A/N: It's no secret that I don't like to write angst, so when I was given this week's prompt by Melissa and it screamed ARGUMENT, I couldn't help but balance it with some sweetness! Enjoy! xoxo
Prompt #10: "God only knows what we're fighting for" (a dialogue)
Character(s): Mike & Tina
Words: 562
Date: September 5, 2012
Here Without You
"That shirt is all wrong for you." Tina states, leaving no room for Mike to disagre. What she's actually thinking is: That shirt shows off your strong arms and sculpted chest too much. No way you're wearing that in Chicago.
"You'll never find anything to match the print of that skirt." Mike shakes his head no, while Tina twirls in a cute, short flowery skirt. What he doesn't say: Your legs look amazing in that and I know what other boys will be thinking when they see you in it. No way is that happening when I'm not here.
"No. Let's go to Breadstix instead of the food court for lunch." Tina grabs Mike's hand and leads him toward the mall exit. Leaving the rest of her comment unsaid: I won't be able to eat there for months because there's so many memories of you. Let's make one last one.
"We'll share the chocolate brownie for dessert." Mike tells their waitress without consulting Tina first at the end of their meal. Filling in the conversation in his head: I want to share this last sweet indulgence with you, since I imagine my diet will be pretty strict while I'm training at school.
"Let's watch Save the Last Dance," Tina says as she steps toward her DVD player. She doesn't tell Mike it's because the movie is set in Chicago and it makes her feel closer to where he's going to be starting tomorrow.
"We just saw that a few weeks ago. What about Footloose?" Mike tugs her back, so that they're standing in the living room facing each other. He doesn't say that he sees himself as Ren, finding his heart in a small-town and fighting for his right to dance. No matter what Chicago has to offer him, his heart belongs here in Lima.
They stand there in silence, everything they left unsaid today piling up between them until it topples over and crashes into Tina. She throws her hands up and exclaims, "God only knows what we're fighting for."
It's never been like this between them. The few fights they've had always involved words that were angry and loud and demanding. They did not leave things unsaid to fester. And now, Mike was leaving tomorrow morning for Chicago and half of what they had both been feeling today was lost in their minds without a voice.
"I think we're fighting for us. At least, that's what I'm doing." Mike says quietly, finally putting into words the unexpressed emotions of the day.
"Me too." Tina chokes out before the tears stream down her cheeks. After all, everyone knows she's a crier.
"I don't want to watch a movie." Mike says, and then continues, putting into words his entire thought, "I'd rather spend these last hours interacting instead of watching other people be together."
Tina nods. She takes a step away from Mike, and for a moment he panics, but she smiles sweetly at him and all his concern floats away.
Tina turns on the stereo and slides in a CD before pressing play.
She closes the gap between them and whispers, "Dance with me?"
"Always." Mike responds as he wraps his strong arms around her and he leads her fluidly around the room as the song fills the quiet space between them with promises of love that endures any distance.