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it-happened-one-fic · 8 months ago

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Dancing With Visions - Unwilling to be Parted - Argentine Tango - Zhongli

Author Notes: I was really quite delighted when I spun the wheel of fortune I use to decide who dances what style and Zhongli got the Argentine tango. I must confess that I have always personally loved to watch performances of Argentine tangos, so that possibly shows up a bit in this fic. The performance in this fic was heavily inspired by Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Meryl Davis’s Argentine tango to “Montserrat” by Orquesta Del Plata on Season 18, week 10 of “Dancing With the Stars.” I also listed to "Montserrat" while writing and editing this fic. Just like the rest of this series, reader is female. I hope you enjoy!

If you would like to read more of this series, the fics can be found here: Dancing with Visions Masterlist.

Type: Female reader/ dance/ fluff/ romance implied

Word Count: 1905

Zhongli was respected by everyone and, in the eyes of the populace at large, seemed to know everything there was to know about anything. And perhaps that was why he was asked by an orchestra to perform an Argentine tango while they played, as a part of the overall performance.

After all, it was a song specifically written to be danced to, so they did not want to lose that aspect of the music. Though admittedly, it wasn’t exactly what I had initially expected when I’d heard it was going to be music written for a tango.

But then, it wasn’t music for a ballroom tango, it was music for an Argentine tango, and there was, evidently enough, a distinct difference between the two dances.

The Argentine tango was the more intimate, melancholic sister to the dance known as the ballroom tango. Or at least that was how Zhongli had described it to me when he’d asked me to be his partner for his performance. A request that I had hesitantly accepted only after much reassurance from my current partner.

I couldn’t deny that Zhongli’s description of the dance was accurate, though. While the ballroom tango and the Argentine tango held much in common, there were very distinct differences.

It honestly felt like there was more connection between the two dancers for the Argentine tango, which was more moody than aggressive, as the ballroom variant so often was.

I glanced over at where Zhongli sat, ever patient in the chair at the table on the opposite from where I stood.

In many ways, I’d been surprised to learn that the orchestra had set up such a performance area for us. But, as both they and Zhongli had asserted, Argentine tango music was music made for dance. It was only natural that the dance took centerplace as the orchestra performed their moody, careful sounding piece.

The music started and I stepped towards Zhongli, stepping up into the empty chair beside me and then onto the table between us. Adjusting my skirt as he looked towards me, his head turning in perfect time with the plucked strings of the music.

We’d practiced this dance numerous times, but his gaze never failed to startle me. I didn’t know what it was about his amber-colored eyes with slightly inhuman pupils that gave me the slightest of pauses, but it never seemed to fail. I was just lucky that my hesitation matched with the music.

I straightened, pushing myself up and off the chair and pivoting on the foot that rested on the table as I twisted, letting myself fall easily into Zhongli’s arms where he sat.

I looked up at him calmly as I stretched my arms back and over my head in the most languid manner possible. Slowly cartwheeling off his lap as he watched with quiet interest. Holding my hand as I stood just as he turned to look back out at the crowd.

Still seated, he twirled me across the floor until I stopped in front of him, his hands tracing their way up the side of my legs.

I inhaled slightly at the motion but let my hands rest over gloved ones, taking a gentle hold of them before pulling them off me and tossing them into the air before I stepped forward and turned. Leading with my head as I faced him and he stood.

I lifted my arms, easily sliding into our dancing hold as he almost immediately began to walk me backwards and across our stage.

Our steps were light, and almost stealthy as he pushed me backwards, pausing only to let me lean back to the lilting of the violins before he turned with me. His posture ever upright and strong as he twisted, placing me at his side and stepping lightly in place with me as we faced each other.

As if we weren’t having to concentrate on our intricate footwork at all and instead one another’s eyes were far more important.

And though I couldn’t speak for him, that certainly was true for me. Zhongli’s eyes were eternally interesting and beautiful.

His gaze was still one of pointed interest that seemed to make it impossible to look away from him.

I forced myself to break our eye contact though, as I turned the side, only to get swung lightly through the air as if I weighed nothing. Landing in a crouched position with one leg extended and my one arm still stretched out so my hand could stay in his.

Almost like it was locked in place, either by his grip or my unwillingness to let go. That was up to our viewers to decide.

The room was perfectly silent save for the music around us as he stepped lightly around behind me and I twisted on my toes. Pulling my legs under me as I looked up at him and he spun.

My hand left his only for a fraction of a second before he was taking it once more in his firm, but surprisingly gentle grasp.

He tugged lightly and I launched into the air, spinning elegantly so that my back was to his chest as he caught me against him. Wrapping an arm around me and holding me there as my legs curled backwards and split to lock around him as he stepped backwards.

But that was the nature of both this dance and Zhongli himself. Each motion flowed into the next effortlessly. As if each step were a natural progression.

This was a dance that told a story. A romance filled with sophisticated maturity and a sort of nostalgia that could only come with time.

I reached back, my hand brushing against Zhongli’s temple before he swung me forward, my legs kicking up into the air and flaring out my skirt before I touched down.

Zhongli immediately stepped back and away from me, placing a potent distance between as I turned to look back towards him. Almost as if I were drawn to him while he placed careful distance between us.

But his eyes never left me.

Though separate, we stepped forward together, our arms reaching towards each other in a sweeping, graceful motion.

My hand found his as our other arms wrapped around each other in a loose embrace. Close, but not close. Separate, but never far.

He shifted me so that I was in front of him once more, our gazes holding one another as our steps lagged slightly with the tempo of the music before he began pushing me backwards and across the stage once more.

Our steps turned fast as we twisted from side to side. Almost like we didn’t have time to waste, but also couldn’t bear to be rushed in this intricate dance that spoke of deep emotions.

We reached the edge of the stage, Zhongli stopping me before twirling me lightly so that we could shift back the other direction. Me still retreating as he pushed and guided me ever backwards.

Trusting me to stop with him just as I relied on him to guide me to halt before it was too late and the edge of the stage was passed.

This time we pivoted, shifting so that we were both technically facing the same direction with our heads turned to look at one another rather than in the direction we moved.

We released on one side, me spinning out as his arm stretched, teasing at letting me go but apparently not quite able to before he pulled me back towards him.

Twirling me in as I lifted my leg for him to catch at the last second, before he lifted me into the air and spinning effortlessly with me.

He paused though, facing the crowd and tossing me into the air lightly. And I spun lightly before landing safely in his arms once more.

He leaned with me, dipping me towards the ground as I extended my arm and looked away from him even as one of my arms remained wrapped around his shoulders.

He swung me down easily, his arm remaining wrapped around me as my feet touched down and I spun to look at him. Finally letting go of him as one hand pressed to my chest. Holding him at a slight distance as I looked up at him once more.

He met my gaze, his stare somehow unshakeable as he reached out with one hand. A silent request that I accepted with my hand slipping carefully into his.

We moved at the same time, him stepping towards me just as my other hand reached towards him, and the distance between us was closed once more.

I swallowed as his hand slipped from behind his back and wrapped around my shoulders as he spun me dramatically to the side. My one leg extended behind me as I looked away from him yet again.

He pulled me back up into an upright position swiftly and we shifted to the side, our footwork speeding up once more as he spun me once more, and I paused. Kicking up one leg before he spun me out. Letting go of me with one hand that I tugged back and pressed to my chest as we looked towards each other for a fraction of a second. Me leaned back and relying on his support while he gazed at me, supporting me with one arm but also holding me at a careful distance.

He shifted, holding out his free arm as he pulled me towards him and I spun. Launching into the air and landing safely in his embrace. Our sides pressed together with my legs curled under me and his arm wrapped steadfastly around me as our hands remained entwined.

He spun with me that way, my position shifting subtly as we rotated. My hand released his so that I could reach up and cup his face as I curled towards him. One of my legs shifting so it curled around him instead of just under me.

I was no longer pressed merely to his side, but holding onto him in a sort of loose embrace as his other hand cupped my shoulder.

His gaze flickered over to mine and I swallowed, forcing myself to hold eye contact with him as he paused for a moment and I uncurled my legs. Straightening them out so that the toes of my shoes barely touched the ground as he walked backwards. Inclining his head towards mine as my hand slid down the side of his face to rest against his neck.

We were hardly even an inch apart when he came to a stop. Letting me step closer to him before letting go, almost reluctantly and standing off to the side of the stage as he turned and sat. This time in the chair that was on the side of the table closest to me.

Applause erupted around us and I exhaled a breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding. I looked towards Zhongli quietly, half-stunned by the noise around us as he met my gaze and smiled softly.

His stare was no longer one of intensity now, but I still found my eyes lingering on his before I at last looked away. Smiling awkwardly at the audience as Zhongli stood and joined me.

His hand finding mine as our fingers entwined themselves together once more. Seemingly unwilling to be parted.

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