Dog Days of Summer

. . .

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Night World.

Pairing: Ash and Mary-Lynnette

Summary: Ash takes Mary-Lynnette swim-suit shopping.

"Hmm," Ash murmured as he looked around for sexy bikinis Mary-Lynnette could fit into. He pulled out a stringy one. A dark blue, stringy one. "How about this one?"

Mary-Lynnette glared at Ash and shook her head. "Absolutely not."

Ash smirked, shrugging. He placed the bikini back in the holder. "Suit yourself." He advanced towards other . . . kinky racks of bikinis. Other girls giggled as they glanced at Ash, not really minding a hot guy looking through racks of kinky bikinis.

She followed him, crossing her arms. "Honestly, Ash. Do you expect me to wear those?" Mary-Lynnette gestured towards the bikinis with a nod of her head.

"For me, yes," Ash replied coolly as he pulled out another one. This time, it was bit more modest (because it wasn't stringy). It was a tube top—a white, ruffled one—and, well, you know the rest. "I can imagine this on you, Mare. Take it."

"Over my dead body," Mary-Lynnette said, shaking her head. "I'm not wearing any of those." She turned her back on him as Ash continued to look for a good-looking swim-suit for his Mary-Lynnette. "I'll be in the tankini sections if you need me."

Ash smiled amusedly, glancing behind him as he watched Mary-Lynnette walk over to the tankini—such a modest section, he noted—part of the store. I always need you, Mare, he thought to her—earnestly.

Her heart fluttered at his voice and words. You know what I mean, she replied as she pulled out a dark blue tankini. This is perfect. She gripped the swim suit in her hand.

Look what I found, Ash thought to her as he grabbed a swim suit from the holders.

Hmm, Mary-Lynnette replied, glancing behind her—squinting at Ash.

Ash was grinning in a boyish manner, cocking an eyebrow as he held up another two-piece swim suit. It was dark green. So how about it?

It actually looked pretty.

On other girls, anyways.

Mary-Lynnette wasn't sure if it will suit her. So she shook her head. Ash sighed and (sort of) pleaded with his eyes. At least try it on . . .

She noticed that his eyes changed colors. It switched from green to dark orange—challenging her to try it on. Her blue eyes stared at his eyes for a moment before shrugging—it's the least she could do. Fine. But if I don't like it, we're not buying it.

Ash smiled, his eyes turning blue. Excellent. He winked at her and Mary-Lynnette smiled back. She walked towards him—and Ash met her halfway.

"Fitting room?" he asked Mary-Lynnette, handing her the swim suit he picked for her. Ash glanced at her tankini. So Mary-Lynnette-like.

"Where else?" Mary-Lynnette asked, smirking a bit.

It was supposed to be a rhetorical question, but Ash answered it anyway.

"My room or yours?" Ash asked playfully as he followed Mary-Lynnette to the fitting rooms. He was about to go in the girl's fitting room—but Mary-Lynnette shot him a warning glance.

"Ash," she said as she turned around to face him, "this is the girl's fitting room."

He gave her a disarming smirk. "I know."

Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes, lifting a hand to pat his chest (also gently pushing him away). "Which is why you should wait out here."

"But I want to see you," Ash argued, looking at the dark green swim suit then back at her.

She smiled apologetically. "Maybe if I buy this . . . but I don't know." Mary-Lynnette shrugged.

Ash sighed. "Alright, alright. All I could do now is hope for the best that you will buy that swim suit." He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "By the way, which are you trying on first?" he asked.

Mary-Lynnette stepped back and raised the dark green bikini. She saw him raise his eyebrows amusedly, so she quickly said (with a slight blush); "To get this over with."

"Uh huh," Ash murmured as he slowly scratched his cheek with his forefinger.

He was thinking of doing something—and Mary-Lynnette knew it. Well, she didn't know what he's planning but she knows that he's planning to do something. She gave her soulmate one last warning glance before entering the girl's fitting room.

Ash smiled sweetly at her and leaned on a wall, thinking whether or not he should do whatever he's planning.

And, in the end, he did.

First, he swiftly but steadily pushed the rack of clothes (the ones that the customers didn't like or fit into) with his foot so that he sent it rolling out of the fitting rooms entrance.

Crash.

And crashing into another rack of clothes (in which he didn't intend to happen). But it was worth it. Things happen for a reason, after all.

Second, now that those people are gone—he can walk in the girl's fitting room without getting noticed. Everyone else without a mind like his are fretting over the rack that "randomly" crashed into the other clothes' rack.

Ash walked in with a triumph smirk on his face. He heard giggles under a few stalls in the fitting room. And he heard lots of zippers zipping up. He faintly wondered if he could be the one to unzip Mary-Lynnette's pants . . . nah.

He was certain that his M'lin would be mad at him for sneaking into the girl's fitting room while there's a commotion outside (not that she'll know that . . . well, not yet).

Hey M'lin, Ash thought to her, quietly walking deeper inside the girl's fitting room. Goddess, it smells so . . . feminine. He smirked. What stall are you in?

Hmm, why are you asking? Mary-Lynnette asked, pulling the dark green bikini-underwear up her legs. She pulled the bikini top a bit lower, blinking as she looked at the large mirror. It actually looks good on her! Not that she'll ever wear this in public.

Knowing that she's never going to tell him what stall she's in, Ash decided to follow his instincts. Or rather, follow her scent.

Her scent. Her sweet, sweet scent that easily distinguished her from the other females in this room. Her wonderful scent that effortlessly drifted towards him, making it so fucking simple to locate her.

Ash stopped at the last stall in the mini hall of the fitting room. Open your door. He stared hard at the stupid wooden door that was blocking his way.

What—? Mary-Lynnette stopped her thought as she saw the reflection of his shoes on the mirror. Her eyes widened slightly. God, he's going to get in trouble if someone found out that he's in here . . .

He caught her thought and smiled a bit. Then let me in.

With an instinctive gulp, Mary-Lynnette turned around and unlocked the door, pushing it open and quickly pulling Ash inside her small stall. "What the hell are you thinking?" she whispered furiously.

Ash whistled lowly as he looked her up and down—appreciatively. Mary-Lynnette blushed, although she was still glaring at him. "I wasn't thinking about anything." He stepped closer and she automatically stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I was right when I said it suits you," he nodded to himself with a smug smile.

"Ash," Mare whispered. "Be quiet if you want to stay in here."

He grinned and pretended to zip his lips. His luscious lips.

Realizing what she just said, Mary-Lynnette shook her head. "What am I thinking? Of course you can't stay in here. This is the girl's fitting room." She lightly punched his shoulder before hastily bringing her arm back on her chest. "Go."

Ash stepped closer and she stepped back—and damn. She was already on the wall. Stupid small stall.

He smirked and placed his elbow on the wall beside her. "Not a chance. Well, not yet anyway." Ash tilted his head to the side. "So, how do you like the swim suit?"

"Ash," a breath, "you've got to get out of here if you don't want to be banned from this shop," she whispered, her breathing slightly ragged.

He leaned closer, his perfectly sculpted face just inches from hers. His eyes were dark violet now and his lips just a mere inch from hers.

"Ash," Mary-Lynnette whispered again, her breath mingling with his.

He gave her a small smirk before finally pressing his soft lips on her warm ones, placing his other elbow on the wall so that he could kiss her more properly. Ash pushed Mary-Lynnette harder on the wall, his tongue gently brushing her lower lip.

Mary-Lynnette didn't open her mouth and simply shut her eyes tightly, being the stubborn girl he really loves.

Ash, being the guy that he is, slightly pressed his hips against hers—earning a tiny gasp from Mary-Lynnette. He was ready to kiss her deeper—more passionate, really—but Mare pulled away, a bit breathless.

"Honestly, Ash," she whispered, running a hand through her hair. Her cheeks were flushed.

He smiled in a boyishly. "Buy this swim suit. It looks great on you." Ash leaned back on his heels, stepping back. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Mm, maybe I should buy you a hat to match your outfit."

"Shh, be quiet," Mary-Lynnette whispered and reached out to put a hand over his lips.

Ash kissed her hand, pulling it down with his larger one. "I am quiet."

"No you're not—Ash!" Mary-Lynnette whispered when he pulled her to him. His hand felt so warm against the bare skin of her waist . . . she just wants to . . .

"I just love how you always say my name in such tempting ways," Ash murmured amusedly. His violet eyes glinted mischievously as he slid his hand up to her top. He tugged it softly.

"Ash . . ." Mary-Lynnette whispered, her hands on his lean chest as he played with her top. Teasingly pulling on it and running his fingers lightly on her bare skin.

"You should buy this swim suit. You know why?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because you could easily tease me like this?" she guessed, looking up at him with her electrifying blue eyes.

"Well, that and because I could easily touch you like this," Ash said with a small smirk.

Mare blushed and glared (she was secretly enjoying it but she'll never confess that). "More reasons why I shouldn't buy this swim suit."

"Your loss," Ash replied. Although he was thoroughly disappointed that she wouldn't buy the swim suit. He heard—with his heightened senses (insert smugness of tone)—people slowly cleaning up the mess. He bent down and kissed her swiftly. "I'll be out now before someone really catches me and decides to prohibit me from this store."

"You shouldn't even be in here," Mary-Lynnette whispered and pushed Ash out of her stall. He warily looked around before winking at her and jogging back out of the fitting room.

When Ash got back out, leaning on a wall with his arms crossed—he watched the people push the clothes' racks back in their places. He sighed. He might as well help them since he did make that commotion (on accident, of course. He only planned to push the rack away until it collided with that other one over there).

By the time he leaned on a wall, after attempting to help the employees (the staff told him they could handle it), Mary-Lynnette had already emerged from the fitting room.

Ash raised an eyebrow and began walking beside her. "What did you pick?"

Mary-Lynnette kept staring ahead, nonchalant. "The dark green one."

"Ah," he murmured with a small smile, "So you liked it?"

"Apparently." Mary-Lynnette avoided stepping on the discarded clothes on the floor. "What happened here?" she asked Ash, sending him a glimpse.

"A commotion," Ash replied, not quite hiding a smirk.

"This doesn't involve you, does it?"

"Probably . . ."

"Oh Ash," Mary-Lynnette said, sighing. She didn't seem to mind though. Well, not much.

Ash only gave her a charming grin.

A/N: YESSS! I updated! ^_^ I think THIS is my longest one-shot (in this story) so far. LOL. I just kinda got carried away. But it didn't seem like I got carried away… O.O sorry for the wait! I wanted to work on this much more earlier but I was just so BUSY today. Fate is such a bitch to me sometimes, you know? Like, when I'm planning to do something that I've been anticipating for…for about DAYS now, fate just makes other plans for me to delay my plan. Plus, I kinda got distracted by tumblr (sorry about that…). T.T But yeah. At least I updated, right? Sorry if it's like not THAT descriptive (I'm hungry and I just ran out of time)… who knows, if I read this later in the morning (its midnight at my area right now) I might decided to rewrite it! Only after I finish with the other couples of course. ^_^

ANYWAYS, HAHA. Thank you guys for the reviews! And for liking the Theric puppy/thing. Even though I know SOME of you think it's cheesy… BLAME ERIC! LOL. Kidding. I am cheesy (LOL you know who you are XDDDD or who you all are…[if someone chooses to call me cheesy too] XD). Cheesy and corny are the same right? O_O Doh! *Homer Simpson imitation* I can't think much when its midnight.

Thank you, thank you, thank you guys for the reviews! And I don't think if I'll be able to update tomorrow 'cause I'm going to the mall to visit Borders (I can't BELIEVE that Borders is closing!). I'm going to kiss that bookstore goodbye tomorrow. *sniff* I hope I don't cry.

One very last thing for this one-shot…

Review? o(^O^)o