Winter Hearts

Lukas Looks Too Long

Leo could see the family resemblance between George and Panos now that they had been introduced. But ten minutes ago he would not have clocked George as Panos' brother, nor even as a friendly stranger.

The rising panic he felt when he realised that Siana was making for a fight with the rather burly army man spurred him into a run at the last possible moment. But then Siana and George had embraced, and his anxiety disappeared under a plethora of mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was thoroughly relieved she wasn't in danger and also that she wasn't a closet maniac who liked to look for fights with strangers.

And on the other, he felt like he had been had. Well and truly.

It was a feeling he supposed he would have to get used to when it came to Siana. She had an impish streak that coloured her rather gentle side, making her unlike any girls he knew. Although there were jokesters among them, they put themselves out there as such, whereas Siana didn't. She rather hid that side of her, or at least, when it manifested, he didn't see it coming because she was so good at being genuine.

She's got the humour of an old man trying to mislead gullible youngsters - all seriousness and denials.

Like me, he thought, not sure whether that was a good thing.

Today's incident was all the more convincing because she had shown herself to be tough in the face of confrontation, and so he had thoroughly believed she was about to deck the man for giving Hyuk grief over his screaming.

And he found it more than a little hot when he thought that she was up for a fight.

Leo glanced at Hyuk, wondering what on earth had possessed him to shriek til the birds in the trees took off in fright. Hyuk was looking suitably embarrassed, but happy nevertheless that all had turned out to be a joke, and that George was someone they knew. Ken was saying how ready he was to throw a punch for Siana, which made Leo smile because even though he knew Ken had those intentions, it was likely that his scrawny wrists would get hurt on impact with George's square jaw.

They all turned to look at Siana, who was still leaning back against him, her hands holding his arms as he crossed them over at her shoulders. She smiled and praised Ken for his chivalry, joking that if he had really had to fight a stranger, she would have been glad to have known him, even if for such a brief time.

Leo noticed everyone laughed and looked at Siana except Hongbin, who seemed to be quite distracted, even though he was listening and half-smiling in response to the chatter. He supposed Hongbin might have been really affected by the possibility that Sians could get hurt, and may be just getting over the anxiety of it.

Leo wanted to speak to Hongbin, whom he knew had been there for Siana during some tough moments when she might have felt alone. Hongbin was also the first to be spurred into action when they had come across the vagrants looking like they were going to pounce on SIana and her father that night.

He regretted being so upset by the incident that he had failed to be the one to check on her after it had happened. Hongbin had done that, and he felt grateful that someone had been there for her - something he envied Hongbin for. But he know it was his own procrastination and inaction which lost him an opportunity to show her he cared. That Hongbin stepped in was simply a matter of decency.

Leo saw Hongbin notice him, and was surprised to see him react with a start. Leo tried to smile at him but Hongbin had looked away before he could, putting his hands into his pockets and turning as if to look at the people around them.

Siana's conversation with George changed to English so that the others could follow.

"How long will you be here for?"

"I have a few days. I go back to Athens on Friday, then Lukas and I will be back in Thessaloniki before the new year." George put a hand Lukas' shoulder.

Leo noticed Lukas still hadn't taken his eyes off Siana, even though she was in his arms. He felt Siana give his arms a squeeze, but he was getting agitated that Lukas was not hiding his appreciation of Siana. He could feel a tension seeping into his shoulders. He didn't like what was happening at all.

George looked up at Leo with a smile, then asked Siana, "New friend?"

Siana laughed and looked up at him too, but he was still eyeing Lukas. Her smile froze, imperceptibly, but George noticed and looked at Lukas too.

He tightened his grip on Lukas' shoulder and shook him. In Greek, he said gruffly, "You're embarrassing me and my cousin. Put your tongue back in. She's not here for your pleasure."

Leo was surprised to see Lukas blush crimson and look sheepish. He supposed Lukas was greener than he had thought, and didn't know how to hide his admiration for Siana. He watched him take a step back, head down. Then he saw George smile back up at him.

"Don't mind him, he still needs help feeding himself."

Leo nodded, letting a small smile crinkle the side of his mouth.

"Our little Siana is a big girl now, huh?" he smiled at Siana, who laughed.

"I'm the same as I was when I saw you last year, Yiorgo," pronouncing his name in Greek.

"No, sweetheart, not the same at all," George smiled at her, then Leo.

"Have you seen your mum yet?" Siana asked.

"We arrived before dawn so we waited here to surprise her on the way to church. She gave me a hug and told me to eat more. So now she is at the hotel, cooking. We're having dinner there - come join us, all of you!"

"Don't you think you should ask your mum first before you invite us all to eat the food she is making for you? She may want to speak to you in private about your lack of a wife and children."

George laughed. "When would that ever be a private conversation? It's okay, she said she will invite everyone anyway, Uncle too, I'm sure."

Siana looked up at Leo, then the others. Ken and Hyuk nodded vigorously, so she said yes.

"Okay, we'll be there," Siana said happily.

George smiled, then stopped for a moment, seeing something beyond the group, over Siana's shoulder.

"What time should we be there?" Siana asked. George snapped his attention back to Siana, his expression back to smiling.

"Come at eight," he said, turning to steer Lukas off, but not before glancing back over Siana's shoulder for the tiniest of moments.