Motough Prompts

Their 'Hello's' Were More Than Friendly

Author's Note: This takes place Week One of Season 19 - Bethany and Derek's first encounter during DWTS. I know, what a throwback, but it had to be done. :) I've just recently began to like them together, don't even ask why, 'cause I don't know either. ;) Anyway, please read, vote, and comment! :)
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It wasn't nerves, it wasn't nausea, it wasn't excitement, either.

What she felt - this odd, tingling, sensation from her fingers extending to her toes...it was unnameable, indescribable, even to those who had, at their disposable, the greatest vernacular.

It baffled her, it scared her, it overjoyed her, but it also came with this lovely sense of intrigue, this beautiful mystery, one that she was determined to solve.

"As you've probably figured out by now, I'm Derek."

There it came, floating gracefully along the stressed and unstressed syllables of his words, the ones she barely heard amongst her babbles of distractive thoughts.

"He's cute." "Those abs though" "Can I just...touch them...?" "Eh...that may be weird...can't have him thinking I'm a freak...that's a no-no"

"It's Bethany right? Um, your camera's still on."

"Smooth Beth. Way to make a first impression."

She shook her head slightly, though it was unnoticeable to he who still stood directly behind her, who still had his hands placed relaxedly on her shoulders, muscular arms laying lazily across her back; like they were old friends instead of those who've just formally met not even five minutes ago.

"Thanks...Derek...I...thanks."

His hand nearly brushed the baby hairs scattered along her forehead as he reached to turn off the webcam. He was that close.

"I feel better now that it doesn't feel like a thousand eyes are watching us."

He spun her chair around, gaining leverage by use of her body, her shoulders, and the area of skin he touched became warmer beneath his hands. "Could he feel it?"

"It's just the two of us now...alone."

He smirked, lightly grabbing her hips with the idic hunger of a baby boy. His face was inches away from hers. "Is he going to - "

"Come dance with me."

Under the circumstances, this was a relatively normal request, expected, actually. What threw her off kilter was again, that strikingly handsome face, with cheeks like a small boy - puffed and tinted red - and eyes like the sky, so dangerously, enticingly, close.

"Is he going to - no! That's - no - you just met for crying out loud!"

He pulled her to her feet when she failed to respond, spinning her around, dipping her - those moves causing a gentle eruption of giggles - and back up again - mere inches from his lips. "Tease."

"Why so close? I - we just - you - me -"

He chuckled openly at her stammering, taking immense pleasure in facilitating a resulting embarrassment that spotted itself along the skin of her face.

"Oh, Bethers, can I call you that, you will be used to it in no time."

"Bethers...when he says it, it sounds almost beautiful, womanly even."

"Uh - right...okay..."
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Three weeks later, with the first show premiering the next day, it was dress rehearsal. Derek, as it turns out, was right.

She was comfortable. Almost too comfortable.

She and Derek were extremely touchy, though she couldn't tell: was he just an intimate person as it was, or is it mutual attraction?

Derek wrapped his arms snugly around her waist as he stood, awaiting the 'judges' mock critiques. Afterwards, she buried her face into his chest, suddenly exhausted, as he stroked her hair.

"Are we done?"

In reply to her question, Derek smirked, kissing her head, hm-ing as she leaned unconsciously into his touch.

"You're no where near done with me babe. Not yet."

She too, hm-ed though not contentiously. "Good."