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psychosistr · 6 years ago

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Uplifting- CaeJose Dancer!AU

Summary: Joseph, a transgender dmab girl, is the best dancer in her troupe and assists with teaching her mother’s class. Being larger than most girls, though, not many people are too keen on being her partner for certain lessons- namely, lifting. That is, until a new blond haired student waltzes into her life...

Edit: I have decided to make this a series and have added a second part x3

Notes: So, after reading this post by @freckledbastard the idea for a CaeJose Dancer!AU got stuck in my head and I ended up writing out the whole thing instead of sleeping tonight! My brain is now mush ~_~ Anyway, enjoy!

Also: The song I envisioned Joseph and Caesar’s dance to was an extended version of the song “Dance of Swords” from Steven Universe, you can easily look it up by typing the song name into Google- go check it out sometime, it’s lovely :)

Joseph sighed while looking out over the various new students of her mother’s dance class. There were certainly a lot of promising new faces, many of them already possessing limber and strong bodies that would look amazing through the art of properly choreographed dance. The best of the bunch, like Joseph, would be invited to join the Hamon Troupe- the country’s premiere dance group that always guaranteed sold out shows wherever they performed.

While waiting for the instructor, Lady Lisa Lisa, Joseph over heard the usual gossip that tended to transpire between new students and the veterans of the class that had yet to be scouted for the troupe.

Unfortunately, though, as always, it was gossip about Joseph.

“Hey, so, who’s the big guy in the pink tights?”

“Shh! Don’t call him a guy out loud or you’ll get kicked out!”

“What? Why? Who is that?”

“That’s Lady Lisa Lisa’s kid- Joseph Joestar. He’s been a member of the Hamon Troupe since he was, like, sixteen or something.”

“Seriously?! Wow, he must be REALLY good!”

“Yeah, he is. Kind of weird, though…”

“Huh? Whattaya mean?”

“I mean, well, look at how he’s dressed, for starters.”

“Yeah, I was wondering about that- why’s he a wearing a girl’s uniform?”

“Eh, some weird artistic thing, I guess. Says he’s a girl and gets really mad if you call him a guy to his face.”

“Ha! Seriously?! The dude’s built like a body builder and says he’s a girl?”

“Yeah, yeah, we all know- but keep your voice down! He’s really sensitive about it and if you upset him then his mom’ll kick you out of the class.”

“Damn, what a freak…”

Joseph took a deep breath in slowly through her nose, then exhaled it through her mouth, masking the breathing exercise as part of her warm-up routine as she stretched her leg over the balance bars. She stayed close to the radio and pretended not to hear a word they said. They were idiots, anyway, she shouldn’t take what they said to heart.

Still…

Joseph took her leg back off the bar as she finished her warm-ups and looked at herself in the mirrors spread around the room: She was large and muscular, but that was simply how her body retained muscle after years of her mother’s intense training. She also kept her hair styled short and a bit messy, but that was simply how she liked it- it was easier to pin it back if she didn’t let it get too long. She wore make-up occasionally, though today wasn’t one of those days, but she was an all-or-nothing person and either went without the make-up or went over the top with full on paint and glitter until it was stage make-up level. She knew her outfit- the standard women’s class uniform of a black leotard, pale pink tights, sheer black mid-thigh length cover skirtlet, and black dance slippers- was a bit tight on her muscular form, but that’s because it was hard to find women’s clothes for someone as tall and big as she was.

Even so, none of that made her a freak, by any means. Her family accepted her, and she accepted herself, that’s all that mattered. The others were just fools intimated by her beauty and talent.

“If you all have the energy to talk, then I’ll assume that means you’re finished warming up.” The sharp voice of her mother cut through the studio like a knife and everyone jumped to attention, Joseph chuckling to herself at how nervous the new ones were. Walking to join her at the front of the studio by the radio, Lisa Lisa gestured for Joseph to turn off the music. After it was done, Joseph stood proudly beside her mother, feeling like a drill instructor surveying new soldiers. “Let me start by congratulating all of you for making it this far- merely getting into this class is quite an accomplishment. However, do not take that to mean your life will get any easier. From here on out, you will receive the most grueling training of your lives. You will eat, breathe, sleep, and bleed dance by the time I am done with you! Then, if any of you show significant promise, you MAY have the chance to join the Hamon Troupe.” She adjusted her sunglasses, looking over the students with a sternness that made the weaker ones quiver in fear. “However, don’t get your hopes up: The senior students here will quickly tell you that they have been here for years perfecting their craft and still have yet to reach the standard I hold my troupe members to.” With an elegant wave of her hand, she gestured to Joseph beside her. “This is my child, Joseph Joestar. Jojo has received personal training from me since childhood and is the standard to which the rest of you will be held to: If you do not demonstrate even half the talent Jojo has, then you won’t even be CONSIDERED for the Hamon Troupe.”

Joseph smirked at the nervous and uncomfortable faces staring at her. “That’s right, and I’m essentially the best dancer you’ll ever see, so don’t get your hopes up too high!”

“Now then, let’s get started on your first lesson!” Lisa Lisa clapped her hands together and began class, everyone hurrying to their starting points.

As Joseph set up the music for the lesson, she thought she felt someone looking at her. When she turned to look, though, everyone was already mirroring her mother’s movements.

She decided to brush it off as more people staring at her and being jealous of how amazing she was.

After the first couple weeks of lessons, they were starting to weed out the weaker links among the new students. A few had already quit and several more looked close to it by now. Others, though, were showing promise and might stick around.

The ones that had stayed were now being treated to a special lesson: The male members of the Hamon Troupe were visiting the class today to assist with the one lesson that Joseph and her mother would need help to teach properly: Lifting.

Joseph both loved and hated lift day. On one hand, lifting always looked like so much fun, the way the other girls twirled and arched in the air was dazzling. On the other hand, however, it always left her feeling depressed because of one sad, constant fact:

No one ever lifted Joseph.

With her size and weight, it was something that she had simply grown to accept over the years. Every other dancer in her classes and in the troupe would take one look at her and offer up a nervous smile and a shake of their heads when it came time to choose partners.

Today was no different, sadly.

After the troupe members had demonstrated the basics of lifting to the new students and her mother showed them the basic choreography they would use for today’s training, everyone was instructed to go find a partner. As with every other time this occurred, Joseph had resignedly found a spot to lean against one of the bars as the boys in the class hurried to pair up with the smaller, cuter girls, no one even sparing her a glance or asking her if she wanted to dance-

“Pardon me for intruding, signora, but are you not going to participate in the lesson today?”

Joseph was surprised by the smooth, accented voice suddenly speaking to her. She looked up from the spot on the floor she’d been staring at and saw one of the new students leaning on the bar beside her with an expectant look.

She hadn’t fully memorized all of the new students’ names yet, but she remembered this one standing out as one of the better dancers. He was also one of the more handsome ones, if she was being honest: He had bright blond hair, fascinating purple marks on his cheeks that were either birthmarks or tattoos, eyes that sparkled like twin emeralds, and a charming smile that could make any woman’s knees weak. He was pretty tall, too- only a couple inches shorter than Joseph herself, and quite muscular, though, again, not as much as Joseph.

Joseph also noticed him in the crowds because of how he liked to add accents to his uniform in the form of a purple and orange headband that trailed behind him as he moved and the feathered pins in his hair that fluttered whenever he turned. She could certainly appreciate his sense of style, as she too personalized her outfits by usually wearing her favorite green and yellow striped scarf around the studio and pinning various flowers to her hair (today’s flower was a pink rose with a silver clip).

She realized she’d been staring too long and looked back out at the dance floor where the students and troupe members were taking turns in the center showing off their mastery of the choreography. “Oh..yeah..uh, no, I don’t really get to participate on days like this.”

“Why is that? You’re the best dancer here, are you not?” The blond student asked with a curious tilt of his head.

“Tch, well, duh, of course I am!” She replied quickly, crossing her arms over her chest proudly. Her pride deflated a bit, though, as she watched one of the new girls being lifted into the air as if she weighed nothing, an excited smile on her face. “But..lifting’s not exactly something I can do by myself..”

“Then why not ask someone to do it for you?” He sounded almost concerned by this point.

She sighed and closed her eyes, a pout on her face. “It doesn’t do any good. No one can lift me- I’m too big.” She opened her eyes again and was surprised to see the man looking at her with a displeased expression. “What’s with the look?”

“No one can lift you? Really? Not even the members of your troupe? Have they ever TRIED?” He asked her, looking somehow insulted even though the situation had nothing to do with him.

“Er, well, no, not really. I’ve asked before, but most guys just say they can’t and- Hey! What are you-?!” She was startled when the blonde student suddenly grabbed her by the hand and led her out to the center of the dance floor. He even went so far as to harshly shove one of the troupe members who was about to take a turn out of his way. “Wait, why are we-?”

“You know the choreography, si?” He asked as he took his place across from her on the floor, getting into the starting position for the lesson’s dance.

Joseph hesitantly got into her starting position as well. “Well, yeah, of course I do, but-”

“Then dance with me.” He said firmly as the song looped back around to the beginning, leaving no room or time for argument on Joseph’s part.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” She said with a huff but began to dance anyway.

The movements for the dance were simple, a way for the students to get used to each other’s tempo and movement so they could synch up well enough for the female partners to be lifted properly. The smooth twirls and measured steps were a bit boring for someone as skilled as Joseph, but she followed the choreography flawlessly. The man, whatever his name was, performed the movements with just as much ease as they slowly drew closer to one another.

When they finally reached each other, Joseph did the appropriate spin that landed her in her dance partner’s arms. Closing her eyes, Joseph prepared for the imminent hesitation or realization of how heavy she actually was to kick in so the dance would come to an abrupt end.

She was instead surprised to feel strong hands gliding smoothly over her leotard and tights so that one was braced on the back of her thigh and the other on her back. Those hands then began to effortlessly hold her weight and allow her to rise up.

“?!” Joseph opened her eyes and realized with shock what was happening as she saw everything around her shift: She was being lifted off of the ground.

Surprised gasps and murmurs filled the room at the sight of Joseph being lifted up upside down over her partner’s head. By pure instinct and her own natural dancing prowess, Joseph remembered the right way to tense her body into a graceful arch above the man below her. She held the pose effortlessly, despite it being her first time.

When she expected to be set down at the end of the dance, though, she was surprised once again by the blonde man when he lowered her back do the ground gracefully, but continued dancing with her. The song was technically about two and a half minutes long, though they’d only been taught enough choreography to cover about thirty seconds of it. Despite this, her partner seemed content to keep going and, in all honesty, Joseph was feeling too giddy to stop herself either.

They moved together flawlessly: Every brush of their hands was coordinated in perfect synch. No step was misjudged between them. Each spin they did while joined together caused Joseph’s long scarf and the twin trails of the blonde’s headband to billow around them like ribbons. The man even picked Joseph up on a few of the spins so that she could feel the wind rushing through her hair like never before.

It was all so incredible, an entirely new experience for Joseph. Sure, she’d danced with several skilled dancers over the years, but none of them had this level of strength- this PASSION behind their movements like this stranger did. Even though this was their first dance, they moved as if their very souls had been dancing together since the dawn of time. She honestly wished the song would go on forever, leaving just the two of them dancing in their own little world.

Alas, all good things come to an end eventually. The end came when the song reached its final crescendo, Joseph’s partner lifting her in the air one last time at the peak of the music before lowering her seamlessly into a dip. The way he smiled down at her made her heart skip a beat and her cheeks flush- no partner had ever looked at her like that, let alone managed to dip her without looking strained.

At the end of the song, he carefully lifted Joseph back up into a standing position. Instead of letting her go, though, he kept his hand planted firmly on her back, holding her close against him. While holding her almost protectively, he raised his other hand and pointed at the men- both the students as well as the troupe members- with that same displeased, almost angry, expression he had earlier before the dance.

“Cowards!” He yelled at them harshly, his finger pointing in an accusing, sweeping gesture at the various male dancers. “Cowards and weaklings, the lot of you! How dare you leave such a bella fanciulla on her own!” He shook his head disapprovingly. “It’s absolutely shameful to consider yourselves skilled if you’re too scared to even try dancing with someone of such high caliber.”

‘Wow..’ Joseph thought to herself, a slight blush blooming across her cheeks. ‘He seems really offended about that. It’s..kind of sweet, actually…’

He looked back up at her, a charming smile returning to his face once again. “My apologies, signora- I nearly forgot to thank you for that wonderful dance.” He took her hand in his own and placed a kiss to the back of it like a classic gentleman from an old movie. “Grazie, mia bella dea.”

Joseph’s face flushed a little more, certainly not used to such treatment- let alone from such a handsome guy. “Uh..Uh huh..” Her heart was hammering in her chest and her hand tingled where his lips had touched her skin.

He gently caressed the back of her hand with his thumb as he spoke. “My name is Caesar A. Zeppeli. It is an honor to finally meet you formally, signora Joestar.”

“C-Call me Jojo..please..” She found herself speaking even though her mind felt like a pile of mush.

“Jojo.” The way he said her name should be illegal with how sexy he made it sound. He placed one last kiss to her hand before letting it go. “I shall look forward to our next dance, mia bellissima angelo.”

“Yeah..” Joseph blushed as she watched him walk back into the crowd of dancers, holding her hand to her chest and feeling her thrumming heart beat beneath it. “Me too..”

It was the first time she had been lifted by a partner, and, she realized, the first time she’d ever looked forward to a second dance with one as well.

Next Part->

#caejose #caesar zeppeli #joseph joestar #dancer!au #modern!au #trans!character #trans!joseph #thanks to @freckledbastard for the inspiration #i honestly might do more of this au later after I get some sleep lol

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