Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all associated materials are property of Squaresoft. The song Carry on Dancing belongs to Savage Garden.

Carry on Dancing
By: Nanaki BH

My chance had finally come. I stood by the punch table, my palms sweating. I was a nervous wreck. I had to continually fight the urge to look in a mirror. I didn't even know if there were mirrors in the party hall. There could have been some along the walls… I didn't look. I kept my gaze focused on him and him alone.

What does it matter anyway? I wondered to myself. He was always so sloppy and nonchalant as it was. Why did I feel the need to be so perfect; even around him? No, I thought, shaking my head. It was because of where I was. The people of esteem crowded together talking business; they were the ones I was trying to impress.

"It isn't wrong for me to want to look good," I told myself quietly. It didn't matter if I even spoke above a whisper. It was hard to hear anyway with all of their constant insignificant chatter. Maybe I didn't want to hear myself. I ran my hands over the front of my suit once, twice, three times to straighten nonexistent wrinkles. Then I stepped forward – just one step; just enough to make me one step closer to him.

I sighed and wondered briefly if he'd even noticed me yet. I'd been standing across the room from him all night trying to pull together some kind of slipshod dignity. It was difficult, but I even got my legs to stop shaking. Not for long. He looked my way. Even if he didn't see me, the hope still arose in my heart.

Then my hands, which were still nervously wringing, started to feel cold. Now I know I'm nervous. My legs were back to shaking. I saw an open seat and started to race for it as quickly as I could without looking ridiculous. Right before I got to it, right when I thought I had it, someone else sat down in it. My mind screamed futilely at me; telling me to stop. But I didn't. I kept walking.

And then, before I knew it, I was right in front of him.

"R-reno," I muttered unsteadily. I cleared my throat and at the same time gave myself a mental kick. "Reno," I said, extending a hand to him. No! I thought. What am I doing? Why I had offered him my hand I wasn't quite sure. I was so used to being polite and well mannered; I guess it just happened on its own.

"Sir," he said with a slight nod of his head. He flashed me that familiar cocky grin I loved. His hand took mine. It was warm and soft and everything mine wasn't at the time. His eyes were trained on mine. They smiled and warmly greeted my own. I blushed and had to muster all of my strength to keep myself from looking away in embarrassment.

I realized then that I was supposed to say something. I was supposed to tell him why I was there holding his hand awkwardly. At the most inopportune time then, my father came over the speakers. He was high up at the podium; wine glass in one hand and a microphone in the other.

"I would like to make a toast to my son Rufus: the future of this corporation!"

"To… me?" I muttered. Reno chuckled. I shook myself out of my daze to realize that all eyes had turned on us. Our hands were still together. Sometime during the shock, our fingers had even become entwined… and there we were like two lovers gazing into each other's eyes for the whole party to see.

Gently, he placed a kiss to my cheek. "Cheers to you, kid."

Author's Notes: This fic was for "#1 look over here" on 30kisses on Livejournal. Pretty good for something short, I guess. Hope you enjoyed it.Tell me what you think!