isleofavalon | September Catchall

Even you, with all your talk of dreams, cannot deny that there is benefit to political alliances reinforced through ties of marriage.

[Don't act like there's no possible benefit, Claude. Neither of them are foolish enough to believe that.

But he doesn't push beyond that, doesn't let himself continue arguing. He knows as well as anyone that he's only making himself miserable. That he will continue to do so if he keeps clinging to these notions but he can't quite turn off the voice in his head, the one that sounds suspiciously like his father, that keeps insisting he's selfish for it.

Still, even after admitting that much (and he knows Claude understands precisely what he meant, especially when he repeats it) the other man offers his hand, a smile. No anger or judgement or any of a million terrible things he might have expected to see.

He offers to just.... return to dancing like it's just another playful offer, like it's not enough to make his heart leap into his throat.]

You- [There's the slightest hitch in his voice that only makes his cheeks brighten and the idea of all the varied implications that could be taken from such a gesture amid this conversation race through his mind for a moment. It's a challenge, not doing something foolish. Whether that's more sabotaging or letting himself act on a single one of the impulses he hides from himself.]

I don't think you're ready for a foxtrot. [A weak smile, not nearly as teasing as he'd meant but it's still something.] Why don't you teach me one of your Almyran dances?

[Claude just rolls his eyes at the talk of political marriages, as if he couldn't imagine anything worse. Sure, he can't deny the benefits, but that's still not his foremost consideration.]

When the time's right, I'll do just that. A party, a big bonfire, good music, and most importantly... [He drops his hand to gesture beneath them.] We'd need to be on solid earth. Being up in the air would make the jumping around part way too tricky.

[He looks back up at Lorenz with a smirk, making it hard to tell whether he's kidding or serious about that last part. All in all, though, it's clear it's nothing like a waltz or a foxtrot.]

Jumping.... around?

[It's strange, somehow, just moving on like it's a normal day and a normal conversation. Like he didn't just tell Claude something that would have gotten him disowned or worse, at the very least made him a pariah.

It's also reassuring in a way he wasn't really prepared for and when Claude gestures below them Lorenz reaches out to catch his hand before he can think any part of this was him denying that offer. No... No he doesn't know what to do with it but he's happy. A strained, relieved kind of pleasantness and Lorenz shakes his head slightly, dismissing the suggestion.]

Then I guess I'll have to teach you a Foxtrot, won't I?

[Then he's tugging Claude along, something fragile about his smile but also probably one of the most genuine ones he's ever seen.]

[Casual as he's acting, Claude is still watching Lorenz and the subtle little shifts in his expression closely, a warm smile of his own in place. He's so caught up in the moment he's surprised when Lorenz is suddenly tugging him along again, and he has to focus back on keeping in step with the taller man.]

Whoa! Someone's eager. [The teasing is gentle, though; he's not actually trying to discourage him. If anything, he wants to see more of that genuine happiness in Lorenz's expression.] Lead on, dance master!

[The teasing only makes him blush a little brighter, hesitating briefly before Claude tells him to continue and he huffs a nervous little laugh before he tries to guide Claude into position. Trying to explain the differences in pacing and movement, less moving against one another and more moving side by side in the same direction.]

Think you can manage it?

[Of course, a foxtrot requires being much closer together so the question comes as Lorenz pulls Claude in against him. The other challenge with the foxtrot is that the position means there's not enough space between them for Claude to watch his feet.]

[Claude listens attentively to the explanation, and nods when he's pulled closer, looking down only briefly to crane his neck and check he's in the right starting position.]

Think so! It's just about timing and counting the steps, so I think I can pull it off.

[This could either go great or horrendously, but at least Lorenz should enjoy seeing him struggle either way.]

Shall we?

We'll keep to a simple circle at first so you can get a feel for it, okay?

[And so Lorenz isn't tempted to throw him off with any twirls.

He doesn't count for him, that would be to easy, he just hums a few simple notes to begin a steady rhythm, something obvious but something Claude will still have to do his own counting for. Lorenz does his best to maintain the rhythm so that his friend can keep up but there's at least a couple times where he has to bite his lip to keep from laughing when the other man stumbles a step.

Hmm.... dare he try to walk him through a change step?]

Gotcha.

[Claude's brow is slightly furrowed with focus as they move through the steps, and he does definitely trip over Lorenz's feet a couple of times. In a way the weightlessness makes it a little harder to follow the movements, but at least it's more forgiving of mistakes.]

Er... So far I'm not terrible, right? [He asks, though he's pretty sure Lorenz is internally having a good laugh at his expense. Well, it's all part of the goal to get Lorenz to have fun.]

[Watching Claude concentrate so hard for something that is like second nature to him only makes it more amusing. There are very few things he can say with certainty he can do better than Claude... then again of those things most aren't ones Claude would have any interest in.]

Not terrible. [Soft and perhaps a touch too affectionate as he squeezes their clasped hands together just a little more.]

You're just going to move forward okay. Three steps. Let me worry about the positioning.

[Hopefully Claude can focus enough on what he's doing to not get too distracted by Lorenz crossing in front of him.]

Three steps! Easy.

[Or easier said than done, because as he steps forward and Lorenz leads them through the turn, he mistimes it and trips over Lorenz's foot again, stumbling right into him.]

Ack, sorry-- [At least there's no gravity up here, making it easier for Lorenz to (maybe) keep his balance.]

[It's hard to tell for a moment if the way Lorenz shifts is just... holding Claude closer to steady him or if he's trying to maintain his own balance. It should be simple enough but they're teetering ever closer to the magic wearing off and keeping himself upright and aloft with Claude's weight on him ends up being more than he can manage.

It isn't as though they actually crash into anything so much as tumble back, a moment of uncontrolled falling before Lorenz can catch himself in the air, eyes wide in surprise that quickly gives way to amusement... and then laughter.]

I'm so glad I didn't try this on the ground.

[Claude realises he'd grabbed onto Lorenz's shirt to try and stop keeling over entirely... to little avail. He laughs and loosens his grip where they'd toppled over, colouring a little in embarrassment.]

Speak for yourself! I bet I'd be much less clumsy on the ground.

[Or you could just admit you suck at ballroom dancing, Claude.]

[Lorenz manages to contain his laughter long enough to raise a brow, giving Claude a disbelieving look. Then succumbs to his amusement again, too busy trying not to dissolve into the embarrassing sort of giggles that tend to come with too much wine. It doesn't occur to him to let go of Claude, not least of all because the amount of effort he had initially put into staying near the ground is now what it takes for him to stay aloft. ]

Shall we test that?

[However the magic worked it was clearly beginning to fade and he would be all too happy let Claude fumble over himself on the ground as well. ]

[Seeing Lorenz a giggling mess like this makes him inclined to just want to carry on messing up on purpose, but he'll relent for now.] Fine, fine. Better get to the ground before you drop right out of the sky on top of me!

[Claude says it with a cheeky grin, evidently angling for a reaction from putting the mental image into his head. Still, he does guide him back to land back on solid ground.]

Honestly, you have a nice laugh, Lorenz. [When it's not that haughty laugh, but a genuine one.]

I'm not going to-

[Lorenz pushes at his shoulder, playful but carefully keeping a hand on the other man just in case he needs Claude to steady him for the last bit of the descent. As his toes touch the ground and he takes his weight back he finds himself reluctant to completely draw his hands away from his friend, one hand beginning to slide down his arm but hesitating near his elbow instead of drifting away entirely.

A touch of color on his face for that initial hesitance and then Claude speaks again and the blush deepens.]

You... think so? I've had so few opportunities to truly allow for such unrestrained amusement I suppose I never really thought much of it.

Well, now's your chance to really cut loose. What do you say?

[The hand on his elbow hasn't escaped his notice, and he steps closer to Lorenz, eyes bright. Another deliberate provocation, perhaps; though whether Lorenz takes the bait this time or doesn't is another matter.]

[Of course Claude would encourage him to be reckless. To "cut loose" as it were. But there's something different about it, not teasing exactly or at least not in the same way. Something charged in the way he says it, expectant almost and that alone is enough to make his heart skip a beat. His fingers curl around Claude's arm instead of merely resting against him and he matches that step drawn into the other in a way that is at once terrifying and exhilarating.]

Khalid... [An uncertain, breathless murmur, not entirely sure what he's meant to be answering exactly. It feels as though the question is so much deeper than merely a comment on his laugh. So instead he hovers, caught between those two emotions and utterly unprepared to commit to either.]

I.... might need your help. Figuring out how, I mean.

[To cut loose? To enjoy himself at all? To figure out what this tension between them is?

Even he's not sure what he means anymore.]

[Claude's just studying him patiently, that amused smile still toying at his mouth.] Well, here's a little tip for starters.

[That's about all the warning he gets before Claude tugs on the front of Lorenz's shirt, closing whatever shred of distance was left between them to kiss him. It lingers what could seem both like a long time and yet no time at all, before he's pulling back again with a smile.]

... If you're going to kiss someone, make it a little more like that, and less like a punch to the mouth.

[And all of the sudden his heart is in his throat.

He won't admit it, if Claude calls him on it but there's a soft, strangled, startled sort of sound in his throat and he barely has time to wrap his head around the fact that Claude is kissing him before he's starting to pull away. The hand on Claude's arm moves up hovering briefly as Lorenz leans in, then settling tentatively against his jaw, trying to coax him to stay. Just for a moment, just to make sure this is real and not some bubble induced delusion.

It's only a span of heartbeats before he lets Claude draw back as he'd intended and he's far too busy staring at him dumbstruck to even process the words at first.

When his mind catches up with what's going on he-

Well he bursts out laughing, startling even himself. Giddy and overwhelmed and it seems so surreal he is genuinely at a complete loss for what to do or say. In the end he just pulls Claude closer, hugging him tightly, that hand still hovering beside his face even as Lorenz presses his own scarlet face into Claude's shoulder.]

I was so scared you would think ill of me. I didn't-

[Didn't expect any kind of reciprocation, didn't know what to do then, doesn't know what to do now.]

[Claude had expected another freakout from Lorenz, maybe more yelling and storming off, so to get this reaction is a pleasant surprise. He returns the hug with a warm smile, wrapping his arms around him as if to soothe him.]

There's nothing to be scared of, Lorenz. [His voice is a low murmur as he drops the teasing tone of before, squeezing him gently.] You accepted me for who I really am. You shouldn't be afraid to be yourself, too.

[It would be so easy to teeter over that line from overwhelmed to freaking out all over again. Even with Claude squeezing him there's a slight tremor in his hands.]

You know full well it's... it's not that easy.

[Setting aside the fear of being ostracized for something like that, something that goes against what society says is "right". ]

But I want to try.

Good. You'll get there.

[He says that with complete confidence. It helps that here, Avalon is so different to Fódlan, that even someone as set in his ways as Lorenz can relax a little.]

Honestly, the only person who can stop you from being happy here is yourself. We may have another long struggle on our hands, but it doesn't have to be a miserable, lonely one. [He draws back to regard Lorenz, moving to rest a hand on the taller man's shoulder.] Don't you think?

[Well at least one of them is confident. But he is trying, has been since the first time someone tried to tell him that he needs to relax. Which has, perhaps, involved just as much of him trying to figure out what is him and what is years of conditioning.

Claude draws back and for a fleeting moment Lorenz looks like he might panic, arm crossing over his chest to cover the other's hand on his shoulder. His other hand still hovers along his jawline and after a moment Lorenz allows himself one small moment of daring. The pad of his thumb slides along Claude's jawline, curiously feeling at the gradual shift to the hair of his beard but he nods in response to those words.]

Does.... that mean you won't force yourself to be alone, either?

[Claude goes still at the touch of Lorenz's hands, though that expression of his is as inscrutable as ever, his mind ticking over what to say and how to say it.] About that. I've been thinking lately... [Then he lowers his gaze slightly, the slightest waver of his expression that in ordinary circumstances, Claude would never allow. Always with the smiles, the confidence, no matter how false they are. Not this time.]

...I've been thinking... that I've given a lot of advice, but I've been terrible at taking my own. [Then, almost imperceptibly, he leans against the touch at his jaw, and smiles weakly up at Lorenz.] You think there's any takers for a hypocrite like that?

[It's so uncharacteristically genuine that he can't help but be touched. Still, at the same time.... it's Claude being just as foolish as usual. Lorenz' next breath comes out as a stifled little scoff, eyes rolling as he lets his hand slip down to rest on Claude's shoulder, fingers curled lightly at the nape of his neck.]

You say that as though it's something new.

[But he can't help the way what might usually have been a smug smirk turns up into a more genuine, pleased sort of smile.]

I'm sure you can find one or two willing to stay beside you. Even when you are being a hypocrite.

September Catchall

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