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The clinking of glasses, the incessant chatter of voices, and the blinding ballroom lights all irritated Leona.
These events were held for the sake of diplomacy and foreign affairs, so he was required to attend whenever he was free and not occupied with college.
It didn't make it any less boring, though.
He took a couple of steps towards the exit, hoping to catch a breather, but in reality, that was a mental lie he told himself. He really just wanted to get out of the room.
"Tsk, tsk. Prince Leona, I do hope you are not trying to sneak out of the ballroom," a familiar voice called out.
Leona's ears twitched.
Of course the old fart had spotted him. Despite being elderly, the bird beastman had sharp eyes.
"I wasn't planning on it, Neji." Leona said exasperatedly, turning around to look at him.
"My, my. You know better than to lie to your elders. I practically raised you." Neji stroked his long goatee. "Besides, you should not abandon your friends. Why did you bring them here if you were not going to stay?"
Leona just yawned. "Falena was on my tail about it. Always wants me to bring someone over from school. I don't know what's up with that...this is literally a party for foreign dignitaries. It's a little idiotic to invite random friends from school."
"I'm sure he is looking out for you, Your Highness. He does not wish for you to leave out of boredom."
Hearing that, Leona glanced over to where you and Grim were, happily eating the buffet food like it was nobody's business. Some nosy beastfolk were a little unnerved by Grim's appetite, but others seemed to be quite pleased or amused.
"They're really into the food." Leona snorted.
"Then it is polite to accompany them." Neji replied with an air of importance. "You are a prince of the kingdom, and therefore a host."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say." Leona walked back to where you were, by the tables. Another minute with Neji would fry his brain.
"Oh, Leona. Where were you?" You asked, curious to where he had gone off to as he pulled over beside you.
"Nowhere special," was his blunt reply. "Neji caught me though, so now I'm here."
"Trying to leave?"
"Is it really a surprise?"
You glanced up at him, watching his movements as he piled meat on his plate.
"No, but...if that's the case, you could have invited Ruggie instead. He would probably aid you in your little escape."
Leona didn't even look up. "Ruggie would have just wanted to stay for free food, so that wouldn't work."
"Then, Jack?"
"He's a literal square. Do you think he would be up for sneaking out of a party filled with important people? He'd stop me and yammer about how rude and impolite I am." Leona sighed.
He then turned to you with a smug smile on his face.
"But you wouldn't rat me out or do anything dumb. So I chose you..."
He turned to Grim, who was trying to down a whole chicken, and he frowned.
"...but I forgot you and Grim are a package deal."
You yelped and ran over to Grim, worried he might choke.
Leona stared at the sight, unamused.
"Seriously. You two are a handful."
He picked up his plate filled with meats and sat down at a table by himself before eating.
He watched as the Sunset Savanna's best dancers, dressed in colorful textiles, got ready in the center of the room to perform a traditional dance for the foreign dignitaries. Their movements flowed naturally, as if they had practiced it hundreds of times.
The beastfolk dances were passed down from generation to generation, but several tweaks and small original movements could be added.
After all, the dances were meant to display the personality and the character of those who danced it.
Leona watched the whole routine with a bored expression.
He had seen this sight multiple times, so it was nothing new to him.
"Wow...they move so gracefully."
He turned to see you next to him, eyes shining at the sight of the dancers and their precise, controlled movements.
"Do you like it?" He tilted his head.
"Yes, I do. They must have put a lot of effort into this. You can tell by the way they move so easily and synchronizedly."
Leona just cut up some meat and kept shoving it into his mouth.
"Mm."
The dancers then moved into pairs, dancing rhythmically with each other, composing an original, improvised dance right on the spot. Their feet hit the ground on the beat of the music, their arms swung and stretched, and their heads dipped low.
"That is an old dance," Leona remarked. "It is normally done between a couple, which signifies trust and reliance. Each movement is new, never staged."
He chewed on some of his steak. "To falsify and come up with moves beforehand is an insult, if anything. They rely on their experience. Perfect for a party with diplomacy in mind."
"Huh. Have you danced this then, Leona? You seem rather knowledgable." You asked curiously.
"What? Why do you wanna know?"
"Well, no harm in asking."
Leona let out a huge sigh, as if he had been greatly inconvenienced by a single question.
"Of course I have. That cunning bird Neji taught me everything. It's important to learn as a prince. Otherwise, you will be deemed lacking in the matters of politics." His lion ears gave an irritated twitch at the thought.
The dancers went back and forth, the guestures turning more flashy and flamboyant as the dance went on.
"That sounds fun," you said absentmindedly.
It was the kind of thing you'd say if there was nothing else to be said about the topic, on a note of politeness.
Leona's gaze shifted over to you, his eyes contemplative.
"Would you like to try?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
"Wait, don't pull that on me." You said, slightly fustrated. "Just tell me what you said."
Leona smirked, but he didn't follow up on what he had asked.
"No, no. Nothing important. I just had an impulsive thought."
You frowned, but didn't press on the topic.
Leona would not budge, and you both knew that.
The two of you watched the dancers underneath the sparkling lights that seemed to blur out the rest of the room.
"It's very pretty." That was all you said.
Leona glanced over at you once more and smiled.
"Yeah."
- - -
On the second floor of the banquet hall, there was an entrance to a huge, open space balcony that had the view of the night sky and the countless stars.
It was currently unpreoccupied, so it was perfect for Leona.
He needed some recluse. After he had finished eating, some random party guests had clamored to socialize with him.
While he was used to it, it did not distract from the fact that it was entirely unwelcome, and he wanted to leave as fast as possible.
His footsteps echoed on the marble floor of the second floor, and in a couple of quick paces, he opened the door to the balcony.
A light breeze of cool wind brushed past his face and tangled within his hair.
He quietly stepped to the railing, a feeling of peace washing over him.
He leaned against the stone, watching some of the guests walk around in the gardens.
"Leona."
He groaned at the sound of his name. What now? He did not feel like socializing one bit.
He turned to see you quietly come up behind him, and his expression quickly softened.
He kind of hated that he felt that. The fact that he could feel his face softening when it was you.
"No. Did the furball run off? I thought he'd keep gorging on the food."
"He gets full, believe it or not. He fell asleep. Neji offered to take care of him while I looked for you."
Leona looked at the sky again.
"Why does he always insist on trying to get me into these events?" He asked, particularly to nobody.
"Maybe he just wants to you be involved. He's looking out for you." You suggested.
"Well, I don't want to be involved." Leona swished his tail a little. "It's kind of pointless, if anything."
You didn't respond, but you instead leaned on the stone railing of the balcony, imitating him.
It was best not to say anything about it anymore.
Your eyes followed his to the pure, round moon that was bathed in white light.
The stars were a shimmering white color that resembled diamonds.
Cliche.
"What a beautiful night," you said. "I don't feel like leaving, seeing this sky."
"I feel like leaving," Leona said, not a single ounce of sentimentality present in his tone.
You drooped a little. "Enjoy the view a little, jeez."
Leona just laughed. "It's the night sky, herbivore. Nothing special."
"Well, it could be. If you made it so."
"How?"
"I don't know. What would be special to you?"
Leona pondered it a little out of amusement.
"Special? I suppose if I was magically transported back to my dorm right this instant, it would certainly be special."
"...you really want to leave."
"Wow, you noticed?"
You smiled a little at the sarcastic remark.
"Well, is there anything I can do to brighten up your day?"
"Night." He corrected smugly.
"..."
He laughed. "Your face looks funny. Don't glare at me like that."
You scowled a little. Did he really have to be so irritable sometimes? He got the point, it wasn't hard to understand.
"And yes, there is something you can do."
"Really?" You expected a hard no.
He turned to you, before reaching for your hand.
"Mhm."
The breeze suddenly picked up.
"What it is it, then?"
"Hmm...dance with me."
"Huh? Now...?"
"Yeah. Now." He pulled you closer.
You were a little confused. Where the heck was this coming from, anyway?
"What kind...of dance?" You couldn't help but be curious.
Leona thought about it. "Well, what dances do you know?"
"Um, Vil taught me how to do a simple kind of waltz. It was really simple. Do you remember when students got picked out to visit Noble Bell College and attend a social?"
"Oh, the one Ruggie went to. Huh." He repositioned his hand at your waist, and held your arm in the other.
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like? We're gonna do a waltz."
"Now?"
"Yeah."
"...on the balcony?"
"Yup."
"With no music?"
Leona sighed a little, but it was a fond sigh, somehow. Weird.
"Would you like me to hum a tune, then?"
"Woah. What is with this gentlemanly behavior?" You dramatically gasped.
"I've always been a gentleman. You act like I'm not."
He snorted, amused by your little act.
"Then, I suppose a song would be nice. It would be awkward to dance to nothing." You put your other hand on his shoulder.
"As you wish," he said, a smug smile on his face.
He was a good singer. Or hummer, to be more specific.
His low and deep voice was pleasant to listen to.
But, on the contray, as you two swayed to the sound of the tune, you could not fathom why Leona wanted to dance.
Would that really make the night special for him? He wasn't into dancing much, based on how he acted earlier.
Your thoughts became filled with all sorts of guesses to why he might have wished to dance, but none of them seemed likely.
"Why not just ask, then?" Leona suddenly said, as if reading your mind. He leaned in and smiled.
"Your thoughts are written all over your face." He chuckled.
"Fine then. Why did you want to dance? And with me, in particular?"
Leona spun you around, sweeping you both across the balcony floor.
"Because I'm in love with you." He said, with a deadpanned look on his face.
You just sighed. "Uh huh. You suck at lying."
Leona stared at you, not even bothering to laugh to confirm your remark.
He simply kept dancing with you.
"...you aren't laughing."
"I wasn't joking." He responded quietly.
You stopped in your tracks.
"...what?"
He stared at you, his eyes locked onto yours. It was a little intense, to say the least.
You could both hear crickets chirp in the background, the silence filling the air.
You let go of his shoulder.
Even so, he watched you carefully.
"Leona..." you trailed off. Where would you even begin with that thought? You didn't know.
How could you respond to that?
"Where...is this coming from?" Was your only response.
Leona shifted a little, letting go of your waist and other hand.
"From the heart. Surprised I have one?"
"No, that...that's not it." You felt confused. "When did this...start happening?"
Leona's face was practically unreadable.
"You didn't notice?"
"Not...really?"
He paused at your words, but then spoke as if it was natural.
"Maybe it started around after we had stopped Azul's overblot. A little earlier than that."
You felt dizzy.
Was this really happening?
Right now?
Leona...liked you?
No, he didn't. He said...
...he said he loved you.
But even so...that can't happen. You had to go back to your world at some point. You couldn't be held back by romance from this world. If you did, you would only burden your signifigant other when you left.
You just couldn't have that kind of relationship.
Leona noticed your disoriented state of mind and quietly stepped closer.
Suddenly, he laughed and lightly flicked your forehead.
"Ow! What was that for...?"
Leona hesitated, but then he smirked.
"I was just kidding. Did you really think I would make such a cringy confession?"
"Huh???"
"I was just trying to mess around. Make things a little entertaining. Kind of funny how you got so worked up."
He ruffled your hair. "I know you've got a world to return to. I'm not stupid."
"Hey!"
You couldn't help but feel irritated. What was he doing, joking around like that? You got worried for nothing.
"Then, why did you actually want to dance with me?"
Leona thought about it for a good moment.
"Dunno. Felt like it."
What a very Leona reason,
you thought.
"Oh, look. The guests are all leaving." Leona walked over to the balcony railing, his tail swishing a little.
"They are? Do we have to go too, then?"
"Seems like it. Go get Grim, will you? I'll have to start the car and drive us back to the hotel." Leona didn't look at you.
"Oh...uh, okay. You're not coming with?" You asked as you turned to the doorway.
"I'll join you in a second," he said, still not sparing a glance.
You hesitated, but left anyway, leaving the door open for him as you went.
Leona looked up at the sky, the moon shining down on his face as he spaced out.
"Seriously, herbivore...your thoughts are written all over your face."
He smiled.
"I can't hold you back, can I? That wouldn't be fair to you."
He slumped a little, his ears drooping as he did so.
"I love you."
He said, to no one in particular.
"But, I'm just kidding."