Misadventures at Prom

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"...yeah and yOU KNOW WHAT SCREW YOU, TOO. I DON'T NEED YOU AND YOU SURE AS HELL NEVER NEEDED ME!!!" Fox screamed at the person screaming at her from the bottom of the stairs. Of course they had to get on her nerves now. Fox had a lot of preparing to do, and the sun was already starting to sink it's way out of the sky. Panicking, Fox swallowed her tears and the knot in her chest and dashed into the bathroom for a quick shower before she started getting ready. Only Arceus knew if she would be ready before Wolf got there. Wolf could NOT meet her parents. That was certain.

Fox was drug out of her thoughts by the stopping of the limo as they arrived at the school. She didn't get up right away; she let Zash and Briana exit safely first as she fiddled with her shoes a bit. Feeling a bit paranoid, she checked her ankle again. She performed a second transmutation on the sly just in case, although it occurred to her that maybe she hadn't been as sneaky as she ought to have been. She put a little bit of weight on it to test it, and was satisfied with her work.

Fox went to exit the limo when she was met by Wolf, who had his hand extended out to her. The smile on his face was rather endearing; Fox couldn't help but smile right back at him.

"Lead the way, Mr. Prince Charming~" Fox giggled as she stepped out of the vehicle.

Wolf lead them over to the line where Briana and Zash were holding their spot. Wolf's worries were starting to come to lurk their troubling head again he had noticed the light from a transmutation within the limo before he had helped her out. For what felt like the fourth time tonight he really had to stop being a worry wart, really all he could do was his best and Fox had to do the rest. He started to make small chat with some people around them waiting for their tickets to be checked quickly and to get into the dance. He looked to Zash with Briana was obviously all about him, he could tell even being such an oblivious guy as he was he could tell that much. He wondered what it was like to be like Zash, the more characteristically good looking one, more athletic, better with the women. It wasn't like he was jealous no he would never wish to be more like him, well he supposed he should never say never but he was satisfied with himself in many ways.
Zash eventually got to front of the line with his group, he handed off his ticket to the teacher at the table. He fiddled with his cuffs as Fox Wolf and Briana were handing off things he knew Wolf would take longer because he was from another school and had some further paper work to handle cause of that. He looked down on his right hand ring finger the familiar and all troublesome blue ring present. You better not mess with me today! He thought rather violently to his ring, from which came no reply. He hoped that was a resigning silence and not a mischievous one.

Fox reached into her dress pocket and pulled out.... nothing. But her ticket. Which she offered to the teacher bouncer who waved her in with no problems. Flawless Victory.

"Your dress is very elegant, Ms. Fira," the teacher called after her.

Fox smiled back at the teacher with a wave and then turned back to catch up with Zash, Briana, and Wolf while acting like she was wishing to hang herself with her own sewing materials. Blech. What adult actually ever called Fox "Ms. Fira"?! None of them!!! She was always just Fox. Secretly though, she actually felt flattered by it. ...Mainly because all she had ever been was Fox, and the courteously was rather refreshing.

"Alright," Fox stated as she strode up to her friends, "...Now what. Seriously. I have no clue, I don't go to big social events." Fox laughed sheepishly at her own out-of-placeness.

" I mean it is a dance," Zash chimed in unhelpfully leaning against one of the supporting poles for the big tent he seemed comfortable ease and cool was about him. Wolf could tell the ease of social interaction that happened with him people were easy to talk to if you were Zash, good looking popular athletic, Wolf knew he was also a ladies man a flirt. He noticed the way he looked at Fox, like she was something special Wolf knew it too but he was always bad with things like that girls he was awkward clunky. He saw the way he looked at him too it had soft compassion things you would see in the gaze of a friend a lightness of happiness but he also throughout the night when he glanced at Fox and then himself saw the jealousy there for him for Wolf of all people. Wolf had never thought that asking Fox was a contest but perhaps to Zash it had been and Wolf won and he couldn't help but feel happy about that he knew it wasn't right to ask Fox shouldn't have been demoralized like that it meant more and it did but that was another part of it however small that had made him enjoy it more. -" But me and Briana are gonna go dance." Zash finished, and Wolf blinked he had been so into his reverie that he hadn't heard a word he had said. He took Briana by the hand and held it above her helping her do a twirl and then she was giggling and leading him by the hand to the dancing floor.

"I mean it is a dance you could always I don't know dance?" Zash suggested at Fox's obliviousness. " I mean I hear the stoners are in the bathroom if you want to go 'powder your nose'. " Zash inclined to Fox with the impish smile of the devil. He raised a hand to quickly shift the hair from his eyes. He truly was pristine the image of the perfect man. A glance at the other gents at the party and it was obvious that they were a few grades below his black hair perfectly curled his deep brown eyes his height even the way he moved graceful and patient leisurely like a top predator a cat most likely. He made his move over to Briana taking her hand and twirling her easily. " But me and Briana are gonna go dance." He let her lead him away to dance but he didn't want to go he wanted to stay, he wanted to joke more to see if he could still make Fox think of who she was going with and who was better. But he didn't stop Briana that would have been rude out of character unfair and all other deviations of inappropriate.

Fox choked as Zash pretty much suggested she go get high. She sneered back at him before Briana had a chance to pull him off to the dance floor. "Oh, gee, can I? On second thought, they probably need you more than they need me. You're good for a light." she barked back at him as they started to vanish into the crowd. With She smirked victoriously at Wolf, she knew he'd appreciate the humor.

"'Dance,' he says...." Fox muttered, absorbing the festivities with her special eyes. There was dancing to be sure, a photographer taking pictures and it looked like there were other events being set up around different sides of the tent. Fox went to check her watch, only to realize she didn't have one. A chunk of the ground disappeared as she made herself one to check.

"Well, we should probably grab some seats together at a table because hothead didn't think too...." Fox mused, "Dinner will be served in about two hours, so after we do that...." She looked pensive for a moment. "Do you want to... try dancing? I haven't ever done any real dancing, but if there's one thing I can do it's learn." She laughed sheepishly.

It was absolutely divine the way she moved the way she danced, truly mesmerizing. Briana twirled and twisted, shook and moved unlike anything Zash had ever seen before. He hadn't come here to be impressed by her or wooed by her that much was certain, Fox knew, Wolf knew,he knew and to some degree he guessed that Briana knew somewhere deep down she knew that Zash was cut from a different cloth. She knew that the mystery and his unprecedented physicality came from things that she and probably most everyone here could never be a part of... but that didn't stop her from trying !

Zash tried his best to keep up to dance to move like she was but he was woefully bad. For all the fancy footwork and all the ability he possessed dancing was not one of those skills. But thankfully she came in close as a slower song played she draped her arms over his shoulders looked up into his handsome face all the things she had admired about him were their the tousled hair, the dark chocolate brown eyes, but best of all the look he had when he saw anyone or anything around him, unstoppable ambition and determination an inability to give up. Admittedly like he had a few screws loose. She looked at him them dancing close and hoped with all her heart to see him looking at her like that but he wasn't, he had seen her when she was dancing, she knew that he had been impressed that wasn't fake she knew but the way he looked at her, At Fox in that moment was what she wanted, what she could never have.

Wolf burst out laughing unlike how he had previously at Fox's home or in the limo she had caught him utterly surprised with her comment to Zash. It was a deep laugh filled with all the things that made the relationship between the three of them so irreplacable. His eyes glazed over as she made her watch with her alchemy and then worried about seats for all of them. the things that made her so special to Wolf on display, her compassion her selflessness. So when she turned to him with that shy smile asking him if they could dance, when she asked to do something she really wanted to do from the bottom of her heart his own heart melted.
" Absolutely, don't worry all you have to do is follow my lead I'll take care of you."
the words meant so much more than just a dance, so much more than maybe she would ever know.

Wolf's genuine laughter put Fox right at home. She felt a lot more comfortable once she filtered out the hustle and bustle of the rest of the dance and just focused on her good friend and their good times. Once they grabbed the appropriate amount of chairs, they were off to the dance floor. Fox was already observing the other dancers, trying to catch on to their movements and rhythms. She tried emulating some of them immediately once they were there, but honestly it just turned into a compilation of sloppy first-time move that had both herself and Wolf laughing their heads off at how awkward and goofy and hyper it was. While it may not have been great dancing, it certainly was fun.

"I almost feel like this shouldn't be considered dancing," Fox joked as they broke into the slow dance, once again in awkward territory, "There isn't much complexity to it. It's more like....... rotated swaying." She and Wolf were closer than they typically were, and while it was very nice... something felt off. Maybe it was first time nerves, she reasoned. She had never been in this kind of situation, never been quite so publicly intimate. She was usually in a more private setting with Zash or Wolf, when she saw him, when she was able to cut loose and let herself go. Now that she had slowed down.... she was frighteningly aware of all of these people around her. Still, having one of her closest friends around took the edge off, for sure. She smiled up at Wolf graciously.

Silently, she peeked around for Zash. She had hoped that they would all be together having this kind of fun, that he would be with her.... It was a little troubling as well, to say the least. He was always around. Now that he wasn't.... more importantly, now that someone else was the priority.... it sucked. She hated the distance. But Wolf.... he was here, and he needed her too. Needed her to be present if he was going to enjoy the night, too. She mentally scolded herself for drifting.

"You're warm," she sighed happily against his chest.

Briana had managed to drag Zash a bit away from Wolf and Fox across the dance floor still in their slow dance, suddenly she felt his arms come around her tighter hold her with more tenderness more care.
" You enjoying yourself?" He whispered softly into her ear. Zash really did like Briana, he didn't want to leave any misconceptions, he didn't feel romantic inclination nor love or lust but he felt bad being in this position. She wanted him he knew it, and he knew he couldn't give it to her but for this night he thought he might as well decide to treat her as well as he can for the night.

" Yeah, it's really special." She said back in a whisper. He could hear the genuine emotion the desire the unreciprocated feelings. He felt bad this wasn't right, he looked up at Fox and Wolf also slow dancing and the slow burn of jealousy in his gut that he had been fighting lit anew. His eyes found Fox's form tracing up her body in her dress so sublime so fitting to her his eyes found her face and her lips as she whispered to Wolf, " You're warm." His whole body tensed at the words, he was the warm one, the comforting one the one who had been there for her even more than Wolf.

" Why don't you tell her how you feel?" The words cut through Zash's thoughts like his sword through air, He looked back down to Briana who had spoken he noticed he had started to hold her tight, enough that she had felt the pressure he let go and took a half step back. " Sorry.." Zash said running a hand threw his hair looking apologetically at her.

" Why don't you tell her how you feel?" Briana repeated, there wasn't anger in her words or frustration but it was obvious in the set of her face in the tears just behind her eyes the words left unsaid What does she have that I couldn't get or already have? . " You love her right? It's obvious." She said and with great self control she forced a smile at Zash. " You'll regret not telling her you know." she said speaking knowingly.

Zash remained still for a long moment as Briana spoke the impact and force of her words heavy on Zash's heart. He put his hands in his pockets unable to hide the one thing he was trying desperately to hide from Briana, not his feelings for Fox but his pity for Briana. " I'm sorry Briana.." Was all he could manage before she waved him off her forced smile remaining " Don't be sorry you don't have to be, just go be happy." She said at last.
With that he turned to cross the dance floor.

The laughing the attempting dancing it was all just like he had hoped for them both, though secretly Wolf was actually quite the dancer but he didn't show it now it was about being a little bit foolish sharing in the common humility of the situation was bonding and nice, eventually the slow dance came and Wolf got to hold Fox close, her body pressed against his as they swayed.One of his hands on her waist the other holding her's. He felt his heart pound faster as she leaned in and happily told him he was warm seeming so content and peaceful. He felt daring he had already come so far tonight, he had achieved more with her than he thought he would he leaned down and whispered softly " Follow me I wanna show you something." He took her by the hand and started to guide her to the far edge of the big top he hesitated only a moment before pulling her out from under the white sheets and off a little ways. " I know I always joked about being the only normal one of our trio but would you believe me if I told you I was .." He searched for the right word " Talented too?" He finally settled on still holding her hand looking at her still in such reverence.

Fox wasn't sure what exactly Wolf wanted to do; there was a strange but light tenseness in the atmosphere that encapsulated her mind. She certainly didn't object, even grabbed his hand back tightly as they waded through the crowd so that they wouldn't loose each other. She peeked around for Zash once again, her heart fluttering with devilish excitement at the thought of a three-person prank collaboration of some kind, maybe they were all going to finally have some fun together? Once again, though, he wasn't there. In fact, Fox didn't spot him at all. She frowned; he and his date seemed to have vanished completely out of existence. She supposed it was only fair. Still though, to be forgotten.... left behind... it was hollowing. She turned her head, made herself forget. After all, Wolf was still with her. This was important to him...

Wait, that surprise! Her eyes darted back to the back of his head as he led her. Could... Could this have been what he was talking about?! Her interest was piqued, and she followed him to the ends of the tent. Literally. He snuck her out of one of the walls.

"Erm.... I'm not really a mastermind about this kind of stuff but.... aren't you supposed to stay ther once you're checked in...?" Fox mused, her voice trailing off as she saw the look on Wolf's face. The words that came from his mouth confused her.

"I mean... you do have a lot of talents," she reasoned, trying to not let him be so hard on himself. It was true, he had his own set of skills too and had flourished quite well with them. Even if they were more simple and sometimes domestic they weren't any less useful. She wracked her brain, trying to fill in the blank he had presented her with. Origami corsage, perhaps? Or was he...... implying he was..... 'talented' with other things..............!?!?!

"What do.... uh, what do you mean by 'talented'......?" she managed to sputter out, stunned as her mind flashed through different scenarios.

Always so kind, god I'm surprised I got a chance to ask her, anyone would be lucky to have her as a date. Wolf thought to himself as she tripped over her words trying to be encouraging and thoughtful like always. Wolf brought his hand to her lips to calm her his single finger coming just shy of touching her lips. Suddenly the air around them didn't have the warm and refreshing feelings of spring but instead the chill of winter bit into the intimidate vicinity around Wolf. Frost with a crackle started to creep from Wolf's feet stopping just short of Fox's heels. He looked at her in a contemplative face with deeply caring blue eyes that in that moment weren't looking at her in now but in the forever. He wanted to see her grow older, wanted to be there in her life in whatever way possible to watch her beauty wither and age to a new form, to feel her kindness and thoughtfulness grow without bound.

Just as we think of the future our thoughts drift to the past and Wolf spoke now as little bits of ice formed on a tree new to them weighing on the leaves and the branches. " We met in winter didn't we? On a cold December day, we were  six or seven?" He said though his eyes and way he spoke she could tell her knew, he remembered everything about them together. He brought his hands together now and the energy of his power was there but he kept them close not showing what he was making with it just yet.

Where is she? Why aren't they here. Zash's mind flashed to the worst possible things, maybe Wolf had gotten some unreal confidence tonight and taken her by the hand and off from the dance floor away from the crowd... to be alone... to... " Where the fuck are they." He hissed visibly upset now as the air around him started to heat up, not of his own control but strictly on his emotions. Damn this is bad I can't light this place up. He tried to calm himself to no avail as he tried to take to the side to avoid everyone and anyone he could. But unluckily a teacher say him, probably looking very upset and with her role as a teacher she felt incredibly obligated to check on him. " Mr. Fire are you okay?" she asked.
He looked up " Mrs. Parker, I'm yeah, I'm fine just don't feel well I'm I'm okay," Zash stuttered over his words. Tina Parker was a wonderful teacher and outstanding member of the community she had showed concern over his home life situation and his grades before. He enjoyed her presence in his life and was incredibly worried about blowing up in her face.
" Well where is your date? you finally asked out that Ms. Fira right?" She asked

The air around them suddenly grew chilly with the bite of winter, and Fox instinctively drew closer to Wolf. Bare arms would do that to you. The cold even cut through the layers of her dress, making her shiver. As she instinctively drew closer to Wolf, her weak foot from before suddenly slipped on the frost forming near his feet. Luckily though, she slipped toward, and into the handsome and protecting arms of her friend. She gripped him for a moment, startled, and looked down. Frost?!? Frost, in late Spring?! She froze in his arms, looking down at the frost, and then up at Wolf and then down at the frost. The cold around Wolf was potent, though he was an oasis of warmth in comparison.

"Adelaide...." she observed in hushed awe. "This whole time, you....?" She looked back up into his eyes, which suddenly wiped away everything else and she was left in a trance-like state. She smiled gently as he reminisced about the first time they had met. "Yeah..... It was.~ Some kid pegged me with a snowball, and then we had it out with about 7 neighborhood kids... You've always had my back." She sighed contentedly. The kindness, the loyalty..... even the simple act of his rememberance made Fox feel so appreciated and loved. She pressed her forehead against his chest gently, her cheeks growing warm.

"Wolf... I don't think I appreciate enough how good you are to me..."

A rosy red rushed into Wolf's cheek as Fox after already being impressed and awed by his ice magic which was what he had imagined and hoped for but what he hadn't expected what he couldn't have imagined was her being so enamored in him remembering how they met what it was like, the time of year, replicating the chill of that moment. He was left speechless for the moment so much so he lost what power he had gathered in his hands and held Fox for a moment until he finally remembered what he planned to do in the first place. His hand slowly moved from her back to her shoulder and down her arm until he made it to her wrist, where he whispered to her. " It's gonna be cold but please bear with me." As he said that his ice magic enshrouded her wrist at first it was a harsh chill like the whipping winds of winter, but then it was soft cool refreshing chill like ice cold water on a hot summer day that surrounded Fox's wrist until what remained a delicate and precious rose of ice the vines of it wrapping precisely and purposely around Fox's wrist forming the corsage he had promised. He looked down at her and he moved without thinking this time without worry he moved his head in closer, his eyes shut, his lips going to find Fox's when the sound of a song from the dance filter in...

With that Zash nearly lost control, nearly but he was certain that Mrs. Parker could feel heat, though if she could and if she recognized it was coming from Zash she didn't show it. It was obvious by his expression and the way his eyes darted about desperately looking for her that he was not their with Fox. She looked apologetic. " Sorry I'm sure it's a touchy subject but I wouldn't let it bother you, your young you know things can change quicker than you would think." She said encouragingly and started to make a move towards Zash but hesitated, he could only assume from feeling the oppressive heat, and turned bidding him good bye and good luck. As though on cue Zash could hear the notes of the song. He paused his seething pyromanic power ceased to a stop as the melody of the song filled the air.

She could smell him lightly, the suit betraying wisps of the cologne he was wearing. It was nice being able to escape for a moment, to clear her head.... but when she did that, she remembered. She knew. The hopes all came rushing back. She felt conflicted again. Guilt and the pain of the small bit of betrayal.... it was there, uncovered, and she did her best to quickly cover it back up. She gripped Wolf a little harder, fighting it back... besides, she was happy here. Zash had his own thing going on. He didn't have to have her, didn't have to have Briana, he could really have anyone... Maybe he didn't need her as much as she though he had. He had changed, grown up. Maybe she was left behind..... she almost cried at the thought.

She swallowed it back as Wolf pushed her back gently. Her mind was a frazzled nest of bees now. She felt comfortable with Wolf. His gift flattered her, the sparkles of the flowers reflected in her eyes. There was so much emotion, happiness, turmoil... she was spinning out of control.

Wolf leaned in closer. He looked inviting. Positively filled with genuine care.

His eyes were closed. Her heart fluttered. Maybe... this was good.

She started to lean in too. They were so close.

It hit her right in the throat. She almost choked on it. Everything she knew was true. She faultered.

His lips hit her forehand.

She almost exploded with feelings. She really, really needed to cry; her eyes burned with salt. She grabbed Wolf's face in her hand, brought his ear to her lips.

"You'll always be important to me. Always in my heart. I will never forget all the things you do for me," she whispered into his ear. She was pained. But it wasn't right.

She heard the piano echoing gently in the background. She looked towards the tent. Her heart ripped in two.

".....We should... get back. We're missing a good song." she sighed gently against his head.

"He needs us."

His lips found her forehead of all things surprised but not all together displeased with that he could always just kiss her again they had all night after all. But as his lips came away he was about to speak about to say something, to joke about kissing her forehead instead, but before he could manage she pulled his ear to her lips and spoke softly, he could tell the bursting emotions in her voice but there was something there he couldn't believe was there, he could feel her love her care but she was also torn so awfully torn. He couldn't bear it to make her feel this way he almost spoke up. But her voice held such intensity he couldn't bear to interrupt her.
"You'll always be important to me. Always in my heart. I will never forget all the things you do for me,"
Why why does this sound like a break up, like she's letting me down why? the thoughts wormed their way into his head as she turned she looked back as the music filled the air and she motioned them back. He followed along too stunned to say anything back, unable to sort his feelings as they slid back in under the big top and Wolf said almost nebulously " I'm gonna grab us something to drink." And started to stagger off.

He was comforted, the song made it all easier to relax it took him back made him remember. He suddenly was blessed with his vivid memories of the pair, an early morning greeting up atop a familiar stone wall, a light show in a factory of mirrors, a crystal shower in a cave. He turned as though he could sense her he could feel her in his mind and spirit, he saw the pair slip in like no one knew they were gone like from their own little world. But but something had happened some demeanor had changed Zash could tell by the way Wolf stalked off. He cursed himself for the first things that entered his mind as he made his way over careful to avoid bumping into Wolf. The two suggestions of him and Fox together in his mind as he approached her. He had one hand in his pocket the other out and splayed he came with a mask, it really was the only way to describe it a mask of worry hiding his hopes. " Trouble in paradise what happened? He step on your toes while dancing?" Zash asked.

She knew it was coming. She could see the disappointment forming in his face as they walked back to the tent together, as he made the realization. But...

She and Zash had always been together. He clung to her so tightly when they were working him through his family issues; she could almost feel his arms now. It had always been her job. Her place. She couldn't let herself deny it, she realized that now. She did love Wolf. She harbored deep and genuine feelings for him, but... she and Zash were kindred spirits, in more ways than one. They relied on each other. She couldn't deny that responsibility, that deep connection that was in both of them. If he wasn't going going to respect that... well, she was, and she was going to make him remember. She loved him too god damn it, he wasn't ALLOWED to forget that!! He could give Briana a night, sure, and she could give Wolf a night, sure, but he wasn't allowed to just waltz off the whole night and forget about her! She didn't care HOW nice Briana's hips were, or HOW nice she looked. God DAMN it, they were friends!!! They had known each other WAY longer!!! He was gonna get it, damn it!!!!

She thanked Wolf quietly, letting him go off and do his thing. He needed time alone, and she knew it. For now, she had a hothead to roast. She started scouring the dance for him; he was NOT gonna keep hiding, he was gonna face her and DO something with her!!! They were gonna HANG OUT if it FUCKING KILLED HER-

Oh hey there he is.

She whirled around, facing him directly. She made direct and unflinching eye contact, but he spoke before she got a chance. It made her pensive for a moment. "Ah, well... It's probably more me that stepped on his toes...." She looked reply upset for a moment. "...and what about Briana, did you suck face that much?" she sneered back.

Then the jokes were over.






Then she grabbed his collar.

"Now listen here, bucko," she growled, but in a respectful tone, "I get that you wanna be respectful to Briana, and I want to be respectful to Wolf. But I am not chopped liver over here, okay?!? You don't get to just disapear and ignore me!! Now this song is on, and I expect a dance with one of the closest people in my LIFE to our song. You got me? While I'm young."

She released his collar, smoothed out the wrinkles that she had left. Neatened herself back up. Held out her hand.

"Please."