#dance instructor! billy

[jessajaguar]

New choreography on my YouTube channel! Check out this pole dance routine to @billieeilish "Therefore I Am"

[adragonprinceswhore]

All work is 18+, Minors DNI

Aemond Targaryen

🌊 Colour My Mind, Bring Me Back

Prince Regent Aemond Targaryen returns to King’s Landing victorious after besting his uncle during The Battle Above the Gods Eye, securing his withering brother's claim to the Iron Throne. Upon his arrival, he learns that his wife was a casualty of a Black ambush, suffering a severe blow to her skull. When her disoriented mind wakes, she’s lost all recollection of him and their shared past.

🌺 The Way I Feel Under Your Command

Disgruntled, Aemond agrees to accompany his family on their yearly summer trip to Red Lake; a luxury resort hidden away in the ruins of an ancient castle. Dragged to a staff party on his first night there, he meets a young woman working as a dance instructor in urgent need of a partner.

🎼 Rumours

After a painful separation, you and your soon-to-be ex husband agree to put your differences aside and continue to make music together. But Aemond Targaryen’s vengeful streak runs deep, and you’re the object of his ire.

🍄 The Commune

A modern AU where Aemond, power-hungry and high on hubris, is the leader of a commune with a peculiar affection for the Seven.

🐉 One Whore’s As Good As Another

Desperate to prove he’s no mere boy, Prince Aemond leaves his taunting brother and seeks out another conquest. Momentarily, he feels back in control, until his brother reappears.

🔥 Warm Me Up

When his wife speaks out of turn during a dinner with the King, Aemond needs to reprimand her indiscretions.

🏺Whatever Interests You

You’re hired as a journalist to interview Prince Aemond Targaryen about his complicated family and their colonial past. Meeting the prince in person, he proves to be much more than the pompous royal you had imagined.

🏒 Sexting w/ modern!Aemond

You may be the one Aemond asks for when carnal urges consume him, but never forget that he’s in charge.

❤️‍🩹 Soft & Hard

How do you forget about Aemond Targaryen when he’s everywhere you look?

Aegon II Targaryen

💫 Rip It Up & Start Again

Growing up on the perilous streets of Flea Bottom, you’d learned that in King’s Landing it’s either eat or be eaten. When you hear from a friend that a posh rehab centre just outside of town is hosting an open AA meeting, you see your chance to infiltrate the elite of Westeros, hoping to swipe something of value from one of the rich snobs there. Unfortunately, it seems like the wristwatch you attempt to nick belongs to a man you share an unexplainable bond with.

🕯️Teaching the Unteachable

When all else fails, Aegon’s wife employs drastic measures to teach the unteachable.

Billy Washington

🚿 You’re Perfect

You ask Billy to fulfill one of your fantasies.

[afewproblems]

I think Steve needs a secret creative hobby that he springs on the group, surprising everyone.

Sometimes, it can be a little depressing to believe that everyone you love sees you as this one guy, this dumb jock. Intellectually, he knows that the kids and Robin, Nance, and Eddie don't think he's stupid, but that doesn't make the feeling go away.

What if his mom had put him in a ballroom dancing class when he was younger? From age 7 to 12, he took dancing through an independent studio with the other rich kids. It started with ballroom, which continued into swing-dancing. He loved it.

And Steve was good.

He was fluid and graceful, an absolute natural the instructor would remark to his mother when she would come to pick him up. In fact, they were picking kids to participate in the upcoming tournament for the youth category, and Steve was a perfect candidate, the instructor said.

That was until his dad made the executive decision to pull Steve out and force him into sports after catching Steve dancing with his mom in the kitchen. Watching his son twirling around with Susan Harrington, a small indulgent smile on her face, was the final straw for Richard.

"No son of mine is going to prance around like that, like a little fairy," he snarled as he dragged Steve away from the kitchen, his firm white-knuckle grip holding Steve's small arm as they made their way up the stairs to his room.

Steve tried not to make a sound as he covered his ears to the yelling match taking place in room below him.

Steve ended up in little league the next day.

Steve still practiced though, on his own.

It wasn't as though he hadn't made friends in that class, kids who kept on with it.

He missed it, he missed them. He missed how he felt when dancing.

It was freeing.

Carla Neilson taught him the new steps, things she continued to learn while Steve played baseball, basketball, and eventually made the swim team in highschool.

Swimming would probably be the closest he would get to that feeling of gliding along the floor, that grace and fluidity never really leaving him.

He had been a decent player at one time because of his quick feet, but that was before Billy Hargrove rolled into town. Steve never quite learned how to plant his feet because dancing always kept him moving, Hargrove seemed to enjoy pointing out how truly 'fairy-like' he was as he made his way across the court. Those words, the same words his father had hissed at him, all those years ago left him cold and hurt.

He stops dancing after that.

It's not until years later, after Vecna, after Billy dies and his Father disowns him, after he kisses Eddie for the first time and he finally feels like he can breath again that the group finds out.

It's at a party. Everyone of age is a little tipsy or faded at this point in the evening and playing a question game, the kids roll their eyes at their older friends antics and stick to the Nintendo across the living room of Steve and Eddie's apartment.

The question of, 'What is your hidden talent,' comes up and everyone takes their turn.

Robin recites the alphabet backwards, not blinking or pausing the entire way which everyone applauds for once she's finished.

Nancy does a quick handstand and takes three steps backward before dropping her legs back to the ground, she curtsies with a sly smile and laughs as she sits next to Robin again who is staring at Nancy like shes never seen her before.

Eddie thinks for a moment before lifting his hand to his mouth and blows out an impressively loud whistle that prompts Mike to tell them all off for being loud.

Jonathan blows a giant smoke ring while Argyle moonwalks around the living room, earning the pair of them a chorus of woops and applause.

Everyone turns to Steve once Argyle drops back to his seat next to Jonathan, "Alright brochacho you're up man," he says with a hazy smile.

Steve thinks for a moment, looking around at everyone, all of these people who love him, and makes a decision.

"Uh, yeah okay, I've got one," he says slowly before standing up from the loveseat he's sharing with Eddie, "but I'll need a volunteer and some music".

"Oh my God," Robin stage whispers to Nancy, "is he going to do magic right now? Steven Harrington can you do magic??"

Steve snorts and rolls his eyes, "I think I found my volunteer," he holds out his hand for Robin to take as Eddie stands up to turn on their second-hand record player they got from Uncle Wayne as a house warming.

"Uh, one of mine Eds," Steve says with a slight shake to his voice, "something with a beat".

"Oh shit," Robin chokes out as Steve tugs her close. She nearly stumbles, but his arms hold her up.

Eddie smirks like it's a challenge and pulls out Whitney Houston, earning a smile from Jonathan and a small, 'really?' from Nancy.

Argyle laughs, "Heck Yeah man, Whitney rocks dude, turn that shit up!"

Steve smiles and takes a deep breath, his heart is racing but he doesn't care in this moment, he looks at Eddie who is grinning at him, a slightly curious look on his face.

And it's like riding a bike, he leads Robin across the small space twirling and dipping her as she squeals and tries to follow.

Steve probably could have picked a slightly less clumsy volunteer, but he loves Robin and showing her, showing them all, this part of himself after hiding it for so long just means the world to him.

He keeps his own feet fast, keeping the beat but moving Robin where she needs to be as they glide over the carpet, he spins her out and then back into his arms as the song ends, they are both breathing heavily by the time the last note rings out and Robin can't contain her hands from smacking into Steve's chest as she yells, "Who the fuck are you! Dingus how could you hide this!"

Steve blushes as Eddie comes up behind him to hook his head over his shoulder as his arms come up to wrap around Steve's waist.

"Fancy footwork dude," Argyle says nodding at Jonathan who is looking at Steve with fascination.

"When did you learn to dance?" Nancy asks, her voice soft and kind, as though she knows exactly how big this is for him.

"I will accept the fact that you did not pick me to dance just now if I can be your partner next time," Eddie says into Steve's ear, letting his teeth graze the lobe slightly making Steve shiver and laugh.

El and Max refuse to let him sit down for the rest of the night, insisting that he do that spinning move with each of them until all of the kids demand a turn.

Even Mike.

And he loves them all, happy to have finally shared this piece of himself with all of them. His heart is full.

[intothedysphoria]

Steve started going to the gym the day after Eddie dumped him.

Technically, the two events were unrelated. Eddie avoided the gym like the plague so it wasn’t like Steve was going out of his way to meet him and they had a 30% membership discount the month of April, so really he was just taking advantage of a good deal.

Honestly, Steve worked out when he was stressed and he really needed that adrenaline hit to stop himself from crawling into the fridge and never coming out again.

He’d gotten up at 6AM, made sure that he looked semi presentable to be out in public and was just settling onto the running machine when the sound of Metallica started blasting from the Pilates room just opposite the regular gym.

After Steve recovered from his almost panic attack thinking that Eddie was actually getting fit, and the confusion at the instructor using fucking Metallica for 6AM Pilates, Steve decided in a bored, sad, slightly horny way, to check out the class.

Well, the instructor definitely wasn’t Eddie.

Eddie didn’t have those muscles.

Eddie didn’t have bleach blonde hair.

Eddie didn’t have a fucking tongue piercing.

Steve quickly decided he was in way over his head and frantically started to back away from the door but it was too late. The guy had already seen him and was gesturing him over.

Fucking shit.

The instructor was called Billy. Which was fun. He’d just moved to Hawkins from Los Angeles (why???????) and he was always up for new students so why didn’t Steve give it a go, he promised the Metallica was just a joke since it never failed to wake everyone up.

Steve was not a Pilates guy. That was all he learned from the hour long session. Well, that and when Billy’s tongue flicked out and did a little corkscrew, he looked like he’d be really good at eating- no Steve. Bad thoughts. No rebound.

Billy clapped a firm hand on Steve’s shoulder on the way out and Steve swore he started developing a semi.

This was not going to work.

He did what he always did when considering bad horny decisions and called Carol. The conversation was short and to the point.

“Babe didn’t Munson dump you literally like yesterday?”

She was popping her gum across the line. It was infuriating. Steve took a deep breath before responding.

“Well yeah but-“

Carol cut him off. She had a habit of doing that.

“Yeah but nothing babe.” Her voice trailed out of his phone like cigarette smoke, dancing across his room. “Either you let me key his dumbass weed van or you give up any dreams you’ve ever had about bouncing on blondie muscleface’s dick. Kay babe?”

Then she hung up.

Steve decided to go to Pilates class every day for the following two weeks. It kind of grew on him. Heather, the assistant instructor was bitchy and fun in a way he liked and her long acrylics reminded him of Carol. He made a mental note to himself to introduce her to Robin.

Things on the Billy side of things had not improved however. They’d gotten significantly worse. He was getting boners in public like a teenager, couldn’t speak in full sentences and his heart started doing that gooey mushy thing, especially when Billy told him he’d done a good job.

It’s a rebound not a crush had become his new mantra. Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly true.

It was definitely a crush. A big one. Even bigger than the ones he’d had on Jonathan or Nancy or Eddie. And it was a problem.

He didn’t do a Clueless and start wearing revealing athletics wear or anything but he did start flirting just a little. To test out if what he thought had been completely made up in his brain or if something was actually happening.

Billy consistently responded with innuendos so intense, they would make Tommy ask him to cool it.

Ok. So Billy seemed to like him back. All Steve needed to do was ask him to dinner or something. No biggie.

He walked into next Mondays class with a mission which was immediately shattered by Billy wearing a signed Corroded Coffin t shirt. And Corroded Coffin was still small as shit, if Billy had it signed, he was friends with Eddie no doubt.

Running out of the class may not have been the most dignified option but it was the only one his dumbass brain could think of at the time.

He ran all the way back to his apartment onto his bed then cried. After half an hour he decided to check his phone only to be faced with a text from a number Steve must have just thought he’d blocked.

Eddie 💖🖤☺️

Can we talk?

Steve messaged back telling him to go away but five seconds later relented and said sure.

The phone started ringing immediately.

“Hey Steve. Why’d you run out of Billy’s Pilates class?”

Steve wanted to laugh. Or cry. Or both. He decided to keep his tone on the cooler side of polite.

“Did he tell you about that?”

There was a long silence for about five minutes before Eddie answered.

“Look Steve……….I know I wasn’t a gentleman when I dumped you. I shouldn’t have just run from the restaurant. That was a dick move. But I really do like Jason and I know for a fact Billy likes you. And you deserve each other. Really.”

Steve sniffled but didn’t answer

“Friends again?” Eddie’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

“Friends.”

Billy looked slightly frantic the next Pilates class. His hair was a mess and he was wearing a hat with a food stain on it somehow. His face visibly relaxed when he saw Steve.

Billy wasn’t a rebound. He was kind and friendly and opened the door to people who were struggling to get out. His hair was a stupid 80s mullet in 2024, his tattoos were atrocious and Steve thought it might be too soon to say it but he was pretty sure he was in love with him.

Dinner was a good start though, Steve thought as Billy laced their fingers together after the class. Dinner was good.

[fizzigigsimmer]

My fave ballet tube channel out here feeding me plot bunnies for Harringrove Ballet School Au. Just imagine, Billy arrives on campus. Spitting mad cause his dad made him take the bus. Cheapskate wouldn’t even spring for a plane ticket when it’s Billy’s financial aide filling his pockets. He decided halfway there he’s not going to stay. He’s going to hop on the first bus back to Cali as soon as he can raise the money and that’s what he tells Madame Harrington. She may have bought Neil but she can’t buy him. Nobody can force him to stay here - which is true. He’s hoping she won’t want to deal with a runaway and a bad attitude, that she’ll just revoke the scholarship and end this farce for him. Neil will beat his ass black and blue but what else is new. At lease he’ll still have home and the beach.

Madame Harrington doesn’t look happy but she doesn’t get angry either. She makes Billy promise to sleep on it. Sit in on a class, have a real think about what he’s about to throw away. Billy’s not stupid, he knows she’s hoping he’ll see other kids dancing and make some friends and suddenly want to change his mind. It’s not going down like that. And it doesn’t. The class she takes him to is tier one, the advanced class. It’s mostly juniors and seniors but Billy spots a few younger kids and a couple of absolute shrimps who look like they haven’t left the seventh grade. They’re good though is the thing, doesn’t take more than a few steps to see why they’re in here dancing with the big kids. A redhead catches him watching in the doorway and gives him the stink eye.

And then whatever combination they’re doing ends and everyone is clapping, and the instructor calls out that it’s time for their soloist. “Be the swan, Steven. No spaghetti arms!”

The energy in the room just changes, the chatter lifting in anticipation as the students drift back to the edge of the room as a solitary figure steps forward. He’s got good shape. Strong legs - so long - and lean arms. Those fucking tights love him - holy shit. Billy can be forgiven for missing the first few steps he takes while he blinks away the after image that bulge has burned into his fucking retinas. But when he’s capable of seeing beyond it again, he sees this kid - this Steven - floating across the floor in some of the prettiest lines he’s ever seen. He thinks the number from Swan Lake. Thinks Steve-o is gorgeous when he’s not fucking it up, playing to the crowd and losing focus. It’s only a wobble here or there, just minor imperfections.

It annoys the shit out of Billy.

“Who’s the diva?” he asks Madame H. under the sudden swell of clapping and cheering as the boy’s solo comes to an end.

She smiles, a twinkle entering her eye.

“That would be Steve. My son.”

Her son? Wait! That’s Steve Steve? The kid he used to penpal and trade basketball cards with. That’s Steve Harrington?

“Oh yeah?” Billy sneers, hoping to hide how dry his mouth has gone. Challenges with an arched brow, “Teachers son thinks he’s hot shit huh?”

But Madame H. seems unperturbed. She doesn’t tell him off about his language or take offense for her kid’s sake, just keeps smiling at Billy with that little glint in her eye that’s too fond for comfort.

“He’s been best in his age group since he was eight. Makes it hard to keep him challenged. I was hoping that would change with you here now, but if you’re set on leaving I guess I’ll have to come up with something else.”

It’s so stupid. Some reverse psychology bullshit, but damn it it’s working because Billy isn’t as keen on leaving as he was when they walked in.

“You sure that’s what you want?” He asks, barely waiting for the perplexed look to form on her face as he shrugs off his duffel bag. He strides into the room like he owns it, feels the heads turn towards him as his sneakers thud hollowly on the hard floor. The chatter dies as he calls out, “you call that a dance?”

His eyes lock with the boy in the center of the room.

Billy will show him a dance. He’ll show them all.

[lyledebeast]

One thing I always think about when I watch Billy Elliot since my whole obsession with The Patriot started is how differently these two movies released in 2000 depict the dead moms.

Not only does no one ever say Elizabeth Martin's name in The Patriot, we only know what it is because of a scene in the extended cut where Benjamin Martin visits her grave and we see it on the stone. When people talk about her, it is always in terms of showing us who her stand-in is rather than showing why she was important to her loved ones. For example, when Gabriel tells Martin to "stay the course," Martin points out that Gabriel's mother used to say that. Aunt Charlotte has to remind Martin that she's "not [her] sister," and he assures her that he knows that, but I'm not sure anyone really believes her. The daughter who becomes mute after her mother's death begins talking almost as soon as she comes to be under her aunt's care. Hmmmm. . . .

Meanwhile, the casting director for Billy Elliot had to find a whole live woman to feature in family pictures and even a flashback because Billy's mam is a person, not a symbol. She is fleshed out in the most literal possible sense! Billy pays multiple visits to her grave, imagines the aforementioned flashback, and brings his dance instructor a letter his mam wrote for him that he has also memorized. Not only Billy but every person in his household has vivid memories of his mother. His grandmother tells him is mother's favorite dancer was Fred Astair. Her husband sobs openly while burning pieces of her piano to keep the rest of the family warm. A later scene lingers on a picture of just the two of them while he takes her jewelry to pawn so he can take Billy to his audition in London. Even Tony tells Billy their mam would have let him pursue ballet school.

Mostly importantly, Billy's mam is irreplaceable. It would have been so easy for Daldry to make Mrs. Wilkinson a stand-in for her (she's even played by Julie Walters, whom you all know as Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter movies). That does not happen because as much as Billy Elliot does focus on masculinities, it also does its due diligence in showing that not all women are the same.

[camaro-and-smokes]

Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car

Tags for this chapter: hey some more angst, a guy who may look like Jason Carver but isn't him / Moodboard by the lovely @a-redharlequin 💜

Summary: Billy tries to connect with his date and Steve tries to work his way through and past his emotions.

Read on AO3 >>

::::::::::

The water hitting Billy's back from the showerhead was hot, making him hiss at the first contact. His back was killing him, he'd probably lifted something at work with his back and then done a movement wrong in the aerobics class. Hot shower was the quickest relief for the pain since he didn't want to be aching throughout the date he'd have later tonight.

Jason, his date, was one of the few men who came to his aerobics classes at the dance studio, and a successful real estate agent. So much so that even when Billy and Rob hadn't yet totally fallen apart, when the other instructors at the studio heard Jason had asked him on a date, all of them had told him to dump Rob. Yes, Jason was good looking with his blue eyes, great physique and a million-dollar smile. He looked like a sculpture in his aerobics gear and Billy wouldn't deny it; he'd been shamelessly looking.

They'd talked here and there around the classes and now that Rob was gone and all his unrequited feelings for Steve were becoming too much, Billy had finally agreed to Jason's open invitation for a date.

He was flattered by the attention Jason was giving him, encouraging words about the workouts, always something nice to say about his looks—and Jason had even waited until he was finally willing to try dating again. He just didn't exactly know what could a car mechanic and a real estate agent would have in common. But he hoped that if nothing else, this date would open him up a little to new possibilities and give him new things to think about.

Because last night and how it ended had occupied his thoughts the whole day.

Steve had slipped out the door in the morning before Billy could say half a word to him and ask about why he suddenly called it a night after he’d told him about the date. And why he suddenly behaved so differently, and fuck, he would've wanted to ask about the panties, too. He'd tried to avoid that discussion on purpose, but now it seemed impossible not to talk it through.

Billy still felt like shit when he thought about how the expression on Steve's face had fallen at his announcement of the date. He'd thought that Steve would be supportive of him finally moving on. His first thought had been that Steve was angry and worried about having to find a new place to stay—but it didn't fit. The whole time Steve had been living with him, he'd been telling him to get out there and date again. But apparently it wasn't as straightforward when the moment itself arrived.

He let out a sigh when the water started to cool, telling him he'd spent all the hot water. The bathroom was full of steam when he turned the shower off and reached for the towel on the hook, stepping out of the shower. He stood in front of the mirror and wiped the steam from it, looking at his reflection. Even though he should be happy about the date, that someone was interested in him, he couldn't help but to feel a little sad, too.

Jason wasn't who he would've wanted to go on a date with right now. But he was the second best right option, and that had to do.

:::

The humming of the lights and the clock ticking on the wall were the only sounds in Steve's tiny office. The clock was relentlessly ticking towards seven when Steve glanced at it.

He was alone, save for the looming stacks of paper and the pitch for a marketing plan for the second quarter that laid on the desk unfinished.

With a weary sigh, he leaned back in his chair and reached for the phone, dialing the familiar number that connected him to Chicago.

“Hey, Steve. How's work?” Robin's voice came through the line as a familiar slight echo of a long-distance call.

“Hey, Rob,” Steve said, forcing out a chuckle. “Ever thought of a career as a medium?”

“Nah, this was on you. You never call me around this time on a Tuesday evening.”

It was true. Steve never called her at this time because he knew she had a book club or something like that then. “What if this is my new time to call?” he asked. “You told me I could call whenever. And I thought that I'd call just to see if you'd pick up.”

“Okay, fine. Be glad there's a tough flu bug doing rounds, so the book club was canceled. So, what are you still doing at work? Avoiding going home?” she asked.

“Maybe I am,” he admitted, swirling his pen between his fingers. “It's quieter here.”

“As in, it's quieter inside your head when you're there or it's quieter there, so you have plenty of time and space to think about your feelings?”

Steve felt a tinge of pain in his chest. “He's going on a date tonight.”

“Oh.”

“We had a really nice evening yesterday,” Steve said, realizing that he needed to tell her about it. “I felt that for the first time we really connected, you know. And then he dropped the bomb on me.”

“Ouch. I'm sorry.”

“I guess I just thought that there wasn't anyone... Sure, I told him he should date and that I'd stay away from his way if he ever brought someone home. But that was before. It hit like a ton of bricks.”

“Okay, let's unwrap it. Is it a first date or...”

“He said that it's their first one.”

“Okay, so, it's probably then yet not that far, right?”

“I guess...”

“Steve,” she said calmly, “It's just a date. You know how that is; it might lead nowhere. But I guess now you have to figure out what you want quicker than what I suggested. If someone wants to go on a date with him, and especially if he then, too, wants to see them again...”

“Yeah, I know, I know! It's just... What if I tell him? What then? If he doesn't like me back, then we can't be roommates anymore, I couldn't look him in the eyes after that. And I can't just tell him 'Hey, don't start dating yet, just in case, I'm not sure, but I think I might have feelings for you'.”

“No one said it would be easy,” Robin tried to comfort him. “I wish I could tell you what to do, how to solve this. But it's your life. You need to do the heavy lifting yourself. All I can say is the same as yesterday: figure it out. But just remember: some doors open only once. Don't hesitate too long.”

“I guess,” Steve sighed.

“Go home, Steve. That's where you should be figuring this out, not at work.”

When Steve turned the BMW on their street, he saw from already far away that the Camaro was still parked in front of the bungalow. He'd hoped he could've avoided seeing Billy, but lady luck was not in his favor today.

After he parked the car, he sat there for a moment before getting up, thinking. Knowing Billy was going on a date with someone else hurt. Steve honestly didn't know what to make of it. He had just learned something about himself, and the guy who gave him that awakening was someone who was not on the top of Steve's list of people he'd like to have a relationship with. Well, okay, if he was brutally honest—like he'd now would have to be, at least to himself if no one else—he hadn't thought like that. In truth, he just hadn't known Billy that well.

The troubled teenager who was always an inch away from biting Steve's head off had grown into a surfer who got up before the sun in the morning to surf or for a run on the beach, who loved the sea and its creatures, and who could talk endlessly about how bad importing stuff from overseas was or how important it was for the entire globe to take better care of the oceans. For Billy, fixing cars and teaching aerobics classes was just a means to get by. What he really wanted was to set up his own board shop and maybe make some custom boards.

Steve had seen some of Billy's designs, and while he himself knew nothing about boards, he'd been listening to Billy talk with his surfer buddies and spying his surf magazines that were all around the bungalow. Billy seemed to know what he was talking about, and maybe Steve had amused himself by thinking how to market custom made boards and to whom...

Looks were one thing, and being comfortably in the same place in total silence without the need to fill it with idle chatter was another, and then there were the avenues Steve hadn't yet even thought about more than counting the parts that caused his awakening—ones that tickled his abdomen every time he thought about them.

He hadn't expected that Billy really wasn't at all how he'd been in high school. And it was... difficult. If he'd still been the asshole he was back then, it would've been much easier for Steve to brush off the feelings he was now having as something generated by the fact that he just hadn’t gotten laid in months. Though, if that had been the case, he probably wouldn't have had these feelings in the first place.

The problem was that he didn't know what he exactly wanted. Like he'd told Robin, he couldn't ask Billy to wait just because he thought he had feelings. This might as well be just the door opener for this new side of him and turn out to be nothing more after a while.

But Robin was right. Some doors opened just once, and they didn't remain open forever.

:::

Billy was choosing what to wear when he heard Steve walking in. He pulled a black shirt from the closet with him and buttoned it up as he walked into the living room. He was surprised to see Steve look weary. “Rough day at work?”

Steve glanced at him quickly as he walked towards his room. “Something like that.”

“I was hoping you'd come earlier.”

Steve stopped by the door and turned to look at him. “Why?”

Billy shrugged. “I don't know. Maybe we could've talked about yesterday?”

Steve looked back at his room. “What's there to talk?” He glanced back at Billy before speaking again—and Billy was sure sadness flashed on Steve’s face before a brave smile spread across it. “It was fun. We should do it again sometime.”

Billy smiled. “Yeah, it was fun.” Then he turned serious. “I just don't know what made you end it so abruptly.”

Steve rubbed his eyes with his fingers. “I was just tired, that's all.”

Billy looked at Steve for a moment, pondering whether to believe Steve's words or not. “You sure?”

“Yeah, totally,” Steve replied, again with a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes.

Yeah, Billy didn't believe Steve. But he didn't want to push it either, though. “Right. Okay.”

Steve glanced at his wristwatch. “Shouldn't you be on your way?”

Billy looked at his own watch. It was ten to eight, and he was supposed to meet Jason at eight. “Shit! Yeah, I should.”

“You two have fun,” Steve said as we walked into his room and closed the door behind him.

“I'll try,” Billy said under his breath as he stared at the closed door.

:::

When Steve heard the front door closing five minutes later, he took a deep breath. It had been harder to see Billy than what he'd imagined. He'd looked great, all primped up and having that new cologne on he'd bought a few weeks back. The one he'd been concerned about if it was too much and asked Steve to be the judge of. It was very Billy-esc scent, masculine and yet not too much—and of course, now that scent wafting all over the house made everything worse. Steve wondered for a brief moment if Billy was wearing something extra underneath his clothes, if he'd go to the date's place afterwards and let them see what it was.

Or worse; if he'd bring the date here. Steve hoped he wouldn't.

:::

Le Petite Bouchée was lit by dim chandeliers and candles on each table, casting a warm glow on the patrons that murmured under the soft timbre of old-time jazz. The small, charming restaurant was nestled in the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, a perfect setting for Billy to get his mind off, well, everything.

He sat alone, perched awkwardly on the edge of his chair. The nervous energy in his body caused him to fidget incessantly with the silverware before him, his fingers tapping out an erratically against the white linen tablecloth. He scanned the full space between quick glances at his watch and the door. He'd been late, but so was Jason, and even more than him.

"Can I get you anything while you wait, sir?" a waiter with a polite smile inquired, breaking Billy's cycle of anxious anticipation.

"Ah, no thanks. I'm good. Just waiting for someone," Billy replied, his voice steadier than he felt.

"Of course, sir. Just signal when you're ready."

As the waiter drifted away, Billy's gaze returned to the entrance, where patrons entered beneath the glow of the restaurant's sign. He didn't like what Jason being late might mean for the future. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, trying to still the restlessness inside him.

Then, like a scene from a movie, Jason appeared through the door. There was something special about the way he moved that caught Billy's eye. He watched, spellbound, as Jason walked towards him with a warm smile that lit up his face.

Jason's hair, a stylish Ceasar crop, hinted at a meticulous nature, and his clothes—without a doubt an expensive suit and tailor-made shirt—spoke of the effort put forth for this encounter. His stride was confident, yet there was a softness in his eyes that reached across the room and wrapped around Billy.

“Hey there,” Jason greeted, his voice smooth and inviting as he approached the table. “Sorry that I kept you waiting. Parking was a nightmare.”

“Hey, no worries," Billy managed, standing to greet him. A handshake felt too formal, a hug too presumptuous, so they settled somewhere in between—a casual clasp of shoulders that lingered just a moment too long. “I've only been here a few minutes myself.”

“Good, good,” Jason chuckled, easing into the seat opposite Billy. “I wouldn't want you to think I'm not punctual.”

“Never crossed my mind,” Billy lied smoothly, the tension in his shoulders unwinding ever so slightly. With Jason now present, the atmosphere of the restaurant seemed less daunting, the music softer, and the voices of other diners a distant murmur.

“This seems a nice place,” Jason commented, taking in their surroundings with an appreciative glance.

“Yeah, I thought we might enjoy the vibe here,” Billy said, hoping his choice would impress. “It's got that... I don't know, kind of timeless feel to it.”

“Timeless is right,” Jason agreed with a nod. “Feels like we could be in any decade.”

“Exactly,” Billy said, feeling a hopeful spark ignite within him. Perhaps, he mused, the evening could still unfold in the way he had hoped.

As they examined the menu, Billy glanced at Jason, regarding him. The candlelight cast a golden glow on the table and the menu cut it with stark shadows on Jason's face. Jason was almost Billy's type: well built, took care of himself, had a proper income, all the basics covered. But Billy knew nothing about who Jason was. If he was kind or funny or a good cook or if he'd be always willing to listen to him japing about some issue and then suggest a way he could do something about it—like Steve did.

Billy was surprised by the sudden comparison that popped into his mind. He hadn't thought about it like that, not at least consciously, about the qualities he liked in Steve and now trying to find if Jason had any of them. He made a mental note to avoid that in the future. He was on a date and dating was for learning about the other person so you could make your mind. Not comparing them to someone else who wasn't even a ex.

They made their orders and were then engulfed in a conversation.

"So, how do you survive teaching aerobics to people with two left feet?" Jason asked, his voice tinged with amusement. "I've seen some hopefuls in your class. It's like watching Bambi on ice."

Billy chuckled, "Well, the key is patience and a good sense of humor. Plus, it's hard to stay frustrated when you're surrounded by so much... enthusiasm." He raised his eyebrows, emphasizing the last word with a playful smirk.

"Ah, enthusiasm. Is that what we're calling it these days?" Jason teased, taking a sip from his glass of water.

"Absolutely," Billy replied with a grin.

Their laughter mingled, filling the space between them with an easy camaraderie. As the food arrived, they continued to talk. While Billy was in the middle of recounting an anecdote from his latest surfing escapade, he reached for his glass but knocked it over instead, sending a cascade of red wine spilling across the white tablecloth. “Shit!” he exclaimed, half-standing, a blush creeping up his cheeks. He grabbed his napkin, dabbing at the spreading stain. “Did you get any of it on your shirt?”

“No,” Jason said, waving down a server to help. “And even if I had, it's just clothes. There are rackfuls of them in the stores.”

As the server came to the table and cleaned up the mess, Billy couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth that had nothing to do with the wine he'd spilled. There was something about Jason's ease and humor that made him feel relaxed despite the accident.

"Next time," Jason said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "I'm bringing a sippy cup for you. Safety first, after all."

"Oh har har," Billy retorted, rolling his eyes in mock indignation. "Just for that, I'm making you do double leg lifts next class."

“Is that a promise?” Jason's reply was light, but there was a hint of something more—a promise of future moments just like this one, filled with laughter and the thrill of new beginnings.

Over the evening, Billy found himself opening up about his life as a mechanic and an aerobics instructor and his love of the ocean—his passion for both surf and turf, as Jason called it. With each shared story and laugh, the connection between them deepened, the chemistry undeniable.

Yet despite the laughter and the clearly growing bond, Billy's mind occasionally wandered to Steve, his feelings and the tension that suddenly seemed to permeate the air back at the bungalow. Each time that happened, though, he shook off the thought and refocused on Jason. He was determined to enjoy the evening and the possibilities it might offer—ones that now at this first glance seemed promising.

[dragonflylady77]

Nobody puts Billy in a corner

Ch1 - All he has to offer is a banged-up Camaro and a lot of trauma

Billy & Steve | Teen & Up | 567 words

Dirty Dancing Au, No Upside Down, TW Neil Hargrove

Square: C2 - Dirty Dancing AU for @billyhargrovebingo

Summary:

The Hargrove-Mayfield family is spending the summer at Harrington's Family Resort.

Billy is counting the days until he's free from his father's claws and he meets a dance instructor he just can't stay away from.

Not even when Neil Finds out.

Read on Ao3

***

Billy gritted his teeth. His evening was getting steadily worse. As if spending a month in this stupid vacation resort in the middle of Bumfuck, Indiana, with his asshole of a father, his new wife and her golden child wasn’t enough already…

Now he had to contend with his old man finding out he’d been kinda seeing one of the dance instructors. Because the walls were so thin in the cabin, he’d managed to avoid the full-on beating he could see floating in his father’s beady eyes but the vile words still rang in his ears.

He moved in his chair, lessening the pressure on the side with the bruise and took a sip of the water he’d been allowed to have. No fancy mocktails for the undeserving brat… Max kept glancing at him every time she sucked on the straw of her colourful whatever-the-fuck-it-was-called, guilt plain on her face. Billy didn’t have the energy to tell her it wasn’t her fault his father hated him. She was sitting on the end of the table while he was stuck in the corner between Father Dearest and meek Susan who always did her damnedest to look away.

He was only vaguely aware of the festivities happening that night, though he knew Max had some part in it. She was wearing a glittery dress her mother had forced her to wear, much to Billy’s secret delight. He knew how much Max hated wearing dresses.

“Good evening campers! I’m Deliah Harrington and I trust you are all having a good time with us this summer at Harrington’s.”

Billy looked up to see a woman who looked somewhat familiar standing in the middle of the stage. She had brown hair and big brown eyes and she was holding a microphone. Billy noticed that Max was now also on the stage along with a bunch of the staff. She was standing on the far end, looking less than enthused.

They started singing, mostly off-key, and Billy did his utmost to keep a straight face, he didn’t want another snide remark from his father or another sneaky punch… He took his time looking at all the faces, but Steve and his crew were nowhere to be seen. Billy wasn’t sure whether it was their choice or management’s decision.

He hadn’t seen Steve since the night before when his father had wrenched the door open and dragged him out after delivering some choice words to Steve. The dance instructor had been shaking with anger but had managed to not punch Neil Hargrove, and Billy was in awe of the man he had been calling his boyfriend in the safety of his own mind.

He didn’t delude himself that they had a future outside of Harrington’s and the summer. All he had to offer was a banged-up Camaro and a lot of trauma.

Unbeknownst to Neil, Billy had secured a scholarship to UC San Diego. He’d lied to Neil about which school he’d been accepted at to throw him off the scent, and brokered a deal that he was allowed to go as long as he spent the summer with Neil, Susan and Max on their family holiday.

Billy had been counting the days since his birthday, knowing that turning eighteen would never be reason enough for Neil to let him go. God forbid anyone found out the Hargrove-Mayfields were less than a perfect family.

[gracegrove]

Steve coming to pick Billy up from their local gym but he's not in his usual spot by the free weights or the Smith machine.

Instead Steve finds Billy 5mins later tucked into the midst of a Zumba class.

Billy claims the instructor was very persuasive.

Two weeks later Billy is found in a belly dancing class...

[strangerficsxx]

Chapter Two: Trick or Treat, Freak

story: Midnight Rain wc: 2.8k halloween arrives in hawkins and jennifer isn't pleased on going to a party thrown by tina. however she goes since she wants to be with Billy Hargrove and party while she has the time before the world begins to end...

[a/n: all characters, plot, etc. are not mine. The only thing I own is my original character. credit to gif owner.]

{ October 31, 1984 }

Halloween morning arrived as the sun is warm and a cold breeze lightly flows through Hawkins, making the leaves dance. Jennifer wakes up and gets on with her day before rushing out the door and toward a nearby costume shop to look for something to wear at the party. Jennifer was going, not only to get out of her house, but to also party and hangout with her new boyfriend and maybe even lose her virginity. She looks at the costumes hanging on the rack, wondering which costume she should buy. Without thinking, she decided to just buy an outfit as close to a character. But the costume she picks was outside of her comfort zone -- a sexy aerobics instructor. She was thinking that it would look stupid, however it might look good to the people around her considering everyone will be hot and dressed inappropriately since they are all popular. She quickly purchases the outfit and brings it home.

Jennifer walks into her home, closing the door behind her as she enters her bedroom. She throws the bag of clothes down before pulling out her costume, hanging it up on the coat hangers in her closet. She grabs some flats that she bought last fall and sets them off to the side. Looking at the time, Jennifer curses out loud whilst grabbing her keys and getting in her car, driving to school. 

——

Later, Jennifer sits across from Steve and Nancy in the library at Hawkins High School as the three teens study. All Jennifer can think about is the party and what Billy might be dressed as while she looks towards the two, wondering what is going on in their minds besides studying. Nancy erases something before re-writing it only for the led to break as she sighs in annoyance. She gets up as Jennifer looks back at her paper, glancing at Steve who watches Nancy go. Jennifer knew they'd been together for a while and Jennifer was seeing Billy, but deep down that burning she felt prior came back as she watched Nancy approach the hand held pencil sharpener. Whilst sharpening her pencil, Jennifer notices a woman standing in front of a book shelf. The red haired female resembled Barbra a little too much from the outfit to the hair, but the teen wasn’t wearing those big square glasses like Barbra. Without hesitating, Steve gets up and walks toward Nancy as Jennifer stays seated trying not to intervene with the two. 

Steve and Nancy walk into a more private room while she continued to study but the idea of them dating made her stomach churn. However, Jennifer had to keep her head held high and study because she had a test in math she’s studying for and Jennifer cannot fail it. Trying to study, a sudden thought came to mind; her and steve dating and how the jealousy -- even though she didn't want to admit it -- was still there, burning inside her. But the thought escapes when Billy pops into her mind. She is with him, and that's who she wants to focus on.

“Shit, Jennifer. Get yourself together for god’s sake.” She whispers to herself. 

Whipping her head around and looking at the same space as earlier, Jennifer now sees the two hugging in the seperate room as tears well up in her eyes without realizing it. To her, she kept those jealous feelings to herself, focusing on other things as she has other stuff to do. There was a party tonight and Jennifer wanted to get what she needed done so she can be ready to party and hangout with her boyfriend to distract her.

——

That night, Jennifer gets dressed (in her costume) before heading down to the Byers residence to drop a VHS tape off for Jonathan and his family to Watch. It was cheesy, but Jennifer also wanted to see what his plans are considering everyone else will be at Tina’s Halloween bash. Stepping towards her mirror, Jennifer looks at her reflection, checking herself out. The stretchy material hugged her curves perfectly. Her hair was teased with a shit ton of Farrah Fawcett spray, something to hold it in place, and a sweatband sat around her head. Looking in the mirror one last time, she smooths her hair out as the curls fall freely on her shoulder. Jennifer slides into the driver’s seat of her vehicle and drives off. 

When she arrives at the Byers residence, she kills the engine and steps out of the vehicle and closes the door behind her. She steps onto the front porch and knocks. A male opens the door dressed as Dracula as he pulls out his fake vampire teeth. Jennifer shuffles her stance to where she’s not putting most of her body weight on one foot.

“I thought you were trick-or-treaters.” 

“Nope. I’m Jennifer, I’m a friend of Jonathan’s.” 

“Ah, I see.”

Joyce strides up to the door with her two sons as they step out, walking past Jennifer as Jonathan stops in his tracks. Jennifer greets Joyce with a hug as she eyes her outfit, ignoring it and begins to tell the teen that the person dressed as Dracula is Bob, her new boyfriend. Jennifer pokes her head inside and apologizes to Bob as he dismisses it as okay, stopping Jonathan after she turned her heel.

“Jonathan, I wanted to drop off Freaks, a VHS Phoebe rented but never returned. She gave me the tape as I never returned it either due to all the excitement.” 

“And you wanted me to have it?” He asks. 

“Yeah, I know how much your family likes to watch horror films on Halloween night. And, I'm here to see what your plans are as well.” 

“Thanks, Jen. I’m actually heading out to take Will Trick-or-Treating with his friends.” 

Jennifer looks over at Will dressed in a Ghostbusters costume as a smile forms on her face. She thought it was cute of the kids to do a group costume from the Ghostbusters films, but came back, eyeing the lanky male. Jennifer clears her throat to avoid the awkward silence that was brought upon the two teens as she perks up telling him that she'll see him around and hopefully at the party while he smiles. The brunette heads back to her car, sliding behind the wheel as she drives to the party. When she parks near Tina’s house, Jennifer gets out of her car and locks it,making her windows are close then approaches the entrance. 

The song Shout at the Devil by Motley Crue blasts throughout the house as it’s loud even standing outside. When she walks in through the gate, she watches as Tommy and another male hold Billy as he chugs the beer from the keg. She hears the teens around counting. He walks away only wearing black pants with a leather jacket, his abs visible as Jennifer realizes she's staring at him and possibly memorizing the shape of his torso. Everyone chants Billy as he walks through the crowd. 

“That’s how you do it, Hawkins!” He shouts.

Jennifer enters the house and follows after him as Nancy and Steve catch her attention. Nancy stalks off to the alcohol as Steve gets harrassed by Billy and Tommy. When he leaves, Tommy leaves Billy as well, so Jennifer decides to approach. He grabs her hips with his hands and brings her close to him, pulling his cigarette out of his mouth and plants his lips on Jennifer’s. The taste of beer lingers on her lips as they pull away from each other. 

“You look hot,” Jennifer compliments. 

“You as well…” He asks. 

They stood there as the loud music blared around them as Jennifer takes that as a sign to leave, so she does. She walks out to the keg, asking Tommy and the guy from earlier to hold her up. The guys looked at each other, unbothered and looked as if they were gonna laugh in her face. Fortunatley, Tommy nods, grabbing Jennifer. They hold her up as she puts the tube in her mouth. Other students surround Jennifer as she chugs and chugs. Billy stands watch as well, unsure if she will beat his score of forty-two chugs. 

“Holy shit, she’s going for it!” Tommy shouts.

Jennifer chugs, landing on 36 so far. She continues as the counter goes up. The kids around her chant the numbers of each second. 

“37…38…39…40…41…42…43…44!!” 

Jennifer moves her legs as the two boys put her down on the cement. She stands there and swallows the rest of the beer in her mouth, wiping the corners as Tommy looks at her surprised. Billy approaches, seeing the commotion. 

“Well, Hargrove, I think I just beat your score.” 

“You sure?” 

“Mmhmm,” 

“Billy, she beat you, man. forty four!! We have a new Keg… Queen!” 

Jennifer turns her heel, stepping away from Billy before he grabs her wrist, spinning her around so she can face him. 

“Come with me.” His voice deep

Billy leads Jennifer up to an empty bedroom, closing the door behind them as he kisses her. Jennifer feels herself heating up as she ignores it and slides his jacket off. Billy tugs on her on piece, pulling the straps down. Sliding her one piece top off, he kisses the sensitive skin on her neck as he pushes her lighty to where she falls on top of the bed. He gets on top of her and begins a trail of kisses down above her breasts as a breathy moan escapes from Jennifer’s mouth. They flip and Jennifer’s on top and begin to take things further when there’s commotion downstairs as they pull apart from each other. Getting off him and sliding her blouse on, Jennifer sits beside him before hearing more noise as she watches Billy rise from the mattress and steps out of the room and shutting the door behind him. Jennifer sits there before laying down on the bed, saddened and a bit tipsy. She knew that she was very close to hitting second base with the guy she likes. Or, who Jennifer thought she liked. 

Does Jennifer even like Billy the way she fell in love with Steve Harrington? The short answer was no. No, she didn’t.

Groaning Jennifer gets up and exits the bedroom before heading downstairs, annoyed and upset as she approaches Billy… kissing another girl? The girl was none other then Tina. Tears prick at her eyes as she turns and exits the house, stepping onto the front porch and keeping her head down ushering toward her car. Without paying any attention to where she’s going, Jennifer suddenly bumps into someone. She cranes her neck up and sees who it is.

Steve Harrington. Of course she had to run into him, out of everyone else here, it was him.

“Jennifer?” He questioned.  

“Oh, hey, Steve. I wasn't expecting to see you out here.”

“I left… Nancy got pissed off and then proceeded to call our relationship bullshit.” 

“Steve… I’m sorry.” 

“Well, Jennifer… some things aren’t meant to happen.” 

“About that..” Jennifer trails off, a tear streaming down her cheek.

Steve notices and wipes it away with his thumb, cupping her cheek in the process. He stares into Jennifer’s eyes, holding her gaze. Jennifer moves her body closer to his as he slowly leans in. The sound of Girls on Film by Duran Duran blasts in the background, people coming and going from the party as the world around Steve and Jennifer seem to have stood still. Without thinking, Steve breaks the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers. They stood there, kissing in the night sky. The moon was full and the air was chilly, but Jennifer didn’t care because she felt warm in front of Steve. They pull away after a few seconds, wishing the kiss could last longer. 

“Woah,” Jennifer says, feeling the alcohol kicking in. “That was…” 

“Amazing.” 

“Do you… wanna go somewhere?” 

“Let’s go.”

Before taking another step Jennifer loses her balance as Steve manages to catch her. The thought of her drink while intoxicated scared him as he lifted her in his arms. Jennifer mumbled a few indistinct words, but mostly had her eyes closed the entire time. Placing her in his car, Jennifer rests her head on the seat as Steve gets the seatbelt hooked before closing the passenger door. Arriving at his vacant home, Steve parks and steps out of the vehicle. He opens the passenger side as Jennifer almost falls out. He manages to catch her before assisting her to the house.

“Why aren't you taking me to my house?"

"Do you really want your mom to see you drunk?"

"No. I'll call her and, like, I'll tell her that I was at, like, Billie's place."

"Okay,"  

Once they enter his room, Jennifer stumbles as he holds her. Suddenly Jennifer covers her mouth as Steve glances at her. Jennifer wobbles as she take another step towards the bathroom, landing on her knees and leaning over the toilet. Purging, Jennifer sniffles before sighing and looking over at Steve. He stands in the doorway of the bathroom, looking towards her with a sympathetic exspression plastered on his face. She sets the bin down, looking down.

“I think you should take a break from chugging that much alcohol.” 

“Yeah, I think you’re right.” 

“I’ll get you some clothes,”

“Steve, it’s okay. I’ll just sleep in my—” 

“Costume? I don’t think so.” 

“Ok,” 

Jennifer stands, holding onto the walls around to and searches for Steve's bed, sitting there nauseated. Steve quickly throws something on before grabbing an oversized shirt and grey lounge shorts, and handing it to Jennifer as she finally takes it. She slides it over her frail body before climbing into Steve’s bed. 

“You take my bed, I’ll take the couch.” 

“No, can you… can you lay with me, please?” 

“Uh, sure.”

Steve climbs in and lays beside her, holding Jennifer’s gaze as he exhales. mascara stains Jennifer's cheeks, her hair messy and her eyes red and puffy from crying as her lids hang heavy. She begins to feel slightly better as she tries to think of something to say. 

“So, what happened back there?” 

“Well, besides trying to hit second base with Billy Hargrove, he walked away and went to do something else when there was a lot of commotion.” 

“Yeah, it was probably me and Nancy causing the commotion.” 

Jennifer chuckles, beginning to feel tired as Steve cups her face.

"No. He, uh, he was my boyfriend but since he cheated on me with that... that slut. I'm, like, single now."

"And, you kissed me."

"Yeah," She says, finally falling asleep.

Steve then turns back at Jennifer who is passed out. She snores lightly as the corners of his mouth twitch, forming a small smile. Turning off the lights, he stares at her gentle features before grabbing a blanket and covering her up before he falls asleep on the beside her. 

——

A little later, Jennifer wakes up and looks at the alarm clock on the dresser. It’s 10:59 PM, almost. She looks around the room and sees that the room doesn’t belong to her. Where am I? Jennifer wonders, uncovering and looking at her figure. She’s dressed, so didn’t have sex with anyone. That was until Jennifer remembers the night before and how she pretty much made a fool out of herself when trying to hit second base with Billy. She also remembers the keg, and how she beat Billy’s score. Smirking, the memory of her and Steve kissing on the front porch of Tina’s house makes her widen her eyes. Jennifer quickly gets up and throws her clothes on before looking down at Steve, who is asleep. She tells him that she’s leaving and begins walking out when she hears two people talking.

His parents.

Jennifer opens the door softly then closes it behind her, tiptoeing down the flight of stairs and out Harrington residence. Grabbing her keys from her pocket, Jennifer takes off towards the neighborhood where Tina threw her party and finds her car. She runs toward her car and gets in, grabbing her keys from her pocket. Jennifer fumbles with them before entering the driver's seat. She starts the engine, driving away from the disheveled house. Pulling into the carport, she kills the engine before stepping out of the vehicle and towards the back of the house.

Jennifer sees her cracked window as she slides her finger under and lifts glass up before she climbs in, almost falling in the process. Knocking her alarm clock off her bedside table, it clatters as it collides with the floor. Jennifer pauses and listens. Standing there, she sighs in relief before setting it on her table. She closes the window behind her as she leans her bodyweight against the wall, feeling dizzy and stays there.

[lordkingsmith]

Nick Russell and Jack Rose joke au kid;

Will be linked into Nick’s au kid page when I get to him lol. The just dance verse is only tangentially related but I got crossover fic and they do have their own power ranger team. If only those four had names or I’d include them too. These kids are a little special as just dance related so they get picrew and a song they’d be the coach of in the game.

-

Jack temporarily escaped into the earth dimension sitting beside the Just Dance verse with Team Spectronizer, the power ranger team for the Just Dance verse. Jack met Minh Qwan, Billy Cranston and Zack Taylor while there, developing into a sort of adoptive sibling to Minh. While there he also encountered Nick Russell and the Mystic Force team. Nick and Jack hit into an immediate rivalry. Similar to Tommy Oliver and Jason Lee Scott, and barely got along at all. Teasing, pranking and fighting each other. At one point Jack breaks his hand (and Nick’s nose) punching him in the face, and at another Nick loses fifty bucks in a backfired attempt to embarrass Jack.

When Night Swan came to collect her son, she almost succeeded in turning Nick Russell and Ollie Akana into Night Selves, evil versions of themselves. Jack managed to get them both to safety. Once everything was said and done, months after that, Jack came back to live in the home town and reality Leda abandoned, and Nick was there waiting. Deciding to give it a go after it all. They’re together, but don’t live together. Nick made their kids through magic, and Jack visits often, splitting his time between his responsibilities in one world and his family in another. They have two children, Stryfe and Wren Russell.

Stryfe Russell

Age 26. Runs a vintage music and music related retro item store in Briarwood. The one time he went to visit his sister, he got into a slight situation that lead to him being the Coach to the song Dive by Lost Frequencies and Tom Gregory

A bit of a charmer, a little bit of a skirt chaser, but often gets easily flustered if people flirt back. He was mainly raised in Briarwood with his sister, but they did go see Jack on weekends. Less impulsive or brash than his sister, Stryfe manages to live up to his name by being an over thinker and his overthinking causing a lot of problems in general. However he’s also a good source of advice. He just never follows any advice he personally gives out. Respects his sister’s choices to live in Eternyx, but recognizes while he loves music…he has no sense of rhythm. It is something he’s embarrassed about. He’s only managed to dance well once. Is trying to make peace with it, all things considered. He is however a very proficient sorcerer. Not interested in universe domination, just interested in making things a little more fun or interesting or easy for those he loves. Is really close to his mystic grandparents, perhaps a bit more than his mystic father. He and Wren are observed closely but neither of them are showing any signs of villainy. To Jack and Nick’s deep relief. Not associated with a color.

Wren Russell

Age 22. She is the current Red Ranger of Team Spectronizer and Solo Coach of the song Armor by Iniko

While she was raised in the Enchanted Realm with Nick and her Mystic grandparents she is a dance instructor in Eternyx. She uses mystic magic in tandem with flow, and calls herself the groove witch. She’s very job oriented, whether that means dance instructor or ranger, and often has to be reminded by brother or parents to slow down, to breathe, to just be for a bit. She’s intense, with better social skills than either parent. She’s not exactly friendly but she’s not prickly either. Comfortable in her own skin and at peace with her strange heritage. Growing up she was apprenticed to Xander, and had secondary teachings by Rita Repulsa over the matter of her dark sorceress grandmother. If anyone could handle any darkness popping up in the girl, it’d be Rita. She has a penchant for feathers, and is as intense about perfectionism as Leda was before she met Traveler, but that is all.

She has a girlfriend, the current Yellow Wynona. Wynona grounds Wren like nobody else. While she loves her brother and he’s a great source of advice, Wynona is the rock Wren can settle on when things get rough. They compliment each other well.

[afewproblems]

Here is a Ballet Dancer!Steve/Fruity Four Dancer AU - courtesy of @magpiemuseum and this post! Thank you for sending this! I adore this idea!!

I’ll diverge from it slightly and suggest that Steve and Nancy met through ballet.

They dance together, are often partnered with one another in productions, they work well with one another and start dating fairly quickly, it works. Steve loves Nancy, and she seems to care about him deeply as well. But after Will and Barb go missing and only Will comes home, well…

Nancy just doesn’t have the heart to stick with it after that.

So she moves into jazz to express some of that anger and grief. Karen is disappointed in her daughter, that she didn't stick with it the way Karen did but she isn't going to be like her own mother, not again, so she agrees. Nancy has a knack for it, picking up the movements and techniques quickly, just like everything she does, it's with fiery, furious determination.

Steve keeps going with ballet, he's only allowed to because his teachers insist he's good enough to get a free ride to any school once he graduates. His father begrudgingly agrees but never attends another production after Steve turns 15. They don't talk about it.

The multiple concussions over the years eventually begin to affect his performance, the fight with Jonathan, the plate with Billy, the one lift another dancer in their company attempted as a joke during break that ended with Steve having to go to urgent care for stitches. Just his luck.

Now, he can't even handle one rotation in a pirouette without having to sit down until the spots in his vision go away.

He keeps at it, practicing, avoiding spins as much as possible, but since this won't enable him to get into college and his grades are slipping with the absenses and lack of interest, his father finally has the opportunity to tell him its over.

Steve starts at Scoops the day after graduation.

He meets Robin, it's not an immediate spark which is fine by Steve, he's still mourning the loss of his company and all the friends he had made along the way, the wonderful instructors he met over the years. Robin ignores him for the most part until she catches him in the back room one day, humming along to a Madonna song on the mall speaker system as he easily jumps through a pas de chat across the small space.

She interrogates him about this, but it's not as though he ever hid his ability, it's just not something he ever did through school. He had swimming for that.

She studies him for a moment before launching into a quick tap solo as Tiffany's, I Think We're Alone Now, plays softly in the background.

Steve claps with the biggest grin on his face as Robin shyly explains how she's been taking tap for years, in between band practice and the drama club, she hopes it will help her get to Julliard eventually.

It's better after that.

And after the Russians and the awful truth-serum makes its way out of their system, they sit in the bathroom stalls of Star Court. Steve tells her he's never felt like this with almost anyone else, and Robin closes her eyes.

She tells him about Tammy Thompson, and about Nancy Wheeler who she's seen in passing after tap, aggressively dancing in the small studio in Indianapolis her mother takes her to. She tells him that she'd always been jealous of how they'd look at him, how they would never look at her that way, and how it crushed her.

And Steve gets it. He slides under the stall to sit with her, and his heart hurts as he sees her tense up in front of him, he can't have that.

Steve bites his lip as he softly tells her about the guy in their company, the one who had tried the lift with him, you know, as a joke. The one Steve had tried to kiss the day before, not as a joke.

Danny had insisted it was fine, he wasn't interested in Steve like that, but they could still be friends and it didn't have to be weird.

And then he dropped him the next day. You know, accidentally, as a joke.

Robin grabs his hand at this and squeezes it tightly.

He tells her Tammy Thompson sounds like a Muppet so maybe they both have terrible taste.

They don't talk about Nancy. Not quite yet.

After Star Court burns down they are inseparable, two halves of the same heart, platonic soulmates Robin will say in the same breath as she calls him dingus.

He loves it.

They start at Family Video together, complain about Keith and his aggressive annoyance with Steve, but the job is easy enough and actually pays a dollar above minimum wage so Steve tries not to complain too too much. They dance in the break-room, Robin tries to show him some simple tap sequences while Steve corrects her positions. It's harder for Steve to nail down the foot rhythm, but the movements are easy enough. Robin is a little stiff, but she manages to eventually mimic the positions enough to satisfy Steve.

But if course it couldn't last.

Vecna nearly tears apart the world, he succeeds with tearing apart Hawkins and the Upside Down monstes rear their ugly flower faces once again. They meet Eddie, Hopper comes back from the dead, they close the gates, and Steve carries Eddie out of the depths of hell without bleeding out.

Max dies, or nearly dies, the explanation goes over his head as they sit in the waiting room of the hospital after Steve is finally stitched and bandaged up.

They all make it.

It's a long road to recovery, especially for Max with the extensive damage to her eyes and legs, but eventually she walks again, now with a cane which she uses to catch Mike in the ankles every chance she gets, so it helps.

Mike has no idea how she always knows it's him, it's baffling.

It's harder for Steve to move now with the build-up of scar tissue on his sides, it isn't until he cries out in pain after trying a simple jete that he grieves yet another loss.

He stops dancing after that.

Steve tries to be happy for Robin and Nancy, who finally, finally, start dating. Jonathan seems to understand, but his grief has always been quiet. Argyle helps, the two of them are seen together more often than not in the wake of Jon and Nancy's breakup. Steve knows exactly how it feels not to have someone to lean on in the aftermath of Nancy Wheeler. He's happy for them, or he tries to be.

He wishes he had that.

Steve still see's Robin, they are soulmates after all, but it isnt quite the same anymore. Nancy seems to have taken up the mantel of the other half of Robin's heart, and Steve?

It's fine. He's fine.

He starts spending a lot of time with Eddie. They commiserate about the kids and their attitude, Steve tells Eddie more about the Upside Down and how he  got roped into it all.

The topic of dance comes up as an accident.

Eddie makes a comment about college and the future which prompts Steve to snort. It isn't as though he has any options anymore, he can't continue with ballet, he barely had the grades to graduate, he's going nowhere fast.

Eddie looks at him, his face surprised at first, whether by the information or by the dejected tone of Steve's voice.

He tells him about his own experience with dance, how after his uncle took him in that he found channeling his frenetic and nervous energy into contemporary dance.

Pouring his breath and emotions into the movements, it's always helped to slow his brain down from the constant mile-a-minute thoughts that used to over take him.

He tells Steve that despite the new scars that littler his torso, he's managed to keep up with the movements, that the practice seems to even help with the pain.

Steve is enraptured by the description, a small flicker of hope burns in his chest as he asks to see in a small voice.

Steve is immediately blinded by the 1000 watt smile Eddie gives him.

And oh.

Oh he's in trouble.

Eddie is beautiful when he dances, it's a fascinating departure from the precision of ballet and even the fast pace of tap that Robin has shown him. Eddie left his hair down so the curls sweep around him as he moves.

This is all storytelling and emotion, it's deliberate but free, and Steve can hardly breathe as Eddie finishes.

"So what's the verdict big boy?" Eddie pants as he pushes his wild curls out of his flushed face.

Fuck, and that image alone has Steve blushing as well.

Steve swallows roughly, "Think you could show me a thing or two Eds," he murmurs softly as Eddie laughs.

They spend the rest of the afternoon with Eddie correcting Steve's posture and positions, slowly directly his movement, and letting his hands linger on Steve.

He's still physically sore by the end of it, and he wants nothing more that a couple of tylenol and a long warm bath once he heads home for the night, but Eddie's smile and the memory of his hands and gentle patience leave Steve feeling warm and hopeful for the first time in a long time.

He doesn't have to give up something that had been such a large part of himself for so long.

He can still dance.

It feels like he can breath again.

Steve goes to sleep that night and dreams of dancing with Eddie.

And in this one, he doesn't drop him, not once.

[celebritybrasize]

Nicole Kidman: A Journey of Success and Influence

Nicole Kidman, a name synonymous with grace, talent, and versatility, has established herself as one of Hollywood's most accomplished and respected actresses. With a career spanning decades, she has captivated audiences with her compelling performances, earning critical acclaim, numerous awards, and a substantial net worth. Beyond her professional achievements, Kidman's personal life, early beginnings, education, and family play integral roles in shaping her identity as a multifaceted individual. In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the life, career, and impact of Nicole Kidman, from her humble lana rhoades beginnings to her status as an influential figure in the entertainment industry.

Early Life and Education:

Nicole Mary Kidman was born on June 20, 1967, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Australian parents Antony Kidman and Janelle Ann. Her father was a biochemist and clinical psychologist, while her mother was a nursing instructor. At the age of four, Kidman's family relocated to Sydney, Australia, where she spent the majority of her childhood. Growing up, she displayed a passion for performing arts, participating in school productions and dance classes from a young age.

Kidman attended North Sydney Girls' High School, where she excelled academically and continued to pursue her interest in acting. After completing high school, she enrolled in the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) and later studied at the Phillip Street Theatre in Sydney. Despite facing initial doubts from her parents about pursuing a career in acting, Kidman's determination and talent eventually led her to pursue her dreams on the world stage.

Career Beginnings and Breakthrough:

Nicole Kidman's professional acting career began in the Australian film industry, where she quickly gained recognition for her performances. In 1983, she made her film debut in the Australian drama "Bush Christmas." Over the next few years, she appeared in several television series and films, honing her craft and building a solid foundation for her future career.

It was her role in the 1989 thriller "Dead Calm" that garnered international attention and served as a breakthrough moment for Kidman. Her portrayal of a woman trapped on a yacht with a psychopathic killer showcased her ability to convey vulnerability and strength, earning praise from critics and audiences alike. This pivotal role catapulted Kidman onto the radar of Hollywood producers and opened the door to opportunities in the American film industry.

Rise to Prominence:

Nicole Kidman's ascent to Hollywood stardom accelerated in the early 1990s, as she delivered standout performances in a series of acclaimed films. In 1990, she starred alongside Tom Cruise in the racing drama "Days of Thunder," marking the beginning of a high-profile personal and professional partnership coco lovelock wiki. The following year, Kidman received widespread acclaim for her role in the psychological thriller "Billy Bathgate," earning her first Golden Globe nomination.

However, it was her role in the 1995 film "To Die For" that solidified Kidman's status as a leading actress in Hollywood. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the dark comedy showcased Kidman's range as an actress, earning her critical acclaim and her first Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. This breakthrough performance demonstrated Kidman's ability to seamlessly transition between dramatic and comedic roles, cementing her reputation as a versatile and formidable talent.

Career Milestones and Awards:

Throughout her career, Nicole Kidman has continued to deliver memorable performances across a wide range of genres, earning accolades and recognition from peers and audiences alike. Her role as Virginia Woolf in the 2002 drama "The Hours" earned her numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

In addition to her success in film, Kidman has also made significant contributions to television, starring in critically acclaimed series such as "Big Little Lies" and "The Undoing." Her performance in "Big Little Lies" earned her an Emmy Award and further solidified her reputation as one of the most talented and sought-after actresses in the industry.

Personal Life and Family:

Outside of her career, Nicole Kidman's personal life has been the subject of much public interest and scrutiny. In 1990, she married actor Tom Cruise, with whom she adopted two children, Isabella and Connor. The couple's high-profile marriage garnered significant media attention, but they ultimately divorced in 2001 after eleven years together.

In 2006, Kidman married country singer Keith Urban, with whom she shares two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret. The couple's enduring relationship and growing family have been a source of joy and fulfillment for Kidman, who has spoken openly about her experiences as a wife and mother alyx star উইকিপিডিয়া interviews and public appearances.

Net Worth and Lifestyle:

As one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, Nicole Kidman has amassed a considerable net worth through her successful acting career and various business ventures. According to Forbes, her net worth is estimated to be over $250 million, making her one of the wealthiest actresses in the world. Kidman's financial success has allowed her to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle, with properties in Los Angeles, Sydney, and Nashville, other locations. 

Despite her wealth and fame, Kidman remains grounded and committed to using her platform for philanthropic endeavors. She is actively involved in various charitable organizations, including UNICEF and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), advocating for causes such as children's rights, gender equality, and environmental conservation.

Legacy and Impact:

Nicole Kidman's influence extends far beyond the realm of entertainment, as she continues to inspire audiences with her talent, grace, and dedication to her craft. Throughout her career, she has shattered stereotypes and challenged conventions, paving the way for future generations of actresses to pursue their dreams in a male-dominated industry.

As an advocate for women's rights and gender equality, Kidman has used her platform to champion important causes and promote social change. Whether through her on-screen portrayals of complex and empowered female characters or her philanthropic efforts off-screen, Kidman remains a powerful force for good in the world dee williams net worth.

Conclusion

Nicole Kidman's journey from aspiring actress to Hollywood icon is a testament to her talent, resilience, and unwavering commitment to her craft. With a career spanning decades and countless accolades to her name, she has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry and inspired millions of fans around the world. As she continues to evolve and take on new challenges, one thing remains clear: Nicole Kidman's legacy will endure for generations to come.

[fizzigigsimmer]

Modern Au. Steve spends that summer watching Billy Hargrove. It starts when Billy gets a job at the pool, and Steve is worried about him giving the kids a hard time, Max and her friends especially. But to his surprise, Billy doesn't pay the party much mind and he seems to be a big hit with the younger kids. At first he thinks it's in order to flirt with their big sisters and the moms, but no. Billy's just good with them, and then Steve learns that Billy teaches their swim classes and it kind of blows his mind a little. He struggles to picture it but there's no mistaking Billy's name listed as Swim Instructor on the flyer on the bulletin board.

Billy makes a friend that summer. He and Heather are the type of besties that just amp each other up. When they're together they just keep getting progressively louder and sillier with their antics the longer they're in the same space, until they dissolve into full blown hysterics. He's talking wheezing snotty laughter. Kill me now for it hurts to breathe laughter.

Steve kind of gets it because he and Robin are like that and quickly becoming the best part of each other's lives. But he is wary of the whole Billy &Heather thing. A little enthralled too maybe, because Hargrove is so different with Heather than he is with anyone else. In the corners of that bright smile and veracious laughter he keeps looking for the guy who used to shove him around on the court and broke a plate over his head once. But he keeps finding new versions of Billy instead. Sitting in a booth at Scoops, grinning teeth and rosey lips licking up drippy vanilla ice cream in the aftermath of an assault with an ice cream cone that ends with him and Heather taking a selfie instead of violence.

It puzzles Steve. Irritates him for reasons he can't quite understand and that Robin is tired of hearing about. He's not upset that Billy found a friend - a real friend and not the popular crowd that had propped him up on the abdicated throne - it was just simpler, somehow, when Billy was an asshole who didn't make them. Steve didn't have to think about Billy's (or himself thinking about Billy) when Billy was just some jerk.

Steve spends so much time looking at Billy Hargrove, but it's not until the lifeguards at the Hawkins Community Pool upload a TikTok that he finally realizes why. It's captioned 'We're ready to back you up Adele!' And features Billy and Heather front and center, the unapologetic ring leaders of this circus act full of flapping arms and legs and wagging butts.

The thing is, Billy looks good. A smile in his eyes even as he pretends at seriousness, smooth movements juxtaposed against the goofy flailing of this peers, broad hands slapping thick thighs, the tip of his tongue resting in the corner of this mouth turning his grin just a little bit wicked as he and Heather turn and shake their assess for the camera to the delight of the others.

Steve's face goes hot at the way his dick twitches in interest. 'Oh' he thinks for the first time. He wouldn't have thought anything about it at all, watching Heather dance that way in her red bathing suit. But Steve's eyes aren't on her; they're where they've been all summer long. With Billy.

[mthguy]

The great Hinton Battle passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on January 30, 2024, at the age of 67.

Hinton Battle (November 29, 1956 – January 30, 2024) was an American actor, singer, dancer, and dance instructor. He won three Tony Awards, all in the category of Featured Actor in a Musical. He was the first to portray the Scarecrow in the stage version of The Wiz.

He also starred on Broadway in Dancin', Dreamgirls, Sophisticated Ladies for which he won his first Tony Award, Chicago (Billy Flynn), and Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker Jr.), which garnered rave reviews from the Chicago press and earned him an Ira Aldridge Award. His role in The Tap Dance Kid earned Hinton a second Tony Award as well as the NAACP Award and the Fred Astaire Award. He won his third Tony Award for Miss Saigon.  

[stargazer56]

Happy nice ask day!

Do you have a song that is your own personal "turn it up and rock out no matter what" favorite and is there any story behind why it is?

I know the artist was problematic, but I absolutely love Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. I once screamed so loud I scared people when it came on at a New Years Eve Party.

I don't have a story as to why, but I'll share something that happened this year. In March I attended a 5-day personal development seminar with 12 complete strangers. On Monday, we had to share our get up and dance song. On Thursday the instructor asked if we trusted her, I immediately said yes because I want to do "well" in school-like settings and I was the first one who had to dance for 3 minutes in front of these quasi strangers in the middle of a classroom.

Thank you so much for asking!!