"Please tell me you've eaten some of the actual food on offer and not simply the sweets, dear sister," Lloyd teases over Nino's shoulder, making sure she sees his conspiratorial wink before shifting to the spot next to her. "Of course, I couldn't say I blame you if you had just been eating the cookies. Wasn't often we got the like back home."
As much as the brothers -- admittedly, mostly Linus in this regard -- tried to sneak little spoiling moments in for Nino, it had been no easy task to do under the piercing gaze of Sonia.
But here, they were free of that weight. At least...some of it. And while Lloyd wasn't usually the one to encourage such behavior, this was a good night for indulging where one might not normally. Besides, he hadn't seen when his youngest sibling had come in, and he wanted to make sure she knew she could have her fill of whatever she liked.
"Have you had a fun time, Nino?"
Nino, small cake in hand, jumps at the sound of her eldest brother's voice. "Oh, uhh, yeah!!" she replies, "I've had lots to eat tonight!" It's true, too!! She thinks back for a moment. "I had... some of the pecan pie, and then I met this really nice bunny man and he gave me a basket of veggies and I ate that, and also I had some of the oatmeal cookies and peach sorbet, and then..." She looks down at the cake in her hands. Oh yeah, that does sound like mostly sweets, doesn't it? Well, thanks for unwittingly looking out for her nutritional balance, Yarne.
At least Lloyd doesn't seem to mind, tone still indulgent as he asks after her time, and Nino nods.
"Everyone's really nice to me! Miss Ethlyn let me join the party even though I didn't know about it. And then I met Sara again, from the big mission in Rusalka from before, and I made a flower crown for her!" Her expression is one of utter contentment as she recounts the highlights of the night for Lloyd, "And oh!! Guess what? I met Linus' puppy! You've met him too, right?? Isn't he the cutest ever?"
She takes a deep breath, eyes shining as she looks at the scenery around them. "I had a really fun time, Lloyd," she says. Around them, the music swells, warm and gentle, into a swaying ballad. Nino puts the cake down and wipes her hands, before standing up, facing her brother. "Hey, can I ask for something?" her voice is suddenly quieter, subdued, a lifetime of countless dismissals from Sonia leaving her hesitant about asking for affectionate gestures. Still, she plucks up her courage to ask, time and time again.
"It's alright if you don't wanna... but if you're ok with it... can you dance with me, Lloyd?" It would be the best ending to the day, to be able to share this time with him. Nino reaches out a hand, hope pounding steadily in her heart.
