Royals and Rule-breakers

Dancing and Denial

"What even are you to do at a ball?" Y/N asked with a hint of disdain as she and Klaus were on their daily garden stroll. "It seems awfully boring."

"Really Y/N," Klaus chuckled, shaking his head, "I told you that if you didn't want to go-"

"And I told you that I have made up my mind." Y/N retorted with her usual stubbornness. "Will there be food?"

Klaus laughed again and nodded. "Of course! There shall be cookies and chocolates and fruits and cakes-" he stopped as he noticed his friend wrinkle her nose a bit in discomfort at the extravagance. "I'm sure there will be leftovers if you would like to smuggle any out go town." He added, and Y/N smiled a little.

"Of course. Will there be music?"

"It's a ball Y/N! Of course there shall be an orchestra- how else is one supposed to dance?"

The painter stopped walking. "Dancing." She echoed, and Klaus turned back to her.

"Of course, it's- it's a ball." Klaus repeated, turning red as he realized how repetitive he was sounding. He was quite for a moment as he watched his friend gaze at her shoes, eyebrows furrowed, before suddenly looking up, avoiding eye contact, and mumbling something under her breath.

"Hm?" Klaus asked politely, and Y/N's face went a furious scarlet as she repeated, only a tiny bit louder,

"I do not think I would enjoy dancing."

"Oh. Well, that's alright, no one will force you to." Klaus masked his disappointment for a minute, then realized, "Is it just because you can't dance? If you don't mind me asking..."

Y/N's indirect glare intensified, as did the color in her cheeks. "I mean, it's not like I would've ever had the chance to learn."

"Well, if that's the only thing stopping you... I would gladly teach you." Klaus offered gently, blushing a little.

Y/N seemed to hesitate for a moment, then finally met his gaze, nodding and smiling slightly. "Alright then. I suppose I shall have to abandon my morals for my temporary indoctrination into your lifestyle."

"Great!" Klaus grinned. "We shall begin tonight, at the ballroom in which you painted the ceiling."

Y/N's smile faltered. "Tonight?"

"Er, yes, if that's alright with you."

The painter forced her smile back into its place and nodded once more. "Of course!"

***

"Ah! Y/N!" Klaus turned to grin at his friend as she stepped into the ballroom with a box tucked beneath her arm. "I was beginning to think you were not going to come."

"How do you have the energy that you do so late in the evening?" Y/N asked though a stifled yawn, and Klaus was quick to apologize.

"I'm sorry, I just figured- this would be the only time- you know..."

"No, it's alright. I know." Y/N dismissively waved her hand, but did not meet his gaze.

It was the only time the two could do something as scandalous as dancing together without the prying eyes of guards or siblings or supervisors.

"What is that?" Klaus changed the subject, nodding to the box in Y/N's hands, and she wrinkled her nose and sighed as she opened it to pull out a pair of shiny heeled shoes.

"A little gift from your seamstress... your dress code is horrendous your Highness." She huffed. "I can't walk in these."

Klaus burst out laughing, and his friend shook her head and smiled as she replaced her flats with the heels. As soon as she stood up she frowned.

"They're so uncomfortable."

Klaus' face softened as Y/N took a step forward, suddenly stumbling as she lost her balance; Klaus quickly caught her in his arms, and she just as quickly pulled away, avoiding his gaze.

"I've got it." She insisted, and Klaus nodded, blushing a little at their brief contact. "They're not even that high. But they are much stiffer than one would consider comfortable."

"Ah, I'm sorry." Klaus chuckled apologetically. "Well, you don't have to practice in them all night if they are going to make you uncomfortable- you've still got time to break them in." He added, going to the record player on a small decorative table in the corner of the ballroom and starting the music. "Now," he began, walking back to his friend, "There are hours and hours of training and discipline that go into ballroom dancing- between posture and form and how you are to carry yourself. However," he bowed before the painter and offered his hand, which she took with a giggle, "you needn't worry about such things. You are here to have fun, not be a royal on display for the sake of others." He straightened up and stepped closer with a smile. "Obviously you begin with an offer, as we have done. You will not go out seeking one; they will come to you."

"My, your Highness, you think too highly of me." Y/N laughed a little, and Klaus shook his head.

"You do not think highly enough of yourself. Now, once you have decided to accept an offer, the real dancing begins-" he took her other hand and placed it on his shoulder, then paused, "Is it alright if I set my hand on your waist?"

Y/N nodded, forcing down the color that tried to rise in her cheeks as the prince's fingers gently rested against her side.

"Alright... and of course, you are under no obligation to place you hand on your partner's shoulder if you do not wish- you may hold the skirt of your dress with the other hand, if only you are comfortable enough to let you partner guide you through the dance."

"Well, I do not have a ballgown tonight, but if I did, rest assured I would trust you enough to let you guide me clever boy." Y/N laughed, and Klaus blushed a little.

"Very well. Now it is all a matter of footwork- just copy me- one, two, three, and one, two, three..."

Of course, there was a lot of stumbling at first, all on Y/N's part- but Klaus caught her every time, and patiently resumed the lesson. The painter slowly caught on, and the pair only stopped once Klaus noticed his friend begin to wince with each step as her shoes began to form blisters on her feet.

"Alright, why don't we take a break- unless you would like to stop for tonight, for you have caught on fairly quickly."

Y/N nodded gratefully and pulled away, sitting on the floor, trying to catch her breath as she kicked off her shoes.

"A real pain those are." She huffed, but smiled, cheeks now flushed pink from all the dancing.

"Well, you did exceptionally well despite the shoes and that being your first time." Klaus smiled back, sitting beside her.

But Y/N's smile slowly faded as she took a deep breath and gazed down at her hands. "We won't be doing that Saturday evening, will we."

"W-What do you mean? Dancing?" But Klaus' eyes told her he knew what she meant.

"Poe would have your head if he caught you dancing with me in front off all of his fancy friends." Y/N noted quietly before looking up. "It's alright though."

"No, I'm sorry Y/N, I just..." but Klaus knew there was no promise he could make that he could be sure to keep. "I'm sorry."

"I said it's alright." Y/N reassured him, but with a slight edge to her voice that had not been present in a long time; the harshness faded as she continued with a small smile, "It would be selfish of me as a peasant girl to keep you to myself when you have plenty of other commitments to fulfill, your Majesty." She suddenly stood with finality and picked up her shoes. "Well, I'm exhausted. If you do not mind, I would like to resume our little lessons at a later time."

"Y-Yeah, of course." Klaus got to his feet and quickly reached for his friend's hand to stop her from leaving. "Y/N, you are not a peasant, you know that- certainly not to me."

Y/N just nodded slightly, pulling her hand away. "Goodnight your Highness."

Klaus swallowed back the lump in his throat as he noticed his friend had suddenly stopped using his name. "Goodnight Y/N. Sleep well."

But neither of the two slept very well at all that night.