(Semi-Open)Burnies and Slow Dances

"W-"

I have to stop myself from speaking like my date has not had her disability for long.

I was going to say 'we're almost there.'

"-ow, I've never been to a school dance before..."

This was painful truth to me. The only experience I have with dancing was the few weddings I have attended in the past.

Actually, the only experience with slow dancing I have was a girl four years under my age, who had a crush on me, asked me to dance and I refused to any longer after one song passed.

This keeps my nerves very fragile.

I had been excited for, and dreading, this day ever since I had found out about it and asked Kuriko to it.

In fact, she would be the only reason I was excited for it.

We walk through the school, drawing close to the doors into the gymnasium.

A light scent of cologne brushes through the air as does the growing sound of dance music.

I am wearing a thinly pinstriped suit and a button-up black shirt with blue vertical stripes. A robin egg-blue tie around my neck and my hair...not really changed much.

With my amount of hair curl you can't really do much except put something in it that prevents it from going full-fledged fro (which is what I did).

"Neither have I!" Kuriko says, smiling at Satoshi.

She has a firm grip on his arm and her head is slightly resting on his shoulder.

Kuriko is wearing a short red dress, and red shoes. On her hair rests a small gold circlet in the shape of bay leaves.

My first dance... and I have a pretty hot date. Good job.

"I'm excited! And the after party will be great too!" She grins.

After party?

...Wut?...

I didn't hear about any after party...what does she-

It hits me like a hammer to the rib cage.



A little bit of blood trickles down my nose again but the bleeding stops shortly after it started due to the fact that I don't have any blood left in my veins.

We get to the dance. The floor has plenty of people on it already dancing.

"So, you're my date to here. What would you like to do first?"

"We could get slurps, start with noms, dance, or-.."

I just leave my speech hanging to put an etcetera on the end without saying it.

"I like the sound of or!" Kuriko says with a wink. "And for the after-party I was thinking we could round a few people up and go set up camp outside the dorms?"

"Yes-yes, I know you like the sound of that..."

"That sounds fun. Have any acoustic instruments?"

There will definitely be a fire in the pit nearby so it would be almost sin not to do anything musical.

We slowly start to drift over to the mob of dancers.

"I think I have a guitar somewhere" Kuriko says with a smile.

One of her favorite songs comes on and she lets out a girly squeal.

"Ooooh! Satoshi! Dance with me!" She grabs him by the hands and drags him towards where she assumed the dance floor was. (It wasn't)

"Whoa-whoa!"

Damn, she is str-

WALL!

I pull back on her arms like horse reigns.

"YAAah!"

*E*Cowboy up in this bitch! I'm part American y'ask?-DAMN RIGHT, I'm American!

My mind starts to play fitting music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M

However, in the process I showed off my own strength a bit too much and pulled her into myself and put my arms around her waist.

"Don't make me help you after getting hurt twice in a row, now."

"You're looking for over-"

I swing Kuriko to the right some and face the dance floor.

"-there."

"Whoopsie~!" Kuriko giggles, and spins around to face Satoshi.

"I'm sure here is fine" She says with a smile and buries her face in his chest. "I can't really dance.... let's just stay like this a while."

"S-...sure thing..."

The song that got Kuriko hyped up came and went. Turning into a slower piece.

It also happens to be a song that I like. Though, I only know the lyrics to the chorus.

Unconsciously, I begin to sway too and fro with her. Thinking as I hum the song's melody.

My first time like this with someone.

Someone I-...

...I...

I care about...

She's been like this for a while now...completely silent too..

I wonder what's going on in her mind right now.

If only I were a mind reader...

So, I'm finally here.

A guy I like.

And isn't famous.

And isn't one of my friend's fathers...

I hope he actually likes me, and isn't just using me.... I'd imagine my flirting gives off the wrong impression...

"Hey, Satoshi..." she begins, "I have something I need to tell you.."

She faces upwards and her hair falls out of her eyes, "I know I don't take things seriously... like, at all. But.... I'd like to take you seriously" She says, and smiles. "In more ways than one!" She adds, winking.

Can't let him think I'm going soft, can I?

At first I think she's going to say something meaningful...

'In more ways than one!'

I fall backward, barely clinging to consciousness.

*BANG!*

'DOWN!'

A referee appears out of nowhere.

'ONE!..TWO!..THREE!..FOUR!-'

And then my body rises back up without bending any of my body at all. Then I wrap my arms back around her like nothing happened.

I give a chuckle and speak.

"Oh~ quit with the puttana jokes."

Yes, I know that she doesn't understand Italian.

...That would be why I said it in Italian.

She hits him softly in the chest, "I'm being serious! I like you, Veach. You're cute. Not as cute as me, but still cute."

"Are you kidding me-have you seen yourself, lately?"

. . .

SONOFABITCH!

"Eeeeh~~-forget I said anything-POINT IS: you may not be able to tell, but everyone in this room thinks you look beautiful."

This is coming from someone who is constantly searching and studying people. Something, I'm pretty sure Kuriko picked up by now.

I may be making what I said up, but I am also telling the truth at the same time.

In fact, I was pretty certain everyone would find her attractive if they looked at her.

My voice becomes soft. It is a statement coming straight from my mind. Not regulated by my consciousness or anything.

"I mean that..."

Kuriko stops for a few seconds, and freezes at what Satoshi just said.

"T-Thank you.. S-Satoshi.." She says, her cheeks going red.

Beauty was a foreign concept to Kuriko, not being able too see anything for the majority of her life rendered her unable to imagine something "looking good", and it was the only thing she regretted about her disability. She was never able to appreciate art, or a sunset, or even people. To be called something which has been made so... glorified, her whole life, it was almost too much to handle.

She looks up at Satoshi and smiles, "You're too kind."

Maybe I should kiss him... is that what you do? I would probably miss...

I made her blush...

It was a little, unexpected, mental achievement.

Before I know it, Kuriko's face has drawn closer to mine...

No, wait-MY face has drawn closer to her's!

Instead of following my mind, I get cold feet and just press my forehead into her's.

Standing with my date there, swaying side-to-side to the music.

My arms around her and our heads together while I continue to softly hum the tender love song playing around us.

"Oh come now Satoshi, are you going to make the girl make the first move?" Kuriko says, grinning.

Awww bless him! He's SHY!

My eyes suddenly shoot open and stare into Kuriko's regardless of the fact that she can't see me.

They are not filled with surprise, innocence, or even any other expected emotion.

They have a sun-fire ignited in them.

Immediately after, I push forward and give the kiss of a lifetime.

One someone would not expect for being my first initiation of a kiss as well as my second kiss ever.

Pulling back enough to speak after a bit.

"Don't you ever challenge me of anything unless you expect me to try.."

It has always been one of my quirks. To never take a challenge of any sort easily.

That is actually the secret behind my stamina. I mentally challenge myself against others.

Before I know it I go back in to-*ekhem*-further prove my point.

Whistles from around the room can be heard, but Kuriko soldiers on regardless.

She wraps her arms around the boy's neck and kisses him back passionately, barely stopping for air.

She breaks it off momentarily and says "I'm proud of you!" with a wink then resumes the kiss.

I rest my forehead into Kuriko's once more. My heart beating quickly against my chest.

Touching, and then lightly pushing up on, her chin with my finger. Grinning my normal grin.

"Grazie."

A more up beat song starts to play.

"Shall we go dance?"

"Sure thing, skipper!" Kuriko says, and lets herself be led towards the dance floor.

Well, that was a successful first kiss... I could get VERY used to this!

"You aren't a bad kisser, Satoshi. Who the hell have you been practicing with?!" She demands, pretending to be angry for a few seconds before giggling. "Bet it's your pillow" she says and sticks her tongue out at him.

"It was not!"

In all honesty, I didn't know what I was doing.

Or...I was, but it was completely based on inferance.

[Note: Same thing happened with my own so I do, indeed, know that it isn't impossible. ]

I had already known that it wasn't going to be too complicated, otherwise people wouldn't do it, and also took confidence.

So I asserted myself.

But I can't let her know that...

"I never did anything of the sort!"

I'm more of that 'fake angry' mood. I am not really yelling at her and it shows through my voice.