Suikoden III, Percival/Borus, dancing, Percival teaching Borus - 2/3
Percival smiled and clapped his fellow knight - lightly - on the back. "Get out of that armour. You can wear something of mine." He moved to his closet. His mother had, of course, kept everything he'd ever owned exactly the way it had been when he left to join the knights. While Borus was a bit broader in the shoulders - all right, a lot broader - tunics were cut to be forgiving and Percival did remember having a blue one that had always been a smidgen too big.
A few minutes later, Borus was beautifully decked out in a sky blue tunic and darker leggings, and Percival had to admit that it looked better on Borus than it ever had on him.
"I guess you can keep that one," he said with ill humour, as Borus tugged at it curiously and finished tying the belt. Percival had generously provided another orange sash, even though as a handsome stranger it was unlikely Borus would lack for offers tonight.
"Thanks, I guess I can keep it in case I'm ever invited to another commoner ball," he said distractedly. "Now what about this dance? It's almost time for the festival, isn't it?"
"You'll pick it up before we have to leave," Percival said soothingly. The sun was almost down now and the lanterns were being lit. It really was almost time, but he would teach Borus this one thing first.
He caught Borus' hand and tugged him gently into the open space in the middle of the room. "All right, now I'll be the girl and you can lead. Just do what I tell you and don't step on my feet."
"I won't step on your feet!" Borus exclaimed as Percival sorted out their hands into the proper clasped position.
Percival laughed and decided he'd probably baited Borus enough. For now.
"Ready to try it?" he prompted when he realized Borus was staring at their hands, clasped between them in an 'X' shape.
"This is weird," Borus grumbled. "You're a man. Don't lead by accident, Percival, or you'll mess me up. You have to stay the girl."
"Don't worry," Percival said with a grin. He dropped his voice into a seductive tone. "I've been the girl to more men than just you."
Borus turned red. "W-what?"
Okay, the truth was Percival could never bait Borus enough.
"Nevermind. It'll probably ruin your delicate sensitivities," he said haughtily. "All right, now step, and step, and twirl..."
Slowly, but with increasing confidence, he and Borus moved through the steps of one of the simple dances Percival had known all of his life, and which he was sure would be played at least once that night.
It didn't take too long before Borus was swinging Percival around the room like a master; after all, the basic steps were in all of the dances Borus knew, but the ones at the noble's balls were even more elaborate and regimented. This was likely child's play to Borus.
"All right, it's almost time to go and I think you've got the basic steps down pat," Percival said as they came to the end of a flawless run-through. He was a little out of breath by now, and Borus was smiling with confidence. "Ready for the finishing move?"
Suddenly the smile wasn't so confident. "Finishing move?"
"The dance doesn't just end with what we did. There's a last series of steps that you have to know," Percival said, resisting the urge to grin like a maniac. This was going to be good.
Borus' eyes were wide and interested, eager to learn. "Oh yes, of course. Please teach me, Percival. It's of no use if I can't finish properly."
"It's only four steps," Percival explained. "First we twist, then lift, then twist, and then bend."
The eagerness was fading. "What do you mean? Lifting? Bending? You never showed me those moves," Borus said.
"The lifting is easy," Percival said. "You just put your hand on her pelvis, and your other hand on her bodice, and lift."
"Y-you what? What?" Borus was bright red. "I'm not sure I understand."
Percival sighed. "Look, you be the girl for a minute." He shifted and rearranged their hands, much to Borus' chagrin.
"I don't want to be the girl. You just tell me what you mean--oh!" He exclaimed as Percival curled one hand in his shirt, slid the other between his legs, and lifted the other man a few inches off the ground. Borus' feet hit the floor jarringly and Percival grabbed his hands again.