"Swipe" by Ed Alger a.k.a. "SecondLevelWriter"
Author's notes: All disclaimers from the past chapters still apply here. "Open Arms" is originally performed by Journey. Go buy one of their CDs. :)
Chapter 10
Boogie Night - Part 3
'You bastards.'
Swipe could only smirk and shake his head at his bandmates, knowing full well that this was being done on purpose. Well, if it's a show they want, then a show they will get.
Jinx tugged at the shoulder of Swipe's t-shirt, "Are we going to do this?"
The rogue looked over to his friend with a hint of a grin, "If it's okay with you."
The sorceress grinned back and gave a nod, "Sure. I don't mind at all." She then placed her hands upon his shoulders while he set his hands on her waist, their cheeks already beginning to tinge pink.
Robin nudged Starfire towards the edge of the dance floor, suggesting that they should be alone for this number. They and the rest of the crowd fell silent as they watched on, while the entire dance area became bathed in a soft blue light and the song began in earnest.
Lying beside you / here in the dark / feeling your heart beat with mine
Softly you whisper / you're so sincere / How could our love be so blind?
The two dancers moved slowly at first, taking only a few steps back and forth. As the music began to crescendo, their movements became more pronounced, taking longer steps together in their makeshift waltz until Swipe took her hand and twirled her around for the chorus.
We sailed together / We drifted apart / And here you are by my side.
So now I come to you, with o-pen arms! Nothing to hide, believe what I say.
So here I am with o-pen arms! Hoping you'll see what your love means to me.
Open arms
Through the chorus, Jinx found herself looking deep into Swipe's hazel eyes while she felt her own begin to well up with a few tears. Over the past few days, this guy had done everything but bend over backwards to help her forget her past troubles. He made her laugh, gave her a home, and a renewed reason to live again. She came to realize that he was right all along. She needed this second chance, and she was grateful that he had granted that for her.
Swipe, meanwhile, was similarly becoming lost in Jinx's shimmering lavender eyes. Ever since he had saved the girl from her own depression, he put everything he could into at least making her smile again. His eyes drifted from hers to take in all of her face, noticing for the third time since he saved her just how pretty she was. A thought suddenly struck him as he admired the hex-caster: Was he really falling for her?
Living without you, living alone. This empty house seems so cold.
Wanting to hold you, wanting you near. How much I wanted you home.
But now that you've come back
Turned night into day
I – need you to stay.
A tightness filled Jinx's chest as she smiled up to Swipe, a feeling that the rogue was also experiencing. As the music swelled towards the chorus once again, the sorceress let her arms slowly drift from her partner's shoulders to around the back of his neck and rested her head on his right shoulder.
"I want to thank you, Swipe… for everything you've done…" she whispered.
The rogue swallowed hard, but brought his arms all the way around her middle in a return embrace, "N- No problem, Jinxie. I just… just want you to be happy. And no more nightmares…"
Jinx looked back up to him in surprise, "How did you know about that?"
"I could hear you when you stayed over the first night. You were tossing an' turning an awful lot, and… crying."
Jinx lowered her eyes and pressed her head to Swipe's shoulder again, "I was scared. I… don't like… to be alone."
"I hope you'll never be alone again, then."
So now I come to you, with o-pen arms. Nothing to hide, believe what I say.
So here I am, with o-pen arms. Hoping you'll see what your love means to me.
Open arms…
Starfire sighed dreamily as she watched the couple slow-dance, leaning a little into Robin's side, "They look so good together, do they not?"
Robin nodded once, "Beast Boy and I told you that there was nothing to worry about with Jinx. Sometimes, fate will lend a hand to make things right again."
"I hope this 'fate' continues to work in their favor. I do not wish for such a thing to happen again."
The former Boy Wonder patted his friend's shoulder, "I'm sure it will, Star. I'm sure it will."
Through the final refrain of the song, many members of the audience were already applauding the couple. Swipe paid little attention to them, however. Instead, he continued to hold the sorceress in his arms even after the music had long since ended and the lights slowly came up again. Only Jeff's voice calling for him brought the rogue out of his trance.
"Okay, Loverboy! We need you back up on the stage for the next number! Let's go!"
Jinx slowly broke their embrace, a dark shade of pink tinting her cheeks, "Sounds like you need to get back to work now. Knock 'em dead, K.F."
Swipe smiled softly and nodded a silent agreement before he turned back to the stage. He then gestured for a clear runway before taking a running leap onto the platform and grabbing the microphone again.
"So, you guys liked that, huh?" he asked the congregation. A loud roar of cheers and applause was his quick answer. "Hah, I thought so. Well, we can't be all soft an' mushy all the time. This next one's by Bon Jovi, and it's… ah… not aimed towards anybody in particular."
With everyone's attention now focused back on the band and Swipe, nobody noticed the dark figure slipping in through the front door and quickly taking a seat in a dark corner of the club.
End of Chapter 10
In Chapter 11 – It seems the party pooper has officially arrived. The next song might not appeal to everybody's tastes, either…