TOTCF content because my brain go brr

Dancing

"Hey, Mr Cookie Prince?" Alberu looked down at Hong who's fist scrunched into Cale's commander outfit. "Why... isn't anyone dancing?!" Hong's face was the epitome of annoyance and frustration; his eyebrows were a v, and his cheeks were soft and pouty. 

'I was just thinking that.' Cale sipped the wine in his glass. He looked around the ballroom and observed the separate factions standing, gossiping, judging. Their tables had gone away from dinner because the servants pulled them away. There was beautiful classical music playing, and sure there was nobles nodding along, but there was no dancing.

"We lost that tradition years ago." Alberu said gently, petting his head. Hong's eyebrows creased more. "We used to dance, but balls became more politics-based and more about parading your wealth, noble status, spouses, and then the dancing died."

Hong looked up at him with a devastated look. 

"It died...?" Alberu's eyes widened. Sometimes he forgot the child was still young. He wasn't as experienced as most kids, so he had to be careful with some phrases.

"Ah, no. Not died, just you know, phased it out."

"Well that's lame." Hong looked down at his feet and kicked at the ground. Cale messed with his hair and watched felt Hong hug his legs. Ohn brought her plate over and looked at Cale confused. Cale nodded to him then the ballroom and suddenly Ohn realised what happened. She offered him a custard tart and Hong took it with a pouty expression.

'Hey Hong hyung? Why don't you just dance anyways?' Raon asked in his head as he stuffed his face with steak invisibly. Hong looked up, and it was as if a lightbulb sparked above his head. He then grabbed Cale's hand and pulled him into the ballroom. 

"Let's dance anyways!" Hong span around with Cale. Cale allowed him to spin around and bounce around him in the middle of the ballroom. And he waited. 

"...How do you dance?" Hong asked him, looking at him like the keeper of all knowledge. Cale smiled at him gently, and assumed the proper posture. Kim Rok Soo had made him practice in case of a suprise ball dance. Hong scrunched his face and got onto his tippy toes to try and reach Cale's posture. Cale snickered and adjusted his posture to spin Hong around. They moved back and forth, with Cale making sudden swoops and dips to the delight of the nine-year old. 

The music seemed to grow lively and nobles looked over with varying emotions; a misty nostalgia, disgust and a fond amusement. Alberu watched on silently, his finger tapping the glass in tune with the beat. When the song finally finished, Ohn and Alberu clapped. Raon flew circles around Cale, his hair getting caught in the wind of his invisible whirlpool. 

'Human that was very slightly cool! It was my idea!! I want to dance too!!' Raon said excitedly. Cale sighed. He then looked onto the little hand that was outstretched. Ohn waited for Cale's hand in her's with a mischevious smile. Cale let her pull him onto the ballroom again. And found he wasn't able to leave. Not until he finished dancing with the growing list of dance partners. 

Cale could already feel his back hurting.