#she's still a ballet dancer

[percentstardust]

does is make sense to head canon my five hundred year old stuck in the body of a fourteen year old vampire as autistic? i am asking for a friend.

[good-beanswrites]

My last post made me want to spin the ballet au to suit the general cast, keeping Es as the protagonist 🩰

I don't have art for this one but I still got a bit carried away with the details LOL This definitely leans more into a sweet fix-it :3

The story would open with Es waking up in the medical room of Milgram Dance Academy, a very small and isolated school. Es is told they suffered a bad head injury during a performance, resulting in amnesia. Their instructor (Jackalope. Make this work however you wish.) tells them not to worry about it, and to focus on their dancing for now. Es feels a pressing responsibility to stay and rehearse, so they agree.

Jackalope tells them they must understudy several roles while recovering, not ready to jump into things right away. They're grateful, since they're struggling with their identity and expression without their memories.

The first student they are directed to is a shy and lanky dancer by the name of Haruka. They study under him as the role of a graceful, melancholic swan. They watch the choreography in general, and it looks nice enough. Es proceeds to spend several rehearsals with him, talking and bonding and learning he has a bit more going on than meets the eye. They try to offer help as he admits to familial issues, self esteem questions, and comments about sibling jealousy. In turn, he teaches Es to mimic some of his powerful emotions. At the end of their time together, they both perform for their class in full costume and staging. Now, Es understands each move with a deeper understanding than their initial look at the steps.

Next, they’re sent to meet the bubbly girl playing Juliet and begin the process anew. This continues to make a total of ten roles. Some of the dancers take the sessions kindly, while others are brash, secretive, or just confusing.

After rehearsing with Kotoko and learning to understand her determination and confidence, Es is sent back to Haruka, who has moved onto a new show and new role. They’re shocked to discover that their words to each dancer – always well-intentioned – had caused some issues backstage. Now, there are rivalries and changes in stage presence. While experiencing stress (that Es has inadvertently caused,) some were distracted in rehearsal and got injured. Es must take on the interpersonal issues as well as the choreography challenges.

I don’t have all the roles down and was trying to stick to well-known shows anyway, but I think I’d want Muu to be the Sugar Plum Fairy, Kazui to be Albrecht from Giselle, and Amane to be Clara. I wanted to keep them traditionally gendered to prove there are plenty of roles for men, but I can’t help but have Odette/Odile thoughts for T1 Mikoto ;-;

Like the other post, I'm equally tempted to have the dancers performing ballet adaptations of the mvs 👀 I want to see. Bee tutu. Doctor coat costume. Marching band tutu. AKAA mismatched look. The backgrounds. The music. The choreo. So many cool possibilities...

As a sweet au, it all ends with everyone better for having met one another. Es is cast in a solo performance, combining everything they've learned both emotionally and technically from the others. They feel satisfied with their sense of identity, and shine onstage ✨️✨️✨️

[transmandayoung]

the possible reasons for Abigail choosing ballet to fixate on are holding my attention something fierce. there's something there to be said about desiring Precise Control (Over Your Movements And Performance,) the way so many children who do ballet tend to fall behind developmentally from their peers, partially related to the high prevalence of eating disorders, the ways you can improvise and work in Newer Stuff while still remaining under the Strict Rules Of Ballet, the way she probably watched the sport Develop in real time, the way she's eternally stuck pre-pubescent, which is when some argue ballerinas are at their peak... there's just a lot there to be said and I cannot get sufficient words out to express it all

[fonteyn]

Watching Marianela Nunez rehearse Balanchine's Diamonds pas de deux was absolutely insane!!!!!!! No one does it like her!!!!!! Her technique and musicality are unmatched. She looks like she's enjoying herself, like everything is coming naturally, like nothing else in the world would make her happier. It's DIVINE.

[oedonchapeldweller]

why does mercy get a 3rd winter wonderland skin but widowmaker still has that skiing skin

[misstycloud]

[Yandere.Rich man x ballerina reader]

(I don’t actually know much about ballet so forgive me if things are incorrect!)

—————

Rich. Yandere who was pestered by his friend and his wife to join them at the opera house and enjoy a performance. The couple had asked him numerous times before but he’d always declined. He was a workaholic and didn’t have any other commitments, so there was no need to break his routine. Although he would never admit it to anyone- he barely does to himself- he often find himself imagining a different life; one where he had a wife to welcome him home every evening. Perhaps a few children too. There was no sound besides himself and the staff in his home, it would be so very nice to hear the noise of running feet and happy chatter echo through the empty halls.

Rich. Yandere who is lonely above all else. His family is dead and he has next to no friends- the only one he has is married and devote all his time to keep him company. He knows that he doesn’t have the best track-record of being the kindest person in the world, and he might not be the friendliest or the most out-going, still, doesn’t he deserve some love too?

Rich. Yandere who eventually give into his friends demand and goes with them to the opera. As they took their seats- the expensive and best ones, of course- his friends wife babble on about her favourite dancer. They were regulars there and had seen many performances. He simply sighed and leaned back into his seat, waiting for the show to begin. He could only hope that it’ll be somewhat enjoyable since he doesn’t like wasting his time.

Rich. Yandere who was prepared for it to be a dreadful 3 hours, rubbing his eyes and suffering from lack of blood-flow in his legs. Oh how wrong he was. Instantly his gaze zoomed into you as soon as you stepped forward from behind the curtain. You were so beautiful and you moved your body gracefully to the music. It was magical. While he knew close to nothing about ballet, he knew that the point of it were for the women to look like they’re floating, and it’s exactly what you were doing.

Rich. Yandere who is instantly enamoured with you. As someone who’s never felt love this was all a brand new experience for him. He asked his friend and his wife if they knew who you were, since they frequent the opera so much. And turns out the wife did know who you were; you were her favourite after all. Rich. Yandere was never close with her or particularly liked her even, but he had to give it to her: she has excellent taste in performers.

Rich. Yandere who starts looking up information regarding you. It’s be your name, age, background, family, where you went to school and where you live. Everything. He also begins donating a lot of money to the opera house. In a short amount of time he’s become their nr.1 funder. The managers and owners are ecstatic at the news! They ask why he’s so generous and he simply answers that he loves culture and thinks it’s important it doesn’t disappear. Then, they wonder if there is anything they can do for him return, to which he smiles in response.

“Well, I do suppose there is one dancer I would be delighted to meet in person.”

Rich. Yandere who you feel uncomfortable around. He is so strange. You were just a normal ballerina, a dancer, no better or worse than anyone before your time. That’s why you can’t fathom the interest this wealthy man has taken in you. You two came form completely different worlds! But what can you do when your bosses not-so-gently urge you to see this man alone? You dont have any other skills and can’t apply to another job if you get fired.

Rich. Yandere who is determined to make you fall for him the way he has fallen for you. He’ll take care of you, love you and protect you. You don’t have to worry about a thing. He will do anything for his love.

“Don’t be scared, just keep on dancing, my little dancer.”

[coldfanbou]

Two Faced

A shorter fic, mostly because the request didn't have too much to go on, but it was the fic that was voted for.

Length 1.6K

Kazuha X Mreader

You watch your little troupe dance, keeping an eye on everyone. They go through their routine, ensuring everyone is in sync and positioned correctly. Nearing the end of it, you begin clapping, “Good job everyone! That’s enough for today; you can all head home. I’ll clean up around here today.” They thank you, patting your back as you pass them. “Thanks, Dad,” They joke, annoying you. “I’m like five years older than you guys,” The women take their time leaving, chatting amongst each other while you grab the cleaning supplies.

While most of the other women were talking to each other, one looked your way, Kazuha. The quiet dancer gripped her bag as it clung over her shoulder. She stepped forward, about to make her way to you when another student stopped her. “Kazuha, Do you have any plans today?” She asked; more students began to surround Kazuha, formulating a plan for all of them to go clubbing later. The others overshadowed her voice until she finally managed to catch their attention.

“I’m sorry, but I want to get some more practice in before our show,” Kazuha announced to the others, much to their disappointment. They understood Kazuha; they knew she was dedicated to ballet. Slowly, the other women filed out; Kazuha watched them leave, waving to them as she placed her bag back on the floor. While waiting until the room was empty, Kazuha gathered her courage and walked over to you. “Excuse me,”

You turn around to face her, “Yeah? Did you need something?”

“I-um,” Kazuha stumbles on her words, growing more embarrassed as time passes. She had practiced what she wanted to say at home, but nothing was coming out. 

“Why don’t you take a seat and tell me when you can figure out what you want to say?” You drag a seat out of the closet and place it next to the door. Kazuha sits on it, trying to come up with the words while you mop the floor. You glance at her occasionally, gauging if she’s figured out what she wants to say. “You know you’re doing really well, Kazuha.”

Kazuha shakes her head, “No, I still have a lot of work to do.”

“You’re far too focused on ballet. Don’t get me wrong, Kazuha, I like your dedication to it, but sometimes you need to take a break and try something new. It can help you when you come back.” 

Kazuha sighs, her chest deflating as she lets out a long exhale. “There’s been one thing on my mind.”

“Oh, yeah? What?”

“I, um,” Kazuha’s face gets warmer as she tries again to explain herself. “I-it’s sex.”

“Oh, alright, that’s good.” You say that without realizing what Kazuah said. It takes a second, but the words register with you soon enough. “What?” You turn to Kazuha, who is leaning forward in her chair and gripping the edges of her seat.

“Teacher, I want you,” Kazuha admits, one of her hands shifting from her chair to her cunt, rubbing it through her leotard. She moves the straps of her leotard off her shoulders and stands slowly.

“Hold on there, Kazuha. I’m flattered, but-”

Kazuha kisses you, taking your hands and moving them to her waist as she wraps her arms around your neck, “I want you to ruin me, Daddy. I’m not the good girl everyone thinks I am.” She whispers, her lips lingering on yours before she presses her lips against yours. The flowery scent of her perfume floods your nostrils, and your grip grows stronger. Kazuha stumbles a few steps back; her back hits the wall. Kazuha’s breathy moan floats through the air as she feels your hands dig into her. She ran one hand down your body, reaching your crotch. Kazuha rubbed it slowly, feeling your bulge grow. Her fingers fumbled with your pants, and her breathing quickened. She was ready to be taken. Kazuha quickly pulled out your cock, stroking it. She could hardly keep her eyes off it; she licked her lips, desperate for it. Kazuha dropped to her knees, unable to resist it any longer. She opened her mouth wide, sticking her tongue out and rubbing it along the sides of your shaft. “It’s better than I imagined.” Kazuha groans, continuing to lap at it.

You look down at her; if someone had asked you if you could imagine Kazuha like this, you would’ve said no. She had a lustful look on her face as she wrapped her lips around your cock. She bobbed her head slowly, moaning as her tongue swirled around the tip. “You’re so big, Daddy.” Kazuha mumbles, beginning to take more of your cock. Kazuha opens her mouth wide, letting you push your length fully inside her. You struggled to resist Kazuha and began moving your hips. She could only moan as you ran your hands through her hair and began thrusting, moaning her name. Saliva ran down her chin as she took every thrust. Kazuha was enjoying your treatment of her. She moved her leotard to the side and began fingering herself, imagining your cock was fucking her instead of her fingers. She pulled down her leotard as much as she could with her other hand and toyed with her breasts, rolling her nipple between her thumb and finger. 

Your cock began to throb as you watched the angelic Kazuha act like nothing more than a slut. You couldn’t hold on, and came down her throat without warning her. Kazuha struggled at first, being caught off guard, but she recovered. The young woman swallowed every drop of your cum. She pulled her head back slowly, grabbing onto your shaft with both hands and kissing the tip before thanking you. She looked up at you with a pleased look on her face. She slowly rose to her feet and walked over to the bar the dancers used at the beginning of class. She bent over, shaking her hips from side to side and moving her leotard out of the way. “I need you to fuck me, Daddy. I want to feel you inside me.” Kazuha made sure to look at you as she said this. She arched her back and waited for you.

You moved behind her, staring at her reflection in the mirror as you pushed inside her tight cunt. Her lips formed an O, but no sound came out. As you continued to push deeper, her voice was finally heard; a loud moan filled the room as you filled her. Kazuha could feel your cock stretching her cunt, filling her better than any of the toys she had at home. “Shit, Daddy, keep going.” She cried, gripping the railing tightly as you continued to push deeper. Once you were finally buried inside her, Kazuha began moving, pressing her ass against you while calling your name. “Fuck me up, Daddy. Fuck me up.” She repeated. You didn’t resist and began thrusting into the young woman, having little care at this point.

You slam yourself deep into Kazuha, letting her fill the room with her moans. She looks at herself in the mirror, smiling as she sees the reflection. The sight of her small body being pounded further turned her on. She reaches down, playing with her clit as you continue your thrusts. You held onto Kazuha’s waist, pulling her back as you rammed your cock into her. Nearing your climax, you began moving faster; Kazuha’s legs began growing weak as you pushed her toward her climax. Kazuha’s cried out when she came, and you had to hold her up. 

Still not entirely done, you turned Kazuha over, having her face you. You moved one of her legs onto your shoulder before lifting the other and lifting her off the ground. Kazuah held onto the railing and leaned back against the mirror, eyeing you as you began to thrust again. 

Kazuha looked down, seeing a bulge move as you slid your cock in and out of her. She pressed down on it with one hand, moaning as she realized it was your cock. She continued to press down on it, reveling in the feeling of your cock inside her. “Daddy, I want you to cum inside me,” She moaned. You grunted, feeling her walls tighten around your cock. Kazuha repeated herself, her moans continuing to flow as she pleaded for your cum. You buried yourself inside Kazuha, moaning her name as you filled her cunt with your semen. You gripped her firmly, refusing to let go until you had finished dumping your load inside her. Kazuha shuts her eyes, focusing on the warmth in her womb as you pull out and put her down. Her legs are still weak, and Kazuha falls to the floor. 

“Shit, let me help you up.” Kazuha waves you off and grabs your softening shaft. She wraps her lips around it, her tongue gathering every drop of cum. Kazuha smiled, able to taste herself on your cock. She bobbed her head until she finally cleaned you off, letting your cock go with a pop. You help Kazuha get up on her feet afterward and help her to the chair. The young woman grabs your cock again, stroking it slowly.

“That was nice, Daddy, but I want you to really fuck me up.” Kazuha pauses, trying to figure out how to continue. “Why don’t we keep this between us? After every class, you get to fuck me as much as you want. You must be stressed watching us perform and try to get ready for our performances. You can let out all that stress on me.” Kazuha leans down, taking the head of your cock into her mouth. “Or in me.” She adds, swirling her tongue around the tip. 

You and Kazuha worked out the details but generally agreed. You would fuck her after every class, giving her exactly what she wanted. She kept her angelic and pure image to her classmates, but the moment they were gone, she let her slutty side out for you.

[woso-dreamzzz]

Injured (Alexia's Version) IV

Alexia Putellas x Teen!Reader

Summary: You need perfection

TW: eating disorder, self-destructive thoughts, unhealthy thoughts about weight and size, self-harm through dance

There's a reason the ballerina body is thought to be unobtainable.

It's because it is.

Even to the dancers.

Perfect feet. Perfect legs. Perfect waist. Perfect stomach. Perfect face and hair.

You didn't have the perfect feet. Your arch wasn't quite perfect. It was close but with the right shoes it looked perfect.

Your legs weren't quite perfect either. You think one of your knees bulges weirdly and one leg is the tiniest bit more muscular than the other. But that can be hidden under your tights.

You don't like your waist or your tummy. You're different to your Mami but you're built a bit like her. She's built like a football player where she doesn't need to care about her waist or her stomach like you did.

You could fix your face with makeup and your hair with product but you couldn't fix your biology. You couldn't fix the way you've developed.

When you were younger and still at ballet school, the older girls passed down one line of wisdom to the younger girls.

If you weren't thin enough to fit between the space of the barre and where it's mounted on the mirror, then you're too fat.

You know now that that's too small of a gap for anyone to fit through without tucking in their tummy to the extreme. You know that now but it's still embedded within you. It still haunts your every step, a looming figure in the shadows that will one day catch up with you.

Some of the other dancers smoke or vape to keep their figures but you took the more classic route.

It was easy to cut breakfast out. A protein bar sufficed as your lunch, maybe a pre-packaged salad as well. You would eat dinner because that was a family meal and, while you were desperately trying to keep your figure, you knew that eating at least one meal a day was good.

It worked like a charm though and soon your stomach shrunk to the point that having one meal a day was all you could stomach.

"Why are you still asleep?" Jaume asks as he throws himself onto your bed," It's nearly dinner."

You groan, poking your head out from your blanket cave. "I was napping. I'm allowed to nap."

You've been napping a lot lately but you're used to that. Whenever you start cutting out meals, you feel the need to nap more to conserve your energy.

"Mami told me to come get you," Jaume replies," Dinner's almost ready."

You pull the covers off before freezing.

"Jaume," You say," Are you wearing your dirty football boots? In my bed?"

He grins. "Yeah."

"Get out!"

"Oh, come on, it was just a joke!"

You smack him in the face with a pillow. "I'm telling Mami!"

He scrambles after you, trying to stop you from making it down the stairs.

"She's lying!" He cries out, skidding to the dinner table just as you arrive.

"Jaume wore his dirty football boots in my bed!" You announce and Alexia sighs.

"Just one day," She says wistfully to Olga," That's all I ask. Just one day of no arguments."

She scolds Jaume lightly over the meal and you pick at your food.

Alexia watches you out of the corner of her eye. This meal is your favourite but you're pecking at it like you're a pigeon.

"How was dance?" She asks.

You shrug, grateful for the opportunity to talk as you push the food around your plate. "Good. I'm going back in after dinner. I'm going to practice my solo."

Olga frowns just like Alexia. "You've been doing that all week. Don't you think you need a break?"

"It won't be for that long," You lie," I want to get it perfect."

Perfection has always been a big part of your life. If you have perfection then you've proven your worth. If you have perfection then you cannot be replaced.

If you perfection in your dancing, in your body, then everything will be good and right in the world.

If you have perfection then you'll never be forgotten again.

Alexia watches you, eyes narrowed before she starts helping Olga clear the table.

"Jaume," You hiss," You want this?" You offer him your plate.

He glanced over to where Olga and Alexia have their backs turned.

"Give."

You scrape the rest of your food onto his plate before getting up quickly.

"I'm heading to the studio," You say.

"I'll drive you," Alexia says.

"I'll walk." You're actually planning to jog. "I want to grab a snack from the store on the way."

There's a reason Mami hasn't found out yet. You've gone back and forth on this for years. Cutting out meals before a performance only to introduce them again a few weeks after. You know exactly how to play her.

It's easy to slip away just like it's easy to dance and dance and dance until your feet ache.

There's something about pointe work that you love. It's a hard discipline. Nobody outright loves it like you do. You don't think they'd understand why you love it.

You love it for the wrong reasons.

You love it because it makes your feet hurt. You love it because it makes you look good even when you're falling apart. You love it because it makes you feel perfect even when you know you're not.

You love it because it's the quickest way to make you bleed.

Your chest rises and falls as you feel your toe pads grow wet with your own blood. Your vision is full of spots and you can barely see yourself in the mirror.

All you can focus on is your next move and the pain in your feet.

All you can do is dance and dance and-

You're on the floor the next time you blink, feeling groggy as your stomach rumbles. You catch sight of yourself in the mirror as you crawl your way over to your bag, shakily unwrapping an energy bar.

You pull off your pointe shoes and toe pads.

This is so normal to you now that you don't even think about the fact that you just blacked out.

You eat your snack, drain down your sports drink and wrap plasters around your bleeding toes as you dial Mami's number.

She picks up quickly, like always. You can imagine her just sitting at home, waiting for your call.

"Bambi?" She asks as soon as she answers," What's up?"

"Can you come and pick me up?" You ask," I'd like to come home now."

Alexia's already grabbing her keys. Her shoes are already on. She's already out the door.

Something's up with you. She knows this. She just doesn't know what it is. But she knows she'll always be ready to pick you up. Always want to bring you home herself.

You look pale and shaky as she pulls up and, like usual after practice, your bare feet are out of your shoes. They're covered in plasters.

"Did you get your snack?" Alexia asks," You look a little pale."

"I did," You reply," I was just dancing a lot."

"Hmm," Alexia says," You know you can talk to me, right? You know you can tell me anything."

"I know," You say.

"Good. Just...Good. You're a good girl, bambi, and I want you to come to me if you need to talk, alright?"

"I know, Mami," You say with an eye roll.

Alexia holds your gaze for a moment before nodding. "Good. Now, your brother wants a milkshake. Do you want anything at the drive through?"

Your tummy rumbles.

"A meal then," Alexia decides before you can protest," A burger I think. Greasy."

You wince. "Mami-"

"You gave half your dinner to Jaume," She says suddenly," I'll split the meal but it's non-negotiable."

It's fine, you think.

So long as you get to practice early tomorrow, you can work it all off.

[corroded-hellfire]

Tiny Dancer - Eddie Munson x Reader

An As You Wish Story

Summary: It’s your daughter Eliza’s first recital and Eddie couldn’t be prouder

Note: This idea came to me and would not leave me alone until I wrote it 💕

Warnings: older!eddie, dad!eddie

Words: 1.9k

[As You Wish masterlist]

“Why did I have to wear a tie?” Luke complains, yanking at his buttoned-up collar. 

Eddie leans forward so he can see Luke around Ryan, who is seated between them.

“Because this is a special occasion. Your sister’s first recital.”

“They’re three-year-olds,” Luke hisses in a whisper, one hand gesturing towards the empty stage. 

“Hey,” Ryan says to his brother, “she cheered louder than anyone for you at your baseball game. You can do this for her.”

Eddie nods at his oldest in thanks. 

Luke turns to you and asks, “Think her hair is still all up in the bun?”

Wrangling your daughter’s dark curls into the ballerina bun on the top of her head had been a massive undertaking. Some spirals were shorter than others, so there were always a few popping out right as you would go to secure the hair with the white bow. It was an immense test of patience to try time and time again all while Eliza became more antsy and less appreciative of you tugging on strands of hair. She ended up with enough hairspray on her little head to make her hair as hard as a helmet. 

“It’s out of my hands now,” you say, wiping your hands and holding them up in defeat. “If Ms. Benson wants to deal with a curl going rogue, that’s on her.”

The lights dim and eight little ballerinas walk onstage, all with hands on their hips, poofy pink tutus flaring out just below them. Their instructor, Ms. Benson, follows them out to make sure they’re all in the spots they should be. 

Eliza is the third ballerina from the left, and she looks so precious you think your heart might burst. Her white tights and ballet slippers somehow aren’t stained even though they’d been in your house longer than forty-eight hours. The pink leotard and tutu give her the regal air of a princess, though that might just be Eliza’s own aura. She’s nothing if not captivatingly glamorous. It looks like all of her unruly curls are still on their best behavior, but it would be hard to see one or two offenders that sprang loose from the audience anyway.

You peek over at Eddie and see him beaming as he looks at your little girl up onstage. He feels your gaze and turns his head to meet your eyes. The pride on his face makes your heart melt against your ribs. Eliza hasn’t even done anything yet and Eddie is over the moon.

“She’s so beautiful,” Eddie whispers.

“Like her dad,” you reply, giving him a wink. 

He playfully rolls his eyes, but you don’t miss the touch of pink that colors his cheeks. Luke puts his hands on his stomach and pretends to gag. Eddie thunks him on the back of the head. 

Ms. Benson finishes her inspection and gives the girls a thumbs up. She scurries off stage, all ballerinas still with hands on hips. None of them can truly stay still, though. A few are swaying, one is twisting from side to side, and Eliza shakes one little leg, her knee bouncing up and down. You’re unsure if it’s due to nerves or anticipation. 

A few moments later, the speakers above the stage crackle to life. The opening notes of music tinkle and the voice of young Shirley Temple singing On The Good Ship Lollipop floats through the air. 

Eliza and her fellow dancers start to move, tapping the slipper on one foot on the stage in front of them, then switching to the other foot. It’s hard to tell what foot they’re all supposed to be on, since it’s split about fifty-fifty with what foot each girl is using. 

On The Good Ship Lollipop

It's a sweet trip to a candy shop

Where bon-bons play

On the sunny beach of Peppermint Bay

Arms go above Eliza’s head as she spins around, little feet stomping around in a small circle rather than spinning on one foot. Once she’s facing forward again, her arms come down to shoulder level and her knees bend and straighten, bend and straighten, as the ballerinas bounce. Again, all girls are going at different times and speeds, so it’s hard to know on which notes they’re supposed to be up or down on. 

Lemonade stands everywhere

Crackerjack bands fill the air

And there you are

Happy landing on a chocolate bar

Next, it’s one hand back on the hip and one hand waving out to the crowd as the dancers rock from side to side. You specifically remember Eliza practicing this move at home and she kept reiterating how her toes needed to be pointed on the foot she wasn’t balancing on. Only two other girls have their toes pointed at the appropriate times, so you can tell they didn’t take this step as seriously as your daughter. 

The moves of the eight tiny dancers are clunky and mismatched, which makes the performance all the cuter. When they all walk to the right on tippy toes, they’re at varying heights, some more flat-footed than others. On the march back to the left, one girl stomps so hard you can hear the clacking of her slippers. 

With arms out, the girls do one more twirl and then take their bows. 

The crowd breaks into applause and the small girls smile, appreciating the praise for their performances. The ballerina farthest on the right jumps up and down in excitement and the one on Eliza’s left waves furiously to her family. But Eliza stays in her final position, grinning from ear to ear as she looks out at you and her guys. 

“Yay, Eliza!” Luke cheers. 

Ms. Benson comes out, leads the girls in one more bow, then ushers them all off. The applause is still going.

“There’s my ballerina!” Eddie grins and catches Eliza as she runs over and leaps into his arms. He presses a smacking kiss to her cheek and squeezes her in his arms. “Mwah!”

“I did good?” she asks as the other girls reunite with their families all around you. 

“You were wonderful,” you tell her, leaning in to give her a kiss on the opposite cheek. “Did you hear me cheer for you?” Luke asks.

“Yes,” Eliza says with a giggle. “So loud!”

“Of course, it’s Luke,” Ryan says. He ignores Luke’s jab to his ribs as he reaches up and presents his sister with a bouquet of white flowers or different varieties.

Eliza beams and takes the crinkling plastic wrapping from him. She leans in to sniff the flowers and giggles as a few brush her nose.

“I got flowers!”

“For being the best ballerina ever,” you tell her.

“I love! Can you hold ‘em, Daddy?”

“Of course, my little ballerina.” He takes the bouquet from her with his free hand.

Ryan pulls on the bottom ruffle of his little sister’s tutu. “You look like a pretty poof ball.”

“Mama, can you take bow out?” Eliza asks.

“Sure thing, sweet pea.”

Eddie bends down a bit so you can see the top of her head. As gently as you can, you unwind the bow from her hair, wincing when you accidentally tug on it. Tough little girl that she is though, Eliza doesn’t whine.

Once you get it out, you do your best to stifle a laugh. It’s not good enough though, a snort of laughter breaking through your hand covering your mouth. Luke and Ryan laughing as well doesn’t help, either. 

“What?” Eliza asks with a pout.

“Sweetie,” Eddie says, also with a small chuckle, “I think Mommy used so much hairspray on you that your hair is stuck up in a bun all by itself.”

She gasps and her hands go to the top of her head. She feels around the stiff hair, moving backwards to the curly bun that hasn’t fallen one little bit since you took the bow out. Short fingers inspect the bun and Eliza turns to look at you with panicked eyes.

“Mama!” she cries. “My hair!”

“It’s okay, Liza,” you tell her, not able to help a small giggle coming out with your words. You pat her back soothingly. “As soon as you take a bath, it’ll be good as new.”

Your words visibly calm her. Her shoulders lower, though she still keeps her hands up on her hair. Now that she knows it isn’t stuck that way, she’s able to find the humor in it. Small giggles turn into loud laughter as she begins to shake her head from side to side like a wet dog getting out of the bath. Her hair hardly moves, only wobbling a little when she really whips her head around. 

“Do you want me to put your bow back in since we’re going out to eat?” you ask.

Eliza gasps. “We are?”

“Yep! Wherever you want,” Luke says, but adds under his breath, “despite my begging.”

“Yes, bow please.”

“What do you want to eat?” Ryan asks as you secure the soft white bow back around her stiff bun.

“Mmm…pancakes!”

“Ooh, breakfast for dinner,” Luke says, nodding his head in approval. “Nice choice. I’ll gladly wear my fancy schmancy suit while eating a waffle.”

“Okay, you can take off the tie now,” Eddie says. “I don’t feel like washing syrup out of it.”

“You don’t feel like washing syrup out of it?” you ask, raising your eyebrows at your husband.

Eliza pats her dad’s shoulder three times, as if she didn’t already have his attention.

“Mama does wash.”

“You tell him, kid,” Ryan says to his little sister. 

“Why you taking the girls’ side?” Eddie asks as you all begin to head towards the doors.

Ryan looks over at his little brother who is wrestling to get his tie off over his head. It’s currently stuck around his eyes and Luke just keeps tugging on it. 

“I’m not on his side,” Ryan says, looking back towards his dad. 

“Well, help him!” Eddie scolds Ryan.

“I gotcha, Luke,” you say.

A few strategic pulls and you have the knot undone, the green tie falling away into your hand.

“Thanks,” Luke says as he reaches up to rub his nose. “How’d you learn to undo ties?”

“Taking dad’s off,” Ryan says with a smirk.

Both you and Eddie whip your head towards Ryan with wide eyes. Luckily, both of his siblings are too young to get his innuendo. The further he gets into his teenage years, the more subtly inappropriate comments he makes.

“Dad doesn’t wear ties a lot,” Luke says.

“You’re right, Luke,” you say, ruffling his curls. Then you step closer to Ryan and wrap your arm around his head, your hand closing in over his mouth. “And you need to watch yourself, Mr. Teenager.”

Ryan mumbles something beneath your hand and the muffled sound makes Eliza laugh. When you still don’t move your hand, Ryan licks it, and you yank it back. Eliza laughs even harder at that. 

“You think it’s funny?” you tease, wiping your saliva-coated hand off on your daughter’s tight-clad leg. She squirms in Eddie’s arms, her legs kicking and almost catching him in the crotch.

“Ewww!” Eliza squeals. 

“I don’t have germs,” Ryan says.

“Yes, you do,” Luke and Eliza say at the same time. 

“Can I eat at a different restaurant?” Ryan asks.

“Nope,” you say, looping your arm through his. “You’re stuck with us.”

“Yep!” Eliza echoes. “You’re stuck!”

[authormars]

Muscles

Here's my take on the obey me characters and how muscular/strong/athletic they are.

Lucifer is athletic in the way a gymnast is. His body can contort very easily, if he stretches and he's naturally very flexible. He is physically strong, but his muscles aren't as visible on a day-to-day basis like, say, Diavolo and Beel.

Mammon is athletic in the way a track runner is. Thick thighs save lives, you know? He's not very built on the top half of his body, but he has incredibly strong and defined leg muscles.

Levi has basic strength in areas because of games like Beat Saber where he has to move. His muscles do not show and he definitely doesn't have a six-pack.

Satan doesn't work out very often, but as a wrath demon, he's naturally somewhat muscular. It's not visible unless he stretches, but he is strong.

Asmo is athletic like a dancer is. He has strength everywhere in his body. Though he isn't as flexible as Lucifer, he can contort his body better for his lovers. <3

Beel is incredibly muscular, as we see in game. Working out basically the thing he does for fun outside of stuff for his brothers and eating. His muscles show very easily and his physical strength is only beaten by Diavolo.

Belphie doesn't have basically any muscle. He's very light because he has a high metabolism, which makes him skinny, and he doesn't eat a whole lot.

Diavolo is incredibly muscular and very strong. He's also surprisingly flexible. Diavolo doesn't work out as much as Beel, but as a royal demon, he's built to keep muscle mass easily.

Barbatos is athletic like a ballet dancer. He has strength but he's incredibly graceful. He's not as flexible as Asmo, but he does do regular ballet stretches to keep the flexibility he has. A very skilled ballet dancer.

Solomon has some muscle. He originally built strength because of Asmo and he found he enjoyed going on the occasional run and lifting weights. He's average build, but is still strong.

Simeon is athletic, but his muscles aren't very visible. He is strong, but definitely not as strong as the big brutes (Beel and Diavolo). He prefers to dance and go on runs with Solomon to keep his strength up.

Mephisto isn't strong, but he is incredibly skilled at riding horses, which has to count for something. While he can throw a mean punch, he doesn't have the muscle or strength for a real fight.

Raphael works out regularly and is quite athletic. As a soldier, he has to keep his endurance and strength up. His build is average, like Solomon, but he has hidden strength.

Thirteen is athletic. She runs around a lot, so she's built up a lot of endurance. She has some muscle, but not much because she doesn't train for it. Reapers are naturally strong, so she doesn't worry about muscles.

If you have any asks, feel free to send me them!

[evilminji]

Broadway :3c

And I hear ya. (Insert spooky joke here) There is a sprawling WEB of central hubs, for The Arts. For trade. For getting drunk and having a good time. The Zone is large and it is endless. You'll NEVER reach the far end. It can never reach you.

All things, in gentle sweeping waves, across eternity.

So when folks want to have "a market" or "a movie theater" or "the waterpark"? You gotta PICK a point on the endless map. Figure if you are close or far enough away for others like it, to make it worth the effort to build.

You might even be the first to do it for GALAXIES in any direction! People might fly for WEEKS to come to your place! Move their Lairs to be closer too it. Like dust gathered by gravity, slowly creating planets and stars. A mega Lair. A CITY.

They rise, they fall, the Zone shifts all the while.

But!

Does the dead starlet stop singing? Does getting gunned down, stop the show?? I think NOT! Where is her STAGE? What musicals? What dramas? What operas and tragedies and forms unknown to human kind??! Ballet dancers who CAN defy gravity! Singers who have no NEED for air! The haunting blend of instruments, that could never in life have met! From empires long turned to ASH!

The greatest show in DEATH!

Ember was a world wide hit. Yes, her voice was hypnotic. But that could be FOUGHT. It was SKILL that carried the game. And she was hardly "I was Literally The Greatest My Planet Ever Produced" skilled. She was good, great even. Not "I was Born For Greatness" Excellence.

And like?

.....eventually? Danny's gonna ask after "cultural-y" Culture stuff. Clothes and food. Music and the arts. To help his parents get used to the whole "our son is half-dead" thing. To show he's not some mindless monster now.

And? Ghostwriter? Probably an absolute legend. Does he know where you can find some CULTURE? Oh THANK ZONE! He thought you'd NEVER ask! You unsophisticated-! *fist fight in a library* Still a dick, though. Always and forever.

And just? Imagine Broadway stretched out into a floating city. That never sleeps. Never stops. Shows ever changing. Some on a cycle, some only once. Dream-like. Beautiful. Eye catching.

And yeah, Danny didn't think he LIKED musicals. It was more of a Jazz thing. But? This was important! Gotta get the whole family in the Speeder. We're going to see a play, guys! We'll pick when we get there! Family road trip! Educational! We can make notes!

His parents are trying to be supportive. Big, fixed, strained grins. Trying to pretend to be excited. But they... DO seem reluctantly intrigued? And Jazz is all but vibrating in her seat. It's basically her "before you go away to college" present. And she is THRILLED.

The longer she excitedly speculates? The more into it she gets their folks. This IS gonna be new! Exciting! Never before seen Ghost Culture! Music! As a FAMILY! Think we could find souvenirs? Ooooh, wonder if they sell CDs??!

Then? They GET there. And it's... it's like seeing the Las Vegas strip for the first time, except multiplied into a city. Made of even MORE styles and eras. At angles gravity would never allow.

The air filled with laughter and excitement, people rushing to shows or humming bits of tunes. Street stalls. Fountains. Flowers growing everywhere.

They could stay for months and not even reach a fraction of these buildings. His parents are taking countless photos. His sister squeeling with joy as she races for an information kiosk like they just arrived at Disneyland. He, at least, remembers to lock up the Speeder. Grab their day bags.

When did HE become the responsible one?

The argue over shows. Obviously. Wouldn't be Fenton's otherwise. HE wants to see the alien one. It's from mars! But it's his sister's trip, as his dad points out, so she gets to choose. She picks a musical set during the Fall of Krpton. He's... reluctantly kinda interested. I mean, EVERYBODY likes Superman, right?

It's... it's amazing. Terrible, but amazing. I mean? A coming of age story cut tragically short? Oof. Hello, massively projecting then getting FEELS about it! Yeah, sure, rip my heart out why don't you? He's fine. No, really! Just drowning in his own emotions over here. The refrain of "A Life Well Lived"? *gargling dying whale noises* he's FINE. Not grappling with anything! Go on without him!

Thankfully?

They DO sell CDs.

He... he may end up, kinda, getting a bit of a collection. Going on the weekends, hoping show to show. Wandering to whichever catches his eye in the moment. Buying the CDs for one's he likes. Which? Honestly is a lot of them. Even though there's all sorts of genres and languages. Cause it... it RESONATES you know?

The grief. The anger. The "I have died but I wasn't FINISHED. It isn't FAIR.". And? Something about ghost speak flows so BEAUTIFULLY in song? It's hard to explain. But he... he needs them.

A pair of headphones, a CD, and a clear night sky? Nothing touches it. It's like a trance made of light. Like he can just drift.

The problem? Is the CDs are kinda... Zone made? They're radioactive, for one. Nothing a Fenton CD player can't handle. But... they? Also? Kinda fuckin GLOW? Like... very, very noticeably. And not in a "ha ha, cool glow in the dark paint!" Sorta way.

.........but like FUCK is he leaving his music behind when he goes to college. Gotham will have to deal. It's already a burning shit-nado, it can handle this. Probably. He'll put um in a lead lined box. Actually, speaking OF.... he needs to get a few more of those... *goes back to packing*

Which? Is how? The Bats are treated to some of the most HAUNTING music they've ever heard, belted and crooned from Some Guy's speakers, out an open window, on the "stop for a mid-patrol drink of water and a snack" building. It's one of the intersections of their patrol routes. And THAT? That is some dude listening to a Romani ballad about death and the circus. Now it's a musical about the trenches of an obscure war.

Okay, that was DEFINITELY Kryptonian. Like... coherent Krypto- *Bruce gets a call from Clark on his "work" number DEMANDING to know where that is coming from. Who is that voice Bruce?!* huh.... Well Then.

@hdgnj @hypewinter @nerdpoe @lolottes @babbling-babull @spidori @mutable-manifestation @the-witchhunter

[serpentandlily]

Mystique - Azriel x Reader

Mystique - Azriel x Reader

Summary: When the whole family is dragged to the new ballet show in Velaris, Mystique, Azriel never imagined a mating bond snapping into place...but as soon as she stepped on stage, he knew his life was about to change forever.

Warnings: mention of strict dieting of a dancer

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

Going to see a ballet show was not how Azriel planned to spend his Saturday night, or any night really. Arts and theater were not something he was usually interested in. But Feyre had begged the whole family to go, claiming she had bought a private booth in the gallery for them to watch their opening night show. 

Elain had been the first to agree, so he followed along. If only to spend some time with her, to watch her face light up as she watched the performance. 

Mystique. That was the name of the show they were seeing tonight. He had no idea what it was about or what to expect. But he didn’t care. Not as he snagged the seat next to Elain and brushed his fingers against hers as she gave him a secret smile. 

The lights had dimmed and the audience fell quiet. It was a full house tonight, no seat below in the orchestra empty. Even the other private booths in the gallery were filled with rich nobles. 

He understood the name of the ballet once it started. All the dancers were wearing masquerade masks. That was about the only interesting thing about it. His eyes flickered from the stage to Elain every so often, more enthralled with her than the dancers. 

But then she came on stage. The main dancer partnered with some male. Her costume was a light pink, bejeweled with gems and flowers, with a tutu that showed off her long legs. It was the gleam of the jewels that had caught his attention, shining brightly in the faelights. 

And then his eyes had drifted up, to the pink mask that matched the costume and the dancer beneath it. 

He knew she was special the moment he laid eyes on her. Not because of the elegant, graceful way she moved on stage, or how she seemed to have captured the rapt attention of the audience. No, she was special because she was her. 

His eyes didn’t leave her figure after that. Constantly following her movements as she danced around the stage alongside the male and the other dancers, always standing out. 

When the show ended and the performers came out for applause and shouts from the house, he knew his life was about to change forever.

Because when she came out holding hands with her partner, bowing before the crowd masks off, a gold thread from his chest unraveled and the mating bond snapped into place. 

If it wasn’t for his years of training, of all the time he perfected his craft as the spymaster, he wouldn’t have been able to keep such a cool demeanor. He gave no indication to his family, said nothing as the dancers disappeared behind the curtains and everyone rose to leave.

“That was beautiful!” Elain chirped from next to him and he almost jumped. He had forgotten she was there. 

All he could think about was her. The dancer. His mate. His beautiful, beautiful mate. 

꒰ა❤︎໒꒱ 

Opening night had been a success and the second show had gone off without a hitch as well. Your legs and feet were so sore as you made your way back to the dressing rooms with the other gaggle of girls, already yanking the pins out of your hair. 

You rubbed at your scalp, soothing the tightness from the bun your hair had been in, as you walked up to your mirror on the long vanity table. You paused for a moment at the sight of a single rose lying beneath the mirror on the table. That had definitely not been there at the beginning of the show tonight.

You picked it up, twirling the stem in your fingers. The faintest scent still clinging to it was foreign from the sweet smell of rose. A hint of cedar and night-chilled mist, a very masculine smell. 

“What’s that?” your friend, Lena, asked, peering over your shoulder at the rose in your hand. 

“I’m not sure,” you mumbled.  

“Oooohhh,” some of the girls around you giggled and your cheeks turned pink at all the attention. “Are you hiding a male from us, y/n?”

You shook your head. “No, no. It must’ve been for one of the other girls. Probably didn’t know which mirror was hers.”

Your dismissal had the other girls turning back around, no longer interested now that there was no gossip to be shared. You wished you knew who the rose was for so you could give it to her but there was no note or anything—just that faint smell. 

The next night you were met with another rose beneath your mirror. You frowned as all the girls giggled behind you. Had the male still not realized his girlfriend had never gotten his rose?

“I think you might have a secret admirer,” Lena said, grinning at you.

“I don’t think so. Maybe we should all label our mirrors,” you suggested. “I’d hate for these roses to keep going to the wrong girl.”

“I think Lena is right,” one of the other girls said. “I think y/n has a secret admirer!”

You rolled your eyes, plopping down in your chair to start the long process of ripping the pins from your hair and taking off your stage make-up. “How would they even know where I sat? And a stranger would never be allowed back here.”

“Let’s do what you said then and write our names on the mirrors. Then we can find out who’s the true owner of the roses,” Lena said. She pulled out a tube of lipstick and wrote her name on the corner of the mirror before spreading the lipstick on her lips and kissing the spot she had just signed.

She handed the tube of lipstick over to you and you laughed, doing the same as her. 

꒰ა❤︎໒꒱

"Alright, it's official. Y/n has a secret admirer!"

Your mouth dropped open as the group of girls giggling around your mirror parted and you saw another red rose on the vanity. You picked it up carefully, glancing up at your mirror to make sure your name was still written there.

The girls around you were still giggling, some making kissy noises as your cheeks lit up with embarrassment. That scent was clinging to the rose, the cedar and night-chilled mist. You took a small inhale, finding the smell to be so tantalizing. 

"Any idea who it could be?" Lena asked from beside you.

You shook your head. "No, it's not like I've had time to go out between rehearsals and the show. I haven't met anyone new in the past few months."

It was true. Your mother, one of the ballet teachers here in Velaris, kept you on a tight leash. Between classes, rehearsals and show nights, you didn't go out. Mother always said anything else was a distraction and that ballet involved sacrifices if you wanted to be a principal dancer. A role you had finally landed this season, which meant you were even more busy.

Besides, you hadn't ever been with a male like that. You had barely just turned twenty and had spent your whole childhood in ballet studios with your mother. The males that were part of those classes usually swung for the other team and the few that were into girls were usually snatched up quickly by the others. 

"How do you think he's even getting into the dressing rooms?" you mumbled to Lena, who shrugged before a mischievous grin spread on her face.

"Maybe we should ask one of the understudies to hang around here during the next show so they can catch him in the act. I'm dying to know who it is," she said.

"Not a bad idea," one of the other girls chimed in. 

"I’ll ask Helena. She's still nursing her sore ankle from her fall,” you replied, placing the rose into your satchel to take home. Pretty soon you’d have a whole bouquet.

꒰ა❤︎໒꒱

“No one?! But how is that even possible?”

You stared at the new rose on the vanity before you. Helena had stalked out the dressing room but she claimed no one had ever entered.

“I don’t know, but I’m telling you, no one came in here,” Helena said back to Lena.

“And you stayed in here the whole time?”

Helena rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, I stepped out at one point to talk to Nicholas but I swear, my eyes were on the door the whole time! No one went in or came out!”

“Maybe they winnowed?” One of the girls suggested.

You shook your head. “This place is warded from that. Set up by our High Lord himself. There’s no way someone could break through those.”

“Perhaps we have a phantom on our hands,” one of the other girls laughed. “A romantic with a crush on y/n.”

All the girls fell into a fit of giggles as your cheeks turned bright red. You scowled at them, feeling a little embarrassed. 

Maybe someone was pulling a prank on you? But who would do that? You didn’t think any of the girls would be that cruel but…

Your mind was not going to rest until you found out who was putting these roses here. 

꒰ა❤︎໒꒱

The next day you were rushing through the very busy streets of Velaris, trying to get to the ballet studio. You had slept in on accident and you were going to be late for rehearsal, something that might lead to your understudy taking over your role. Ballet teachers were strict like that, would see being late as a lack of self discipline and an uncaring attitude.

You sprinted around a corner only to smack right into the chest of someone. You let out a gasp, your ballet bag falling to the floor along with your folder full of sheet music for the pianist. 

“Watch where you’re going!” The Fae you had run into hissed, stepping over the strewn papers on the floor.

You were definitely going to be late now. You bit your lip, trying to fight back tears as you bent down and started to collect everything. You were so in your head that you didn’t notice the person kneeling in front of you until they were holding out a stack of the music sheets for you. 

“Thank you so much!” You said quickly, grabbing the papers and looking up to see who had stopped to help you.

Your eyes widened at the sight of the most beautiful male you had ever laid eyes on. His piercing hazel eyes bore into yours, his dark hair brushing against his forehead as he looked down at you, despite both of you kneeling on the ground. Giant wings sprouted from his back, hiding the sight of the bustling crowd. 

“Are you okay?” 

His voice was dark, just like the shadows that were now curling around his shoulders. Your breath caught in your throat as you realized who he was. The shadowsinger. One of the fae in Rhysand’s inner court. 

You cleared your throat when you realized you had been staring at him for a minute too long, your cheeks turning pink.

You shoved the papers back into the folder and grabbed your bag off the ground, standing back up. “Yes, thank you, I’m fine. It was my fault anyways. I was rushing because I’m late for rehearsal and my mother is going to kill me if I lose my role and—”

You shut your mouth as you realized you had started rambling. To his credit, Azriel didn’t seem annoyed. No, he looked more concerned as he stared down at you and Gods, now you were realizing how tall he was. 

“Sorry, I’m rambling. I’m y/n,” you said, hugging your folder against your chest. “You’re Azriel, right, the spymaster?”

He nodded in answer, his shadows dancing on his shoulders. 

“Would you like me to take you wherever it is you need to go? I can get you there faster.”

You were still mesmerized by his elegant beauty; he was so devastating to look at. You hadn’t even heard a word he had just said. Gods, you were absolutely embarrassing yourself. “Huh?”

He seemed amused now, faint color on his cheeks. “I asked if you would like me to take you wherever you need to go. My shadows let me travel faster than most fae.”

“Oh please, if you could! I just need to get to the ballet studio.”

You didn’t have time to deny his request, didn’t think twice of it through the panic of running late. He held out his arm for you and you placed your hand in the crevice of his elbow. His shadows surrounded you both until you were in complete darkness. 

It was a different feeling than winnowing, something you still had yet to learn how to do. But the feeling of traveling through Azriel’s shadows was slightly calming. 

Not a second later, the two of you appeared in front of the ballet studio, saving you the ten minute walk. You let out a breath of relief knowing that you weren’t going to be late anymore.

“Thank you so much! You’re a lifesaver!” you chimed, untangling your arm from his. 

He gave you a small dip of the head when suddenly a familiar scent washed over you. It took you a second to place it but…No, it couldn’t be, right? It wasn’t the same smell as the one that lingered on the roses?

But that cedar and night-chilled mist smell was unmistakable.

Azriel was disappearing in a swarm of shadows when you waved a hand at him, shouting at him to wait so you could ask him about the roses but he vanished from view, leaving you standing on the side of the street alone with a million questions running through your head.

꒰ა❤︎໒꒱

Another week went by and still every night after the show, a rose was waiting for you at your vanity. The same scent of cedar and night-chilled mist still faintly clinging to them. You hadn’t seen Azriel again since that day and part of you was certain you had mistakenly thought he smelled like the mysterious stranger leaving you roses. 

You were stretching your feet out, getting ready to do your warm-up before the show when the Head Teacher walked in, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Listen up, girls!” she shouted so everyone could hear her. “I have an important announcement to make. The High Lady loved our show so much she’s inviting the entirety of the Royal Ballet to a dinner at The House of Wind to celebrate our hard work. This is an honor and I expect you all to treat it as such. Next rehearsal, you all need to bring a dress that you plan to wear to the dinner so they can be approved by me. Now, back to work, girls!” 

As soon as she left the room, the chattering began. Everyone was excited about the news, mostly to have an excuse to dress up but your thoughts were stuck on the shadowsinger, at the chance to see him again and as weird as it sounded, see if his scent matched the stranger who was leaving you roses. 

꒰ა❤︎໒꒱

You stared at yourself in the mirror, twirling around. Your mother had picked your dress like the controlling person she was, but for once, you actually liked her choice. It was a light pink gown, with a long A line tulle skirt and a corseted bodice with off the shoulder straps. The fabric was covered with stars that shined like diamonds and some pearl detailing. 

“Come, y/n,” your mother called out from the living room of the apartment you both lived in. “We’re going to be late if we don’t leave now.” 

You met the rest of the girls at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the House of Wind. The High Lord and Lady had assured you guys that transportation up to the House would be provided. The girls were all giggling with anticipation, gossiping together about what to expect. 

Four winged figures swept down in front of your group. The High Lord was one of them, dressed finely in all black with his huge wings held high behind him. The High Lady was next to him, dressed in dark blue harem pants with a matching crop top, both decorated with sparkling jewels. The General, Cassian, stood behind them wearing his Illyrian leathers, arms crossed with a friendly smile on his face.

And lastly, the Spymaster. He stood next to his fellow Illyrian, also in his leathers, and looked just as devastatingly beautiful as that day he had taken you to the ballet studio. His wings were giant, even more so than the other three, making him look like a dark angel. Your cheeks turned pink as his gaze met yours and you bit your lip, looking away. 

“Ladies,” the High Lord purred in greeting. “We are pleased that you accepted our invitation. The House of Wind is warded against winnowing, so we are here to fly you up. It is a short flight, but if any of you are uncomfortable with the idea, we will try to accommodate you.” 

You watched as the girls exchanged looks with each other, giggling and turning a bit red at the idea. You found your eyes going back to the shadowsinger, jolting as you realized he was still staring at you. Something jumped in your chest, causing your pulse to spike. 

“Now, who wants to be the first to go?” The High Lord stepped forward and held out his hand. 

Lena winked at you and was the first to volunteer. The High Lady also held out her hand with a smile. “I can also fly some of you up. I promise I’m just as strong as the boys.” 

Slowly, one by one, the girls from your company paired with the four winged faes, letting them fly them up to the House. It was a quick process; Rhysand hadn’t lied when he said it was a short flight. You hung around in the back of the group, feeling a bit nervous as you watched them disappear into the sky each time. 

You had never been that high up in the air before, a bit of anxiety curling in your stomach. 

“Lady,” the General was in front of you now and you realized you were one of the only girls left to go. “Are you ready to be flown up?”

He held out a hand to you but you bit your lip, looking up at the House of Wind again. “I-I’m just a bit nervous.” 

“It’ll be over quick, I promise,” he grinned, trying to settle your nerves. 

You hesitated again and suddenly the Spymaster was there, gently nudging his brother to the side. Cassian glanced at him in question. 

“I’ll take her, Cass,” Azriel said, looking at you. Something about his hazel eyes had your shoulders falling. “I can use my shadows so she doesn’t have to fly.” 

That seemed like enough of an explanation for Cassian because he stepped aside and moved on to the next girl who was still waiting. 

“Your shadows can get past the wards?” you asked, curiously. You glanced at the shadows that seemed to be dancing around his shoulders. 

“Yes, they can,” he answered simply. Azriel held out his arm to you, just as he had that day. You took it gently and waited for the shadows to cover you.

If his shadows could get past the wards of one of the High Lord’s residences, then they could absolutely get past the ones around the theater’s dressing rooms. Which could mean he really was the stranger leaving you roses. 

“I just want you to know I didn’t want to fly not because your wings scare me but because of the height,” you said, feeling the need to make that clear. Azriel glanced down at you with an unreadable expression and you suddenly felt even more nervous. “In fact, I think your wings are quite beautiful and I would never—”

You closed your mouth sharply, realizing that you were both rambling again and also that you guys were now in the dining room, where everyone else was taking a seat. You blushed and stepped away from him. “Thank you.”

He dipped his head and gestured towards the dining table without a word. You gave him a nervous smile as you scurried past him and to the seat next to where your mother was sitting, already saving you a chair. As you passed by him, you were met with that scent again. The cedar and night-chilled mist. 

This time it was so unmistakable that you whirled around to look at him. But he had disappeared already, likely helping the remaining girls down below. You let out a sigh and continued on your way to your seat. 

When everyone was accounted for, Azriel slid into the seat across from you and you had to keep your eyes glued to your plate to stop yourself from blatantly staring at him. Should you find a moment to ask him about the roses? Should you let him come to you? Or maybe he had been leaving the roses for you as a favor for a friend? That theory almost made more sense because the idea of the shadowsinger leaving you roses seemed so far-fetched. 

All throughout dinner you managed to sneak glances at Azriel as you ate. You joined in the conversations around you but noticed that the shadowsinger didn’t talk that much, seeming much more content in just observing. 

Once everyone seemed done with dinner, the High Lord snapped his fingers and it was all replaced by a huge spread of different desserts. Cakes, pastries, custards, tarts. Everything you could imagine. You didn’t get to indulge in sweets much, your mother was strict about your diet to keep you in shape as a dancer, so your eyes lit up at the sight. 

You started to reach for the closest thing to you, a tiny fruit tart, but your mother slapped your hand with a hiss under her breath, “You’ve had enough to eat tonight. You know the rule about sweets.”

Your brows furrowed, upset. You placed your hands on your lap under the table, nodding. “Sorry, mother.” 

She pressed her lips together and placed her napkin on her own empty plate. Your eyes lingered on what looked like a peach pie, longingly. You felt a ping of envy as you watched all the other girls trying everything. 

“You should try the pie.” Azriel’s voice had your head whipping up and his eyes connected with yours. “It’s the High Lady’s favorite.”

You glanced at your mother, opening your mouth to politely decline but she cut you off. 

“Well, go on,” she said, nodding towards the pie. “Don’t insult them by not eating any.” 

You ground your teeth together, turning a bit pink. As if she hadn’t been the one to literally stop you from having any just a second ago. You looked back at Azriel, noting the way a muscle in his jaw clenched, and nodded your head. 

“I will, thank you,” you said, eagerly taking a slice of the pie. 

It was delectable and you nearly moaned as you ate it. A small smile lit up your face as you tried it. 

“The High Lady has good taste,” you said to Azriel, who was still staring at you. “The pie is delicious.” 

He gave you the smallest of smiles and it warmed something in your chest. 

Once everyone was finished eating, the High Lord cleared the table and moved everyone towards the large sitting room. There were some servants walking around with champagne and wine, which kept the party going steady. It was exciting to be able to socialize like this and you were having a good time, especially now that you didn’t have to be glued to your mother’s side. 

Your eyes roamed the room, trying to find the shadowsinger. The glass of champagne you had made you feel a bit more brave. You wanted to talk to him, wanted to ask him about the roses. It took you a minute of walking around to finally catch sight of him. He was resting against the railing outside on one of the many balconies. You glanced around, making sure no one was watching you, before you stepped outside.

He didn’t turn to look at you, not even as the door shut behind you, cutting off the noise that came from inside. It was like he already knew who had stepped out. You fiddled with your fingers, staring at his back. Some of the liquid courage was chased away by the cold breeze, but you refused to back down now that you were out here. 

“You are the one who has been leaving me roses every night,” you said, quietly, walking towards him. 

“I am,” he answered as you slid up next to him, grabbing the railing to keep your hands from shaking. 

You were surprised at how quickly he admitted it. You were silent for a moment, staring at his profile. Under the moonlight, he was truly a vision to be seen. Your breath caught in your throat when he finally looked at you. 

“I apologize if it has made you uncomfortable,” he said, his shadows seemed to hide behind his wings as if they were scared of what your response might be. 

“It hasn’t,” you replied, gently. You gave him a soft smile. “They are quite beautiful. But I must ask why.” 

His shadows eased, cascading down his shoulders. His lips twitched, amused by your question. 

“I cannot lie to you,” Azriel said, his voice low and dark like his shadows. It sent a shiver down your spine. “I find you very beautiful, y/n. And I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since I watched your show.”

Your eyes widened, your cheeks turning bright red. You hadn’t been expecting him to be so forthcoming. You hadn’t had much experience with males, so you fumbled with what to say back.

“Oh,” you squeaked out. 

That only seemed to amuse him even more. 

“Has no one told you that before?”

“Perhaps not quite so… candidly.” 

His lips twitched and you felt that spark in your chest again. He shook his head a bit, tousling his hair as he turned his body fully towards you, still leaning on the railing. 

“Well, now that my identity has been exposed,” Azriel said. “May I take you out to dinner tomorrow night?” 

“Y-yes,” you managed to stutter out, butterflies exploding in your stomach. Never in your dreams would you have imagined being courted by the Night Court’s spymaster. 

He smiled this time and the sight of it almost knocked you off your feet. 

“Good,” he said, then his hand flicked into his shadows and he pulled out a single, red rose. “For you. Since I wasn’t able to leave one tonight.”

Your heart was thumping in your chest as you reached out and took the flower from his hands. He dipped his head at you before disappearing into his shadows, leaving you alone on the balcony, twirling the rose in your hand with red cheeks and a warm feeling in your heart. 

꒰ა❤︎໒꒱

A month had passed since that night on the balcony. Azriel had continued leaving you roses after each show, something the girls all cooed over. You had also found out that he had charmed them to make sure they never died. So now you had a beautiful bouquet of never-ending roses in a vase on your vanity in the dressing room and even one in your room at home. 

Your first date went very well. You were surprised by how much the two of you had in common. And soon he had taken you on a second, a third, a fourth…and so on. 

You found yourself falling for him….hard. He was different around you than he was with most others. More talkative, more charming and funny. His wit never failed to impress you. 

Your mother wasn’t very pleased at first, especially since you hadn’t consulted her before agreeing to that first date. But once she found out it was Azriel who had asked you, she seemed pleased considering he was a high-ranking member of your court. You hated how superficial your mother was, but was happy she didn’t try to prevent you from seeing him. 

You hadn’t told him just how inexperienced you were, but he was a polite and kind male. He hadn’t even tried to kiss you yet. It was like he knew your hesitations and the need to take things slow with you despite you ever telling him that. But then again, he seemed to know everything you felt, at all times. Sometimes you even wondered if he was a daemati like the High Lord, but he had only laughed when you accused him of it. 

Today, Azriel had taken you out for some coffee and a small lunch after your morning rehearsal. Now the two of you were pushing through the bustling crowds on the streets, taking in the sights of the city. Your eyes lingered on a flower shop you passed by often, at the lovely moonflowers they had on display outside. 

Azriel noticed what had drawn your attention and pulled you over to the shop. You took a sniff of the moonflowers, basking in their sweet scent. “So beautiful.” 

“Would you like one?” Azriel asked in that voice of his that still sent shivers down your spine. 

You smiled up at him, nodding your head. 

“Azriel?”

You pulled your eyes away from him to look at the person who had just called out his name. The High Lady’s sister stood on the small steps leading up into the shop, a large pot in her arms and a bag full of seeds. 

Her doe eyes flickered between you and Azriel, until they dropped to something below. You followed her gaze to look at your conjoined hands. You quickly let go, face turning a bit pink. You had no idea why you suddenly felt as though you had been caught doing something wrong. 

“Hello Elain,” Azriel said, his voice polite but flat. 

She studied him and then turned that gaze on you, her eyes narrowing a bit. You looked between her and Azriel, not really sure what was going on.

“Oh, you’re that ballerina,” she said. “I remember you, from the show.”

“This is y/n. She is my…” He paused and you shifted from foot to foot. “She is my…friend.”

Friend.

His Friend.

Something about that sentence made your heart crack into two. A weird, unpleasant feeling curled in your stomach and your smile dropped.

Friends.

Elain seemed to ignore your presence, her gaze still stuck on Azriel. “I haven’t seen you in three weeks. Where have you been?”

Azriel went to answer but you tuned the conversation out, your thoughts whirling in your mind. Friends. He said you were his friend. 

Were…were you not something more? 

Had you completely misjudged his intentions? 

Or maybe he was tired of waiting for you to be ready for more? 

Maybe he was like all the males your mother warned you about. Only interested in females if they knew they could get sex out of it. 

Your heart dropped into your stomach, your breath catching in your throat. Suddenly, being here with him seemed so suffocating. Especially as he stood talking to some other girl that clearly knew him…clearly had feelings for him. 

You felt like you were going to vomit. You needed to leave. Needed to catch your breath. 

“Sorry to interrupt,” you managed to get out, causing the two of them to look at you. “I’m just going to go look in the shop while you guys catch up.” 

You darted away before either of them could say anything, only letting out a breath when the door closed behind you.  You rushed through the aisles, past the shopkeeper who was busy with another customer, until you spotted the door along the back wall. You slipped through it, into the small alleyway behind the shop. 

You felt bad for ditching Azriel but he had just crushed your heart, even if he didn’t know he had it. You wiped at a tear that spilled from your eye, almost laughing at how awful you felt. You had only known him for a short period of time. Maybe it was never his intention to make you fall for him, but you did and what had been a beautiful, all-consuming joy in your chest was now suddenly an ache that made it hard to even breath. 

You walked down the alleyway until you were back in the streets, sweeping through the crowd as quickly as you could to make it back to your apartment. You just wanted to get home. Just get home and then you could wallow in your own self-pity. Could cry as much as you wanted. 

The crowd thinned out the closer you got to the residential area until the street was empty. 

You let out a sigh, wiping yet another tear, just as your apartment building came into view. You hoisted your dance bag further up your shoulder and began the last few feet home. But a flapping of wings above you made you still, your heart lurching in your chest. 

Azriel landed in front of you with a small thud, his brows furrowed with confusion and his eyes unreadable. In his hand, he held a small bunching of moonflowers. 

“Y/n? Why did you leave like that?” he asked. 

You bit your lip, looking away from his face.

“Hey,” he said, grabbing your chin and turning your face back to him. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Did something happen?” 

You wiped at your tears, frustrated that you couldn’t keep it together long enough to make him leave. You shook your head, staring at the ground. “No, nothing happened. I-I just don’t…feel good.” 

Azriel studied you, his thumb swiping your cheek. You hated how much the small gesture soothed you. 

“Don’t lie to me,” he said. “I know something upset you. I can feel it. What happened? Please, tell me.” 

“It’s n-nothing,” you stuttered. 

“Please,” he repeated, his arms falling limp at his sides. “It pains me to see you cry. What happened? You can tell me.”

You looked away from him again, rubbing your arm in discomfort. “It’s stupid. Seriously, Azriel, I’m fine. Just…just leave. Please.” 

He stood up fully, his wings stretching out behind him. He crossed his arms, his expression stern. “No, I’m not going anywhere. Not until you tell me what’s wrong. Did I…Did I do something?” 

Another tear slipped down your cheek and you took a deep breath. “You called me your friend.”

Azriel blinked a few times. “What?”

“To that girl you were talking to. The one you clearly have some sort of history with,” you said, begrudgingly. “You told her I was your friend and I thought…well, maybe I’m an idiot. But I thought we were more than that.” 

Realization dawned over Azriel’s face and then to your surprise, the tension in his body dropped and he let out a small laugh. Your eyes narrowed at him. Was he truly going to laugh in your face after your admittance of feelings for him?

“I don’t understand what���s so funny. You’ve been taking me out on dates, leaving me roses. What else was I supposed to think—”

“No, it’s not funny,” Azriel cut you off, but he was still smiling which only pissed you off. “I mean, it is. Just not in the way you’re thinking.” 

More tears slipped down your cheeks and Azriel lurched forward, placing a hand on the side of your face. “Don’t cry, please. Let me explain. You're right, y/n, you are not my friend. You are so much more than that. You have been since the day I laid eyes on you. You consume my every single thought, y/n, truly. I am relieved to hear that you share my feelings. You have no idea how much I’ve prayed to the Mother that you would feel for me, what I feel for you.”

You took a moment to fully soak in his words, the pressure in your chest easing a bit. 

“Then why did you call me your friend? Who was that girl to you?”

“She’s no one, I promise you that,” he said, stroking your cheek with his thumb. “And I called you my friend because I almost slipped up and called you my—”

He stopped suddenly and you looked up at him in questions. “Called me your what?” 

It was his turn to let out a long breath, his cheeks coloring. “My mate. My mate, y/n. You are my mate.”

Your eyes went wide, your heart frantically beating in your chest. Mate? You were his mate?

Something snapped in you then. Something that had been with you since the moment you could remember, unraveled in your chest. Your mouth dropped open as a gold thread shot out between the two of you, linking you together. You looked back up at him, at those beautiful hazel eyes that were full of joy, love and apprehension. Such vulnerability that you weren’t used to when it came to the shadowsinger. 

“Mate,” you whispered. “You’re my…mate.”

He nodded, his eyes flickering back and forth between yours, waiting for your reaction. That warm feeling in your chest spread throughout your whole body and you couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed on your face. 

Mate. 

Azriel was your mate!

You threw your arms around his neck and pulled him into a crushing hug. Azriel let out a breath of relief, his arms grabbing you around the waist and pulling you even closer. It felt so right being in his arms. Your heart sang at your connection, at the feeling he sent down the bond. 

Everything made sense now. The way he was able to always know how you were feeling, the accelerated feelings between the two of you, how right it felt to be with him—like he had been made for you and you for him. 

He pulled back, holding you at arm's length so he could stare down at you. 

“I have wanted you from the minute I saw you, even before the bond snapped into place,” Azriel said. “I have been searching for you my whole life, y/n. I never thought I would be blessed with a mate, and especially not you. You are so beautiful and so much more than I was expecting. There will be no one else, even if you decide you don’t want this bond. All I see is you, all I want is you. I’m sorry I made you doubt that, even for a second.” 

“I want it! Of course I want it, Azriel!” You were smiling so hard, your cheeks were beginning to ache. “I…I am already falling in love with you and it has only been a month. I can’t even imagine what a lifetime might bring us.”

Azriel was smiling now too, a rare sight that had the bond in your chest glowing. He rested his forehead against yours, shutting his eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I will thank the Mother every single day I get to call you mine.”

You placed a hand on his chest, smiling up at him as he opened his eyes again to stare at you. Butterflies swarmed your stomach, your heart was pounding drums in your chest. 

You needed him so much closer now. You needed to hold him, to kiss him, to hear him call you his. You were ready for that next step, ready to jump right into it. 

“Kiss me,” you whispered, your eyes fluttering to his lips. “Please.”

Azriel let out a small growl. “Do you mean it?”

You nodded, shyly, staring up at him from under your lashes. 

Azriel didn’t waste one more second, he leaned in and captured your lips with his. His lips were softer than you imagined, warm and tantalizing. The world seemed to fade away as you shared your first kiss with him, your heart pounding in your chest, your mind buzzing with need. 

His kiss was soft and tender, making you feel at ease with him. His arm wrapped around your waist and he yanked you even closer, deepening the kiss. Time slowed down. The bond between the two of you glowed. 

Finally, Azriel pulled back, locking eyes with you. He held up the moonflowers he was still holding, letting you take them as he pressed a kiss to your cheek.

“Flowers for the pretty lady,” he teased, causing you to giggle. 

He was still holding you around the waist, his other hand now slipping up into your hair. His hard body was pressed against yours, the flowers nearly crushed. He kissed you again and you felt it then, the promise he was making. 

You were his mate. 

And he would make sure you were his to have and to hold for the rest of eternity.

[sallowsswan]

🌸Mattheo Riddle w/Ballerina Gf Headcanons pt.2🩰

Because YES I love the idea of our angy bad boy having a ballerina for a girlfriend!

We left off with him taking her out for mani/pedis after long lessons/classes/rehearsals to pamper her because she's just so wonderful??

Finds ANY excuse to put his hands on her legs because he's just obsessed with them. Manages to get away with it by giving her leg massages. (Though secretly she loves seeing him obsessed with her)

Finds out almost immediately that ballerinas can get violent with their pointe shoes. He walked into the studio one early afternoon during a time he knows she'll be on break and sees her BANGING the crap out of her shoes against the staircase while wearing headphones. (Look up Isabella Bolyston in TikTok for a great example. Dancers may do this to make the shoes 'quieter' on stage)

This boy makes a mental note after witnessing that to never piss his girl off because seeing her beat on those shoes with a smile on her face was scary, yet also hot??

Loves and I mean LOVES to see her practicing certain steps like arabesque, or Italian fouettes. His eyes darken a little when he sees her focus and move her legs in those positions. (Gif is of famous ballerina Alina Somova. Seriously look up her performing Queen of the Dryads!)

Mattheo would be a complete German Shepherd with her. Loyal, affectionate, protective and sweet, but if someone looks at his girl the wrong way or tries to approach her with ill intentions? Back. Up. He will have no problem putting a person in their place or getting his hands dirty to protect his little dancer.

Always makes sure she's getting enough nutrients and is eating healthy. Does NOT want her to fall into that statistic where some girls don't eat properly and deal with body dysmorphia. (PLEASE DANCERS FUEL YOUR BODIES AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES! ♥)

Tries so damn hard because he doesn't want to make her uncomfortable or feel awkward but grows to have a thing for her in leotards and tights.

She immediately introduces Mattheo to her partners for any Pas De Deux she'll be dancing. Wants him to get comfortable with the idea that these guys are just her dance partners and to not freak out when they hold or touch her it's all professional. In fact, this is how Mattheo meets Enzo! (Shoutout to @abaker74 who commented with that idea I LOVE it!)

Shows up to EVERY performance she has. She has to sit him down and talk to him about etiquette when going to the theatre to view a ballet performance. He still shows up, for any minor or major roles she has, and there's moments where her eyes lock on his and it's all she needs to feel on top of the world.

Brings her flowers. Every. Time. After a show, when she walks out he's standing there with a bouquet of her favorite flowers and immediately pulls her into his arms kissing her cheek "I'm so proud of you my little dancer. "

[frillsand]

What's a niche detail in the actor AU no one's asked about but you'd like to share

There are so many cool stuff in their story i love your work, art and writing

Thank you! I do have a few details I want to share!

Before he got his show, Wally was dedicated to expanding his talents. Dance being one of them, like ballet, tap, ballroom, waltz and some other I can’t remember rn

They didn’t have much money so paying for classes wasn’t an option for him. Free classes and volunteering was a good start

Julie likes having the biggest hair possible so she gets hair extensions, since she worked at the hair salon, she never payed full price

Back in their old neighborhood, Sally and Wally were band kids, their school wasn’t big enough for a marching band so Poppy made them informs just for them. Sally played Trumpet and Wally liked the flute (they weren’t good)

Barnaby still does stand up at night clubs, Howdy loves to go to the gym but isn’t allowed to gain a lot of muscle because it would be weird to see a buff caterpillar in a kids show. Frank and Eddie both have their little hobbies of collecting. Frank has ethically sourced framed bugs and Eddie has his stamp collection.

Poppy has a girlfriend with the name Giselle Coscoroba. She’s a Swan ballet dancer and is the reason Wally was able to learn. She usually spends her time at kids classes when she’s not performing but she was more than happy to teach her girlfriends family for nothing in return

“Oh my god, we’re struggling with money”

Julie:

Jk she almost never got her extensions because they needed the money, but now she gets them as often as she wants

[megalony]

Ballet Dancer

This is an Eddie Diaz imagine, requested by anon. I'm sorry for how long it's taken me to write this for you I hope you will all like it. I'm working my way through some Eddie requests as I'm in the mood to write for him at the moment. Any feedback is always lovely.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem@sj-thefanthefan@hellsdragon@im-an-adult-ish@crazylittlethingg@allauraleigh@onceuponadetectivedemigod@ceres27@avyannadawn@sleepylunarwolf@coverupps@justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @luula @missdreamofendless @bradleybeachbabe @woderfulkawaii  @amberpanda99 @daggersquadphantom @marvel-and-chicago-fan @angryknightstatesmantrash @minjix @lyjen @kmc1989 @itsmytimetoodream @noonenuts @hiireadstuff @ashie-babie @classyunknownlover @jayyeahthatsme @sp1ritssz @dumb-fawkin-bitch @oliverstarksbae @gimatida @heart-35

Eddie Diaz Masterlist

Summary: The team never knew how into ballet Eddie was... or the fact that he is married to a ballet dancer. Until they get called out to an accident at the theatre.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie tipped his head back against the seat and closed his eyes while his hands moved to clasp together between his thighs. He brushed his thumbs over the back of his hands as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to level out the unease and panic in his system.

He didn't like where they were going on this call out.

He knew exactly where they were going; Eddie had been here over ten times during the last month alone, but never on a call out. Never with anyone from the team alongside him. And he had never been here whilst he was on duty.

It had to be a coincidence. There were going to be hundreds of people here tonight. That gave Eddie a good chance of not having his wife be one of the people they were here to attend to. He prayed his wife wouldn't be one of the casualties they had to patch up. There chances were slim when compared to how many people worked here and would be here visiting to watch the performance.

When the truck pulled to a stop, Eddie stilled himself and took a deep breath, trying not to act too eager to get out. He let everyone else filter out the truck first before he hopped down and grabbed one of the medic bags and slung it onto his shoulder.

"Well this is a new one." Hen slung a medical bag on the gurney and wheeled it down from the back of the ambulance. She moved to follow Bobby onto the pavement and all of them took a second to glance up at where they now were.

A theatre.

"Man, I wonder what they're performing?" Evan tilted his head back and looked up towards the midnight sky where the top of the theatre stretched up like it could reach the stars.

This place looked fancy. Old brick building, stone statues outside. Large marble steps leading up to the main doors and staff stood at the doors to keep people from entering late. It had been a long time since Evan had been anywhere like this; if he was watching a play, it was usually on the tv, not in person.

"Romeo and Juliet."

Eddie internally cringed when he spoke before he had chance to think. He tightened his hand around the bag on his shoulder and jogged up the steps with the rest of the team in his wake. He didn't have to say anything. The staff on the doors opened up for them immediately. They knew an accident had happened and they were waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

"I didn't know you were into ballet." A smile pulled at Hen's lips as they all filed inside, past reception and over to the doors beneath the Main Hall sign.

"Oh, you have no idea."

There hadn't been enough time when they arrived for Eddie to scour through the posters outside and find the dates and calculate which play was on tonight. He must have known already, which one was being performed.

"Romeo and Juliet's a play, not ballet."

"It was a play first, Buck, but it's been styled into ballet too." Bobby clapped a hand down on Evan's back as they matched pace with Eddie who was already through the main doors and walking down the darkened corridor.

Eddie turned towards one of the attendants when he reached the end of the corridor and came out into the hall. The lights were on, basking the large dome hall in brightness so people could see and remain or move from their seats. He moved towards one of the attendants stood at the last row of stalls in the ground circle.

He took a moment to glance behind him at the higher seats that went as far back as the eye could see until the very back row would have but a minimal view of the stage ahead. Most of the crowd were still in their seats. They hadn't gotten up to leave or gone for a drink or acted like this was the interval. There was a lot of chatter though, and Eddie tried not to pay any attention to whatever rumours were spreading around.

"What have we got?" Bobby placed his hands on his hips as he stood beside Eddie and looked over at the waiting attendant.

She was stood with her hands clasped in front of her and an anxious, but now relieved look on her face when they arrived.

"A dancer fell, and knocked into another, who fell onto another… we had to draw the curtain but we couldn't move anyone for the understudies to come on stage."

"The domino effect," Bobby muttered quietly. "Okay, show us where they are."

They had just finished another call out and had been redirected to the theatre instead of back to the station. Another ambulance was on the way as they were told they had a few casualties to get checked over and possibly take to the hospital.

But Eddie was glad they were the first ones on the scene. He had been hoping it would be someone in the audience who had had some sort of accident or problem. Knowing it was a performer only made his adrenaline spike and increase the frantic worry circulating throughout his system. That increased the chances of it being his wife who was one of the casualties.

Confusion plastered on Bobby's face when Eddie sped ahead after the attendant, overtaking Bobby who usually led the way since he was captain. Was Eddie a big fan of ballet? Was he interested in seeing which performers were hurt and who he could attend to? Why was he in such a rush?

Eddie internally cringed when a round of applause sounded as the team weaved around the outskirts of the aisles towards the steps that led up to the stage. They weren't part of the act. They were the first responders, they were here to help. These people shouldn't be cheering, they should sit quietly or go and take a break as they waited to see if the performance would continue or be rescheduled.

The attendant parted the blood red curtain and made enough of a gap for the team to squeeze through, along with their stretcher.

"Fuck." The word spat through Eddie's lips and he felt his shoulders tensing up and quaking when he looked around the mess.

He had been on this stage quite a few times during the last month, even Chris had been prancing around on stage and roamed the theatre when it was empty. He had watched the performance, both from the stalls and from a backstage view of rehearsals.

He shouldn't be behind this curtain in uniform.

He darted around the casualties, all laid out on the floor in various areas of the stage. Eddie knew a few of them by name, but there was only one he was looking out for and that one person was, sadly, one of the people sat on the floor in agony.

His eyes zoned in on his wife and he made a beeline for her.

(Y/n) was sat just to the left of the centre of the stage. Her body was jittering and trembling back and forth and she tried her best to smile when she looked up and locked her eyes on Eddie. But her smile didn't calm down his raging nerves because he could see the tears streaked down her face.

He assessed the way she was sat. Leaning to the left with her right arm curved tight around her chest and her hand splayed out on the left side of her chest.

"Mi amor. What happened?" Eddie slumped the bag down at his side and knelt down beside (Y/n)'s thigh.

Suddenly, he didn't care that the rest of the team were here and freely able to see him become affectionate. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that this was his call. This was his wife and she was the only one Eddie was going to put any focus and attention on. He wouldn't be dealing with anyone else but (Y/n).

He reached his hand out and cupped her chin between his thumb and finger, tilting her head back so they were level. His eyes narrowed and his head leaned forward as he scrutinised every inch of her to see what injuries she had and why she was crying.

(Y/n) moved her trembling hand from her thigh to cup Eddie's wrist and her lips curved into a tepid smile when she looked up at her husband. She could see Anna, one of the girls in the theatre group, smiling over at her. She had guessed that Eddie might just get wind of this call and make his way down here. (Y/n) didn't think so. She thought the team would be busy somewhere else, with a different call or a more demanding call. (Y/n) didn't think they would be here, she thought a few ambulances would be sent out. Not the fire department.

"W-we were doing the lift… I don't know what happened, Thomas stumbled and let go, I knocked Lia on my way down…" (Y/n) winced in discomfort and closed her eyes, trying to lean into Eddie's touch but she opened her eyes again when she felt him move.

"You dropped her?!"

A shiver tore down (Y/n)'s spine and she latched both hands around Eddie's wrist when he looked towards Thomas who was sat a few feet behind (Y/n). She could sense Thomas shuffling back and muttering apologies he hadn't stopped saying since the curtains closed.

"Sorry Eddie."

It had been an accident, although (Y/n) didn't know who had stumbled or tripped first or why. One moment she was being lifted, getting ready to twist and lean to jump into Adam's hold, then the next moment Thomas was falling and his hands were no longer on her hips.

She had only been a few feet high but it felt like she had fallen from the heavens when she crashed down to the harsh wooden floor. On her way down, (Y/n) collided with Lia who then pushed the domino effect and caused another three dancers to cause some kind of injury. (Y/n) wasn't sure what went wrong, but their entire performance was now ruined.

They didn't have the time to switch roles and get enough understudies dressed and prepped ready to continue the show. They would have to stop for tonight and refund whoever was in the audience.

Moving her hand from her side, (Y/n) reached her fingers out and danced them across Eddie's jaw until he pulled his eyes back to her. Rather than staring daggers into her dance partner who was supposed to look after her, not drop her.

"It hurts," She mumbled quietly, trying to stop herself from shaking but for the last ten minutes all she had been able to do was cry and tremble back and forth like a leaf in the breeze. Her hand retracted from Eddie's jaw and she brushed the back of her hand beneath her eyes to wipe away the stray tears.

"What does, mi amor?"

(Y/n) hovered her hand back over her side just below her arm but she couldn't bring herself to touch the area of pain. She had landed roughly on her left side and spasms and jolts like electricity rolled through her. For the first few minutes, (Y/n) hadn't been able to move. She laid, gasping and wheezing and crying until someone managed to sit her up.

Leaning up on his knees, Eddie kissed (Y/n)'s temple before he moved his hands out to try and assess her chest.

He pressed over the right side of her ribs first, just to check there were no scrapes or bruises or fractures there. But when he tried to touch the left side, he felt (Y/n)'s nails scratching into his arms and she cried out. Her head tipped forward until her face was buried against Eddie's shoulder.

"Okay, I've got you. Try and stay still for me, baby." He spoke quietly against her hair while his left arm curved around her back and his hand placed between her shoulders.

He continued to press his fingertips down the left side of her chest, counting two possible fractures and some swelling that was already starting to get worse and strain against her thin top.

"Two ribs are definitely fractured or broken, you'll need an X-ray." Eddie moved his hand round to cup the back of (Y/n)'s neck and his lips smothered the top of her head when she whimpered into his shoulder. This would set her back a few weeks. She wouldn't be able to perform now. (Y/n) would have to take a few weeks off and switch to being the understudy until she was cleared by the doctor.

Perfect timing. Right in the middle of their new show.

At least they weren't on tour. (Y/n) hated touring. She hated being away from home, having to get used to new stages and venues and changes in direction when they were dancing. New changing areas and rushing around in an unfamiliar setting when they had costume changes.

She didn't like being away from her boys either. That was why she had signed up to this theatre group. They stayed at this theatre and every two months, they would learn a new show and routine and switch up the roles and perform something different, but stay in the same venue. It meant the group didn't have to change or be on the road and do a different venue every three or four days. And (Y/n) didn't have to leave home, she could still go back to her boys at the end of the night after a performance.

"Stay still a moment," Eddie mused quietly as he unravelled one arm from her so he could find the stethoscope in his bag.

He listened to her heartbeat before he moved it to press against her back and listen to her breathing. He sighed and nodded to himself when he heard her lungs take deep breaths. The broken ribs hadn't splintered into her lungs which was a big relief.

"Shall we get you up?"

"No," (Y/n) shook her head against his shoulder before she lifted her head just high enough to perch her chin on his shoulder.

Tears began to fall from her eyes again and she felt Eddie's hand move to cup her arm. He smothered his lips against her temple and reeled her more into his chest as he dropped the stethoscope back into the bag.

"Why not, baby?" They couldn't exactly stay here for the rest of the night. As much as Eddie wanted to sit and console her and comfort her, he needed to get her to the hospital. "I'm not leaving you, you know. I'll be right here," He kept his voice quiet enough so only (Y/n) could hear what he was whispering against her ear.

Eddie dared to look around the stage and see what glances he was getting from the team. Evan kept looking over at him with a strange, unusual smile and Hen shook her head when their eyes locked. They were all trying to focus on sorting out the other dancers, but they couldn't stop looking back over at Eddie.

He never told them his wife was a ballet dancer. He never said what his wife did for a living and none of the team had met her. He talked about her often enough and so did Chris because he now started to call (Y/n) his mum. Eddie just wanted to keep his life a bit more private, just for the meantime. He wasn't used to sharing his life with the people he worked with.

"My knee…"

A frown pulled at Eddie's lips and he gently unravelled from (Y/n) so he could turn to the side and look down at her legs. She had been cradling her side when he arrived, he didn't think she looked like she was in pain with any other injuries.

(Y/n) moved her hands to her thighs, digging her nails through her pale cream tights until she created ladders in the material. Her chin perched down on Eddie's right shoulder and she tried to stop herself from crying and hold steady as he knelt in front of her legs and looked at her left knee.

It was swollen already and the mere touch of Eddie's fingers pressing down on the joint made (Y/n) cry out and drag her nails up her thighs to hold herself steady.

"Mi amor… it's dislocated. Can I put it back into place?" Eddie couldn't go ahead and do it without asking first, but he knew the answer. He knew (Y/n) would much rather he do it for her than wait for a doctor or a nurse at the hospital to set it back for her.

(Y/n) didn't have the words so she simply nodded and sank her teeth down into her lower lip. She didn't want anyone but Eddie to look after her. She'd never dislocated or broken anything before. Despite the vigorous training she had done over the years to get herself to this point in ballet, she had only ever pulled muscles or tendons. She hadn't broken anything until now, and she never thought it would happen during a performance with an audience like this.

"Afraid I need to tear these."

"Wouldn't be the first time," (Y/n) whispered, trying to force herself to smile when Eddie scrunched up her tights around the middle of her thigh. He had torn enough of her tights over the past few months, this wasn't anything new.

She watched his lips form a daring smirk that showed his teeth before he easily sank his nails into her tights and stretched the fabric until it ripped apart like a tissue beneath his hold. They were fancy, but they weren't thick or made of any strong material which made them easy to tear apart.

Eddie refrained from tearing them right up to the hilt and giving himself a view of his wife's underwear. He ripped the material down the other way until it was torn apart down towards her ankle. He needed a clear view of her knee and this saved her the embarrassment of taking off her tights in front of colleagues and his team.

His fingers curled around the top of her knee and his other hand moved to prod and assess the joint, wincing each time it made (Y/n) lean back or twitch and groan.

"Close your eyes mi amor."

She did as instructed, bracing both hands down beside her on the stage floor and she tilted her head back and kept her eyes tightly closed. She didn't want to see Eddie put the joint back into place and she didn't want to know when he was about to do it. The blood pulsed through her ears so loudly it was deafening and her breath held deep in her lungs when Eddie's hand moved to get a good grip on her lower leg.

A tortured scream pierced the air, almost as deafening as the horrid click that told Eddie he had put the joint back into place. His fingers dug into her thigh and he kept tight hold of her lower leg, keeping her leg resting over his lap when her leg started to jerk and tremble.

"Shh, all done. All done, I'm sorry baby." Reaching his hands out, Eddie hooked an arm around (Y/n)'s waist and shuffled her across the floor until she was sat level with his thighs and he carefully eased her leg back onto the floor. His arms coiled around her and reeled her into his chest so he could kiss the top of her head.

He looked down in the bag by his side before he looked across at Hen who was just finishing up an assessment on one of the other girls.

"Hen, do you have some morphine in your bag?"

She fished out a packaged needle of morphine and slid it across the stage towards him. Eddie tore the packet open with his teeth and looked down at (Y/n) before he pressed the needle into her thigh.

"That'll help with the pain, baby. Any more injuries I should know about?" His hand moved up and down her arm while his lips went back to kissing the top of her head.

"Just sickness," (Y/n) kept her eyes closed and buried her face into Eddie's chest, scrunching his shirt up in her grasp. The pain had given her a horrid headache and now she felt like she was going to throw up. But other than that, she didn't have any other injuries. Thankfully.

"Let's get you in the ambulance then."

Eddie glanced his eyes around the stage, seeing that Evan was finishing up patching up Lia who had gotten away with cuts and bruises and Evan talking her ear off. Hen and Bobby were waiting with two other girls who needed assessing in a hospital. And Chimney had one of the men on the gurney who had broken his ankle and jammed up his shoulder and he was on his way backstage.

It would be easier to go backstage past the dressing rooms and get out to the truck that way than go back past the crowds and let everyone be oogled at.

"Dispatch, this is Captain Nash. How far out are those further to ambulances? We look to need a third one sent our way."

"Y-you won't leave me, will you?" (Y/n) couldn't bring herself to pull away from Eddie's chest. Her face stayed tucked into the middle of his chest, her nose squashed against the buttons as she panted through his shirt and tried to breathe in his scent.

She didn't want another team coming over and trying to take her away from Eddie. She didn't want Eddie to have to go back in the truck and leave her with strangers.

"I'm not going anywhere without you, mi amor." He smiled into her hair before he turned to look at Bobby over his shoulder. "Cancel that last ambulance, (Y/n) can ride in the truck with us."

Eddie saw no point waiting around for another ambulance to be redirected their way which would take a further ten minutes or longer. They could send the two other dances in the two ambulances that were on their way. And Eddie could carry his wife and take her in the truck with them. Eddie was going down to the hospital anyway, he wasn't straying far from his wife and she needed an X-ray and an assessment.

(Y/n) kept her arms hooked around Eddie's neck as his hands moved down to her hips. He carefully pulled her up with him and stayed on her left side to prop her up. She had her knee bent and her foot held just above the floor, unable to put it down as it added pressure and agony onto her knee.

His hand squeezed her hip every now and then and his other hand moved to cup her arm that was looped around his neck. Eddie let his eyes dart across to Evan who was packing up his bag and moved to stand beside them.

"Right this way, Mrs Diaz."

(Y/n) had never been in a fire truck before.

***

Leaning her head to the side, (Y/n) pressed her face into Eddie's abdomen and curled her arm around his back, keeping him close. She let her eyes fall closed and found herself smiling when she felt his hand rest on her neck with his thumb brushing up and down across the side of her jaw.

She was ready to go home. The morphine had worked to take away the throbbing edge in her knee and had dulled down her headache, but now she felt dizzy and tired and spaced. She wanted to go curl up in bed and try to get some sleep.

For the next few weeks, (Y/n) wouldn't be doing very much. She wouldn't be training or getting up early for rehearsals or going down to the theatre. Her time would be spent trying to push herself into recouperating and playing video games with Chris.

Eddie leaned down and kissed the top of (Y/n)'s head before he drained the last of the rather bland coffee he'd got from the machine in the hall.

"How you feeling?" He murmured quietly while he set down his cup and placed his hand in his pocket.

The team had dropped them off along with their other casualty and whenever they were ready to leave, Eddie just needed to give the team a call. Bobby had cleared it so Eddie could take (Y/n) home, his shift was officially over and he had the next few days off to be home with her and Chris.

"Ready for bed." Her response made Eddie smile and he hummed, darting his eyes over to the door when it opened.

The doctor they'd seen when they arrived walked into the room, a calm smile on her face and a file in her hand which Eddie guessed was the X-ray results. (Y/n) had had both her knee and her chest X-rayed when they got to the hospital, as well as having some bloods taken just to be on the safe side.

As long as the breaks weren't damaging or dangerous, all (Y/n) would need would be to have her chest bandaged and they could go home. Her knee was already in a foam brace since Eddie had saved the doctor a job and put it back in place.

"How are we in here?"

"Tired." (Y/n) kept her arm latched around Eddie's lower back and stayed leaning into his torso with a tepid smile. She liked the feeling of Eddie's fingers running up and down the side of her neck before his hand moved to rest on her shoulder instead.

"Well, I've taken a look at your X-rays. The fourth and fifth ribs are broken, clean breaks though not fractures which is a good thing. In three weeks I'd like you to come back just to check they are healing properly. And your knee will heal within a week or two, no lasting damage there."

That was some good news. (Y/n) didn't want fractured bones, they were harder to heal and didn't always repair themselves in the right way. At least a clean break was easier for her body to repair. Not that she wanted them to be broken, but she knew from the moment Eddie assessed her that they had definitely snapped in some way. This just cemented the fact that she wasn't going back to work anytime soon.

"Can I take her home?" Eddie kept his hand tucked into his pocket while he looked over at the doctor. That was all good news and he couldn't see a reason why they couldn't leave now.

"Well, the nurse took a blood sample on arrival, just to rule out any infections and I had to run a further test when I got the results back."

(Y/n) could feel her face falling and her teeth sunk down into her lower lip as she glanced up at Eddie. Somehow, that didn't sound very good. The doctor's smile wasn't calming compared to what she had just said. Was something wrong? (Y/n) felt fine. She had been fine until the fall tonight, that was the only reason she was here. Nothing else was wrong with her apart from her knee and her broken ribs.

She could feel Eddie's hand tightening on her shoulder and he tensed up beside her as his brows furrowed. What did that mean?

"It seems you're pregnant. Congratulations."

(Y/n)'s jaw loosened but she couldn't find any words.

Pregnant. They were going to have a baby. Now she well and truly couldn't return to work. Once her ribs and her knee were healed, she wouldn't have long before she started to show and she wouldn't be able to perform once that happened. She would have to switch to helping direct the shows and give the dancers their cues and pointers rather than joining in the performance.

When she tilted her head up to glance up at Eddie, her parted lips formed into a smile when she saw the way he was looking down at her. His eyes looked brighter and he was already grinning down at her, trying to bite his lip to stop his smile from spreading so wide.

His hand left her shoulder and moved round to cup her chin and he leaned down, brushing his nose against hers before he captured her lips in a kiss.

His fingers danced across her cheek and (Y/n) reached up to hold his wrist as she grinned against his touch. They hadn't exactly been trying, but this was a very welcomed surprise. They were going to have a baby. Chris was going to have a brother or sister.

"I guess we should be happy tonight wasn't opening night, huh?" Eddie mumbled quietly against her lips, barely pulling back enough to speak before he devoured her lips again.

At least (Y/n) had already had two weeks worth of performing this new play. It wasn't opening night that had gone horribly wrong and she had had the chance to perform as Juliet. Now she was going to have to take a step back. Maybe she could get away with one or two more performances before she had to stop when her bump started to show.

"Hm. So you're happy?"

"Are you kidding? Wait 'til I tell the team."

[churipu]

𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐨! 𝐠𝐨𝐣𝐨 ๋࣭ ⭑ֶֶָָ֢֢☆

featuring. gojo satoru x reader

warnings. cheating (but it's not u or him dw, it's someone else lol), cursing, non-sorcerer au.

note. i was reading a webtoon, and the male lead was a ballet dancer, then i saw gojo in him. i feel like gojo will do and enjoy doing ballet, you feel me? and just saying guys, my requests are not open :(( so if you sent in one, it might take a bit of time to get it done

ballerino! gojo who had to share an apartment with you because you're both broke fresh graduates — what more of a blessing for a fresh graduate if it's not a place half the price, with your own room? even if it meant living with a complete stranger who could actually be a serial killer.

"you must be y/n? i'm gojo satoru." he introduces himself, shoving a hand out for you to shake.

and you did, with your hand blotched with various colors of dry paint from your job— freelance artist — mumbling out apologies for being so dirty.

ballerino! gojo who was supposed to be in the same house with his long-term girlfriend since college, but she bailed out last minute. and when she found out about his new house mate — she wasn't happy the slightest bit.

"so you're the new house-mate?" she asks, eyeing you up and down menacingly as if you had tried to hit on the male.

gojo had to bring her away from the house. apologizing to you about it after he comes back home.

ballerino! gojo who usually does his warm up in the living room while watching netflix on the television, casually doing a split, hunching to the front, eyes on the television intently.

"you do ballet?"

gojo was startled to hear you, but he got over himself and nodded vigorously, "mhm."

"that's really cool."

ballerino! gojo who seemed miserable every time his girlfriend cancels out on their date through a phone call. like a one-sided relationship, except it's the part where he's actually starting to give up on her. but you said nothing about it, since it wasn't really your business in the first place. only focusing on your current client's job — jotting down shades of blue on the canvas.

"hey, you're good . . . is this what you do daily?" he sighs out, sitting on the couch you were leaning on after he ended the call with his girlfriend.

you nodded, "yeah, i draw for people."

"'ts amazing."

ballerino! gojo who went out one night to go on a date with his girlfriend, and is apparently trying to surprise her. but he came back an hour later with his tear stricken face — throwing down the bouquet of flowers he had gotten for his girlfriend earlier during the day.

the smile no longer on his face as he walks to his room, slamming the door shut before you could say anything to the male.

ballerino! gojo who acted like last night didn't happen and was casually doing a split in front of the television. shooting you a small smile when you emerged from your own room.

"are you . . . alright, gojo?" you question him, walking towards the kitchen to grab yourself a cup of cold water.

"sorry about last night." he mumbled out, head hanging low, pushing himself up — brushing his pink colored shirt and grey shorts.

"no worries. all of us have bad days." you brushed him off with a small tired smile, a few streaks of paint marking your cheeks, "how're you feeling?"

"good for someone who found out he has been getting cheated," he chuckled — scratching the back of his head, "you got a lil' something there," he points to your cheeks.

using your arm, you grazed your cheeks, "oh, i was up all night and fell asleep doing work."

ballerino! gojo who later in the day got so busy throwing everything that reminded him of his ex-girlfriend and whatever she had ever given him. doing it like he gets paid. hell, he even threw away a pair of ballet shoes that he still uses out of spite.

"what'cha doing?" you questioned, eyes focused on the canvas sitting on your lap.

"taking out the trash," he grunted tossing what seemed to be a pair of ballet shoes into a box.

"ballet shoes too? are y'quitting ballet?" the male chuckled and shook his head — and the moment you see a frame with a picture of him and his ex, you got an idea of it and said nothing else.

ballerino! gojo who for the next eight months, spends a lot of time with you in the house, doing all sorts of things. making breakfast for each other (taking turns depending on who wakes up earlier), cooking nights, baking nights, learning ballet — even learning how to draw. he forgot his ex pretty quickly.

"my toes hurt, how'd you even do this?" you seethed out in pain, curling your sore toes.

"practice."

"ha ha. very funny, gojo."

ballerino! gojo who got to know you better, and vice versa during those months. learning how you had a passion for drawing and how you've always wanted to be an artist — or how the last time you've been in a relationship was during the early days of college and broke up because your partner then said that they weren't ready for a relationship (shitty excuse).

"so they just broke it off like that? why start a relationship when they're not ready? that's just a stupid excuse," gojo muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"that's what i ask myself. but 't doesn't matter anymore." you laugh, sipping on a cup of hot chocolate, chewing on a mini marshmallow you threw in just before.

ballerino! gojo who that night asked you out for lunch the next day, and you accepted. it was only lunch after all.

"uh . . . if you're not busy tomorrow, i'd like to take you out for lunch . . ." he nervously chuckled, scratching his nape. his doe blue eyes looking everywhere but at you.

"sure!"

ballerino! gojo who actually did take you out to lunch, even paying for it. but everything went wrong when his ex was there at the same time, the male actually thought of burying himself six feet under when the girl approached you both.

"i knew there was something fishy between the two of you," she muttered out.

gojo was pissed. as hell. he didn't even bat an eyelash at the person he once adored, a deep frown on his face and he scorned, "get over yourself, we broke up a long time ago because you fucking cheated."

his ex-girlfriend was mortified, because she never remembered gojo being this hateful towards her — all the time they have been together, gojo was always nice and understanding. too nice and understanding, perhaps.

"maybe you cheated on me with them before i even did." she accuses and you immediately jumped in, since she was dragging you into her mess.

"woah, gojo and i never had anything going on. we only started getting to know each other?" you defended, eyebrows perched up at the audacity of this girl, "and mind you, gojo was miserable every time you decided to cancel on a date a few hours before, and through a call? that's low of you."

gojo shot you a smile, "hear that?"

oh, the girl was embarrassed to the roots. muttering out curses under her breath before stomping out of the place, fuming.

ballerino! gojo who apologized to you thoroughly during the whole lunch, in between chews, and even on the way home — for how his ex-girlfriend caused a scene with you.

even if you did tell him it was fine, he said it wasn't. and he wanted to make it up to you, by prepping a movie night. the notebook. one of your favorite movies, you were absolutely down.

supposedly focusing on your client's work, but the moment he puts on the movie — you'd find yourself on the couch beside him.

ballerino! gojo when it comes to the movie's "not supposed to dance in the streets" scene, stands up and shoves a hand to you, "do you want to dance with me?" he invited you as the male lead in the movie asked the female lead the same question.

you chuckled, "you know, i don't dance. gojo."

he raised a brow, "everyone does. and i thought we're close enough to be on first name basis y/n." the male teasingly said, grabbing your hand to tug you up.

"do you know how to slow dance? because i don't."

he smiled down at you, "i do ballet, sweetheart. slow dance is nothing to me — plus, i've learnt how to do slow dancing since . . . years ago. i've always dreamt of doing this with the person i like," it was the perfect setting. as the movie plays out a soft tune, the male pressed his hand on the hollow of your back, guiding you along.

you inhaled his cologne, "so is this like a confession, satoru?"

his chest vibrated as he mustered out a soft laugh, "maybe. if you don't want it to be a confession — think of it like i'm quoting a movie."

you did pend his confession in your mind that night, thinking of it like he's quoting the movie as you both danced the night away.

ballerino! gojo who acted like he didn't just confess his feelings to you last night, greeting you in the morning, and even went all out to make you breakfast after he did his usual ballet warm up.

"hi, sleepy. i made pancakes, but 'ts a little burnt . . ." he laughs, sipping what seemed to be tomato juice.

"thanks, 'toru. love you."

ballerino! gojo who immediately froze when you said that, and stares at you. but there you were, eyes shut and your mouth full of his pancakes, gojo was sure you didn't even realize what you were saying. but still, it made him happy.

"did you know what you just said?" he chortled.

fluttering your eyes open, you shake your head, "what did i say . . ?"

gojo brushed it off, but really — he couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.

ballerino! gojo who returned home from a day out with a couple of friends to be greeted with a plate of food for him. you made it. with a small pink colored post-it note beside the plate.

hi 'toru, made this before i went out to meet my client. hope you like it, ps. i dropped a lot of pepper in it because the lid fell off :( pls throw it out if it's not edible, i'd feel terrible if you got sick cause of my mistake, i love you <33

gojo ate the plate clean, even if he felt the tingling spice in his throat. he didn't care at all — you made it for him, and he won't waste it. and plus, he didn't end up getting sick, so that's a positive.

when you came home that night, he was still awake waiting for you to thank you for the meal (and to ask you about the 'i love you' on the note).

"i know, i didn't answer your confession at all that night when we were dancing, yet. so?" you cheekily tell him, indirectly saying how you like him too.

ballerino! gojo who was ecstatic about it and kissed you right there. the male was so happy he could feel his whole body thumping in excitement.

"d'you know how long i wanted to do that? to kiss you?" he has a wide smile on his face, his large hands cupping both sides of your cheeks, squishing them lightly making your lips part.

ballerino! gojo who finally feels the love he deserves with you that he thought he'd never feel again. from the smallest things like you texting him whenever you were going to be busy so if you replied late you were sorry, or giving him a call (and leaving a voice note when he's not able to answer) to tell him and ask about his day whenever you both aren't together.

he feels like he's wanted and loved, "hi 'toru, i tried to call you but you might be in a dance routine right now so i'm just leaving this voice note for you. i'm not gonna be able to reply fast in the next couple of hours because i'm meeting a client right now, but i'll get to you once i'm done. make sure to take care of yourself and don't hurt yourself, i love you."

and you feel the same, getting the same feedback with the same excitement, "hi baby, sorry for not answering your call, i was in fact in a dance routine. i have a show coming up, i'm excited! i hope the meeting goes well for you, tell me all about it once we get home, please please? i can't wait to see you, i love you more!"

ballerino! gojo who shows you his ballet moves for his show, inviting you to watch him dance. and you, of course, agreed.

when the day comes, you are more excited than the male is. gojo didn't expect you to come, especially since he knew that you had a big client that needed their painting in a short amount of time. the male was used to his ex-girlfriend promising and ended up not coming, so he was a bit crestfallen at the thought of you not coming to see him.

but there you were, sat on the front row with a big smile on your face. waving at him when he walked in.

seeing him on stage, you felt so proud — unknowing to him, while watching him, your hand was tracing his every move. the tip of your pencil elegantly dancing along with him on top of your sketchbook.

ballerino! gojo who was surprised when you showed him a sketch of him doing his move. he felt so emotional at this new form of love. oh, to be loved by an artist.

"'m so proud of you 'toru. you were amazing up there," you tell him, holding his hand.

gojo wasted no time pulling you into his chest, hugging you, "thank you for coming," you didn't know why he was emotional — but honestly, you don't mind it so you ended up hugging the male back, patting his chest.

ballerino! gojo who now felt the love he has always wanted to feel. because he knew that this time he's not wasting his love on someone who doesn't appreciate him.

"'toru, look! my client gave me a tip, let's go get that pizza we were talking about!" you cheered, throwing yourself onto him, holding a few bills of cash.

the male chuckled, pressing a warm kiss onto the crown of your head, "my baby did so good, 'm so proud of you," he nuzzled his nose to yours, scrunching his face up.

he promised that he'd work hard for the both of you. hell, he was already thinking about marrying you a few months into your relationship, so don't be shocked when he actually does.

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