“Unexpected fun, huh. That’s what you call this.” He wouldn’t have originally classified that he was there to have fun, but he knew that he had come for the right reason when he noticed her smiling and having a good time. It was a change from when he had seen her first off before approaching, with the way that she kept to herself rather than join in with everyone else’s celebrating. Still as they danced, for themselves and no one else, Alex couldn’t find the words to tell the other no even if he dreaded the idea of spending this much time around so many other people. At least out on the balcony when they were able to breathe, he could visibly relax enough to remember how to dance so that they weren’t stumbling into each other or anyone else. Though even as they did dance, Alex couldn’t help but shake his head in disbelief.
He should have told her no. But there was a small voice that told him that she wouldn’t give up, which was one of the reasons that he continued to check up on her over the past few months. There was a survivor locked in there, even if she might not fully see it herself — enough so that he was certain that she could have had a good time with or without him. Most would have concluded that it would have been a better time without him as he danced with her close, gloves keeping his touch concealed and an extra layer of security there as the last thing that he wanted that night was to see something that he couldn’t protect her from.
They moved together for a beat longer before he replied, letting her comments lead the conversation rather than his own when he shot her a quick glance when she mentioned her lack of celebrating birthdays. “Not everyone celebrates them the same but that doesn’t mean they’re not celebrated themselves,” he murmured gently, letting a soft snort slip out when she asked for a spin and a dip. “You really are something else, you know that?” He could tell that the song was practically over, releasing them both from this party and back into the real world which had him slowly releasing her enough to give her exactly what she asked for as he spun her out of his reach and back in again. He wrapped an arm around the small of her waist and twisted them both so that she dipped gracefully low towards the ground, but careful enough not to drop her in the move as he shot her a small smile. “Happy birthday.”
“That is exactly what I call this. Say what you’d like, I’ve seen you kind of smile quite a few times tonight. I didn’t point it out because you’d have stopped, so my statement stands. Unexpected fun.” She winked, letting a triumphant chuckle leave her after pointing out that he had worn a hint of a smile and even laughed a few times while they were here. Though she most definitely did much more than him. It had been the stark contrast to how the night had started. Gloomy, sad and even a little bit introspective. For a moment, while they moved together in tandem with the faint sounds melody floating out onto the balcony, dancing without a single scuff to his shoe, she’d forgotten those things that had caused her to be the slightest bit down.
His words made her curious. “Do you celebrate yours? I don’t figure you for the fancy, elaborate party type.” Especially based off of his aversion to wearing a suit and the cute way he seemed to tug on his sleeves. Nia was sure that he wouldn’t spin or dip her. There were times she asked for things she was sure he’d simply roll his eyes or glare at her with an obvious unspoken no, but to her own surprise, he hadn’t said no in the slightest. “I’m learning that I am,” she retorted as he spun her and dipped her. She could not fight the surprised giggle that left her when he dipped her and smiled, telling her happy birthday. Even though it wasn’t. “It seems like it’s not me that’s something else here. I believe that is all you, breaking out all the moves.” Having a breathtaking smile and making her forget for a moment that birthdays were a sad subject for her.
It took her a moment post dip to find any words. The song had ended, but it had taken her mind a moment to catch up. “You want to get some food? I promised one dance and we could go, and what a spectacular dance it was.” If she were being honest, this was the most fun she’d had in a while. She didn’t want want the night to end just yet, not without at least sharing one thing. For someone that had quickly become important to her, she had to share who she was, even if it wasn’t all of it. She wanted just a piece of what her siblings had. She wanted friends of her own. She wanted a life, and the first step was being honest with those she’d surprisingly begun to care about.
