[She shakes her head at his comment; she's certain that a subpar dancer wouldn't be able to lead her like this. They would be a mess right now. Yet here she is, even able to keep up with his slightly quicker speed now they hit the crescendo, and it didn't seem so difficult at all. He made it look easy.]
She is your idol, no? You are her son though, even while you look for your own style of dance, you are still blessed with talent.
[At the same time, now that she's beginning to get used it and is able to concentrate less on the dancing (just a little), it means she's beginning to notice that they are rather close.]
[ Vietnam's not the only one that noticed it, considering the tinge of red that's present in Inigo's face right now. For all his flirting, Inigo's really the one who stammers when a girl turns the table on him and compliments him when they're too close for his comfort. Oh how he wished to be all that braver with the fair sex, but unfortunately, this is the furthest he has gone, both back home and in this place. It's an unfamiliar water and even all his korean soapbox experience can't save him from this now. ]
A-ah, there you go again with your kind words.
[ He stuttered, but it's obvious that compliments are things he rarely gets at his point. Still. ]
But for someone who rarely dances, you are quite good as well, takes an expert to know one, you know?
[ He should at least keep up the pretense further. After all, a dance like this requires both partner to be on the same level of skills to keep up. And hey, if she can compliment him, then he should be able to do so as well! ]
[Being this close means she can notice his every movement. Particularly those on his face. He's blushing, and now he's blushing, she's beginning to blush. She can't look away, because she's not that good at dancing yet to do so, and she's afraid that if she does, she's going to trip and/or stomp on his foot.
This is incredibly nerve wracking as she tries her best to not be an idiot.]
I speak only the truth. [Said pretty coolly, good work so far. Until she has to say something about his compliment. Really it's taking every muscle fibre in her body to keep up, she just really wants to do this right. For him.]
I...if I can impress you, the teacher, then it must be because you guide me well. [Nailed it.
[ ...If it's possible for his face to turn all the more redder, and for one to die by choking on his words, then Inigo's closely reaching this point as Vietnam continued spouting such sweet words for him. The first mis-step of the day and it's by his own making thanks to Vietnam's words. ]
A-ah, I'm merely just running through the steps, so really, it was all you, my dear.
[ ...And his eyes widened a bit, for he just used a term of endearment towards her, despite them not being exactly a couple. Not realizing he had used it a few times when he's teasing her earlier, thanks to his panic.
[It's really spirally, the more Inigo says this, the more Vietnam internally implodes. Now, she's sure that this is because they're pushing it to each other constantly like a game of tennis, but she honestly believes this.]
Again, it's only because of you. I wouldn't be even at this level if you didn't choose to guide me.
[She swallows, as she heard what he called her. He calls her this often. And the other girls. But there was something about his tone this time round, something that made her heart race moreso than then standing closely like this. Her hand tightens slightly around his.]
[ He realizes that both of them are getting really flustered. Maybe he knows that what he's been feeling for Vietnam is definitely something he never actually felt before. Of course, that wouldn't make sense for him, would it... for...
He remembered being small and loved only to see that love disappear within a second, but not like this.
Not like this. His heart fluttered at her every words, and he tried so hard to impress her that he tries to be another person for her. So it's kind of awkward that he realized what it truly meant like this. ]
I guess teaching runs through the blood, right?
[ runs through the blood as he sees her crumpled down on him, having taken the arrow meant for him.
and he cried the last time for that day, leaving only fake tears for a long while. ]
[She herself is not used to having these kind of feelings. However, her inexperience with dealing with them has left her completely clueless on what they mean. Does she feel more for Inigo? He is very important to her, she understands that.]
I think she'll be very proud.
[He often speaks of his mother, and how he wants to impress her. Yet at the same time, Vietnam is feeling something from Inigo that's not quite...happy? Is it because of his past?]
And while I am sure that she would teach me well too, I know I would prefer dancing with you. [IS THAT TOO FORWARD? She's trying to cheer him up.]
[ He won't ever know her answer. Even if the Olivia he met is still his mother in a way, it's still not his mother. The one who told him to talk to girls to overcome his shyness, the one that smiled and danced with him even as they lived in fear of the Risen. Olivia is Olivia and at the same time she's not and at the very least her Inigo would live within the warmth of a true family.
...However, all he has now is just a nightly practice with a ghost of a dance he couldn't even complete and that's just too painful to think about.
His question is short, but Vietnam can tell, from how he's slowing down despite the music's tempo still being moderate, and from how his voice almost breaks at it, at the fact that someone actually, genuinely compliments his dancing like that.
It was not new, but at the same time hearing it like that just reminded him of that one acknowledgment he knows he'll never have. ]
[She definitely can't speak for her, but she should be, from the stories Inigo tells of his mother to her. He definitely seeks her approval. Things happened and he lost his mother, it's something he constantly holds onto.
And she would understand it. War rips and steals everything.
Vietnam can tell he's slowing down. He looks like he's trying not to be uneasy, his voice is not as vibrant as it was before. Perhaps she said too much. A sad reminder of how his life was, and how it is now because he can't fix it while he's here.
Her hand grips his for a moment, then relaxes. She lets go, just so that she can wrap her arms around his middle and pull him closer to her to hold him warmly. Safely. There's probably more to it but she can't quite tell, not when she's trying to show him that she's there for him.]
Vietnam wouldn't be able to see it, but for the smallest fraction of a second, Inigo's eyes widened. Normally he would blush and sputter and try to break out of it in a fit of embarrassment, but this is not the case right now. His body shook a bit, overwhelmed by emotions as he's never been hugged by someone other than Olivia or Stahl whenever either of them got too emotional.
So he froze and has no idea what to do, except to reciprocate Vietnam's action. ]
I-I...
[ he can't even form words, and it's getting even clearer that he's on the verge of crying now. ]
[There's something about the way he holds her, and she could hear his breathing. The lack of complete sentences backs that up, Inigo's emotions are breaking down. She promised that she would dance with him. She's certain that what's holding him back is not just his lack of confidence, but also the ghosts of his past.
It is good to remember. But never so that one cannot live their life. Or perhaps she's stretching it, by not being human, and she's not quite getting it. Yet as an immortal, she knows endless loneliness. This she understands. Inigo is lonely.
She holds him much more tightly, it's hard to show how much she's trying to hug him when she's much smaller, but she's trying with how her hand rubs his back, her fingers stroke his hair. She says nothing, but if he wants to let go and just cry, she won't question it. He needs to let it all out.]
[ While Inigo oftentimes staged fake crying whenever someone dumps him, the sight of him actually crying is a rare event. Vietnam might have noticed that rather than sobbing loudly, his body is just trembling badly as tears continue to fell down. He choked back a muted sob as he crumbled internally against Vietnam's gesture.
He's gone soft. And he hates himself for this, he was supposed to be strong, to support the others from his own time.
And now he's just crying because somebody showed that they cared for him no matter what, how pathetic. ]
[She can tell he's still holding back. It's different to how dramatic he is normally. Now she knows, he does all of this just to keep strong. Or prove to himself that he's strong. He didn't need to prove that to anyone though, he already is. He might flirt and laugh and do some really ridiculous things, but she's always seen how hard he's tried. How hard he tries to help her too.
If he feels like he's crumbling, then that is what she is there for. She is strong. He can lean on her during the days he feels like everything is just going wrong.
And so she pulls back. Just so she can wipe his tears with a sleeve, dabbing lightly under one eye. And probably because right now all that is in her mind is to show Inigo that she cared, she leaned up, on her toes, to kiss his cheek where all his tears first fell.]
[ While his tears are still freely falling, despite Vietnam wiping it away, her next gesture caused his eyes to widen by surprise. The only thing he could do after Vietnam broke contact was to touch that spot, still bearing those wide eyes that could only say. ]
[ He's still not acting dramatic or blushing profusely, but his tears are stopping, even for a bit. It took him everything to not tease her, for he knows she'd just sputter and even if he thinks she looks really cute when she does that... ]
...Thanks. It... means a lot to me.
[ it was one of his rare smiles, one that's his actual smile and not his usual smouldering one. ]
[She clears her throat, she's still embarrassed. It was so bold!!
But he's not teasing her, and he's feeling better, despite his cheeks still being marked by tears. She dabs again just under his eyes, onto his cheeks. Until she sees him smile.
And then she falters.]
You're welcome. It was the least I can do.
[Unsure what part of giving him a kiss is the least she can do BUT SHHH.]
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no subject
She is your idol, no? You are her son though, even while you look for your own style of dance, you are still blessed with talent.
[At the same time, now that she's beginning to get used it and is able to concentrate less on the dancing (just a little), it means she's beginning to notice that they are rather close.]
apparently gmail put this in the spam box :'(
A-ah, there you go again with your kind words.
[ He stuttered, but it's obvious that compliments are things he rarely gets at his point. Still. ]
But for someone who rarely dances, you are quite good as well, takes an expert to know one, you know?
[ He should at least keep up the pretense further. After all, a dance like this requires both partner to be on the same level of skills to keep up. And hey, if she can compliment him, then he should be able to do so as well! ]
GMAIL WHY!!!! eats it
This is incredibly nerve wracking as she tries her best to not be an idiot.]
I speak only the truth. [Said pretty coolly, good work so far. Until she has to say something about his compliment. Really it's taking every muscle fibre in her body to keep up, she just really wants to do this right. For him.]
I...if I can impress you, the teacher, then it must be because you guide me well. [Nailed it.
Well she thought so.]
NOW THAT YOU'RE NOT IN VACATION...
A-ah, I'm merely just running through the steps, so really, it was all you, my dear.
[ ...And his eyes widened a bit, for he just used a term of endearment towards her, despite them not being exactly a couple. Not realizing he had used it a few times when he's teasing her earlier, thanks to his panic.
So really, he freaking nailed it. ]
WHOO HOO BACK TO CUTE SHIT.
Again, it's only because of you. I wouldn't be even at this level if you didn't choose to guide me.
[She swallows, as she heard what he called her. He calls her this often. And the other girls. But there was something about his tone this time round, something that made her heart race moreso than then standing closely like this. Her hand tightens slightly around his.]
no subject
[ He realizes that both of them are getting really flustered. Maybe he knows that what he's been feeling for Vietnam is definitely something he never actually felt before. Of course, that wouldn't make sense for him, would it... for...
He remembered being small and loved only to see that love disappear within a second, but not like this.
Not like this. His heart fluttered at her every words, and he tried so hard to impress her that he tries to be another person for her. So it's kind of awkward that he realized what it truly meant like this. ]
I guess teaching runs through the blood, right?
[ runs through the blood as he sees her crumpled down on him, having taken the arrow meant for him.
and he cried the last time for that day, leaving only fake tears for a long while. ]
no subject
[She herself is not used to having these kind of feelings. However, her inexperience with dealing with them has left her completely clueless on what they mean. Does she feel more for Inigo? He is very important to her, she understands that.]
I think she'll be very proud.
[He often speaks of his mother, and how he wants to impress her. Yet at the same time, Vietnam is feeling something from Inigo that's not quite...happy? Is it because of his past?]
And while I am sure that she would teach me well too, I know I would prefer dancing with you. [IS THAT TOO FORWARD? She's trying to cheer him up.]
no subject
[ He won't ever know her answer. Even if the Olivia he met is still his mother in a way, it's still not his mother. The one who told him to talk to girls to overcome his shyness, the one that smiled and danced with him even as they lived in fear of the Risen. Olivia is Olivia and at the same time she's not and at the very least her Inigo would live within the warmth of a true family.
...However, all he has now is just a nightly practice with a ghost of a dance he couldn't even complete and that's just too painful to think about.
His question is short, but Vietnam can tell, from how he's slowing down despite the music's tempo still being moderate, and from how his voice almost breaks at it, at the fact that someone actually, genuinely compliments his dancing like that.
It was not new, but at the same time hearing it like that just reminded him of that one acknowledgment he knows he'll never have. ]
no subject
[She definitely can't speak for her, but she should be, from the stories Inigo tells of his mother to her. He definitely seeks her approval. Things happened and he lost his mother, it's something he constantly holds onto.
And she would understand it. War rips and steals everything.
Vietnam can tell he's slowing down. He looks like he's trying not to be uneasy, his voice is not as vibrant as it was before. Perhaps she said too much. A sad reminder of how his life was, and how it is now because he can't fix it while he's here.
Her hand grips his for a moment, then relaxes. She lets go, just so that she can wrap her arms around his middle and pull him closer to her to hold him warmly. Safely. There's probably more to it but she can't quite tell, not when she's trying to show him that she's there for him.]
no subject
Vietnam wouldn't be able to see it, but for the smallest fraction of a second, Inigo's eyes widened. Normally he would blush and sputter and try to break out of it in a fit of embarrassment, but this is not the case right now. His body shook a bit, overwhelmed by emotions as he's never been hugged by someone other than Olivia or Stahl whenever either of them got too emotional.
So he froze and has no idea what to do, except to reciprocate Vietnam's action. ]
I-I...
[ he can't even form words, and it's getting even clearer that he's on the verge of crying now. ]
no subject
It is good to remember. But never so that one cannot live their life. Or perhaps she's stretching it, by not being human, and she's not quite getting it. Yet as an immortal, she knows endless loneliness. This she understands. Inigo is lonely.
She holds him much more tightly, it's hard to show how much she's trying to hug him when she's much smaller, but she's trying with how her hand rubs his back, her fingers stroke his hair. She says nothing, but if he wants to let go and just cry, she won't question it. He needs to let it all out.]
no subject
He's gone soft. And he hates himself for this, he was supposed to be strong, to support the others from his own time.
And now he's just crying because somebody showed that they cared for him no matter what, how pathetic. ]
no subject
If he feels like he's crumbling, then that is what she is there for. She is strong. He can lean on her during the days he feels like everything is just going wrong.
And so she pulls back. Just so she can wipe his tears with a sleeve, dabbing lightly under one eye. And probably because right now all that is in her mind is to show Inigo that she cared, she leaned up, on her toes, to kiss his cheek where all his tears first fell.]
no subject
...Why?
[ Why would she care for him this much...? ]
no subject
I...I thought you needed it.
[Not exactly what she wanted to say, and it's only skimming the top of why she does care for him.]
no subject
[ He's still not acting dramatic or blushing profusely, but his tears are stopping, even for a bit. It took him everything to not tease her, for he knows she'd just sputter and even if he thinks she looks really cute when she does that... ]
...Thanks. It... means a lot to me.
[ it was one of his rare smiles, one that's his actual smile and not his usual smouldering one. ]
no subject
But he's not teasing her, and he's feeling better, despite his cheeks still being marked by tears. She dabs again just under his eyes, onto his cheeks. Until she sees him smile.
And then she falters.]
You're welcome. It was the least I can do.
[Unsure what part of giving him a kiss is the least she can do BUT SHHH.]