"Aren't I supposed to lead?" Kira asks when Cagalli, irritated by him treading on her toes for the fifth consecutive time, repositions his hands with a huff of "Athrun was right; you really do have two left feet," and draws the hand at her waist to her shoulder, grasping the other firmly in hers as she smoothly takes control of the dance.
Cagalli hikes her chin, the heft of it proud and wary and so distinctly Cagalli it's impossible for Kira to hold back a smile. "You got a problem with it?"
Her amber eyes just dare him to say otherwise and Kira shakes his head, forcing a carefully placid expression onto his face. Always so defensive, he thinks with no small amount of fondness, but wisely chooses to keep that thought to himself. It would only send her bristling further, probably cause her to break off this impromptu dance altogether, and he doesn't want that, not when his steps are no longer fumbling, when they've finally established a proper rhythm, their bodies moving perfectly in time to music they can only hear in their minds.
They're gliding from one end of the room to the other now, their sock-clad feet skirting along the floors, and it may not be very traditional as far as waltzes go but Kira thinks that it suits them just fine.
"You're really good at this," Kira says instead. It's true; his feet have only met hardwood floor since she took the lead. It seems a revelation to Kira, who has only ever trampled on his partner's feet the few times he's danced in his life.
Cagalli rolls her eyes but the effect is spoiled by the way the right side of her mouth tugs up a little.
"Yeah, well, I kind of had to be," she says. "All those big functions I was dragged along to because of my father, you know? I didn't want to embarrass him."
"Did you take the lead then too?" Kira asks, teasing. He expects her to glare and move the fingers she has splayed at his waist to dig between his ribs, but Cagalli pauses a second too long and he laughs, seeing the truth of it in the flush creeping up her neck, in her averted eyes. "You did, didn't you?"
"Shut up," Cagalli mumbles, but her voice quickly regains its usual strength. None of the redness has left her face but she's wearing a scowl now along with it. "Do you want me to drop you on your ass? Because believe me, little brother. That can be arranged."
They're not waltzing so much now as they are swaying in each other's arms. Her hair is loose and tickling his face and he doesn't need to look at her eyes to know that they are flashing. He should leave well enough alone but he can't help himself. Cagalli always brings out this side of him, makes him feel lighter, more like the boy he was back on Heliopolis even though he's seen and done too much to ever be able to fully be that person again.
"You must have been a wonder for diplomatic relations," Kira says, smiling against her cheek, "if how you're treating me is any indication. Were you like this with all your dance partners?"
"Only the ones with two left feet," Cagalli says wickedly, and laughs breathlessly in his ear at the noise he makes when she dips him.