Originally written as an anonymous Tumblr prompt: At the fundraiser party, Jackson and April slow dance.


"Dude! What exactly were you thinking?"

He turns at the sound of Alex's voice with a sigh as he spots the amused look on his friend's face.

Alex grins as he holds up a hand, "Seriously high-five for the dumbest party of the year."

Jackson rolls his eyes and twirls his glass in his hand, "It's not so bad."

"Shepherd was juggling." He tells him simply, "It doesn't get much weirder than that." Alex leans over the bar and orders himself another scotch, resting his elbows against the metal surface. He glances around quickly before asking, "Dude, where's you date?"

He shrugs, "I don't have one."

"You didn't bring Edwards?"

"Nah, she was working. Besides, it's not like we do that sort of thing anyway." He informs him.

Alex chuckles, "Oh, right, because asking her to come tonight would have been too hard, right?" He notices the tired look on Jackson's face as he watches the room around him, clearly fascinated by something. He leans forward to see what he's staring at and smirks, "Or maybe, you just want to stare at Kepner all night."

Jackson brushes him off with a scowl, "Whatever."

"Dude, just ask to dance or whatever. I don't know what chicks like, take her in the coat closet or something." He jokes with a pat on the shoulder before walking away.

April approaches them as he goes to walk away, "Hey, Alex."

She sounds cheery and Alex grins, spinning to send Avery a thumbs up, "See you later, Kepner." He calls out as he backs away.

April stops in front of Jackson, her eyes huge and her arms wide open, "This is amazing!" She delights, a giant grin on her face.

He smiles slightly, entertained by her joy, "I'm glad you think so."

She gasps, "Are you kidding? There's like fire-breathers and everything, it's insane! The party is great, Jackson." She reassures him, swatting a hand on his chest with a laugh.

He falters, ignoring Alex's impersonations in the background, "I think we went a little overboard, it looks like something my mom would throw together overnight."

April smiles, "Well, then, your mom would have great taste." She slams her hands down on the bar and orders herself a drink. The bartender slides it over to her and she takes a sip with an obvious grin on her face as she looks up at him.

Jackson frowns, slightly amused, "What?"

She places her glass down and grabs his hand all of sudden, pulling him out to where everybody else was. "I love this song!"

"No." He tries, staying in his place and not budging.

She pouts and tugs on his hand with both of hers, "Come on, Jack-man, just one dance." She pleads, fluttering her eyelashes.

He doesn't have the heart to tell her that he can't be in such close proximity to her, for fear of doing something stupid. He doesn't have the heart to tell her no because he knows that she wants to mend their broken friendship. He doesn't have the heart to tell her how he really feels.

So, he agrees, and says yes, and gives in. For her.

"One." He lets her drag him out to dance, finally taking in her outfit. He chuckles at her dress, "Trust you to wear something colourful."

She raises an eyebrow as she rests her hands on his shoulders, his brief look on unease escaping her. She glances down at her dress, "What's wrong with pink?"

"Nothing." He replies back, all to quickly, "It's nice. You- You look really nice."

She recognizes his earlier words and softly blushes as she rests her head on his shoulder. "So do you." She repeats, letting a hand cup his shoulder as the other wraps around his neck. For a short second, she stops moving when she feels his hands meet her waist, his fingers gliding against her skin and tracing up her back.

They don't speak for a while, instead just bask in the quiet comfort and try to ignore the sensation of tense awkwardness that they can both feel looming around them.

Jackson spots Alex from a few feet away, a wicked smirk on his face as he glances at them before whispering something to Jo, his date. He seems to mouth something to him but Jackson can't quite make it out before he walks away.

Eventually, the song draws to a close but instead of moving, April leans further into him, her head flat against his chest. He brushes off the need to kiss her head, to touch her bare skin, but it all turns to dust when she rests her hands on either side of his face.

"I don't want to leave you yet." She tells him quietly, biting her lip and glancing down at his mouth. Her hands move to his neck and she sighs.

Jackson finds himself nodding along with her, his eyes watching her lips as she talks, feeling the need to rub his thumb over her bottom lip. She freezes as his touch, her eyes flickering up to his dangerously. "Don't move." He tells her, grasping the sides of her face between his hands leaning down to capture her lips.

She gives into him, cupping the back of his neck tighter in her grasp and pulling herself closer to him, pressing her body against his comfortably. She moans silently when he slides a hand through her hair and slips his tongue between her teeth.

He pulls her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist protectively to secure her against him, like he's going to lose her.

But then reality hits him, and he remembers that he is. Because he has girlfriend. And she's getting married.

And he's already lost her, because he didn't have the strength to fight any more.