Chapter 4

"Let's restart it," Rin said, scrolling back to the beginning of the video on her laptop. "I missed something."

She had put away the kotatsu that morning, clearing a space for them to practice in the middle of her living room. Youtube was a godsend, she thought. The only dancing she had done was in clubs with her friends, or dancing around in her kitchen. Partnered ballroom dancing, the kind that Yukina had asked her beloved, prickly brother to learn, was a whole other animal.

They had replayed the "Ballroom Dancing for Beginners" video at least ten times, with middling success. The instructor insisted that partners practice separately first, and Rin's feet just didn't know what to do. She dutifully held her arms out like she was embracing someone, trying not to look at her feet and doing a sad approximation of a basic box step.

Hiei stood watching the video intently, feet not moving an inch. At least she had finally gotten him to take off his shoes indoors, the heathen.

"It's not that complicated," he said to her in his most condescending tone after their latest viewing, scarlet eyes mocking. "How many more times must you subject me to this?"

"Oh, and I'm sure you've just got it memorized, Mister High Demon Lord," Rin shot back. She was frustrated at herself and at her stupid feet that didn't want to cooperate. "How do you even know? You're supposed to move around, not stand there like a statue."

Hiei tossed his head and said simply, "It's a human dance. Even an idiot could learn it." Except for you was heavily implied.

Anger sparked in her gut, and Rin bit back a comment about how he was the one that had asked for her help. "Yeah? Then why don't you prove it?" she said instead, hands planted firmly on her hips. She stared into his ruby red eyes, challenging him. His gaze widened for a fraction of a second, then narrowed again. The next moment he disappeared.

Her mouth opened in a gasp as something dark obscured her vision and a hot, calloused hand took hers. His other hand landed at her waist, radiating heat through her shirt and sending a flood of warmth through her whole body. His soft, hot breaths clouded in her face and she could feel the flush creeping over her cheeks as they stared at each other for a long moment. She looked down and away, the only safe option, but then she noticed a tiny mole on his neck just above the collar of his shirt. Peeling her eyes away, she looked at the floor.

They had been this physically close before when sparring, but that was all about reading each other's movements and countering attacks. All thoughts on the battle, on what the other person was doing. On second thought, maybe this wasn't so different. She could feel him practically vibrating with tension, like a bird about to spring into flight, as he held her in a loose embrace. Her heart pounded. The moment stretched long, both of them frozen in place. Then the practical part of her brain knocked at the door to the part that was having a panic attack. One of them was going to have to do something, or they'd be stuck here forever. Or Hiei would run away and never come back. Neither outcome was ideal.

Okay. Time for all business mode.

"That one's too low," she said, nodding at the hand on her waist. "The video said it needs to be up on my shoulder blade." She placed her hand on his shoulder, fingertips just touching his neck.

"Just…" A long pause. "Shut up," he finished lamely as he moved his hand to the proper place, his arm under hers. So even he could be stymied out of one of his clever barbs. That was information to file away for later.

Then he began to waltz her in a slow and careful circle around the room, her hand gripped in his. His feet barely made a sound on the hardwood floors, executing the steps effortlessly. Her feet got tangled up while she tried to remember the instructions from the video.

"Stop trying to lead," Hiei said with a grumble of annoyance. "You're thinking too much. And you just stepped on my foot."

"I'm sorry, I'm trying," Rin said, her hand slippery with nervous sweat in his. She kept her gaze carefully over his shoulder, past the translucent shell of his ear, trying to ignore the heat and shift of his body under her hands.

"Really?" His tone was disbelieving, and her cheeks flamed anew. "I've seen you do kata sequences much harder than this," he said, fingers tightening on her shoulder. "You need to relax."

Relax, while she was spinning around the tiny box of her living room in the fire demon's arms? She would have laughed at the absurdity of the situation if she wasn't living it.

"Stop fighting me. We can't both lead." Hiei stopped moving abruptly and she stuttered to a halt.

"Not like it even matters how I dance. You've got it down perfectly," she admitted sulkily. "Yukina will be so happy." She hated the whine in her voice. He was always better than her at everything. Back at Genkai's, at the Dark Tournament, and even now.

"I'll not have you embarrassing me at my own sister's wedding," he said testily. "You need to relax, not bumble around like an ogre." Rin bit back an acerbic reply. Why did he have to be so annoying? Deep breath in and out. He couldn't help it that he was an asshole.

"I think George would take offense at that remark. Anway, let's try it with music," she said. "That might help." He scoffed, but she broke his hold and trotted to her laptop, where she selected some instrumental music. Her hands were shaking as she typed, heart pumping hard. She couldn't tell if it was nerves or something else.

She didn't want to turn from the laptop, to try again at something she wasn't instantly good at and might be laughed at for. She also didn't want to let the asshole fire demon lead her anywhere. Wasn't she an independent, modern woman, one who could fight her own battles and blaze her own way? But she didn't need to win this battle. She needed to relax and trust. Her body was unused to following, always wanted to take the initiative. But he was right: they couldn't both lead. It was her own pride that was holding her back.

Rin went back to Hiei, stopping only inches from him as the music played, and took his hand. Closing her eyes, she breathed deep and relaxed into his hold, trying to feel his touch guiding her. Gentle pressure from the warm hand on her shoulder told her which way to turn, where to step. It felt like dancing was supposed to, even if her feet still didn't always land where she wanted. It felt like flying, even if she didn't entirely trust him not to throw her over the balcony. But they didn't run into anything as they twirled. His rough hands were gentle as they guided her, even as the callouses on his hands rasped against her clothes, even as he radiated heat like a small sun. When she opened her eyes again, they were almost nose to nose. He was looking into her face intently with those lambent red eyes framed by thick black lashes.

"That's better." Abruptly, he let go of her and stepped away, leaving her feeling like she was still spinning, spinning, spinning.