Dancing The Night Away
By Chris Devlin
E-mail: chris_devlin@hotmail.com
Note: This is set after my previous story "Finally Requited" and includes characters from that story.
He held her in his arms, pressing her warm body close to his as the slow music floated through the air. They swayed gently to the soft music, allowing it to take control of their movements. Her arms were looped around his neck and her head rested gently on his chest. Occasionally the song would change as would the tempo, and they would change accordingly. Eventually the slow songs finished and the spell was broken. As soon as the music had started the pair were each fixed hypnotically on the other. Now that it had finished, the realization that they were in the distinctly unromantic environment of the Pewter Church Hall began to return. They had made a point of coming to the yearly dance there and so far Brock and Felicity were having a great time. As the slow music began to be replaced by more energetic upbeat numbers the couple walked off to the side and to the table they were sharing with Ash and Misty.
"So what you guys been up to then?" Brock asked as he sat down in the chair next to Felicity. Ash was leaning on his palm, obviously bored out of his mind. "Not much." he mumbled. "Oh stop whining Ash." Misty scolded him. "We've been watching you dance." she added. "I'd never have guessed it Brock, but you can dance." she added again. "Thanks." he said to her. Misty looked at Ash out of the corner of her eye. He was playing with a straw sticking out the top of a Coke bottle. So childish she thought. But still... "Hmm." she sighed. Ash looked up at her. "What's the matter Misty?" he asked her. She looked at him. "Nothing I was just waiting for somebody to come ask me to dance." Ash smiled gently on the inside, but on the exterior he grinned like an idiot, putting on a stupid face. "Oh handsome knight, please come sweep me off my feet." he said, doing a fairy good imitation of Misty's voice. She stared at him, a look of utter-contempt in her eyes. Ash just grinned at the look and stood up. "If you want to dance so badly why didn't you just ask me?" he said as he walked over to her and offered her his hand. She shook her head in disbelief at the boy. How could he go from being a total jerk one minute to being the nicest guy she'd ever met the next. "Ash, if it weren't you I'd be hitting you right now." she said as she took his hand and walked to the dance floor with him. The cryptic response puzzled Ash. Choosing to ignore it for now he let her lead him to the floor, where they began to dance.
"Brock?" Felicity said to him as Ash and Misty left the table. "Yeah." he said in reply. "Is it just me, or do you get the feeling those two like each other more than they are willing to admit?" she asked him. "It's so obvious isn't it." he told her. "The only ones who can't see it are them." he added. She turned to face him. "Have you ever tried to do anything about it? You know, get them together." she asked. Brock shook his head slightly. "Every time someone says something, they get the same response. An angry denial from both of them." he said as he watched them dance together. While Misty might have some rhythm Ash was seriously out of sync with the music. "Perhaps if you told them separately?" Felicity suggested. "Hmm. I dunno. They seem too set on denying it that I don't think it would work." he said. "But. It's worth a try." he told her.
Soon enough the romantic slow songs returned and before Ash could run back to the table, Misty took his hand and drew him deeper into the crowd. "Misty, I don't know about this." Ash said, obviously flustered by the romantic atmosphere. Misty just smiled at him and moved his arms to her hips before putting her arms around his neck. "Don't worry Ash. Just move slowly." she instructed him. "Misty, it's not that." he said as he looked at her. "Ash. Do this for me." she said to him softly, pulling herself closer to his body. "Misty, please." he begged her, but she refused to yield. Eventually he resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't going anywhere and just started to dance. Misty sensed this and drew even closer to him than before. Ash's mind began racing. What if he did something wrong? What if he stepped on her toes? What if she felt just how fast his heart was beating? Then an idea came to him. Tell her how you feel. He had dismissed it no longer than two seconds before the idea returned. No matter what he did he couldn't shake this thought out of his head. So he considered it. Why not, he told himself.
"Hey, maybe I won't need to tell them!" Brock proclaimed with relief as he and Felicity watched Ash and Misty slowly dance together. They had both seen it. The way that Ash had suddenly relaxed and given into Misty's request for a slow dance. He seemed to be enjoying it.
Ash had hit upon an idea just after he'd decided to tell her. He was now putting that idea into practice. He'd heard Misty singing something on several occasions. From what he'd heard he managed to piece together some of the lyrics, a part in the middle. It was enough he felt. She'd recognize it. Slowly and softly he began to sing into her ear
I want to tell you what I'm feeling,
but I don't know how to start.
I want to tell you but now I'm afraid,
that you might break my heart.
Oh why should anything so easy,
ever be so hard to do,
I want to tell you what I'm feeling and,
to say that,
I love You."
Misty looked up at Ash. "Did you just sing..." she asked him, a look of puzzlement on her face. Ash nodded. "Did you hear the words?" he asked her. She nodded this time. "Ash, that's the song that I sing." Ash smiled at her. "Does that mean what I think it means?" he asked her. "Do you feel the same way?" he added. Misty looked about her for support, any kind of support. She couldn't believe this was happening, Ash had just told her that he was in love with her. She had wanted this for so long, she had rehearsed it over and over, preparing for the day she prayed would come. Now it had, she was speechless. From somewhere inside her she managed to gurgle out a faint yes. Ash managed to pick up on this and grinned at her. She grinned back and began to giggle with laughter. She drew him so close he could hardly breathe, but he didn't care. He was with Misty. They stared at each others eyes for what seemed like hours. Soon they felt their lips getting closer, and the sweet breath of the other grew warmer. When their lips were a mere millimeter apart they stopped and hovered in anticipation, waiting for the moment when everything was right. Not when it looked right, or sounded right, or smelled right, but when it FELT right. They were agonizingly close now. Agonizingly close to the first intimate contact between the two, time stopped entirely. They stood there, their noses gently caressing the others. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting for it to happen, for it to begin. Eventually the wait became to much and both moved their lips to the others simultaneously, meeting in the middle. Suddenly time began again and around them movement returned. From the side of the dance floor the couple could make out the sound of Brock cheering in approval as they kissed each other tenderly. They each examined the others lips with their own, mapping out new terrain that would become so familiar. When they finally stopped they noticed that the hall was growing emptier by the minute. Ash looked down at his watch. They'd been on the dance floor for almost two hours, and the dance had five minutes to go.
"Well Misty, we finally did it." Ash said as he took her hand and led her from the floor towards the table. She smiled at him. "Yes we did." she whispered into his ear. When they reached the table they were presented with a grinning Brock and Felicity. "Well, I must say it's about time." Brock told them as he stood up and handed them their jackets. "You know, I thought you two would never get together." he added. Ash and Misty just smiled and laughed at this. They walked towards the exit, hand in hand. Brock and Felicity walked out first, leaving Ash and Misty behind them. They stopped as they reached the doorway and looked out into the cool night. Ash took Misty's other hand before leaning into her and kissing her on the cheek. As he moved back Misty put her hand to his cheek and pulled him towards her again. This time their lips met and she kissed him lovingly. He returned the kiss with enthusiasm before breaking off. Outside he could hear Brock shouting impatiently for them to hurry up. Ash sniggered and turned to face Misty again. "So did you have a good time?" he asked her. She looked deep into his eyes as she answered with a yes. Then she added, "What else could I have had. We were dancing the night away."