For @dr-devoraak who requested “Let’s push all of this stuff away. I wanna dance here right now with you.” from the Soft Sentence Starters!
Title: Sofia by Alvaro Soler
A loud groan echoed through the walls of the shop as two magicians sat around a large table. “I give up,” Alec cried, burying her face in her hands. “I’m never going to get it.”
“Oh, don’t say that, I know you will!” Iltariya gently pulled Alec’s hands away, meeting shining blue eyes with her sincere brown ones. “I’ve had my whole life to work on my magic, and you’ve only been working on it for a few weeks now.”
“But I feel like I should still be further than—” Alec gestured at the pot of dirt in front of her. “—this.” It was supposed to be sprouting, but the seeds were unyielding. Though her friend was being an excellent, patient teacher, Alec was starting to get fed up with her own lack of magical abilities.
Iltariya hummed, glancing between her friend and the pot in question. With a decisive nod, she stood up. “Okay. Let’s forget about all of that for now.” She threw her long hair over her shoulder and held her hand out to Alec. “I want to dance with you, right now.”
“Dance?” A small laugh broke Alec’s frown, and she reached out to take her friend’s hand. “There’s no music playing.”
“Why don’t you sing for us then? I’ll lead—” Iltariya pulled Alec forward, into her chest, and put her other hand around her waist, “you just follow me and sing.”
Though her face was a bit pink, Alec nodded, putting her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. “I can do that.”
Tapping out a beat with her finger against Iltariya’s skin, she let herself be pulled around the shop, giggling as they tried to avoid the walls and furniture. She let the song come to her naturally, and started singing, a fun energetic song in a language different from the common Vesuvian tongue. She saw Iltariya raise an eyebrow but she never missed a beat, guiding them both in the dance.
Quickly, her frustrations vanished, and she felt her heart lift with every step, using her own magic to channel her happiness around them. She squeezed Iltariya’s hand, and laughed when the other woman smirked and led her into a deep dip, the tip of her braid almost brushing the floor.
Eventually, Alec could feel herself growing more confident, and as she began the last verse, decided to switch it up a bit. She moved her hand to Iltariya’s waist, taking the lead instead, and spun the taller woman around, who whooped with laughter, clutching Alec’s shoulders.
Alec may have miscalculated the force she put into her steps, as before they knew it, they both tumbled to the ground, landing with a solid oof!
“Oh no, dammit—” Alec struggled to sit up, but stopped, her breath catching in her throat. Iltariya was smiling at her and reached up to tuck a strand of loose hair back behind Alec’s ear. Alec let her eyes flutter shut and sighed, focusing on their heavy breathing in tandem with each other.
She felt soft lips press against hers just for a moment before Iltariya spoke. “Feeling better?”
Alec nodded, her eyes still closed.
“Do you... want to try working on your magic again?”
Eyes rolling open with a groan, Alec fell to the ground next to her friend. “Not yet, please. Let me catch my breath.”
Iltariya rolled on her side to face Alec and gave her a knowing smirk. “How long do you think that will take?”
“Probably not long enough,” Alec grumbled, and the other woman laughed as she stood up, brushing herself off.
“Come on,” she said, holding out her hand. For the second time that afternoon, Alec took it, following Iltariya’s lead.
