Authors Note: Just a short, romantic oneshot I thought of. Nothing too major, just Sly taking dance lessons for Latin dances by an instructor who isn't afraid to show what she already knows. Lots and lots and lots of dialogue in this story.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch Productions.
Claimer: I own my character, Ramona Bandicoot.
Please read and review! The story How They Met has the information on Ramona.
Dance Lessons
I half listened as I followed Bentley into the training area of our hideout. He was rambling on how I needed to get better dancing instructions so I could add some 'pizzazz' to our next job. I already knew how to dance and I'd told him countless times that I don't need any extra lessons on how to do a simple tango or other Latin dance. But, with Bentley's constant nagging and will to do it anyway, he had somehow found me a dance teacher and would prove to me I could improve in many areas. So, I decided that I would give it a shot and decided it couldn't hurt.
"Bentley, I don't need a dance teacher. I can dance just fine." I tried to argue my way out of this one last time.
"Don't try and argue your way out of this, Sly. I already have your new instructor in the training area and she's waiting!" he rebutted as we entered the training area. The training platforms that I usually used for working on my jumping and climbing skills had been cleared away so all that was left was an empty floor with lots of lights above.
"Oh boy," I muttered as I saw who Bentley had gotten as my instructor, "You got Ramona as the instructor?" I whispered to Bentley.
"Yep, now go learn how to dance." He gave me a quick shove into the room before leaving himself.
"There you are!" Ramona shouted from the center of the empty room. She trotted to where I was standing and stopped with a bounce, "Bentley said you needed 'pizzazz' in your dancing." She raised an eyebrow while resting her weight on one foot.
"I don't need any help with my dancing. I am a perfectly good dancer and can add my own pizzazz." I really didn't want to go through dance lesson today or any other day.
"Then why was I called over here?" she gave me a gentle poke in the chest.
"Fine, but where did you learn to dance."
"I'm half Latino so my mother taught us everything she knew about authentic Latin dancing. So, if you need pizzazz, I've got it." she motioned me to the center so the lesson could begin, "And I take it you know the basics?" I nodded.
"Good. Then all you need are the special little touches that make the dance come to life and give it spice." The Spanish half of her accent started exceeding her Australian half.
"And how do I do that?"
"Easy, many great dances are focused with one theme; a love-hate relationship. It starts out with two people sharing the love within the music that plays," she clenched her fists and placed them on the chest, "then, that love is ripped apart by something unknown but very important." Her fists snapped away from her body and were spread to her sides, "Then, for the duration of the dance, they are trying to find a reason to make everything work out between them. And then in the end, everything is brought together again and the two once again can find the love that brought them together in the first place." She one again pressed to fists to her chest and gave a quick nod.
"How do I show all of that, in one dance?"
"I can show you," she pointed towards me, "if you just go with the flow." I nodded in agreement and the dance lesson began.
"Like I said, most Latin dances have a love-hate relationship. So, it of course has to begin with the romance." The next thing I knew, Ramona had placed her paws on my cheeks, pulled my face so close to her our noses were almost touching, and out torsos were pressed together, "When people show romance in just about anything, it revolves around a simple kiss. However, you can't kiss and dance at the same time, unless you're a teenager going to clubs late at night. So, you want the feelings and vibes of that strong romantic atmosphere without going to far if you dance with a stranger. But, you can't sell it if you're standing like a stick in the mud, Sly. Work with me here." She shot me a glance of annoyance and I responded by placing gently placing my paws on her waist. She had surprised me her automatic move and my mind had blanked and my heart pounded in my chest, "Like you mean it. It never helps to be overly dramatic." I tightened my grip and she continued.
"Good. And there are problems in every relationship so next comes the hate. You have to make it seem as if you two can't stand to be around each other." She pushed me away and we stood apart in a stance with out feet apart and our arms spread open and parallel to the ground. She started circling and I followed in suit.
"Circling is a great way to show tension between two dancers. Its shows the audience that the two are stand-offish and are ready to do drastic measures." We stopped moving and I listened to what she had to say next. I wasn't used to her method of teaching, being so straight forward with everything, and not afraid to do what she was asked. It was different but I found it to be working pretty well, "For the duration of the dance, you and your partner are trying to settle conflicts by adding more influences of both romance and fighting. After you and your partner have separated, you can begin your typical tango. You start adding your next splash of excitement when you take a brief pause and you are apart." She gently grasped my right paw with her left and started on her next note.
"When dancing with emotions such as love and hate, you never dwell on one feeling for to long. So, you swap them back and forth each time you get a chance."
"How do you know when you have a chance to switch? Dance is continuous." By this time I was actually enjoying this and was becoming more and more curious on how Ramona danced.
"Anytime you think you should change the vibe you are sending out. Create an extremely short pause and switch. For example, in the previous scenario, the two of us split in anger and were dancing with a mild rage."
"So now you want to bring the romantic feeling back." I finished her thought and she nodded.
"But not fully," we shuffled our feet she danced backwards and I went forwards, "so taunt." She moved her finger in a motion to move me forward even more and I followed her petite finger. I was pulled forward, my paw rested on her waist, and once again, pressed against her. With the force of the pull, my head came close to her and our lips would have touched if she hadn't placed her finger against my lips.
"And don't give the people what they expected; make them want more." Her voice was barely above a whisper and her finger was still pressed against my lips. My heart was pounding against my chest again and if felt like it would explode at any minute. I hoped the rising heat up my neck and cheeks wouldn't show through my fur and have Ramona see it. She moved her finger and pushed me away again.
"Then comes the anger feeling?" I asked once I cleared my throat. She smiled softly and nodded.
"But you never want to repeat anything," she turned and pressed her back to my chest and looked up and her gaze met mine. I felt myself freeze as I looked at her uniquely colored eyes and waited for her to continue.
"Having your back on your partner shows that you want things to happen but still have resentment towards one another." With one arm still wrapped around her, she placed hers over my own and we stretched out our vacant arms to the left and out hands connected. We stepped tot eh left and brought our feet together and took another step after taking another brief pause. After stepping about seven steps she froze.
"Continue with a traditional dance and then, you really want the ending to really pack a punch. And of course, we use romance." Our bodies separated and she turned to face me again.
"And we don't repeat anything, right?" she nodded.
"Twists and turns and spins and then it all stops and the two dancers find the love that brought them together in the first place." I nodded and we prepared to finish our dance. Our paws grabbed each other and I pulled her towards me and let her spin underneath my arm. After she spun two more times, the final spun made my arm twist completely around her waist, and my other paw to land on the lower part of her ribcage. Her own paws found their way back to my cheeks and for the third time that day, our bodies were pressed together closely. Our snouts were closer that ever; so close I could smell her gum and few stray stands of fur touched when we exhaled, or at least when she did. I realized I had been holding my breath ever since my paws found her waist and I could feel the blood rush to my ears and face. I was thankful my fur was dark enough that it could conceal it.
"Do you think you can remember that?" she asked after what felt like eternity. We released each other and she shifted the hair from her eyes. I nodded and ran my paw over my snout in an attempt to make the red in my face go down,
"Good," Her Spanish accent started going away and her usual Australian one was starting to return, "Bentley said that I wouldn't need to come by everyday but I can if you want me to." She grabbed her jacket from the side of the room and pulled it on.
"I'll let you know. And thanks, that was better than I though it'd be."
"That's good," she said through a giggle, "I'll see you in a few days." She waved goodbye as she exited the training room and I got to thinking. Maybe learning to dance from Ramona wouldn't be that bad.