It was another day in Meltokio, and yet another meeting between Meltokio government and the Mizuho embassador. It was always the same standstill meetings. Meltokio wants to know more about Mizuho and its vast many secrets, yet the young embassador had to politely decline and still manage to stay on Meltokio's good side. It was always a difficult process, but Sheena managed to always keep her cool and stay very respectful, knowning that a wrong phrase could cause Mizuho to be in grave danger. It was something like being sentenced to death and having the exicutioner raise their sword above your head, and the prisoner would have to keep talking and talking to delay the fatal blow, and hopefully have the sword placed down all together.
That is more outward appearances to please the King and the Pope more than actual fact. If Mizuho really wanted to, they could ursup the power to an extant and cause massive damage to the kingdom. Yet they continue to please so they can go where ever they want without much commotion.
Just another typical day of running around in circles, and then they were done. Everyone was dismissed as the King went to lay down to help fight off his sickness. Sheena walked at a respectible pace through the castle while thinking of various ways to keep the King and Pope happy.
"Yo, Sheena!" That familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Her heart flipped, and she stopped and turned. There he was, in all of his arrogant glory, the Chosen Zelos Wilder.
"Yes, Zelos?" Zelos bounded up to Sheena, with a big smile on his face. Sheena kept her manners while in the castle, she did not want to offend anybody who thought Zelos was just absolutely the best.
"Hunny, I was wondering-" Sheena's eyes narrowed at the nickname. Not impressed. "-if you would like to have lunch with me?" Zelos still had that wide smile, obvious to how the nickname effected his chances.
"I'm sorry Zelos, but not today." Sheena said, closing her eyes and turning around. "I have to go to the Elemental Research Laboratory today. Another time." She started to walk around, and Zelos watched, but only for a moment. He bounded up to her, till he was leveled and kept up with her pace.
"Well then, at least let this gentleman walk such a fine lady as yourself there!" He was still all smiles, and Sheena looked at him as he talked. "Wouldn't want anything to happen, now would we?"
"Zelos, I am perfectly able to walk from the castle to the lab." She replied dryly, her anger rising.
"Oh yes, yes, of course." Zelos said, with his chin resting between his thumb and pointer finger. "But it would put my mind at ease knowing that my favorite hunny is safe, hm?" He dropped a hand as they walked out of the castle.
"Don't you have something you should be attending to?" Sheena sighed, irritated that she could not be left alone to her thoughts.
"Oh, absolutely nothing at all! I cleared my schedule so I could spend all afternoon with you!" He replied with high spirits, but then he sang to her "But I guess I'll have to be all alone, by myself, in my mainsion. Not being able to see you until tonight..."
"Oh, stop it, you idiot. You have plenty of people to surround yourself with."
"Sheeee~naaa~!! I only want to be surround by you!"
Sheena started to feel uncomfortable. There were people staring at them. She didn't know how Zelos wasn't unnerved, but then she thought, this is what it must be like to be him.
"Well Zelos, I guess thats going to be a problem, isn't it?" She retorted cooly.
"Oh, c'mon hunny, don't be like that!" Zelos slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. "Think of all the fun things we could do together!"
"Zelos!" Sheena growled, lifting her arm up and smacking him lightly in the chest and moved away from him. He gave her a laugh as a response.
"Come on, Sheena! I was being honest!" They had desended both sets of stairs and were now at first level of the city. "I wanna hang out and do stuff with you!"
"More like to me than anything else." Was Sheena's only stern reply. "I still remember that shower incident, hopefully you haven't forgotten as well?"
"Oh, Sheena," Zelos threw her a hurt look as they neared the gates of the lab. "Can you not forgive a man for being curious of one's beauty?"
"Curious?!" Sheena was flustered now, her face turning red in embarresment. She stuttered out, "N-no! It's so perverted!" They were now in front of the gates. She stopped and turned from him, her arms crossed her chest. "Why would I get over something and forgive you when you haven't even apologized yet??"
"Hm, I guess you got a point..." Zelos said, with a more thoughtful look on his face.
Sheena turned and faced him, for Zelos had stopped talking. The redness started to fade from her face. "Y-yeah, I do got a point..." She paused and she waited for Zelos to say something, but he was lost in thought. Her anger flashed. "But you still won't apologize?!"
"Wha-?" Zelos looked surprised at her sudden outburst. "Wait a minute, I-"
"Ahg, you're so stupid!" Her face flushed in embarressment. She turned and stalked off towards the lab, not waiting for Zelos to explain himself. She put herself out there, hadn't she? Everytime she tried to talk to him about something personal, he was never there, or he would be perverted. She tilted her head down as she fought the tears that dared to show themselves in her eyes.
Why did she have to like an idiot playboy like him??
---
It was dusk and time to head to her apartment to get ready for a party that was being thrown that night. During the time Sheena was at the lab, all she had thought about was how she cut off Zelos and left him standing at the gates. She would have to apologize to him when she got the chance. Zelos was thinking, she should've waited for him to finish his thoughts. Althought it might've been perverted...
Sheena couldn't quite convince herself what Zelos might have been trying to say, but in the end, she would apologize. She made it to her apartment without much trouble and went inside. After locking the door behind her she went to her bedroom and collasped on the bed. The tests had worn her out today. Corrine hasn't ever liked that place since he was experimented on, so calming him down enough to help out once in a while, even though the tests are not harmful anymroe, is quite a challenge and can be near impossible. He was good today, but Sheena still used enough energy to make her feel wiped out.
She thought about taking a shower, or at least getting up. She groaned to herself and planted her face in the pillow. She gave a great big sigh and then titled her head to the side so she could breath. Zelos was on her mind. Her snapping attitude as she stromed off. That isn't how she should treat friends. She isn't perfect, but maybe she could be... kinder? But he's an idiot playboy, who tried peaking in on her in the shower. Yet again, he's always alone, and the only person he can talk to is her...
"You stupid Chosen..." She muttered miserably to herself. "Why do you have to be so difficult?" She laid like that for a while, closing her eyes while she relaxed.
She caught herself falling asleep, and remembered she needed to bathe before she head off to the party. She pushed herself up off the bed and quickly retreated into her bathing chambers.
---
Sheena arrived at the party later than normal, due to her hair not obeying her commands, but not late enough that it would be considered rude to the hosts. She look beautiful in a strapless, short cut, deep purple dress. A dress only someone who worked out every day could pull off. She wore matching calf high boots. It really made her legs stand out, the muscles looked toned and created a very sexy image. There were some looks, a few stares, but Sheena held her head in her professional, I'm-here-at-the-party way. Which was only a click above irritated, but it was professional.
Typically, Sheena would stand to the side by herself, barely touching the food, and blend into the wood walls. She wanted to be overlooked, left alone, she was here for formalities not for socializing. She watches people, looks for people, and studies people without them knowing what shes doing. Just a perk of being from Mizuho. You know how to people watch. Of course, she was keeping an especially close eye on that one person.
The unapproachable Zelos Wilder, The Chosen of Mana. Surround by his usual group of morons, they kept tightly to him like snow in Flanoir. The usual group made it impossible for anyone to get a one-on-one conversation with him, unless, of course, it was the royal family, who happened to be absent tonight because of the King's illness.
Sheena's expression kept getting darker and darker as she watched the sheep go bah to their herder. Zelos was playing them along, pretending to be paying attention to their pointless babbling while he thought of more important things or searched for someone without their detection.
About fourty-five minutes into the party or so, Zelos finally found who he had been searching for. Sheena was almost on the opposite side of the room, making it very difficult for either of them to bump into each other. Zelos tried and tried again to slip away and slaunter towards his target, in which Sheena gave him a blank look, a sign for him that she was waiting for him, like usual at these kinds of parties. But all times he tried to make a break for it, those viel women would circle around him or cling to his arm. Eventually, Zelos gave Sheena a frown, and she nodded back, understanding he wouldn't be free for a while.
Sheena got to talking to a researcher from Sybak, but the conversation didn't last long as more of his colleagues joined them and started talking about various experiments, which ending up leaving Sheena out of the loop. She excused herself and slid away. She tried eating a few of the various goodies, but found most of them to be too fancy to her simple Mizuho tastes. With the expection of one pineapple dessert, which she had seconds of. Time started passing slower and slower and Sheena found herself needing some fresh air before she passed out.
She sliped out of the main party room and into the hallway. There was a small group of three people chatting it up and gave Sheena no attention as she walked by. She slipped into an empty room down the hall and leaves the door open ajar. She sighs to herself and crossed the room to the window and opens it slightly, letting in a warm summer night breeze to freshen the room. She collaspes into a nearby armchair, elbow resting on the arm and the connecting palm pressed against her forehead. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
Zelos. Zelos Zelos Zelos. She hasn't been able to get him off of her mind all day. Currently, he was giving her a headache.What was she to do? She needed to apologize to him or she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. Ugh.
"Corrine." The summon spirit appeared in a puff of smoke.
"Sheena?" He asked, jumping onto her lap and sat down. His tails moved up and down in a rhythm. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just lonely." She admitted in a soft voice.
"Sheena, you're not lonely. I'm here now." He tapped his head against her chest and looked up at her. She gave him a smile and softly started to pet Corrine.
"I know, thank you." But it was a forced smile.
"Whats really bothering you Sheena?" His nose twitched as he sniffed.
"..." She paused, and knew she wouldn't want to hide anything from her bestfriend. "I was mean to Zelos, but he was being an idiot. O-or I thought..." Corrine tilted his head at her. "I think I was being rash, and he was just thinking about what to say, but I was impatient and I just left."
"Sounds like you more rude than actually mean Sheena." He walked in a circle around her lap, his bell dinging.
"Y-yeah, and I want to apologize to him..." She bowed her head. Her arms laid on the arms of the chair as Corrine walked around, and then jumped onto her left shoulder and circled around to her right.
"Rudeness is something easy to forgive. Just go apologize." He whispered in her ear.
"I will, if I can ever get a chance." Sheena replied, a little downhearted.
"I think you'll get it a lot sooner than you think." Corrined replied, and he shook himself as he stood erect on her shoulder.
"Huh?"
"He's coming down the hall by himself. Good luck Sheena." He licked her ear in farewell and disappeared. Sheena stared at the door and strained her ears, and sure enough, she heard footsteps coming down the hall.
Sheena stood up in a rush, and straightened her dress. She then walks towards the window and opens it all the way, letting the breeze rush over her. Zelos... The garden of closed flowers bathed in moonlight was what greeted her eyes. They swayed slightly in the window. Such a calming image...
There was a soft double knock on the door and it opened. Sheena turned around, and saw Zelos poke his head through. "Ah, there you are my favorite hunny." He gave his usual flirty grin and slipped into the room, shutting the door behind him. "I was worried you might've run off."
Sheena ignored the nickname, "No, I just needed some space. Too much ego in such a small space."
"I know exactly what you mean, beautiful," He laughed and walked towards the couch and collasped, running a hand through his red hair.
Sheena started turning red, while thinking about she had to do. She went back to the armchair and sat down. Zelos watched her the whole time, a smile on his face.
"You're very beautiful looking tonight, Sheena, that dress looks absolutely fabulous on you." Sheena turned red.
"Uh, w-what? Uh, no, its okay, I know I-"
"Uh uh uh." He tutted at her, and patted at the empty space on the couch next to him. "Come sit here and say that." Sheena paused, trying to control the color of her cheeks, but finally stood up and staticly walked over to the couch and sat down. "There we go, much better!" He grinned at her, and stuck his head out, closer to her, and then laid back, relaxed. "So what was it that you were saying hunny?"
"I..." She cleared her throat, and got a hold of her emotions. She looked down at her hands. "I was rude to you earlier. I apologize for how I acted, I should have been more patient. I didn't mean to cut you off."
There was a moment of silence and Sheena glanced over at Zelos, who had a stunned look on his face. He started laughing then waved a hand at her, "Oh, that's alright hunny, it was nothing. I've forgotten all about it. So what did you think of all the stiffs back at the party?"
"Wh-? Zelos!" Sheena retorted heatedly.
"What are you angry about?" He asked innocently, with a puzzled expression.
Sheena stood up, hands balled into fists. "Yo-You... I'm trying to apologize and be sincere and you act like it was nothing!" He just sat there so she continued. "I'm trying to tell you how I'm feeling, and it's like... it's like, you're brushing me off to the side!"
She nearly stormed off, but she stood there and watched him. My god he got under her skin. He was thinking, so Sheena waited. She started counting to herself in her head, to control her temper and so that she would wait for him to talk. He looks away and starts playing with a loose string on the couch, his eyebrows furrowed.
"W-well, am I wrong?" Embarresment was settling in. She wasn't going to last long at this rate.
"Well yes, you are!" He started to flash a smile, but then tried to cover it. Sheena gives him a dark look, but waits. She sits down and looks at him, waiting for an answer.
His smile fades and is replaced with a serious look. "There is no need for someone as nice and beautiful as you to sit worrying about the small things between us." He is playing with the thread again, but then looks her in the eye. "It's okay, I know you're not a bad person Sheena. I... understand a little."
Sheena let what he said soak in. He flashed her a smile, and she turned a bright shade of red. "I, uh..."
"It's okay, hunny, I know how shocking that must be hearing it from a God like me." He laughed as she gave him a dark look.
"You... ahg Zelos, you can be so frustrating." She put her head in her palm. "It's okay to be yourself around me you idiot. You don't need to entertain me with one of your usual shows for those crazy girls that follow you around."
Zelos was speechless. He watched Sheena with a surprised look.
"I think you're really nice Zelos." Sheena admitted, not looking at him still. "I know, under all that playboy attitude, you're a really really nice guy. I understand that."
They sat like that, in a tense atmosphere with Sheena not looking at Zelos. Her heart was racing out of control. She was feeling shakey, and she thought she was going to start sweating.
Finally, she tilted her head and looked at Zelos. She saw the faint start of a blush. She made eye contact. Staring at her, he was completely shocked. How could she have...? Sheena was amazing.
He leaned forward, both of his hands outstretching towards her. He stopped himself. Sheena was perfectly still, watching him, her face red. What was he doing?
What am I doing? Zelos thought, and he realized how uncool he looked. He leaned back, and cleared his throat. He put one arm on the back of the couch and cleared his throat again.
"So, uh, what about lunch tomorrow?"
That is more outward appearances to please the King and the Pope more than actual fact. If Mizuho really wanted to, they could ursup the power to an extant and cause massive damage to the kingdom. Yet they continue to please so they can go where ever they want without much commotion.
Just another typical day of running around in circles, and then they were done. Everyone was dismissed as the King went to lay down to help fight off his sickness. Sheena walked at a respectible pace through the castle while thinking of various ways to keep the King and Pope happy.
"Yo, Sheena!" That familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Her heart flipped, and she stopped and turned. There he was, in all of his arrogant glory, the Chosen Zelos Wilder.
"Yes, Zelos?" Zelos bounded up to Sheena, with a big smile on his face. Sheena kept her manners while in the castle, she did not want to offend anybody who thought Zelos was just absolutely the best.
"Hunny, I was wondering-" Sheena's eyes narrowed at the nickname. Not impressed. "-if you would like to have lunch with me?" Zelos still had that wide smile, obvious to how the nickname effected his chances.
"I'm sorry Zelos, but not today." Sheena said, closing her eyes and turning around. "I have to go to the Elemental Research Laboratory today. Another time." She started to walk around, and Zelos watched, but only for a moment. He bounded up to her, till he was leveled and kept up with her pace.
"Well then, at least let this gentleman walk such a fine lady as yourself there!" He was still all smiles, and Sheena looked at him as he talked. "Wouldn't want anything to happen, now would we?"
"Zelos, I am perfectly able to walk from the castle to the lab." She replied dryly, her anger rising.
"Oh yes, yes, of course." Zelos said, with his chin resting between his thumb and pointer finger. "But it would put my mind at ease knowing that my favorite hunny is safe, hm?" He dropped a hand as they walked out of the castle.
"Don't you have something you should be attending to?" Sheena sighed, irritated that she could not be left alone to her thoughts.
"Oh, absolutely nothing at all! I cleared my schedule so I could spend all afternoon with you!" He replied with high spirits, but then he sang to her "But I guess I'll have to be all alone, by myself, in my mainsion. Not being able to see you until tonight..."
"Oh, stop it, you idiot. You have plenty of people to surround yourself with."
"Sheeee~naaa~!! I only want to be surround by you!"
Sheena started to feel uncomfortable. There were people staring at them. She didn't know how Zelos wasn't unnerved, but then she thought, this is what it must be like to be him.
"Well Zelos, I guess thats going to be a problem, isn't it?" She retorted cooly.
"Oh, c'mon hunny, don't be like that!" Zelos slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. "Think of all the fun things we could do together!"
"Zelos!" Sheena growled, lifting her arm up and smacking him lightly in the chest and moved away from him. He gave her a laugh as a response.
"Come on, Sheena! I was being honest!" They had desended both sets of stairs and were now at first level of the city. "I wanna hang out and do stuff with you!"
"More like to me than anything else." Was Sheena's only stern reply. "I still remember that shower incident, hopefully you haven't forgotten as well?"
"Oh, Sheena," Zelos threw her a hurt look as they neared the gates of the lab. "Can you not forgive a man for being curious of one's beauty?"
"Curious?!" Sheena was flustered now, her face turning red in embarresment. She stuttered out, "N-no! It's so perverted!" They were now in front of the gates. She stopped and turned from him, her arms crossed her chest. "Why would I get over something and forgive you when you haven't even apologized yet??"
"Hm, I guess you got a point..." Zelos said, with a more thoughtful look on his face.
Sheena turned and faced him, for Zelos had stopped talking. The redness started to fade from her face. "Y-yeah, I do got a point..." She paused and she waited for Zelos to say something, but he was lost in thought. Her anger flashed. "But you still won't apologize?!"
"Wha-?" Zelos looked surprised at her sudden outburst. "Wait a minute, I-"
"Ahg, you're so stupid!" Her face flushed in embarressment. She turned and stalked off towards the lab, not waiting for Zelos to explain himself. She put herself out there, hadn't she? Everytime she tried to talk to him about something personal, he was never there, or he would be perverted. She tilted her head down as she fought the tears that dared to show themselves in her eyes.
Why did she have to like an idiot playboy like him??
---
It was dusk and time to head to her apartment to get ready for a party that was being thrown that night. During the time Sheena was at the lab, all she had thought about was how she cut off Zelos and left him standing at the gates. She would have to apologize to him when she got the chance. Zelos was thinking, she should've waited for him to finish his thoughts. Althought it might've been perverted...
Sheena couldn't quite convince herself what Zelos might have been trying to say, but in the end, she would apologize. She made it to her apartment without much trouble and went inside. After locking the door behind her she went to her bedroom and collasped on the bed. The tests had worn her out today. Corrine hasn't ever liked that place since he was experimented on, so calming him down enough to help out once in a while, even though the tests are not harmful anymroe, is quite a challenge and can be near impossible. He was good today, but Sheena still used enough energy to make her feel wiped out.
She thought about taking a shower, or at least getting up. She groaned to herself and planted her face in the pillow. She gave a great big sigh and then titled her head to the side so she could breath. Zelos was on her mind. Her snapping attitude as she stromed off. That isn't how she should treat friends. She isn't perfect, but maybe she could be... kinder? But he's an idiot playboy, who tried peaking in on her in the shower. Yet again, he's always alone, and the only person he can talk to is her...
"You stupid Chosen..." She muttered miserably to herself. "Why do you have to be so difficult?" She laid like that for a while, closing her eyes while she relaxed.
She caught herself falling asleep, and remembered she needed to bathe before she head off to the party. She pushed herself up off the bed and quickly retreated into her bathing chambers.
---
Sheena arrived at the party later than normal, due to her hair not obeying her commands, but not late enough that it would be considered rude to the hosts. She look beautiful in a strapless, short cut, deep purple dress. A dress only someone who worked out every day could pull off. She wore matching calf high boots. It really made her legs stand out, the muscles looked toned and created a very sexy image. There were some looks, a few stares, but Sheena held her head in her professional, I'm-here-at-the-party way. Which was only a click above irritated, but it was professional.
Typically, Sheena would stand to the side by herself, barely touching the food, and blend into the wood walls. She wanted to be overlooked, left alone, she was here for formalities not for socializing. She watches people, looks for people, and studies people without them knowing what shes doing. Just a perk of being from Mizuho. You know how to people watch. Of course, she was keeping an especially close eye on that one person.
The unapproachable Zelos Wilder, The Chosen of Mana. Surround by his usual group of morons, they kept tightly to him like snow in Flanoir. The usual group made it impossible for anyone to get a one-on-one conversation with him, unless, of course, it was the royal family, who happened to be absent tonight because of the King's illness.
Sheena's expression kept getting darker and darker as she watched the sheep go bah to their herder. Zelos was playing them along, pretending to be paying attention to their pointless babbling while he thought of more important things or searched for someone without their detection.
About fourty-five minutes into the party or so, Zelos finally found who he had been searching for. Sheena was almost on the opposite side of the room, making it very difficult for either of them to bump into each other. Zelos tried and tried again to slip away and slaunter towards his target, in which Sheena gave him a blank look, a sign for him that she was waiting for him, like usual at these kinds of parties. But all times he tried to make a break for it, those viel women would circle around him or cling to his arm. Eventually, Zelos gave Sheena a frown, and she nodded back, understanding he wouldn't be free for a while.
Sheena got to talking to a researcher from Sybak, but the conversation didn't last long as more of his colleagues joined them and started talking about various experiments, which ending up leaving Sheena out of the loop. She excused herself and slid away. She tried eating a few of the various goodies, but found most of them to be too fancy to her simple Mizuho tastes. With the expection of one pineapple dessert, which she had seconds of. Time started passing slower and slower and Sheena found herself needing some fresh air before she passed out.
She sliped out of the main party room and into the hallway. There was a small group of three people chatting it up and gave Sheena no attention as she walked by. She slipped into an empty room down the hall and leaves the door open ajar. She sighs to herself and crossed the room to the window and opens it slightly, letting in a warm summer night breeze to freshen the room. She collaspes into a nearby armchair, elbow resting on the arm and the connecting palm pressed against her forehead. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
Zelos. Zelos Zelos Zelos. She hasn't been able to get him off of her mind all day. Currently, he was giving her a headache.What was she to do? She needed to apologize to him or she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. Ugh.
"Corrine." The summon spirit appeared in a puff of smoke.
"Sheena?" He asked, jumping onto her lap and sat down. His tails moved up and down in a rhythm. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just lonely." She admitted in a soft voice.
"Sheena, you're not lonely. I'm here now." He tapped his head against her chest and looked up at her. She gave him a smile and softly started to pet Corrine.
"I know, thank you." But it was a forced smile.
"Whats really bothering you Sheena?" His nose twitched as he sniffed.
"..." She paused, and knew she wouldn't want to hide anything from her bestfriend. "I was mean to Zelos, but he was being an idiot. O-or I thought..." Corrine tilted his head at her. "I think I was being rash, and he was just thinking about what to say, but I was impatient and I just left."
"Sounds like you more rude than actually mean Sheena." He walked in a circle around her lap, his bell dinging.
"Y-yeah, and I want to apologize to him..." She bowed her head. Her arms laid on the arms of the chair as Corrine walked around, and then jumped onto her left shoulder and circled around to her right.
"Rudeness is something easy to forgive. Just go apologize." He whispered in her ear.
"I will, if I can ever get a chance." Sheena replied, a little downhearted.
"I think you'll get it a lot sooner than you think." Corrined replied, and he shook himself as he stood erect on her shoulder.
"Huh?"
"He's coming down the hall by himself. Good luck Sheena." He licked her ear in farewell and disappeared. Sheena stared at the door and strained her ears, and sure enough, she heard footsteps coming down the hall.
Sheena stood up in a rush, and straightened her dress. She then walks towards the window and opens it all the way, letting the breeze rush over her. Zelos... The garden of closed flowers bathed in moonlight was what greeted her eyes. They swayed slightly in the window. Such a calming image...
There was a soft double knock on the door and it opened. Sheena turned around, and saw Zelos poke his head through. "Ah, there you are my favorite hunny." He gave his usual flirty grin and slipped into the room, shutting the door behind him. "I was worried you might've run off."
Sheena ignored the nickname, "No, I just needed some space. Too much ego in such a small space."
"I know exactly what you mean, beautiful," He laughed and walked towards the couch and collasped, running a hand through his red hair.
Sheena started turning red, while thinking about she had to do. She went back to the armchair and sat down. Zelos watched her the whole time, a smile on his face.
"You're very beautiful looking tonight, Sheena, that dress looks absolutely fabulous on you." Sheena turned red.
"Uh, w-what? Uh, no, its okay, I know I-"
"Uh uh uh." He tutted at her, and patted at the empty space on the couch next to him. "Come sit here and say that." Sheena paused, trying to control the color of her cheeks, but finally stood up and staticly walked over to the couch and sat down. "There we go, much better!" He grinned at her, and stuck his head out, closer to her, and then laid back, relaxed. "So what was it that you were saying hunny?"
"I..." She cleared her throat, and got a hold of her emotions. She looked down at her hands. "I was rude to you earlier. I apologize for how I acted, I should have been more patient. I didn't mean to cut you off."
There was a moment of silence and Sheena glanced over at Zelos, who had a stunned look on his face. He started laughing then waved a hand at her, "Oh, that's alright hunny, it was nothing. I've forgotten all about it. So what did you think of all the stiffs back at the party?"
"Wh-? Zelos!" Sheena retorted heatedly.
"What are you angry about?" He asked innocently, with a puzzled expression.
Sheena stood up, hands balled into fists. "Yo-You... I'm trying to apologize and be sincere and you act like it was nothing!" He just sat there so she continued. "I'm trying to tell you how I'm feeling, and it's like... it's like, you're brushing me off to the side!"
She nearly stormed off, but she stood there and watched him. My god he got under her skin. He was thinking, so Sheena waited. She started counting to herself in her head, to control her temper and so that she would wait for him to talk. He looks away and starts playing with a loose string on the couch, his eyebrows furrowed.
"W-well, am I wrong?" Embarresment was settling in. She wasn't going to last long at this rate.
"Well yes, you are!" He started to flash a smile, but then tried to cover it. Sheena gives him a dark look, but waits. She sits down and looks at him, waiting for an answer.
His smile fades and is replaced with a serious look. "There is no need for someone as nice and beautiful as you to sit worrying about the small things between us." He is playing with the thread again, but then looks her in the eye. "It's okay, I know you're not a bad person Sheena. I... understand a little."
Sheena let what he said soak in. He flashed her a smile, and she turned a bright shade of red. "I, uh..."
"It's okay, hunny, I know how shocking that must be hearing it from a God like me." He laughed as she gave him a dark look.
"You... ahg Zelos, you can be so frustrating." She put her head in her palm. "It's okay to be yourself around me you idiot. You don't need to entertain me with one of your usual shows for those crazy girls that follow you around."
Zelos was speechless. He watched Sheena with a surprised look.
"I think you're really nice Zelos." Sheena admitted, not looking at him still. "I know, under all that playboy attitude, you're a really really nice guy. I understand that."
They sat like that, in a tense atmosphere with Sheena not looking at Zelos. Her heart was racing out of control. She was feeling shakey, and she thought she was going to start sweating.
Finally, she tilted her head and looked at Zelos. She saw the faint start of a blush. She made eye contact. Staring at her, he was completely shocked. How could she have...? Sheena was amazing.
He leaned forward, both of his hands outstretching towards her. He stopped himself. Sheena was perfectly still, watching him, her face red. What was he doing?
What am I doing? Zelos thought, and he realized how uncool he looked. He leaned back, and cleared his throat. He put one arm on the back of the couch and cleared his throat again.
"So, uh, what about lunch tomorrow?"
