Ballet!Stuck
"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling."
~Margaret B. Runbeck
o-o-o-o-o
John wakes up the next morning to the sun shining in his eyes. He groans and rolls over, pulling the covers over his head.
"Come on, John. Rise and shine. You'll be forced to face the consequences if you don't." Jake's threat doesn't move him. When he's nearly back asleep he hears a click and cautiously pulls the covers down to his nose. In front of his nose is a gun, gleaming in the light. He swallows dryly.
"I'm up...just, put the gun down." Jake grins and pulls the trigger. John flinches and when he notices his brains aren't on the wall, looks up again. Jake bursts out laughing. "What?" John sits up, heart still pounding.
"It's a fake gun. Nice eh? I use it for theatre." Jake bends over laughing again. "Oh, I really got you!" John shakes his head and stands up, stretching his arms over his head. His spine cracks releasing a satisfied groan from his chest.
When Jake's caught his breath he stands upright and claps John on the shoulder. "I'm sorry John, I don't usually do pranks." John gives a small smile.
"It's alright. I should've gotten up." Jake's green eyes wrinkle on the sides as another grin takes over his features.
"Well I'll see you later. Right now I'm going to meet up with my mentor and work on some of my acting." Jake waggles his eyebrows and grabs a messenger bag before leaving the room. John stands in the same spot for a while, allowing the drowsiness to leave his system before he shuffles through boxes to find some clothes and go take a quick shower.
After he's showered and done all of his oral hygienics, he starts unpacking boxes. Putting clothes in drawers and the closet, putting a picture of him and his dad on his nightstand, making his bed. When he's finished he wipes his hands on his thighs and gives a triumphant grin. The digital clock on Jake's nightstand reveals it to be barely past nine thirty. Rolling his eyes, he grabs his music, phone, and wallet before leaving.
John walks aimlessly for a while before remembering the dance studio last night. He decides on going to check it out as soon as he grabs a snack. Luckily, he's able to find a place close and buys a muffin and an apple along with a container of apple juice.
The walk down to the dance wing is pretty quick. He hums to himself as he walks, taking bites from the muffin until it's gone. John spots a trashcan and throws the muffin wrapper away before turning the corner where the dance studio was. The door is open like it was the previous night, but piano plays instead of electronics and piano.
Cautiously, John peeks through the door frame and sees a familiar slender blonde. John watches fascinated for a few minutes as Rose dances. He flinches a few times when she does really flexible things like the splits, reflexively moving his hands towards his groin in protection.
Sometime through the blonde spots him and stops, smiling. "Oh, John. Hello. What brings you here this morning?" Rose turns the CD player off and walks over to him, leaning against the doorframe.
"O-oh, nothing really." He scratches the back of his head, "You dance beautifully Rose! So is this your major?" Rose nods, blue eyes watching him closely. Her eyes flick somewhere over his right shoulder before coming back to him.
"Hey, John? What'cha doin' down here? Sup Rose." John looks between the two and grins widely. Dave shoulders a gym bag on his left arm.
"Hi Dave. I was uh, watching Rose dance. She's amazing!" Dave's smirk stays in place as he walks into the studio and sets his things down next to a ballet barre before shuffling through some things.
"Oh I know she is," Dave comes back over and hands John a clear, shiny disk. "That's some of my work. Listen to it. Maybe it'll inspire you." John's smile widens as he takes it.
"Wow, thanks! Here, as a small token of my gratitude you can have my apple juice." John passes over the bottle and Dave gives the smallest flicker of a real smile.
"Thanks omelet face." Rose snickers as Dave turns and walks away.
"Well that's as nice he gets." John joins Rose in quiet laughter. "Actually, do you maybe want to stick around and watch us?" Rose stands upright, straightening her pants.
"Actually I think I'm going to go talk to Calliope some more about the pieces. I'll see you later Rose. And here, can you give this to Dave? Tell him I say thanks again if you could." John hands her the apple and waves goodbye and jogs away, heading towards Calliope's office.
\/\/\/\/\/
Rose watches as John jogs away, bag and dark hair flopping against him. She looks at the smooth, red apple in her hand and turns. She walks over to the mirrors and stands still.
"So what have you got there witch face?" Dave peeks over Rose's shoulder at the apple.
"John wants to thank you again. I'm sure he'd be happy if you ate it David." Rose hands Dave the apple and moves over to a barre to stretch again.
Dave looks from the apple to the mirrors where his reflection stands holding the apple. He swallows and looks at the apple again and sighs.
"Alright, but only because my dork mentee would piss himself if I threw it away." Dave takes a bite and salivates as the sweet juice fills his mouth. It's distinctly different from aj considering not having been processed and pumped full of sugar, but is still delicious. He warms up, apple in his mouth and taking turns switching hands to hold the apple. When it's only a core he tosses it in the waste basket and moves beside Rose to choreograph their dance.
At a quarter til ten, Dave changes into more comfortable - and less sweaty - regular clothes and heads to music composition. Rose stays for her dance class.
\/\/\/\/\/
After John walks to Calliope's office and doesn't find her he decides to go wait near his first class. Once there, and comfortable on the floor, he pulls out his laptop and the disk Dave gave him. He digs through his bag and finds a set of headphones and puts them on before popping the disk into the CD tray. A box pops up and he clicks yes as it loads the CD.
At first he's not sure if it's not working because of the silence and is about to eject the disk when a loud percussion starts. He's a little startled, but leans back and closes his eyes as he lets the music cover his mind in a heavy bass and percussion.
John ends up listening to the entire CD, nearly asleep against the wall and is on his second time around when something hits the bottom of his shoe. Jerking upright, he glares at the assailant to find Mr. Dave Strider himself. He pauses the music and looks up.
"Yeah?" Dave looks at him a moment longer before crouching down with the hint of a smirk on his lips.
"You looked like a puddle of gelatinous mush. Thought maybe you had died of overwhelming eargasm or something." John snorts and puts his laptop away.
"You wish, Dave." He stands up and cuffs the blond's arm lightly. "Oh! Did you get the apple?" They both start walking towards the room.
"Yeah I ate it. Thanks, by the way." John grins widely.
"No problem. It's the least I could do." He pokes Dave's ribs and earns a slapped wrist. "Besides you're so skinny. How do you not blow away with the wind?" Dave snorts this time and gives him a pointed look behind his shades.
"Because my level of cool holds me down, egg head." John rolls his eyes as they walk into the room. A few people are there but not many.
"So Dave," he hums as he searches for a good seat, "why do you always wear shades inside?" Dave flops down into a seat and leans his head back revealing a large Adam's apple.
"Because my eyes are sensitive to light."
"Oh...okay." John sits down next to him and mimics his movements, leaning his head back. It's peaceful like that, although John wants to ask something but can't remember what it was, so they sit in relative silence.
"Alright bulge-brains, sit down and calm yourselves. If you're not here speak now." There's silence in the room so Mr. Vantas continues. "Has everyone decided on partners or solo work?" Everyone nods. "Good because here comes the fun part of the next two weeks. I'm going to teach you the histories of many genres and you can't do anything. Wonderful." A few people groan near the back. Mr. Vantas gives an acknowledging nod. "I know, I don't like it either. But because of class requirements I have to."
John runs a hand through his hair and grins. "Wow, so much fun." He nudges Dave's knee, his head still resting on the seat, with his own. Dave seems to give him a look and sits up.
"Oh yeah, so much fun. It's just baller. I don't know how I didn't merely explode from the amount of fun that this class induced last year. You aren't even prepared for the hella party that is about to happen because this part is just. So. Fun." Dave's eyebrows make an appearance above his shades, the corners of his mouth seem held at the slightest angle in an upward twitch.
John rolls his eyes and sits back in his seat. "I understand Dave, and my body is so ready." He chuckles lightly.
"Hey, freshman." John stiffens at the loud voice. Mr. Vantas stares straight at him, arms crossed over his chest. "Try to get this through your thick, sludge filled brain, but I am talking. So you aren't." The teacher glares at him. John can't help it, the nervousness causes him to start giggling worriedly. "Oh, you think this is funny?" John shakes his head until the world spins, hand clamped over his mouth, eyebrows furrowed.
Mr. Vantas turns and facepalms. John leans over his knees trying to stop laughing.
"Wow, I haven't seen him do that yet." Dave glances between the two and folds his arms, leaning back nonchalant.
"Dave! Shut up." The fit slowly subsides. "Oh my god." John peeks up to see the presumably Iranian glaring at him. He ducks his head and groans. "I'm so dead."
The rest of the class goes by relatively smooth. Or at least John doesn't cause anymore ridiculous disruptions. Afterwards, he and Dave walk together to go get lunch.
"So Egbert, have you listened to the CD?" John nods and pulls Dave towards a place to get a sandwich and coffee.
"Yeah, right before class actually. I liked it. You have many styles Mr. Strider." John waggles his eyebrows with a warm laugh. Dave gives him a slightly amused smirk and follows him as he grabs a tray and piles it with food.
"Well did you find anything you particularly liked?" John pays for the food and allows Dave to pick where to go to sit.
"Well, uh, I don't know if it was yours...but yesterday I saw someone dancing in the studio and well there was some music playing that was like a mix of electronics and classical and just," his face warms some as he tries to convey how right the music had sounded, how great it had seemed, "I really liked how it sounded." Dave turns his head over his shoulder and watches him for a moment, hint of a smile on his features.
"Yeah that was my work." Dave sits at the same spot at the window. "So that's the style you liked? Alright. I can do that. So what's your schedule after school? I'd like to show you something." John sets the tray down between them and pushes one of the sandwiches towards Dave.
"You aren't allergic to turkey or mustard are you?" John gives a smile as Dave takes it.
"No, uh thanks egg tart." John gives him a funny look. "So, would you be able to meet up with me tonight for something?" The noirette hums and takes his own sandwich, nodding.
"Sure thing, Dave." He unwraps it and takes a bite. "What's this place supposed to be hm?" Dave mimics him and takes a bite of sandwich.
"Surprise. But be sure to look nice." John takes that as a final answer and continues eating. They eat in their own silence, only speaking occasionally.
o-o-o-o-o
"So he wants to show you something? After school, and alone?" Rose plucks at her violin strings as she speaks.
"Don't say it like that! Makes it sound like he's going to murder me or something." John shivers. Rose moves her blue eyes over to him and laughs.
"I don't mean it in that way, John. Although, I have a feeling I know where he's going to have you go. Perhaps you'll see me tonight." She gives him a wink and walks away to go practice on a piece. John stays where he is, blinking until he's called by someone.
o-o-o-o-o
John goes back to his dorm later that evening, waiting for Dave to contact him. As he waits he paces a bit, reads, then paces again. He's not sure what he's all worked up about, just that he's nervous. He runs a hand through his hair to make sure it's not being obnoxious like always. Checks and straightens his tie for the thousandth time, tucks his shirt in and pulls it back out to repeat the process. God, he's worked up and tense. Hell he'd only known Dave two days, for all he knows the blond could be a serial murderer and he's next.
He shakes his head and sits on his bed, turning on his phone screen for anything. When it rings loudly in his hand he jumps with a yelp. Before he can be startled any further he answers it.
"Yo, I'll be up there in about two minutes." And hangs up. John stares at the phone for another moment before dashing around his room to find his things. Phone? Check. Wallet? Check. Glasses? Wait, where did he put his glasses? He searches frantically under his pillow and bedware before getting onto his knees and checking before his bed. He's nearing a breakdown when the loud knock comes from the door.
John takes a deep breath and stands, righting his clothes, and dusts his hands off before opening the door. He gives a cheesy grin hoping that Dave won't notice how flustered he is, instead giving a warm greeting.
"Wow, you look, really nice." Dave gives a satisfactory nod, giving him a good once over from behind dark shades. "You got everything?" The blond taps on his own phone, still standing just outside of the dorm as John gives a defeated look.
"Can't find my glasses." He frowns at Dave, who looks up at him and snorts, pointing at his jacket. He looks down to see his glasses hanging off of his collar. "Oh, thanks. I'm such a doof sometimes." John gives a warm smile and steps out of the room, shutting and locking the door behind him. "I'm ready now."
"This a-way my man." Dave turns and starts walking down the hall, pausing long enough for John to get into step with him. He leads them through the building and outside to a sleek black car.
"Wow...is this yours?" The blond nods and opens the passenger door for him. "Thanks." He waits as Dave walks around to the other side of the car and gets in as well.
"Uh, yeah. I've had her for a while now. You like her?" John nods, eyes roaming the nice interior of the car.
"So where are we going?" He looks at his mentor.
"Oh, you'll see." The car ride is relatively quiet. The radio seems to be playing some sort of country station quietly and he looks over every so often to see Dave's lips moving in time with the near silent beat. A small smile graces his lips when his mentor looks over at him with a single, thin eyebrow arched over his shades. He doesn't respond but looks out of the window, smile in place the rest of the way.
When Dave finally slows the car, he pulls into an alley and for a brief moment John is almost certain he really is about to be murdered. The blond parks in a small parking lot behind a building that leads to a library and a small shop for crafts and supplies for witch craft.
"So...this is it?" He turns to look at Dave confusedly.
"No. We're going to have to walk a little. I figured you wouldn't mind too much. Or do you want me to drive us closer?" John shakes his head and smiles.
"It's fine, we can walk. It's a nice night anyway." Dave smiles back at him and opens his door to step out. John follows suit and breathes in the crisp air with delight. He meets Dave at the back of the car and falls into step with him back out towards the street.
"So what exactly are we doing? Is it dangerous?" His mentor looks at him and snorts.
"No, John, we are not doing anything dangerous. I think you'll like it." John frowns at the little extra information on their destination and looks around at the unfamiliar setting as they walk. A few minutes later Dave is pulling him by his elbow and walking into a building, leading him up a flight of large, winding stairs.
The place is huge and is built with rolling arches and deep, vibrant hues. Dave ushers them over to a large doorway, showing the person standing there something in his pocket and whispering something before leading them in.
For a moment it's dark and that feeling that maybe he's about to lose his skin or some organs resurfaces. But a dim light comes on soon enough and he notices that they're in a theatre, a really large theatre. Dave leads then towards the side and what, he's being led up more stairs to a box and wow, the view.
"Holy...Dave, it's so nice up here." The blond grins at him and points to a seat.
"I don't usually take anyone to these but I thought it'd be a nice bonding moment." Dave sits as well, grin on his features. "And it'll give you an opportunity to see just what I do, Rose as well." The blond leaves it as that and soon enough the curtains open to reveal a large group of people in colorful outfits who begin to dance. There's a live orchestra as well and John can't help it when he leans just barely over the balcony to look down at them and watch the conductor.
"Wow...this is great." He ends up staying right there like that to watch the show as it continues, alternating from watching the orchestra to leaning back and watching the dancers. Soon though, he spots Rose in a striking purple outfit and dancing at the head of the stage and an familiar tune plays.
John leans back again and looks at Dave with wide eyes. "This is, your music?" He raises his eyebrows and looks back at the stage to Rose.
"Yeah. Me and Rose do a lot of work together, whether it be the choreography or the music or even both. And this is from our summer piece. We're already working on the one we're doing this spring." John watches amazed.
"It's beautiful. All of it." He grins widely. "I'm glad I got you as a mentor." Dave's features seem to soften for a moment and he nods at John.
"Yeah, I'm glad I got you John. I think I'll rather enjoy you as my mentee." Dave cuffs John lightly on the shoulder as a comfortable silence falls on them.
o-o-o-o-o
"But I don't wanna be left alone with your car! What if someone tries to kidnap me or something?" John stands, arms crossed over his chest as Dave tells him to head back to the car while he goes and talks to Rose.
"No one is going to kidnap you John." He gives a steely scowl and Dave sighs, rubbing his eyes under his shades. "Alright, alright. Fine, you can come with me." John gives a triumphant grin and follows the blond backstage. They find Rose rather quickly who's completely changed into ordinary clothes already and holding a bouquet of flowers.
"David, John, what a pleasant surprise." Rose gives a sultry grin and looks between the two of them. "Did you enjoy the show?" John grins and waves.
"Oh yeah, you were great Rose! Beautiful."
"Yeah, great. Although Mr. High And Mighty could've done better on your last lift." Rose rolls her eyes and pats John on the shoulder, who looks mortified and rather offended by Dave's comment.
"It's okay John, that's his way of showing affection." Dave crosses his arm and sinks his weight onto a single hip.
"If you say so. But I wanted to ask if you'd like dinner or something? I'm feeling rather gracious towards our star tonight." Rose hums and runs a hand through her hair.
"No, I'm quite fine thank you. Why not take John?" She looks at him then. "I'm sure he's hungry." She looks him over. "Probably couldn't eat because he was too nervous about tonight. I'll eat out with you some other time alright?" Rose kisses each of them on the cheek with a nod and walks off.
Dave turns to look at him, straightening himself out. "Are you hungry?"
As if on some cue his stomach makes a small noise of hunger and he blushes. "Maybe just a little bit. You don't have to take me to get anything though. I can find something back at the dorms I'm sure." The blond shakes his head and grabs John's sleeve.
"Come on, I'm taking you out for a proper dinner." John doesn't object as he follows Dave back outside into the cool evening. They walk in silence down the sidewalk together. "You allergic to anything, Eggnog?" John wrinkles his nose at the name.
"Just peanuts. I'm deathly allergic to peanuts." His mentor nods and leads them down the alley to his car.
"Alright. I've got a place in mind. You up for pizza?" He nods as they climb into the car, his stomach making more obscene noises. "Damn, we better hurry before you die or something." Dave grins widely and starts the car. To John's ultimate surprise, the blond pulls out at a ridiculous speed and gets onto the road before speeding down it like the hounds of hell were after them.
"Christ, Dave slow down!" Dave laughs and speeds up more until, yet again, John is pretty sure it's all just a ploy to kill him. Finally though, Dave does slow down and parks up by the sidewalk. He glares at him and punches his arm.
"Ow, what was that for?" Dave rubs his arm with an exaggerated pout.
"For plotting to kill me." He grumbles under his breath and gets out of the car before any more shenanigans can ensue. Dave follows him chuckling under his breath. John ends up stopping a few yards away on the sidewalk not knowing where to go. Dave puts a hand on his back and leads him to a small little pizza place on the corner that's warm inside and smells of cooking dough and meats.
"Sit your booty down over there in one of those plush booths and wait your little self while I order something you'll love." John rolls his eyes and goes to sit in a booth, tapping his fingers against the table and studying the restaurant.
He ends up watching Dave, leaning against a counter talking to a girl with a bunch of hair and deep dimples, bright lipstick and impressive makeup. He almost envies the curls of her hair and finds himself comparing hers to Dave's. But then the blond turns around, pointing to him with a grin and John maybe blushes just a little. But his heart surely doesn't speed up just a little.
John stares at the table after that until Dave sits down across from him.
"Alright, it's cookin'. You'll love this. Check it, it's got a shit ton of cheese and meat, some vegetables and garlic. It's heaven." Dave grins and he grins back. "So John, tell me about you." He chews the inside of his cheek and shrugs.
"What d'you wanna know? Like I mean, I grew up in Washington. I'm pretty sure it was a ball of accidental and lucky that I actually got accepted here. You?" Blond eyebrows find their ways above dark shades again that night.
"Uh, well I grew up in Texas with my bro. Mm, I guess he's probably mostly why I'm here. I'm sure he pulled some strings. And Rose too, she got here before me so I'm sure she put in a good word for me. I'm really just a dick." Dave laughs.
"Yeah maybe." The blond scoffs and John cracks up. "I'm just kidding. I don't even know you that well yet."
"Nope. So, you and Rose seem acquainted already. Word of advice, don't get caught up in her schemes. She's a flighty broad like them all." John raises an eyebrow.
"What? That doesn't even make any sense. Besides, Rose seems cool. And she's really pretty and dances well and all of that." His mentor gives a blank face.
"John."
"What?"
"Am I pretty John? Tell me I'm pretty. I refuse to let Rose beat me in being prettier." John laughs confusedly and Dave leans forward, "I hear she's not even a natural blond if you get what I'm sayin."
"Oh my god, Dave you are positively the biggest jackass I know." Dave harumphs and slouches in his seat. John rolls his eyes and sighs. "Fin-e, you're pretty. Pretty lousy at being 'cool'." He starts laughing hard, gasping for air every few seconds.
"You, John, are a dickhole. Just a dickhole. You are tiny and semen and piss come out of you. Just stop." John starts laughing even harder and has to put his head on the table as not to die. Dave stays slouched and completely unamused. "You don't deserve my delicious meaty pizza you hobo." John sits up and holds his stomach, a dampness around his eyes as he breaks down further.
Once he's finally calmed he wipes his eyes and glares at Dave who shrugs. Then a boy with a partially shaved head and round eyes comes out with a pizza and sets it in front of them.
"Finally." Dave sits up and gives a thumbs up to the guy before pulling off a piece and stuffing nearly half of it into his mouth. John pokes at a slice before tearing it from the rest of the pizza and taking a bite. The blond gives him a face.
"It's good, it's good. Keep your panties up Strider." That earns him a long middle finger in his direction and he pushes it down into the pizza with a smirk. Dave takes his now pizza covered hand back and looks offended.
"I'll get you for that you little shit." John sticks out his tongue and continues eating. After they've both finished eating the first piece, John proposes an eating contest.
o-o-o-o-o
"Oh my god, John wake up." He swats lazily at the voice and curls onto his side. Dave taps his fingers against the roof of the car and groans. "Passing out after I took you to the theater and I fed you." Dave rolls his eyes and unbuckles John. His stomach grumbles from all of the food in it and yeah, he's going to have to get rid of that. He eyes John's sleeping form. He's also going to have to work on not giving in to John proposing food contests, or any food in general. Dave leans into the car and hoists John onto weak legs, ushering them towards the building and shutting the car door behind them.
Somehow they make it up to John's dorm with minimal casualties (the damn plant wouldn't get out of the way of a dumbass and a mostly asleep jackass. Too many asses in one place) and he rouses John again.
"Wha? Wha d'you wan?" John rests his head against Dave's shoulder and slumps a bit further. Dave huffs.
"Do you have your keys on you?" John doesn't respond and Dave growls. He ends up searching John's person until he finds the keys, of course they're in John's back pocket, which sparks the question of how the fuck he sat on them all night without getting a key in the ass.
The door swings open easily and Dave hustles them into it before allowing John to face plant onto the bed he suspects is his. Luckily the noirette seems content with it. Dave looks around for a moment and looks at a few of the things sitting around before resting his eyes on the sleeping guy in front of him. His chest fills with a strained fondness and endearment to the kid.
With a sigh he kneels and unties John's shoes and tugs them off to set on the floor. He also takes the noirette's glasses off and places them on the bedside table. John mumbles in his sleep as a line of drool finds its way down the corner of his mouth and Dave is tempted to take a picture for safe keep. Instead, he ends up tugging some of the covers onto John and leans down to place a kiss to the back of his head in a mess of hair before leaving the room and heading towards his own place.