ic contact;

[coexistent]

"I'm not around, so... leave a message, I guess."

Comments

[coexistent]

[he's patient while she finds the music, and then once it plays... well, roxas follows along with her instructions.

he's concentrating, and after a few seconds, it clicks well enough. his head bobs in tune with the counts almost naturally—he gets what she means from hearing it. which is a good thing, since he won't need her to explain it.

it's pretty cool to him, though. he's never listened to music this way; most of what he ever heard came from demyx's sitar, and that was nothing like this at all.]

You're right... it really does work.

[immobileyes]

Right??

[ Mary's thrilled that the simple explanation and the demonstration had worked well enough-- because the more complicated stuff is harder to word, and she messes up the wording more often. Knowing that Roxas can understand it now just warms her chest. ]

I think it'll be a lot easier for you to move now, Roxas!

[coexistent]

[he's not really sure how or why he has any understanding of it, but really... it's probably not the time or place to question it, either. he'll just take it for what it is right now and then wonder about the rest later.

(maybe he's just that determined to be able to be helpful to mary.)

in any case, he nods.]

I guess that's why you're supposed to dance with music normally, right?

[immobileyes]

Right! [ She's been doing well, incredibly well, considering-- but when he smiles at her like that, Mary can feel her face get a little warmer. Which happened a lot in the manga, she knows, and she can only hope that Roxas hadn't understood those parts.

Things really were easier when she hadn't thought to put a name to the depth of a feeling...

But she takes a deep breath and offers her hand once more. This is still practice-- and selfishly, she thinks it might be more fun to do this with Roxas and the music, like a very impromptu ball. ]

Do you want to try again?

[coexistent]

[she doesn't have to worry about that much—it totally slips past him that she's blushing at all. he's... kind of focused on what they're trying to do here, so at least mary can be off the hook in that regard this time around.]

You still want to practice, right? [since... he did kind of end up interrupting her. roxas figures she probably wants to finish before he bails out. this isn't something he's terribly interested in on his own, after all.

but he wants to help, so also long as she wants to, he's got not problem with it.] We can try again, then.

[immobileyes]

[ Right... this was for her benefit, wasn't it? Mary smiles, a little ruefully, and settles back into position. It really is easier to remember the steps when someone else is there to guide her. Even when it's someone who's only just started to learn the movements himself. ]

I think I've almost got it, and I don't want to make you keep having to help me, so... [ A nod, firm. ] We can stop after this.

[coexistent]

Huh? It's okay...

[oh... did he sound like he really didn't want to be there or something? he can't help but wonder, but it wasn't really his intent. roxas wants to keep helping.]

I'm glad I can help you, Mary. So... I don't mind. I don't think I'll be as good as Zara, but I'm probably better than an empty coat.

[immobileyes]

[ That just makes her flush darker-- not because of any oh my dokis, but because let's not mention dancing with a jacket ever again, okay? It's embarrassing. ]

You're definitely better than an empty coat.

[ for the record. But knowing that he seems to be happy just helping her... it makes her feel a little better about roping him into this. ]

[coexistent]

[sorry, mary. he couldn't help himself.]

I'll try to be. But I guess as long as it works for you... that's what matters.

[immobileyes]

[ Her fingers curl towards her palm, her fist lightly pushing against his shoulder, scolding-- don't tease. Good dance partners are hard to come by. ]

I can't talk to my jacket, [ Mary finally mumbles, a little huffy. So yes, of course this works for her. ]

[coexistent]

[he could be sassy and point out that theoretically, she could talk to her jacket—but that wouldn't make for good conversation.

but for all his sass, he's not interested in riling mary up when he's trying to help her. that's just rude. besides:]

It's better that we can talk to each other anyway, right?

[immobileyes]

Well, yeah.

[ But since he did tease her, she's going to comment lightly with: ]

If talking to me doesn't make you miss a step.

[coexistent]

[...yeah. he should have seen that one coming.]

Oh... right. I guess it might be hard to do both. People don't usually talk when they dance, right?

[immobileyes]

I don't think so. Usually when it happens in the stories, they just stare into each other's eyes.

[ Which would also be hard, she thinks. Especially if you were trying to concentrate on what your feet were doing. ]

[coexistent]

Just... staring?

[why though.]

Wouldn't it be hard to dance like that?

[immobileyes]

I guess if you're really close to your partner or you're royalty or... something like that, it's really easy to do?

[ She has no idea how they do it. ]

[coexistent]

I wonder how long they would have had to practice to be able to do something like that...

[immobileyes]

Every day. For three weeks.

[ NO SHE REALLY DOESN'T KNOW. ]

[coexistent]

[!]

They'd have to be really good to do it that quickly, wouldn't they?

[immobileyes]

Right. And their devotion to each other gives them the drive to succeed...!!

[coexistent]

[this definitely sounds like something out of one of the manga she'd given him to read.]

I wonder if it really works like that, though. Even with devotion... that still has to be hard, right? Learning something like that so fast...

[immobileyes]

Maybe it's just a talent? I don't know... I think you'd have to try it yourself to know for sure.

[ But that's a whole lot of dancing for Roxas. ]

[coexistent]

I don't know if I'd want to do this every day...

[he doesn't mind helping her, but that would be like doing missions every day, only with things he even less apt at.]

[immobileyes]

You don't have to! I wouldn't want to do this every day either.

[ Her feet would hurt... ]

[coexistent]

I guess we're not gonna find out if it can happen in three weeks, then.

[he laughs a little though; the whole idea of doing that seems extreme and kinda silly.] I think I'd rather just eat ice cream for three weeks instead.