Deleted scene where the end of the festival worked out a little differently. Cryo and Olivia didn't quite work out the way they ended up doing, and Olivia was feeling a little out of place among festival activities, so she goes to hide in a corner where--cue Jason and some dancing <3

There were some other scenes that were altered/deleted before this one, buttt this is the only one I kept. 

Skip first half-ish if you just want the dancing bit~

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Still in the Starsong dress, Olivia tucked her legs up against her chest, resting her chin on her knees.

Tonight had been one big, huge disaster, but somehow, they'd made it through.

Olivia sighed and tilted her head towards the stars, watching them twinkle in the sky. At least tomorrow, the second moon would be gone from the sky, and this nightmare would finally be over. She could go back to the life she'd had before she'd wandered blind into the Starlight Hall a month ago.

She reached into her bag and took out her Starsong amulet. She ran her thumb over the silvery surface, now gleaming with a new energy under the moonlight.

If she were honest, though... she was going to miss Jason's company. She was going to miss the quiet way he cared, that strength that kept him standing tall no matter how many times people tried to pull him down. She was going to miss simply just having him around.

Olivia let go of a long exhale through her nose. Maybe their friendship didn't have to end with her temple 'education'. She was still Banshee's go-between, and maybe she'd be able to drag Jason out to do something fun, like lose a whole lot of money at the arcade trying to win a bunch of cheap lollies.

"Shadowheart?"

At the sound of her name, Olivia jumped and shoved her Starsong amulet into her stomach, covering it with her hands. She recovered her composure and licked her lips, looking up to find Jason standing a few metres away from her, violin case in hand.

She relaxed. "Hey, Frostsong. How are you?"

"I'm sorry if I scared you," said Jason, walking towards her until he stood at the other end of the bench. "I wished to ensure you were well."

Olivia slipped her Starsong amulet back into her bag beside Viri's blinking violet gaze. "I'm all good, Jase. Don't need to worry about me."

Jason nodded, a gentle, bobbing motion that was so unlike his usual way that it locked her gaze on him.

"I'm glad to hear it," said Jason. "Would you mind if I were to sit with you for a moment?"

"Go for it."

Jason placed his violin case at the edge of the bench and sat beside it. "I must admit, I'm extremely glad this festival season is over. I don't believe I've ever been more relieved."

Olivia pulled her gaze away and focused it instead on some piece of Starstone. "Why? Sick of me already, eh?"

"Quite the opposite," said Jason softly, leaning back against the bench. Olivia let her gaze wander over to him, letting herself notice the gentle lines of moonlight across his midnight-black hair, the way it shone in that one black eye of his. "I find myself relieved because it means Cryo's vision did not come to pass."

One side of Olivia's mouth tugged upwards despite herself. "Well, I guess neither of our punishments could be considered complete if I'd gone and died before the end of it, right?"

"I'm sure my mother would have found a way to make that miserable idea a reality," said Jason. He paused. "Luckily for the temple, I don't believe she'll have the opportunity to do such things again."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"My mother is no longer High Shadowspeaker," said Jason. "After a series of lacking judgements on her behalf, it was decided that she was no longer fit for the position."

Olivia could barely believe what she was hearing. Banshee had given Jason that power, yes, but she'd never been sure that he'd ever bring himself to use it. But if he had, something had been stronger than the fear he had for his mother. He'd found something worth it.

"What judgements are we talking here?"

Jason took a steady, even breath before he replied. "Many who witnessed your awakening as a Songstress understood why my mother suddenly promoted you to the Starsong role the following day. It was something that should have been kept secret, yet she thrust you into the spotlight and thus caused it to be revealed in front of the entire festival."

Jason turned his head towards her, and for some reason, Olivia could barely breathe.

"I informed my mother that if her selfishness caused your power to be revealed, she would face the consequences. I do not break my promises."

Scratch that. Olivia definitely couldn't breathe.

Was... was I his reason?

He gave her a small but genuine smile, and for the first time, Olivia realised that he was... content, she decided was the word for the look in his mismatched eyes. Just sitting here, speaking with her, he was content.

And with that, she realised she was, too.

//////

Olivia tilted her head back, listening to the music drifting on the air. The festivities tonight would carry on for several more hours.

Music and dancing and food across the entire outer courtyards of the temple, but as amazing as it sounded, Olivia felt herself feeling highly out of place. Many of the dances were ones you had to know in advance, or have a particularly amazing partner to lead you through them. Given that she had neither, dancing seemed off the table, especially with how the Starsong dress marked her as different.

Still, she could sit here, quietly out of the way, humming the melodies to herself and see them float through the space behind her eyes.

"It seems a shame that you were never able to complete the Starsong-Skypillar dance for the performance," said Jason. "If circumstances had been different, I believe you would have ensured one of the best performances the temple will ever see."

"If I didn't black out in the middle of it," Olivia said, her eyes still closed but a small smile lurking on her lips. "But thank you. It's nice to be believed in."

She ended her sentence with a small sigh, opening her eyes and bringing her head back down.

"Is something bothering you?" asked Jason.

Olivia leaned forward, planting her feet back on the ground and placing her elbows on her legs. She looked out into the courtyard, where just past the bushes separating her alcove from it, people were gathering and preparing for the next dance. "Nothing much, really. Just... tired?"

Jason followed her gaze before she could make herself pull it away. Her cheeks held the slightest burn as she fixed her eyes firmly on the ground, doing her best to look disinterested in the whole thing. It'd be ridiculous to ask him if he knew the dances. Ridiculous, because she didn't even know the steps. She'd make an idiot of him, and right now, it was the last thing he needed.

Olivia heard the bench creak beside her and felt her stomach drop in disappointment, when Jason stepped in front of her. She glanced up at him, wondering if he were simply being polite before he left, when she saw his upturned hand reaching out for hers.

"Would you care to dance?" he said softly.

Olivia bit down on her lip for the briefest moment before breaking out into a smile. "I'd love to."

Carefully, Olivia placed her hand on his, letting him pull her gracefully to her feet and lead her to the centre of their own little courtyard. There, he twirled her around to face him, holding their joined hands close to their bodies as he rested his other hand on her waist.

With a steadying breath, Olivia placed her hand on Jason's shoulder and looked up at him. "I uh, don't know this one."

He smiled back at her, and though she wasn't quite sure why, it melted any remaining traces of doubt straight out of her.

"Don't worry," he said. "I've endured enough lessons for the both of us."

And with that, they began to dance.

Olivia didn't recognise the song that played closest to them, wouldn't have known the first step to take, but under Jason's touch, her lack of knowledge didn't matter. He started slow, teaching her with the occasional murmured instruction until she relaxed into his movements. She gave herself to him as he pushed and pulled, twirled and spun her, and soon, even the tense precision in Jason's steps had been forgotten as they lost themselves in the music.

His hand was firm on her back and his fingers strong around hers as they picked up the pace. He varied their steps from those who danced rigid outside, sweeping her around their courtyard. When those outside twirled their partners onto the next, Jason's hands were on her waist, lifting her up into the air and spinning her when she landed, catching her free hand back in his.

She was light in his hands, a whirl of gleaming silver, grinning and laughing and bursting with some bright, bubbling feeling she couldn't quite pin down, right up until the music finally came to an end.

The dancing crowd outside clapped for the musicians, but here, hidden away, Olivia and Jason just remained, staring and grinning like idiots at each other. It was such a strange, beautiful thing to see on his face that Olivia couldn't stop herself as she reached up from his shoulder and touched a finger to his lips.

"You should do that more often," she said quietly, the words considering a million other things. She caught herself too late and dropped her hand down to his chest with a sharp blink. "I--uh, sorry."

"It's okay," said Jason, and to her relief, his smile stayed. "I... don't think I mind too much when it's just us here like this."

"Still," said Olivia, biting down on her lip and stepping away. "I can't really imagine your girlfriend being too happy about me doing it. Boundaries and all that."

"Ah, yes, Taylor," said Jason, clearing his throat. He took a deep breath. "I... I suppose you have a point."

//

I stopped writing the scene here, but if Taylor hadn't got in the way, here's where I like to imagine that they'd have ended up (with a little bit of a screw-the-plot attitude thrown in because heck it why not).

((Also, important to note, Olivia and Cryo didn't end up being the main ship when this whole dancing scene was originally written. The book was supposed to go forward with Jason and Olivia, but it never quite worked out that way.))

//

Jason tilted his head, listening to the music for the next dance as he stood, still holding her hand with the other on her waist. "I'm afraid I don't know this one as well. It's a slower dance, one usually left to couples."

"I think I'm all proper-danced out, anyway," said Olivia. Even so, she couldn't stop herself from swaying side to side with the music, and soon, Jason was swaying with her, taking simple, easy steps from side to side, shuffling around in a small circle. "Another fast one like that and I think I'd just black out on you mid-spin."

"Given your tenacity, I'm sure you'd wake up within thirty seconds and have barely missed a beat."

"Such faith in my dancing," said Olivia. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his chest. With her head tilted forward, she fit almost perfectly just under his chin. After everything that'd happened today, even the high of dancing like this was beginning to wear off, the fatigue sinking in. "Dunno where you get that from."

"You're incredibly light on your feet, Shadowheart," said Jason. She heard him sigh just before she felt him rest his chin on top of her head. His hands dropped to hold around the small of her back. "You make being the lead far too easy."

"I can step on your foot again if that'd make you work for it," she mumbled into his coat, looping her arms under his so her fingers hooked on the backs of his shoulders.

Comfortable, she decided. She could fall asleep like this, simply swaying like this with him forever. Eyes closed, listening to the soft music and the beat of his heart in his chest.

"You could step on my foot every second step and I'd still dance with you."

Olivia smiled against his chest. "Don't make bets you aren't willing to keep, Frostsong."

"With you, Shadowheart?" he said, his breath warm on her hair. "Never."

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