I don't own SU. This pairing has ensnared me and it needs a fanfiction. Also, anyone who follows me (all 1 of you) would know that I write stories about dancing...a lot. ^_^'
Jamie pushed his sunglasses back into place and shined the lenses a little as he entered the partly ruined building. Lights flashed in bright, spinning neon around the walls. Loud music swiftly thumped out a beat that rattled his teeth if he stood still. The jacket he was wearing was black and a little warm on him since it was early fall and nearly 70 degrees out, but he could do it for his fans right? He figured he should make a public appearance after such a successful play. It would be fun and make him more relatable.
He struck a pose in the "doorway", putting a hand to the back of his head and the other outstretched downward, striking a pose. Some clapped, some nodded, and some rolled their eyes, but for Jamie, all the attention was welcome. He smiled and his eyes shined as people congratulated his performance. Even Sour Cream gave him a nod. A new track was prepared and the aspiring actor was given enough glow sticks for a lifetime.
"People, people! I'm no better than you, my fellow humans. I just love my craft. By day I deliver mail, by night a passionate actor! However this night, I remain a humble postman. So without further delay, let us dance!" He finished, striking another pose. The rave's patrons cheered as more glow sticks rained down. Jamie vaguely wondered where they were all coming from, when the music started again.
Jamie began to dance and have fun with all his new fans, and...maybe even aquaintences? His fun stopped when he heard a small tsk-ing sound from within the crowd. A man that was slightly taller than him with dsrk tan skin and a neat haircut that fluffed a bit in front approached him. He looked the man over, realizing that he was the one tsk-ing at him.
"What? Did I do something?" Jamie asked.
"No it's what you weren't doing. For such a *ahem* great actor, you really stink at dancing."
"WHAT!? Is it really that bad?! No wonder I wasn't hired for that musical! Uh, I mean... what's wrong with it?"
"Tch, I don't wanna talk to you here. You cramp my style."
"Hey I don-!" Jamie started, rather offended by this remark. The man cut him off before he could start.
"But luckily for you, you're famous...sort of. That means you're good enough for me to teach you. When you get a big dancing role because of me, make sure to give me credit for being better at it than you when you started."
"Fine. Bu-" He started. He was cut off again.
"Meet me at the dance studio at 6:00 pm tomorrow a'ite?" The man said as he walked away. Jamie followed him.
"Hold on! If you're going to be teaching me to dance at least tell me you name!" He exclaimed, exasperated. He was starting to sweat from both heat and exhaustion. The man turned around.
"The name's Kevin, don't wear it out." He strode away once again, leaving Jamie confused and somewhat offended, to dance on his own.
####
"Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this? Why am I actually going?" The postman thought on his way to the studio. "You need to become a better dancer and by extension, a better actor. I wish it could've been less of a jerk that told me though." Jamie thought, begrudgingly.
He pushed open the glass door to the studio and began checking the practice rooms for Kevin. Two rooms were empty. Another was being used for something that looked like yoga except it was roughly 100°F in there. Good grief, who does that?! Jamie made a mental not to find out what the heck that was and probably sign up for it. The flexibility is worth it. Maybe I could teach my schedule a thing or two. He chuckled to himself and continued down the hallway. He found his 'instructor' on the third try, and gave him a short greeting. Kevin was in comfortable pants and a tee, so the blossoming dancer figured he'd dressed okay.
"So, what kind of roles do you normally go for?" Kevin started abruptly. Jamie stuttered for a minute. He hadn't really thought about it since he figured any role was a good one.
"Uh...I take what I can get." He said sheepishly.
"Wow, real high class aren't you?"
"Well, I'm just starting out and I can't afford to be picky...literally." He mumbled indignantly.
"Okay fine," Kevin sighed, rolling his eyes. "we'll start with something nice and simple for you. Can you do a waltz?"
Jamie made a sound like he was just hit in the stomach. "What, you mean ballroom dancing? R-...really?"
"Well it's like, the easiest thing to learn. And aren't there a bunch of plays about the rennisance and medievil times? Yes, you need to learn how to ballroom dance dummy."
"Oh, right. Well, what do I do?" Jamie asked, moving his arms a bit. This was all new and he couldn't say it wasn't exciting...if only a little.
Kevin blew out a breath and looked exasperated already.
"Unfortunately, waltzing takes a partner and..." he looked around mockingly "I'm the only other living thing in this room. So, tough bits Twinkletoes. You're stuck with me. Unless you want to dance with that spider in the corner?"
Jamie was a little more okay with that than he felt he should be for something like this. The shorter man nodded sternly and stiffly. He was ready. Kevin took that as an okay and started moving the mailman's hands to the correct places. He put one of the the shorter man's hands on his hip and lightly curled the fingers to hold them there. He took the other of the slighty worn hands in his more cared for ones and held it firmly, but gently as well. Jamie stared ahead and remained stiff like a wooden plank the whole time. All the passion and confidence seemed to have left his body, and left his teacher with this frozen block of a man. Kevin groaned in frustration and let go of the other man`s hand. He snapped loudly in front of Jamie's face a few times to bring him back.
The aspiring actor blinked as if he were waking up, seeming shocked and a bit confused. The experienced dancer leaned in uncomfortably close and growled, "Focus". Jamie gulped and began trembling a bit. He huffed in and out for another breath and steeled himself the best he could. He should -nay- he MUST do this for the sake of the theater! He would have posed, but that would mean smacking his impromptu instructor in the face. It would be funny for a moment, but then Jamie could never get dancing lessons again (well, not for free at least). So he just nodded again and tried to follow Kevin's footsteps.
####
This wasn't going to work. Kevin felt insane for even thinking of this plan. This was impossible. The guy's acting was fine, but his dancing almost physically hurt to watch. It actually DID hurt to be a part of, at some points. Technically he did everything "correctly" (if that was the word for it), but the mailman was just so stiff. His footsteps were clunky, tripping over the dancer's feet and accidentily abusing the man's toes. Every time he was told to dip here, or twirl there, he would jerk the tanner man the direction he was told, and jerk straight back up again. The smallest technical problem, but the one that bothered Kevin the most, was the determinedly placid face Jamie held. It didn't change no matter what, and it was starting to creep him out. The actor's eyes said something different. They said something more akin to: "DON'T MESS UP, DON'T MESS UP! OH CRUD I'M MESSING IT UUUP!", complete with a touch of utter desperation.
That was about the saddest thing in terms of dancing Kevin had seen in a long whie, and that was saying something since there were plenty of garbage dancers at Sour Cream's raves. He grumbled something that may have been "good grief" and let the mailman go. The shorter man looked confused for a second and Kevin held up a finger and explained.
"Okay, this is not going to work. You could dance okay (I guess) if you weren't so stiff, but if I get my back jerked around anymore I will pull a muscle and I'll just be some garbage dancer." A tired sigh let itsef out from bentween pearly white teeth. "What is up with you? Why can't you just, like, I dunno, dance without acting like your life depends on it?"
Jamie was quiet for a long moment his head hung in dramatic contemplation. When he spoke, he mumbled quietly. "Because it does. Acting isn't just my career; it's my dream, my hope, my life." His eyes shone with unspoken emotion raging beneath the surface as he went on his Shakespearian tangent. His eyes closed in acting bliss and his hand cluched dramatically above his head. "And as the sun lights the moon, as a butterfly mercifully pollinates the humble flower, " He began to shout as he became more oblivious of his surroundings. "My love of acting shall-!"
Kevin had almost been moved until the (questionably sane) instructee had started yelling. Now he just stood there with a mailman who was rubbing his forehead and letting out a pitiful "Owwww..." as the dancer just stood there looking disinterested, obviously having just flicked him.
"A'ite I get it Twinkletoes. You're a poet with two left feet."
Jamie huffed. It wasn't exactly like this was easy! These were ordered steps, not the ebb and flow of his precious dialogue! When Kevin spoke again the paler man jumped, snapping out of his reverie.
"Jeez, alright fine. You're an actor right? So, pretend you're in a play. Your motivation is uh..." he faltered. He struggled for a second before coming up with something. "...a dance competition? And your character is really ready to win but he has to waltz. Perfectly. Got that?"
Jamie nodded. He could manage that. That was his life after all. He put himself into the mind of the character. This man was smooth, confident, skilled. He knew his partner well. Very well. He was the perfect dancer. The perfect showman. The mailman's eyes became gentle and his mouth moved into an easy smile. He took Kevin's hand and pulled him towards the center of the floor. The taller man may have admitted to blushing a bit if such an admission wouldn't take a sledgehammer to his ego.
With no guidance, preamble, or nervousness, the mailman bowed to his fellow dancer and smoothly placed his hands correctly. This was nothing like the nervous man Kevin had seen a few minutes ago. Jamie's hand was light on his waist, guiding him smoothly around the floor. Their feet moved in time with each other, flowing like a cool river. His twirl was graceful, and spun Kevin just to make him giddy (though he would deny it if anyone asked). The actor stared into his partner's eyes as if there were nothing else around them. He he was suave and sure as he dipped the other man slowly, bringing their faces close. The track stopped and all the was left were the sounds of the stereo static and the pair's heavy breathing.
Jamie broke first since his arms were getting tired and righted the dancer so he didn't fall. His hands flapped excitedly in front of his face and he was making the same noise as a broken printer. The intensity in his eyes might have creeped Kevin out if he wasn't so dazed. Jamie was stil excited and whooping and pumping his fists in the air.
"I DID IT! I WAS COOL! Well at least, I'm pretty sure I was?" He grabbed his instructor's shoulders, snapping him out of his daze and scaring the living daylights out of him. "How did I do?! Was that okay? Could I go on stage with that? Kevin!" He asked insistently. Kevin reailzed he was staring with wide eyes and quickly composed himself, putting his cool persona once again. His signature grin came back and he walked calmly over to where his scarf lay, tormenting the poor actor by taking his time to answer. Just as Jamie was about to panic over his performance and Kevin was one foot out the door, he got his answer.
"Not bad Twinkletoes. Congrats, you've gone from garbage to recycling. You might have some hope after all. Same time and same place tomorrow hm?"
Kevin grinned and left Jamie standing in the empty room, shock and hope both written plainly on his face.
I think...was this good? I started this a WHILE ago, so maybe it is. ^_^' There will be more chapters, but they won't be consistant. Quality over quantity right?
Edit: I redid some stuff and fixed some mistakes that were driving me nuts.