Ballrooms are overwhelming.
If there was a word that Selen would use to describe a ballroom, there was no doubt that overwhelming would take the top spot.
It was the first word that came to Selen’s mind whenever she found herself in one of them. As the Second Princess of House Pendora, the lunar dragon has had a fair share of experiences with royal parties and celebrations that were so lavish and spectacular that they bordered on the fantastical. Chandeliers that loomed overhead with lights or candles that shone brighter than the stars on a moonless night, the chitchat of dozens of partygoers that bounced between conversation topics more than the ball in a game of table tennis, the sound of music drowning one’s own thoughts in a deluge of noise, and the smell of a freshly prepared banquet that stimulated the senses. It was an environment Selen thoroughly disliked; her inner introvert despised having to wear a façade and deal with people she’d never met; her senses hated the overstimulation that came with the vast array of colors and smells that accompanied the barrage of the live orchestras and the hubbub of the attendees. These reasons are among the many behind Selen’s reasons for choosing to absent herself from such celebrations. She would rather be forced to run laps around all of Canada’s West Coast on Earth than be forced to wear another one of the stuffy ballgowns or dresses to such a party.
The situation right now triggered these thoughts and more.
“May I have this dance, Tatsuki?”
Selen had never known what it felt like to be tongue-tied until this moment. But faced with the tall green-haired lady in front of her, Selen could only nod her head and bow politely. She opened her mouth to reply but when none came out, Selen could only feel blood rush to her face from the embarrassment. Knowing that more than a hundred people were in the room, and that more than half of them were watching her every move at that moment, did nothing to ease her anxiety. Selen could only resort to the lessons she’d received on ballroom and party etiquette a long time ago to force her body to move. Selen bowed her head politely, her eyes tracing the lines of the tiles on the floor as her mind raced.
“No need for the nervousness. Raise your head.” The woman giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, as Selen did what she said and raised her head to meet eyes with the lady. She extended her hand, palm facing the floor, and beckoned for Selen to come closer with an amused smile.
“Y-yes, Ma’am. I-I would be honored to be your partner.”
Selen gulped, the tension in her body not dying down by a smidgen as she took the lady’s hand in hers and stepped forward. Likewise, the woman also took a step toward Selen. The lunar sky dragon knew that every inch of her body was rigid with tension, yet she could do little to ease it out of her system; it had been many years since the last time Selen had allowed herself to be forced into attending an event like this, after all. Selen wet her lips as she stepped forward again and awkwardly wrapped one arm around the woman’s waist. Selen was wearing men’s clothes, a dark blue swallowtail coat and a scarlet bowtie, which cemented her role as the gentleman in this dance. “…is this fine, your Highness?” Selen asked, self-hatred rising as her clumsy tongue almost flubbed the words.
The woman scoffed and waved her hand dismissively before resting it on Selen’s shoulder, a giggle escaping her lips. “Oh, enough with the formalities. At least call me Miss Ryugu or something, dear. It’s not like I don’t know you and you definitely know who I am.” The woman giggled again, moving her hand to tuck some of her hair behind her ear before returning it to Selen’s shoulder. “Though the other nobles will raise eyebrows if they hear you call me anything other than Your Excellency, Your Highness, or whatever. No one’s listening right now so feel free to call me Miss Ryugu or by my name, Hibiki.”
Selen nodded, trying and failing to find the composure she needed to verbalize a response. She was glad that Finana’s mother was so friendly and that she was so much better at the dance than Selen was; Selen had minimal experience dancing at events like this and historically, it took conscious effort on her part to not step on her dance partner’s toes. Selen could still feel dozens of eyes falling on them as the two of them slowly waltzed to the pluck of the strings and the keys of the pianos that played; she did her best to keep up with her dance partner while the orchestra went on, filling the ballroom with a sweet melody that brought a smile to the face.
“So? How do you find the party?” The woman in Selen’s arms tilted her head as she asked the question. The fins on the side of her face wiggled slightly, a mannerism that Selen recognized from Finana. “I’m sure the Second Princess of the Pendora family is accustomed to much grander celebrations than this.”
Selen shook her head. “You don’t have to be so modest. This party is actually quite grand, Your Majes-”
A raised eyebrow from the woman cut Selen off and she cleared her throat before continuing. “I mean, Ma’am Ryugu. For a birthday party, I think it’s quite fancy. I’m sure that Finana must be really happy with a celebration like this.”
“I hope so,” Hibiki cast a glance about the room before looking back to Selen. “I know she doesn’t handle celebrations like this particularly well since she prefers to keep to herself. But every now and then, being the ruler of a realm means having to set an example for the people who support you. My daughter’s had birthdays like this in the past and her siblings enjoy them. But I think that having her friends come here to the celebration is worth more than any preparations we could have made.” Finana’s mother's lips parted into a wide smile, and this time it felt more genuine to Selen. “It’s the first time Finana has extended invitations to Ryugu Palace to outsiders so your presence here is bigger than you think. Everyone has their eyes on you, Second Princess.”
Selen felt goosebumps travel down her spine when that sentence hit her ears. She desperately resisted the instinct to look around her, at the stares she could feel on her skin, and instead focused on Hibiki. “I-I’m hardly worth their attention, Miss Ryugu. Finana’s the star of the show tonight.”
“Well, it’s hard to take your eyes off her when she’s wearing a dress like that, after all,” Hibiki said with a smirk, shooting a glance at Finana’s table. The birthday girl in question was seated alongside Pomu and Elira, chatting and giggling with a glass of sparkling wine in hand. “Oh, the benefits of youth. When she grows up, Finana will become even more beautiful.”
Selen, unsure of what to say to that, found herself unable to say anything and instead averted her gaze from the woman’s face to anywhere else. Hibiki, noticing this, peered a little more intently at Selen. A teasing smile slowly began to grow on the older woman’s face. “…you need not worry, Tatsuki. Finana will grow up to be more beautiful than I will.”
Selen shot the woman a confused look as if to say “I-I didn’t say anything!” and Hibiki giggled at the dismay in Selen’s eyes. “You really do wear your heart on a sleeve, don’t you? Oh, you should’ve seen the look on your face when she walked out in her birthday dress. And the way you’ve been stealing a sidelong glance at her all night? Please, darling. You’re so adorable, you know that?”
“M-Ma’am, please,” Selen refused to look Hibiki in the eye but her flushed cheeks and scrunched-up head-wings told the older mermaid all she needed to know. With how distracted she was, Selen found herself stumbling for a moment and nearly fell to the floor. Though she was immediately able to right herself, Selen was unable to escape the embarrassment crawling down the back of her neck like a cold sweat as she sensed the critical gazes of more than a few people being directed her way.
“Don’t pay any mind to them, Tatsuki,” Finana’s mother offered reassuringly, taking her hand off Selen’s shoulder to place it on her chin and force the lunar dragon to make eye contact with her. “Just look at me. Don’t think about anyone else. Just pay attention to your partner. Just focus on who’s in front of you; what they’re feeling, what they’re doing. Their opinions don’t matter. Come on. Just follow my lead.”
Selen felt the older woman pick up the pace of her steps ever so slightly and did her best to follow those instructions. She stepped back and forth, left and right, to the rhythm of her dance partner. Her eyes sharpened with focus as she tuned out the music, the whispers and the idle chitchat, the very ballroom around them. Slowly, with each step, Selen could hear less of the ballroom and focused solely on Finana’s mother; her breathing, the slight tug of her muscles as she moved her legs, the calm demeanor with which she made her movements. Hibiki was leading the dance but instead of lagging by a few milliseconds as Selen had done up until this point, the older mermaid fought down a smile as she noticed Selen’s body beginning to follow along closely.
Selen kept repeating the words she’d just heard in her mind. It was the easiest way to focus, to take her mind off everything else.
Just focus on who’s in front of you.
Focus on how they’re feeling.
Focus on what they’re doing.
Focus on them. No one else.
“You’re a quick study. Just focus on the woman in front of you.” Hibiki echoed her words with a tone of approval, staring into Selen’s eyes. “Through my movements, my heat, my vibe, and my eyes…you can tell what I’m feeling. Right?”
Focus on what they’re feeling.
Focus on what they’re doing.
Selen fought to pay attention. Her intuition spoke to her. She didn’t know if she could trust it. “…you seem tense. Like you’re worried…but excited, too.”
“What makes you say that?”
“…you move confidently but I can feel it with my hands; there’s tension in your shoulders, not the kind of tension that happens because you’re moving your body. Also…every now and then, I notice you glance somewhere else like something caught your attention. I just don’t know what it is but it’s probably in the crowd around us.”
Hibiki blinked, impressed. “More accurate than I expected.”
“I thought I was wrong.” Selen looked just as surprised.
“No, you’re right. I’ve been organizing this party so I’m always checking to see if something needs my attention. Also…well, there are plenty of nobles that would like to use this opportunity to get close to me and my family. It’s quite annoying and, frankly, it’s pretty pathetic sometimes.” Hibiki shook her head, disappointment bleeding from her voice. “Keeping up appearances in front of such people is another reason why Finana dislikes attending these parties. She’ll never admit that to me but, then again, she won’t ever have to.”
Selen quickly glanced around. They were not alone on the dance floor, after all; many pairs were also waltzing and moving along to the music around them. Many of them were dressed to the nines in clothes befitting nobility and status. A pang of worry occurred to Selen and she looked back at Finana’s mother. “Are you sure you should be saying that out loud, ma’am?”
“Why not? I trust you. More than my secretaries,” Hibiki shrugged before smiling slyly. “You’re an honest one and I can tell you mean well in the things you do and say. I don’t have to doubt that what you say is mostly true.”
“How do you know that much about me? We’ve only met tonight.”
“True. But Finana’s told me enough about you for me to know.”
Selen didn’t know whether to curse or groan. “Whatever she told you I did, I didn’t do it.”
The lunar dragon recoiled when Finana’s mother laughed, much louder than the giggles and chuckles prior. A few heads were turned in surprise as Hibiki covered her mouth to stifle it, looking a little embarrassed as she shot Selen a lighthearted glare. “At least you’re witty.”
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
As the dance continued, Selen could feel the grip of Hibiki’s fingers on her hand beginning to soften. “I hope my daughter has been good to you, Tatsuki.” Hibiki’s voice grew less playful as her laughter died down.
Selen nodded her head in reply, bowing her head respectfully once more as she answered. “Of course. Finana and I are great friends. We play games together and we talk a lot. Since we first met and got into Nijisanji, we’ve been through a lot together.”
“That’s good,” Hibiki nodded. Selen noticed that a little bit of tension seemed to escape Hibiki’s body whilst she spoke. “To be honest…I was worried about allowing her to go and investigate the surface world on her own. I know she’s old enough to take care of herself and that she’s strong enough to handle her own needs. I know firsthand how powerful she is and that anyone who tries to hurt her would end up regretting it. I did train her, too. But…” Hibiki shrugged her shoulders. “You know how mothers can be sometimes. We worry. It’s our job.”
Hearing that, Selen offered a smile. “You’re a very good mother, Ma’am. There are some moms out there that don’t care nearly as much as you do. Finana is lucky to have you.”
Hibiki blinked in surprise before returning Selen’s smile. “You flatter me. I thought you were just an awkward young dragon, but you seem nearly as silver-tongued as your sister. It’s a shame I don’t see you in attendance at events like this. Perhaps you don’t take well to these kinds of gatherings?”
Selen hesitated before nodding, deciding that any lies would be too translucent.
“I see. That’s something else you have in common with my daughter as well, probably one of the reasons you two get along.” Hibiki let out a sigh, her shoulders drooping ever so slightly. “I know that she likes spending time on her own. Even before she went up to the surface, Finana’s always been the kind that read books or kept to herself. It used to worry me because I was concerned if she would ever find people to confide into. Whenever we speak nowadays, it seems like she has a lot on her mind. Knowing her, she has a lot of ideas I can only imagine the pressure that she puts on herself. As the eldest of her siblings, Finana probably has to deal with the obligation to set an example for her siblings and prove herself to us, her parents. Wanting to give her siblings someone to look up to and prove herself to the other families that she has what it takes…I’m the eldest of five so I know how that feels. I’m sure she struggles. But as her mother, there’s only so much I can do. That’s why I’m glad that you and your friends were able to make it today.” Distracted by the conversation, Hibiki had stopped guiding Selen. Noticing this, Selen took the initiative and began leading the dance as best she could. “You are able to be there for her in a way that I cannot. I was eager to meet you all, you know.”
“…you’re right that she keeps to herself, ma’am,” Selen began, managing to meet eyes with Finana’s mother for the first time and maintain a steady gaze. “Everyone in our group is very busy with our individual projects so a lot of the time, we don’t have time to talk to each other anymore. But back then, Finana and I used to spend many nights talking and doing work together. She…” Selen paused, choosing her words. “…she really gives a lot of her ideas her all. Seeing her efforts inspires me to work harder…ma’am.”
Finana’s mother blinked, surprised. In the next moment, she smiled and it felt more heartfelt to Selen. It was warmer. “…why did you feel the need to say that to me?”
“I…I don’t know, I just…” She paused, taking some time to choose her words. But after a few seconds, Selen replied with a confused look still on her face. “…I just thought that you seemed stressed out and distressed about Finana. So…don’t worry so much about her. She’s doing okay. And if she’s ever not okay, we’ll be there for her.”
Hibiki’s smile went from heartfelt to coy. “How odd. Your mouth functions well around me but you’re clumsy around my daughter. I see how it is. I doubt you’ve even told her that you’re into her.”
“Since when did I-” Selen did not want to lie but at the same time, she wanted nothing more than to lie at that moment. She broke eye contact instead, choosing to stay silent. She didn’t know how to deny it without digging her own grave six feet deep, especially in front of Finana’s mother.
“Refusing to answer is an answer in and of itself, darling,” When Selen refused to answer the comment, Hibiki giggled again. “I’m joking, relax. Well, mostly, anyway. May I call you Selen?”
After a pause, Selen nodded. “Yes, Ma’am Ryugu.”
“I’m sure that you’ve noticed by now that I love my fair share of gossip and drama. I have a habit of sticking my nose in the business of others.” Her smug, playful smirk softened as she continued speaking. “But I know I have no right to meddle in my daughter’s business, much less to do so with yours. I shouldn’t dictate or define how any of her relationships with other people ought to be so forgive me if I joke around a bit too much for your taste.”
Selen sensed that Hibiki was not done speaking and chose to let her continue.
“It’s just…let me offer you a little advice. Being a princess…being a ruler is not easy work. At times, it is quite dangerous. To say that there are times where it becomes life-threatening work would not be exaggeration.” Hibiki’s head bowed slightly. For the first time, she was the one to avert her gaze. Her stare slid over the dozens of people that were observing their dance. “We fight to maintain the peace here. I’ve been doing that for so many years after we finally reconciled our differences with New Atlantis but there are always detractors, naysayers…extremists. My husband and I risk our lives all the time. In my time as queen, I’ve had to deal with many an incident that could have led to my death. One day…as the eldest, Finana will have to take up that mantle to do the same. It isn’t an easy life. If I could spare my daughter from it, I would. If I could help it, I would do everything in my power to make sure she could live a quiet happy life outside of the public eye. But you can’t escape your blood and your familial obligations sometimes. Moreover, Finana is working towards the goal of becoming the Queen one day so I can’t deny her from a goal she’s set for herself. I can only guide her and teach her what I know so that when the Ryugu Palace receives its new queen, she will become the best queen it has ever seen.”
She didn’t know what to say so Selen remained silent.
“But the truth of things is that Finana never looks happy when she’s studying New Atlantean politics or attending these parties. I’ve seen her at her happiest when she’s with her friends. That’s not the kind of happiness I can give her. But there are times when she seems so genuinely happy…and it’s when she’s talking to me about you.”
Selen had been spending the time formulating an answer to reply with, but that remark sent all the words hurtling out the window. At even more of a loss for words than before, Selen kept quiet.
“So, Selen,” Hibiki looked up again, staring the lunar dragon in the eye. “If you’re going to do it sometime…well, you already know what I’m trying to say. Just…just give some thought to the future. Finana won’t be around forever. If you dilly-dally and sit on your hands for too long, who knows? In a world like ours, terrorist attacks and political marriages are not uncommon. If there’s something you want to keep in your life, you have to fight for it. Humans said it best: there’s no time like the present. You miss every shot you don’t take, right?”
She couldn’t deny any of what Hibiki had said, either.
It was all true.
“…and besides, the mood is just right, isn’t it?” Hibiki suddenly perked up, her voice filled with energy again. “It’s a ball, there’s a big shiny chandelier, music to dance to, you’re dressed in a handsome suit and she’s in the beautiful dress…come on, Selen! You won’t get a chance like this again!”
“I-!”
“I’m joking.” Hibiki’s tone was gentle and reassuring but her facial expression betrayed it, her lips pulled up into a knowing grin. It was clear she wasn’t joking and Selen knew it. As the violin and the piano slowed to a stop, she let go of Selen’s hand and took a step back before curtsying. Likewise, Selen followed through and took a step back before bowing her head. As they made eye contact again, Finana’s mother winked playfully at Selen. “Thank you for the dance, dear. I’m sure you’ve heard enough from me, anyway. I’m not the one you want to be dancing with, right.”
Before Selen could attempt to protest, she could sense a slight shift in the atmosphere around her. Murmurs from the crowd and the dancers around them could be heard. She could see people’s heads turn, many of them smiling. Selen turned around to see a lone girl shyly stepping on the dance floor and giving appreciative, awkward glances at the people she passed by. She continued to walk, each step somehow quiet yet also impossibly loud. Even in high heels, she was still shorter than Selen by a head.
“Come on now,” Selen heard Hibiki’s voice whisper in her ear and a gentle push from two hands on her back encouraged Selen to take a step forward.
Unprepared for the force that pushed her from behind, Selen stumbled forward clumsily and fell to her knees. She fought to right herself but failed to do so, only managing to break her fall by landing on one knee. The slight pain that Selen felt pulsing from her knee paled in comparison to the embarrassment of knowing that she’d lost her footing in front of dozens of people. Selen felt her ears growing hot from the stares that fell on her and rushed to get back to her feet.
“Y-you okay, Selen?”
A small hand entered Selen’s field of vision, fingernails painted light pink and glistening in the light. Selen looked up to see Finana staring down at her with a concerned smile, her cheeks light pink from her makeup. Without meaning to, Selen found herself staring wordlessly back at Finana. the mermaid was wearing a turquoise dress that hugged her body with dark green high heels to match. The long skirt of the dress was slightly translucent to Selen’s eyes, forcing her to follow the lines of Finana’s body as she admired her. Though she didn’t mean to, Selen’s gaze panned up and down.
“U-um…hi.”
Finana smiled sheepishly. “…h-hi.”
Selen caught herself staring and wrenched her eyes away from Finana. “Y-yeah, I’m…I’m okay.” she sputtered.
Finana couldn’t help but giggle awkwardly, taking another step forward and extending her already-outstretched hand a little further. “…want some help?”
Selen reached for Finana’s hand and took it, allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. Stumbling forward yet again, Selen stopped herself before she made contact with Finana’s body. Finana giggled again, squeezing Selen’s hand in hers. “…you look so funny right now.”
“Wh-what do you mean by funny?”
“You’ve been acting so awkwardly all night, y’know. Pomu was laughing at you along with my dad earlier.”
“Wha-” Selen resisted the urge to glare in Pomu’s direction but she could already imagine the blonde fairy. She could almost hear her teasing and cackling in the back of her mind. “I-I’m just not used to events like this. You know that.”
Again, Finana couldn’t help but snicker. “I know. Neither am I. So?” Finana tightened her grip on Selen’s hand and pulled on it slightly. Finana looked up at Selen, tilting her head by a millimeter. “We’re already here. Wanna dance?”
“I-uh, um…” As Selen was about to answer, she spotted Finana’s mother slowly slinking away into the crowd. Hibiki waved her hand and smiled encouragingly before she disappeared. Selen looked back to Finana and nodded her head. “…yeah.”
Selen stepped forward again, inelegantly wrapping an arm around Finana’s waist and pulling her closer. Unlike her mother, Finana was much shorter than Selen so the lunar dragon was able to better assume the position of the dance in the role of the gentleman. Remembering the gentle but firm grip that Hibiki had maintained throughout their conversation, Selen did her best to emulate that and kept a steady grip on Finana’s hand and waist. “I-is this right?”
Finana felt a flutter in her chest as their bodies drew closer. Their height difference forced Finana to look up to make eye contact with Selen or else she would end up staring at lunar dragon chesticles. “Y-yeah.”
As the music started, Selen did her best to move to the beat. She was far from being able to lead the dance steps as well as a practiced dancer, but Selen was able to trace her steps while dancing with Finana’s mother. Worried that any strong movements she produced might threaten to unbalance the mermaid in her arms, Selen took a deep breath and exhaled to try and loosen the tension in her body. Selen’s breath tickled the tips of the fins on the sides of Finana’s face and the mermaid tried her best not to react, stiffening up.
Selen, sensing the change of rigidity in Finana’s fingers, looked down at her feet and then back up at Finana with a concerned look on her face. “I’m sorry, did I step on your toes?”
“Loosen up, Selen,” Finana replied, stifling a laugh while doing her best to conceal the real reason for her reaction. “I’m not gonna bite, y’know. Even if you step on my toes a little bit, it’s okay.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just…I don’t want to step on them. Especially in front of this many people.”
Finana shook her head reassuringly. “Just relax. I have thirty more minutes of practice than you do. I’ll follow your lead so just move and don’t second-guess yourself.”
“S-sure.”
The rhythm of the song slowed and the pace of the dance along with it. With every few steps, Selen tried her best to make eye contact with Finana. But with every attempt, Selen found herself growing too uncomfortable and embarrassed to look her in the eye for any longer than a few seconds. Selen found her gaze wandering and soaking everything in. Everything about this moment, every sensation and detail, was being amplified in Selen’s mind. She could feel Finana’s small waist with the draconic hand wrapped around the mermaid’s body, the warm heat of Finana’s petite hand in hers, the faint blush from Finana’s makeup, the glint of her emerald earrings, the way that Selen could make out the faintest traces of lilac shampoo that she knew belonged to Finana, the way that she looked more beautiful than Selen had ever seen her; Selen felt it all, saw it all, and was committing it to memory.
“…Selen.”
“Yeah?”
“Can you…like…not stare so much?” Finana’s voice shook in her failed attempt to keep the embarrassment out of her words, her fins drooping down like they were trying to hide.
“I-I’m sorry.” Selen apologized, feeling the blood rush to her face. Selen chose to stare off into the distance instead of focusing on Finana. She didn’t what else to do to keep her eyes away.
Finana cleared her throat. “So? What do you think?”
“About what? The party? It’s really great.”
“No, you idiot.” Finana rolled her eyes. “I meant…uh…y’know…” she cleared her throat again to save herself from stuttering. “…how do I look?”
“Oh, uh…great. You look great.”
“At least look at me when you say it.” Finana laughed awkwardly, raising her eyebrow at Selen.
As Selen’s mind raced, unsure of what she ought to say, the conversation with Finana’s mother resurfaced in her mind.
…you miss every shot you don’t take, huh?
“You…uh… your dress looks- no, wait.” Selen steeled herself and looked Finana in the eye as best she could, trying to ignore the way her heart was thumping like a kick drum. “N-not your dress. Not just your dress. You, um…you look…you look gorgeous, Finana.”
Not expecting a direct compliment, Finana felt like the whole room had become a sauna. “O-oh, uh…th-thanks.” Unable to get out any other words, Finana left it at that. As if to save her from thinking of a way to redo her response or prolong the conversation, the music ended. Feeling like the song had ended far sooner than she’d expected, Finana looked at Selen and thought that it wouldn’t be so bad if the song had gone on for just a little bit longer.
As Finana released her grip on Selen’s body and tried to take a step back and create distance between the two of them, Finana felt her entire body freeze up and her tongue tie itself into knots when Selen didn’t do the same. The lunar dragon tightened her grip on Finana’s waist and hand, pulling her closer until Selen’s lips had brushed the membranes of her fins and hovered directly next to her ear. “…I know you’re busy. But if you’re free later…I’ll wait for you on the balcony outside. I want to tell you something.”
The mermaid’s heart was now pummeling the walls of her chest with enough pressure to make diamonds out of coal. Before Finana could even begin to compose herself and try to think up a response, Selen released her grip on the mermaid and bowed courteously. As Finana raised her hand and began to extend it toward Selen to call out to her, Selen turned around and walked into the crowd. Within seconds, she melted into the sea of faces and bodies and disappeared.
It would take Finana hours before she was able to find an opportunity to slip away from the party. Though it was her birthday party, there was a need for the eldest daughter and princess of the Ryugu royal family to maintain cordial relationships with the dozens of dignitaries and nobles that were in attendance; Finana detested having to dance with many of the old men and women that were willing to talk her ear off about politics or trying to sell themselves as an appealing ally to her. Finana knew what many of them were after and couldn’t care less about any of them.
The only thing on her mind was the person that wanted to meet her.
As Finana quietly peered around the corner to the balcony outside, she felt her chest tighten when she saw a solitary purple-haired figure leaning on the hand railing and looking outward. She prayed to every god she could think of, including Nina Kosaka, and quietly stepped onto the balcony. She closed the door behind her and nervously began to approach Selen with the speed of a tortoise wearing steel-toed boots. With every step, Finana wished she’d worn quieter shoes. “H-hey, Selen.” Finana nervously greeted the lunar dragon as she approached.
“There you are.” Selen looked at Finana, still leaning on the handrailing, and smiled. “Sorry for dragging you out here. Since, y’know, it’s your party and all.”
“W-well,” Finana pinched her thigh. She needed something to keep her grounded in reality right now or she would trip over her words and embarrass herself. “You’re the one who asked me to come out here to meet you.”
Selen nodded her head. “Yeah, that’s true. Thanks.”
Silence fell between them and Finana immediately began to wonder if she’d made a mistake or if she was supposed to wait for Selen to say something. A few seconds of this silence passed and Finana already felt like it had shaved years off her lifespan. She took another step towards Selen. “So…what did you want to talk about?”
Selen straight into Finana’s eyes. Her shoulders rose and then fell as she exhaled once. “…I wanted to spend some time with you. No music. No party. No dancing. No other eyes on us. Just…us. The two of us.”
“O-oh.” Finana couldn’t deny how flustered she felt from hearing that. She hid her hands behind her back, one of them gripping the wrist of her other arm tight. “Okay, uh…no problem. I could use some peace and quiet anyway.”
“Yeah, there’s a lot going on in there. Lots of good food and people I’ve never met.” Selen muttered, glancing back at the door to the ballroom. “I knew the party was going to be kinda huge since it was gonna happen in a palace but damn.”
Finana shrugged her shoulders, relieved that the topic was going somewhere else. It was good for her heart. “Yeah, my mom likes to set up these kinds of parties once in a while. They’re really fancy, kinda like a Disney princess thing. It’s pretty fun when you get used to it.”
“Yeah, your mom seems pretty chill.” Selen adjusted her position, leaning back onto the railing and keeping her hands in her coat pockets. “I got to talk to her a little bit earlier.”
“Oh yeah, I saw you dancing with her earlier. Did you guys talk about anything earlier?”
Selen faltered for a moment, wondering if she should stick to being direct and honest or if she should just give a vague answer so that they didn’t dwell on the topic for very long. She chose the former. “We talked about you, kinda. Talked about our friendship, how we know each other…that kind of thing.”
“Oh…I see...” Finana tried not to sound disappointed but her voice betrayed her. “What did mom say?”
Selen shrugged. “Uh, she said stuff about hoping that you treat me well and I told her that you work hard. Y’know, the kind of thing a worried parent might ask her kid’s friends.”
“I don’t think I know since I wasn’t there.”
“Oh come on, it’s like what they do in anime and manga, y’know?”
“I mean, I guess so but, like, that’s so vague.”
It’s not like I can tell you that she told me to tell you how I feel before it’s too late.
Selen shrugged again. “…hey, Finana. Can I ask you a question?”
Finana folded her arms over her chest, looking cross. “Are you trying to change the subject?”
“It’s related so technically no.”
“Fine. What’s the question?”
“…Finana, what are your plans for the future?”
Caught off-guard, Finana blinked and tilted her head. It was not the kind of question Selen usually asked. “What do you mean?”
“Our Nijisanji thing won’t be a lifetime gig.” Selen pushed herself off the hand railing and into a neutral standing position. Her hands shifted inside her coat pockets, opening and closing repeatedly. “What do you wanna do? Like, after Nijisanji? After all of it…are you going to come back here to do princess stuff? Or will you do something else on the surface?”
Finana gave Selen a look of slight disbelief like she couldn’t believe they were talking about this. “Um…I honestly haven’t really thought about all of that yet. Every day has been really busy, planning content for streams and the collabs and projects and project deadlines…so basically, I haven’t thought that far ahead. Why did you ask?”
“Nothing, it was just…” Selen paused, wetting her lips before continuing. “I was talking with your mom about a few things. One of the things she mentioned was something about the future. We didn’t really talk about it that much but her questions got me in a thinking mood, I guess. That’s why…I dunno. I guess it made me feel like asking you the same thing.”
Finana groaned, rolling her eyes. “Don’t ask me questions that’ll get me down on my birthday, man. I know I have to think about that stuff eventually but I don’t wanna do that right now. I just wanna focus on enjoying my time with everyone right now, y’know?”
Selen laughed, looking away. “Yeah, that’s true. Sorry if the question was a bit of a downer.”
With the question lingering in her mind, a question of her own occurred to Finana. “What about you, then? What will you do, Selen? Dragon racing’s gotta be kinda boring for you if you’re always winning so I can’t really imagine you going back to it. I also don’t really know what the whole dragon-taming thing is about. But what kind of future do you want, Selen?”
Selen laughed, shrugging her shoulders. “You’re right about the ‘boring’ part. But I have no idea either, honestly. And…yeah, to be honest, I don’t wanna think about all that stuff right now either.”
“Then why did you ask me that if you didn’t wanna think or talk about it either?” Finana puffed her cheeks in a playful pout.
“I…I dunno. I just had a thought earlier.”
“What kind of thought, Selen?”
Selen paused to take a slow, deep breath. “…the thought that even if I don’t know what kind of future I want for myself…all I want is to make sure you have a place in it.”
Those words made Finana blink. She blinked twice.
Thrice.
She knew what she heard but she couldn’t believe it.
Finana’s heartbeat was rapidly speeding up until it boomed like a jackhammer in her ears. Her chest almost hurt from the indescribable cocktail of emotions that was blooming in her chest. “Y-you…you…you…what did you say? Did you…?”
“…yeah. You heard me right.” Selen, too embarrassed to look directly at Finana, scratched her cheek.
“…y-you…you…be more direct about it!”
The sudden loud outburst from Finana made Selen jump, staring at Finana wide-eyed. “What?”
Finana shook her head indignantly. “It’s my birthday so I have the right to ask for things! I’m asking you to be more direct about it!” Finana’s cheeks were redder than apples; even the tips of her fins were flushed with a shade of dark pink. “Tell me. Straight-up, just tell me. Say the words.”
“Y-you-!”
“I’m not letting you beat around the bush, Selen. Not this time.” Finana took a few steps closer until only an inch separated the two of them. She looked up expectantly and defiantly. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying…if you’re saying what I’ve been wanting to hear you say…then I want you to say the words. No bullshit. No dodging. No topic switching. None of that.”
“Finana, I…” Selen scratched the back of her head, looking down at Finana helplessly. Her heart was caught in a snare and she couldn’t say no.
Not to that face.
Selen sighed and extended her hand out, wrapping her fingers around Finana’s wrist and gently pulling it upward in a wordless request to hold it. Finana nodded once and Selen’s fingers traced lines across the back of Finana’s hand until their fingers interlaced one another’s. “…you win. Just for today.”
Finana giggled, smiling eagerly, but didn’t make a remark. She just looked up at Selen with anticipation, her fins wiggling back and forth in excitement.
“Finana…I…” Selen opened her mouth and then hesitated.
Seeing the uncertainty and apprehension in Selen’s trembling eyes, Finana tiptoed and removed her hand from Selen’s to wrap both of her arms around Selen’s neck. “…it’s okay, Selen. I’m not going to go anywhere. Say it, please.”
“…I…”
“Say the words, Selen. Let me be a part of your future.”
Something bloomed in Selen’s chest when she heard those words. She didn’t know how else to describe it. The feeling spurred her to action, leaning her forehead onto Finana’s. “…I love you, Finana. A lot.”
Finana giggled with the biggest smile she’d ever worn and leaned in to kiss Selen on the lips, tiptoeing as much as she could. Selen leaned down to meet her halfway, wrapping her arms around Finana’s body to pull her in closer.
To the both of them, their kiss only lasted a few seconds, yet it felt like it had gone on for an hour. Selen pulled away only to see Finana smiling from ear to ear, still giddy. “You know how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that?”
“Oh, can it,” Selen muttered embarrassedly as she searched for an item she knew was in her pocket. Her fingers found it and she fished it out. “Here, this is for you, by the way.” She reached forward, placing her hands around Finana’s neck.
Finana felt the familiar sensation of a chain necklace being laid across her skin and withheld a gasp. After Selen’s hands retreated, Finana looked down to see it; she reached for her neck and pulled the necklace higher to get a better look. “What is this?”
It was a silver necklace. In the center of it was a crescent moon made of light-green emerald and a pattern of waves carved into it. Selen scratched the back of her head. “It’s…for your birthday.”
“It’s beautiful.” Finana’s eyes glistened with emotion. “Thank you so much, Selen.”
“Y-you’re welcome.” Selen’s flustered stuttering only made Finana giggle. She skipped over to Selen, tiptoed again, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
The two of them spent the next few minutes together leaning on the balcony’s edge again, though this time Finana leaned her head on Selen’s shoulder while they stared out at the palace grounds and the city in the distance. The silence was different this time.
It was warm.
The kind that they both wished wouldn’t end.
“By the way, a ring would have been more appropriate for the moment, just saying.” Finana broke the silence with that joke, grinning cheekily at Selen.
“Give me a break,” Selen grumbled, taking Finana by the hand and pulling her along as she began walking over to the door. “Come on, we’re done here. We should go back to the party. We’ve kept your guests waiting for the birthday girl long enough.”
Finana pulled against Selen and the two stopped. Selen looked back at Finana with a confused expression but Finana just stuck out her tongue. “You know I’d rather just spend the rest of the night here with you, right, Selen? You matter more to me than those stupid baldheads and those stuck-up rich ladies.”
“…I mean, I’m happy to hear you say that, but…”
“Just ten minutes, Selen.”
Selen sighed, resigned, and walked over to Finana. She rested her chin on Finana’s head and wrapped her arms around the mermaid. “…just ten more minutes?”
“Mhm~ Just ten more minutes.”
To Selen and Finana, ten minutes had never felt so short before.