Ranger's Apprentice One Shots

Young Love

dedicated to 

@LadyElmerya 

The music was alive. The beat bounced up and down, reviving Will's bones. He moved along with the beat, a natural dancer. Jenny laughed beside him, jumping to the beat and falling in step to Will automatically. On the side, Horace jerked his head to the beat. Halt sat beside him, gently tapping a finger to the beat, as much as he hated to show emotion. It was gatherings like this, when everyone was happy, it was... strange, to show so openly.

Will bent low and shook his chest, his hands flying wildly. Jenny joined in, knowing the dance, and as he went, she went down. As the beat changed they, on cue, grasped arms and spun, Will leading Jenny in a circle. From the side, Gilan cheered, making whooping motions in the air. Will grinned, encouraged from everyone, and danced harder. Jenny added her own enthusiasm with her own vigor and personality. The room was alive with laughter and enjoyment.

Alyss watched from the corner, slightly embarrassed and slightly upset. She couldn't explain it. She wanted Will to notice her so badly, to ask her to dance, but at the same time, she couldn't dance. Will was seventeen, and they were not dating yet, but Alyss so badly wanted him to notice her, outside of the friend-zone.

Meanwhile, by the other side of Alyss, Horace had been gathering his courage. He had been harboring feelings for the cute, pretty girl, but he wasn't sure how to ask her. He took a breath, readying him. Before fully deciding to go up to Alyss, he glanced at Halt, looking for an "okay" sign from Hatl. The feeling was a subconscious one. Because of Will, he had been hanging out by Halt's cabin quite often, and therefore getting to know Halt well. It wasn't long before he thought of the grizzled, gray Ranger as a father-figure.

As Horace glanced at Halt, Halt ever so slightly inclined his head and smiled the barest of a smile.

Young love, Halt thought. Wish i was younger.

Horace nodded once and got up, psyching himself up. Halt watched him walk over, lost in his own nostalgia from the "old days''.

Alyss grinned as Horace walked up to her, unsure what he was doing. Then she thought again. It wasn't unusual for them to talk. But she sensed a certain... tension in Horace whenever he talked to her. She was suspicious of course, but she, being the diplomat she was, didn't say anything.

She was really beautiful, Horace thought as he came up to her. Her eyes seemed to sparkle in the evening light. Her light ash blonde hair was in soft waves , framing her face. His heart sped up, jumping like the beat.

"Would you take – would you like to share – to dance with me?" Horace stumbled over his words, a crimson blush creeping up his neck and cheeks.

"Sorry?" Alyss said, somewhat surprised.

Horace dropped his eyes for a second, then looked back at her. "Would you like to dance with me?"

A smile stretched over her features, somehow making her more beautiful. She stood up, reaching out her hand. "I would love to."

"Really?" Horace said stupidly.

She laughed, not unkindly. "Of course. "

Halt smiled from the corner, watching Horaced's exchange. Gilan slid up to Halt and said mischievously, "hey, um, would you like to dance?" he asked as if he was asking out a girl.

Halt turned on him, all traces of humor gone. "Would you like to be cut like a fish?"

"No need for aggressiveness," Gilan said, though he made a move to move away.

As the song ended, Will bent into the final pose with Jenny. With clasped hands, they bowed towards each other, their eyes glinting at each other and smiling as if they just conquered the world.

Horace and Alyss bowed to each other in the same way, Alyss a little quicker than Horace. He blushed again, but with his head down, he hoped that Alyss couldn't see.

Halt and Gilan grinned at each other (as much as Halt would "grin" at someone without being scary, at least).

The musician in the corner twinkled at his crowd, happy his music had the effect he wanted.

Overall, it was a very satisfying night. For everyone.

thought I'd go omnipotent POV and share what everyone was thinking. Give it a little more SPICE! It was so fun to write. Comment your thoughts!