#36: Phase Amnesty! - #25: Fanfiction
Challenge #25
Title: More Than I'd Hoped For
Word Count: 839
Rating: PG
Fandom: Glee
Pairings (if any): Artie/ Kitty
Warnings (Non-Con/Dub-Con/etc): none
Summary: AU where Kitty attends the American Ballet Theater school
I checked my phone and checked it again. I couldn’t believe it. It was barely 5 pm, but I was completely wiped out. There were no messages, but I wasn’t worried. I knew he was on his way.
I eyed the girls gathered on the other side of the plaza, but I stayed next to the fountain, where I had agreed to meet Artie. I recognized the girls from my Level 7 technique class. It was the highest level of classes the American Ballet Theater school offered, besides the Studio Company, but that was a whole different league. Some of the best young dancers in the country were in my class. Two of them had been taking lessons here since they were 3 years old. Every single one of the 14 people in my class were used to being the best and I guess that included yours truly. Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m a good dancer, but am I really all that good? I don’t know. I’m still not sure what I’m doing here.
“Hey,” I heard his voice as he approached. I looked up to see Artie’s familiar smile and I was relieved to see him here.
“Hey, I’m glad you made it.” I took in the sight of him as he came to a stop in front of me.
“You look exhausted,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day.” I was distracted, I could feel the girls’ eyes on us. I looked over at them and saw that I was right. They were openly staring at us.
Artie noticed where I was looking, but he just ignored them. He was used to it. “It’s great that we’re both in the city. I don’t know how I would have made it through this year without you.”
I just smirked, because I know the truth. “You would have been fine. How are your classes?”
He looked me up and down. “Not as hard as yours, apparently.”
“It’s not so bad, I’m just not used to dancing for 5 hours straight. I think I’ll get used to it. I’d better!” I chuckled.
He smiled a little. “You’ll be OK.”
“It’s still crazy, thinking how we’re both doing what we love.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Artie seemed distracted.
I followed his eyes. The girls were coming towards us. I tried to stare them down and get them to leave us alone, but they wouldn’t back down. “Hey Kitty,” Ashley smiled, her eyes curious.
“Hey guys.”
“Who’s this?” She asked, nodding down at Artie. “Is he your brother or something?”
“No actually, this is my boyfriend. Everyone, this is Artie. Artie, these are some of the girls in my class.”
“Nice to meet you,” he tried to smile, offering his hand out towards Ashley.
She didn’t shake his hand, maybe because he was still wearing his gloves, shiny with sweat and street grime. She stared at him for a moment too long and pulled her arms across her chest. “Interesting,” she said slowly.
The girls looked at each other, almost as if they were deciding how to react. Finally, Molly shook her head. “You guys make a cute couple.”
That seemed to be the easy way out. They all agreed and quickly ended the conversation. I could hear them giggling as they walked away. I would bet one of them had dared Ashley to come over and ask how we knew each other.
I turned back to Artie. “I’m sorry about that. You know how ballerinas are. All beauty, no brains.”
“First of all, that’s not true,” he shook his head. “It’s fine. Trust me, I’m used to it.”
“That doesn’t make it OK. I guess they’re just so focused on movement and their bodies that they never considered the opposite.”
Artie just gave me a look. “I guess it could be something like that.”
“What? Did I say the wrong thing about dancing? I know, I know. I’m sorry.” No one had to tell me Artie’s old desire to dance. It was still sometimes written on his face when he watched me dance. Sometimes I thought going to dance school was a terrible idea, if only for his sake. And without dance school, we wouldn’t be together. It was a catch 22.
“Well, it’s not exactly the opposite of pure movement, for one thing.”
I sighed. It wasn’t like he couldn’t move at all. I was the one to finally convince him that he could dance, in his own way. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah. I think you’re exhausted and this is a conversation for another time. Let’s go to my place.”
“That sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.” I still felt bad that I’d brought it up, but he was right. I could barely think straight. I trusted Artie that everything would be alright. This was everything we wanted and it was more than we’d hoped for. There would always be difficulties, just like any relationship, but I was just glad we were together.
Title: More Than I'd Hoped For
Word Count: 839
Rating: PG
Fandom: Glee
Pairings (if any): Artie/ Kitty
Warnings (Non-Con/Dub-Con/etc): none
Summary: AU where Kitty attends the American Ballet Theater school
I checked my phone and checked it again. I couldn’t believe it. It was barely 5 pm, but I was completely wiped out. There were no messages, but I wasn’t worried. I knew he was on his way.
I eyed the girls gathered on the other side of the plaza, but I stayed next to the fountain, where I had agreed to meet Artie. I recognized the girls from my Level 7 technique class. It was the highest level of classes the American Ballet Theater school offered, besides the Studio Company, but that was a whole different league. Some of the best young dancers in the country were in my class. Two of them had been taking lessons here since they were 3 years old. Every single one of the 14 people in my class were used to being the best and I guess that included yours truly. Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m a good dancer, but am I really all that good? I don’t know. I’m still not sure what I’m doing here.
“Hey,” I heard his voice as he approached. I looked up to see Artie’s familiar smile and I was relieved to see him here.
“Hey, I’m glad you made it.” I took in the sight of him as he came to a stop in front of me.
“You look exhausted,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day.” I was distracted, I could feel the girls’ eyes on us. I looked over at them and saw that I was right. They were openly staring at us.
Artie noticed where I was looking, but he just ignored them. He was used to it. “It’s great that we’re both in the city. I don’t know how I would have made it through this year without you.”
I just smirked, because I know the truth. “You would have been fine. How are your classes?”
He looked me up and down. “Not as hard as yours, apparently.”
“It’s not so bad, I’m just not used to dancing for 5 hours straight. I think I’ll get used to it. I’d better!” I chuckled.
He smiled a little. “You’ll be OK.”
“It’s still crazy, thinking how we’re both doing what we love.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Artie seemed distracted.
I followed his eyes. The girls were coming towards us. I tried to stare them down and get them to leave us alone, but they wouldn’t back down. “Hey Kitty,” Ashley smiled, her eyes curious.
“Hey guys.”
“Who’s this?” She asked, nodding down at Artie. “Is he your brother or something?”
“No actually, this is my boyfriend. Everyone, this is Artie. Artie, these are some of the girls in my class.”
“Nice to meet you,” he tried to smile, offering his hand out towards Ashley.
She didn’t shake his hand, maybe because he was still wearing his gloves, shiny with sweat and street grime. She stared at him for a moment too long and pulled her arms across her chest. “Interesting,” she said slowly.
The girls looked at each other, almost as if they were deciding how to react. Finally, Molly shook her head. “You guys make a cute couple.”
That seemed to be the easy way out. They all agreed and quickly ended the conversation. I could hear them giggling as they walked away. I would bet one of them had dared Ashley to come over and ask how we knew each other.
I turned back to Artie. “I’m sorry about that. You know how ballerinas are. All beauty, no brains.”
“First of all, that’s not true,” he shook his head. “It’s fine. Trust me, I’m used to it.”
“That doesn’t make it OK. I guess they’re just so focused on movement and their bodies that they never considered the opposite.”
Artie just gave me a look. “I guess it could be something like that.”
“What? Did I say the wrong thing about dancing? I know, I know. I’m sorry.” No one had to tell me Artie’s old desire to dance. It was still sometimes written on his face when he watched me dance. Sometimes I thought going to dance school was a terrible idea, if only for his sake. And without dance school, we wouldn’t be together. It was a catch 22.
“Well, it’s not exactly the opposite of pure movement, for one thing.”
I sighed. It wasn’t like he couldn’t move at all. I was the one to finally convince him that he could dance, in his own way. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah. I think you’re exhausted and this is a conversation for another time. Let’s go to my place.”
“That sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.” I still felt bad that I’d brought it up, but he was right. I could barely think straight. I trusted Artie that everything would be alright. This was everything we wanted and it was more than we’d hoped for. There would always be difficulties, just like any relationship, but I was just glad we were together.