Additional One-Shots

Christmas One-Shot: A Night In [NaoxMori]

A/N: Haven't written for these two in... two years? So, bare with me here! Still, I enjoyed writing this.

Everything felt perfect.

The music seemed to weave through the air. Each note was a lifeline, connecting me to a world that only existed on the professional stage. The sheer fabric of my skirt swished through the air as I twirled, the dress seeming to caress my curves before unfurling out around my legs. The only thing that might have made the scene better was a change in the identity of my dance partner.

In a professional sense, there was nothing wrong with the man I'd spent the last year with. The dance company had done an excellent job when they'd scouted Atsushi out after I'd expressed an interest in breaking into the duet field. However, in my mind, only one man existed. As we spun, shimmed, and swirled across the stage, my mind turned his brown hair black, and his green eyes into gray. He became taller, and less confident in his steps. Still graceful, but not in a professional manner.

In my mind, I was dancing with Morinozuka Takashi... and it showed. I felt great. In a normal dance, there would be at least one almost mistake. It was rare someone complete a routine without a misstep, although the audience would never know that. We were human, being perfect was nearly impossible. Of course, I always tried to beat those odds, and today... I'd succeeded. My cheeks were flushed with excitement, reflecting the energy in the dance.

It wasn't until we finished, Atsushi dipping me low as I flicked a leg into the air, that the audience entered my field of vision. Many faces seemed to be glowing with pleasure. My breath came in heavy, excited breaths, Atsushi's eyes reflecting the happiness in my own. He knew what I did. The journalists in the crowd would be writing about this tomorrow. There was just that feeling you had when a performance ranked among the best you'd ever given. Not to mention there'd been rumors that Olympic scouts would be attending. If they had...

The moment fell away as clapping filled the room. I was lifted to my feet, and we gave a small bow in their direction before filling off to the sidelines. My eyes skimmed past the other company members, searching for the only face I wanted to see. Atsushi chuckled, dropping his hand from where it'd been brushing the small of my back.

"I saw him slip into the back," he said.

I rolled my eyes and pointedly turned my gaze away from the others, so I could shoot a glare in my partner's direction. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Morinozuka-san slipped away when we were bowing to the crowd," he continued, ignoring my words. "Go back to your room. I bet he's there."

I might have had a few choice words about his assumption I was looking for Mori, but was cut off as the younger members of the studio pressed around, offering words of praise about the performance. Something happy unfurled in my chest, a warm feeling that filled me from head to toe. Only a few years ago, this life was nothing but a dream. Now, however, it was reality. A hard reality, certainly. I trained for longer, and harder than I'd ever done. My life revolved around the studio and the endless, endless amount of practiced that spilled into competitions and in-house performances.

And outside the studio...

I excused myself from the conversations, and practically fled to my room. Ignoring the way Atsushi's laughter rang out behind me, I focused on the way my heart thrumbed in my chest, flooding my cheeks with excited heat once again. Once I'd reached the door in question, I paused, running my fingers over the white-silk fabric of my costume. Mentally, I knew how flattering it was. The dress clung to what curves I had. The back, and the majority of the top was sheer, see through material that was only made appropriate by precise placement of flashy, flower clusters over my chest and stomach. What sort of face had he made when he'd seen me in this? Had Mori's cheeks been dusted with red as they did on occasion, or had he been as stoic as ever?