arrays | [ open ] we'll keep dancing til we die

She isn't half bad, though he's aware it's not all her doing. His hands don't stop moving, keeping in time with the music and making sure neither of them lose the flow of it. It gets decidedly close and... well, intimate sometimes, but that's Latin dancing for you. That's why it's so easy to close that space when Natalie comes toward him, helped out by the crowd that's growing around them. Her lips are welcoming and soft and they taste like alcohol, but then, he probably does, too. It's nothing the two of them aren't used to, though, and besides - Leo's always liked how loose it makes them. It helps open them up to the possibilities of what could be, with this psuedo-anonymous not-dates of theirs. It's always an adventure with her, and that's exactly what he likes about it.

Natalie's life outside of this seems to be falling apart but at least she can feel good without constantly wandering through a thick fog. She's certain that he won't like her outside of this bubble so she is, at least, happy for what they have now.

The haze she is in is pleasant, aided by his lips on hers, tasting of sugar, salt, and alcohol. Not fully making out with him just yet, she presses her forehead against his, eyes heavy-lidded as she keeps moving, making sure she's still in time with the music.

There's nothing wrong with a few drinks and a dance partner, Leo would say. They've all got problems to run from, and that's why they're here in the first place - to forget, to let go, to move on, even for just a little while. It's why he's never stayed in one place for very long before, and why he's starting to feel like he's overstayed his welcome in this town, even if Natalie seems to enjoy his company.

Either way, he'll make this a good night. They don't need a heated makeout session like when they first met to have a good time. The drinks and the music and each other's company is enough, at least for Leo, though he can't deny that the look in her eyes is intriguing. Maybe they'll explore that later, he thinks with a smile, but dancing is good enough for now. There are others on the dance floor who don't share his opinion, already getting bold as the music rises to a crescendo, and he casually steers them away from those couples as much as he can when most of his focus is on her and the way they move together. It's funny, how they've always done well as a pair when it comes to dancing. He'll miss that.

She likes being in his arms like this, moving like a single unit. It's easy for her to fall into this, letting the music guide her.

The other couples remain in her periphery, and it makes her feel even warmer than she is already. Who is this guy, really, and why is it so easy for her to be around him?

There's enough room for her to pull away slightly, taking his hands as an invitation to lead her.

And lead he does, spinning her once and taking her through a whirlwind of steps that keep them close and in time with the music. Maybe he's pushing it a little, for all the drinks they've had by now, but a little extra swaying never hurt anyone, and they're still on their feet, besides. The moves are quick and easy, but fun, and really, what else matters? It's weird sometimes, how easily they come together for things like this, but he tries not to think about it too hard, attributing it to the drinks instead of anything too awkward. It's better for the both of them that way - neither of them get attached, because it's only a few drinks and a few dances, nothing more (sometimes a bit of making out, but that's also from the drinks, he'd say) - and by the end of the song, they can both leave satisfied but without any strings tying them down. They've been pretty clear from the start that that's what they need, and that's how they've stayed. That way, they can carry on with their lives, such as they are, without having any extra stress on their minds.

Natalie actually laughs when he takes her through a few spins, her hair whipping around. When she ends up right in his arms once more. All good things have to come to and end, but right now, she'll take advantage of this moment and this closeness, starting with kissing him again, her hands still wrapped around his and giving them a squeeze. Her feet are still and the room might as well not be there because she doesn't notice anything else.

He hadn't intended on stopping just yet, but this is more than okay with him. His response is slow in coming while he shakes off the surprise, but once he does, he's eager to keep it going, happily pulling her closer and sliding his arms around her waist. The room and other dancers around them fade into the background, meaning nothing when he could be wrapped up in a pretty girl instead, running his tongue over her lip to draw her out a little more. This is what he's loved about doing this - the spontaneity of never knowing when it'll go from a dance to something more, the adventure of wondering where they'll be going next. It's why he's stayed as long as he has - how often, really, do you run into someone like that? As many as cities as Leo's gone through, this girl is the first.

This is way more fun than the way she used to go clubbing, detached and merely floating through the crowd with her head in a daze.

Sure, she's got some alcohol on her tongue, but she's mostly clear-minded, focused on kissing him, opening herself up to him. Not ... in a very personal way, no, but it does feel more intimate than mere hookups. Somewhat keeping with the rhythm, her hips sway gently with the music, but her hands are already in his hair, gently running her fingers through it.

It doesn't have to be personal to be fun, and fun is good enough for him. The alcohol helps them along, of course, but there doesn't need to be a ton of it for that - Leo himself is good at finding ways to get people to relax, even Natalie here. Besides that, he still doesn't know the first thing about her when it comes to normal life - though he could probably make a good estimate of her favorite color, judging solely from her wardrobe - but it's for the best. They had a silent agreement on that account, but it doesn't stop them from learning what they both like here on the dance floor, or in a private corner where they can get a little closer. So of course, when Leo feels her hands wander, he lets out a soft sound of approval and rolls into her touch. And that is enough of an invitation for him to slip his hands under her shirt, flattening over her skin.

Even with his hands lifting her shirt ever so slightly, she doesn't feel so exposed, since a short skirt and leggings has become her clubwear uniform, sort of. Even with the other bodies on the dance floor, she still shivers when she moves closer, pressing herself against him because that - she likes a lot.

Playfully, she pulls back some to brush her lips over his just before she turns around in his arms so she can actually get a little more dancing in before they eventually fall into their usual kissing in a dark corner routine. She keeps her arms over her head and bounces to the beat.

Now that, he likes, and he's almost ready to take off with her at this point. She turns while he's still debating if another song is worth waiting for, answering his question for him. He still likes the way she moves, though, so he keeps his hands on his hips to continue loosely guiding her in this style of dance. No one else on the floor is paying either of them any attention, so being judged isn't a problem, but after what his mother had taught him as a kid, Leo likes to see it done right. And Natalie, he's learned, is a bit of a perfectionist, herself, so he won't let her down.

She just likes his hands on her, whether they're dancing or doing something else. At the moment, she can't decide which of the two she would rather so now, but she's pleased that he'll follow her lead. He's supposedly the expert in this, so she'll take his hands again, giving them a squeeze of encouragement to whirl her around for another go.

And he'll gladly take that invitation for what it is, pulling her around into another spin as soon as the music calls for it. He's not the only one on the floor to do it, either, but they always know when to allow just enough room for that kind of thing here. It's another reason why he likes it so much, aside from the owners not caring that he's underage. The music calms a little after that, falling into a comfortable rhythm to let them all catch their breath before it starts to fade.

With her back to his chest again, Natalie smiles an open-mouthed smile. She leans against him comfortably, looking up at her partner slowly, reaching around to thread her fingers through his hair, using this position to bring him closer, just so they can gently press their foreheads together. It not really an invitation to kiss. It's just to enjoy this intimacy, even in a crowd this size.

For once, there's no question on her tongue, nothing on her mind that she wants to say. She lets her actions speak for themselves.

Leo is always happy to come a little closer, even in full view of the other patrons. No one in these clubs cares about two teenagers (or twenty-somethings, according to their IDs) getting close on the floor. Everyone has something else to concern themselves with, be it dancing or a partner of their own. This is typical for them, a bit of teasing each other before they take off to find a new club or a comfortable corner. It doesn't matter which as long as they have fun, and Leo definitely does as he continues taking her through the steps, only adhering loosely to the rules of Latin dance tonight.

At this point, all her reservations are gone and she's finally dancing with hardly any self-consciousness. It's so much easier. How do people do this all the time? It's not like she can drink every time she needs the tension to leave her shoulders.

Now, she wants a bit of a challenge and that comes with the next song, which sounds like a salsa to her trained ears. She grins up at him bashfully, waiting for his next move. She can keep up, she promises.

It hasn't been long, but Leo has learned that it takes a lot to get Natalie to let go of all of her reservations and just... dance for a while. Once or twice, since discovering this, he wonders what she's like outside of this. Just how uptight is the girl that she needs someone like him and a touch of alcohol to help loosen her up? Everyone's got their own bag of problems, and he can't help but wonder what hers are to bring her to places like this.

It's none of his business, of course, and what does it matter? He'll be gone before the week's out, and he'll never see her again. And for all he knows, they wouldn't even get along outside of these clubs.

When the next song comes on, he pushes that out of his mind. Goodbyes will come later. Now Leo gets to go back to his roots, and the cheering among the other patrons tells him that he's not the only one. He grins at Natalie, stepping closer to comment, "This is why I love this place."

"Doesn't surprise me."

She grins sideways at him, lifting his hand over their head so that she can spin under his arm, twirling herself right into his chest, her back to him with her cheek pressed against his. Natalie inhales slowly, brushing her nose against his cheek affectionately, trying to be cute for once.

"You want to lead me through the steps or what?" It's not really a challenge if he knows it like the back of his hands, but she likes to give him a little push anyway.

He inhales slowly, steadying himself between the alcohol and the things she does. Does she know exactly how she teases him with things like that? She's always hot, he thinks, but nuzzling - it really is cute, and Leo isn't sure which side of her he likes more.

"Now that, I can do," he breathes, a flash of excitement rolling through him. As the music starts to gear up, Leo gladly takes her hand in one of his, the other resting on her hip to help her move just so in time with the music. "You ever done a salsa before?"

She snorts. "Never. I'm gonna suck."

Like this girl would have an ounce of soul or Latin flair in her body. At the very least, she does have the hips for this kind of movement. She squeezes his hand without much of a thought for the gesture and lifts her chin slightly, moving with him, step by step.

"No one expects you to be perfect on your first try," Leo points out with a smile, "and nobody here will care if you get it wrong. It's not that hard; just move your hips and step like this..."

His voice trails off, caught up in the music for a moment. It's a quick beat, energetic and full of life with no small amount of passion and fire, just like the dance itself should be. A lot of the dance is in the steps, and he carefully moves her along with him, giving her a nudge in the directions he thinks she should be moving at that time.

“I care.”

Duh. Not that... he would really know that.

She shakes her shoulders out, frowning briefy before letting him guide her. The pressure of his hand on her hip is good and she tries to follow without any missteps. Her limbs are loose enough and she is having a great time, perfectionism or no.

"You shouldn't," he says simply, eyes sparkling with amusement. "Just have fun, and try to keep up with me."

He does note that she isn't perfect even as he leads the dance, swinging her along with him and really enjoying himself for the first time in a great while. It's been some time since he's even come to this club, so getting back to it feels amazing, almost like it's a weight off his shoulders. This'll be his last dance here, too, he thinks, so it's only right to make it a good one.

It just makes her want to kiss him more, the way they move together. It's pretty hot, yeah, but it's fun above all and there is no one out there who can pull her into a middle of a dance floor like Leo can.

When he pulls her close again, she brushes her lips over his invitingly, her eyelashes fluttering girlishly.

He knows better than to let an invitation like that go to waste. As she moves in close against him, he presses his lips against hers with a grin and a sparkle in his eyes. It's fun, and he wants her to know it, so he doesn't stop pulling her along in the dance, merely slowing their movement a little while they have their distraction. As they slow, Leo's fingertips wander under the hem of her shirt before he can think about what he's doing, lightly touching her skin but going no further.

[ open ] we'll keep dancing til we die

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