your love is my DRUG;; renee

[ALEXEI FERNAND ADRIANO]

WHAT YOU'VE G O T BOY, IS H A R D TO FIND.
I think about it A L L T H E T I M E !!

Since he'd seen Renard at the lake, every moment of that meeting bad or good, Alexei's mind seemed to have been clouded with thoughts of romance. His stomach was flooded with butterflies, the rising and sinking feeling almost making him feel drunk. He was nervous, after all he'd planned this event especially for the younger man. He'd made sure the ballroom would be deserted, then had proceeded to litter the floor with rose petals. The petals were red and yellow, to match their respective hair. It was a little cliche, he knew, but it wasn't often he got the chance to be refined rather than a giant goofball.

Alexei's hair was tied up into a low ponytail, and he was dressed in a suit and tailcoat. He'd asked Renee to dress up as well. Only half of the reason being he'd never seen him really dressed up. The other half was he'd wanted this to be formal, romantic. He hadn't had a chance to be this affectionate in long time, and it was exciting. The younger butler was different from Alejandro, in many ways, but Lex's feelings were similar. The smile he got when he'd walk into the room, the rush of happiness. Thinking of him made him shiver. He only could hope Renee would like this surprise and that it wouldn't freak him out or scare him away.

Alexei fiddled with his tie and then the ribbon in his hair. He made sure his glasses were on straight, the chains making tiny clinks as he moved them. He sniffed at the bouquet in his hand, eyebrows furrowing in worry. He just hoped this wasn't too much, not too overwheming. It's just...he wanted to do something sweet for the other man. Though their encounter at the lake had started out less than pleasant, it ended on a very positive note. And he wanted to repay Renard, in the best way he could. He pressed play on the stereo, since there was only one minute until his lover, at least that was what he was referring to him as, was due to arrive. He just hoped Renee knew how to dance.

[RENARD ARISTIDE CHEVALIER]

Oh god he was late.

Renard had never tied a tie so fast in his entire life. He practically whirled the black satin strip around his neck like a lassoe and nearly strangled himself, he had made it so tight. Then his collar was unstuck. Oh, this was a disaster. Stupid, stupid sleeping. Stupid, stupid late ride in the indoor school. Stupid, stupid lady who had fallen off her own horse which preceeded to buck all over the place until he caught it. Stupid, stupid quick reschooling of it. Stupid, stupid lack of coffee when he had finally gotten back, a whole twenty minutes later than planned. He'd had barely enough time to shower and make himself presentable. Renard finished the tie and straightened it in the mirror, trying to run a comb through his blonde hair at the same time. Fail. A piece of hair was sticking up at a weird angle and Renard frantically tried to shove it down, with little success. It refused to comply and sprang upwards again. All this for just one man!

But not just any man. A very special one indeed. Alexei to be exact - a man whom had captured his interest ever since he had arrived at the academy. Someone far above his own station, but had bothered to talk to him - him, a lowly A leveler! - of all people. And now... well, their 'relationship' of sorts had rocketed through the roof. He remembered his first feelings as he had learnt that Alexei, of all people, had a bit of a thing for him, of all people indeed. That special feeling that curls inside you like a spring. He felt it and just thinking about the redhead sent a little flutter through his stomache. Renard tugged at the corners of his shirt and then spied his untied shoelaces - he swiftly dropped to a crough to tie them with haste. They were dress shoes and were so polished he could see his flushed face in them.

"Aww merde," Renard caught sight of his pocketwatch - a lovely intricate clogs-and-screws design in silver - and swore in French under his breath. "Merde, merde, merde, why am I not there!" He wasn't expected in the ballroom, of all places, for another five minutes, but he had planned to be there now! Another glance. Make that four minutes. Renard practically lurched into his wardrobe and grabbed the dressiest jacket out - a black tailcoat. His butler tailcoat, to be exact. The only vaguely posh thing he owned, with the exception of his more formal ties and his cream johdpurs. And there was no way he was wearing them. Not to dance! On that note, Renard gulped, he hoped Alexei could excuse his 'dancing'. Dance lessons in return for horseriding seemed fair, right? Particularly from someone he was calling a lover, albeit with much embarrassed.

"Come on, Renard! Downstairs, downstairs." Two minutes. Renard practically sailed down the bannister from the dormitory to the main building, tails whipping out behind him, the green diamond shape - a deep jade to match his shirt with its occasional decorative black diamond - on his tie blurring as his flew past a few affronted looking ladies and miffed butlers. Put on the Ritz for the crowd, eh? He giggled nervously, and, the second his feet hit the ground, sprinted along the corridors, left, right, then left again. Straight on this time! One minute left. He could hear music pouring through this now deserted corridor and slid to a halt in time to not slam into the doors to the ballroom. He composed himself. Thirty seconds. Renard grasped the handle in one hand - he had chosen not to wear gloves unlike a true butler - and opened it towards him.

"I'm her-," Renard blinked, stopping mid-sentence. This was a sight to behold indeed. He stared, open-mouthed at the room, flooded with petals. Matching their respective hair colours - this was so Lexi. It didn't cease to amaze him though and he had a quick double take before he spotted the redhaired butler over the other side. The surprise was evident in his face but it eased into a smile as he manouvered across the room to Alexei and practically fell into his arms. "Y-You went to all this trouble just for me?"

template: by me!
lyrics: starlight - muse
muse: the lovecats - the cure
notes: /dance