Sway With Me (Dusty)

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty was far too concerned ‘bout ‘er own footwork ta even notice anythin’ else. She just didn’t wanna mess up again. She knew she weren’t the best at dancin’ but she were tryin’ awful hard. Harder than she’d ever tried afore. ‘Cause honest, she wanted Arkady ta think she were okay at dancin’, even if she weren’t. And boy, she weren’t. But she was tryin’ awful hard.

Did she mention that ‘er heart were beatin’ a bit faster’n normal? Gosh darn, stupid heart, beatin’ faster’n it should. And just ‘cause Arkady said she were doin’ good. And yet she couldn’t help but smile up at ‘im. But she couldn’t berate ‘erself for it. She was focusin’ and concentratin’ and it were payin’ off.

She could do this! Probably. It were just six steps, over and over. Just like Arkady said. She could do it. She would! Well, she’d try awful hard anyhow. And that were almost as good as gettin’ it right. Well, not quite, but she’d settle for that for now. “Okay,” she told Arkady with a nod. “I’m ready.”

[Deleted]

It took her an extra moment to respond, but then she gave an affirmative nod along with her words and they were ready to start. “Alright, here we go...”

Arkady counted the steps as they moved; one, two, three, one, two, three; after the six steps were completed they kept moving, repeating, slow but steady.

“Merveilleux!” he exclaimed in an encouraging manner. Such statements always sounded better in French. “Now, how about we try to add a little turn in here?”

Keeping his lead, hoping she could follow, Arkady altered the direction of his steps slightly, though ultimately the steps themselves stayed the same. If she could get this part then that was really all there was to it. Add in a little music, maybe pull off a little flourish at the end to impress her and he would definitely call this night a success!

[Dusty Fae]

Here we go. That were all she needed and she looked down at her feet and listened while ‘e counted out the steps. And somehow she made it through all six steps! It were a miracle! And she beamed up at Arkady when he said something in a different language that she’d never heard afore. But it sounded good even if she had no idea what ‘e were talkin’ ‘bout.

But at the suggestion of adding a turn Dusty bit ‘er lip. She weren’t sure that were such a good idea when she’d just learned the steps and only tried them together once. “Well, alright,” she agreed, albeit a little hesitantly.

Dusty faltered a bit in ‘er first step, but quickly got back inta sync. It would be a miracle if she could get through this without a little flourish at the end. She weren’t sure she could do this, nevermind adding flourishes. And she were bound ta trip at some point. She just hoped she wouldn’t step on Arkady’s feet again. That were never good.

[Deleted]

After some slight stumbling Dusty seemed to recover herself fairly well and managed to keep up with him as he slowly executed the turn. Instinctively Arkady had tightened his hold on her, pulling her just that tiny bit closer in case her clumsiness got the better of her and she began to fall. He continued to count off the steps, turning them in a circle instead of the small square they had started with until he was satisfied that she at least knew was she was supposed to be doing.

“Last one,” he warned, “two, three,” before bringing them to a stop. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he lowered their enjoined hands but did not let her go. Lowering his head slightly to bring his eyes more level with hers, he narrowed them slightly in mock suspicion. “I thought you said you were terrible at this.”

Grinning at her, he nodded his head backwards to the small stereo behind him. “So... think you’re ready to put it all to some music?”

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty bit ‘er lip when Arkady pulled ‘er in even closer. They were already so close together, but now they were even closer. Even if it were only a tiny bit. And it made ‘er extra nervous so she really had to concentrate. But she managed to go to the end without falterin’. It was much better when they stopped. She noticed that their hands lower, but he didn’t let go. He didn’t let go!

She smiled up at Arkady. “Well this is real good fer me. I am terrible. Usually.” She weren’t quite sure why she were doin’ so well. “Maybe you’re better at teachin’ than yah thought.” And she meant it. Really meant it. Nobody else could teach ‘er ta dance.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. She weren’t sure at all. She was bound to trip at some point. And she’d probably fall. Dusty really hoped she didn’t. “Do you think I’m ready?”

[Deleted]

Standing there in the silent, dimly lit room with Dusty staring up at him, her smaller hand still held loosely in his, Arkady slowly became aware of just how close they were standing, and how her smile seemed to make her eyes sparkle even in the near dark.

“Maybe,” he replied, shrugging one shoulder. “Or maybe we’re both just better together.”

It was a good line, Arkady just really wished that he would have thought of it, because the alternative scared him: he’d said it with no thought, with no conniving and calculating; it had just been there, on the tip of his tongue. That was not good.

Clearing his throat abruptly, this time he was the one to break the eye contact. Quickly releasing Dusty’s hand, he moved over to the radio and began hitting a few buttons. “Yes, I think you’re ready,” he tried to latch onto the subject change and regain his composure. He was just getting used to the roll, that was all. He was falling into character, and the more he played the part, the easier it was to come up with those cheesy lines. It was a good thing, really. He just had to make sure to take a step back every once in a while. “Won’t know until you try, right?” he continued, finally turning back to face her. Getting back to his feet, he walked back over to stand before her, reaching for her hand again, as the first strains of the music began.

(( www.youtube.com/watch?v=9spCo6A7dfs ))

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty already knew just how close they were standin’. She’d been real aware of it the entire time, so it weren’t nothin’ new. But it were excitin’. Real excitin’ ta just stand there, their hands enjoined. She’d been tryin’ ta deny that she were sweet on Arkady. But she knew she couldn’t deny it much longer. Not to ‘erself anyway. She were awful sweet on ‘im.

Lookin’ up at ‘im she couldn’t be sure that he were sweet on ‘er too, but she thought she had a chance. When else do boys say that two people are ‘better together’? She were quite sure this moment were perfect and nothin’ else mattered. She were happy right here, right now. Happier’n she’d been in a long time. Right here in this moment it was just the two of ‘em, together. Just a boy ‘n’ a girl. And it were perfect.

But then it ended, like all moments have ta at some point or another. And then Dusty felt a little awkward, though she weren’t sure why. She hadn’t said anythin’. She’d just smiled at Arkady. That mighta been the problem. She’d coulda been smilin’ too much. Gosh, this were confusin’ bein’ sweet on a boy.

“I s’pose,” Dusty agreed. It were true. She wouldn’t know ‘til she tried. She were a bit nervous and she hoped she wouldn’t trip or stumble or anythin’. That would be awful embarrassin’. But she were ready, kinda, when Arkady stopped fiddlin’ with the CD player thing. And she lifted ‘er hand to meet his, ‘casue that just felt right. It felt right ta have his hands hold hers. This just felt right.

[Deleted]

With Dusty now securely back in his arms, Arkady forced himself to focus on the dance and put all other thoughts aside.

“I’m going to count down and we’ll start on one again, okay?” he said. Nodding his head along to the music to capture the beat, he waited for the best moment and started counting down. “Three, two... and one... two, three.”

For the first few rounds he counted aloud, keeping in the original square they had started with. After a few successful steps he started to turn them just slightly. The counting started to fade out.

“Now try looking up at me, don’t look at your feet. You’re doing great, hold your head up high.”

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty felt a bit more confident, standin’ in Arkady’s arms like this. This were nice. This were pleasant. They should do this more often. Yes, that would be real nice. They could be nice and close and Dusty could practice ‘er dancin’ with the boy she were sweet on. And weren’t that just the nicest?

“Okay,” Dusty agreed, ‘cause she were feelin’ a little more confident in ‘er abilities not ta trip and make a complete fool out of herself. And she waited while Arkady got the beat inta his head, ‘cause bein’ a bit musically inclined herself, she knew that keepin’ the beat were essential. And she looked down at ‘er feet when they started ta move. Well, when they started ta dance she meant.

She were startin’ ta get the beat. And ‘er feet were movin’ when they were supposed to and movin’ ta where they were supposed ta go. And Dusty were concentratin’ real hard. But Arkady were tellin’ not ta look at ‘er feet. She weren’t sure if that were a good idea, but she complied anyway.

And then she tripped. Over her own two feet too. She stumbled inta Arkady, unconsciously tighten her grip on ‘is hand. And this were why she’d been lookin’ at ‘er feet.

[Deleted]

Instinctively tightening his hold on her as well when she stumbled into him, Arkady stopped his footwork and just held her steady. Chuckling a little, he smiled down at the top of her head.

“That’s alright, I know I’m throwing a lot at you all at once,” he said with a bit of an apologetic tone. Moving his hand from Dusty’s back, he crooked his forefinger under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. “We just need a little more practice with that one.”

Looking away from her eyes for a moment, he trailed his fingers up he side of her face, his eyes following them, to brush an errant lock of dark hair behind her ear. hand lingering at her jawline a moment, he slowly brought it down to resume its place on her back, his eyes finally moving back to meet hers again.

“Keep your eyes on mine and just feel the music. I’ll lead you, just move with me, and move with he music.” His voice had grown soft, soothing, almost part of the music itself.

[Dusty Fae]

She were awful embarrassed now. She’d been doin’ so well and now this. It were awful disappointin’. But she were real thrown off when Arkady chuckled at ‘er and soundin’ apologetic. And then his finger were under her chin and she were lookin’ inta those blue eyes. She didn’t even hear what he said after that.

She were pretty sure she weren’t breathin’ as he touched ‘er face. It sent delightful little tingles up ‘er spine and she were almost sure she’d died and gone to heaven. She couldn’t say a thing. Not a single thing. She just watched ‘is face and felt the stray hair get tucked back behind ‘er ear again. Oh, she were real sure she couldn’t breathe. And she certainly couldn’t move. She were frozen in place. She might as well have turned inta an icicle.

When his eyes met hers again she wanted ‘im ta kiss her, real bad. She almost wished she could move so she could kiss him. But she tried ta focus on ‘is words and not get lost in those endless blue eyes o’ his. Feel the music, move with him. She could try, but she weren’t sure how well she’d do if’n she were lookin’ inta his eyes. But she found ‘er voice and answered, her voice soft, matchin’ his. “Alright then.”

[Deleted]

The mood in the room had certainly shifted, and the tension that was building between them was almost palpable. For a long moment the music was the only sound in the room, the long musical intro finally giving way to words.

“Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread...”

Her answer was long in coming, and her voice so soft when it finally did that Arkady could have missed it had he not been looking right at her. Nodding in reply he corrected his stance and after a few beats he stepped forward again, though this time not as far; half a step, easier for her to respond to, harder to trip up on, and somehow more intimate. The traditional waltz was a dying dance, and he had seen at the clubs here how people dance now, full bodies pressed against each other, arms wrapped tightly around one another, barely stepping at all, more like swaying. Definitely more intimate.

Maybe not a bad thing.

For now he stuck with the traditional steps, though at a slower pace and with a smaller dance space, and he held her eyes as tight as she held his hand.

[Dusty Fae]

It was so silent she didn’t even want to breathe, but then she remembered that she weren’t anyway so it didn’t matter anyhow. Her heart were beatin’ awful fast though. Dusty weren’t sure she wanted to make it stop. She weren’t sure how ta make it go back ta normal even if’n she wanted to.

She let the music flow over her and into ‘er. She became the music and she weren’t afraid that she were gonna trip or stumble. She could do this. She trusted Arkady, so when he stepped she were ready and she stepped too. She didn’t even so much as glance down at ‘er feet, just moved them in time, keepin’ her eyes locked on his.

This were perfect, absolutely perfect. Momma’d never told ‘er you could fall in love on a dance floor and Dusty were pleasantly surprised to find yah could. This was beautiful. This was magical. Dusty never wanted it ta end. She felt safe and happy here in Arkady’s arms, like nothin’ could tear them apart. This were probably the most intimate thing she’d ever done in ‘er whole sixteen years of life. She loved this. There was only thing that would make it even more perfect that it already were.

[Deleted]

For the first time they seemed to be completely in sync. He wasn’t counting aloud, and in result making the steps mechanical, and she wasn’t worrying about her footwork and stumbling about. For the remainder of the song they moved fluidly, as one, as if they were born to be so. Never once did their eyes stray from each other’s.

When the song came to an end, so did the dance, but while they stopped moving they did not pull away. The strains of the next tune began but Arkady barely noticed; if asked, he couldn’t have identified what it was, he was too lost in her eyes.

“That was...” he tried to speak, offer some praise, but the whispered words faded out and were swallowed up in the music. He tried to think, tried to consider his options, where to go from here, but his head was cloudy, filled with only thoughts of her. Although he could be cold and calculating at times, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t impulsive, though when he ignored his brain and let his emotions take over it was usually when someone had pushed too many buttons and resulted in a fight. Dusty had pushed some buttons all right, but this time when Arkady shut his brain off and just acted on impulse, the resulting scene was far less violent, though possibly more surprising, at least to him.

Leaning in, he finally broke the eye contact when he closed his eyes and gently pressed his lips to hers.

[Dusty Fae]

Dusty felt like she were flyin’, high on a cloud and it were just fine with her if’n she never came down again. This were heaven, she were convinced. This had ta be heaven. When else had she ever danced so well? Yes this were definitely heaven and Arkady were an angel. It had to be. It just had to be. She were feelin’ so addle-headed. She couldn’t think and she didn’t want to. She just wanted to stare inta Arkady’s lovely blue eyes.

She stopped with ‘im, not darin’ ta let go in case this were a dream. If’n it were she never wanted ta wake up. She wanted ta dream this dream fer the resta her life. He tried to speak, but either words failed him, or ‘is voice did. Either way she didn’t much care. She’d pretty much been mute for a while now. So she left the silence lie, with only the music in the background. She couldn’t o’ spoken anyway. Not even if’n she’d wanted to.

Dusty’d never been kissed, but when Arkady leaned in she knew it were comin’. She just knew, had a feelin’. Somethin’ like that. She closed ‘er eyes and ‘er heart swelled unexpectedly when his lips met hers. And then it were magical.