The Nineteenth Trial

[hot_mess_express]

Who: Everyone
When: Day 43, evening
Where: The Mermaid's Beach

Come on, come on heroes...! Come hither!

[ There's a playful giggle and the sound of splashing as the Mermaid's beach appears in the clearing. ]

Let's play a game...!

Comments

[time5kip]

[ He has to think about the answer, because he obviously knows how to dance well enough, and it's obvious he's skilled. But like a lot of things he knows how to do, whether he likes it or not is something else entirely. ]

I don't hate it.

[bluediligence]

[ laughs ]

That's always a bonus, mm.

[ The next few steps are a little more confident. ]

It's kinda fun!

[time5kip]

Would be better with some music. It's less interesting this way.

[ But since she's getting confident and getting the hang of it, rather than let her go he continues, so she can actually learn the pattern ]

[bluediligence]

What kind of music?

[ she's definitely perking up, relaxing into it now that she's reasonably sure she's not going to step on his feet or otherwise make a fool out of herself ]

[time5kip]

Waltz. That's what these steps are for.

[bluediligence]

Huuuuh ... I'll try to find a way to listen to some later; I don't remember much music.

[time5kip]

[ Well, okay then. He's going to start humming a tune as they dance, just to give her a vague idea of what it's supposed to sound like ]

[bluediligence]

[ oh no, that's kind of cute ... ]

[ she is definitely not going to say that outloud though, just listening appreciatively. it helps, too, with keeping her steps in time ]

[time5kip]

[ He'll stop humming once he feels like she got a good enough grasp of the tune and steps, and eventually just let her go because that was like, a whole lot of human contact ]

You're not bad.

[bluediligence]

[ She lets go easily, bouncing a bit as she steps back ]

Thanks! And, you know, double thanks for teaching me. It really was a lot of fun.

[time5kip]

... You're welcome.

[ at this rate he's gonna be like two steps away from adoption papers ]

Tell anyone I taught you and I'm going to claw my eyeballs out. I'm trying to keep a reputation.

[bluediligence]

[ he might need to fight dusk for them ]

Ehehe, don't worry; your secret's safe with me.

[time5kip]

[ It's okay he's adopting them both ]

You can do the massage. But make it quick.

[bluediligence]

[ uwaaa ]

Really? I owe you big time! [ you're so good to her, five ] How do you wanna do it-?

[time5kip]

What's the less intimate option you can think of for massaging someone?

[bluediligence]

[ Thoughtful hum ... ]

Hand or arm, probably.

[time5kip]

Arm.

[ He didn't like the hand one, so. That's better ]

Like I said, make it quick.

[bluediligence]

Got it!

[ Holds out a hand, and, once he's offered his arm over, she'll give him a brief massage. very brief, like she's doing the minimum required for it to class as a massage. ]

[ (though she is, for the record, Pretty Good at them in general) ]

[time5kip]

[ He's not as tense as he's been for like literally every other massage, but there's still noticeable tension at the touch even if he didn't have any problem with initiating the dance ]

... You're good.

[bluediligence]

[ Glances up at him with a small smile. ]

I think I've done it before. It feels familiar.

[ She can feel that he's tense, though, and she pulls away before too long. ]

[time5kip]

[ Thanks Faito he appreciates it ]

Muscle memory again?

[bluediligence]

Uh huh.

[ Looks at her hands, wiggling her fingers a bit. ]

It's weird, but I'm not gonna complain.

[time5kip]

Makes things easier. It's something to count on while your memories are gone, if nothing else.

[bluediligence]

Exactly! There's always a bright side!

[time5kip]

Not always. Definitely not always.