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Weisz took a sip of champagne as his eyes skimmed over the crowd scattered throughout the vast banquet hall. Everyone looked to be having a decent time, dancing and laughing with one another. Especially his crewmates - despite being burdened with the memories of the Aoi war in the previous universe, they seemed to be getting along with Shura and the Oceans 6.
His gaze stopped when he found Shiki across the way, stuffing his face with food alongside Rebecca at the buffet. Like always, he had a big grin painted across his face, carefree as ever. Weisz's chest grew warm.
He wanted to be in his company, to bathe in his sunlight. But Shiki was such a social butterfly, and those around him were naturally attracted to his presence - and perhaps it was because Weisz felt like he would be overlooked or forgotten about amongst the crowd of people that wanted to talk to Shiki that he decided to stand off to the side of the room all night and watch from afar instead.
He put his hands in his pockets and sighed.
"You know," a quiet voice snuck up from behind him. "You should go and ask him to dance instead of just staring longingly like that."
He snapped his head around and was met with Hermit's blue twin tails, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in a slightly judgemental manner. His face went red.
"I…I wasn't staring!" Weisz stuttered.
"Uh huh. You're so obvious."
"Am not!"
"Sure," Hermit rolled her eyes, exasperated by the blonde's stubbornness. "But if you don't suck it up and go ask the captain, somebody else will. Don't come whining to me when you blow this rare opportunity."
Weisz grumbled. She had a point.
"Regardless, I highly doubt he'd turn you down, so you may as well go for it."
"And what makes you so sure about that?"
"Have you ever once considered the fact that he might feel the same way you do?"
Weisz's eyes widened in bewilderment and Hermit sighed, shaking her head.
"You two idiots really are made for each other, I swear."
Just then, a third voice bounced into the conversation while they were too absorbed in it to notice.
"What about two idiots?" Shiki beamed, bright and cheerful as ever. Weisz felt his heart leap out of his chest.
"I was talking about y-" Hermit started to say before Weisz nudged her with his elbow and quickly jumped in to save face.
"It's nothing important."
Shiki tilted his head in curiosity, but ultimately shrugged it off, " 'kay, if you say so!"
"Anyways, did you need something?"
"Uh yeah actually," Shiki suddenly became unusually sheepish, eyes wandering as he spoke, "I saw some other people dancing and I thought it looked fun."
"What's that got to do with me?"
Hermit coughed, and Weisz swore he heard her call him a dumbass just then.
"Well I, uhm…was wondering if you might want to do that too…with me, I mean."
The blonde was shocked Shiki would ask him of all people, but he wasn't about to question it. He couldn't pass up the opportunity to have his captain's attention. To be close to him, even if momentary. His heart raced.
"If…you want to," Weisz cleared his throat and attempted to play it cool. "Then sure."
Shiki was pleased as punch, grinning from ear to ear as he took Weisz's hand and eagerly lead him towards the center of the banquet hall where many people were already gathered and dancing with one another.
The space was rather large, to accommodate for all the guests and as such the floor was full of people swaying back and forth to the music. Shiki studied the people around him before turning back to face Weisz.
"I know it's probably not much of a surprise," he scratched at his cheek nervously, "but I've never done this before. I'm not really sure where to begin."
The blonde smiled fondly, taking one of Shiki's hands and placing it gently on his shoulder and holding the other in his own hand.
"It's okay, my mom actually taught me when I was younger."
Shiki's cheeks went pink as sakura petals as he followed Weisz's lead.
"Now just move your feet to the rhythm of the music playing," he demonstrated, moving one step at time. "Like this."
They went slowly at first, so Shiki could get acclimated to the movement, looking down at their feet as he practiced. He clumsily stepped on Weisz's toes more than a few times, but it wasn't long before he really started to get the hang of it - like everything he put his mind to, the Demon King proved to be a very quick learner.
"Ahh, I was right, this is fun!" He looked up at Weisz, violet eyes sparkling in the glowing light of the banquet hall.
A wash of warmth crashed over Weisz. So this is what it was like to be enveloped in his sunshine. Shiki's smile shot a ray of light right into his heart, and melted everything else away. It was just the two of them and there was no place he felt more at ease. He couldn't help but crave more of it.
'Just friends' was something he had come to terms with, but he would be lying if he said moments like this didn't make it difficult. Shiki's hand in his, their faces inches apart from one another. It made him lovesick.
Reluctantly, he returned Shiki's sentiment with a bittersweet smile, "Yeah, it is."
Shiki's grasp on his shoulder tensed as he steeled himself, "It's even more fun because I'm with you, Weisz."
He couldn't possibly know the weight those words had on Weisz's heart. It meant a lot to him to hear Shiki enjoyed his company, though it was something he reckoned Shiki would probably say to any of his crewmates, full of the same kindness.
"Oh, come on. I'm sure it would be equally as fun with the others too," the blonde playfully teased in order to shift focus. He couldn't allow himself to get lost in his own feelings.
"Well…yeah, it would still be fun," Shiki pouted. "But this is different. I chose to ask you because you're…special."
"Special?"
"Yeah. I like spending time with you, doing stuff together and talking. Just being around you," he paused to collect his thoughts before continuing, "makes my heart feel really happy."
It was enough to make Weisz's chest ache. Maybe their feelings were more closely connected than he thought. He closed his eyes and nervously tightened his grip on Shiki's hand.
"That's what special means to you?"
He nodded.
"Then you should know...that you're special to me too, Shiki."
Shiki's eyes lit up and he dove into Weisz, wrapping his arms around him in a big hug.
"I'm relieved to hear that. I'm so happy!" Shiki's voice was muffled but genuine. Weisz smiled, placing a hand softly on his head and patting his hair.
Somehow this was exactly what he needed - so much so that it made his eyes start to tear up. To be held by someone so warm and bright. Someone special.
It was as if he was holding the sun in his own hands.
"Me too, Gravity Boy."