[ It's really all she could hope for. Marco's initial surprise she'd expected, but he doesn't seem to be opposed to it, and she thinks maybe, what she can offer is a bit of a reprieve from their reality. Contained to a dance, yes, which means it's momentary.
But his smile is a warm, delighted thing and she's relieved at the sight of it. He doesn't require much guiding, as she'd thought; whatever life experiences he's had, they've molded him into someone who can follow her movements closely.
It's... fun, Hamel realizes, that same warmth brightening her smile as she meets his eyes, spinning them both. It really is a different kind of experience, isn't it? Dancing with a partner. ]
right up until that moment she smiles at him, gives him that gentle encouragement. like a switch his brain turns itself off, and it's as if his mind kicks into overdrive to try and make up for those few brief minutes it'd been off. he's all too aware, then, where his hands are, what his feet are doing, the spins and the twirls and the beat thumping away in his head—
he missteps. or rather, he steps on her, and no matter how much of a professional she is there's just no easy recovery when a 200+ pound man smashes your toes with his big clumsy feet. he all but collides against her a second later, but fortunately manages to side-step enough that he doesn't crush even more of her toes.
[ Yeah, sadly even Hamel cannot recover gracefully from getting her toes stepped on. She's already stepping with a little bit of a hop (the nicest way to not just mention how much that hurts in the moment) to avoid further mishap, coming to a stop.
Thankfully for the moment, the illusion remains, though the music has softened in volume. ]
It's all right. [ Resettling on both feet, a little gingerly. ] I should be the one apologizing... I must have startled you.
[ He'd probably been focused on any other thing; she can't possibly fault him for her words jarring him out of it. ]
[ Well. Maybe it's a little bruised, she amends (to herself), after testing the weight. The illusions shimmer briefly around them and then they're back in the ballroom, near that low stage. That's probably good enough, she thinks, nodding towards that. ]
[ his hands are, perhaps surprisingly, gentle as he eases her shoe off and sets it down on the ground. gentle still as he lifts her foot just high enough to inspect. some redness, and even the beginning signs of some bruising, but fortunately little else.
BIG SIGH OF RELIEF ALL AROUND that he has not damaged the house's greatest treasure!! ]
All things considered, I'm sure it could have been much worse. Let me know if it starts to really bother you.
[ he'll just gently slip her shoe back on, fingers light along her ankle and calf. ]
I will, but it truly isn't anything I would deem a problem.
[ And she tries to sound as gently reassuring as she can, because it's obvious he feels bad about it. While also sounding a little distracted, because his touch feels nice. She's not surprised by the gentleness of his hands, not when she's starting to get a better grasp of his personality beyond her initial observation of him. ]
So please don't worry, Marco. I would happily dance with you again, whenever you like.
[ She's not anyone's greatest treasure! She's just a dancer!! ]
[ he rises back up to stand, but quickly takes a seat (a respectable distance!) beside her if only so she doesn't feel the need to stand back up before she's ready. his hands lace over his lap, a wry smile on his lips. ]
I was getting the hang of it, until the very end. A couple more times and I think I could probably do it without much issue.
[ he looks around the expansive room, missing the colors of her illusions already. ]
It's easier when I dance. If I don't have a specific image in mind, like I might for an audience, I just allow my thoughts of my dance partner to define what the illusion will look like.
[ He's too smart, she would have definitely hopped down if he hadn't sat down beside her, so as not to keep him waiting. Now forced to relax a little, Hamel gazes in front of her. ]
Sometimes the illusions will still appear, even when I'm not dancing, but... they're more like memories or manifested fears.
... But I'm glad, that you weren't uncomfortable with... all of this.
[ he thinks about that for a moment — just a moment, because any longer and he might not like where his thoughts take him — about the vast open field and the blooming colors of the sky. is that what she thinks of him? or was she just filling in the blanks for what she might think her audience — in this case it would be him, wouldn't it? — would like? ]
I wasn't sure what to expect.
[ admittedly, there had been a part of him worried about it, especially after falling victim to the house's own brand of "illusion." there certainly isn't anything like this where he's from, and the more guarded part of him hated the idea of being at the mercy of someone else's whims... but it was just as he thought — hamel didn't seek to hurt or humiliate him. and he'd actually had fun. ]
I don't think I mind it.
[ the calloused parts of his thumbs trace over the line of his interlaced fingers, a corner of his lips turning up just so. ]
[ Her eyes flick back to his face, visibly surprised. From how he words it, it's not anything unusual at first. Of course he wouldn't know what to expect. Illusions, the things Hamel had seen, how she could bring others into those feelings and intentions given life in all but reality... it's not very natural. He hadn't needed to agree to this, especially if he hadn't known what to expect.
But he had said if it was her...
She draws in a quiet breath. Because it's her, he doesn't mind it? ]
No, Miss Hamel. I should be thanking you for that.
[ dancing is a partnership, isn't it? that's the main difference between a dance and a fight. in a fight, you are at odds, meant to overpower the other. but in a dance, the two must work together to create something beautiful. and in order to be partners, the trust must go both ways.
marco trusting hamel to create something beautiful is no feat. it's a given, honestly. but hamel trusting he would be capable of doing so in turn? that's a far greater ask than she realizes... but of course she wouldn't think so, when she hasn't yet known all the ugly that can come from his hands.
he stands, finally. the time for illusions is over. ]
[ She doesn't want to make him feel obligated to escort her, but it also feels as though he would feel bad if she turned him down, so there's really no winning here. Hamel pauses, then offers him a smile and her hand. ]
If you wouldn't mind. I hope we'll be able to share another dance soon.
[ She'd happily share a moment like that with him again. ]
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But his smile is a warm, delighted thing and she's relieved at the sight of it. He doesn't require much guiding, as she'd thought; whatever life experiences he's had, they've molded him into someone who can follow her movements closely.
It's... fun, Hamel realizes, that same warmth brightening her smile as she meets his eyes, spinning them both. It really is a different kind of experience, isn't it? Dancing with a partner. ]
See?
[ A gentle murmur. ]
You're doing just fine.
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he was doing just fine.
right up until that moment she smiles at him, gives him that gentle encouragement. like a switch his brain turns itself off, and it's as if his mind kicks into overdrive to try and make up for those few brief minutes it'd been off. he's all too aware, then, where his hands are, what his feet are doing, the spins and the twirls and the beat thumping away in his head—
he missteps. or rather, he steps on her, and no matter how much of a professional she is there's just no easy recovery when a 200+ pound man smashes your toes with his big clumsy feet. he all but collides against her a second later, but fortunately manages to side-step enough that he doesn't crush even more of her toes.
ah... and he'd been doing so well. ]
S-Sorry...
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Thankfully for the moment, the illusion remains, though the music has softened in volume. ]
It's all right. [ Resettling on both feet, a little gingerly. ] I should be the one apologizing... I must have startled you.
[ He'd probably been focused on any other thing; she can't possibly fault him for her words jarring him out of it. ]
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You were lovely and encouraging. I got too in my head about it, that's all.
[ she will soon find (or perhaps she's already there) that this is a very prominent flaw of his. ]
Do you want to sit? I can help you to a seat...
[ er, if he can even find one. ]
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[ Well. Maybe it's a little bruised, she amends (to herself), after testing the weight. The illusions shimmer briefly around them and then they're back in the ballroom, near that low stage. That's probably good enough, she thinks, nodding towards that. ]
... Would that work? The edge?
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How's this?
[ once she's sat down, he moves to stand before her, dropping down to a knee. he doesn't reach yet for her foot, but the intent is clear. ]
Should I take a look...?
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Thankfully, yes. Nothing broken. Maybe there's some very faint bruising, some redness.
She's going to be fine!! ]
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BIG SIGH OF RELIEF ALL AROUND that he has not damaged the house's greatest treasure!! ]
All things considered, I'm sure it could have been much worse. Let me know if it starts to really bother you.
[ he'll just gently slip her shoe back on, fingers light along her ankle and calf. ]
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[ And she tries to sound as gently reassuring as she can, because it's obvious he feels bad about it. While also sounding a little distracted, because his touch feels nice. She's not surprised by the gentleness of his hands, not when she's starting to get a better grasp of his personality beyond her initial observation of him. ]
So please don't worry, Marco. I would happily dance with you again, whenever you like.
[ She's not anyone's greatest treasure! She's just a dancer!! ]
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I was getting the hang of it, until the very end. A couple more times and I think I could probably do it without much issue.
[ he looks around the expansive room, missing the colors of her illusions already. ]
It's a nice way to pass the time, for sure.
[ glancing over, he tips his head a little. ]
Is it much work, casting your illusions?
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[ He's too smart, she would have definitely hopped down if he hadn't sat down beside her, so as not to keep him waiting. Now forced to relax a little, Hamel gazes in front of her. ]
Sometimes the illusions will still appear, even when I'm not dancing, but... they're more like memories or manifested fears.
... But I'm glad, that you weren't uncomfortable with... all of this.
[ Normal people don't make illusions. ]
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I wasn't sure what to expect.
[ admittedly, there had been a part of him worried about it, especially after falling victim to the house's own brand of "illusion." there certainly isn't anything like this where he's from, and the more guarded part of him hated the idea of being at the mercy of someone else's whims... but it was just as he thought — hamel didn't seek to hurt or humiliate him. and he'd actually had fun. ]
I don't think I mind it.
[ the calloused parts of his thumbs trace over the line of his interlaced fingers, a corner of his lips turning up just so. ]
If it's Miss Hamel, I don't mind it at all.
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[ Her eyes flick back to his face, visibly surprised. From how he words it, it's not anything unusual at first. Of course he wouldn't know what to expect. Illusions, the things Hamel had seen, how she could bring others into those feelings and intentions given life in all but reality... it's not very natural. He hadn't needed to agree to this, especially if he hadn't known what to expect.
But he had said if it was her...
She draws in a quiet breath. Because it's her, he doesn't mind it? ]
Thank you...
... For being willing to trust me.
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No, Miss Hamel. I should be thanking you for that.
[ dancing is a partnership, isn't it? that's the main difference between a dance and a fight. in a fight, you are at odds, meant to overpower the other. but in a dance, the two must work together to create something beautiful. and in order to be partners, the trust must go both ways.
marco trusting hamel to create something beautiful is no feat. it's a given, honestly. but hamel trusting he would be capable of doing so in turn? that's a far greater ask than she realizes... but of course she wouldn't think so, when she hasn't yet known all the ugly that can come from his hands.
he stands, finally. the time for illusions is over. ]
Can I escort you back to your room?
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If you wouldn't mind. I hope we'll be able to share another dance soon.
[ She'd happily share a moment like that with him again. ]