tampered | Log; Complete

Current Mood: creative

Log; Complete

When; Shortly after this conversation.
Rating; G.
Characters; Subaru [

fateddance].
Summary; Zhang He offers to Subaru a way of cheering a friend up.
Log;

For what Zhang He had in mind, space was necessary, so asking Subaru to meet him in Xanadu had been the obvious choice. His idea of a spirit-lifting gesture was simple; in cultures like his and Ranmaru's, dance was something meaningful, so the samurai was likely to appeciate the end results. At the same time, learning a dance would keep Subaru from worrying too much, whether or not the thought would be recognised. It was an effective solution, and one he did not think Subaru would object to.

The Wei General had made sure to bring some refreshments, given the physical nature of the activity, which he left inside the gazebo with his zither -- accompanying music would make the process easier. Once he was satisfied that all that was left to do was to wait, Zhang He walked to the edge of the gazebo and leant against the painted framework, as he looked to the waterfall ahead. Even with all his issues with the City, he could not fault the scenery here. "Simply beautiful..."

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Ever since the first day he had stepped into this city, Subaru had been drawn to the gardens and the magnificent Sakura tree. Both relaxing and alluring (as well as filled with dark memories he knew his other self held), he associated it with magic and important events. So meeting Zhang He there for some sort of mysterious summons seemed greatly exciting and he rushed out to meet him.

Trotting down the path to the tree, he spotted the mysterious and graceful man who he had first met not so long ago. Bowing, as he had learned from Ranmaru, in order to show respect, he quickly smiled and hoped to push away any worry that may have shown on his face. "Thank you for inviting me here."

Upon Subaru's arrival, Zhang He turned his attention fully to the other, and he smiled at the bow, and bowed in return. Perceptive as he was, his earlier suspicions about Subaru's mood were confirmed, but he made no comment on the matter. "I am both honoured by your company, and grateful for it," he said in return, before he made an elegant gesture of his hand towards the seating inside the gazebo -- an invitation for him to take a seat. "Even if the ticking were not an issue, I am unaccustomed to the presence of so few people from day to day."

Zhang He took a seat himself, and tilted his head ever-so-slightly as he pressed the fingers of one hand to his cheek, in a habitual motion. "Your concern for Ranmaru is truly touching, so allow me to offer a suggestion of how to ligthen his heart, if only for a short while..." he paused, a curious look on his face. "Are you at all able to dance, master Subaru?"

Zhang He's elegance reminded him some what of Yuuko-san, and though it was not necessarily as unsettling as her presence, he still felt slightly in awe of the warrior's manner. He sat down with a gracious smile, feeling genuinely glad to be able to meet such a person.

"Ranmaru-san has done so much for me, I only wish to somehow repay him.." But it really wasn't a matter of payment or fulfilling some debt--it was much deep than that, of course. Subaru blinked and smiled curiously at the question. "Dance? I.. I suppose? I am not formally trained, but I have danced a few times in worlds not of my own--badly, I'm afraid." Much to the discomfort of his twin, they had sometimes found themselves in such situations.

Amusement tinged Zhang He's smile at Subaru's words, and he was far from disuaded by the claim that Subaru danced badly. "In Ranmaru's culture, and in my own, the art of dance is very meaningful... an ideal that seems to have been lost in the flows of time. A simple performance would not only serve as a magnificent personal gift, but also as a clear reminder that beauty yet blossoms, despite his lingering pain. It is a gesture I feel you should consider."

In a flowing motion, he lowered his hand from his face, then crossed his arms around his waist. "There is a slight difference in our manner of dancing, none-the-less, I wish to offer to teach you a dance appropriate for this task."

Sitting up straighter, Subaru looked with astonishment at Zhang He for a moment, before a bright smile bloomed on his face. "O...of course! What a wonderful idea! I know so little about Ranmaru-san's culture, but to do something like this for him.. Surely it would be something he could enjoy!"

Excited by the chance to truly do something for his dear friend, something more than the simple cooking and household things he knew, he leaned forward, unable to keep the energy from his movements. "Could you really teach me? I may be very clumsy and a bad student, but I promise to try very hard. This.. this is so very kind of you!"

The excitement Subaru was showing at his offer was somewhat unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome, and Zhang He could not help but smile warmly it. "I doubt that you will be a bad student, when you possess such wonderful spirit."

He extended an arm and gestured with an elegant movement to the space just outside of the gazebo. "I have chosen this location for its space and atmosphere... whenever you wish to begin, we need only step outside."

Dance was a matter of precise movement, balance, and perfect timing -- it was something anyone could learn with patience and effort. The Wei General was confident he could teach Subaru to dance beautifully.

Feeling slightly jittery with nerves and excitement, he looked to the gazebo for a moment with trepidation. He worried for a moment about whether or not Ranmaru would be pleased, if really he could do well enough to honor the beautiful art...

But Subaru pushed away his worries with smile and nodded excitedly. "I'm ready."

Zhang He nodded curtly, before he rose to his feet and made the short walk outside of the gazebo; once satisfied there was enough space around him, he came to a stop then turned to watch Subaru follow him.

His first course of action would be to test Subaru's potential, Zhang He decided, as once that much was ascertained, it would simply be a matter of piecing together a simple but effective routine.

Keeping in mind that this was no soldier he was instructing, he kept his voice gentle and calm as he spoke. "Let us start with your basic stance..." as he explained, with ease that spoke of great experience, he matched his own posture to reflect what he wanted from Subaru -- feet apart at the appropriate distance, a straight back, loose shoulders and correct poise of the arms, hands and head.

Mindful of Subaru's nature, Zhang He gave the other a chance to settle and concentrate before a critical eye was cast over his form; it would not do any good to put pressure on Subaru before he was comfortable enough to take it well.

Nodding, Subaru did his best to mimic Zhang He's stance, taking a deep breath and attempting to relax. He had, like he had said, very little experience with dance and what it meant to truely understand the movements, but he had grace born from necessity after his years of flight and danger. He would feel more graceful fighting for his life, perhaps, but the innocence in him denied him that knowledge and he cast his companion a hopeful look.

The Wei General took a moment to inspect Subaru's stance closely, before he answered the hopeful look with a thoughtful one. "Am I to suspect that you would sell yourself short, master Subaru?" he said with a pleased smile, before, in the same manner as before, he moved on to the next stance, and the way to properly transition between them; there was little point teaching any embellishments until the foundations were counted for.

'A flower cannot bloom without first spreading and strengthening its roots.'

Subaru focused and moved into the next stance, careful in his movements. He was a quick learner, but had little confidence in his ability to retain anything and smiled. His modesty was real, but he delighted in pleasing his now-teacher.

"Then I hope that my roots may grow strong and deep." he said with a smile, despite knowing he was more like wind than a steady flower that bloomed.

[ooc adhahflasj i suck this morning ;_;]

Once he had made sure that the next stance was correct, Zhang He gave Subaru an encouraging smile before he moved on to the next; the process was repeated until all stances necessary for this particular dance had been covered, at which point he allowed Subaru a brief respite.

"Magnificent!" he praised, before he stretched with something of a flourish; it was obvious that from now on it would become harder.

"Let us move on to sequencing; we shall start small, and as you gain confidence, we shall chain together longer movements..." he fell into the basic stance, and waited for Subaru to do the same, though he continued to speak. "I would have you concentrating on perfecting your movements; we will work on timing at a later point."

When Subaru was clearly ready, Zhang He demonstrated with slow, precise moments, making sure to comment on the important points; as promised, he started small. This time when he asked Subaru to repeat, he kept a critical eye from the start, so that he could pinpoint anything that would need a little adjustment.

Keeping track of the movements, however simple, was harder than he thought and despite Zhang He's excellent example, Subaru was feeling slightly overwhelmed. But his good spirits remained, even as he removed his coat to move more easily, or tripped over his own feet during one of the transitions. But despite his worries and the clumsiness he felt in his movements, he was enjoying himself greatly, more flushed from excitement than embarrassment.

Subaru could see, even with the slow and simple movements that his mentor was showing him, that he was a great dancer; a man of incalculable grace and strength. Truly, the people who came from Ranmaru's world were of another mold entirely.

Zhang He had not expected Subaru to pick up on everything right away, and so he remained patient. Every now and then he paused Subaru to reposition an elbow or a shoulder with a mindful touch, or to interject with a precise suggestion for improving footwork. Though Subaru was an amateur, the Wei General was thorough with his tutoring; to him, it would be a dishonour to meet Subaru's enthusiasm and hard work with anything less than the full extent of his experience.

Gradually he increased the length of the sequence, until he was satisfied with the results, at which point he called a halt to the proceedings, so that Subaru could have a well-earned break.

"You have more than earned a rest, master Subaru," he said amiably, and he lightly touched Subaru's shoulder, with a smile. "You will soon have Ranmaru enthralled."

Zhang He then turned to the gazebo, to set out some refreshments.

As he stopped his movements, Subaru suddenly realized how tired he was and smiled with a hint of relief that there would be time for a break. Not that he begrudged the work-- quite the opposite, and he was already starting to think up a way to express his thanks to Zhang He. The only thing he could do now was work as hard as he could.

"Thank you, Zhang He-san. I never realized how complex dancing could be. But you are a wonderful teacher."

"I am honoured by your kind words," came the reply, as Zhang He passed Subaru a drink. "It is a demanding art, as it requires great discipline of the body, a sense of timing, and a careful balance of expression and control in each movement."

He turned away, though he continued to speak as he walked across the gazebo. "In my experience, the skills dance teaches translate well onto the battlefield. Beauty has a place even in war... Ah," there was a pause as he bent to pick up his zither, and then returned to take a seat.

"You are making wonderful progress," he assured, as he pushed back thoughts of the war back home and returned his attention to the present.

The Wei General placed the zither down, and arranged himself in front of it, before he spared Subaru a glance. "Allow me to play you a song."

In truth, it was a chance for him to decide upon the best music to accompy the dance.

Subaru took the drink gratefully, tasting it for a moment to see how it would fair. It was light and pleasant and he knew he would have little trouble drinking it.

The other's mention of war, and quick dismissal of the topic, led him to believe there were complicated emotions behind it and despite his curiosity, Subaru didn't press it. War was something he knew little about, and was grateful for such.

"That would be wonderful.." Settling down on the floorboards, Subaru leaned against the railings with a small smile and let the music wash over him. With little talent in music as well, he was awed and moved by another art Zhang He had mastered.

One hand glided across the strings, creating a chorus, while the other hand skillfully plucked out a melody; a few smooth transitions saw the pace and tune shift as Zhang He pondered over different songs.

"If might ask, how long is it that you have known Ranmaru?" he spoke over the music and gave Subaru a curious look, using the chance to learn more of the yound men that had so graciously helped him upon his arrival in the City.

"Oh.. quite some time, it feels like.." Subaru thought back over the months since he had arrived in the city--it seemed like such a long time, though shorter than his time in Tokyo. "When I first arrived and met... the other Subaru-san, they knew each other and Ranmaru-san befriended me. He basically has adopted me, ever since my brother left." He said it with a wry smile, but Ranmaru's kindness was something he would never, ever forget.

"How gracious of him. In my land, there is a saying: wives and children are but sleeves; to lose a brother is to lose an arm. It is a tragedy that you have already lost one, yet the bonds of brotherhood are glorious and sacred, wherever they may be found..."

Once again the song shifted, and Zhang He contemplated quietly. It was clear enough, if it hadn't been before, that Ranmaru possessed a wholesome, protective nature, and that Subaru was far less bold, but with an incredibly compassionate soul. It was a beautiful match, and the Wei General was pleased to be able to encourage it.

"You both care for each other well, it seems."

"I hope I may see him soon.." he sighed softly, thinking of Kamui for a moment, the pain no less than when he first left, but perhaps now he was better at dealing with it.

Subaru blushed faintly at Zhang He's words, knowing that Ranmaru's heart was loving and kind, and he had not felt that level of care from another beside his family before. It made him shy and open at the same time and he only wished others could feel this way. "Ranmaru-san---and Lawr-kun and Subaru-san and everyone I have met here.. I don't know how I could live without them now. I know for sure, had I never come here, I would miss them in my heart, even without knowing them."

Aware he had perhaps spoke too much, he ventured a question, hoping not to offend. "Do you have, perhaps, someone like that to care for?"

"Beautiful..."

At the question posed in return, Zhang He inclined his head and looked off into the distance for a moment. "Most have passed on; such is the way when one spends one's life on the battlefield. Ah, but there yet remains my Lord Sima Yi; I have known no mind more beautiful than his, and he possesses the most magnificent eyes, for his ambition burns so brightly within them! There is such fierce passion in his every motion -- one knows that he will perform the greatest of deeds when one looks upon him."

Zhang He's hands slowed as his voice quieted, and he finished his playing on the softest of notes.

Subaru hesitated, unsure if he should have asked such a question. There was a stillness that had settled upon his companion, and he slowly began to recognize it at a sense of nobel loss known to a solider of war. Subaru, who had never lost anyone completely, but felt that he was losing people all the time, wondered if they felt the same.

"He sounds like a magnificent person. I would feel honored to meet him someday." Not wanting to press, he switched the subject. "Have you played very long? I cannot decide if you are more adept at dance or at music.."

"Sadly, he is not the easiest of people to know," Zhang He said with some amusement, before he rose to his feet in a fluid motion. "he is a man that must first be convinced of your worth."

Once he was standing he answered the next question, gesturing elegantly with arms as he spoke. "I have been playing for many years now; beauty should be loved in all of its forms."

With a flourishing movement, he turned towards the gazebo's entrance, and then looked back over his shoulder with a calm smile. "Shall we resume?"

Smiling, both in appreciation of Zhang He's considerable beauty and grace, but also his passion about such things, Subaru rose to his feet quickly. "Yes, I would love to."

He was determined, once again, to do his best--now not only for Ranmaru-san, but for his teacher, who had gone out of his way to help and who was treating him with such kindness and respect.

At the reply Zhang He nodded, then walked outside, back to their previous spot. When Subaru had caught up he folded an arm across his waist, and touched his free hand to his cheek. "Now we shall move onto perfecting your timing..."

And so the process began again, this time with the focus on teaching the right speed of motion; Zhang He kept a close eye on Subaru's balance and ability to keep his movements correct at a faster speed, ready to correct as necessary.

Already he had forgot some of the moments, and he quietly asked for reminders, not letting his frustration get the best of him. He had always been a little slower than his brother, and so asking for help was not something his pride obstructed--rather, he had pride in doing it correctly.

But in a way, it was a little easier going the proper pace; the movements flowing more smoothly into each other and the emotion connected with each gesture more apparent. Perhaps, just perhaps, he could be able to dance proudly for Ranmaru.

Zhang He kept Subaru working and repeating until it was free of mistakes, and he then proceeded to add in a few embellishments that he thought Subaru could handle. Once it looked good, he called a halt, so that they could move on to the last part of his lesson.

"One's performance must always come from one's soul. The truest beauty in your dance will come from your devotion. Do not forget your reasons for learning and you will flourish. Now..." he took a a step backwards and bowed, spreading his arms wide in a dramatic sweep, "I will be honoured if you would so graciously perform."

With a satisfied smile, he straightened up, turned on his heel and moved into the gazebo, then returned a few moments later with his zither. "I will provide a majestic accompaniment."

He seated himself, and poised his hands, ready to play upon Subaru's call with his gaze trained upon the other.

"Eh? Ah.. uhm.. O.. of course."

Blushing darkly for a moment, Subaru cleared his throat and took a deep breath. Of course Zhang He would want to see it, and of course he would eventually be preforming, but it still took him a bit by surprise. He couldn't dilly dally, however, and casting a shy glance over, he took the first stance.

Before starting, he closed his eyes for a moment and thought of Ranmaru. This would be for him, to some how show his appreciation and care, to somehow lift his spirits and perhaps just maybe show him that there still was good things in the world. His determination outdoing his modesty, Subaru opened his eyes and began to dance.

Subaru's shyness was endearing, and Zhang He wore an encouraging smile as his fingers danced across the strings of his instrument. He played a sweet and gentle song, of peach trees blossoming in the spring and bonds of love, tailored to match the movements. Surrounded by the beauty of Xanadu, it was a beautiful few minutes of tranquility.

When the danced reached its end the music trailed off, and the Wei General stood up and moved to meet Subaru.

"Such elegance!" he praised, "the beauty of your dance will see his heart blossom once again."

Now there was no more he could do, other than to wait to hear how it was received, once Subaru had gifted Ranmaru. "Remember this feeling, and take strength from it," he advised, before he bowed respectfully in parting. "You have been a pleasure to teach, master Subaru."

Blushing brighter than ever, Subaru could only smile as the dance ended, not sure how to put his gratitude into words, and not sure how bring himself back from the dance. It had been enjoyable, and taken all his concentration and he was not so used to being that focused.

"T..thank you, Zhang He-san. It is only because of your fine teaching that I've been able to do anything." He took a deep breath, feelings of thankfulness and affection welling up inside him, and he had to blink back the beginnings of tears. "I will remember.. and not waste what I've learned. Thank you."

It was hard not to feel touched by the depth of Subaru's sincerity, and so one last warm smile was bestowed upon the other before Zhang He moved to collect the items he had brought with him.

Once they were rounded up the Wei General took one last glance around, before he made his exit, satisfied with his day's work. There was little in life more pleasing than sharing beauty with someone who would understand it well, after all.

((OOC; Sorry for the delay in finishing this off! :X I promise a pretty little sketch to make up for it! ;) ~~It's too cute not to abuse in art-form!~~ Feel free to write a finishing post yourself if you want; I'll mark this as complete now.))

[ooc; Seems like a goood ending to me! ahdlsjh oh Zhang He-sama *33* so wonderful. EEEEEEEKKKK a pichar?!?! th.. that would be too fabulous for words!!!!!]

ooc; can I just say... CUTEST LOG IN THE HISTORY OF LOGS?!!! iluboth. ;;

((OOC; Heehee! :3 Later on we should drag Ranmaru into it so he can enjoy all Subaru's efforts and make with the cute *_* <3))

[ooc; yuus ranchan must come *3*]

[ooc; Ranchan appreciates this so hard and he hasn't even seen it yet!! :D ]

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