BLEACHED

84: Not happy

He holds onto the hands of none other than Lavender who was, in fact, just about to fall.

He steadies her and she mummers a 'thank you', unaware of who her new partner is as she shakes her head from the dizzy feeling in her eyes before glancing up at his eyes.

Just as the time she first saw him, the world around her suddenly grows silent as their eyes remain glued to each other.

None of them say anything for a moment as Domen is well aware Lavender doesn't know any elegant danced, so he slows down a bit to accommodate her to something she can easily fall into step with.

She peels her eyes from him as her heart thuds in her chest with her hands suddenly becoming more sensitive than they've always been, feeling the warmth from his hand pouring into hers.

She watches their feet, him taking extra careful steps not to step on her and she notices this.

He's teaching her somehow as he directs her by pulling on her hands where to turn.

It doesn't take too long until she's able to memorize the pattern and peel her gaze from their feet and up towards his eyes again.

He's staring down at her, infact he hadn't turned his gaze away since they started dancing.

It's time to switch, but Domen is reluctant to and continues on, ignoring the consequences that it brings.

Lavender glances over her shoulder when she notices everyone is switching and glanced back up at Domen, confused why he isn't spinning her around to allow her to switch.

"We have to switch." She whispers, to get his response as he slides his hand further down her back and brings them even closer, so close to the point their chests are touching.

The simple dance turning... Intimate.

"Domen-"

"What were you thinking when you heard her say all that?" Domen asks as he cuts her off when she was about to continue her complaint. "I tried to figure out what you were thinking... But it didn't look like it affected you."

Lavender frowns and shrugs her shoulders as the music around them fades into the background, along with everyone else.

"Who cares what I feel?" She asks as she forces a smile. "As long as you're happy... Right?"

Domen frowns as his hand grips onto hers, getting her to drop her gaze to his chest.

"... I'm not." He says in a much lower voice. "I don't think I can be happy without you. The more away you are the more I want you."

"That can't happen, anyway." Lavender shrugs her shoulders. "Let's switch, Domen... I can't be with you for this long-."

"- just a bit longer, Lav." Domen says as he clenches her waist even tighter.

She looks up at him and sighs out with a slight nod of her head.

"It's okay. Since it's the last time we'll be this close anyway." She smiles up at him and they dance for a bit, ignoring the countless times women try to switch with them, wanting to dance with Domen specifically.

As expected, his grandmother notices the two barely switching over three times up until the music slows down, making it more... Intimate.

A frown carved it's way on her lips as she watches Domen dance away with a woman she's never really seen or paid any thought to.

Clenching her jaw, she walks over to her son who had decided not to participate along with Heather who is looking at Domen with arms crossed to her chest, though not really trying to warn him against it.

Desmond had noticed it long before they switched, that Domen would eventually want to dance a little longer with her.

"What's your boy doing, Desmond?" His mother asks as he gets close enough to Desmond who clenched his jaw and sets his wine down.

He pretends to look over to see what Domen is doing, even though he already saw it.

He shrugs his shoulders and glances back at his mother.

"Dancing, like everyone else?" Desmond asks and the grandmother clicks her tongue as she points her sharp eyes towards them.

"Those two have danced for more than three times without switching. Break it off and find out who she is before everyone starts to ask questions!" She hisses and walks away in frustration as she goes back to where she was standing.

Pretending to smile at the guests along her way.

Heather glances towards Desmond who clenches his jaw and glances down to the floor.

"No point hiding it, you can see Domen really loves that woman." Heather shrugs her shoulders as she glances back at her son. "It's a shame we can't let them be together."

"I know." Desmond clenches his jaw and signals to the orchestra to stop their music and they instantly stop playing, getting everyone to clasp their hands at delight at the dance.