Work Text:
The ballroom was, admittedly, rather impressive.
An iridescent crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, its light scattering across the marble floor and reflecting off every piece of jewelry in the room. Famous paintings decorated the walls, while a grand piano sat in one of the corners beneath a collection of warm lights. The entire room had been arranged around a carefully chosen color scheme of beige, teal, gold, white, and bronze, which meant that nearly every guest looked as though they had been selected to match the decorations.
It was exactly what one would expect from a ball hosted by the Tenma family.
In other words, everything was perfectly organized!
Well…
Almost everything.
Tsukasa Tenma had noticed the problem shortly after entering the ballroom.
Rui Kamishiro was here.
There was nothing particularly strange about Rui being invited, technically
speaking. He was an inventor of considerable renown, and despite his reputation for being eccentric—and, depending on who one asked, mildly concerning—he was still a man of respectable standing.
The problem was that Rui had apparently decided that the dress code was more of a suggestion than an actual requirement.
While nearly everyone else had arrived in carefully coordinated formalwear, Rui's outfit stood out immediately. It wasn't ugly, exactly. Tsukasa wasn't even sure he could call it inappropriate in the traditional sense. It was simply... Rui.
Which was perhaps worse.
The strange thing was that nobody had actually confronted him about it. People were certainly staring. Tsukasa had already noticed several nobles whispering behind their fans, and one particularly offended-looking gentleman had been staring at Rui for so long that Tsukasa was beginning to worry his eyes might dry out.
Still, no one said anything.
Perhaps they were afraid of him.
Tsukasa couldn't say he blamed them.
He had been observing the situation from a comfortable distance while playing the piano, which was considerably preferable to becoming involved. Unfortunately, that arrangement lasted only until he happened to look up and see Rui standing among the crowd.
Tsukasa's fingers almost missed a note.
Almost.
He recovered quickly enough that nobody seemed to notice, and the rest of his performance went perfectly. When the final note faded, applause filled the ballroom, and Tsukasa rose from his seat with a practiced smile before giving a bow.
There were compliments, as expected.
A few people attempted to approach him.
Tsukasa escaped before any of them could begin a conversation about politics.
His destination was the staircase leading toward the balcony, where he hoped to find his sister. After spending the better part of the evening entertaining guests, he thought he had earned at least a few minutes of peace.
The crowd parted for him as he walked.
Tsukasa couldn't deny that he enjoyed this part.
Being watched was hardly unfamiliar. As the heir to the Tenma family, he had grown accustomed to people turning their attention toward him whenever he entered a room. He liked being the center of attention, too. There was no reason to pretend otherwise.
He had been called the star of the ballroom more than once.
He was rather proud of it.
So, naturally, the last thing he expected was for someone to grab his wrist in the middle of the ballroom.
Tsukasa stopped walking.
He looked down at the gloved hand around his wrist, then slowly turned his head.
Lavender hair, streaked with cyan.
Bright yellow eyes.
And an expression that was already far too pleased with itself.
Of course.
Kamishiro Rui.
Tsukasa gently pulled his wrist from Rui's grasp and turned to face him properly.
“Couldn't this wait, Sir Kamishiro?” he asked, maintaining what he hoped was a polite expression. “You know that I, Tsukasa Tenma, have places to be, correct?”
There.
A perfectly reasonable request.
He hadn't told Rui to go away.
He had merely informed him that Tsukasa had other obligations.
If Rui possessed even a moderate amount of social awareness, he would understand.
Rui smiled.
Tsukasa straightened his posture, maintaining the polite expression he had perfected over years of formal gatherings. “As the person who assisted in hosting this evening, I really must be off. I have duties to attend to, and I would rather not keep my sister waiting.”
Rui's eyes lit up.
“Yes! Yes, that's exactly the word I had in mind!”
Tsukasa paused.
“...What?”
“The dance!"
Tsukasa stared at him.
He had a horrible feeling about this.
There were moments when he wondered whether Rui Kamishiro deliberately spoke in riddles simply to make other people suffer. This, however, was beginning to feel less like deliberate mischief and more like a genuine inability to communicate in a straightforward manner.
He had asked Rui to explain what he wanted.
Rui had, technically, responded.
Unfortunately, Tsukasa was no closer to understanding what he wanted than he had been ten seconds ago.
“And what, precisely, about the dance?”
“I've been studying it.”
Tsukasa's expression stuttered.
“Studying it?”
“Of course. I've been observing the guests throughout the evening, and I've found the entire phenomenon rather fascinating. The coordination required between two people is remarkable, particularly when one considers that neither participant can predict every movement of the other.”
Rui spoke with the enthusiasm of someone discussing an invention he had spent months constructing rather than something that happened at practically every formal gathering in the capital.
“I've attempted to find volunteers to assist me with my observations, but everyone seems remarkably reluctant.”
Tsukasa glanced toward the crowd again.
There were probably several reasons for that!
“Perhaps,” he said carefully, “they simply do not wish to participate in your experiments?”
“That's what I've been told.”
“And you still haven't considered that it might be a refusal?”
“I have.”
Rui smiled.
“I simply don't find it particularly convincing.”
Tsukasa had no response to that.
Of course he didn't.
What was one supposed to say to a man who openly acknowledged that he understood people's refusals and then decided they weren't convincing enough to matter?
Tsukasa could already feel the beginnings of a headache.
“Regardless,” Rui continued, “I would still like to make an observation.”
“And you intend to do so by asking me to dance?”
“Precisely.”
There it was.
Tsukasa had somehow managed to arrive at the obvious conclusion only after Rui had led him through what felt like an entire philosophical discussion.
He should refuse.
That would be the sensible thing to do.
Unfortunately, sensible things were rarely so simple when one happened to be a Tenma.
Refusing a dance from a guest was not inherently rude. Refusing one publicly, however, could be interpreted in any number of ways. Rui was eccentric, certainly, but he was still an invited guest. More importantly, there were already enough people watching them to ensure that whatever Tsukasa said next would become tomorrow's gossip.
He could practically already hear the rumors forming.
Prince Tenma publicly rejected Kamishiro Rui!
The Tenma heir insulted one of his family's guests…
Was there some political dispute between them?
By tomorrow morning, someone would probably have invented a secret feud between their families.
Tsukasa sighed quietly.
Very well.
One dance.
He could survive one dance.
“I see,” he said, extending his hand with as much dignity as he could manage. “In that case, I suppose it would be discourteous of me to refuse your request.”
Rui looked down at his offered hand.
Then back at Tsukasa.
A pleased smile appeared on his face.
“Thank you for accepting my offer.”
Tsukasa ignored the small sense of dread that accompanied those words.
“One dance, Sir Kamishiro.”
“Understood.”
“And afterward, I must return to my sister.”
“Of course.”
“And I would appreciate it if you refrained from conducting any further experiments without informing me beforehand.”
It looked like Rui was considering it for a small moment.
“I can promise to inform you,” he said finally.
Tsukasa narrowed his eyes.
“That is not quite the same as promising not to conduct them.”
“No, it isn't.”
At least he was honest... Tsukasa sighed to himself.
Rui took Tsukasa's hand, and the musicians began another piece.
Tsukasa had danced countless times before. This should have been perfectly ordinary. He had been taught proper ballroom etiquette almost as soon as he could walk, and he knew exactly how to position himself, where to place his hand, and how much distance to maintain.
Unfortunately, Rui seemed to have his own interpretation of what constituted an appropriate amount of distance.
His right hand settled beneath Tsukasa's shoulder blade, while their other hands remained clasped. Their fingers interlocked naturally as Rui guided him into position.
Tsukasa paused.
This… was rather close.
Not unreasonably close. It was a waltz, after all. The entire purpose was to dance with another person, and it would be difficult to accomplish that while standing several feet apart.
Still.
Rui's hand was on his back.
Tsukasa became acutely conscious of it.
Why was he conscious of it?
It was merely a hand.
A hand belonging to another person.
A gloved hand, at that.
There was absolutely nothing noteworthy about it.
Tsukasa silently decided to stop thinking about it.
“You do know how to waltz, correct?” Rui asked.
“Of course I do?” Is he dense or just plain stupid?
“Excellent!”
Rui stepped forward.
Tsukasa followed.
One, two, three.
The movement came naturally to him. His posture straightened, his steps falling into the rhythm almost without conscious thought.
One, two, three.
Rui was surprisingly skilled.
Tsukasa had expected him to be competent at best, mostly because the man seemed to possess an inexplicable talent for being competent at things nobody expected him to care about. Yet Rui's movements were precise, his steps controlled, and his hand remained steady against Tsukasa's back.
It was almost irritating.
Tsukasa had been prepared to correct him.
He now had nothing to correct.
“How disappointing,” Tsukasa muttered.
Rui tilted his head. “Did you say something?”
“No.”
“I thought I heard you say something.”
“You must have imagined it.”
“Perhaps.”
Rui smiled.
Tsukasa resisted the urge to sigh again.
They continued across the floor, moving among the other dancers. The people surrounding them had resumed their own conversations, though Tsukasa could still feel occasional glances being directed their way.
He tried not to think about it.
That became somewhat easier once the music settled into a steady rhythm.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
Rui was quiet for a few moments.
That, somehow, was stranger than his talking.
Tsukasa glanced at him.
Rui appeared to be studying their movements with intense concentration.
“You're actually observing this,” Tsukasa said.
“Of course,” He gave Tsukasa a slightly confused look.
“I thought you might have simply wanted an excuse to bother me.”
Rui's eyes brightened.
“I can always do both.”
Tsukasa stared at him.
“I'm beginning to regret accepting this.”
“I suspected you might.”
“At least you're self-aware.”
“I try to be.”
The music carried them through another turn.
Tsukasa found himself relaxing despite himself.
This was manageable.
Rui was strange, certainly, but he wasn't a terrible dance partner. If anything, the man seemed to anticipate Tsukasa's movements before he made them, adjusting his own steps accordingly.
It was almost impressive.
Tsukasa immediately decided that he had no reason to be impressed.
Then Rui spoke.
“You smell like vanilla.”
Tsukasa nearly missed a step.
He caught himself before anything embarrassing happened and looked at Rui.
“Pardon?”
I must've missheard, right?...
“Vanilla.”
Rui said it with such complete sincerity that Tsukasa couldn't even tell whether he was joking.
“You smell like vanilla and lilies.”
Tsukasa felt heat creep into his face.
“I am aware of what vanilla smells like, Sir Kamishiro.”
“I didn't mean to imply otherwise.”
“Then why mention it?”
“I just happened to notice, that's all.”
“That doesn't answer my question!”
“I thought you might find it interesting.”
Tsukasa stared at him.
“No, I do not.”
Rui seemed to consider that answer.
“Quite unfortunate.”
Tsukasa decided there was no point continuing the conversation.
He tried focusing on his steps.
One, two, three.
The lilies Rui wore were responsible for the scent, obviously. Tsukasa had noticed the flowers tucked into his hat earlier, although he hadn't paid them much attention at the time.
Now, with Rui standing this close, their fragrance was rather difficult to ignore.
There was also the faint scent of cologne.
Tsukasa noticed that too.
He immediately wished he hadn't.
Why was he paying attention to his scent?
There were hundreds of people in the ballroom, many of whom had probably spent far more money on perfume than Rui had on whatever peculiar invention he was currently obsessed with.
Tsukasa didn't notice any of them.
Of course he didn't.
Because Rui was standing far too close.
That was all.
It had nothing whatsoever to do with Rui himself.
Absolutely nothing.
“Are you distracted?” Rui asked suddenly.
“No.”
“Are you sure?” He had a slight smirk on his face
Damn that sly little-
“I am not.” Tsukasa decided on ending that train of thought.
“You nearly stepped on my foot.” Rui pointed out.
“I did not.”
“You almost did.”
“Then I suppose that is fortunate.”
Rui laughed softly.
Tsukasa frowned at the sound.
He was beginning to understand why everyone avoided this man.
Rui was exhausting.
They continued dancing.
Tsukasa had just begun to think that perhaps the evening would proceed without further incident when Rui shifted his footing.
Tsukasa barely had time to react.
“Wait—”
His balance disappeared.
Rui caught him before he could stumble.
Tsukasa's back arched as Rui lowered him into a dip, one hand securely supporting him while the other still held his own.
For a moment, Tsukasa could do nothing but stare.
Rui was looking directly at him.
His bright yellow eyes were almost unnervingly vivid at this distance.
Tsukasa's mind, which had until then been occupied with the entirely reasonable task of wondering whether Rui had any intention of returning him to an upright position, suddenly stopped functioning.
This was too close.
Far too close.
He could see the faintest details of Rui's expression now, the small curve of his smile, the loose strands of lavender hair framing his face.
He could smell the lilies again.
Why was he constantly noticing the lilies!?
“Was that necessary?” Tsukasa asked, once he remembered that speaking was still an option.
“I thought it would make the dance more interesting.”
“You could have warned me.”
“Where would the fun be in that?”
Tsukasa gave him an incredulous look.
“Must everything be a game to you?”
“Not everything.”
Rui pulled him upright.
Unfortunately, he did not move away.
Tsukasa found himself standing closer to Rui than before, their shoulders nearly touching and their hands still clasped.
He swallowed.
This was becoming frivolous.
They were simply dancing.
That was all.
People danced together every day.
Men danced together.
Women danced together.
There was nothing remotely strange about two men sharing a dance.
So why was Tsukasa suddenly so aware of his hand against his back?
He had spent years learning how to maintain composure under pressure. He had performed before crowds larger than this. He had spoken to nobles who could dismantle a person's reputation with a single careless remark.
And somehow, the simple fact that Rui was standing close enough for Tsukasa to smell his cologne was proving more difficult to ignore than any of them.
Perhaps he was simply tired.
Yes.
That was likely it.
It had been a long evening.
The music was warm but repetitive.
The ballroom was crowded.
Anyone would become overly conscious of their surroundings under such circumstances.
That explanation sounded reasonable enough.
Tsukasa decided to accept it.
Rui tilted his head.
“You're rather red.”
Tsukasa's expression tightened.
“It's warm.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“I hadn't noticed.”
“Well, I have.”
Rui's smile returned.
Tsukasa immediately regretted saying anything.
He was going to have to learn when silence was preferable.
They continued through another sequence, and Tsukasa found his rhythm again. This time he was determined not to let Rui catch him off guard.
One, two, three.
One, two, three.
The dance was almost over.
He could feel it in the music.
Good.
Once it ended, he could return to his sister and pretend this entire conversation had never happened.
That was a perfectly acceptable solution.
Except that Rui's voice interrupted his thoughts again.
“You're quite different from what I expected.”
Tsukasa glanced at him.
“And what did you expect?” He couldn’t deny that he was a bit curious.
“I had heard that you were rather difficult to approach.”
“I am selective about whom I spend my time with.”
“I see.”
“And yet you approached me anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Rui's expression became thoughtful.
“Because I was curious.”
“About dancing?”
“At first.”
Tsukasa raised an eyebrow at that.
“At first?”
Rui only smiled.
Tsukasa stared at him for a moment before deciding that he had no desire to investigate that answer.
The music began to slow.
Finally,
Rui guided him through the final movement, and Tsukasa followed with practiced ease.
The song ended.
Applause filled the ballroom.
Tsukasa blinked, momentarily surprised by the sound. He had become so absorbed in the dance that he'd nearly forgotten how many people were watching them.
He withdrew his hand.
Or, more accurately, Rui released it.
Tsukasa looked down at his palm for half a second before quickly lowering it to his side.
That was strange.
Why had he looked?
There was nothing there.
It was his hand.
He had possessed it his entire life.
There was no reason whatsoever to be staring at it simply because Rui wasn't holding it anymore.
Tsukasa turned toward the staircase.
“I believe that concludes our agreement, Sir Kamishiro.”
“Indeed.”
“Then I shall be taking my leave.”
“Of course.”
Tsukasa took a step.
Then another.
He could already see his sister waiting near the balcony.
Good.
Cake.
Conversation.
Anything that did not involve eccentric inventors.
He had made it perhaps five steps before he glanced back.
Rui was still standing in the center of the ballroom.
Watching him.
Tsukasa immediately turned away.
He had no idea why he'd looked back!
None whatsoever!
It certainly wasn't because he was curious whether Rui was watching him.
That would be absurd.
He had simply been checking the room.
Yes.
The room.
Very important.
Tsukasa continued toward the staircase, silently deciding that he would think about the strange encounter later.
Preferably after he had eaten something.
And preferably after Rui Kamishiro had been nowhere near him for at least several hours.
That seemed like a reasonable amount of time.
At least, Tsukasa hoped it was.