A/N: Guess what? My exams are finally over + my inspiration came back! …Well, actually it suddenly hit me when I heard a random song… (it was 'The Dance' by Westlife. So you should all thank my friend who let me listen to that – otherwise Inever would have found it)
Strangely enough, it wasn't inspiration for a sequel for Sweet Nightmare or Sweet Addiction – nooo, it's a prequel! Sort of 'the moment Iri realized he had feelings for Niall'. You know, the reason why he decided to avoid him in SN. Of course, it starts at a party. It's pre-WL, so it's normal they are attending a lot of them.
OK, that's enough information, on with the story!
Warnings: Practically none, since there's only some hints at IrialXNiall (mostly one-sided here) nothing serious.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Niall, Irial, or anyone else from WL… but I still write these stories about them. xD
Dance
It had somewhat become a habit. Another night, another town, another outrageous feast with Niall. That was a normal routine for the Dark King lately. Less usual were all the worries he had twirling around in his mind. Nourishing his court was becoming more difficult, especially now Summer and Winter were on such good terms. Even he found the sudden peace between king Miach and queen Beira suspicious. There were barely enough conflicts to properly feed his fey – even with all of Bananach's bloodlust and her never-ending craving for violence. All I can do right now is hope that it will end soon.
He sighed and lit another cigarette. He didn't even hear the steady beat of the music, he couldn't let go of those anxieties long enough to savor the beautiful moonlit night with its many stars or the company of the new mortals. As soon as Niall noticed his friend was acting weird, he slipped out of one of the mortal girls' embrace and excused himself. Honestly, his companion's odd behavior was becoming quite annoying. They came here to have a good time, not to sit still. If something was bothering Irial, Niall would make sure it didn't last for too long.
He walked up to the deep red armchair Irial lounged in. "So, do you still plan on joining us? We arrived here almost two hours ago, and you haven't left that chair since then." He chuckled softly. "What's the matter, not in the mood today?" The monarch forced himself to grin. "So what if I'm not?" Niall stared at him with a questioning look. "OK, now I amworried… That's not like you." Irial shrugged. "It doesn't concern you, so there's no reason for you to be worried. Don't let this party get ruined just because of my mood."
The Gancanagh looked puzzled, but soon a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "I'm sure you'll change your mind when you've danced a bit. Moving would distract you, don't you agree?" The king glanced out the window, obviously not listening to the other's statement. Niall patted on his head. "Hey, are you listening? Come dance with us!"
Irial groaned. "You can't force me Gancanagh, so give it a rest." "Oh, come on Iri, don't act like that!" He smiled gently when he pulled him out of the chair. "It's a party, so you should be dancing!" Niall maneuvered through the crowd, his fingers loosely intertwined with Irial's to make sure he wouldn't get out of his sight. He practically tossed him to the dance floor and laughed out loud. "Relax and enjoy yourself! Have some fun! Isn't that why we came here?"
I guess he's right.Irial decided to just give in and tried to follow his friend's advice for once. It worked for a while, but his concerns resurfaced anyhow. He walked away from the too-loud music and left the room unnoticed – or so he thought. Not long after, he heard a familiar voice call him. "Irial! Where do you think you're going?" Niall scowled. "I just got you out of that damn chair, don't tell me you're leaving already?" He turned around. "I'm not going anywhere, I'm only taking a walk to catch some fresh air."
Niall followed his comrade to the backyard, staying a few passes behind him. It was deserted – because no matter how gorgeous this garden was by night, no mortal would wander around here if it was so much more pleasant inside. Inside; it was warm, safe, cozy. Out here; it was cold and a threatening silence lingered everywhere. In the faint moonlight, shadows crept from each tree and flower, and enveloped every living creature with darkness. The winter's chill made their breaths visible in small, puffy clouds that vanished seconds after they came. Neither of them showed any intention to break the quiet. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?" Niall murmured eventually. Irial looked back over his shoulder. "Not really."
They stood quite far from the house now, but if you listened carefully, the music still floated through the air. The Gancanagh smiled subtly and without a warning, he grabbed his friend's hand. He whirled him around and then abruptly stopped again. Irial looked completely stunned. "What do you think you're doing?" Niall just smiled again. "I'm cheering you up. I told you dancing would help, right?" Now he turned around and pulled Irial along – although with some protests from the latter – and swayed him to the rhythm of the music.
The king struggled a bit at first, trying to back out, but as the song continued he got swept away by the moment – the clear sky, filled with sparkling stars; the firm movements of their dance; Niall talking, almost non-stop, about the most silly subjects he ever heard. It was a welcome distraction. For the first time that night, he laughed and he gladly commented on even the smallest thing Niall said to him. One song flowed into another as the night passed further.
He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and suddenly the world around them seemed a bit brighter, the air seemed more refreshing and an unknown, strange feeling made his chest clench just a little tighter. That's new.He started to wonder just what this indescribable aching was as they strolled back to the mansion. Their dance had stopped long ago, but they were still chatting about all kinds of things, and he was finally able to forget his court-related business.
All because of Niall.The more he laughed, the more he talked, the more Irial couldn't keep his eyes off him. He was fascinated with the expressions Niall made while he explained something, how his tone of voice shifted every now and then, the way his skin became illuminated by the approaching sunrise and his keen, energetic pace of walking. Now he had somthing enterly different to ponder about.
This can't be normal. Something's wrong.He shouldn't be looking at his friend this way. He shouldn't be focusing on the features of his face, his shiny hair, his muscular body. He should stop it right now. Pretend he didn't notice the irregular beating of his heart or the increasing speed of his breathing when he said goodbye. Act like before and never think about this event again now he walked away. That would be the best.
But denying it would probably also mean his memories of tonight would slowly fade. He didn't want to lose this moment of peace and tranquility; he cherished his time with Niall like a precious jewel. It'll be alright. He could remember and keep these feelings suppressed at the same time. It couldn't be that hard. Lust – that was all there was. Simply physical attraction. Nothing else. The desire to touch him would probably go away if he didn't get too close for a while. He could endure it until then.
He smiled slightly. Even though he didn't know what the future would bring – for the two of them, for his court – it was worth it right now; he wouldn't have wanted to miss this dance for anything else in the world.
A/N: Another fic complete! Well, at least for now… I could make another chapter for this. But that would require brain-fuel. Which are reviews. At least 3 or 4. I think. *hint*
Oh, and there's another song by Westlife I liked: What About Now. I thought some of the lyrics really suited Niall & Irial (but not in this fic). Especially this part:
Shadows fill an empty heart as love is fading
From all the things that we are, but are not saying
Can we see beyond the scars
And make it to the dawn?
If you fail to see the logic behind my reasoning, I think you should get your eyes checked. xD
And for people who like J-pop/J-rock; Mayonaka no Shadow Boy (Midnight Shadow Boy) by HeySayJUMP suits them too. You should thank ILoveAnimeVeryMuch123 for the rec.