"These foreigners have strange customs is all." Seto grumbled to his smaller companion.
“Look, the Countess is throwing this party in your honor, Seto. The least you can do is learn how to dance, in the western style.” Otis said with a roll of his eyes.
The big Samurott grimaced. "I have never... needed to dance before, for any reason. It is beneath me! This ball seems like a foolish affair! And for the last time, call me Lord Seto!" He huffed and crossed his strong arms.
The Floatzel laughed as he beheld his large friend. "It's nice to see pouting isn't beneath you though, Lord Seto."
Seto's ruby eyes flashed with brief indignation. "Very well. I will learn this 'waltz' if it makes you actually behave respectfully!"
Otis couldn't help but laugh. "You got it. I promise to only behave as a proper, respectable bodyguard of his lord... Until the ball is over."
"I suppose it is the most I can expect from an assassin." Seto responded with a sigh.
Otis cocked his head to the side. "Failed assassin. I couldn't bring myself to kill my target, remember?"
Seto allowed himself the faintest hint of a smile. "The fact that I am still here suggests I could not forget."
The Floatzel slid open the paper screen ahead of them leading from one hall of the castle outside to a small garden courtyard adorned with white flowers, now closing up in the cool night air. The bodyguard bowed slightly as he gestured for his kimono-clad lord to enter the courtyard ahead. Putting on airs, behaving himself, remembering his manners, these things were still far from second-nature to Otis. Although he did enjoy trying to better himself in Seto's eyes. Still, it wasn't nearly as much fun as giving the older bearded man a hard time when he could get away with it.
Seto's eyes widened as he glanced around the garden. He would enjoy tea here some days, but since his last visit things had changed.
"What is all this?" He asked with wonder.
Otis shrugged. "It's no ballroom, but I just wanted you to have a nice, quiet place to learn, away from all your servants and samurai."
The small table and mats had been tucked to the sides of the courtyard, allowing for more space on the trimmed grass. Atop the table was a strange looking contraption, square at the bottom with a large, flamboyant cone protrusion affixed to that. Above them hanging by long strings in the open air between the roofs were scores of paper lanterns. Each one had a small candle burning inside, making the little garden come alive with subtle orange firelight. Seto realized they must have been lit quite recently, likely by Otis just before he found him and implored him to practice the dance.
Seto turned and regarded his friend. "It is quite lovely."
Otis scratched at the short fur on the back of his neck and grinned widely. "Haha, come on, you know I don't know what to do when you compliment me! Let's just get started, alright?"
The Floatzel darted over to the table and began fiddling with the unknown device.
"What is that?" Seto asked with interest.
"This," Answered Otis proudly, "Is a phonograph! A recent invention I, um, borrowed from the bat."
"'Borrowed?'"
"I'll return it when we're done, I swear!" Otis smirked. And in fact he intended to follow through on his promise. He valued his friendship with the old Swoobat that owned the trading post in town too much not to.
"How does it work?" Asked Seto as he sauntered over.
Otis gave a quick rundown, as best he could without really understanding the engineering behind it. "But yeah, you just wind this crank and the record plays, and music comes out of this horn part here." He said, pointing to each component in turn.
"Astonishing." Seto mused, stroking his beard.
Otis smiled in response. He liked that sometimes, Seto would forget how a lord should behave when he became upset, or excited about something, as he was now.
Moments later, after Seto had turned the phonograph's crank enough, a light, crackling waltz began to fill the air around them. The Samurott grinned under his immense beard. "It really is fantastic is it not?!"
"Yeah." Said Otis quietly, just enjoying his friend's reaction. "Now, to teach you to waltz."
"Oh, yes. Show me what I must do." Said Seto, suddenly regaining his composure.
"First, just relax, this is easy. The trick is to just move with the music."
"Just, move?"
"That's right, just go with the flow, relax, don't be so rigid."
"I am not rigid! I am just--" Seto words left him as Otis moved in close and reached down to grab him by the hand. He was more surprised when the same hand was placed at the top of the Floatzel's hip.
"What are you doing, Otis? If this was another one of your tricks!" The Samurott growled, his voice beginning to rise.
Otis just smiled. "Surprisingly not, this is really how people waltz, I'm just, forced to play the lady tonight. Think of me like a Kabuki actor if that helps."
"Oh." Replied Seto, blinking down at the young man. "I did not know it was such a dance."
Otis shrugged. "This is just how westerners dance, this and many others. For the Countess's ball, I think this will be what is expected of you, Lord Seto."
"She will want to dance with me this way, you mean."
"It's no secret that the lady fancies you. I suppose this will be her way of telling you herself."
"Humph!" Said the Samurott. "It is too forward, and besides, I do not have time for such things!"
"I'd argue that a distraction like her party is just what you need. Maybe help you forget for a night that there's an entire assassin guild after you." Otis said, a bit too nonchalantly for Seto's taste.
"Thank you for the subtle reminder."
"Hey, nothing's gonna happen to you while I'm around." Otis said as he slid his left hand into Seto's much larger paw.
Seto said nothing. In the month that Otis had defected from his former life, and begun living in the castle as Seto's bodyguard, he had been something of an enigma. On the surface, he seemed earnest enough, straightforward nearly to a fault, and practically unmatched with a sword. But the way he stuck close to Seto, the looks he would catch when the Floatzel thought he wasn't watching, and more overt things he usually just chalked up to immaturity... Was there more behind the younger man's intentions than just making amends? Otis began to speak again, which quickly brought Seto back to his senses.
"And then, we just move, three steps, like this. That's it, go slowly, to the music. It's easy right?"
"Hm, it is not, entirely easy, but I believe I understand the basics."
"Well, you're a natural, big guy."
Seto flinched at the overly familiar term but kept silent. He was grateful for the lesson, it certainly wasn't anything that Otis had to do for him. In fact, it must have been a hassle, getting the phonograph from town, bringing it back here, stringing and lighting all of the lanterns... Seto quietly realized that perhaps Otis's reason was less to please the Countess, and more to have an excuse to spend the evening with him. He wondered if such a thing could be so.
"Otis?"
"Hm?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Well, when I was younger, my older brother was seeing this girl whose parents were teaching her to dance. All kinds of lessons, I think they wanted her to be more worldly or something. Anyway, they were rich, lived in this big mansion. Well, he wanted to impress her, so he'd have me pretend to be her sometimes, and he'd make me practice like this. It used to make me so mad, but I guess it ended up being kinda handy, huh?" He gave a small laugh.
"I, I see, but what I meant was--"
The Floatzel sped up their steps, causing the Samurott to stagger before finding his rhythm again.
"I know what you meant. And listen, don't make me say it, alright?"
"Say what?" Seto asked, confused by what it was Otis thought he should know.
"Just let me, just, have a nice time tonight, with me." Otis said almost uncomfortably, as they continued to move about the soft lawn of the courtyard.
"I am having a nice time with you." Seto responded honestly.
Otis smiled and they continued to dance, enjoying the soft lilting music. Eventually he leaned in, resting his head on the Samurott's expansive chest. He expected Seto to push him away, or gripe about the proximity but instead he remained silent. Otis could hear his heart beat a little faster next to his head.
"Otis?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"If you wish it of me, I will not dance with the Countess."
Otis lifted his head to look Seto in the eyes. "What? Why?"
Seto felt his cheeks begin to burn before he could answer. "If it would hurt you to see me like this, with her, I, would not--"
Otis's eyes sparkled under the paper lanterns' light. "It's okay. She might want you, but I know that's not what you want."
"Oh?" Seto asked, an edge coming into his voice. "And what do I want?"
The music finished as the phonograph's motor wound down and so the two halted their movements, still holding each other closely.
"It's okay, if you don't know yet, Seto. I'm gonna stick around until you do." Otis answered softly.
Again, Seto felt confusion at his friend's words.
"Anyway, those are the basics." Otis said. "Those three steps, leading your partner around, and making sure to keep time to the music. You basically have it down. You're a fast learner."
"I have a good instructor." Seto replied.
Otis smiled at the compliment. "I suppose we can be done now, if you'd like. I don't know what else you have planned tonight."
Seto considered it, but the shy look on Otis's face seemed to suggest he didn't want to stop. Perhaps, Seto didn't want to be finished either.
"I, think I should master this dance before the ball. I would not want to embarrass myself." Said Seto.
"A wise decision."
"And in fact, I think you might need this practice more than me." Seto added.
Otis's jaw dropped slightly open. "Did you just, make a joke?"
"Just an observation." The Samurott sniffed.
"Wow, uh-huh." Said Otis as he pulled from Seto's embrace and headed over to the phonograph. "We'll see who the better dancer is! We're gonna dance all night if we have to!"
"Just start the music, assassin." Said Seto with a smile.