Fic: Sway (Will/Emma, PG)
Title: Sway
Author: vlegal
Pairing: Will/Emma
Rating: PG
Summary: This is who they were.
Disclaimer: Glee and its characters are the property of Fox and Ryan Murphy. I intend no rights infringement.
Author's Note: For Rachel :)
He’d always thought of himself as smooth. Not so much in personality as in movement. He knew how to control his body, dance, glide or spin when and how he chose. Years of teaching had improved his agility as he dodged students and lockers and any other mystery items that littered the school halls. Generally, day-to-day, he was swift and direct in his walk, rarely stumbling or missing a step. He could reach or grab or carry any number of items without disturbing anything else around him. His hands were as nimble as his feet, always steady and quick to still any jostles by others. Moving smoothly had always been one aspect of his life that he could totally control. Until tonight.
Tonight, Will Schuester was a disaster. He’d caught his fingers, not once, but twice in the car door. Traveling up the sidewalk, his toe had caught on some uneven pavement, pitching him forward and leaving him scrambling to regain his balance. An overly confident gesture towards one waiter had caused his arm to collide with another, sending a pitcher of ice water splashing to the floor. If it hadn’t been for the napkin he’d placed politely in his lap, his trousers would have been done for what with the amount of his dinner he’d dropped in his lap. Just when he’d think he had his disobedient limbs under control, she’d go and do it again.
Emma would smile at him.
Or she’d touch her hair. Or she’d laugh. Or she’d breathe and continue to exist in the same room as him. It didn’t matter. He was here. With her. They were together. And every time he thought about it, he turned into more and more of a mess.
The only way he could describe her tonight was perfect. Or maybe radiant was better? Sublime? He’d never used that word in his life, but it seemed to apply to her. She was just…Emma. Sparkling eyes and animated hands, her stories over dinner making him laugh and putting some relaxation back into his own body language. He’d had the same sensation earlier when he’d arrived at her door and she’d kissed his cheek in greeting. The sound of his keys dropping had ruined the moment, but he remembered the same sense of calm flowing through him right before.
He wanted to tell her again how in love with her he was. He wanted to so badly, but worried about coming on too strong. She knew he loved her. They needed to start out slow tonight, and gushing over her probably wasn’t the best way to do that. But being with her was so easy, the sound of her voice setting his nerves at ease and reassuring him that they were really here. And she was smiling at him, looking at him the way she used to. She was blushing when her knee rubbed against his and looking so obscenely beautiful he could hardly believe she was real. But she was. And she was telling him how happy she was they were here. That she was with him. She was happy to be with him. She wanted to be with him. On their first, honest to god, official, no more boyfriends/girlfriends/ex-wives, real date. The first step to…everything. And with thoughts like that, Will would once again mentally lose his shit, his limbs responding accordingly and completely losing control.
He was sure around the third time he knocked his knife onto the floor and had to reach down to get it that Emma was going to call it quits on the night. She leaned forward and covered his hand with hers, in a gesture he figured was her polite way of saying “I can’t date someone who’s this much of a klutz.” He interpreted the same message from her small smile, making her words that much more surprising.
“Why don’t we dance?”
Will looked past her shoulder to the small hardwood floor at the back of the restaurant. The café was a small venue, softly lit with just a few patrons, making the little spot for dancing couples seem quiet and secluded. Dance. He could do that. Out of everything he knew how to do, he figured that was one of the things he was best at. And right now, when he was failing at everything else, falling back on more certain skills was probably a good idea.
He squeezed her fingers in agreement and stood. And caught his chair before he completely flipped it over in his rush to get up. And tripped on his shoelace as they moved through the restaurant, giving Emma an unintentional shove with the hand at the small of her back. Luckily, she was much more sure on her feet and steadied both of them as he stuttered apologies and generally felt like melting into the floor.
But he knew how to dance. He could do that, surely, without making more of an ass of himself. Bring it back to basics, Schuester, a voice in his head coached. Will flashed Emma a smile and pulled his posture in line. He raised both his arms towards her, much like he had that day in the bridal shop. Keep it simple, keep it formal, and there was no way he could screw it up, he figured. Emma giggled, having the same flash of déjà vu, he assumed. The sensation of her palm sliding into his almost broke his concentration, but he mentally righted himself and moved to lead both of them into step on the next down beat of the music playing overhead.
Her yelp brought him back to reality. And the fact that he’d just stepped on her toes.
“Shit, Em, I’m so…ow!” Naturally, as he looked down to see how much damage he’d done to her toe, he clunked his forehead against hers. And then once again as he tried to look back up. He moved forward to touch the spot he’d bumped - “Oh god, are you alright?” - and succeeded in stepping on her other toe.
This was it. The end. It was all over. Get out the big hook. No one in their right mind would stay with such a disaster as him. Here he was, with her, utter perfection in his arms, and he was completely out of control. He couldn’t do anything right. He couldn’t even dance. He was ruining everything because he was just so overwhelmed with her. He wanted everything to be perfect for her tonight, this first night of them. He wanted to show her that he was worthy of what she was offering him. He wanted to show her that any dream or fantasy she’d ever had of her Prince Charming would pale in comparison to Will Schuester. Instead, he was failing at basic motor skills. That was probably all the information she’d need to realize she’d made the wrong choice in him. He wanted to kick himself, but he feared someone might lose an eye.
He stepped back from her and let out a frustrated and self-conscious chuckle, running his hands through his hair. He felt awkward and stupid and embarrassed and oh god, what was the matter with him? He looked at her then, trying to gauge what she was thinking. Before he could launch into another litany of apologies for his lack of grace, Emma reached up and took his hands away from the top of his head. She closed the gap between them, guiding his hands lower and slightly behind her, only letting go when they rested low on her hips. She slid her own hands up his arms, over his shoulders, pausing at his neck. She stepped closer again, much closer than the proper dance position he had offered. His senses immediately filled with her. His arms seemed to move of their own accord, responding to her movement and drawing her hips towards his own. Her actions and small smile mesmerized him. He couldn’t help but stare.
“Now just sway,” she said quietly. She was looking directly in his eyes and one of her thumbs was stroking along his neck. And with that, Emma seemed to liquefy, her arms drifting around his shoulders and her body draping against him.
Suddenly, he was clear-headed. He didn’t need to think about it as he started to move to the music. Flow with her, slow and easy. She let him lead her, let him hold her as they made small circles on the dance floor. The relaxation he’d felt before, just seeing her smile, now came back with a vengeance feeling her nuzzle into the crook of his shoulder. Maybe it was the glass of wine at dinner, or maybe it was the heat from her body, but he felt warmth spread through him. Head to toe warmth. His arms wrapped more around her, circling her. His fingers trailed along her skin. Bare skin, he realized. She had shed her cardigan when they stood from the table, but all of his internal flailing had distracted him from the low-cut back of her dress. Now, his hands glided smoothly against the soft skin of her back. The sigh she emitted all but shut down his brain, but the rest of his body pulled through, guiding them easily in their small corner of the world.
This. This was the perfection he’d wanted for tonight. He never, ever wanted to let her go. Not if holding her would always bring him this much comfort, this much calm. He thought, prayed, he made her feel as safe and wanted as she was making him feel. All the wrong he’d done throughout the night felt like it was draining away. He was moving smoothly again as they swayed together. Feeling her sink into his arms, trust him to steer her safely, cleared out his self doubt and replaced it threefold with how much he loved her. He wanted this to go on forever. Pulling her tighter against him, his fingers eased up her back, slipping just slightly under the fabric of her dress along her ribcage. She was so soft. It felt like she was molding herself even more against him as he grazed her skin. He wanted nothing more than to take her home, spend the night making love to her, hold her for the rest of his life. But that couldn’t happen tonight. It was too soon. For both of them. He knew it would all come in time, and he was happy to wait as long as she needed. Especially if this was the feeling he would get just from being close to her in the meantime.
They continued to sway slowly. The spot was so quiet, so intimate, Will felt like they were the only ones in the room. He pulled her closer when he felt her lips press briefly against his neck. Without thinking, his hands traveled higher, tracing her curves, hinting at the side swell of her breasts. Emma shifted and sighed again, her fingers briefly kneading into his shoulders, making him groan and relax into her further. He lifted his head from where his nose had been buried in her hair, opening his eyes for a moment and realized too late what he had been doing. Caressing her skin the way he was felt natural and so good, but they were in a restaurant. In public. Granted, no one was paying any attention to them, but would she misinterpret his actions as him basically groping her in public? Had he been taking advantage of her comfort level with him? His knees started to tremble at the thought of screwing up again. He thought he’d gotten control of himself, but his nerves crept back in. He hastily withdrew his hands from the warmth of her skin under her dress. He felt the need to pull back further, but Emma’s hand on the back of his neck applied the smallest amount of pressure, stopping him.
“I love you,” she whispered against his jaw. His knees no longer shook, but simply went weak. When he pulled back to look at her, her face was already turned up towards him. He couldn’t find anything to say, drowning in the chocolate of her eyes the way he was. There was absolutely no doubt in them. She loved him. She loved him. Bumbling, tripping, idiotic him. Although there was nothing awkward or clumsy in the way he kissed her. His lips met smoothly with hers, warm and soothing and sure. He lost himself in her, tasting wine on her tongue and feeling a shiver run through her as he drew his thumb down her spine.
He realized in that moment that this is who they were going to be. Emma and Will. Alone together in a room full of people. It didn’t matter who stumbled or faltered. They’d hold each other up, keep each other warm. He smiled as this understanding washed over him. Emma pulled back briefly, smiling back at him and puffing with frustration at some of her hair that had come out of place. She tried to fix it without letting go of him and failed dismally, making it too irresistible not to kiss her again as they continued to dance. “I love you,” he breathed against her lips, before closing the gap between them. Yes, this is who they were. Two people who didn’t need to be perfect. They just needed to sway.
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In my head, they're dancing to this. Thanks for reading :)
Author: vlegal
Pairing: Will/Emma
Rating: PG
Summary: This is who they were.
Disclaimer: Glee and its characters are the property of Fox and Ryan Murphy. I intend no rights infringement.
Author's Note: For Rachel :)
He’d always thought of himself as smooth. Not so much in personality as in movement. He knew how to control his body, dance, glide or spin when and how he chose. Years of teaching had improved his agility as he dodged students and lockers and any other mystery items that littered the school halls. Generally, day-to-day, he was swift and direct in his walk, rarely stumbling or missing a step. He could reach or grab or carry any number of items without disturbing anything else around him. His hands were as nimble as his feet, always steady and quick to still any jostles by others. Moving smoothly had always been one aspect of his life that he could totally control. Until tonight.
Tonight, Will Schuester was a disaster. He’d caught his fingers, not once, but twice in the car door. Traveling up the sidewalk, his toe had caught on some uneven pavement, pitching him forward and leaving him scrambling to regain his balance. An overly confident gesture towards one waiter had caused his arm to collide with another, sending a pitcher of ice water splashing to the floor. If it hadn’t been for the napkin he’d placed politely in his lap, his trousers would have been done for what with the amount of his dinner he’d dropped in his lap. Just when he’d think he had his disobedient limbs under control, she’d go and do it again.
Emma would smile at him.
Or she’d touch her hair. Or she’d laugh. Or she’d breathe and continue to exist in the same room as him. It didn’t matter. He was here. With her. They were together. And every time he thought about it, he turned into more and more of a mess.
The only way he could describe her tonight was perfect. Or maybe radiant was better? Sublime? He’d never used that word in his life, but it seemed to apply to her. She was just…Emma. Sparkling eyes and animated hands, her stories over dinner making him laugh and putting some relaxation back into his own body language. He’d had the same sensation earlier when he’d arrived at her door and she’d kissed his cheek in greeting. The sound of his keys dropping had ruined the moment, but he remembered the same sense of calm flowing through him right before.
He wanted to tell her again how in love with her he was. He wanted to so badly, but worried about coming on too strong. She knew he loved her. They needed to start out slow tonight, and gushing over her probably wasn’t the best way to do that. But being with her was so easy, the sound of her voice setting his nerves at ease and reassuring him that they were really here. And she was smiling at him, looking at him the way she used to. She was blushing when her knee rubbed against his and looking so obscenely beautiful he could hardly believe she was real. But she was. And she was telling him how happy she was they were here. That she was with him. She was happy to be with him. She wanted to be with him. On their first, honest to god, official, no more boyfriends/girlfriends/ex-wives, real date. The first step to…everything. And with thoughts like that, Will would once again mentally lose his shit, his limbs responding accordingly and completely losing control.
He was sure around the third time he knocked his knife onto the floor and had to reach down to get it that Emma was going to call it quits on the night. She leaned forward and covered his hand with hers, in a gesture he figured was her polite way of saying “I can’t date someone who’s this much of a klutz.” He interpreted the same message from her small smile, making her words that much more surprising.
“Why don’t we dance?”
Will looked past her shoulder to the small hardwood floor at the back of the restaurant. The café was a small venue, softly lit with just a few patrons, making the little spot for dancing couples seem quiet and secluded. Dance. He could do that. Out of everything he knew how to do, he figured that was one of the things he was best at. And right now, when he was failing at everything else, falling back on more certain skills was probably a good idea.
He squeezed her fingers in agreement and stood. And caught his chair before he completely flipped it over in his rush to get up. And tripped on his shoelace as they moved through the restaurant, giving Emma an unintentional shove with the hand at the small of her back. Luckily, she was much more sure on her feet and steadied both of them as he stuttered apologies and generally felt like melting into the floor.
But he knew how to dance. He could do that, surely, without making more of an ass of himself. Bring it back to basics, Schuester, a voice in his head coached. Will flashed Emma a smile and pulled his posture in line. He raised both his arms towards her, much like he had that day in the bridal shop. Keep it simple, keep it formal, and there was no way he could screw it up, he figured. Emma giggled, having the same flash of déjà vu, he assumed. The sensation of her palm sliding into his almost broke his concentration, but he mentally righted himself and moved to lead both of them into step on the next down beat of the music playing overhead.
Her yelp brought him back to reality. And the fact that he’d just stepped on her toes.
“Shit, Em, I’m so…ow!” Naturally, as he looked down to see how much damage he’d done to her toe, he clunked his forehead against hers. And then once again as he tried to look back up. He moved forward to touch the spot he’d bumped - “Oh god, are you alright?” - and succeeded in stepping on her other toe.
This was it. The end. It was all over. Get out the big hook. No one in their right mind would stay with such a disaster as him. Here he was, with her, utter perfection in his arms, and he was completely out of control. He couldn’t do anything right. He couldn’t even dance. He was ruining everything because he was just so overwhelmed with her. He wanted everything to be perfect for her tonight, this first night of them. He wanted to show her that he was worthy of what she was offering him. He wanted to show her that any dream or fantasy she’d ever had of her Prince Charming would pale in comparison to Will Schuester. Instead, he was failing at basic motor skills. That was probably all the information she’d need to realize she’d made the wrong choice in him. He wanted to kick himself, but he feared someone might lose an eye.
He stepped back from her and let out a frustrated and self-conscious chuckle, running his hands through his hair. He felt awkward and stupid and embarrassed and oh god, what was the matter with him? He looked at her then, trying to gauge what she was thinking. Before he could launch into another litany of apologies for his lack of grace, Emma reached up and took his hands away from the top of his head. She closed the gap between them, guiding his hands lower and slightly behind her, only letting go when they rested low on her hips. She slid her own hands up his arms, over his shoulders, pausing at his neck. She stepped closer again, much closer than the proper dance position he had offered. His senses immediately filled with her. His arms seemed to move of their own accord, responding to her movement and drawing her hips towards his own. Her actions and small smile mesmerized him. He couldn’t help but stare.
“Now just sway,” she said quietly. She was looking directly in his eyes and one of her thumbs was stroking along his neck. And with that, Emma seemed to liquefy, her arms drifting around his shoulders and her body draping against him.
Suddenly, he was clear-headed. He didn’t need to think about it as he started to move to the music. Flow with her, slow and easy. She let him lead her, let him hold her as they made small circles on the dance floor. The relaxation he’d felt before, just seeing her smile, now came back with a vengeance feeling her nuzzle into the crook of his shoulder. Maybe it was the glass of wine at dinner, or maybe it was the heat from her body, but he felt warmth spread through him. Head to toe warmth. His arms wrapped more around her, circling her. His fingers trailed along her skin. Bare skin, he realized. She had shed her cardigan when they stood from the table, but all of his internal flailing had distracted him from the low-cut back of her dress. Now, his hands glided smoothly against the soft skin of her back. The sigh she emitted all but shut down his brain, but the rest of his body pulled through, guiding them easily in their small corner of the world.
This. This was the perfection he’d wanted for tonight. He never, ever wanted to let her go. Not if holding her would always bring him this much comfort, this much calm. He thought, prayed, he made her feel as safe and wanted as she was making him feel. All the wrong he’d done throughout the night felt like it was draining away. He was moving smoothly again as they swayed together. Feeling her sink into his arms, trust him to steer her safely, cleared out his self doubt and replaced it threefold with how much he loved her. He wanted this to go on forever. Pulling her tighter against him, his fingers eased up her back, slipping just slightly under the fabric of her dress along her ribcage. She was so soft. It felt like she was molding herself even more against him as he grazed her skin. He wanted nothing more than to take her home, spend the night making love to her, hold her for the rest of his life. But that couldn’t happen tonight. It was too soon. For both of them. He knew it would all come in time, and he was happy to wait as long as she needed. Especially if this was the feeling he would get just from being close to her in the meantime.
They continued to sway slowly. The spot was so quiet, so intimate, Will felt like they were the only ones in the room. He pulled her closer when he felt her lips press briefly against his neck. Without thinking, his hands traveled higher, tracing her curves, hinting at the side swell of her breasts. Emma shifted and sighed again, her fingers briefly kneading into his shoulders, making him groan and relax into her further. He lifted his head from where his nose had been buried in her hair, opening his eyes for a moment and realized too late what he had been doing. Caressing her skin the way he was felt natural and so good, but they were in a restaurant. In public. Granted, no one was paying any attention to them, but would she misinterpret his actions as him basically groping her in public? Had he been taking advantage of her comfort level with him? His knees started to tremble at the thought of screwing up again. He thought he’d gotten control of himself, but his nerves crept back in. He hastily withdrew his hands from the warmth of her skin under her dress. He felt the need to pull back further, but Emma’s hand on the back of his neck applied the smallest amount of pressure, stopping him.
“I love you,” she whispered against his jaw. His knees no longer shook, but simply went weak. When he pulled back to look at her, her face was already turned up towards him. He couldn’t find anything to say, drowning in the chocolate of her eyes the way he was. There was absolutely no doubt in them. She loved him. She loved him. Bumbling, tripping, idiotic him. Although there was nothing awkward or clumsy in the way he kissed her. His lips met smoothly with hers, warm and soothing and sure. He lost himself in her, tasting wine on her tongue and feeling a shiver run through her as he drew his thumb down her spine.
He realized in that moment that this is who they were going to be. Emma and Will. Alone together in a room full of people. It didn’t matter who stumbled or faltered. They’d hold each other up, keep each other warm. He smiled as this understanding washed over him. Emma pulled back briefly, smiling back at him and puffing with frustration at some of her hair that had come out of place. She tried to fix it without letting go of him and failed dismally, making it too irresistible not to kiss her again as they continued to dance. “I love you,” he breathed against her lips, before closing the gap between them. Yes, this is who they were. Two people who didn’t need to be perfect. They just needed to sway.
**************************************************************
In my head, they're dancing to this. Thanks for reading :)