Quick Info~

Get ready for some Laslow angst! As much as I want to just write fluff, the future kids from Awakening make that literally impossible if I want to develop their characters at all. So hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter despite its somber tone. And if you're reading this but never played Awakening before, (is this a spoiler for Awakening? I'm not sure, but I'll write this here just in case) the woman that Laslow is referring to - Olivia - is his mom. She's a dancer in Awakening, and he is attempting to follow in her footsteps. (end spoiler)

Also, thank you again all of you lovely people checking this out! I love hearing from you guys! :) I'm slowly getting back to everyone to let you know how much I appreciate it, but it isn't going as quickly as I'd like it to. Anyway, thanks again for everything and enjoy!

Drabble 3: Step One, Two

It was the easiest move and I had forgotten it. Pointed toe, pirouette to the left, and then… Nothing. My mind felt completely blank. If I was being honest with myself, I could count on one hand the number of steps that remained, but forgetting one might as well have thrown the entire routine in the trash.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. All I had to do was think harder. It was in there somewhere. It had to be. Pointed toe, pirouette to the left, and then… Then…

"Laslow?"

My eyes snapped open and I stumbled, barely catching myself on one teetering leg. Corrin was standing in front of me, her big ruby eyes blinking curiously.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

I straightened, brushing off my tunic even though I knew there wasn't anything on it. "N-nothing," I stammered quickly. A little too quickly.

"Were you dancing out here all alone?"

"Someone's observant," I grumbled, averting my gaze and praying to Naga—or some Nohr equivalent—that my cheeks would stop burning long enough for me to regain my suave exterior.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. I think you're amazing," Corrin said matter-of-factly.

"You do?" I asked, looking back at her with surprised eyes.

She nodded. "Yeah. You're pretty talented. Probably the best I've ever seen."

I smiled humbly. The best she's seen? Most likely, as Corrin didn't see many dancers while locked away in a tower. But I was nowhere near the best. Nowhere near Olivia.

"Thank you," I managed to utter despite the fact that my insides were twisted into a tight knot from simply looking at her.

"Why did you stop then?" Corrin asked.

I quickly recovered at her question, smirking playfully. "A dancer is much like a magician. We never reveal our secrets."

Corrin's smile faded and she put her hands on her hips haughtily. "I don't think that's the same thing."

"Au contraire," I said, taking a step towards her and reaching for her hand.

Her skin was warm and smooth to the touch despite the chilly morning air. She shivered, and I realized that my hands must've been far colder in comparison.

"I could finish the dance," I said, lowering my voice and leaning down towards her ear.

"What's the catch?" she asked, seemingly nonchalant despite the fact that her breath caught in her throat.

Hesitantly at first, I gingerly placed one hand on her lower back while the other laced my fingers with hers. "You dance with me," I whispered.

I felt her shiver again and, as gracefully as I could, I spun her around. Her bare feet kicked up the dirt underneath us and her cape twirled around her body. Light blonde hair whisked in front of my face, catching glints of the rising sun as it went.

When I caught her hand in mine again, she was staring at me tentatively, holding her breath all the while.

"What?" I chuckled. "Lord Xander never taught you to dance?"

"I was more of a sparring partner than a waltzing one," Corrin said, and I could tell that she felt nervous.

"Well, it's easy enough," I said gently. "Just put one hand on my waist like this and keep the other in my hand. I'll lead, so all you have to do is follow my footsteps."

Corrin looked down at her feet, shuffling them awkwardly in the dirt. "Okay," she murmured.

A simple waltz was easy enough. I was sure my mother had taught it to me before I even learned how to walk. It was engrained in my mind as perfectly clear as looking at Corrin in front of me. I began counting slowly, repeating rhythmically so she could get used to dancing on tempo.

One foot back, one clumsy step followed. If remembering this was so easy, then why couldn't I remember Olivia's dance?

"Like this?" Corrin asked, her eyes glued to her feet like she couldn't tear them away if her life depended on it.

I laughed, letting her hand drop to her side. Taking my thumb, I gently tipped her chin towards mine. She blinked in confusion, her fingers fluttering near my arm like she was going to pull my hand away.

"Focus on me," I said.

She nodded slowly, and I took her hand in mine once more.

"One, two, three. One, two, three," I whispered, nodding my head along with each beat.

She moved clumsily, stepping on my toes and moving left when she was supposed to move right.

"Alright, now back," I said, taking a step towards her.

She nodded and chewed her lower lip uneasily. She lifted her leg, took a step, and collided into my chest. Her frustrated groan made me lose it. I laughed, loud and long, clutching her against my chest.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, taking a step back and crossing her arms angrily.

"I'm sorry, Corrin," I said, grinning.

"You took a step towards me so I did the same! I thought I was supposed to be following you!" Corrin whined.

"No, that's why I said 'back,'" I said, shaking my head.

She looked utterly adorable with her big angry eyes. She danced like her feet were made of lead and her arms like wet noodles. She was as graceful as a dragon, quite literally, on the battlefield. She was a whiz at squashing Hoshidan prejudice. And she was as beautiful as a blooming rose. But dancing was an entirely different story, and I couldn't keep the grin off of my face despite her disapproving glare.

"Well, why don't you show me the dance you're working on since I'm such a lost cause?" she huffed, sitting down in the dirt and staring up at me expectantly.

"We already went over this," I said, my cheeks burning once more.

"I'm not leaving until you do it," she responded.

"Then it looks like you're going to be out here for a long time," I answered, picking up my shoes from the ground and turning to leave.

"I don't think anyone would be very happy with you abandoning a princess in the woods by herself," Corrin called, her voice dripping with a challenge.

I winced. She was right. "Fine," I said, shaking my head and throwing my shoes to the ground. "I'll show you, but you need to remain absolutely quiet."

Corrin nodded and mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to remember the music that played. Trying to remember the murmur of her voice singing along. Trying to remember what it was like when I thought I had all of the time in the world to learn that dance.

After a minute or two, I could feel the memory beginning to fade again. Pointed toe? Check. I remembered Olivia smiled at me. Pirouette to the left? Check. I remembered Olivia closed her eyes. I remembered watching expectantly. And then…

When I opened my eyes, I could barely see Corrin's face. My vision was blurred as my mind tried to grasp at the strings of memory to see what was next.

"That was good!" Corrin said, clapping her hands and smiling, bringing me back to reality. "It looks incomplete, though."

"Of course it looks incomplete!" I yelled, and Corrin's smile immediately faded. "Because it is incomplete! Don't you see now why I didn't want to show you? I'm a disgrace to her memory by forgetting this dance!"

I sunk to the ground, pulling my knees to my chest and looking away from Corrin. I knew she was staring at me worriedly. Like I looked like a little lost puppy to her.

She didn't say anything for a while. She didn't look angry, either. Instead, she merely stood up, walked towards me, and put her arm around me. Resting her head on my shoulder, we sat there in silence.

"I'm sorry, Corrin," I said after what seemed like a millennium of silence.

"Don't be," Corrin said. "I'm sorry I made you dance for me."

I shook my head, wanting to laugh but unable to find the strength. She apologized? She really did put the burden of the world on her shoulders.

"I just wish that I could remember. I know I watched her do it hundreds of times," I said, picking at little blades of grass on the ground.

"Can I ask who it was? Maybe someone in the Kingdom can find them for you?" Corrin asked.

I shook my head. "No, unfortunately she passed away when I was pretty young. Perfecting her dance is the only way that I can still feel like she's alive."

Corrin smiled earnestly and took my hand. "Well, I don't know much about perfecting it, but I bet she'd be proud that you care so much for her."

Despite the frustration, I actually found myself smiling. Corrin had that odd capability with others. No matter how angry they got, she was always willing and able to make them smile. In that way, she and I were kindred spirits of sorts.

"I hope so," I said.

Corrin nudged me in the side reassuringly and said, "I know so."

She then stood and faced me, reaching her hands out for me to grab. She hoisted me to my feet and shot me a cheeky grin.

"One more time?" she asked.

"For what?" I asked, grinning back despite the sudden fluttery feeling in my stomach.

"Teach me the waltz again," she urged. "I put my hands here, right?"

One hand ghosted over my shoulder while her other waited patiently for me to take it. She was staring at me expectantly, like she was putting all of her trust in me for that moment.

I shook my head and blinked, taking her hand and trying to keep my inherited blushing and weak knees at bay.

"Right," I said. "On my count. Step one, two, three…"