*Just saying, this is not the gift I promised for the 100 reviews on Memories Lost! This is my contest entry for a Pokemonspe-shippings on deviantART, the theme being 'songfic/drawing.' However, since fanfiction. net doesn't allow song lyrics not in the public domain in a story, I removed the song lyrics from this version. It should still read perfectly fine though. If you'd like to read the version with song lyrics, just go to my account on dA! My username is iluvshadowclaw! If you're too lazy to do that (I would be), I recommend just listening to the song while reading. Just search up 'Things I'll Never Say' on YouTube and you'll probably find it. ;) Enjoy the Frantic fluff!*
Sapphire was, without a doubt, nervous. Who wouldn't be? It wasn't her first date by far, but every time Ruby asked her out, even if it was just for a short walk in the afternoon, her heart would start pounding at the speeds of a Ninjask's wings, and she felt as if there were Butterfree and Beautifly in her stomach. But she felt like there was going to be something special about tonight- she didn't know why, she could just sense it. Her trainer's intuition.
Perhaps a good clue was that Ruby had begged her, gotten down his knees and begged her (she had laughed at that) to dress nicely tonight. He had given her a dress he'd made himself despite her protests and told her to wear it, that he had something special planned. When she had asked what this 'something special' was, he had bit back a grin and winked.
"Something special- what else? I don't want to ruin the surprise," he answered, an enigmatic look in his jewel-red eyes. "Just wear it, okay, Sapph? You don't want to spoil my magnificent plans, do you? If you don't, I guess I'll just have to go up to your room and make you wear it myself."
At that, she had grudgingly agreed- though looking at herself in the mirror Ruby had encouraged her to buy, she realized that it looked… nice- no, not just nice, but pretty. Beautiful. She was reminded of the models in the magazines that Ruby read so often, the ones that wore the designer brand dresses he admired. The dress was… perfect for her. It had slipped on easily and showed off her curves, the shining blue accentuated her eyes, being almost the same sky blue color. She felt alien in it- was that really her, in the mirror? That beautiful girl looking back in wonder- was that Sapphire Birch?
"Sapphire! I'm here!" announced a voice from downstairs, and Sapphire immediately identified the speaker as Ruby. Who else could it be? If her heart had been beating fast before, it was nothing compared to how it threatened to burst out of her chest as it raced down. If there had been Butterfree and Beautifly in her stomach before, they had at least tripled in number and added Mothim and Dustox to the mix, maybe a couple of Beedrill as well.
"Ruby," she said in greeting, her eyes flying immediately to his own fancy outfit for the night. He wore a black and white tuxedo, something she had never seen him in before, with a red tie the color of his eyes. He had taken off his hat, revealing the whole of his Murkrow-black hair, which shone beautifully even in the lights of her house. "You look… nice." What else could she say? He looked ridiculously handsome, but those were the only words that seemed able to come back. If she tried for more, she was sure she'd say something profoundly stupid.
"So do you," he laughed, taking her hand, a light blush on his cheeks as he took the sight of her in. "Are you still mad that I told you to wear the dress?"
"Slightly," she said, though she smiled while she said it. "I would have preferred my usual clothes to this- am I allowed to wear sneakers though?"
"No can do." Ruby's eyes were glowing with excitement- it was obvious he couldn't wait to get their date started. "The place we're going to is really fancy- sneakers are not allowed!"
"Don't tell me I'm going to have to wear some fancy high heels!" complained Sapphire, remembering the last time Ruby had tried to get her to wear those uncomfortable shoes. She'd tripped all over herself left and right while attempting to walk. "I absolutely refuse!"
"Don't worry, I brought flats. They should be comfortable- I knew you wouldn't want to wear high heels." He handed her a pair of shoes. They looked like sandals, tan, the wide strap on the top embedded with blue jewels. "Okay, let's go, now."
Sapphire nodded dumbly, slipping into the shoes and following Ruby out the door. He was talking excitedly, both trying to hint at where they were going and yet refusing to divulge any information all at once- it was quite confusing to be honest. She was surprised that he even managed to do it. But that was Ruby for you. The boy she loved, and always would. She nodded as she talked, not knowing what to say, not wanting to say the wrong thing and ruin his joyful mood.
"We're here!" announced Ruby after several minutes of walking. Sapphire looked at the building in surprise.
It was one of the fancy hotels in town, the kind that you'd expect only rich people to spend the night in. The lobby was crafted in pure white marble, and the chandelier overhead was made of gold and crystal. She could only follow Ruby as he dashed through the place to the restaurant at the side, where he told the hostess he had a reservation.
"So, what do you think?" asked Ruby as they sat down at the table, their menus open. "Isn't this place great? It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"It's really nice- are you sure though? The food looks really expensive…" she trailed off, looking at the prices listed in the menu. It was enough to make a person cringe. "I hope you're not planning on paying for all of it."
"Of course I am!" said Ruby, rolling his eyes. "This night is going to be special, very special. There's a dance afterwards in the ballroom… And we're going of course."
She smiled. Ruby was so animated with stuff like this. He always tried to make their dates like the romantic ones you'd watch in a movie or read in a book. Though this was the farthest he'd ever gone- what could she even hope to say? She was so nervous. The fancy, sophisticated environment was foreign to her, and she'd never danced before.
"Is something wrong? Do you not want to dance?" asked Ruby curiously at her silence. He looked concerned, staring at her questioningly. "We could go somewhere else after dinner, if you want."
"No, it's fine," she answered, wishing she had something better to say. Ruby always seemed to know what to say. In every situation, on every date, on every single night. "We'll go dancing."
The music started, a beautiful symphony of violins and cellos, a slow, romantic song that emanated through the giant ballroom. Ruby bowed down, taking her hand and kissing it as the first strokes of the violin bows started, looking up at her with happy red eyes.
"May I have this dance?" he asked formally, a giant smile playing at his lips. "My lady," he added, as if they were in some other time and history, some other era.
Sapphire nodded, blushing as his kiss caressed her fingers. "Of course," she whispered, unable to make her voice any louder, the weight of the moment pressing down on her voice. It was nothing and yet everything at the same time- she knew this was the start of something momentous. "Every dance belongs to you, you know that."
"That's what I wanted to hear," he answered, placing his other hand on her shoulder and twirling her around, leaning in to steal a kiss from her lips at intervals, causing her heart to soar with happiness, and yet it didn't ease her nervousness. "I love you so much, Sapphire."
She nodded in acknowledgment of his words, wishing she could answer the way she wanted to, with eloquent words and romantically like he could. He always sounded so perfect, so far from her. Why didn't she have his talent, why couldn't she speak as beautifully as he could? She had so much to say, and all that came out was, "I love you too."
She'd always liked him, since the first time she'd met him. But she'd never felt as if she truly matched up, not in anything. He had been the one to make the first move, to ask her out. He had kissed her first, said "I love you" first, treated her at every date despite her protests that she should pay just the one time.
He was always the one protecting her in the end, despite all her training to make herself to stronger, to be able to protect him instead. She was never strong enough, never good enough, and even though he said she was, she didn't believe him. Every time, he'd done more for her than her for him. Why couldn't she change that around?
And even now, dancing in the ballroom, he seemed to be the only one talking, the only one of them who even seemed to care. She knew she was smiling and nodding, but it wasn't enough, not enough to match up to him. If only she could get out all the words she wanted to, to be able to say more than just the simple "I love you", to say all the things her heard screamed at her to say.
It was like there was a Meowth holding her tongue while Ruby was talking at insane speeds, with so much passion and love. Even when the song ended, he was still dancing, bringing her so close that their bodies seemed to meld together, that she could feel each warm breath. That she could feel his steady heartbeat, the comfort of his presence, as if there was no one in the world but him. Why couldn't she say anything?
"Let's come out here," said Ruby, leading her out of the ballroom and into a deserted, open garden outside. "It's too stuffy in the ballroom. Are you enjoying the night so far? Or do you wish you didn't choose dancing after all?"
"I like it," she answered, squeezing his hand tight. In fact, she wanted to go back in, to have him that close to her again, her constant flame, sending electricity through her entire body. "I like it a lot more than I thought I would."
"I hoped you would. I wasn't sure if this was the greatest idea, really. I know you don't really like fancy stuff like this, but I hoped… That I could make you enjoy this night. I wanted to make this perfect, and this was the only thing I could think of," he rambled, suddenly sounding nervous and unsure. "You do really like it, right? You're not lying?"
"Of course not," she said without any hesitation, leaning in close to him. "Why would I lie to you about that? I love every moment I spend with you." She was surprised at herself, being so blatantly honest. Only minutes ago, her body seemed determined to make sure she couldn't say more than three words at a time, and now, she was about to lead the conversation. "As long as you try, there's no way I won't love it."
Ruby let out a short stream of happy laughter, though the light in his eyes was still filled with nervousness. Sapphire still felt the Butterfree in her stomach as he began talking. "Sapphire, I have something to ask you."
She froze, a thousand hopes suddenly fluttering in her heart. She had a million things to say, a million things she wanted to say, even before he asked the question. Things she had never been able to say- things she had always hoped of, dreamed of. But there was no need to say them, her hopes, her dreams- they were coming true.
Ruby took a deep breath, closing his eyes before going down onto one knee, looking up at her with hopeful eyes. They revealed all his hidden vulnerability, reflected Sapphire's own nervousness, held all of his hopes, dreams, held them out to be either fulfilled or shattered by her next words.
"Sapphire Birch," he started, reaching a hand into his pocket to retrieve a velvet black box. He opened it to reveal the ring inside, which glistened beautifully in the bright silver moonlight, the diamond shining light blue against the golden band. "I love you, and I always will. I've always loved you. Will you marry me?"
"Ruby…" she breathed, unable to say anything else. Her heart screamed for her to yell to the world, Yes! Yes! Yes! And yet nothing came out, as she were suspended in the moment, suddenly frozen on pause. "Ruby, I-" She paused, trying to squeeze out the words, wondering why now was the time for her to freeze up again.
"Sapph-"
"Yes! Yes, Ruby! I will!" she screamed out, feeling a huge weight lift off of her chest as the words came out, and the raw joy in Ruby's eyes had her heart beating fast and filled her with unbelievable happiness.
"Sapphire!" He jumped up and hugged her tight, so tight she felt like she was having the breath squeezed out of her, but she didn't care. She didn't care a bit. "I love you, you know that, right?"
"I love you too," she declared effortlessly as Ruby slid the ring onto her finger. "I'll love you forever, I promise."
"That's all I've ever wanted." And he sealed their promise with a kiss.
*And cut! So, how was it? Don't worry, I'm still going to write the Blue/Silver oneshot I promised after I get other stuff out of the way. ;) Please leave a review! (and check out the dA version if you have time so you can read it in its intended state. XD) Also, the cover pic for this story is by PokemonDaniel123 from deviantART- I have permission from her to use it, and it's perfect! Go and attack her gallery!*