#benkeaton

Lord Xander’s wedding came on a chilly day in the fall. The leaves were just changing color, the strong winds were just picking up, and Keaton’s new coat was just growing in. The entire army was invited to celebrate the momentous occasion, the castle packed full of guests for Xander & Charlotte’s union.

It was after the ceremony, after the couple of honor’s dance, that everyone else was taking a partner and dancing as well. The music was light and uplifting, the soft melodies of the harp joining together with the sounds of violin and bass. The couples on the dancefloor were twirling and gesturing, save for a select few, including Keaton.

Keaton bounced his leg in anxiousness, looking confusedly around at the liveliness around him. He had never been to a human wedding before, so it was all very formal and unusual to him. A wolfskin wedding was only a quick ceremony -- no dancing, no cake, no decorations. Nothing like the scene laid out before him.

Beside him was his lover, Benny, who gave off just as much of a nervous aura as Keaton. He stared straight ahead, watching the way everyone mingled. Benny had never been to a wedding before, but he couldn’t turn down Charlotte when she asked him to go; after all they’d been through together, he owed it to her. The social atmosphere of the wedding was enough to put him on edge, and he had to practice his deep breathing more than once to stay calm.

Keaton exchanged awkward glances with him a couple times, but neither knew what to say. Until Keaton rose from his seat and stood in front of Benny. “Do you… want to dance?” He asked gingerly.

Benny seemed surprised at the request, but in all honestly was thinking of asking the same thing. It was only his shyness that had him holding back. Benny pauses a moment, about to just say ‘yes,’ but something was nagging at him.

“I don’t know how to dance.” Benny finally replies.

Keaton only laughs at that statement. “Neither do I!” he says. “I’ve never been to a human wedding before either. I bet dancing is easy,”

Benny smiles at him, Keaton’s optimism shining as bright as ever. Behind him, Keaton’s tail is wagging. Benny gets up and Keaton takes his hand. “Maybe it is.”

Benny was nervous being around all these people, but they were in a corner where they were mostly out of the way and not bothersome to the rest of the party-goers. They look at each other for a long time before Keaton makes the first move and laces his fingers with Benny’s. His other hand was unsure where to go, so he places it on Benny’s bicep. (He was too tall for Keaton to hold onto his shoulders, and putting them on his waist didn’t feel right.) Benny puts his other hand on Keaton’s waist.

They sway for a bit, and Benny can feel the slight pinch of Keaton’s claws digging into his arm. “Is this… ok?” Benny asks tentatively, afraid he might start sweating and ruin the mood. As he asks, something about them seems… off. Benny looks down and notices Keaton is standing on his tippy toes. “What are you doing that for?” He almost feels like laughing at the absurdity of it.

“I felt too short, ok?” Keaton retorts, jumping up a little to try and match Benny’s height somewhat. “Don’t you think it’s better like this?”

“That can’t be comfortable,” Benny chuckles just lightly. “Stand normally. Our rhythm is off.”

Keaton descends, pouting a little bit with his eyes downcast. They sway some more and Keaton gets another idea. He stands on Benny’s dress shoes, bringing them chest to chest, Keaton smiling brightly up at his lover in a toothy grin. “How’s this then?”

Admittedly, it was a bit awkward to be in this position, but the gesture was sweet. Benny can practically feel the excessive wagging of Keaton’s tail. Keaton’s smile is infectious, and soon Benny is smiling too.

Keaton looks around and notices that the ones leading the dance would sometimes twirl their partners, and Keaton decides that perhaps they were doing something wrong. “Quick, twirl me!” He says, but Benny barely gets to react as Keaton pretty much twirls himself using Benny’s hand, and then reels back in to put his head on Benny’s chest.

“Sorry, I don’t know this dance,” Benny grumbles. “I wish I knew it so I could be a better dance partner,”

“No, this is perfect,” Keaton says as they sway in sync with one another. “You’re doing great.”

“I am?” He questions, this time twirling Keaton on his own and bringing him back in until they were once again, chest-to-chest, their faces but inches away.

“Yeah, see? I think we’re getting it,”

Benny smiles, and the two look lovingly into each other’s eyes for a long while as they move gently against each other, Keaton’s grip on Benny’s hand becoming loose. The music swells and they twirl just one more time, but this time Benny dips Keaton gracefully, Keaton giggling and craning his neck up to peck Benny on the lips.

Just like that, the song ends, and the two part, Keaton’s tail still wagging dully.