Inspired by the ballet!AU talk in the DPS fandom in December. Now, I know Ginny/Chris isn't a popular pairing but I figured "hey fuck it, I'm writing Chris/Ginny and I don't care if I'm the only one who reads it". So here it finally is, a completely indulgent fic about DPS girls and incredible sexual tension. Also unbetaed and written about two days ago so I apologize for the mistakes, inconsistencies, bad writing etc.
Sure, the thrill of being on stage was great, but the preparation that took place before even getting to the wings was Chris's favourite part of a performance. She loved the buzz of energy that filled the air as people warmed up or marked choreography in the halls. She loved the cracked cement walls of the dressing room and the never-ending requests for hair spray and safety pins. She loved the way the girls pulled together to help each other out of costumes between quick changes, and the exchange of various tapes and wools to pad toes. But most of all, Chris liked the row of mirrors on the wall just outside of the changing area, where people sat with their bags of make-up. She decided this around noon that Saturday. The dressing room was quickly getting busier as people prepared for the matinee, but at the moment, the only other person at the mirrors was Ginny, applying blush to her cheeks.
Ginny and Chris were what Knox always classified as "exclusive but not dating", and even though Chris always rolled her eyes whenever Knox said so, she had to admit it was a pretty accurate label. Chris had met Ginny when they were eight years old, when they were in the same ballet class. Since then they had been best friends, but about a year earlier they had slowly started moving from friends to… something undefined and exhilarating.
"Hey, Gin," Chris said as she sat down. They exchanged smiles through the mirror, and Chris wondered whether whether she could be vain enough to hope that her presence was what coloured Ginny's cheeks, and not the blusher.
"Hey," Ginny said. She waved the blush brush a little before they lapsed into silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, though. They both needed to concentrate on applying make-up, and besides, they were well acquainted through years of daily dance classes that conversation wasn't necessary.
Chris had applied foundation before leaving the house, so she began with her eyeshadow. Ginny opens her eyeshadow at the same time, and a satisfying click was made in unison. Again, their gazes met in the mirror and Chris grinned at Ginny (probably too wide for just a simultaneous make-up opening, but it's okay because Ginny smiles just as much).
"So how long did it take you to do your hair today?" Chris asked. She knew Ginny had a complicated relationship with her hair. Even though Ginny would put it up before barre, by the time class ended, little strands of wavy hair stuck out at the back and feel across her forehead. Chris had long since given up on trying not to notice how adorable it was when Ginny blinked and shook her head to get stray hair out of her eyes.
Ginny touched her hair cautiously. "It's a struggle," she joked. "Curse my mom for giving me the thick hair gene."
"It looks really good though," Chris said.
"Thanks. You too," Ginny replied.
Chris blushed, which again was ridiculous because Ginny hadn't said anything special. But then again, Chris found everything inordinately wonderful when it came from Ginny. She murmured a quick thanks, then closed her eyes (partly to apply eyeshadow to her lids but also to prevent her eyes from turning into little cartoon hearts). Chris relaxed minutely as she went through the familiar motions of stage make-up, interrupted only occasionally by other classmates walking into the change room.
She was ust touching up her lipstick when Ginny sighed softly.
"I am so bad at this," she muttered. Chris looked down at Ginny's fingers to see a clumpy mess of fake eyelash.
Chris giggled and gently tugged the fake eyelash off. "Here, let me," she said, standing up and patting the table.
Ginny took the gesture for what it was and sat down on the table. After only a moment of hesitation, Chris stood between her legs and took the package of eyelashes with the glue.
"You have such beautiful lashes already. I don't understand why you need fake ones," Chris said because apparently her brain-to-mouth filter had disintegrated. "Close your eyes," she carried on quickly. Ginny looked at Chris like she was about to say something, but then obliged, closing her eyes and leaning forward ever so slightly.
Chris carefully measured a new lash and cut it. Biting the inside of her bottom lip, she applies the glue, then carefully placed the eyelash on Ginny's lash line, using her left hand to cup her face for support. Ginny leaned into the touch slightly, and it probably took way too long for Chris to let go and repeat the process on the other eye. When both were on, Chris let her hand linger for a while as she said softly: "Now we just wait for the glue to dry."
Ginny opened her eyes and Chris's breath faltered a little. The glow of the bulbs that border the mirrors backlit Ginny so that she seemed to glow ever so slightly. This stuns Chris into sliding her hand from Ginny's face down her arm to gently rest their hands together.
"Chris, I—" Ginny began to speak, but suddenly stopped and pulled her hand swiftly but subtly away from Chris's, seeing something over Chris's shoulder.
"Hey guys," Knox's voice came from behind them, and Chris rolled her eyes internally. Of course Knox would be the one to interrupt them, after all his poking and prodding for Chris to ask Ginny out. She turned and waved at her partner.
"What's up, Knox?"
"I was just wondering if I could steal some hairspray from one of you two?" he asked.
Chris nodded quickly. "Sure. I have some in my bag," she said. She glanced back at Ginny one last time, but she had already jumped off the table and was busily putting makeup back in her bag. Sighing a little, Chris fetched the spray and came back out to the hallway where Knox was sitting on the table like Ginny had previously been. A little indignant, Chris tossed the container of canister at Knox a little harder than necessary. He frowned and looked at Chris.
"What's wrong? You look… weird?"
Chris watched Ginny disappear into the changing room and waited to make sure she was out of earshot before speaking. "Did you not see me with Ginny? We were having a moment."
Knox was horrified at himself. "What? You were? What kind of moment? I'm so sorry, I didn't notice."
"Classic Overstreet," Chris muttered, looking past Knox to check her lipstick in the mirror. "We were holding hands."
If possible, Knox looked even more horrified. "Oh my god, you were?" he squeaked. "And I ruined it? Shit."
Knox looked completely torn between feeling dismay and delight, and Chris decided to prompt him to forgo the dismay. "It's okay," she said, smiling. Even though Knox had rotten timing, Chris had to admit that holding hands was a huge step in the right direction. "I mean, me and Ginny might finally…. I don't know! But whatever it is might happen!" Knox and Chris laughed gleefully as Knox hopped off the table to spin Chris around. Before they got too dizzy, Knox stopped and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I should go," Knox said. "And again, I am so sorry."
Chris shrugged. "Go away now," she said, accepting the apology with a wave of her hand.
"See you backstage!" Knox jogged away toward's his dressing room, adding a jetes passé every few steps.
Chris was still giddy as she finished her make-up and re-enterd the changing room, which had grown extremely busy while she had been at the mirrors. She changed out of her warm-up leotard and into half of her costume, leaving the leg warmers on and the tutu off. She spent the next half hour taping her toes and warming up her feet with Gloria. The buzz of pre-performance kept Chris as focused as she could be, and she only looked over at Ginny's side of the change room once every few minutes. They made eye contact several times, and Chris was pleased that instead of awkwardness, Ginny just gave her a special smile each time. And she was even more pleased that as the girls walked down the hall to the stage, Ginny caught up with Chris and brushed their hands together momentarily. She didn't say anything but she nodded and blushed, and Chris did the same.
"Alright, girls and boys. How are you feeling?" Madam Rose asked as she stepped onto the stage where the dancers were marking steps.
There was a general murmuring of positive remarks, and the ones closest to stopped to listen to Madam Rose speak.
"The curtains will be up very soon, so you should all get into your positions. You know what you're doing, just remember to project and perform." She gave a brief nod, and the dancers dispersed to the wings, Chris joining Ginny in their starting positions in the back right wing. Chris's heart was pounding from a combination of performance-induced adrenaline and Ginny-induced adrenaline.
"Nervous?" Chris asked. They were standing right behind the curtain so they stood in very dark, and Ginny was backlit again, just like she was by the make-up mirrors.
"Kind of," Ginny whispered. She rolled her right foot onto pointe anxiously.
"Don't be. You're wonderful."
"Never as wonderful as you," Ginny responded easily as the stage lights dimmed. Chris took a deep breath, knowing that the house lights would quickly follow. When Chris looked back at Ginny, she saw that Ginny was already looking back at her, a look of daring in her eyes. In only a second, before Chris could even register what was going on, Ginny rose up onto pointe, pressed her lips against Chris's so quickly that it almost wasn't there at all, then lowered back onto flat feet. Chris stared in shock, but from the way Ginny rocked back onto her tiptoes briefly, she knew Ginny knew it was joyful shock, not disgusted shock.
"Ginny, I—" Chris began to say, but Ginny interrupted just as Knox had before.
"Show is about to start," she whispered, then turned and stood in classical pose as the curtains rise.
Chris pressed her lips together and smiled.
The music started, and the show began.
If you enjoyed it, I would really appreciate kudos/comments. Because 1. it's always nice to get feedback, 2. I would love to know that there are people out there that read this pairing, 3. I don't write this pairing a lot so I'm not sure how I did!