meme #004 | slow-dancing ( think outside the boxstep )

[the]

slow dancing ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ a meme → COMMENT WITH YOUR CHARACTER'S NAME, FANDOM, AND PREFERENCE. → PICK A CHARACTER YOU WANT TO TAG AND GO FOR IT. → PLAY NICE; NO WANK, FLAMES, OR GENERAL HUMBUGGERY. ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ the deal FORMAL OR INFORMAL, WITH MUSIC OR WITHOUT, YOU COULD BE AT A GLAMOUROUS GALA WHILE A SINGER CROONS SOFTLY OR IN THE SILENCE OF YOUR OWN LIVING ROOM. WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU HAVE THE URGE TO DANCE. DID YOU ASK YOUR PARTNER OR DID THEY ASK YOU? HAVE YOU GOT TWO LEFT FEET OR IS THE VIENNESE WALTZ YOUR JAM? IT COULD BE AWKWARD, IT COULD BE ROMANTIC. EITHER WAY IT'S CUTE AS HELL.

Comments

[truffulacide]

I’ve always wanted to try this. Now I can cross it off my bucket list. […] Well, if I had one anyway.

[he carries her like this for a few more minutes in a mock waltz before gently lowering her back onto her own feet. he gives her another smile and laces his fingers through hers.]

Up for round two?

[hairflyingheartpounding]

I am.

[She smiles at him warmly. She really is getting so comfortable around him... Besides, this really is the most fun she's had since coming to Mayfield.]

What's a bucket list?

[truffulacide]

See what you've done? This really was a bad idea.

[because once you get Once-ler started with anything that might even remotely involve a beat or a groove, good luck getting him to stop.]

It's a list people make of things they want to get done before they kick the bucket. [loosening up, he leads her into a slow but steady dance, this one less twirly so he can concentrate more on talking.] Mostly stuff they've put off, or impossible, amazing things.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

Sounds like a good list. I think.

[She pauses, looking thoughtful.]

What does kick the bucket mean?

[truffulacide]

[now it's his turn to look confused.]

You know - biting the dust. Reaching the end of the road.

Dying.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

Oh, I see...



I think I should make one.

[truffulacide]

[it doesn't hit him how grim that is until a moment or so later, and by then he's already opening his mouth to reply. obviously he doesn't want to entertain the idea - the very real possibility - that they might die here. he has enough scary thoughts to dwell upon.]

What would you put on it?

[hairflyingheartpounding]

Well...

I want to go to the seashore. I want to paint something people love to look at. I want to spend a whole day picking flowers. I want to fly, and meet someone with no hair so I can touch their head and imagine what it must feel like, and learn to really swim, and go in one of those... Cars they have here, and see a real, live baby.

I want to go back home and see Pascal again, and then go to see the floating lanterns.

[truffulacide]

You can do a lot of that here. [he hesitates.] I don’t know if you’d want to, but you can still try. There’s lots of flowers in the park and bald guys aren’t even close to uncommon no matter where you are. And painting… I like that idea because I’ve never seen you paint but you look like you’d be good at it, and if I can say that, I’m sure a lot of other people would agree too.

[he can’t speak for the other ideas; he doesn’t know if there’s a beach here and he’s never driven a car before, but it can’t be THAT hard. maybe they can practice on the one in the garage after he dismantles it.]

I don’t think I ever really asked you about what your home’s like. You should tell me.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

I do want to... Thanks. I'll paint something for you soon. [She smiles faintly. Talk of home makes her melancholy, but praise and the promise of new things to do help.]

Oh, well... I lived in a tower. My walls were covered in paintings, and I had all sorts of things to keep me busy, but... From my window, I could see the floating lanterns every night on my birthday. I had to see them.

Um. I wasn't outside for very long, but it was really beautiful. Most of it was full of trees and grass -- Oh, the grass was so fresh and so green! And then there was the Snuggly Duckling. It smelled bad there, but everyone was really nice. And, oh! There was this... Place, where wood was holding back water! That was pretty interesting, now that I think about it.

[At the time, she was busy trying to Not Die.]

[truffulacide]

You’re talking about a dam. I’ve seen one of those before. They are interesting, but they aren’t nearly as cool as some of the other things out there. Like… [he trails off, thinking.] …Beehives. Beehives and tree houses and bird nests. Go outside more often and you’ll see loads of those.

[hearing her gush about it lends him pause. admittedly, it doesn’t sound that remarkable, it seems like every other forest out there, though her enthusiasm provokes a weird feeling from him. maybe it’s just her vivid way of describing it, but he can’t help but feel homesick.

which doesn’t make sense, of course. to be homesick, you need to have a home to go back to in the first place.]

It sounds nice. A couple years back, I used to travel all over the place. The world’s much bigger than it looks, but I never know how big ‘til I actually went out to see it for myself. The kind of place you’re describing…you make it sound really cool. I would’ve loved to see something like it, even if only for a little while.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

Will you show them to me?

[Her eyes widen at the idea of traveling farther than to the lanterns, and she gives his hands a squeeze.] I bet it was beautiful. And I'm glad you like it. It... It really was so nice.

[truffulacide]

Definitely. We'll make it a day trip - Operation Get-Rapunzel-Into-A-Treehouse. I don't think either of us are ready to tangle with bees yet.

If - when the way opens back up again, would you -

[he stops short, abruptly, then shakes his head.]

...Never mind. It's stupid.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

...No. What is it?

[truffulacide]

I just told you, it's dumb. And probably impossible, too.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

I bet it's not.

[truffulacide]

Betting's a good way to make yourself look dumb if you end up losing.

[and now he's getting sulky again. just great.]

[hairflyingheartpounding]

...You really are so frustrating sometimes.

[truffulacide]

[he scowls and opens his mouth to shoot a snarky reply back ("it's your fault for not taking a hint.") but stops before he can get the words out. why ruin a good thing? it's not like he has much else to look forward to here.]

...It was about your world. When everyone finds a way out of town, I -

[and there's that hesitation again. he shakes his head, fighting through it.]

I was, um. I was wondering how much you'd hate the idea of me sticking around for a little while. Not to bug you or get in your way, just to sightsee and stuff.

[hairflyingheartpounding]

[...Oh.]

I'd like that.