Here we go again :) more teenage shennanigans and teenJoe is a little shit xD I imagine this is part of why his adult self sometimes calls Cherry princess xD

Enjoy yourselves with this little darling and tell me what you thought about it :)

Love

Hatysa Black

8.

A few nights later another letter arrives and Adam doesn't pocket it like usual but just opens it with Hedwig perched on his shoulder and starts reading. Joe and Cherry considerate as they are try to give him some privacy by continuing with practicing their tricks but he can see that at least Joe is shooting him curious glances every now and then. With every word he reads his smile grows a little.

In the past letters she'd told him about a tournament happening at her school, about schools from France and Bulgaria coming to visit for the tournament, of her name being drawn as a champion in the tournament and being forced to compete even though she hadn't entered it not wanting to compete at all, of her friend Ron shunning her for the percieved betrayal and her friend Hermione distancing herself so she wouldn't get drawn into the spat - he couldn't say he liked how her friends treated her but he also thought she was downplaying it and hurting enough and he didn't want to upset her any further.

She'd also told him of the first task being shrouded in mystery and happening at the end of November and now shortly before the task she was mildly panicking over the Yuleball that had been announced, that she had to dance at least the opening dance when she neither knew how to dance nor wanted to take any of the boys she knew as her date to the ball. Her admittance that she missed him and would've liked if he could come as her date had him almost grinning smugly and something warm settled comfortably in his chest.

Sadly, according to her, him actually visiting for the Yuleball would be impossible because the school didn't allow outsiders onto its grounds which was just sensible but that didn't matter as much as the simple fact she wanted him there. And at least he might be able to help with her other problem. Ballroom dancing had been part of his education as a child after all. Though who to ask to pose as his dancepartner so he could record the whole thing, watch and then write the steps of the female part out for her?

'Ne, Cherry, do you know how to ballroom dance?', he asks out of the blue. It's far fetched but he'd rather ask his friends just to be sure before he approaches a dancing teacher that just might tell back to his father. Though maybe, if he phrased it as a request for a refresher of his own dancing skills so he doesn't disgrace himself at the galas he'll surely have to attend in the future - high society life and a career in politics that his family has been grooming him for for years make attending galas kind of inevitable - might just work as an emergency plan.

He almost misses how his sudden question startles Cherry so badly that he slips off his board if it weren't for Joe's snicker drawing his attention. Cherry for some unfathomable reason is bright red in the face and glaring daggers at Joe.

'Shut up.', Cherry hisses at his childhood friend and Adam has the distinct feeling he is missing something here. Something that seems to be at least mildly entertaining if Joe's amusement is anything to go by.

'Why? You made such a pretty princess. Though your attitude probably deserved the title tyrant more.', Joe snickers and when Cherry somehow goes even redder Adam can't help his curiosity rearing it's head. This sounds like a good story.

'Hm? Now I need the rest of that story.', he says and in a flash Cherry is back on his feet still bright red and trying to wrestle with Joe to hold the greenhaired boys mouth shut. Naturally he is doomed to fail with his slightly smaller and more slender frame and they end up in some odd kind of embrace with Cherry's arms pinned to Joe's chest and his face burning bright red in embarrassment. Curiously Adam notes that neither of the other boys seems to be uncomfortable with the position they are in and Cherry seems to have resigned himself to his fate of Joe unearthing an embarrassing story about him.

'Back in our first year of middle school Kaoru joined the theater club. I have no idea why he did but when Culture Festival came around the theater club prepared a rendition of some western fairy tail and the club as a collective voted for Kaoru to play the princess. He accepted-'

'You fucking baited me into accepting!'

'Anyway, Kaoru accepted the role and there was this last scene at a ball where the princess was supposed to finally get her prince with a dance and a kiss. Kaoru vetoed the kiss but he was a goddamn tyrant when it came to making sure the dance scene was as perfect as it could be. I think I heard a few members of the theater club moaning about his perfectionism and tyranny for weeks after the Culture Festival and if I remember correctly they kicked him out of the club after the festival but watching him dance across that stage in a goddamn dress was glorious. I think I still have photos of that somewhere. I could try to find them if you want.', Joe finishes the story with a shiteating grin. Adam can't help the little chuckle that escapes him when Cherry hisses a 'You will NOT bring out those photos.' and the two descend into bickering and childish name-calling.

'I need you to dance with me, Cherry.', he breaks up their bickering startling them both into staring at him and he can see a mild flush returning to Cherry's cheeks.

'W-why? And what... uhm what about your friend? Gem?', Cherry stammers clearly flustered by the request while Joe curiously looks from one of them to the other and back.

'This is for Gem. She has to attend a Yuleball at her school and doesn't know how to dance. I want to record the steps so I can write them out for her.', he explains and while Cherry's flush doesn't vanish entirely it recedes and he seems a little more accepting of the idea.

'She has to attend a ball? What kind of school throws balls? And are you okay with that? She'll be dancing with another boy. Or are you planning to somehow sneak in so you can be her date?', Joe blurts out a somewhat weary expression on his face and Adam shakes his head no.

'She says she'd rather have me as her date but that it's impossible because schoolpolicy doesn't allow strangers onto school grounds and I don't even know the school's name nevermind where it is so I could sneak in. As for her dancing with another boy I'll try not to think about it. But as long as she enjoys herself and nothing grows from that Yuleball I should be fine.', he admits and he knows the smile he aims at his friends at the end is too strained and has too much of a sharp edge and teeth to it to really be reassuring.

'Okay. But only our feet. I don't want to see my face or anything that could make me recognizable on that recording.', Cherry suddenly agrees aiming a mild glare at Adam that is further ruined by the blush still on his cheeks and Adam chuckles warmly.

'You'll have to tell that to Joe. Considering we'll be the ones dancing he'll have to do the recording.', Adam tells him already anticipating the mayhem that is going to follow. True to his expectation Cherry's blush returns full force and he turns slowly to Joe growling his name and glaring daggers. Joe for his part only grins an absolutely unholy grin before he jumps onto his board and flees all the while laughing, Cherry hot at his heels. With a fond smile at their retreating backs Adam shoots them a quick text before he makes his way home.