Peacekeepers

Chapter 79: The Reception

Natsai sipped on her drink at a table in the reception tent, watching the people dancing with a soft smile. Diane, Ominis and Sebastian were twirling around wildly to the lively music, laughing joyfully now that they were married.

"Did he come after all?" Linus asked, sitting next to Natsai with a drink of his own. He had been careful to wear an eyepatch while out just in case his hair was blown in the wind. It ached and scratched at the sensitive skin around his bad eye, though.

"He did." Natsai sighed. "But I'm not about to mention it to any of them on their happy occasion. I'll let them know after."

"You look annoyed." He asked thoughtfully.

"I'm more annoyed that I had to miss the majority of the ceremony." She scoffed.

"Well, I'm sure Ominis will be grateful you didn't let his father crash the wedding." Linus sighed.

"It helps that I'm an auror. I have more authority than most." She said before sipping her drink. "I doubt he would have left so easily otherwise."

"I did wonder what that sound was. I figured that might be the case. Does that mean you drove him off while wearing that dress?" Linus looked over to her in amusement.

Natsai scoffed, her face flushing a bit. "I didn't have much of a choice."

"That must have been a sight." Linus grinned before chuckling.

Natsai looked over at how freely he as speaking, raising a brow curiously. "Are you tipsy already?"

"Mmhmmm," Linus wiggled his glass, sloshing around the alcohol in it.

"I thought so. Are you feeling alright?" She asked.

Linus looked a little stricken by the question before glancing away anxiously. "You're getting to know me a bit too well."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Natsai grinned.

"Mmm maybe." Linus muttered. "But... it's fine. Weddings are just... difficult for me."

Natsai hummed sympathetically. "Can I ask why?"

Linus was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Because it's something I know I'll never have."

Natsai scoffed softly. "Nonesense, you're a handsome guy, you'll find someone."

Linus flinched a bit at the handsome part, and where normally his reactions would be barely noticeable the alcohol was making it hard for him to mask them. "Mmmm nope." He shook his head.

She looked at him in bewilderment that he was so adamant that no one was out there for him. He obviously wanted a relationship if weddings made him yearn for it... then why didn't he think he'd find someone?

"Who do you think will be next?" Linus said, motioning to Poppy and Danny dancing, and to Connor and William dancing in the dark corner of the tent alone. They didn't seem to be following the song at all, and were instead dancing slowly.

She knew he was changing the subject, but with how uncomfortable he suddenly looked she let him. "Hmmm," she tapped her chin as she looked between them. "It's hard to say, but... I'm going to bet on those two." She pointed to Connor and William.

"Really? I was thinking Poppy might be next." Linus grinned. "I figured this probably got the idea in her head."

"Yeah but she has Danny's siblings to think about, too." Natsai added. "It's not that easy with little kids involved."

"True..." Linus said, giving a soft sigh. "It's nice to see them all so happy, though. I like seeing people happy like this."

Natsai gave a little smile and looked over the crowd again, nodding in agreement. "Me too."