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[Constantin steps it up a second time and Lorenz gives him a sharp look that is obviously completely ignored. Of course it is. It's a little more difficult but he does manage. Not nearly as elegantly but still.

At least until Constantin goes and sasses him and Lorenz just scoffs and immediately comes to a halt, releasing the other man so he doesn't potentially topple them both.]

And you are intentionally trying to make things difficult aren't you?

[As disapproving as he sounds, though, there's still a faint smile on his lips that he can't quite force away. Damn you, Constantin.]

[Ah, there's the sudden stop. Constantin's eyes pop open and he does not stumble so much as miss a step and falter, then look back at Lorenz with obvious amusement. Sorry, sorry... not really.]

I'm trying to improve your technique. You dance like you've never heard the word before!

[Like he's too busy counting to listen to music! Or, in this case, humming. Truly, this is a tragedy.]

I beg your pardon! [How dare!!] It has been some years since I've had excuse to dance but I do know the steps!

[He's not sure if he should be genuinely offended or if Constantin is just trying to rile him up again. One hand does go to his hip, the smile fading now. Surely he's not serious.]

You do the steps like it's a hassle. I was here the whole time, remember? I thought, maybe he'll start to liven up, and then— you stopped!

[Sad! Tragique! It is an earnest criticism, to be fair - no one is grading them on perfect technique in here, that doesn't matter in this scenario - but at the same time... how can he have fun like this. Honestly.

He holds both his hands out this time, gesturing for Lorenz to quit fussing and come back.]

Maybe it was nerves. Let's try again.

[Of course it matters. If he cannot properly execute a dance how would anyone expect him to hold his own on the field of battle? Just because this isn't Fodlan hardly means mistakes do not still reflect poorly on him (and his House, his Father, his Country, etc etc etc).

But then... it is just the two of them, isn't it? His voice is a little softer, less indignant and more apologetic as he moves closer once more.]

I do not mean it to seem a hassle. Maintaining the proper form... [A sigh.] What do you mean by liven up?

[That's a great question, one he has to think about as he reaches out to tug Lorenz's hands back into position again. How does one explain the, he thinks, very basic concept of livening up?]

Well, you could start by remembering I'm not going to give you a score at the end of all this. You did say this is your little refuge, so...

[He shrugs; and okay, so he was the one who said that, but Lorenz did agree! Therefore: relax, as usual.]

I've just seen you dance— it follows that now I know you can, so stop trying to impress someone who isn't here.

[Two thoughts happen simultaneously. One far more helpful than the other.

What if you're the one I want to impress? has absolutely no business in his head and he drops his gaze from Constantin once again, cheeks stubbornly refusing to lose their color but in the guilty side-eyed way that means he's gone and thought something inappropriate.

The other more constructive thought, the one he's going to focus on thank you very much, is the simple fact that if he's not... counting beats and hyper focusing on precision then what is he supposed to do?]

I can't help it if I'm impressive by my very nature.

[Is what comes out of his stupid mouth though. Expression and ears and blush all saying very much the opposite but it's hardly as though he can simply admit to not knowing what to do or caring about Constantin's opinion of him. Not at all. So... that's just... where they're at.]

[Ah. So close- for a moment there Constantin was so sure he might say something unrelated to propriety or his very important skills or whatever- but evidently not. Still: somehow it makes him laugh, abrupt and inelegant as anything, and he shakes his head hastily to get past it. Ahhh— okay.

It's almost funny- generally speaking— prissy, upright-all-the-time types are usually open season for being taken down a few pegs, but right now Constantin finds himself much more willing to quietly let Lorenz keep his pride. They're supposed to be enjoying themselves, so he's not going to... heckle.

Not any more than he has, anyway. Not maliciously.]

Of course you can't! Like telling a fish to live on land— I understand, I do.

[Like this, see, this is fun heckling. He shifts his feet to stand properly for Waltz 2: Waltzening.]

How about without the music, this time? I won't be tempted to spoil your footwork a second time.

[The look he gives Constantin for the heckling is half annoyed, half grateful. There's no denying that the other man is clearly appeasing his pride. Which means Lorenz will just have to try to be less insufferable. Of course.]

It is surprisingly difficult without the music, isn't it? But I think... the slightly faster tempo has... some merit, I suppose?

[Which is the tempo that Lorenz tries to lead them off after a moment. Consciously trying to not be so precise is... even harder, somehow? And he finds he can hardly meet the other man's gaze for how embarrassing that is. Though without Constantin humming Lorenz finds himself mentally shuffling through some of the music he remembers from his youth, little snippets that come to mind bringing a note or three to his lips as well before he catches himself and apologizes.

But at least he's not... thinking so hard about the steps? It does make the steps flow a bit more easily though the tempo still throws him off a little.]

[See, it's working, Constantin is a genius. He grins and falls into step with the quicker tempo, and yes, it's not as precise as the first waltz, but he's definitely enjoying it more— no offense, Mr. Precision, it was impressive! But this is more fun!]

I'll accept merit. You're impressing me more now, and that's a compliment, before you ask.

[Keep it up!! The quick tempo is fun, and Lorenz is trying his level best to indulge him, maybe- or prove a point, either way- and so if Constantin leans closer to him, it's obviously just the dancing. When his hand slides from Lorenz's shoulder to the back of his neck, it's for the dance!

A waltz, even a quick one, isn't racy or anything, so it's fine. And hmm, what's this he hears...]

You could hum.

[Ah but keeping his hand where it belongs on Lorenz' shoulder is fine. There's no less than three layers of fabric between them that way. Constantin moves closer though, slides his hand up and the moment his fingers touch bare skin Lorenz sucks in a sharp breath. Violet eyes go wide and his steps falter for a moment, the hand at Constantin's waist even curls into his jacket a little in his surprise.

Oh. He's so unused to actual contact like that it's enough to throw him off completely.

What? Hmm? Him? Humming? Nonsense.]

A-as I've said. You don't want that.

[That— is near impossible to miss, so first: wow. Constantin raises his eyebrows mildly, questioning without actually saying something; Lorenz can stop again at any time, but if he doesn't, Constantin must only assume it's fine...

And alright, he isn't nearly as easily startled by contact, but there is a significant difference between sedately resting a hand on a many-layered shoulder and sliding fingers over bare skin. If he really thinks about it, well, warm skin and getting steadily closer to each other, bit by bit, hmm— Maybe he ought to focus.

So. Focusing. Yes.]

Try me. It's only fair.

[Even in the time since he's been in the city he's only actually touched another person, skin to skin, twice. Hilda touched his arm once in that foolish "toga" and ... well he's not thinking about what happened in the mountains, nope. Not at all. Nonsense.

He's trying to take it in stride but the touch certainly distracts him more than he'd care to admit. Still he rolls his eyes at Constantin's encouragement but doesn't actively argue. It takes a moment, caught between embarrassment and the distraction of proximity. Another spin, two, but he gradually finds the melody of a song he knew some basic version of, one he knew he'd heard used as a waltz once or twice. The tempo is actually just a touch faster than what they were moving at.

So he corrects their speed, shortens steps to accommodate it regardless of what propriety says, finds himself drawing Constantin closer to guide him a little more fully through the steps. The same basic turns but with some small adjustments required. For a moment, possibly even a full few minutes, it's smooth and unstructured and elegant, movements to match the song and not some calculation in his head.

As is so often the case with him the art contrasted against the logic.

At least until he realizes he doesn't remember the last third perhaps of the song, the humming falls apart and he slows their steps to gradually stop, chuckling under his breath at himself. But hey. He's smiling.]

Apologies... I have not looked at the music for that in at least a decade.

[Now, this is what he was talking about before. Livening up- or loosening up, or both- and actually enjoying the dance part without worrying about the steps. It's nice; Constantin lets himself get pulled closer easily, enough that it finally feels like dancing instead of pantomiming the whole thing.

And— and Lorenz's humming is okay most of the way through. Serviceable! Doing it in the first place wins him a few points no matter the quality, and Constantin is almost, almost disappointed when he loses the thread of the music and lets it fade. The dance coming to an end is a genuine disappointment, such that he doesn't immediately spring away from Lorenz once they've stopped, looking at him from up close in a thoughtful kind of way.

Then he smiles, so whatever it was was probably good. Don't ask questions.]

Well, that wasn't bad at all, so you may rest assured that your memory for old music is quite keen.

[Lorenz is actually caught up in the moment enough that he doesn't force space between them again. And if some of that is perhaps him being loathe to pull the other man's fingers from his neck, well. It is such a small point to surrender in the grand scheme of things, isn't it? And it's nice. Warm.

Perhaps he runs cooler than he thought if everyone he touches seems so very warm by comparison?]

You're far kinder than my old choir instructor, I promise you.

[It is nice to spend a quiet moment like this - and this whole thing is kind of a quiet moment, being they are alone in here and there isn't any music, but details, it's the ambiance. Constantin chuckles and shakes his head, absently looping a fingertip over his skin. He is genuinely not paying attention to his own hands, don't mind him.]

Just wait until I get going. I can be quite the challenge.

[Not that he's particularly gifted at, like, instructing anything at all, anyway— which means it's sure enough time to try and teach Lorenz a dance that isn't a waltz, as soon as he flips through his mental library of dances to pick one. Something that isn't too wild, surely...]

Shall we take a break, or charge boldly ahead into the next one?

[It would be too much to hope that Constantin not notice the way Lorenz shudders at the absent sweep of fingertips on his skin. Violet eyes flutter closed for a moment before he checks himself blinks down at Constantin, brow lifting at that little suggestion of a challenge. But he doesn't push it, not just yet.

Not when he's certain that challenge is meant more to be about keeping his composure under all these delicate little touches than anything legitimately connected to their teaching or dancing. Or perhaps he's simply hyper aware of the contact and making something more of it than it's intended to be.]

I see no reason not to carry on.

[Partially because he's not going to step down from this after hardly 10 minutes and partially because he knows if he gives himself that distance back again he'll never be able to get back to this point.]

[Oh, he notices. Of course he does, belatedly realizing his own errant touch might not have been, ah, welcome? But Lorenz still doesn't tsk at him and turn him away, which must be a miracle.

But here's the thing, even as he flashes him a grin for this particular challenge: there are court dances, with steps and outlines and a lot of prancing around six feet apart with maybe a shoulder brush if they're very lucky, and then there are, hmm... dances one might do in, say, the tavern. Informally. Without teachable steps, but far less space in between, and Constantin can see absolutely no reason to shuffle away and hop around like a court puppet for the sake of a real, proper dance.

Which means he's going to make it up, but he's going to pretend he's not. They're from completely different worlds, it will work, it's the perfect crime. He nods and shifts his feet, reaching around to tug Lorenz's arm further around his waist, for the proper position for this dance he is inventing right the hell now.]

This one has spins. I suspected you might like it more than the ones that involve a little stomping.

[Precision is now Over, buddy, it's time to wing it.]

First you'll make three steps back, then one to your right, then one to your left— and then I get to spin! Alright?

[There are so many things he could offer and even if they had stayed... rather close it would have been somewhat acceptable. But to suddenly have Constantin pressing in even closer has Lorenz' eyes going wide.]

W-What- Surely...

[Stammered protests that he bites back, swallows down and presses his lips into a thin line before Constantin can argue with him. The pleasant ease the music and familiar steps had finally gotten from him fades back into the same old stiffness. He doesn't mean to try to take back a little of that space when he takes the first experimental step back but he does regardless.

Nope everything is awkward again.]

What happened to you leading?

[How big are these steps supposed to be? Which foot does he lead with? Why a step to one side just to undo it again? He's... never actually spun someone before!?]

[Alright, so, baby steps to keep Lorenz from mentally withering at the mere suggestion of an imperfect dance, he's learned that already in the past three seconds. He hums and considers, looking down at their feet for no reason other than it will probably sit easier than so much up close eye contact right this second. He's being generous.]

Well, I wanted to spin, I suppose.

[Why muddle through anything more complicated than that! He wants to spin. He can probably spin with more comfort and ease than Lorenz, right at this exact second, so.

Well, so. Let him spin, sir.]

I'm telling you the steps, so isn't it sort of leading by instruction? Humor me.

[There's something so breathtakingly sweet about that moment. Constantin being the one to look away and simply... not taking the lead after all his bluster because he wants to spin. It's adorable and endearing and finally bridges that little gap in his logic between dancing to impress and dancing for his partner's enjoyment.

Lorenz smiles softly, struggles to find a little of that ease again even as he nods and... tightens his arm around Constantin just the slightest bit.]

Very well... I'm assuming from proximity alone this is meant to be a quick step? And... [A thoughtful pause, trying to map out the steps in his head.] Right then left... is that meant to be leading you out to this... spin?

[His voice is a little distant, just focusing on pushing down his own discomfort and making sense of the instructions so he can give Constantin this one small thing. As soon as he's murmured his way through questions he doesn't really need or expect answers to he just goes for it. The sharp rap of the iron reinforced heel of his boot on the floor serves as a quick way to count off. It's fine, actually? Until the spin part. They go right and Lorenz takes the next step left again, attempting to give Constantin a little more space, to... well mimic things he'd seen people like Sylvain do in the past but had always been told was absolutely unacceptable to do to a young woman.

Convenient how he's not dancing with a woman then.]

[That arm around his waist holds him that much tighter and it's an honest surprise, one that makes Constantin look back up at Lorenz without his usual air of finding all of this rather amusing. No, it's a flash of something more open, that eases into a grin as Lorenz tries to work out the steps. Ah, Constantin thinks, so he can be taught— specifically taught how to have a little fun.

It's nice, and humoring him enough that he almost blushes like a fair maiden himself for the very first time, but ah, yes, the spin—]

Yes, that's— oh!

[Oh, and there they go, steps fast and loose enough after the much more reserved waltz that Constantin hardly has time to even laugh before the big spin itself. Pity that he has to pull his hand away from Lorenz's neck to do it, but delightful that he gets to spin at all, an easy pivot out and back on the balls of his feet that really do betray that he's probably insisted on getting to spin most of the time, with other dance partners.

Well, he is a man of simple pleasures, and so when he darts back in to Lorenz he does use the momentum to soft-lead a couple idle steps, just so the dance will continue. He also comes in just a bit closer than before, hand returning to the back of his neck with a delighted curl of fingers against skin.

See, dancing is not actually boring.]

Marvelous! You're getting it!

[Using that momentum to pull the other man back in against him, feeling his fingers immediately curve beneath the high collar of his shirt, a breathless laugh and the absolute delight on Constantin's face... his own breath catches in his chest and he is suddenly keenly aware of why his father discouraged such actions so much.

It all comes with a bit of a thrill and a strange little dip in his belly that has his own cheeks flushing again. And then Constantin has to go and compliment him as though he's done anything more than precisely what he was told to do. A strange, giddy little rush of laughter and Lorenz hardly even notices that his hand settles more comfortable at the small of Constantin's back rather than the more appropriate location higher on his back.]

You're supposed to be teaching me the steps, you recall.

[But even with the tease he lets Constantin lazily guide them into... whatever this mess is.]

Edited 2020-09-19 18:40 (UTC)

[It's a lazy, wandering loop of steps that's pretending to be a proper dance very well, thank you, Lorenz. Constantin scoffs and rolls his eyes, but he's still grinning.]

What do you suppose I'm doing right now? This is your education! Here, follow me—

[And he does properly lead them now into a series of sharp little turns, a few steps in another direction, a turn again— this dance is completely made up, but he's keeping it on rhythm with what Lorenz had tapped out a moment ago.

It's just, you know, mostly more spinning? He has one very obvious preference.]

[Lorenz goes along with it, surprisingly enough. Constantin's excitement is nothing if not infectious and he seems so incredibly pleased with the whole thing even Lorenz' sense of propriety can't push him to put a stop to it. He tries, at first, to keep his expression neutral but by the third turn when he almost trips over himself he laughs and the attempt to remain unaffected falls apart. Because it's not a courtly laugh or a subdued chuckle but a full, breathless laugh, the sort of thing that only his horse has ever heard.

With his arms full of Constantin he can't even try to hide it behind his hand.]

This is not a dance.

[A weak protest the second time Constantin insists on another spin but there's laughter on his lips, a smile wide enough to show teeth for a fleeting moment. Goddess, he hasn't felt light like this since he was a child.]

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