Petals-Of-Ice: Well, here we go. My first submission, which is also a one-shot. And I don't intend to gain money because of my writing, it's a hobby. Happy New Year everyone.
Beyblade characters © Takao Aoki
Main female O.C © me (you can use her, but only with permission)
"We Danced" © Brad Paisley
Kai's age is exaggerated a little bit. Think of it as a story in the future. This is in Kai's P.O.V all the way through.
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"We Danced"
"Another long boring day", I sighed as I sprayed and wiped the bar counter clean from the spilt alcohol.
I'm glad that the night was over, mainly because my stupid manager had called in a few desperate pole-dancers to entertain the somewhat bored customers. Then things really started to get bad when the dancers stalked into the crowd, the men had literally raced each other to my bar to nearly O.D'ed themselves on drink before the dancers started to mingle with them, overcome with sexual excitement. I wish they had O.D'ed, it would've made my night quieter.
I had been furious at the amount of stress I was put under alone, my manager, on the other hand, was delighted to see the money keep rolling into the big money pot at the end of the night, bragging at what a great idea bringing in strippers was. Stupid prick. I got promised a pay-rise, and an extra bonus if I made a good job in cleaning the mess the drunk bastards had left me. The only thing that happened that was of any particular interest was when I found a small black leather purse with a silver star on the back of it, on the varnished wood at the far end of the bar. My eyes widened in curiosity when I noticed it and picked it up. Deciding quickly, I stowed it away safely under the bar behind a few bottles of whiskey before a middle-aged man grabbed me by the front of my shirt and demanded more Jack Daniel's. I had hoped that whoever it was would come back and retrieve it, but no-one asked for a missing purse.
I looked up to the high smoky ceiling and closed my itching eyes. The bar seemed strangely quiet compared to an hour ago, and damn I liked this silence. Now I could concentrate on how to get rid of the pounding headache-inducing echoes of music out my mind. When I felt the sweat start to drip down my neck from my grey/blue hair I opened my black shirt's top two buttons, I hoped that I could cool off before I craved some Vodka. To take my mind off the very appealing chilled alcohol that was hiding behind the bar, I retrieved the brush after I put up every chair on their respective tables and shoved the fallen broken bits of glass, empty packets of crisps, burnt-out cigarette ends and used napkins, anyone can guess what MESS they were used to clean up, into one big pile. My body felt so heavy with tiredness, my muscles ached for the longing sleep that was two hours away. Just before the rhythmical sweeping motions of my arms took me and my mind to a better place, like my inviting bed back at my apartment, a quiet and cautious knock on the door made me look up. The front door creaked open and a young woman, no older than 19 I noticed, peeked in. She saw me and crept through the door, the night's howling wind seemed so loud in comparison to the hollow silence that had my bar in it's grip.
"I'm sorry, but we're closed" I spoke up as I leaned on the broom handle, propping myself up.
She straightened out her dark navy knee-length cotton jacket and looked straight into my face.
"I know…but I'm afraid I left my purse"
I exhaled a sigh of relief. I had thought she was an alcoholic customer looking for one last shot
The bar was empty
I was sweeping up the floor
That's when she walked in
I said, "I'm sorry but we're closed"
And she said "I know…
But I'm afraid I left my purse"
"I put one behind the bar, I bet it's probably yours," I replied, dragging my broom behind me toward the bar.
The girl scurried after me quickly. I noticed, because of the sound of her soft black leather boots quickly 'pit-patted' off the hardwood floor. She's either scared of me, or nervous about asking for what is hers back from me. I took the latter choice.
"So what you're name?" I asked her over my shoulder casually as I walked toward behind the bar.
"Kaori Adan" I heard her quiet voice introduce herself.
I stood behind the bar and watched her take a stool. Now that she's close to a light I can see her properly, and my chest tightened as a response when she looked up at me again. Her name sounded like it easily rolled off her tongue with her accent, and after a few moments I realised I was staring at her. She had the most startling eyes I've seen to date, a rich cobalt blue with a hint of sea green colour around her pupils, her hair is loose, straight, mid-back length and silver. I can safely say I've never met anyone with silver hair before. Her silver bangs framed her pale face perfectly…
"I'm Kai Hiwatari, I'm the bartender here every night…except Thursdays and Sundays" I informed her quickly before she noticed I had stared.
She smiled and visibly relaxed. I found myself not reaching for the purse, but I leaned over the counter, asking her question after question, intrigued about what she had to say about herself. She didn't give me details, but the normal things strangers ask one another. So here's what I know, summarised: her name's Kaori Adan, she's 18 next week, she's studying Drama at university as a degree for future acting, she's a marital-art apprentice for the guy that runs the Hatohama Gym downtown and she owns a baby iguana, which are her favourite animal. Hmm, I'd say she's better than the stereotypical teenager I have in mind. Then I found that I too was talking about myself, knowing somehow I could share things with her. As I watched her give me her undivided attention, I couldn't help but to fall into the trap for letting out a non-verbal secret.
I did the Triangle look while I talked.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, I only met her for a short period of time, and already I'm giving out subconscious signals.
First it was her right eye I watched for a few moments, then I slowly looked down at her quite appealing-looking pale lips then her left eye and held the gaze for a few seconds before returning to her right eye then I smiled very slightly. I couldn't help it, I don't know what made me do it. But I had to.
Conversation took us well over the midnight mark. Bearing in mind I closed the bar at ten. But it didn't matter, no-one was waiting for me at home. And the more I talked to her…the more I felt attracted to her, like I almost wanted her friendship. I'll admit I really like her, she didn't treat me anything different other than a dude she's just met. I feel like I didn't need to put up the wall between us, or put on my cold emotionless mask that fan-girls go nutsy-coo-coo over. Kaori giggled when I told her a funny story, detailing how Tyson got a tangerine up his arse when he missed a bout of training I prepared.
"Gee, it was nice talking to you Kai, but I really need to go now" she said and held out her hand for her purse.
"Oh, right…yes of course" I answered.
I reached down and grabbed it. A strange thought occurred to me as I straightened up. I looked at her and gave her a rare smile. I held it out halfway, my smile turned into one of those cocky smirks I'm also famous for. I soon realised what my next words sounded like when I took the purse almost teasingly.
"You'll only get this back on one condition…"
I said, "I put one back behind the bar,
I bet it's probably yours"
And the next thing that I knew
There we were, lost in conversation
And before I handed her, her purse
I said, "You'll only get this back on one condition"
They sounded like blackmail. I was blackmailing her for what I wanted. I felt like a jerk, but it was the only thing I could do to keep her here longer.
"What condition?" Kaori asked me cautiously, like I was going to ask her for sex or something.
I switched on some quiet gentle music from the stereo near the counter, then I turned to face her directly.
"Dance with me" I said gently.
"Dance with you? Are you kidding me? We hardly know each other," Kaori responded, sounding surprised.
"We talked didn't we? We know each other now, right?"
"I…Well, I guess so, in a sense" she replied to my questions quietly.
"Besides," I said as I stepped out the bar area an slid into a near-by stool, "I want to get to know you better…"
"By dancing?"
"Well…it does sound kinda stupid, doesn't it? But, I was taught to respect the lady, and to know her better, I was told to ask her to dance"
"Where did you grow up?"
"Russia. My family are…kind of rich"
"Oh. It makes sense now"
I put the purse in my left ass pocket for safe keeps. I didn't quite know what I was doing, or why, but a part of me wanted to be this way, and it felt…natural and, somehow, right. In a way. I continued to talk to her.
"Aside from my background, it's true that we've only met. But I feel a little click between us. So, consider this dance as a … something-to-get-to-know-both-of-us-better?" I asked, hope flared in my chest as I offered my open palm.
I don't think I even blinked as I watched Kaori's expression for signs of acceptance or rejection. It felt like several hours, which turned out to be only a few minutes according to the big clock, until Kaori nodded slowly.
"Alright, but just one dance," she answered.
I'd do several back-flips, but now's not a good time. Maybe later. For now I smiled widely as she placed a soft gentle hand in mine. I stood and led her to the middle of the floor, excitement making me a little shaky. I turned and placed my left hand on the curve of her hip as she put her left hand on my shoulder. I felt her tense as I took the remote from my trouser pocket and I pressed it to turn down the lights to create a peaceful atmosphere, then I interlinked my right hand with hers.
"Don't worry," I reassured her.
I started dancing gently, leading her across the empty hardwood floor. I watched her look around at the clean floor, tables and the chairs on those tables, I watched her gaze at the bar, at the clock, at the front door. Anywhere, but me. I listened to the music more, I led her more gracefully across the floor. Soon she started to go with it, it became easier to lead her, she seemed to relax. I felt her tense grip lessen but become confidently firmer. I pulled her closer gently to my chest. She rested the side of her face on my chest, my palms started to become damp slightly from the close proximity. She didn't mind, I saw her smile in return.
We danced to the slow song, never separating. And when that final note played, I knew in my heart that I was supposed to meet Kaori Adan. Eventually she pulled away from me, still smiling. She thanked me quietly as she watched her feet, I saw the tiniest hint of a blush tinted the tops of her cheeks.
I smiled back and offered her the purse.
"Here, as promised" I said.
And we danced
Out there on that empty hardwood floor
The chairs up and the lights turned way down low
The music played, we held each other close
And we danced
As she walked out the front door, I saw her wave at me.
"You're welcome to visit anytime for a free drink and company" I hurriedly called out to her.
She winked back.
She ended up visiting me everyday during and after I finished work. She always came in and had a small whiskey, though I needed to protect her every-time a drunkard started making moves on her. I felt the overpowering need to protect her; she was young, and she didn't deserve stupid 40-year-old divorced men taking advantage of her. Kaori made me smile more in a day than I ever had in my entire life. My team-mates had noticed I had become somewhat…what were their words…"more humanly in touch with emotions".
I agreed with them immediately.
I noticed I was learning to feel again, after all these years. And…I felt great after I started seeing Kaori. She caused me smile, and mean it. In turn I tried to make her smile, and it made me feel good that I could, for once, start to give someone else happiness. I hoped she felt the same way about me.
Her visiting day turned to a week, which turned to 3 weeks, which turned to 6 months. In the course of this now-official friendship, I came to realise that it was more than just mere friendship, which I treasured very very much, that I needed from Kaori Adan. I needed a different kind of relationship between us, one that I could make her happier than she ever had been. I asked her shyly 7 months after we first met if we could officially be a couple. She agreed without hesitation and she smiled that smile which made my stomach clench.
I took her out to nice eating places, a few of my favourites. She thanked me politely every-time I took her back to her apartment and welcomed my kiss goodnight. Kaori's taste never bored me and she always tasted wonderful, like smooth hazelnut chocolate, and I simply could never get enough. I always had to force myself to part from her, lest she would get scared. Then, after I felt a little more confident, I invited her to come watch me and my team train. She was great, she cheered us all on and my team immediately responded to her positively like a little sister. I suspected that from what I described her as, they had high expectations. I had always talked about Kaori highly whenever I was asked about her, and I didn't exaggerate anything at all. When I said she was so friendly, I meant it. When I said she was pretty, I meant it. When I said that Kaori was the nicest person to grace the planet, I damn well meant it. And at the end of it all, as I lay down in my bed, listening to the silence of my lonely apartment, I felt like someone else, because the Kai Hiwatari everyone knew never interacted with a female. What the hell was I thinking? Being this close to a woman like Kaori felt absolutely fantastic.
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Two Years Pass…
All was well, things never seemed to go wrong anymore. My team were winning the tournament with ease, Voltaire recently snuffed it, I became the President of Biovault, no-one was trying to steal ut Bit-Beasts anymore and Kaori was still with me. But, recently my feelings started to search for something else. My heart responded too, with an irregular fluttering when Kaori made any sort of contact with me, or when she said my name. I couldn't understand what was happening to me, and I was scared and curious about these developing feelings. I took a step back from her to give her and myself some space. I knew I was making her upset about my behaviour, but I didn't want to mess things up just because I don't know where my feelings are. I soon found out, through Internet sites and other guys, what was wrong with me. When I did, it all made sense.
This is love.
And I had no doubt about it. I repeated to myself that I loved Kaori Adan, and every-time I did so it filled me with an immeasurable happiness I hadn't felt since I last hugged my long-dead parents years ago.
I had dreamed about finding the once person who I show love, and who would love me back. Who I could protect and care for years into the future. I think Kaori Adan is the one woman for me, the one woman who could fill the empty space that always lingered in my heart.
And from that moment
There was never any doubt
I had found the one
That I had always dreamed about
I had everything planned.
I was focused, I knew she was coming to visit tonight. Well, tonight's gonna be a little different.
Everything happened as it should; the bar was empty once more and I was sweeping up the mess. I left the door unlocked, and I didn't need to look up to know who it was that knocked and entered. I only stood up when her footsteps got closer. I smiled and kissed her lightly on the cheek as a greeting, she kissed my cheek back.
"How was your day?" I asked.
"Oh, it was alright. Got a few good black bruises from a grading student though," Kaori explained.
"Do you actually ENCOURAGE them to hurt you?" I asked, humour weaved in my voice.
"Of course Kai. It encourages them to give no mercy back to a merciless opponent"
I let my brush lean against a table.
"What drink would you like tonight then? A Caledonian Whiskey as always?" I asked her as I turned toward the bar again.
"You know me too well" I could even hear the smile in her voice.
I poured her favourite drink and offered it as Kaori sat down in her favourite stool. I waited until she took a few calming sips before I spoke.
"Um, I've been thinking about…" I started.
I saw her pause and put her glass down. She folded her arms defensively.
"You thought what?" she asked politely.
I couldn't say the words, fear had me in it's grip. I couldn't say the words…So instead I took action. I reached a hand into my usual black work shirt's pocket and wrapped my fingers around the metal. I watched her gaze at my hand as it pulled the object out my pocket. Her eyes widened to the size of plates when I opened my palm.
I was offering her a platinum ring with a single small glittering diamond I handpicked myself. I jumped clean over the counter and kneeled at her feet. Then I asked.
"This is what I've been thinking about for a long while. Will you marry me?"
I said nothing. She said nothing. Neither of us moved. This silence started to scare me but I didn't dare move. I would wait, I could wait for hours. After a while I could see tears well up in her eyes. What the…? I opened my mouth to ask her what was wrong, but she spoke first.
"This is the last thing I expected" I heard her shaky voice say.
I glanced up at her to apologise for taking this step so soon but she took my other hand in hers gently. Kaori pulled me to my feet.
"…I'll only marry you on one condition" she said to me.
Strange. I'm suddenly feeling a little…déjà vu. Ah, of course, she did what I did.
When she stopped by after work
I pulled a diamond ring out of the pocket of my shirt
And as her eyes filled up with tears
She said, "This is the last thing I expected"
And then she took me by the hand
And said, "I'll only marry you on one condition"
This time, she was the one who turned on our song and was the one who led me to the dance floor.
"Will you dance with me?"
I put my empty hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer.
"Of course Kaori…" I whispered.
She offered her left hand, and I gladly slipped the ring on her third finger. I wrapped my arms around her body gently and pulled her to my chest. I felt her smile in my embrace and I swayed to our favourite song on the empty floor once more.
And we danced
Out there on that empty hardwood floor
The chairs up and the lights turned way down low
The music played, we held each other close
And we danced
And for once in my life I felt complete. I felt happy, I felt…like I could take on the world. My new wife-to-be snuggled into my chest. I don't know what happened in the moments where I held her, the woman of my life, safely in my arms, all I know is that I was a new man, and this is where my life will never stop being good. I rested my chin on top of her head gently and breathed in the faint but stimulating scent of fresh cool coconut. Kaori rested her cheek against my chest, her arms snaked around my waist.
Like no one else had ever danced before
I can't explain what happened on that floor
But the music played
We held each other close
And we danced
Yeah, we danced…
We stayed that way long after the song ended. And I finally have someone who loved me, who loved all of me.
Mom, dad, I hope you're proud of me, your son...
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