Dancing
//Prompt: Kiere’s a terrible dancer and Bram helps her practice for the South Pole festival while Korra watches in amusement.
P.O.V. Kiere
I was well aware I was a pathetic excuse for a dancer, but that didn’t stop Bram from asking me to the South Pole festival. He kept using the same excuse over and over again. ‘If you can Water bend like a goddess, you can dance.’ Every time he’d say that, I’d feel my cheeks get hot and he would chuckle. This would kind of boil my blood and I’d want to send ice daggers at him. He would see my expression; a haughty embarrassed mixture, and kiss my cheek apologetically. I would ease up and after many attempts to get me to at least practice with him, I obliged reluctantly.
Now here we are in the Pro bending practice gym, special access thanks to Korra. The only reason she gave in was because she wanted to watch me make a fool of myself. There was always a catch with that girl. For example, helping me off Naga; I’d Pro bend for her in a match. I roll my eyes comically at the thought of my older sibling and my foot tramples over Bram’s once again. His hands are holding my waist trying to guide me in the right direction, but my feet are so uncoordinated it’s no use. My hands, meanwhile, are clutching onto his biceps. I tear my eyes away from our feet and look up into his warm gaze. A smile is playing on his lips showing his sheer entertainment.
I can faintly here Korra’s snickering from the bleachers she’s sitting at. The smell of hot noodles hits me and my stomach growls. I realize I haven’t eaten since breakfast and now it’s dinner time. I look away from Bram and to the side, Katara walking in with a large bag marked, Flameo Noodles. I feel my mouth water and this sends Bram into a light laugh. I step on his foot again and he sighs.
“Sorry!” I say.
“I have a better idea,” he says. He lifts me onto his feet and starts dancing again. My hands slide up his shoulders and hold themselves at the back of his neck. The only sounds now are the opening of the to-go boxes from Flameo’s, the light sound of chopsticks clicking, and Bram’s light footsteps on the concrete floor. I smile wryly when I realize Korra’s laughter has been extinguished and Bram picks up pace, a quick two step on each side, turning us. I laugh and when we stop, I’m kind of dizzy. I get off his feet and hold onto his hand, my vision spinning slightly. Finally I can see straight again and we walk to the bleachers. I take my box of noodles, chopsticks already in them, and smile at Katara.
“Thanks,” I say as Bram takes the first bite of his.
“Of course, but it was under your name,” Katara says. I laugh knowingly and Korra says, “Nice dancing, klutzy.”
“Thanks, Avaturd.” The nickname came to me during our last wrestling match over I-forget-what. She glowers at me and the sight keeps me giggling.
I look over to Bram and see he’s having chopstick troubles. He only lives in Republic City occasionally-his grandmother as well as his mother, live here. Otherwise he’s in London with his father and older brother, Harrison. So he’s not associated with chopsticks as well as Katara, Korra, and I are. He’s accustomed to silverware. At Hogwarts I always used chopsticks, something Dumbledore happily put out for me.
“I feel bad for butchering your feet, so in exchange for dancing lessons, I’ll give you chopstick lessons,” I say, the humor in my tone.
“Deal,” he replies, chuckling and then frowning as his noodles slip from his utensils once again. We all erupt with laughter and I think the South Pole festival won’t be so bad after all.
