I've been really suprised lately. I've gotten a lot of reviews (Too bad FF deleted my songfic, which got a lot) and it's really kind of scary in a wonderful sort of way! I'm not used to them, I guess. I was really weirded out when I got reviews on From the Linden Trees, and I literally went, "WOAH! IS THIS WORLD GOING INSANE OR AM I ACTUALLY GETTING REVIEWS!" But thank you, you guys, I didn't think my writing was worthy. Especially with the almost-yaoi-but-not-quite scenes... oO
Oh yeah, and to make this clear - like the description says, this is an OCxTakato and HenryxRika fic. Although the Jenrika is kind of late (as of this chapter it premieres), the Crysato as I like to call it as been there since chapter two. I think the love triangle made it pretty hard to tell, though. It's basically crush after crush after crush...
Anyway, enjoy this chapter!
--
I held Crystal's hand, and with ease, I pulled her to her feet, both of us gliding into the middle of the dance floor. Crystal's face turned red, as the dress swirled around her knees, and I smiled. I never knew dancing felt so good. In this atmosphere, the dimmed colored lights moving across the floor like fireflies in the night.
It was a beautiful sight. The movements just came, I didn't have to think about anything. Everything just felt perfect. I held Crystal in my arms, moving to the music.
Part of me was asking, "Why am I doing this?" I didn't really know why. Why -was- I dancing with Crystal, when I had dreamed for Rika so long?
It was just a feeling that came over me. Crys had the same feelings that I had over Rika. It wasn't fair, to just crush her heart like that. And yet, I did. This was the only way I could think of to make it up to her.
I know that seems weird. But Crystal knew how to feel like she was close to you. She smiled as if you were her best friend all your life, she laughed like she always laughed with you. She had become a good friend.
I was like that for Rika. A good friend. And like Rika, I had been oblivious to Crystal's feelings. I had been so caught up in the things that I had focused on that I didn't even notice that the sky was blue anymore. It was like when you stared at the floor, and walked really fast everywhere, not letting yourself take in the beautiful sights around you. By the time you're there, you realise that you missed out on a whole lot.
I looked at her, seeing her face in the dim light. It was shining, tainted faintly with the light that swirled around the room. Her mouth was singing to the words of the song, and I held her close, so I could listen, and feel her skin against mine.
"Numai tu, inima mi-o frangi doar tu, numai tu... tu, tu, numai tu..."
I smiled. "You have a nice voice," I whispered.
She opened her eyes, glistening with silvery brilliance. "Do you know what that line means?"
"No, not really," I said, blushing a little. I felt like I should have, for some reason, even though I had never heard the song before.
"It means, 'only you, only you can break my heart, only you, you, you, only you'," she whispered.
"Really now?" I twirled her around, smiling. She looked at me with a suprised look, smiling.
"Yes... and that's only you."
I twirled her around again. I remembered how hard it was for me to learn that, but now that I thought about it, it came to me with ease. I had dropped Crystal many times, often falling over and just inable to do it before. But Crystal had taught me how. I held her close to me, and as we danced to the beat, I twirled both of us around, so quick that she almost fell.
"You're very good," my mentor grinned, as I let held her back, supporting her from falling. We heard clapping all around us. We both stood as the song slowly ended, and we bowed, both smiling.
Both Crys and I took a break from dancing, her so she could get a drink, and I so I could seek out Henry. I scanned the room, looking for him.
I saw him, and instantly smiled. He had his arms wrapped around Rika in a tight embrace, and his face looked flushed as they danced, and they seemed unaware of their surroundings, just in each others arms enjoying the dance. I wondered if Crystal and I looked like that, as we danced. I grinned and saught out my dance partner.
She smiled as I came near. "Ready for round two?" Crystal gazed at me, taking a sip of her drink.
I nodded. "Dancing is much more fun that I thought."
"It's all on how you feel when you dance. It's like you're one with the music."
"Don't go 'teacher' on me," I said laughing. "We're here to dance, and have a good time."
"Good point," Crys smiled, and held out her hand. I gently held it up to my face and kissed it, and we swirled onto the dance floor, her laugh trailing us as I lead her.
We danced, to all songs, slow and fast, fast and slow. Most of them had been relatively easy for me to keep up, and Crystal and I were even able to show off a little bit, as I twirled her around, and she always laughed, her face flushed. I realised that it was really fun to dance with her.
We took another break, and I saught out Henry. He was standing near the punch table, getting a drink. I looked at him with a grin.
"So, how's my date?"
"Great," Henry returned my grin. "I told her I liked her, finally... after this whole time.
"Wow, that's awesome! What about her?"
"She has the same feelings," Henry blushed. He looked embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it," I smiled nonchalantly. "I think I'm over her..."
"Really now?"
"Yeah." I glanced over at Crystal. "I think... I found someone better."
"Heh," He looked at me, chuckling. "So how's my date, anyway?"
"We're tearing up the dance floor." I smiled at him again. "It's really awesome."
"Glad you're having a good time," Henry returned it, and I went off to find Crystal. I found her walking away from Rika, and I saw out of the corner of my eye as I approached her that Rika and Henry had reunited and had started to dance again.
Crys looked at me with a big grin. "Well, ready to start dancing again?"
"Well, actually..." I reached for her hand, "I'd like to show you something.
I lead Crystal outside where the stars were shining, and we sat outside on a bench outside of the auditorium where the dance was. We could still hear the music from outside, but it still had a sense of silence.
"Brrr..." I heard Crys say, and I looked at her. She was shivering a bit, and I wrapped my arm around her. She blushed, and she leaned her head against my chest. I put my hand on her head, stroking her gentle hair, and she looked up at me.
"So what was it that you wanted to show me?" she inquired, still shivering against my body.
"Well..." I looked at her, as if I didn't want to tell her. I smiled broadly and got up. "Just one more dance. I'll show you."
I held out my hand to her, and she had half-smile on her face, her eyes half closed. I stared at her, wondering if I had done something.
"Something wrong?"
"Huh?" She snapped out of it, and looked me square in the eyes.
"You had this dreamy look on your face. Not that I mind... it's kind of cute."
She blushed. "Well... everytime something happens, you end up standing up and holding out your hand. It's interesting... like you want to lead me somewhere."
"Well, I don't want to steer you wrong," I smiled, and I slid my hand into hers, and I helped her up.
"Heh, just like my star to shine the way then?"
"Knight in shning armour, star to shine in the night, no matter what I'll be by your side."
I smiled. We held each other, and once again we were in an embrace, together. We could hear the music from inside of the auditorium drift outside, and I noticed it was a three-beat song. I held her, and we continued to dance, body against body underneath the stars.
It was wonderful. The breeze picked up, and I held Crystal closer, to sheild her from the cold. We were closer than we ever had been before. It was... perfect.
"You're muttering."
"What?" I looked at Crys, startled. I felt like I was dreaming, and almost everything could jolt me. I blinked, looking at her, confused.
"You're muttering," she whispered. "You're going, 'one-two-three' while you dance."
I blushed. "Well... that was the only way I could think of to keep up with the song," I said, embarrassed.
"Don't worry," my mentor said, nuzzling my neck. "You learned how to dance three-step on your own. I'm impressed enough. I'm guessing that was what you wanted to show me?"
"Yeah," I smiled at her, feeling proud. "I wanted you to know that... and something else."
"What?"
She looked at me with questioning eyes, and gently I let my lips touch hers gently, pulling her as close as I could to my body and kissing her underneath the moonlight.
"Crys, I... I think you're beautiful. And wonderful. And you've done so much for me... I don't want to see you go. I... I like you a lot. I love you."
"Oh, Takato..."
We looked at each other, softly breathing, and Crystal rested her head against my chest, and we basked underneath the light of the stars, embracing and never wanting to let go.
--
Woo... finished chapter nine. Next one's the last one.
I didn't like this chapter much... I was going through a lot of mood swings as I did this, and I'm tired, so half of this might not make any sense at all, I'm sorry. I hope you guys will like the conclusion.
