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He'd lost that stupid poker bet.
Ash reminded himself that maybe it was better to bite his tongue before he spewed out such bullshit, but sometimes his tongue was faster than his brain or maybe his goddamn pride. Or maybe it was because everyone was tipsy from the booze.
Stupid.
He should have explained to Eiji two or three little things, about making bets: or look at the bad end he'd come to.
"Do you guys really do that?" asked Alex, running a hand through his hair; Kong and Bones exchanged a look.
"Sure...I think it's a nice one, to do," Eiji replied with a smile; his cheeks were red from the beer he'd been drinking.
Sing brought a hand to his mouth, chuckling.
"May I look at you?"
"They're formally obliged," Shorter said, not before shoving a large handful of popcorn from his bowl, at his mouth.
Ash rolled his eyes at the ceiling with a sigh. And it's a good thing Max wasn't there, or he would have teased him to death!
"Of course, you won't be as beautiful as Demi Moore or Patrik Swayze," asserted Cain Blood. "But you're interesting."
"Thank you.
"Come on, boss, dancing isn't so bad" had the courage to say Alex.
"Right!"
Eiji gave a thumbs up.
"You guys are really excited, huh?" growled Ash.
"Don't be a death row inmate, now," Shorter commented with a wave of his hand. With a grin.
"Sounds like one of those dances we used to do in school," murmured Eiji with a laugh.
"Okay, but Ash Lynx is a warrior and he doesn't dance*" Cain commented with amusement, wondering why a fierce beast like the lynx became docile when it came to Eiji.
"Are you ready?"
"Let's get this over with."
"I'll lead and you're my madam, okay?" said Eiji in a low voice. "And relax it's not hard at all"
"Ok"
"Smile, though!"
"Pfui!"
Sing cranked up the stereo and the sweet notes of David Bowie's As the World Falls Down spread through the dining room, and Eiji took Ash into his arms.
The two boys were absolutely awkward and stiff, as it was mostly just a shuffling of feet left and right in a circular motion. As they looked at them, the rest of the group was giggling like never before (Shorter pulled out his mobile phone and even started secretly filming them, of course!).
"Relax!"
"But how can I?!"
"Fuck, this is all your fault, Oni-chan!" hissed the Lynx.
"Relax, because you're killing my feet!" complained Eiji with a grimace.
Sing detached the song.
"A little break, everyone."
He really needed it! Eiji had to sit and wait for the pain to pass to his feet.
"You'll find your feet webbed..." said Cain, with a raised eyebrow.
"I hope not!"
After ten minutes, a reluctant Ash returned to the middle of the hall again.
"Let's do better this time!"
Eiji taught the steps to Ash, who quickly memorized them.
"Play the song again from the beginning."
Sing obeyed.
They set off again.
This time, the two boys from different worlds, huddled together, danced like there was no tomorrow. Ash would have liked them to be alone at that moment, enjoying the moment.
"You guys are really gorgeous," Shorter said with eyes twinkling, even at Sing, Alex, Kong and Bones gasped. Cain secretly wiped away a tear.
Then, Eiji started to sing trying to imitate the singer, with his broken English, but he got all the words wrong but he had a sweet and soft voice that enchanted those present.
"Wow!"
Ash also gasped.
"He has the voice of an angel," said Bones and Kong in chorus.
Even, one inspired, Shorter began to sing, and Ash hoped that a piece of plaster would fall on his head that would silence him.
Christ, how out of tune he was!
The other three followed in a chorus that sounded like donkeys braying, making Eiii laugh.
But on the other hand, when had he ever danced? He found himself thinking, Ash.
In his life he had known nothing but violence of all kinds, shootings and whatnot. He found himself smiling to himself: he would never admit it, but dancing was fun.
As the song reached its climax, Eiji had Ash do a couple of spins, only to end up back in his arms.
Then it all came to an end.
"Bravo!"
"Did you enjoy it?"
"Much better than the main characters in the movie!" exclaimed Sing, clapping his hands.
"Thank you," Eiji replied.
Ash crossed his arms over his chest; deep down he felt proud to have discovered that he was good at that too. "It wasn't bad after all."
"Why don't you do it one more time?"
"But..."
"Come on, that sounds like a good idea."
Shorter nodded, with a big glint in his eye.
"I'm only agreeing because Eiji asked me to," Ash said with a sigh; well, maybe it wasn't a bad idea.
But Shorter ruined it with one of his usual outbursts, "Agreed, but Ash chill the fuck out: you sounded like a roll in the pot to me."
*This is said by Gamora, in the film Guardians of the Galaxy.
Author's note: phew...I'm also finishing up the neighbour chapters. Phew 😪😪😪