Author's Note

First thing's first: It's Christmas Eve! Happiest of holidays, fellow Jashi fans! I hope each and everyone of you is having a fantastic holiday season.

Secondly, I must give a shoutout and huge thank you to steshin (samuraidaddy on Tumblr) for brilliantly reimagining Jack and Ashi as the lovable moron Brent Worthington and his lovable moron girlfriend Ashley. Those two lovesick idiots gave me fuel to write this chapter. Don't know what the hell I'm talking about? First, go follow samuraidaddy. Then, read this. You'll see.

Enjoy!

21 Credits

Chapter 25

or

"Still The One I Do This For"

Ashi is practically buzzing.

She's alone in her room and darts back and forth to make sure everything is perfect. Her hair is in place. Her makeup is damn near flawless (she had her sister Ari to thank for recommending online makeup tutorials). She twirls around a few times to test out her footing in her new shoes. She'd made sure to line them with extra cushiony insoles so that she could dance all night without feeling any discomfort.

She poses in her full length mirror, hands on her hips, and giggles because she feels like a princess.

It's nearly six-thirty. Jack should be here any min—

There's a knock at the door. Huh, look at that.

Ashi swings the door open and her smile falters as she's greeted by her date. His suit—dark and pinstriped—is tailored to fit his body perfectly. He's wearing a matching fedora and a long, dark coat. A white scarf with a red trim is draped around his neck. He looks straight out of a black and white movie. This is what people meant when they say 'dressed to the nines.'

"Whoa," Ashi says. "I mean... wow." With gusto. "You look incredible!"

"So do you," he says lamely. Truth be told, he can't really think of what else to say at the moment because she's basically taken his breath away.

Her dress is white as bone. Sleeveless. It's tapered at her waist and falls just above her knees, complimenting her figure. Gold sequins outline intricate geometric patterns reminiscent of the Art Deco period of the early 1920s. She's wearing glittery, champagne-colored heels and a matching headband over her bangs adorned with crystals and white feathers.

Ashi bites her lip, painted bright red for the occasion. She figures rendering a guy speechless is the best compliment she can get. She decides to give the poor guy a break by kissing him on the cheek and thanking him. It works to shake him out of his shock. She throws on her coat and grabs her clutch before she shuts the door behind her.

He holds out his arm and offers her a shining compliment that nearly makes her blush. She doesn't bother to bite back her smile and she takes his arm and they make their way down the hall.

His mother's gift did not stop at just tickets to this party. She had also arranged a visit to a very popular and renowned steak and seafood restaurant in the downtown area of the city—about a forty minute drive from campus—a few short blocks from the banquet hall. The menu had already been arranged and paid for. All they had to do was show up and eat.

As for transportation? Jack's father had visited the states many times for business purposes and was very familiar with the city his son had chosen to attend school. He knew of several limousine companies and hired one to pick up his son and his girlfriend at their campus and drive them into the city. He'd sent a text message to his son (with a lot of help from his wife) containing the driver's name and phone number, who would be ready to pick them up at any time they wished and drive them home when their night was over.

Ashi, for lack of a better term, was beyond excited. So much so that she had to carefully wipe Jack's mouth over with a damp cloth to get rid of the stains left by her lipstick. She'd never ridden in a limousine before, much less made out in one—much, much less with a handsome man in a ridiculously handsome suit—and she'd be damned if she missed the opportunity.

Dinner was to die for. Lobster ravioli stuffed with goat cheese, french onion soup, filet mignon served with fluffy potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts; even a carafe of red wine to share. The couple left dinner full, happy, and feeling like A-List movie stars as they approached the red carpet of the hall.

They pose for a picture at the entrance and Ashi's thrilled to receive a text message minutes later, containing a link to the picture so she can send it off (and show off) to her sisters. They quickly check their coats and basically speed walk to the main hall, not wanting to miss another moment.

The hall is positively stunning. Intricate crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and cast the sprawling room in a warm glow. The walls were accented with patterns made of gold leaf. Circular tables decorated with geometric motifs made of ice lined the perimeter of the hall, holding plates of delicious looking hors d'oeuvres and desserts. The main stage is awash in purple light and framed by a thick, velvet curtain.

The party is already in full swing and the band starts up with a new song. Ashi excitedly grabs Jack's hands to move to the dance floor. Neither of them know how to dance like the dancers of the 1920s but they do their best to imitate. It results in Jack twirling her around and around and holding her in his arms and Ashi shaking her hips like the flapper girls she's seen in the movies.

At some point, the music slows to a more romantic rhythm and the lights around them dim as an elegantly dressed woman takes the spotlight. Her smoky voice reverberates around the room and Jack holds Ashi close to his chest as they sway to the tune. Ashi looks up at Jack and it's like they're reading each other minds. They both speak at the same time.

"This is the best night ever."

"There they are!"

Ashi nudges Jack in the shoulder and the two of the casually make their way across the room. They're not walking to talk to anyone in particular. They're just casual observers. The fact that they're walking towards a particular couple has nothing to do with...

Alright, fuck it. They're totally stalking another couple because they're young, drunk and absolutely hilarious.

They've been at this for a while. Ashi had first spotted them earlier in the night when she'd gone to pick up a dessert for her and Jack. Even over the din of the crowd, she could make out their voices perfectly. Both of them had that irritating, lazy vocal fry that was stereotypical for kids who grew up in wealthy households, spoiled by their parents' riches.

What really struck her was how similar he looked to Jack. At least, that's what she thought at first. She saw a tall man with long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and she immediately thought 'Jack'.

But upon the man turning around she shuddered. Their hair is where his and Jack's similarities stopped. The man's skin had an odd, almost shiny quality to it; from what she could only assume was one too many trips to the tanning salon. He wore a blue coat over white pants and looked more like someone from a pretentious yacht club than the 1920s.

His date wasn't much better. She was wearing a frilly little number, also blue, with white stripes and a blue neckerchief that also gave her the illusion of a sailor. Her face was streaked with heavy makeup and she teetered about in heels so high that Ashi worried for the girl's ankles should she catch a snag in the carpets.

She'd picked up a few ridiculous snippets of their conversation and immediately ran back to Jack, their desserts completely forgotten. She'd told him all about them and he'd just raised an eyebrow, wondering why she cared so much about these strangers.

"No, no, Jack, I'm not kidding. These people are the worst." Ashi stoods up straight and tilted her head, letting her mouth hang open. She did her best imitation of the woman she saw. "I like, totally can't wait for next week. Doing capoeira under a full moon, like, totally realigns my chakras."

"Wait, what?"

Despite Jack admonishing Ashi for making fun of another couple, he couldn't help but feel intrigued. He'd followed Ashi back to the dessert table and decided to snack on a small slice of cheesecake while he overheard their conversation.

It was... just as ridiculous as Ashi put it. In fact, if anything, Ashi held back.

"Wow," Jack breathed.

"I know, right?" Ashi said. "We could definitely turn this into a game. Take a drink every time they say something stupid?"

"Oh my god," 'Sailor Girl' said loudly. "I saw this lady at the farmer's market the other day and she was, like, swear to god, crying, like actual tears, because they didn't have her favorite flavor of kombucha and I'm like, hello? That's why you make it yourself. Homemade infusions are like, so much better."

"Totally," 'Yacht Club' said. "Hey, you think these spinach puffs are vegan?"

"Um, why, what do you care? You're, like, not even vegan."

"I know, I'm just trying to stay away from, you know, like, complex proteins."

"Oh my god, I totally know what you mean. That totally makes sense."

"That doesn't make any sense," Jack said. "Alright, I concede. We're following them."

"Yes!"

"But no drinking game," he warned. He looked over at the couple warily. "I fear we'd be dead by morning."

"Fair enough." Ashi grinned as she stucks her hand out. They shook on it.

Which brings them back to the present moment, half-heartedly dancing across the ballroom floor, steadily making their way to the other side of the room to sidle up and continue spying.

Jack decides to rename 'Yacht Club' to 'Brent.' Why Brent? Jack explained that his roommates threw a party late last year and a very irksome, macho-wannabe muscle head had shown up and basically treated everyone like they were beneath him. Until he met Scotsman. Once Scotsman had found out his name was Brent and he was an asshole, he'd basically insulted and shamed him so bad that he'd left the party with the proverbial tail between his legs. Good riddance. Brent and 'Yacht Club's' voices are so similar that Jack recalls the name easily.

Ashi, in the meantime, decides on the name 'Ashley' for 'Sailor Girl.' Ashi knew a girl in high school named Ashley who demanded everyone pronounce it 'Aish-e-lei' because she was French and it was insult to pronounce it like an uncouth American. Ashi saw right through her bullshit because: a) she was pretty sure her family was from Canada. Not France; and b) she'd moved (from Canada) to America when she was four years old, so there's no fucking way everyone had been calling her 'Aish-e-lei' her whole damn life. The name seems fitting for 'Sailor Girl.'

They spot the couple near the bar, sniffing and swirling their wine around in their glasses only to take massive gulps like it's cheap beer from a keg. They don't seem to be getting along too well. 'Ashley' is still wavering in her heels, although now it looks more like stumbling, less from the shoes and more from the wine. 'Brent' is making exaggerated sighing noises in that nasally voice of his.

It's hard to pick up what exactly they're bickering about at first. It's mostly a verbal tornado of slurred words and grumbling. Jack and Ashi watch them intensely, nibbling on some more snacks from the dessert table like it was popcorn.

"Oh my god, you are so stupid!" 'Ashley' whines.

"Like, what are you even talking about?" 'Brent' is gesturing wildly with his arms, spilling a little bit of his wine onto the carpet.

"How can farm-to-table fish even exist! Fish don't grow on farms!"

"Oh my god, babe, it's like ocean-farm-to-table! Or something! Read a book sometime, god."

"Alright, that's it," Ashi mutters. She snags a glass of champagne from a waiter walking by with a tray and takes a gulp. "I can't do this without alcohol."

Jack turns and grabs his own glass. He clinks his against Ashi's and takes his own sip. "Neither can I."

After the little squabble they'd witnessed—'Ashley' had stormed off after 'Brent' had made some apparently insulting comment about her acting a certain way because one of the planets was in retrograde (or something)—Jack and Ashi had all but lost sight of them. Not that it truly mattered. The two had plenty to occupy their time: what with the upbeat music, the photo booths, and the genuine enjoyment they felt simply sitting next to each other and talking; occasionally interrupted as they spotted other party-goers, in awe of the style and sheer effort many had put into their costumes for the night.

Jack scouts out a small standing table at the edge of the dance floor where they can set their glasses down, full of freshly popped champagne They have a perfect view of the stage where the party's host announces that the big countdown to the new year is about to commence. A projector mounted to the ceiling illuminates two screens on either side of the stage with animated timers. Just five minutes left.

"Having fun?" Jack asks.

"Of course I am!" She brings her arms over her head and leans away to stretch out her back. She lets out a breath. "Although, after all the food I've eaten tonight, I'm not sure if I'll ever walk again."

He tilts his head and gestures down to her feet. "You seem to be holding up alright."

She kicks up her foot behind her and looks back to admire the glittery pump. "I guess you're right." She turns her head back to his. "Thank god for those insoles, right?"

"You could always slip out of them," he suggests. He looks around the room. "It seems many others have."

"Nah," she says. "Wearing heels kinda sucks but at least it means I can be closer to your face." She emphasizes her point by throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him repeatedly on the cheek. He laughs out her name and places his own hands at the small of her back.

Her kisses calm and she leans into in his arms. Her hand comes up and traces his eyebrow with her thumb. When she speaks, her voice is low.

"Jack. This place." She bites her lip for a moment before offering him a small smile. "This whole night... has been... just..."

"Magical?" he offers with a smirk.

She rolls her eyes. "Well yeah, if you wanna be cheesy about it," she laughs. Her voice quiets down again and her expression eases. "Seriously, though," she continues, "I can't thank you enough."

"Don't thank me," he says. "Thank my mother. She is the one that gifted us with this night."

"Yeah, but," she starts slowly. "All of this... wouldn't mean much at all, you know? If I couldn't spend it with you."

His heart swells as he looks down at her. She's wearing perhaps the softest, yet brightest smile he's ever seen on her and for the umpteenth time in so many days, he wonders if he's ever seen anything more beautiful.

Suddenly, everything about the past semester floods him. How he'd always been on the wrong side of a kiss; getting kissed by drunk women but never returning it. Until he met her. How he'd go out on the occasional date but never wished to pursue anything deeper. Until he met her. How he'd avoided intimacy because he had resigned himself to wait for the right person. And here she was, standing right in front of him.

She's the last person he's kissed. And in that moment he's positive that she'll be the last woman he ever kisses. Because she's the only one he ever wants to kiss again.

This. This was the moment he'd been waiting for.

He's finally ready.

"Ashi?"

"Oh my god," she interrupts. She points at a spot beyond his shoulders. "Look!"

He turns his head and spots 'Brent' and 'Ashley', the two having apparently made up because they're currently—and very, very sloppily—making out less than twenty feet away from them. Ashi makes a quip about the happy couple being reunited once more and Jack rolls his eyes as Ashi snickers. Jack responds, telling her that they're lucky they aren't like them. At least they'd had the good common sense not to be all over each other in public. Ashi agrees.

(Ahem. Scotsman would like a word with you two.)

Then, Jack hears something that throws him off guard.

'Brent' pulls back from the meal he's making out of 'Ashley's' face and dips her back dramatically. It's a wonder they both don't topple to the ground but the act of sheer luck is not what has Jack rendered speechless.

"Oh, sugar plum. My princess!"

"My handsome apple pie à la mode!"

"I love you so much, babe. I promise we'll never fight again."

"Oh, honey muffin, you know I can't stay mad at you! I love you, too!"

Jack stands in awe and it seems like everything around him goes quiet. A faint whistling sound rings in his ears. Even the sound of Ashi's laughter is dulled. He feels a sudden and completely unexpected surge of annoyance. It nearly borders on rage.

That couple? The ones who'd plodded around with their ridiculous outfits and even more ridiculous conversation? The ones who got in arguments over fish and wine and whatever trivial thing that consumed their lives? The ones who were now reconciled and now... what?! That couple?

That couple was made up of two of vapid—also drunk—idiots. And yet...

They could somehow freely say to each other those words?. The very same words he's been trying to say to Ashi for days?

This will not stand.

Jack whips his head back around and removes Ashi's arms from his shoulders. He grabs her hands in his and holds them to his chest. She's still beaming from the ridiculous display the other couple had put on. His hearing has finally returned to normal and he swears he can hear his heartbeat in his ears despite the din of the crowd. The excited buzzing around them increases as the clock winds down closer and closer.

This is it. He's finally going to say it. And she's going to hear it. And nothing is going to stop him.

"Ashi."

Unfortunately for him, once again, his timing absolutely sucks. Ashi bounces up and down in her heels and points to where the screens begin to flash.

"Look, look! The countdown is starting!"

Like that's going to stop him. Jack no longer cares.

10... 9...

"Ashi! There's something I want to tell you!"

8... 7...

"What?"

6... 5...

"I love you!"

4... 3...

"What?"

2... 1...

"I love—"

"Happy New Year!"

(Close enough.)

He pulls her to him and kisses her like it's the last time he'll ever do it. But it's also the first time, kissing her like this, knowing that he's never felt anything like this before. He straightens his back and lifts her off the floor, holding her tight against his chest. They kiss each other slowly, as if the chaos around them, the laughter, the cheering, the falling confetti, doesn't exist at all. It's just the two of them. Together.

Author's Note

Fun fact: I wrote the original, sappy 'New-Year-Countdown, I-love-you-confession' snippet on July 7th. Before the first chapter of this nonsense had even been published. Of course, it's been reworked and edited but it just goes to show... sometimes I write shit that I never let go of.

Only one more chapter to go before this crazy ride comes to a close. I'm sticking by my promise to finish this before the end of the year!

Thank you for reading and happy holidays!