#lazzy is literally riley from national treasure rn

[laslow]

a kiss placed on the back of the hand as a greeting !

" no, you're mistaken, " jakob speaks as if he were instructing. little does he know, he is the one without the expertise here. "i want you to correct my form, you see. i know dancing may not be your forte, but it's been some time since i have truly done anything remotely traditional to nohrian dancing. i hadn't even participated in the ball. . ."

a dismissive wave. "i will not ask for you as my partner," in fact, it's far easier to practice the motions by yourself. who knows if laslow knows how to dance ? "but, surely, you know a thing or two about what looks awful or not ? i really can't fathom being less in any form of etiquette. i'll begin."

hand takes ahold of laslows wrist gently, a quick peck on the back of his hand - before taking a few paces back. "and immediately after that, i suppose it was . . . ah ! right," a nod of affirmation. "you side step here, and then . . ."

it looks very average, but he's trying!

international kiss day 2024!

He bites the inside of his cheek, hard, doing his utmost to remain professional. Jakob so rarely asks for help--scaring him off by gloating would be a poor reaction.

But maybe Laslow can get away with a little teasing. As a treat.

"Why, Jakob, is there a special lady you're eager to impress?" Laslow waggles his eyebrows, uncrossing his arms as Jakob speaks. "And not to worry! I happen to know a few things about dancing. One picks up so many tidbits in the pursuit of love."

Traditional Nohrian dancing isn't that complicated, anyway. They favor precise movements over a more natural flow, but it's still beautiful.

The kiss surprises him. It shouldn't, given that Jakob will follow etiquette unto death. Laslow just wasn't expecting the entire experience. His hand hangs in the air for another moment before he retracts it, attention now shifting to the butler.

Naga, Jakob's stiff. Even by Nohrian standards. The steps are all correct, but his timing is a half-beat off. Nothing that can't be fixed with a little practice.

"Alright, not bad at all! My first piece of advice? Relax your shoulders. Keep a slight bend in your knees, like when you're throwing a dagger." Laslow assumes first position. "You should move elegantly from step to step, like so..."

Side step, forward, back, side, forward again. He moves with the confidence of someone who isn't consciously thinking about footwork. "See? Nohrians favor posture and precision over all else. It's a little boring, sometimes, but it's never a bad thing to keep to the basics."