Chapter 17
Scarlet
Dinner passed without further interruption from oblivious males.
Though she could swear people were sneaking glances at her, no one else actually approached.
And after finishing the strangely textured but indescribably flavored fish – it was creamy and sweet, yet savory and spicy at the same time – the two of them summoned the lift to take them away from their table.
But not down, as she expected. Instead, they went up. Towards the top of the dome of the fountain, beyond which the stars on the underside of the night shields sparkled brightly.
“Now what?” She asked, holding onto Havali’s arm.
He had promised her, when she mentioned it while eating, that falling here would only result in them being caught by the antigrav technology that was keeping all the tables in place, but she was still uncomfortable with the lack of railing.
“The male who owns this restaurant comes from a species where, after the last meal, there is always a gathering. Of family or friends or lovers. The time after eating, but before sleeping, is specifically reserved for togetherness. He brought that concept with him to his restaurant.”
As Havali was speaking, they were getting dangerously close to the curtain of water that was stretching overhead. However, just before the top of his head touched it, something interrupted the flow of water and it split apart, like a curtain, allowing them to safely pass.
Scarlet laughed, delighted, as they rose up into the air.
Above the fountain, there was a singular large, slowly rotating platform. This one did have rails on the sides, but no roof, only tall, ornate glass columns lining the edges.
On the platform, there was a bar serving drinks in the middle and, surrounding it on all sides, cushions and lounges and sofas and hanging seats.
A collection of various means of sitting and relaxing that, all together, should have looked messy but somehow managed to be both homey and elegant thanks to the matching cushions and colors.
The lift stopped at the side and Havali, with no small amount of pleasure in the action, helped her step off and onto the lounging platform.
There were already multiple other couples and groups here, all chatting and relaxing and digesting.
Enjoying the time after the meal in the way of the owner’s people. It was charming.
“Have you any preference in seating? Or would you like a drink?” Havali asked, walking them across the clear, green glass platform, their shoes clicking on the hard surface.
“What’s that?” She asked, gesturing towards the far end.
He looked and smiled. “A music player. For those who don’t want to talk as they digest but still want to enjoy the moment.”
Scarlet looked interested and he needed no further encouragement to take her over.
As they got close, she could begin to discern the sweet, tinkling, lilting melody that sounded at once comforting and completely alien.
It made her think of water dropping in an icy cave.
A shimmering, ringing sound that lifted the spirit and cleared the mind.
And it was in 3/4 time.
“I bet you could waltz to this,” she said, her body starting to sway with the soft beat.
“What is that?” Havali asked, stopping them before a pair of cushions in front of a low table not at all dissimilar to something they would see on Turv.
And Scarlet realized that all these different styles of seating were so that everyone could feel welcome and comfortable here, regardless of their planet of origin.
“A waltz? It’s a type of dance,” she turned to him.
He looked at the tall, simple machine that Scarlet thought looked like a bladeless fan but was apparently the source of the music.
Though it didn't have speakers she could see, the tones floating through the air were clear and vibrant like she was hearing them through a pair of really good headphones.
His face made her laugh, and she knew exactly why he was making it.
Dancing, to the domini, was combat based.
It was more like a game of tag. Or that game ninja she had played in school where a group stood in a circle and tried to tap each other one at a time.
Domini style dancing wasn’t violent or painful.
There were no claws drawn or fists made.
More often than not, it was playful and silly and could look beautiful among the talented, but more often than not looked uncoordinated and fun.
She could see how the roots of it had formed in sparring.
This kind of sweet, slow music definitely did not lend itself well to that style of dance. Most domini music she heard tended to be upbeat and heavy on the drums. Even their classical stuff seemed more like war ballads than a symphony orchestra.
“Want me to show you?” Scarlet asked, feeling excited for some reason. “My mom had me in dance classes all through my childhood. I don’t remember much of the fancier stuff, and I couldn’t do them anyway, but I remember the basic steps of a simple waltz.”
Havali looked interested and nodded, sending a thrill through her. She didn't know why, but it always made her happy to see human mannerisms from him. It was just proof that he was watching and paying attention and trying to communicate with her in a way she was familiar with.
It was a small detail, but Havali didn't miss it.
And somehow, it sort of made her feel not so alone out here in the great, wide universe.
“Show me,” he said, eyes darkening.
Butterflies started fluttering in her belly as she stepped closer to him. “It’s a slow dance, between two people. Technically, as the male, you’re supposed to lead, but I’ll do it until you get it.”
“You would let me direct you in this dance?”
“You’re supposed to,” she chuckled, reaching for his hand. His eyes widened in surprise as she tucked it into place round her waist. “Hold me like this. Now, your other hand. No. No,” she giggled. “That one doesn’t go on my waist. You hold my hand with it. Like this.”
She twisted their fingers apart until she could properly clasp his hand. He stared at the joined limbs with no small amount of desire, distracted only when she placed her other hand on his shoulder and stepped in closer, almost closing the distance entirely.
“Are we embracing or dancing?” He asked, his voice rough and growly.
“A bit of both. It’s a romantic dance. Now, the counts. One, two, three… one, two, three… In that pattern, you’re going to move your feet in a box. Left foot forward-”
“My left or yours?”
“Yours. You lead, remember?”
“You said you would lead.”
“I’m leading by following,” she laughed. “I trust you to lead me well. Left foot forward. Right foot to the side. Left to right. Then right foot back. Left foot to the side. Right back to left. Like a little box? See?”
“I don’t understand how this is a dance,” he admitted, looking down at his feet, following along as she stepped backwards into the pattern. They weren’t in time with the music, but he was following the one-two-three pattern.
“We’re admittedly not doing that well,” she laughed as she followed along with his badly timed, overly focused, and rigid steps.
But she could hardly call him bad at a dance he had been doing for less than thirty seconds.
“And it’s really simple compared to what it could be.
But this is how a basic couple with no dance skills can waltz. ”
“How do you determine who wins?”
She chuckled. “It isn’t about winning or losing.”
“Then, what’s the point?”
“Lift your head and look at me.”
“I cannot.” His face pinched in concentration as he looked down at their feet. “I might step on you.”
“You won’t step on me.”
“I am leading in this dance; I have to make sure I don’t hurt you.”
“You are leading,” she agreed, smiling softly. “But I’m following. It’s my job to move with you. To feel what you’re doing and respond properly. If we mess up, it’s both our fault. Look at me.”