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[soheartless]

okay

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[soheartless]

[He does stop his hand for a moment, inches a way. The way she's posed, it's almost like Tutu. He doesn't know what it means... but he slowly slides his hand over hers.]

[untrueheart]

[It takes a lot of control to move as slowly as he is, first by taking his hand and then with a careful turn, always keeping as much distance between them as the steps allow. Don't come near my heart. It hurts but this is better than seeing him breathless with fear.

And he likes dancing. Genuinely likes it, when he is more himself. Maybe this could really work.]

[soheartless]

[He feels her hand, soft. And he wonders what emotions that touch is supposed to let him feel. Right now, he's almost getting goosebumps. But he follows her motion. Slowly. Cautiously. Still trembling.]

I'm afraid.

[untrueheart]

I know you are. But after a while...do you not feel anything else? [She is no good at this and it isn't going to work.] Devotion?

[soheartless]

Devotion.

[He repeats quietly, with his eyes closed. What if he focused on just her voice, the rhythm? His leg arced into the air.]

Devotion is... part of my heart.

[untrueheart]

That's right. [Everything she tries in her efforts of love is doomed to fail. This is false hope. She's sure of it. So why is she that much closer, now that his eyes are closed?] Fear is, too. But you can't-

[Her breath catches, and she stumbles into a turn and bumps the nearby wall, but manages not to fall over completely.]

You...you can't let just one...piece of your heart win forever.

[soheartless]

[He still remains graceful, and as she stumbles, he still does move a bit more swiftly even with his eyes closed to help brace her.]

I see. That's what... I shouldn't do?

[untrueheart]

You should do what you feel. It's just...being afraid all the time, it, it doesn't...

[Maybe he's right to be afraid of her. Look at everything she did. Happy ending or not, he suffered so much at her hand and for her ends.

Rue hangs her head and also dances with her eyes closed.]

[soheartless]

I'm afraid of a lot.

[He says quietly, with another shudder.]

[untrueheart]

That's because there is not a lot of you together yet.

[Rue doesn't dare open her eyes, especially at the shudder.]

I'm here to help you, Mytho. [With some effort, she manages in a much hoarser voice:] T-Tutu is, too.

[soheartless]

[And he whispers coolly.]

Devotion...

[That's what he's observing, isn't it? Duck had talked about her devotion to helping her friends. While his eyes stay closed.]

And... Duck.

[untrueheart]

[What? But how, how had he, how could he know that the two of them-?

The surprise trips her up even worse, a set of mistakes she would never allow herself in open practice or performance, and this time she doesn't try to catch herself.]

Duck?

[soheartless]

[As her weight shifts, Mytho's eyes opens. His instincts overcoming his fear, he moves to catch her and holds her as if she's in a dip, looking down to her eyes.]

Yes. Duck told me... that she feels devotion, too. Towards helping us.

[untrueheart]

[Oh.

The look in his eyes. There is some real Mytho there, bits of him without the fear at the front.

He didn't mean devotion to Duck.

So why is her heart still racing?]

She...is a good friend.

[soheartless]

[There is struggle in his eyes - a struggle as he looks at her. And his lip curls slightly. But he tries to nod, to talk, as he pulls her back up.]

Yes.

I remember that... that... I can trust her.

[He had more emotions when he decided that - he can't feel all of it, but part of that trust in Duck - in sweet, simple Duck - was still there.]

[untrueheart]

I can't be Duck for you, Mytho.

[The dance brings them naturally closer.]

Just me.

[soheartless]

Yes.

[He confirms as he twists and twirls, his hesitances slowly fading.]

You. You're-

[He stammers, as if uncertain of what name to call her. The name he feels devotion towards or the one he fears.]

[untrueheart]

[It takes Rue far too long to realize she's holding her breath.

Did she have any right at all to lay claim to this name as the one he could trust? Her mind flashes on an image of the front of her journal, and she grits her teeth before whispering, breathless:]

Rue.

[soheartless]

[The sentence he was one was broken by her whisper. And, he instead proceeds to repeat the name to her soothingly.]

Rue.

[Such a simple name. And with such a rhythm to it.]

[untrueheart]

Yes.

[One hand reaches to touch Mytho's face lightly.]

[soheartless]

[He struggles - he doesn't reject it, but there's a slight cringe.]

[untrueheart]

[That's all she does, rests her hand there for a few seconds and then lets it fall again. Would he always be afraid of her closeness now?]

Do you feel less afraid?

[soheartless]

I don't know.

[He closes his eyes again.]

I'm afraid, and... I'm devoted.

[untrueheart]

You'll be... [He will be more things someday. If these two shards are here, then how many more are waiting for him amid the people of this town?

And if they're all here, then there is one she alone must find first.]

Fine. [She tries, hesitantly, to pull him just a little closer. They are still dancing, after all.]

[soheartless]

Okay. [He breathes with a degree of uncertainty, pulling her closer in turn.]

I don't want to be... otherwise.