"Get up. If you can’t learn by copying, I can at least try to teach you by being your partner."
He didn’t wait for a response, because again, Kree didn’t usually respond.
That was why the "Okay" earlier had made Amethiel somewhat happy, even if he didn’t show it.
Amethiel reached forward and grabbed Kree by the arm, his grip as firm as he could make it, then pulled the creature up with little regard for how unsteady it still was.
Kree rose almost immediately.
Like it didn’t dare hesitate.
It knew what Amethiel wanted.
It always did.
But the moment it was upright, there was a visible tension in its body. Its shoulders stiffened, its movements restrained, like it didn’t know what to do with the sudden closeness forced onto it.
It was... unsure.
Very unsure.
And scared.
That much was obvious.
Because Amethiel had never gotten this close to it without hurting it the past week.
’Oh?’ Amethiel noted quietly, his eyes flicking over Kree’s expression for just a second before he looked away again. ’So you do notice the difference.’
That was interesting.
Amethiel couldn’t believe how excited he felt just from that.
That’s why it had stopped trying to gain even a little bit of affection from him. No more reaching. No more lingering movements. No more quiet attempts to get closer.
Now it just stood there.
Waiting.
But because of that hesitation, it made Kree harder to move, its body almost locking in place, like it thought it had to stay still unless told otherwise.
"Just follow me," Amethiel snaps, his voice sharp enough to cut through whatever hesitation Kree was feeling.
Kree’s eyes blinked slowly.
As if it was processing what he had just said.
Amethiel didn’t give it time to think.
He adjusted their positions without asking, without explaining.
He took Kree’s hand and placed it where it should be, then moved his other hand to Kree’s waist, guiding it into the proper hold with practiced precision.
A classic ballroom position.
It fits.
Amethiel was smaller, lighter, and easier to move.
So he took the role naturally despite the... implications.
’It’s just positioning,’ he told himself, his expression remaining neutral. ’Nothing more.’
Kree’s body didn’t react immediately.
There was a slight delay.
A pause.
Then—
Its posture stiffened further, its hand twitching slightly in Amethiel’s grasp, like it wasn’t sure how much pressure to apply, or if it was even allowed to hold him at all.
Its fingers barely closed around his hand.
It was careful, very careful.
Like it was afraid even the act of touching him could result in punishment.
He exhaled softly, the sound faint in the vast ballroom.
"For now," he said, his voice lower than before, less sharp, more...kind? If that’s what he’d call it.
"There will be no punishment."
Kree froze.
Not in fear this time.
But in confusion.
It understood the word punishment, but it also understood the word "No" so for Amethiel, it must’ve put two and two together.
Amethiel adjusted his grip slightly, not loosening completely, but easing enough for it to feel different.
Less forceful.
Less... threatening.
Like how he was the first few days.
"None," he repeated, more firmly this time. "See? So, as I’ve said. Just follow me, and I won’t hurt you."
There was a pause.
A small one.
Then—
"...Master?"
The word came out softer.
Less strained.
Kree’s shoulders dropped just a little, the tension still there, but not as suffocating as before.
’Good,’ Amethiel thought, satisfied, though his expression didn’t change. ’At least it understood.’
He didn’t dwell on it.
Instead, he moved.
He stepped forward slowly, guiding Kree along with him, his hand steady at his waist, his other hand holding firmly but not painfully.
This time, there was intent behind how he led, not just control.
"Follow," he murmured, his voice quieter now, almost blending with the silence.
Kree moved.
It was late.
Its step landed just a fraction behind his, heavier than it should have been, its body still unfamiliar with the rhythm, still trying to understand how to move without forcing it.
Their hands shifted slightly from the uneven motion.
Kree’s other hand hovered at his waist, uncertain again, like it didn’t know if it was allowed to stay there or if it would be punished for it.
"Don’t move it," Amethiel said, his tone flat but not harsh. "Keep it there."
Kree stilled for a moment, then eventually obeyed.
They moved again.
Another step.
It was still slow. Still very unrefined, with no class whatsoever.
Kree’s foot dragged slightly, its balance thrown off again when its tail lagged, brushing against the floor before lifting awkwardly.
Amethiel felt the disruption immediately.
"Pay attention," he said, more focused now than irritated. "You’re not walking. You’re following a rhythm."
Even though he knew Kree probably didn’t even know what rhythm was.
He resumed humming, quieter, more deliberate this time, letting the sound guide the pace rather than accompany it.
Kree’s gaze flickered, as if trying to connect the sound to the movement.
Then it stepped again.
Closer this time.
Still imperfect, but not as off as before.
Amethiel continued guiding, adjusting the pressure of his hand just enough to signal direction, not forcing, but not leaving room for hesitation either.
They moved across the floor slowly, their steps uneven at first, Kree’s large frame making every mistake more obvious, every misstep heavier than it should have been.
’But it’s starting to.’
That much was clear.
The delay between Amethiel’s movements and Kree’s responses began to shrink. Its steps became more controlled, less exaggerated.
Its tail lifted sooner, no longer dragging behind it.
Its grip steadied.
Not tight.
Not hesitant either.
Something in between.
’...That was fast,’ Amethiel thought, a quiet note of interest slipping in.
He adjusted the pace slightly, just enough to test it, just enough to see if it would falter.
Kree followed.
Still a little off.
But it corrected itself faster than before.
’You’re learning a little too quickly,’ he thought, his eyes narrowing just slightly, though his expression remained composed.
There was something strange about it.
The way Kree didn’t just repeat what it saw.
It adapted.
I understood.
But in a way that it seemed...odd.
Even to someone like Amethiel.
They turned again, and this time, Kree moved with him.
Not after.
With him.
The difference was subtle, but unmistakable.
Amethiel felt it immediately in the way their steps aligned, in how the movement didn’t drag or resist.
For a brief moment, he looked up.
Just a glance.
Kree’s expression was still uncertain, still cautious, but there was something else there now.
Focus.
Something close to anticipation.
Amethiel looked away first.
"Again," he said, his tone steady, controlled, as if nothing had changed.
And they did it again.
And again.
And again.
And...again.
After they were done, Amethiel was in complete awe.
’I’m exhausted.’ Amethiel thought. He didn’t like dancing, but apparently, dancing was in him.
He was a pretty good dancer for someone who didn’t like moving.
That part annoyed him more than it should have.
But...
"Kree, you danced a little too well, don’t you think?" Amethiel looks up at Kree, inspecting the creature.
His eyes narrowed slightly, more focused now.
Amethiel was trying to think of all the possibilities as to how.
One of which, Amethiel thinks that Kree has evolved again, and was most likely an even quicker learner.
That would explain it.
Because for a moment, as they kept dancing, Amethiel almost forgot he wasn’t dancing with an actual human being, but instead, a humanoid monster.
The movements were too smooth.
A little too natural.
And a hundred percent correct.
Kree just stared at him, though.
Not moving.
Not reacting the way Amethiel expected.
An odd expression of... pain.
Amethiel noticed it immediately.
He frowned.
"What? Are you tired? You can’t be tired," Amethiel says, crossing his arms against his chest, his tone sharp, almost irritated. "I was nice to you today, I even praised you. You should be grate—"
Kree takes a step forward.
Amethiel instinctively takes a step back, his body reacting before his thoughts could catch up.
His hands immediately went to his pocket to grab his "Kree Repellant," because the last time Kree acted weird and ’upset,’ he knew exactly what followed.
He wasn’t going to make that mistake again.
But instead of fully approaching him and getting closer, it did the most unexpected thing.
"Oh?" Amethiel’s eyes widened.
Kree... fell onto its knees.
Just like that.
No warning.
No hesitation.
"Kree?" Amethiel paused.
For a second, he just stared.
His mind tried to catch up with what he was seeing.
He wanted to check if Kree was officially broken. He couldn’t have that. He needed to make sure Kree was in perfect shape for the ball.
That was the priority.
Always the priority.
He was about to approach the monster, already thinking of what to test first, but to his surprise, Kree looked up at him.
And then he saw it.
There was water coming out of Kree’s face.
Amethiel stilled.
His brows furrowed.
’Water? No, not water.’
Tears?