La Salon Écarlate (The Scarlet Lounge)

Liz finished eating not long after Naoki, though a lack of feline ears prevented her from eavesdropping on other people's conversation. She still chose to maintain her silence, offering Naoki another smile instead.

She still had no appetite for desert after the plethora of cupcakes she had devoured after Bayonne, the idea of anything sweet rather revolting to her stomach and taste buds.

"I think dancing sounds the best."

She finished the last of her wine this time, clinking the glass back down. She rather enjoyed dancing, the rhythmic movement and steps reminding her a lot of sword steps in duels.

"After all those cupcakes, I am a little desserted out to be honest. Besides, I happen to be an excellent dancer."

"You won't be disappointed."

Liz gets up as well, happily taking the lead, and grabbing Naoki's hand to lead her up the stairs.

"You know, they teach all the officers how to do this kind of thing in case we are caught in a formal situation that requires it."

Though moderately surprised by Liz’ apparent enthusiasm, Naoki doesn’t have much of an option besides being tugged along and danced. Further, she notes that Ms. Silverlain seems to have an excellent singing voice, very smooth, fits nicely with the orchestra. She wonders how much of it is enchanted.

Further, she finds Liz to be a passable dancer, based on this first impression. She’s doing well, with the hand placement and lack of missteps and such. But then, it’s not particularly difficult to dance to this manner of song, so one can only get so much credit. Beyond that, it’s also interesting to be the one being lead, as opposed to the leader, as she is so often. Interesting, and easy to be held close and swayed around this way and that. It’d be a bit better if Liz were a bit taller, but one can’t have everything, she supposes.

In response to her murmured statement, Naoki whispers back, “See? I know what I’m doing sometimes.” With this, she gives a teasing sort of hip-nudge/bump sort of maneuver. Still, she seems happy enough herself with a small smile and a raised tail. This has the side effect of brushing her tail up against the backsides of many other dancers, but whether this is intentional or not is left unaddressed.

Liz, eyes focused around the room while her body focuses on her partner, does manage to catch Morrigan's wink and smile, which is returned in kind as she skilfully, albeit slowly, maneuvers about the dance floor, keeping Naoki's tail relatively far away from other people's backsides.

"Might be nice to catch you with your pants down just once."

Liz, realizing what she said, grinned. She had caught Naoki with her pants literally down a couple of times, and she amended her previous statement.

"Figuratively speaking of course."

“Ah. But that’s the thing. I always seem that way.” With this, Naoki waggles her eyebrows slightly, causing the fabric of Liz’ dress to shift a bit.

In a somewhat more serious tone, she continues, “I’m surprised more often than I let on. Usually not massively, but a lot of the time, I’m acting. … More than I should, perhaps.”

This is followed by a contemplative sort of pause as the song ends and Naoki steps back. However, it’s not introspection time.

It’s tango time. With this in mind, Naoki takes Liz’ offered hand in her own and gives it a solid tug, intending to draw Liz into the embrace, Naoki raising her right hand with Liz’ left, and wraps her other arm around Liz, placing it on the small of her back. Here, she pauses, with the intention of allowing Liz to transition, adjust her posture, and begin.

Though Naoki doesn’t quite have an excellent grasp on the Tango, indeed, never having danced it before this moment, her understanding of the theory is solid, and her implementation is at least passable. To be sensual, firm but loose. Maintaining posture, with confidence and clear, decisive steps. This all comes easily. With a rudimentary understanding of the basic step and having observed a few high-class events in her time, Naoki is able to fake it until she makes it, twirling about the room this way and that in Liz’ arms.

However, it’s a wee bit much, the tango. Which is sort of to be expected, but Naoki finds it somewhat troublesome to focus on both coordinating herself with Liz, paying attention to their surroundings, and making the dance a personal sort of affair. At least, more than it is innate. Which is to say, Naoki isn’t able to incorporate as much groping into the dance as she might like to.

Regardless, dance, and dance they do, until such a point as the song ends. The synchronicity and one-mindedness that comes with two exceptional dancers who know each other well aren't quite there, but in spite of that, they manage to put on something of a show. Immediately following the end of the dance, Naoki takes no significant action, only stopping where she stands and turning to look in Liz’ direction, apparently waiting to see her next move or lack thereof.