My mother died when I was young. Because it was foretold that I was cursed, my father assumed it was my fault. And so he brought me to that monster, and he left me there in exchange for my mother's soul.
[there's not much emotion to this. it's just a story.]
[ it is upsetting, in that way that is just horrifying and helpless. nothing to be done for something that happened decades ago. nahri takes this story in, has to let it process through her before she says anything. ]
I think that means you were fated for something else.
But I'm sorry that happened to you.
[ there is a tiny, selfish part of her that is glad, though, because otherwise they probably wouldn't have met. she feels bad for thinking this. ]
You are going to be disappointed. [this is like, mostly a joke. she can probably manage this!! it's not... that hard... it'll be more like getting a cat wearing mittens to move. her body is mostly used for fighting, hunting.
but. she takes a sip of the milkshake, and then stands up, holding out her hands. uppies.]
[ she happily trots along to the jukebox. hehehe. ]
We don't have anything like the music that plays here. [ rihanna... ] Anything with a beat will do.
[ mods have decreed the jukebox only has 50s music so this is funny. she looks at the little booklet menu thingy past the glass to see if anything looks like the kind of song with a beat.
ultimately she picks this one, because she likes the title. ]
[shenhe seems amused by the title, but like - when it starts, she takes a step or two back, and then holds out her hands, in a sort of impish way. playful.
[ she jumps, a little, not expecting the opening chord to just start like that- but it's only a passing second, because she's more focused on shenhe, and that alluring, impish presence.
she takes her hands. let's dance. nahri is gonna get her to shake those hips yet. ]
nahri takes her hands, and her heart jumps in her chest, and she can't help but smile, the flatness of her eyes changing to something breathlessly alive. she isn't sure how to dance, not really, but she's seen people do it, and she is, if anything, good at mimicking.
so - she dances, swaying to the beat, twisting her body back and forth, never letting go of nahri's hands. it's fun, and she's surprised, a little, at how much it is.]
[ anyone can dance. it's movement, plain and simple; expression without words.
her heart lights up to see her dance, and he laughs again, bubbly and warm. she lied a little, about not knowing how before - more like she isn't very good at it. but as she's come to learn in her time with shenhe, she doesn't have to be the best. she just has to be her. and that is enough.
she encourages her to move and twist, a gentle guide of her arms to turn here, twist there. she wishes the song were longer, because she doesn't want to stop. not when shenhe has finally found a way to express herself, even though it's new and strange - she's trying, and nahri adores her and how much she tries and the strength in her conviction to do things. this time, there's no worry about restraint or what she lacks, she can simply be. they can both simply be.
and that is enough. it's enough to find happiness here with her.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
My mother died when I was young. Because it was foretold that I was cursed, my father assumed it was my fault. And so he brought me to that monster, and he left me there in exchange for my mother's soul.
[there's not much emotion to this. it's just a story.]
no subject
I think that means you were fated for something else.
But I'm sorry that happened to you.
[ there is a tiny, selfish part of her that is glad, though, because otherwise they probably wouldn't have met. she feels bad for thinking this. ]
no subject
Thank you. [...] It didn't work. So at the very least, he wasn't rewarded.
[and, well. it led her here. it led her to the circumstances she's in, like all decisions do.]
... A bad thing, for a bad thing. An exchange. [she says, and then:] So now - let's do a good thing, for a good thing.
no subject
[ hm. she idly moves her hand against hers, lightly intertwining their fingers together. ]
I wonder what that looks like.
no subject
If you have ideas, I'm open to them. [a pause.] I had one or two.
no subject
Anything to spend more time with you. That's a good thing, right? [ hehe ] Do you want your hair braided again?
no subject
I'd like that. [she says, tilting her head. a pause.] But I wanted to ask if you would dance with me, first?
no subject
Oh. [ her turn to blush. ] I don't know how.
no subject
Truthfully, I don't either. But... I don't mind learning with you.
no subject
Back home, dancing was a social thing. Clapping, moving your hips, going along with the rhythm... I'd like to see you dance like that. [ wehehe.
and, theoretically, nahri has a sense of rhythm so she can do something like this - it's just movement!! to a beat! anyone can do that. ]
no subject
You are going to be disappointed. [this is like, mostly a joke. she can probably manage this!! it's not... that hard... it'll be more like getting a cat wearing mittens to move. her body is mostly used for fighting, hunting.
but. she takes a sip of the milkshake, and then stands up, holding out her hands. uppies.]
no subject
nahri takes her hands so she is uppies. ]
Children can learn. Why not you?
no subject
I suppose. You'll need to direct me, anyway. [they can dance to the jukebox music, probably??? is this the place with the jukebox i can't remember.]
no subject
It is easy. You just move, like this. [ she raises her arms and does a little hip shake demonstration. yes she is aware of how close they are. ]
-- It's easier when there's music.
[ which means having to pick something with drums or at the very least, a funky bassline. ]
no subject
Well. Then let's pick music. Is there anything you especially like?
[leads her over to the jukebox... she just puts her hand on nahri's waist and like pulls her along? yea]
no subject
We don't have anything like the music that plays here. [ rihanna... ] Anything with a beat will do.
[ mods have decreed the jukebox only has 50s music so this is funny. she looks at the little booklet menu thingy past the glass to see if anything looks like the kind of song with a beat.
ultimately she picks this one, because she likes the title. ]
no subject
let's dance, girlie, let's goooo]
no subject
she takes her hands. let's dance. nahri is gonna get her to shake those hips yet. ]
no subject
nahri takes her hands, and her heart jumps in her chest, and she can't help but smile, the flatness of her eyes changing to something breathlessly alive. she isn't sure how to dance, not really, but she's seen people do it, and she is, if anything, good at mimicking.
so - she dances, swaying to the beat, twisting her body back and forth, never letting go of nahri's hands. it's fun, and she's surprised, a little, at how much it is.]
no subject
her heart lights up to see her dance, and he laughs again, bubbly and warm. she lied a little, about not knowing how before - more like she isn't very good at it. but as she's come to learn in her time with shenhe, she doesn't have to be the best. she just has to be her. and that is enough.
she encourages her to move and twist, a gentle guide of her arms to turn here, twist there. she wishes the song were longer, because she doesn't want to stop. not when shenhe has finally found a way to express herself, even though it's new and strange - she's trying, and nahri adores her and how much she tries and the strength in her conviction to do things. this time, there's no worry about restraint or what she lacks, she can simply be. they can both simply be.
and that is enough. it's enough to find happiness here with her.
she wishes the song were longer. ]