HAH I FINISHED MY FIRST FIC IN ...FOREVER. \o/
Rena's hair whips like a banner behind her as she spins on the balls of her feet. Her hand is small in Riku's and he can feel the delicate bones as she moves. He steps in time with the music and her, rehersing the lie in his head if the question is asked how they can move as though they are partners in truth and not merely assigned by a teacher with a flair for the sadistic. He's caught up in the lie -- would it be more or less suspicious to say they both attended dancing lessons? -- and is brought back by Rena squeezing his hand hard. He revised his opinion: Rena was as delicate as a mousetrap, inclined to snap and break fingers.
"Pay attention," she hisses under her breath as she passes his shoulder. She's scowling, her face set in a fierce mask of concentration as if this is a battle to be won. Riku breaks away from her glare first, his eyes glancing past her face and over her shoulder and he can hear her heave an aggreived sigh. From the reactions of everyone else, it was only he who could hear it. He steps aside her, and she steps away. It's a fitting metaphor. He can only keep a step behind, and Rena is always running. He's not sure if she's running away or towards something and she pulls him out of his thoughts with a sharp tug as he tries to understand her. So he lets himself go, imagining how he is wielding his sword -- not as Youhei had, with brash, confident strokes. No, Riku used his sword in increasingly adept but distant strokes. "You can see a person in their weapon," Clara had mused after training, and Riku had scowled and looked away. He didn't like being so transparent.
"All right, get off the stage," the instructor drawls. Riku stares at Rena. Her eyes are wide behind her glasses, and he wonders whether his are too. "Move it, lovebirds!" Rena lets go of Riku's hands and folds her arms, turning her back to him. Riku's blushing and judging by the flush on Rena's neck, she is as well. She steps off the stage in firm, precise steps and Riku follows, more casual.
Outside, the wind is cold against Riku's face. There are so many things he wants to ask. He settles on one. "Did Youhei dance?" Rena's flush fades and Riku wonders if he's said the wrong thing.
"Yes," Rena replied finally, her voice colourless as water. Riku waits. The silence stretches like a rubber band nearing a breaking point and when Rena speaks again, Riku can't help but relax. "There was a celebration once, a few days after a difficult battle. For team character. Takebe-san would dance with the others after a few hours." There was a hint of wistfulness in the way she spoke, and of regret. Riku opens his mouth to say something -- he wasn't sure what -- and Rena's face snapped closed, an impatient frown on her face.
"We're due back inside," was all she said. Her tone was clipped, businesslike, and she turned away. Another opportunity for understanding Rena, gone.
Riku wasn't sure why he bothered.
He did anyway.