#hi my name is pia and im trash and dont kno what this is also srry it's like 50 years late and probably isnt what u wanted kdjfjg

[arimendoza]

Andreil for the "Taking a class and not talking it seriously" one. Bonus points if they are both forced to go by someone else!

andreil + we both decided to take a [yoga/fencing/cooking etc] class and we’re the only two assholes not taking it seriously and everyone else is giving us dirty looks but we keep grinning over at each other 

notes: slightly tweaked so that it’s more of a first meeting au, and they don’t really grin all that much lol akdjjgj actually tbh this barely follows the prompt except theyre both in a class iM SORRY I TRIED,,, also this is kind of long rip idk if it even makes sense or has a real plot or point to it but hey look at the smols dancing amiritei’ll make it up to u w a pt 2

Neil having been willing to make the decision of attending a dance class was a ridiculous thing to believe. Absurd, really.

Yet there he was, clad in faded gray sweats and a loose fitting shirt with an expression so dead and scowl so prominent that those within five feet of him could do nothing but offer either tentative smiles or feign ignorance. 

Next to him, Jean was in no better shape, but Renee was calm as ever, unperturbed by their attitudes. 

“I do not understand as to why we agreed to do this.” Jean whispered.

“Because we couldn’t say no. Why are you speaking in French?”

“…I do not wish for the little one to hear.”

Neil’s scowl softened ever so slightly, amused by the remark. Before he could reply, however, Renee spoke. “Who’s little?” 

Neither of them gave a reply, deciding to awkwardly wait for the class to start instead. 

The instructor ended up being a pretty blonde Neil somewhat recognized, perhaps from a magazine, but couldn’t place a name to. She walked into the room loudly, confidently, footsteps echoing as she all but commanded the room into a buzzing silence. 

Neil had managed to come to a short realization that she was most likely the reason the three of them were here today before the buzzing silence erupted into a sort of chaos. It was the type of chaos that came unexpectedly and unapologetically, with so much current and electricity that Neil was certain he could feel it running in his veins. 

“A Hemmick and half a Minyard. Where’s the better twin?”

“Fuck off, Reynolds.”

“Sorry we’re-”

“Late. Like you are every week. And also like every week, you’re either going to get out or get your assess inside. You’re holding up my class.” She turned to the rest of them. “Hello, I’m Allison Reynolds, and welcome to contemporary dance.”

Neil watched  as the two made their way towards the back and beside him. The hum of a current, however, was still running through him, and he felt his skin prickle with anticipation at what felt like a coming storm.

Though to shelter himself or to face it head on, Neil was never quite good at figuring out. 

“Nice of you to join us, Andrew.”

“Of all people, I thought you’d be the one to appreciate the aestheticism in lateness.”

Allison rolled her eyes, a biting remark already at the tip of her tongue. Just a second before its delivery, however, Andrew’s eyes met Neil’s, and he was certain that her was no sheltering himself from the storm. The downpour had already begun. 

“Andrew, just get to the back already so we can start.” 

Start they did, with simple warm ups and a short introduction on contemporary dance. Allison was all graceful steps and fine angles, her movements sharp and precise. She seemed feather-light, lost in her own world, expression solemn. Neil wondered how he would be expected to perform in such a raw manner, and with the way Jean’s lips were pursed, eyes narrowed ever so slightly, Neil could tell they were sharing the same thought. 

“If you two aren’t comfortable,” Renee whispered towards the end of Allison’s routine, “you don’t have to force yourselves.”

“It is fine.” Jean told her. “Maybe a bit uncomfortable at first, but we have handled worse. We will tell you if we need to stop.”

Neil nodded his reassurance. “I’m fine.” 

And he really was for the first half, staying in his group, making sure not to trip over himself or others. He did his best to avoid anymore contact with Andrew. Neil refused to be swept up. I’m fine, he told himself over and over, pulling at the words that he had etched into himself for as long as he can remember. So long as we don’t have to-

“Get into pairs, please! Quickly!” 

Renee stood between him and Jean, and Neil could practically feel the quiet panic rising inside the other boy. Though Jean’s strength was never in question, Neil was aware of a sort of fragility there was to his character. The two of them had experienced their own hells, but Jean was still learning to push his own boundaries, to trust those around him, to assert and vocalize his opinions, establish a present voice.

Neil, well, he never really had boundaries to begin with when it came to assertiveness. It came with the attitude problem. 

Ultimately, this was how he decided to let Jean go with Renee, promising her half-heartedly that he’d look for someone else to dance with. Neil let himself wander the room aimlessly for a few seconds before attempting to slip out quietly. 

The door, however, was blocked by what Allison had referred to as “a Hemmick and half a Minyard.” 

Neil couldn’t help himself. “Where’s the better twin?”

The taller one laughed, but the other didn’t so much as deepen his scowl, sizing Neil up before making a gesture. Neil stared, perplexed for a brief second before realizing what, or rather who the gesture was for.

“It’s rude to leave unannounced.”

Neil turned to face Andrew with every intention of rebutting his statement, but instead all that came out of his mouth was, “It’s also rude to arrive late.”

Andrew’s expression was blank, uninterested, as if Neil’s words were nothing but white noise, but Neil noticed a slight flicker of emotion in Andrew’s eyes, almost as if they were a trick of the light. It was not amusement, Neil wondered if he were even capable of such a feeling, and definitely not exasperation. The closest thing Neil could relate it to was something like recognition, though of what, he couldn’t say. He doubted he’d ever see it again anyway.

“What do you want?” He tried. Neil figured that if he planned to make this conversation the least bit fruitful, straightforwardness was the way to go. Andrew didn’t seem the superfluous type.

Andrew sighed, as if the answer were obvious. “To dance.”

Neil just stared, caught off guard by the reply. “You want to dance?”

“Yes, but you see, this exercise requires a partner.”

“And you want me?”

“’Want’ is overstating it a bit, don’t you think? It just so happens Allison is preoccupied.”

Neil filtered through his options. The door was still blocked by Andrew’s groupies, Jean and Renee were rehearsing a routine under Allison’s instruction, the rest of the class was blissfully unaware of the situation at hand, and the closest exit was out a window. 

Neil had jumped out worse, but he figured no one would appreciate the action right now. Besides, despite the wariness Neil felt around Andrew, he didn’t necessarily consider him to be anything other than perplexing, if not also a bit irritating. 

Dangerous, too, perhaps, seeing as how the Hemmick boy, or anyone else in the class for the matter, could barely meet his eyes. 

Neil could also sense, however, that this was a challenge. Back down from the storm, or risk being whisked away by it? Neil was never quite good at figuring out such choices, and he never quite liked dismissing a challenge either. 

And so, sheltering be damned, Neil took a step towards Andrew, and another, until he passed the other boy by barely an inch, extending his hand out behind him in mock invitation. 

“Are we dancing, or what?”