Sharing the Sky

     A large, heart-covered banner hung from the student centre entryway, proclaiming a message for all to see: “Valentine’s Social! Come dance the night away with your sweetheart,” it read in red, cursive font. “Event begins at 7pmNST on the 14th day of Awakening, Brightvale University Orangery. Light refreshments will be served.”

     “Aw!”

     “Oh my gosh!”

     Two voices squealed at nearly the same pitch, one belonging to a Pink Ruki named Danielle, the other a Faerie Ruki named Dani. They wore matching outfits: pink and purple gingham dresses with a single large bow. Dani’s was black, Danielle’s white.

     “Norbert, this is your chance!” started Dani, whose excitement sent her fluttering two feet into the air. Norbert and Danielle, both wingless, shielded their faces from the sudden gust of wind. “You have to bring Dorado!”

     Norbert could feel his long Gelert ears flapping against his spotted back. He had to hand it to his artistic friends, their energy levels rivalled his, especially if the topic struck their interest. And King Hagan’s beard, ever since they learned about Dorado, it had been a nearly nightly point of conversation.

      Danielle took hold of her sister’s hand and guided her back to the ground. “You’re gonna send us sky high before the dance even begins, sis,” she joked, to which her twin merely shrugged.

     “Can’t help it if I get excited!”

     “Helps the semester go by faster.” Norbert blew a stray tuft of fur out from his face and straightened his Brightvalian scholar robe of any creases. When his gaze travelled back to the sign, his posture grew stiff. “And speaking of semester… I, uh… I don’t think I can do it. The dance, that is.”

     Both the Rukis crinkled their noses.

     “Why not?” This time, it was Danielle who answered, the calmer of the twins, with her arms crossed. “The two of you always seem to enjoy each other’s company. Why not do something nice together beyond, you know, studying?”

     “And star gazing,” added Dani.

     Norbert could feel his heart start to race as he struggled with the words. “There’s just, you know, my thesis on Sir Rohane, all the research, my classes, homework, my thesis…”

     “You said thesis twice.”

     “D-did I?”

     The Gelert rubbed the back of his sweaty neck. He could tell them, couldn’t he? It wasn’t like it was some terrible secret or anything.

     “Nothing bad is happening between the two of you, right?”

     The Gelert shook his head. “No, I—”

     “Are you doing okay, Nor? You’re looking a bit pale.”

     The world started to spin around him at that moment, muffling all but the sound of his thrumming heart. Friends or not, he was ready to dash through the student centre and dive into the library’s deepest, most secluded stacks.

     The first step he made landed him square into sky blue floof. After the initial impact, Norbert felt a strong arm wrap around his back.

      “Hey, Nor.” It was a calming voice, gentle, like the ocean on a windless day. “You doing okay?”

     The Gelert couldn’t help but wag his tail as he leaned forward into Dorado’s eventide fur, eliciting a sigh of relief from the Ruki twins. “I’m fine, thanks.”

     “I’m glad.” Unlike his notoriously chatty boyfriend, Dorado had a habit of saving his words for times when they mattered most. His eyes flicked up towards the banner, then back down to Norbert, who let go of the Tonu’s embrace with a light sigh. “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

     Both girls shared a guilty look, Danielle most of all. “Sorry if we pressured you before—”

     Norbert held up a hand. “It’s okay. It’s just… It’s…” he bit his lip. “I can’t… I can’t dance. I never learned how.”

     As noble families sent their children to learn there, Brightvale University’s curriculum required dance. Students from different social classes could easily socialize and connect with one another, forming relationships beyond their caste. Only those who asked for accommodations, for one reason or another, had the class removed from their schedule.

     “Maybe we could teach you?” offered Danielle while her faerie sister gave a thumbs up. “I’ll be going with Dani here.”

     “And our steps are far from perfect. This one here,” she jabbed a thumb towards the Pink Ruki beside he, “likes to step on my feet.”

     Danielle snorted. “The was one time! I told you that was an accident.”

     Norbert could feel his heart rate rising. Dorado cupped his fingers around the Gelert’s hand and held it steady. The Tonu took a deep breath and exhaled, to which Norbert followed suit.

     “Ladies,” Dorado said suddenly, gently leading Norbert towards the outdoor courtyard, “it’s always nice to see you.”

     Realizing they had only further stressed their friend, the Rukis’ antennae fell in unison.

     “See you both at board game night next Wednesday?” offered Dani as the pair stepped out the door. This, at least, made the Gelert’s eyes light up.

     “I’ll see you then,” he replied with a grin. They were almost three months into their legacy game of Neoquest II and it wouldn’t be long before they faced the final boss.

     The two grad students walked in tandem, basking in the Brightvalian sunshine. Dorado asked about the Heroic Four, to which a grinning Norbert recounted his recent interview with the team’s cleric and charismatic bard, Velm. When they reached the University rose garden, the two paused to take in the rows of pinks, reds, and whites. Even in the coldest months, Brightvalian scholars preserved at least some of the blooms with magic. Dorado brushed off a marble bench and gestured forward, to which the Gelert gladly accepted. The Tonu sat beside him.

     “Velm befriended a ghost who never had the chance to perform for her sweetheart,” started Norbert, to Dorado’s interest. “She passed shortly before her first ball and haunted the parlour thereafter. When he learned of her plight, he played the lute, sang to her, and offered a dance—not an easy feat with an incorporeal being—to give her the joy she always wanted… so that her spirit could pass on.”

     “Yet another reason why Velm is my favourite hero,” said Dorado with a smile, adding, “although I know you have a different choice.”

     Norbert didn’t even have to say it. Anyone who entered his dorm room immediately knew who that Neopian was.

     Being that his mother’s family had been from Lost Desert, Norbert felt a certain kinship with Velm, even if his research focused squarely on Sir Rohane. The Techo cleric’s endless wit and humour won over countless hearts—some argued that his charisma had saved the team from many a jam. Just a few words into his stories would capture the imagination of any who would listen.

     Unlike Velm, however…

     “I wish I had a fraction of Velm’s confidence to put himself out there and…” Norbert’s gaze travelled down to his brown dress shoes, “didn’t have two left feet.”

     “Looks like you have a right and a left foot to me.”

     This made Norbert laugh, but the smile quickly ran from his face as his expression darkened. “I dunno why, but every time I’ve tried, I just feel so—so overwhelmed by it all. The lights, the sounds, the—the everything. Guess… I’m not meant to be a performer. Even presentations make my heart pound.”

     “You don’t need to be a performer to capture Neopians’ hearts.” Dorado laid his hand atop Norbert’s and the Gelert couldn’t help but blush. “I’ve seen the wonderful things you’ve done to record the Heroic Four’s stories. Heck, you’re a hero in your own right for doing so.”

     Norbert, rarely at a loss for words, merely let out a little squeak as his entire face lit up beet red, even to the tips of his ears. When the Gelert’s tail thrummed against the bench like a metronome, Tonu grinned broadly.

     “Looks like you can keep time.”

     Norbert’s tail wagging stopped. “Whuh?”

     The Tonu stood from his seat and walked beside a nearby row of roses. “You know… When I was a kid, my mother made me take dance lessons. She thought it would help with my shyness.”

     Norbert’s ears perked up. It wasn’t often that Dorado talked about his private life, even this long into their partnership. “Really? Did it help?”

     He took a whiff of a fragrant pink rose that reached into the otherwise red bushes. It was only on closer inspection that Norbert noticed Dorado’s fingers fidgeting with the leaves. “Turns out I’m still as shy as ever, but… It was during those days that I realized how wrong I felt in my dance outfits, that the tutus and frills didn’t match who I was inside.”

     Norbert’s brows rose.

     “I may not have had two left feet, but I felt… backwards. Until the strange potion, that is.” Dorado spared a glance back at Norbert, relaxing when he saw the Gelert had his hand at his heart and clearly showed the dimples of his grin. “Dancing helped me express those feelings in ways that words never could. And if you’re willing… maybe I should show you a new way to learn?”

     Norbert found himself feeling breathless. “Do you really think I can? With all of those Neopians watching?”

     “Keep your eyes on me. We’ll be the only Neopians in the room.” Dorado turned to face Norbert. He held out his hand, palm facing upwards. “Would you honour me with this dance?”

     Norbert gripped the edge of the bench at first, but finally let go. “With a smile like that, how could I say no?”

     ~x~

     The night of the dance came quickly. Potted orange trees dotted the edge of the orangery, glowing pinks and purples from strings of magic lighting artefacts and candles. Handmade paper ornaments hung from the ceiling while streamers ran along the entryway. Pairs of Neopians lined up at the door, all of them dressed in elegant gowns and suits. Norbert sported his favourite green robe, the one he wore at his undergraduate graduation while Dorado wore a black suit that highlighted his eventide fur. The twinkling of the stars in his ruff sparkled in the low light, as did the golden sun hair clip that Norbert wore in his long, curly hair.

     When Norbert felt his heart begin to race, he squeezed his partner’s hand tightly.

     “I got you, Nor,” Dorado said in his gentle voice, “we can do this together.”

     “But what if I start to get overwhelmed again?” whispered Norbert, feeling the squeak of his voice press through any calmness he felt with the Tonu.

     “Then we will find our own place to dance, just us two, without the crowd, without the lights and sounds. And I will be proud that you took this chance even though it made you uncomfortable.”

     Norbert felt his fear melting away as he leaned into Dorado’s soft ruff. “But it’s just us here now, right?”

     Baroque music began to fill the air, soft and sweet melody from the harpsichord joined by violin and cello. Norbert pushed through his fear, leading Dorado to a corner of the room flanked by decorations. When they found their position, Norbert facing away from everyone else, he steeled himself in Dorado’s kind gaze. Funny, Norbert found himself thinking, it was always so hard to hold eye contact with most Neopians, but Dorado… was different. For in his eyes, he found understanding, kindness, and respect.

     “It’s just us,” repeated Norbert, trying to sound serious, but his wagging tail betrayed his excitement.

     In the distance, Dani and Danielle watched from afar. The Faerie Ruki wore a modest pink gown while her pink sister wore a magnificent dress with tulle and lace that seemed to fly with every step.

     So transfixed by the ways in which the two swayed and swirled that they nearly bumped into three other couples. But they weren’t alone. As Norbert and Dorado danced, they drew more and more eyes. Some even stopped in their tracks to watch the two in perfect harmony.

     Three songs passed until all but a few watched Norbert and Dorado. Upon the last note, Norbert broke his eye contact for just a few seconds to catch his breath and noticed… for the first time since he arrived, all the eyes.

     He froze in place, feeling the world start to cave in. Even the muffled voices of his concerned friends barely came through. The lights, the sounds, the colours, it all seemed to—

     “Nor, I’m here.”

     Norbert flicked his gaze up to Dorado, who stood by his side. As did Dani and Danielle, who broke up the growing crowd of spellbound students.

     “I think…” Norbert breathed, “I’ve reached my limit.”

     “Would you like to be swept out of here?”

     This, at least, made the Gelert chuckle. “It would be my honour.”

     With one motion, Dorado lifted Norbert into his arms and held him close. Dani couldn’t help but let out a squeal of joy as the Tonu carried the lean Gelert out of the room, his green robe sweeping off to the side like a wave. “Just keep your eyes on me.”

     The cool winter air sent Norbert’s fur on end, but even then… he felt warm. The two of them found a quiet spot beside the library, a single bench often shared by students during final exams.

     In the silence of the night, away from it all, the two Neopians watched the stars twinkle. For a while, neither of them spoke. After seeing a single shooting star fly across the cloudless night, Norbert said, “I’m glad your mother sent you to dance lessons back then.”

     A few moments passed. “Because it helped me embrace who I really am?”

     “That, and…” the Gelert felt a sudden heat from his cheeks as he leaned against the Tonu, “it brought us together.” His heart had since calmed. In fact, it felt like it could go dancing all by itself. “Thanks for teaching me, Dorado.”

     In the distance, a pair of stars twinkled in tandem. Their beams of light they made crossed, as if they were holding on tightly to one another.

     “And thanks for sharing the sky with me.”

     The End.