Vinanye, despite being Fae, did not know much about the ones who had lived in this realm. Underhill was vastly different than Earth, despite being a part of it, technically speaking. The Fae were so vast, in fact, that Vinnie felt as confused by most of them up here as she did about other races.
That morning, when she and Milo met in the Ballroom, the gem looked around, grinning at the large open space. She knew enough to know what a ballroom was, Eiria (AKA the Land of Precious Stone) had plenty.
"Is it used lots?" Vin asked Milo once she had taken the time to appreciate the room. She spun around, quiet and on her toes. Laughing. Enjoying the space. "Why are we here?"
As Milo thought, Vin liked the ballroom. He was glad, he wanted her to be comfortable. "It's used as an official school event space at times, and individuals can also rent it for more personal uses. I didn't reserve it, but there's nothing going on right now, so we're free to be here." He smiled at her as she spun. "One of the bigger events of the year is the Halloween masquerade. People dress up nicely, wearing elaborate costumes and formal wear with masks, and they dance."
"I brought you here because I wanted to show it to you, but also, for a place to be for a while and talk about things. Your language and culture. I know you're a rather specific type of Fae, but I imagine you can still teach me a lot, and it could help me connect with the Fae students here." That, and he was definitely invested for his own sake. "To make it fair, of course, I'll answer any questions you might've had about what's been going on with the Student Council race? Or, anything else you want to know, as always. I'll do my best."
He paused, and took a hesitant step closer to Vin.
"...Do you know how to dance?"
"I brought you here because I wanted to show it to you, but also, for a place to be for a while and talk about things. Your language and culture. I know you're a rather specific type of Fae, but I imagine you can still teach me a lot, and it could help me connect with the Fae students here." That, and he was definitely invested for his own sake. "To make it fair, of course, I'll answer any questions you might've had about what's been going on with the Student Council race? Or, anything else you want to know, as always. I'll do my best."
He paused, and took a hesitant step closer to Vin.
"...Do you know how to dance?"
"Hallow's Eve Masquerade?" Vinnie was delighted by the prospect. She knew of masquerades and of Hallow's Eve, but she'd never put the two of them together, and the idea enthralled her. She peered around, imagining what decorations might be used for such an event. Would it be elegant? When Milo revealed his intentions for coming here, Vinanye glanced over her shoulder at him, grin never wavering.
"Fair," Vin said, eyes twinkling. "You sound Fae." She laughed, quick and bubbly, before turning sharply on a heel and bobbing her head in agreement. "Yes. I like that! I am eternally okay with answering any questions you have, Milo."
Milo's question caught Vinnie off-guard. She wondered if he meant to ask whether the Fae learned such things? But he had specifically asked if she knew? Vinanye may have had cultural clash with most people here, but she wasn't a fool. Milo was suggesting they dance.
What Vinanye didn't take into consideration was that Milo likely meant ballroom dance, a skill she had never learned. She knew many dances, but they were all local to her home.
"Yes. There was a lot of dancing where I came from, so Mother taught me since I was wee."
Milo flushed. "Do I? Ah. I don't have a good… point of reference for that." He rubbed at the back of his neck, a nervous motion. "I have heard that you have to repay your debts, and don't always like 'thank you's very much. But it's all second hand information, I like hearing it for myself. I'm not harmed or tied to anything if I don't, but I do feel a slight compulsion with these things. I'm not sure if it actually has anything to do with my species, or if it's a simple personality trait." He shut his mouth. He was rambling. God.
"That is to say. I'm a little happy you think so." Relieved. Reassured. He cleared his throat. "And alright. Glad we have an understanding, then."
The tall strawberry blond shifted on his feet. "I never learned any sort of dancing. When I was young, I scoffed at the concept, found it silly. I was around for the last Halloween masquerade, but I couldn't go, as it would be embarrassing to do so but not be able to participate in one of the main focuses of it. I'm… lighter, now, as a person, as are my surroundings." If that made any sort of sense. Christ, was he really asking for this, even if indirectly? He was so flustered. He didn't know why he'd gone into the topic at all, seeing they had other things to discuss.
"That is to say. I'm a little happy you think so." Relieved. Reassured. He cleared his throat. "And alright. Glad we have an understanding, then."
The tall strawberry blond shifted on his feet. "I never learned any sort of dancing. When I was young, I scoffed at the concept, found it silly. I was around for the last Halloween masquerade, but I couldn't go, as it would be embarrassing to do so but not be able to participate in one of the main focuses of it. I'm… lighter, now, as a person, as are my surroundings." If that made any sort of sense. Christ, was he really asking for this, even if indirectly? He was so flustered. He didn't know why he'd gone into the topic at all, seeing they had other things to discuss.
"Yes," Vinanye grinned, moving closer to Milo. "Many of the Fae where I came from cannot tell a lie, but they are not honest. And they take what they owe to the grave -- erm, that is to say, they take it..." Vin paused, thinking, "seriously. For some, they have to repay their debts, for others, it is a want more than a need.
"And dancing is very silly; that is what makes it fun!" Vin held out a slender hand, "I can teach you a dance. I think you would be good for it. Very quiet when you walk."
At this point, Vinnie was too excited by the prospect of dancing. If Milo accepted her hand, she'd gently lead him to the center of the ballroom. Vinnie positioned Milo, so he was standing diagonal to her and facing the opposite direction; their hands were pushed together at the palm.
"It is hard without music," Vin mused aloud, head canted to the right. "The dance is fast, but we will slow it down so you can learn. Aye?"
Milo nodded, introspective. Many would consider him a very giving person, but perhaps they weren't aware of how he mentally weighed matters. He always gave what he thought to be owed, and received in return, getting more out of what others would normally consider little, less significant things.
His mind drifted to Vince. He claimed Milo had to be a masochist to act the way he did with him, asked why he disliked himself so much. Vince didn't register that at this point, his mere existence was the biggest gift Milo had ever been presented with. He owed everything for that. It was a debt he'd never- and hardly wanted to- be free from.
He took Vin's hand. Smiled, nervous, hopeful. "Yes, please." Would Vince dance with him, if he learned? He wanted to make him feel lighter, too. Return that favor with a passion. Sweep him off his feet both figuratively and very literally.
Milo allowed Vin to direct and adjust him into the right starting position. He kept his hand still. "We could try to fix that, if you told me what kind of music we needed. The ballroom has its own music setup to work with." Which, technically, he was less sure they were allowed to screw around with, but he didn't care. It sounded like something they could get away with, and harmless enough with just the two of them here, nothing chaotic.
"Slower sounds best, for now. I'll catch on quickly, I think, if I focus. I am good with things like this, got a lot of natural reflexes and instincts when stuff is physical."
His mind drifted to Vince. He claimed Milo had to be a masochist to act the way he did with him, asked why he disliked himself so much. Vince didn't register that at this point, his mere existence was the biggest gift Milo had ever been presented with. He owed everything for that. It was a debt he'd never- and hardly wanted to- be free from.
He took Vin's hand. Smiled, nervous, hopeful. "Yes, please." Would Vince dance with him, if he learned? He wanted to make him feel lighter, too. Return that favor with a passion. Sweep him off his feet both figuratively and very literally.
Milo allowed Vin to direct and adjust him into the right starting position. He kept his hand still. "We could try to fix that, if you told me what kind of music we needed. The ballroom has its own music setup to work with." Which, technically, he was less sure they were allowed to screw around with, but he didn't care. It sounded like something they could get away with, and harmless enough with just the two of them here, nothing chaotic.
"Slower sounds best, for now. I'll catch on quickly, I think, if I focus. I am good with things like this, got a lot of natural reflexes and instincts when stuff is physical."
"Oh," Vin's mouth puckered. "Something with violin or bagpipes. Irish music." Vinanye watched Milo carefully, "you are far off. Is everything okay?"
Vinnie moved away from Milo and set off to find this music he spoke of, four steps in, Vin faltered a second, realizing she likely wouldn't understand how they worked their music. Vinanye glanced over her shoulder, cheeks warm. "It will not be live music?" Which was the only kind of music Vin knew of. Live music with violin, bagpipes, and drums the three most common instruments to Vin's people.
Milo tensed a bit. "I'm fine. It's just… a time of figuring stuff out, for me. Myself, others, how my life works now, it's…" He simply trailed off. He didn't have anything else to say, and didn't want to bring down the mood. He tried for another, weaker smile, but it quickly faltered.
He followed Vin, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder before taking the lead. "Nah. Recorded. Don't worry, it still sounds nice enough, and works just as well for this." He went and found a small music player, left out for more casual use. It had an electronic interface, but he could feel some traces of magic, probably for projecting it around the room.
He went through the selection of songs, albums, and genres on the small touchscreen of the device. He hummed, hoping it would fit properly, and turned on something with the specifications Vin had given. Then, he went back over to her, holding out his hand again. He took a deep breath. "Ready?" He was asking Vin, but also himself. He didn't know why he had any sort of nerves over this.
He followed Vin, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder before taking the lead. "Nah. Recorded. Don't worry, it still sounds nice enough, and works just as well for this." He went and found a small music player, left out for more casual use. It had an electronic interface, but he could feel some traces of magic, probably for projecting it around the room.
He went through the selection of songs, albums, and genres on the small touchscreen of the device. He hummed, hoping it would fit properly, and turned on something with the specifications Vin had given. Then, he went back over to her, holding out his hand again. He took a deep breath. "Ready?" He was asking Vin, but also himself. He didn't know why he had any sort of nerves over this.
Vinanye was relieved when Milo took the lead for her, and it showed in her relaxed posture. She gave him her usual easy smile. "If ever you want to speak about it, I am here."
It was lucky that Vinnie was prepared for the music. Otherwise, she'd have jumped out of her skin in surprise. Even then, she wondered about this device. Technology wasn't big where she came from. They knew of electronics but felt very little interest in bringing such things to Underhill.
When Milo came back, Vinnie put them in the same position they'd been in previously. She nodded and slowly took the lead. The dance began with Milo and Vinnie circling, palms firmly pushed together and met each other's eyes.
"And then you face each other," Vinnie told Milo after two full circles, turning toward him completely. "And move away, but let your hands touch each other for as long as they can. See?" When Vin pulled back, she let their hands slide until their fingertips only touched.
"That is the easy part," Vinnie's smile grew before she completely stopped touching him and stood straight. "For the next part, you keep your upper torso as straight as you can."
Milo... wasn't used to offers like that. "Thanks," he mumbled, though again adding nothing further. He likely wouldn't take her up on it. He wasn't one to often go into such things unless prompted, even with closer friends. He was very honest when he did so, but it didn't come up, for the most part, and he didn't push for it to. Getting used to having friends around even casually meant he wasn't really at that point in socializing yet. The truly squishy, vulnerable part. It wasn't very him anyway, he more played the role of support for others if anything.
Milo copied Vin's movements and directions given, a little stiff at first due to his nerves, though that was settling down as he focused. When she said what they'd just done had been the easy part, he raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Okay. Bring it on." He enjoyed taking things as a challenge.
He straightened then, nicer posture making his height stand out further. It wasn't that he slouched, per se, but he hunched just a bit due to both a 'constantly ready to sneak and lurk around' and 'trying not to scare others by being so damn tall' sentiment.
Milo copied Vin's movements and directions given, a little stiff at first due to his nerves, though that was settling down as he focused. When she said what they'd just done had been the easy part, he raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Okay. Bring it on." He enjoyed taking things as a challenge.
He straightened then, nicer posture making his height stand out further. It wasn't that he slouched, per se, but he hunched just a bit due to both a 'constantly ready to sneak and lurk around' and 'trying not to scare others by being so damn tall' sentiment.