Dance Dance Revolution (JARI)

In all the stress and chaos that made up Marilyn Caldwell’s life the witch needed some time to just…stop everything. This wasn’t to say that spending time with Jamie or Jake was work, not at all. But Jamie wouldn’t stop asking her why she refused to talk about Jake all of the sudden; he was worried and Marilyn didn’t know what answer to give him, because honestly she wasn‘t sure what had happened herself. And spending time with Jake was out of the question after they’d spent an amazing night together that in the morning had come crashing down as he’d basically handed her her clothing and she’d taken the hint and left… The witch sighed as she pulled her pullover off and stretched, waving her wand to push all the furniture in the lounge to the wall so she’d have the polished hardwood floor to dance on, the barre that ran along the wall opposite the door became accessible and with another flick of her wand the white wall behind it became smooth and reflective like a mirror. Having stretched herself warm she slipped on her dance heels and roughened their soles with her nail brush as she let her thoughts stray.

Being around Jake…was difficult, to begin with. Sometimes they were hanging out and it was fine, they had fun and laughed and joked but then he’d do or say something and her gut would clench and the level of affection she felt for him would bowl her over and knock her breath away. It was like whacking oneself with a wrecking ball. And then, of course, there was the physical attraction. That had been damn near electric and it was driving her mad how it had felt to give in to that.
Now, she could cope with a high level of affection, it didn’t affect her actions or thoughts much, because that was the part that was perhaps painful on a scale, but easy to deal with, right? Sure. But the physical? The mere fact that she was physically attracted to him had been becoming clearer and clearer. At first seeing him shirtless had evoked mere aesthetic appreciated. Now it had made her throat dry, her heart pound and her skin hot. When dancing with him that day she’d spent a lot of time wondering what on earth she’d done to deserve this and also swearing that whatever it was she’d never do it again. It was the tiniest bit helpful that she could just complain about it to him in Spanish because he wouldn’t understand anyhow.

At least it had been, until they’d had sex. After that it was just complete and utter chaos to her mind.
But enough reflection, she told herself, shutting her mind down. Another flick of her wand projected two male dancers that would dance alongside her, their images glimmering slightly. They would help her keep track of the beat and the choreography, not to mention that they would demonstrate moves the witch could copy and learn. Marilyn silently thanked her grandmother for the gift; Gwen had given her that spell to tune in to dance class in France when she could not physically attend, anticipating that her granddaughter would not be much up to travel much what with Auror Training and all. And she’d been right; Marilyn had been far too busy. But now…now she was just going to focus on dancing, completely and effectively shutting everything else out as one of the holographic dancers started the count to dance…

In fact, Mari was so focused that she didn’t hear or see the door to the lounge creak open (the music was too loud, she’d say in her defense) or a familiar Quidditch player lean against the doorframe watching her. Instead she was facing the mirror, and from where he stood he could see her face as if she were looking right at him. But Marilyn was far too focused until the choreography ended. Just as she was going to go over one of the moves again (ever the perfectionist) she saw him and whirled around, again hyper-aware of the way she’d been dancing, what she was wearing and that he was there, that he’d watched her dance and she’d been too far gone to notice. As soon as her brain started to whirr she shut it up with a firm mental shake. If anything, Marilyn prided herself on her self-control. And no crush or confusion or sex would take that from her.
Still out of breath slightly she pushed her hair out of her face and looked at him, “Hey…”

As her eyes took in the Young man in her doorstep Marilyn felt a quick and wide ranging flurry of emotions going from hurt to hope to fury.
With an empty Expression she read the note and frowned. Because what it said read a wass: "I didn't mean any of it, you're just a friend, I regret it." And that didn't just sting, it felt like a slap to the face. Like a lie. Because despite the fact that she feared those words were true, she knew better. The way he's kissed her, smiled at her, treated her in those moments...that was not nothing. There had been something, she couldn't have possibly just imagined that. And it was slowly making her mad. Mad that he was lying to her and to himself if he wanted to deny everything that happened. Because it was killing her to pretend she was okay. It hurt to see him everyday and act like she wasn't going crazy.

So after all of this monologue happened inside of her head, pushing Mari over the edge with her decision. Pursing her lips she calmly folded the note back up and put the flowers on the table at the wall before moving to stand before him and Holding the note up, arms crossed.
"Thank you for the flowers but this?" She waved the note slightly, "This you can Keep. I don't want an apology. I don't want to pretend it didn't happen and I sure as hell don't want you to tell me you didn't mean any of it." her tone and Expression read clearly as did her words; the witch was not happy.

"If I can't apologise what do you want, Mari?"

"I want you to stop telling me what you think I want to hear, I want you to tell me what YOU want to say!" She retorted, cutting off th 'I want you' that was stuck in her throat. Merlins beard and balls this was frustrating. If the didn't truly lay all the Cards on the table they'd never get anywhere, "Why would you apologize?!" The witch turned away, Hand on her forehead and eyes scrunched together, trying to reign in her millions of emotions. "I'd think it was obvious that I didn't exactly object. So there's nothing to apologize for unless..." Her Brown eyes looked up at him as she ran that Hand through her hair, letting out a deep breath, "Unless of course, you didn't want it." The witch felt like her heartbeat was filling the room as it pounded in her ears and she forced herself to be honest.

"I want to know what you want. What you're interested in, what you're ready for. And if you don't want it- this- me." she finally managed, "Then you can tell me. And I'll deal with that." How she had no clue, but if he truly didn't want her, she would just have to manage.

"I... didn't want that to ruin our friendship... "
The witch nodded her understanding, still shifting her weight on her legs uneasily, unsure of where this- whatever it was- was going. Of whether or not he'd walk out as a friend, as not a friend, if he'd walk out at all. It was a mess. He was right on one Point, this wasn't supposed to be like this because she wanted him to know what he wanted. And now she wasn't sure if he needed to hear her say it first. The words they were both dancing around. To be quite honest, through all the emotions and Need for clarity, when it came down to it, the Notion of voicing what she wanted made her feel a bit sick.

"I want you to be happy, Marilyn."
Mari sighed, pushing her hair back as she bit her lip up at him. Merlin he was ridiculous. That was all she wanted for him. At least there they were on the same page. His words made the Young woman want to list all the ways he made her happy, how he'd helped her build her life. How happy he made her by just being there.
"And I want you to be happy." she replied softly, her eyes Meeting his as her gaze softened, her affection gaining the upper Hand in her emotions.

"I... don't know whether I can make you so, though."
Eyes widening the witch shook her head even though he wasn't looking at her and the way he looked in that Moment...she'd never Forget. The witch felt a surge of Emotion in her chest and stepped Forward to meet him, facing her fears straight on as she gingerly cupped his cheek in one Hand and pulled him in for a sweet kiss, eyes closed even when it was over; brave enough to take the leap but still scared enough to not want to see the fall.
"Jake...you will always be my best friend. That doesn't mean" her voice struggled for a second as she tried to finish, "that you can't be more as well."

There it was, out in the open. But the witch did not yet feel the relief that People associated with confession, instead she rather felt like she had fallen fro,m a great height and could not see if she was going to land in pillows or rocks.

"Can... we just..." and then he was kissing her and the witch decided she had indeed landed on pillows and she smiled into the kiss, her arms around his neck. "Just take it... slowly..."
Marilyn relaxed for the first time since she'd woken up alone in Jake's bed, listening to him speak and nodding, "I'd like that." she murmured, "both the going slow and the something more together bit." Mari smiled, kissing him again, slowly, still testing the Waters. It was only when Jagger, who had been lurking in a shadowed Corner, slowly moved out to nudge Jake on the rear that Marilyn realised that they'd probably be more comfortable sitting down, so she pulled Jake along with a smile until they were sat on the Couch.

To be quite honest, the witch could not really grasp the Situation. Jake just said...he wanted to try it. Them. And it was like a huge weight had been lifted as she gave him a soft kiss on the Couch. "Thank you." Mari murmured softly, knowing that all of this was way out of his comfort Zone and she appriciated his effort immensly.
"I don't think this will Change anything much, apart from now I can do this," she kissed his neck softly, "and not worry about freaking you out." The witch's tone was reassuring and soft. Happy. Completely and utterly happy.

"I only worried because I didn't... didn't want to hurt you... It's complicated."
Marilyn turned her head to look up at him curiously between kisses to his neck, "You're not going to hurt me. Especially not by wanting to be with me." the witch reassured him. All of the agitated Tension had vanished, leaving behind an entirely different Kind of Tension that mixed with their usual comfortable familiarity. Mari could tell that he was enjoying the affection and it made her smile as she kissed up to his jaw.


"Do you want to teach me that dance?"
She smirked at the suggestive tone and teasingly poked him in the ribs before turning to face him as she pulled him up mischeivously.

"Like it that much? Do you want to jump right in or watch first?" Mari teased playfully. It was then that the warm Feeling in her chest became clear; she was happy. The witch was truly happy. And certainly relieved, because she just knew that this felt right and that they fit like puzzle pieces together, already falling in with this new rhythm they'd discovered where they could tease and tickle and talk without worrying about boundries or embarrassment.

And so they spent the rest of the evening having fun, laughing and kissing until he had to go home and both went to sleep that night with a small, satisfied  smile on their faces.