Between Two Trees (Mush Meyers x Reader)

XII

Half an hour later found you changed into a fresh dress that your mother had brought, standing in a parlor with your mother and the other women she was talking to. Peggy, also scrubbed up slightly and wearing a dress that she kept tugging at the collar of, kept rolling her eyes at you behind her mother's back. After about another 30 minutes of the 'torture', as Peggy called it, it was time for dinner. And after the dinner, you were immediately seized by Peggy and pulled out of the house and towards the barn. 

"We've gotta get there first if we wanna get a nice corner where nobody will be able to ask us to dance." Peggy informed you, continuing to drag you along. 

"Don't you want to dance with Blink though," You began, a little grin on your face as she stopped abruptly. 

Peggy glared at you and opened the door.

Pulling you inside, she went immediately left and sat down on a hay bale in the corner. Candles were set up around the barn, precariously close to the hay in some places, illuminating the place with flickering light. As you sat next to Peggy, she shifted her dress around with an annoyed sigh. "Right, now, I recommend keeping quiet during the slow songs unless you'd like to dance with some weird boy. Actually, never mind, forget I said anything." She said, a thoughtful expression spreading over her face. 

"Alright." You said slowly, watching her skeptically. 

She grinned, waving behind you. Footfalls approached, and Mush and Blink appeared, standing on either side of the two of you. 

"Right." Peggy said, looking at the crowds of people trickling in. "Looks like Jem is the one with the music today, meaning there'll be at least three slow songs. He likes to torture us." 

A fiddle started playing and the talking, laughing girls and boys formed lines in the center of the barn. 

"Come on." Peggy said, standing up and towing you with her. "I like this one." 

*

Three bouncy songs later, and just as you were starting to get a grasp on the square dancing, the music switched to a slower tempo. "Quick!" Peggy pulled the three of you back to the corner, peeking out nervously. 

"Oh, no, here comes Paul." She mumbled, turning to Blink. "Quick, ask me to dance!" 

"Wha-" Blink started before catching on. "Oh, yes, okay. Would you... like to dance?" 

"That was pathetic. But yes." Peggy said, quickly grabbing his hand. Blink led her out to the 'dance floor' and they joined the other couples who were forming, going right past 'Paul', who looked rather disappointed Peggy had already found a dance partner. 

Unfortunately, he spotted you still standing in the corner. Trotting up, he asked if you wanted to dance. 

You didn't know how to say no, so you reluctantly accepted. It might have been your imagination but you felt like Mush was staring daggers at the boy. 

The dance was awkward, to say the least. Paul was shorter than you, and not very good at dancing. He kept stepping on your feet, and didn't seem to know what to do. After what seemed like forever, and after a failed attempt to spin you around, you felt a tap on your shoulder. 

"Can I cut in?" Mush asked, looking hopefully at you. 

"Yes, of course." You said, maybe too quickly. But Paul seemed just as indifferent as he let go of your hand and started towards Peggy and Blink. Oof. 

Mush shyly took your hand, and you rested the other on his shoulder. He gingerly rested his other on your waist, and you thought that he might have been blushing. But maybe that was just the reflection of your own, considering how flushed your face felt. 

"I hope you don't mind." Mush said, after a few seconds. "Me cutting in like that. You just looked uncomfortable, and..." 

"Oh, no, I definitely don't." You confided. "I'd much rather dance with you." 

He grins. "Aw, that's sweet." 

You blushed even more as you continued to dance. Mush was incredibly better at it than Paul. When the song ended, he very slowly let go of you. Looking over, you saw Peggy still with Blink. Apparently Paul hadn't cut in. 

The next song was a faster one, and Peggy appeared at your elbow, pulling you back on the dance floor with a wide smile on her face. 

"I didn't have to dance with Paul, and I got to dance with Blink, and Blink didn't let him cut in." Peggy hissed in one breath, looking at you with wide eyes. 

"Oh," You commented intellectually. 

"Not oh! Oh man! This is big, girl!" Peggy whispered excitedly. "I think I might faint." 

"Please don't," Mush said from next to Peggy. Peggy jumped. 

"Did you hear all of that?" She said, a little nervously. 

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't."