of the court. His ears twitched as he heard his parents talking with someone else, and he smiled widely each time he saw Celine, somehow attaching Queen to her name simply seemed strange, glance his way. He didn't want to worry her; didn't want to ruin her evening.
He had just decided that he needed to step outside— get some air— when he spotted her, and his breath caught in his throat. She was sitting at a table alone, wearing a blue dress that was just a few shades lighter than her hair. Her fingers were sliding down the stem of a wine glass, and she looked almost sad as she looked out across the dance floor. He swallowed, and before he could stop himself, he'd called out her name.
Immediately, he felt foolish, and he crossed the room, forcing a smile to his face. It wasn't that he couldn't smile around Rena, but he hadn't seen her in so long that he wasn't entirely certain as to what exactly he felt around her. His breath still caught in his throat, and as he approached her, he felt the all too familiar sensation of his stomach churning. His smile grew a little. She was still an exceptional woman.
"Rena!"
This time, she heard him, and she turned toward him. His mouth went dry when her eyes widened and a warm smile touched her face. She looked at him for a minute, and then, "Leon? Wow, you've changed so much since the last time I saw you." She glanced him over, and when her eyes met his once more, she added, "You're all grown up now!"
He felt a heat rise in his face. Of course, she still viewed him as a child. She probably always would to some extent. "Yeah, I guess. You haven't changed a bit, though. I mean, you're just as pre—" He cut himself off, sure that his face was darkening. Only children blurted out things like that. "Um... You're just like I remembered you!"
She chuckled, and she looked down at her glass. "Thank you, Leon." A moment, and then she patted the table, just in front of the other chair. "Won't you sit down?"
He glanced around himself, wondering just what exactly it was about her smile that made him feel so foolish. "Oh, sure! Thank you." Whatever it was, it certainly hadn't lessened as much as he thought it should have. He was older, was wiser. Leon wasn't that scared little boy who had traveled with 'big sister' Rena and 'big brother' Claude any longer. He sort of fell back into the chair, doing his best to mimic the way he'd seen Dias do. He wondered if she recognized the movement.
She looked at him for a long moment, and finally, she glanced back across the room toward the dance floor. "Why are you here, Leon? Did Celine invite you too?" She sounded a little wistful, maybe even sad. Leon wondered if she was here only because Celine had invited her.
He scratched at one of his ears. "Yeah. I mean, she sent me and my folks an invitation. We've been in Mars for a while studying some new Heraldry that I'm working with." He ran his hand through his hair, trying to smooth it back. Claude and Dias had always looked their best when they stood next to Rena, even though Dias wasn't actually pursuing her. Leon didn't want Rena to think any less of him. "I guess someone told her we were here and she decided to ask us to come. Um, how can I get some of that wine? I'm thirsty."
"Thirsty? You drink wine now, Leon?" Rena giggled, and Leon couldn't stop his smile. She sounded exactly as he remembered her. It was good to know that some things didn't change.
"Oh, only a little." He wondered if that tone was disapproving or not. He was pretty sure that it wasn't, but just in case, he added, "My tutors said it wasn't good for my brain if I drank too much."
"Well, if you want it, you can have the rest of mine. I don't think I want any more anyway." She lightly nudged it across the table toward him.
"Oh, could I? Thanks, Rena." Leon's fingers were shaking as he took the glass, but he did his best not to draw attention to it. Instead, he braced himself and took a sip. He let it sit in his mouth for just a moment, and then swallowed. "Not too bad. I bet I could make better wine if I tried, though."
"Ok, maybe you haven't changed quite as much as I'd thought." Her smile widened into a grin, and she tilted her head just a little.
The heat came back in his face, and he quickly averted his eyes. "Um, well..."
"Hey, I'm just joking, ok?" Her hand was suddenly touching his, and he swallowed, glancing at it as subtly as he could. He wondered if he could get away with going ahead and simply holding her hand. Claude probably could have.
"Y-yeah. Yeah, I know. So, um, what about you? What are you doing now? Are you still in Arlia?" He took another sip, realizing that he should have asked her this first, not stolen her wine.
"Yes... the town's been growing lately. Lots of people are moving there because it's supposed to be peaceful, but now that there are so many people there, it's not as peaceful anymore. Someone has to help keep everything together..."
"Wow." He watched her nod very slowly, and then he added, "I mean, that sounds like a tough job."
"Oh, it's not bad. I mean, I love Arlia... but I'd still like to leave and go to a big school someday. Maybe even Linga. I'd love to study at a place like that." She smiled, but again, it seemed... sad. Leon felt something in his chest twist.
"Well, um, if you ever want to do that, I'll put in a good word for you." He wasn't entirely sure what possessed him and made him say that. He didn't want her to think he considered her incompetent. "Not that I think you need it. I know you could get in on your own because you're really smart and all, but I do want to try to help, and... well..."
She patted his hands and cut him off, much to his relief. "Oh, I understand completely, and thank you very much. It's very kind of you to offer."
"You're welcome. I just would really hate to see you not be able to go. Maybe we can come up with some way to help you." He watched her look back toward the dance floor.
"Maybe." Her eyes seemed to be focused on something, but before he could turn to see, she asked, "Leon?"
He tilted his head a little, unintentionally mirroring her own movement earlier. "Hmm?"
"Have you ever danced before?" Her fingers were tapping very lightly in time to the music.
"Not really." He felt a sinking sensation in the bottom of his stomach. "I was always busy in Lacour..." She was going to ask him to dance. To do something that he had never learned to do before. "What I mean is, I never really saw the point." That wasn't exactly the best note to end on either. He wanted to push her away from this dancing topic, but belittling it wasn't his plan.
She stood up, brushed off the bottom part of her blue dress, and walked over beside his chair. He squirmed, but he couldn't tell her 'no' when she smiled and offered him her hand. "Well then, may I have this dance?"
He coughed and looked up at her helplessly. "Dance? With me? Um, but... I don't—" He cut himself off again, swallowed, and corrected himself, "I mean... Sure, I'd like to." He took her hand slowly, trying to memorize the feel of it. If he did even a quarter as badly as he was scared he would, it might be the last time he ever touched it.
"Good. You'll have to lead, because I don't know how to lead." Her smile was wide, and there was something distinctively teasing in her voice. He felt himself tensing as she gently placed his arm around her waist. He was certain he could hear Celine giggling somewhere across the room.
"Um, well, but—"
She must have finally taken pity on him, because she leaned forward just a little and whispered, "Don't worry. Just do what everyone else is doing, and we'll be fine." Her smile was reassuring, promising him that he could do... anything. He needed her in the lab some days, just to give him that smile.
"Well, all right..." He trusted her. Five years or not since he had last been able to see her, she was still Rena and he was still the little boy with a crush. The difference now was that he was taller than her. Something he would have admitted to reveling in.
He didn't enjoy the dancing at first. It was awful, he was terrible, and graceful Rena deserved a much better partner. Leon made a mental note to actually locate an instructor when he returned to Lacour, because after their third couple that they bumped into, he realized that he'd never been more embarrassed in his life. The strangest thing was that Rena seemed to enjoy it, laughing and getting him to start over with her.
Their fifth bump in, Leon finally felt himself beginning to relax, beginning to understand what he was supposed to be doing. Rena felt wonderful in his arms, and his smiles came more easily as their mistakes became fewer in number. By the time the song ended, he had to admit, he was almost wishing it hadn't.
"Wow. Dancing's more fun than I thought it was."
"I knew you'd think so."
They had one more dance before the trumpets sounded. Leon realized sharply that it meant the night was over, that he would be returning to Mars. He waved to Celine, and he wondered briefly at the look Celine and Rena managed to exchange across the bustling floor. There were some things he didn't think he'd ever learn to decipher. One of them was the looks that girls gave one another; it was some sort of code capable of communicating volumes.
But Rena didn't let go of his hand, and Leon decided that he didn't care what she had 'said' to Celine with her look. He was the real winner.
"I'm so glad that you came tonight, Leon. I had a very nice time, thanks to you." She smiled at him, and he felt his heart skip a beat. That couldn't be good for his body.
"Wow..." He smiled back, squeezing her hand just a little. "Thanks, Rena. That really means a lot..." He paused, weighing his options, until he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He needed to know what she had been thinking, what she was thinking. "You know..." He drew a breath, and said, "It's kind of like a date, isn't it? I mean, what we just did?"
"Sort of." She smiled, and this time, his stomach sank a little. How was his body's reactions so in tune with her moods, with what words she chose to say to him? "Only," she continued softly, "on a date we would've gotten there together, and you would probably have kissed me good-night."
She stopped, and Leon decided in a heartbeat that it was a clue, a sign that he should do exactly what she suggested. He didn't give her time to retract the statement, time to think it through. Instead, he bent down and kissed her softly. She felt soft, delicate, under him, and he pulled away almost as quickly as he had bent down. He wondered if she could tell he hadn't ever kissed anyone before. He could feel heat beginning to burn his cheeks again.
He hoped not.
"Um... sorry." He glanced down at her, biting his bottom lip. "Maybe I shouldn't have done that. You're not angry at me, right?" When she shook her head and blushed, he breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good... um, I mean..." He trailed off at the faint sound of his mother calling his name, and he closed his eyes briefly. "Er, I've gotta go, my family's waiting for me, so we'll be in Mars for a while if you want to come visit. I'd..." He swallowed and looked back at her. "I'd really like to see you again if you can come, ok?"
"I..."
She was going to tell him no. Tell him that he needed to find someone his own age.
"Yes, I think I might do that."
Her words caught him by surprise, and he couldn't stop the foolish smile that spread over his face. "Great! We're staying at the inn there, and we might be a bit busy on weekdays so please don't worry if I'm working. Um... I guess I have to go. Please come soon..."
He walked off then, and he glanced back at her only once he'd reached his parents. He heard his mother asking if he'd had a pleasant time, and he couldn't seem to shake the smile. He couldn't wait to see her again.