Chapter Text
Autumn has finally come around, unsurprisingly of course. It was the cycle of nature: winter, spring, summer, autumn then all over again. Again and again. Boring as it may be, its life. Just how life and death come together. Chase Hollow has started his second year of a performing arts college where he studies dance, his family were happy for him winning a scholarship into such a place but he hesitated to even go. In order for him to actually go to college he’d have to live on campus. His house was too far to travel everyday and accommodation came free with the scholarship so it seemed easy. He still kept in contact everyday, to his grandpa and Deacon, to his mom, and when he visited during vacation; his dad too.
During his first year of college he fell behind, everyone else having so much more experience and being trained and qualified whilst he was forced to teach himself. Most days he doubted that his abilities were even mediocre. Last year they studied different styles of dancing, but they ended on ballroom dancing, claiming that it’s what the first exam in the second year would be on, the first lesson would be a recap on such with the next being assigned partners. Now, although Chase struggled in the beginning, by the end of the year he had the second highest scores on assignments and exams with the first being… him. That black haired boy he’d grown to despise, the arrogant idiot called ‘Buddy’ he thinks that's his name, it's stupid, but that's all he’s ever heard people call him; well he hasn’t seen many people talk to him but you know.
In all honesty, he was a good dancer, mostly traditional kinds of dances. The way his body moved was just so rhythmic and agile and something to envy. He was clearly built to be a dancer: his legs long and thin, arms unseemingly really strong, his face delicate and beautiful to say the least, and his torso which left Chase feeling some sort of worry with the way his ribs stick out and how he just looks so ill. But why should he care? Buddy has done nothing but be harsh to him the whole time he’s been in his class, looking down on him with his ridiculously good outfits. He’s only ever been partnered with him once which resulted in… well lets just say it didn't go too well.
Chase walks into the dance studio greeted by random faces that he's all acquainted with but none that he’s close. He can spot Buddy in the corner wearing his usual style of clothes, stretching before classes start. His eyes glance up meeting Chase’s which makes Chase freeze up, his eyes were a piercing blue that made him look sort of inhuman in a way. It reminded him of ice; cold and harsh. Buddy scoffed before turning away, making Chase frustrated yet again.
The professor called for the class's attention explaining the objective for today.
“The goal today is to practise different positions with a randomly chosen student to prove you are comfortably able to dance with others even when not knowing who they are. Got it?”
The students nodded in affirmation.
“Everybody write their names on a piece of paper and place it in this container. I will then randomly select two names at a time, they will pair together for today. No objections”
Chase did as was said along with the others. The teacher choosing names at random.
He couldn’t stop thinking how someone like him, like buddy, could be so talented. Did he sell his soul for dancing abilities? Or is he naturally just cruel.
“...and Chase Hollow”
“Huh?”
Chase snapped out of his little daydream upon hearing his name.
“She was saying who you are paired up with, dimwit. You’d know if you were paying attention”
Buddy brushed himself off before walking towards the boy
“Oh yeah? And why do you care”
“Because I am your partner, idiot”
“You're joking right… right?”
Twenty minutes into a two hour class goes by slowly. Nothing was achieved. The most the two boys got done was a five minute argument about how worthless the other was, before ultimately coming up with a silent agreement that they refused to work with each other which in reality is better with how the last time went. Chase stood against the wall with his vision facing the rest of his class, he watched as they perfected different dance positions and he just stood there unable to do anything; it reminded him of his first year where he was so lost and didn't know what to do.
"Oh wonderful, class it seems we have some professionals here today"
Chase’s head darted up towards the teacher who stared at him, her eyes darted between him and buddy before sighing
"Since you boys believe you don't have to practise just because your at the top of the class, demonstrate an eight step dance focused on the closed position"
Buddy sighed before extending his hand out to chase.
"Try and take this somewhat seriously"
Chase rolled his eyes and took buddy's hand which he harshly tugged on forcing chase closer into him where he rested his hand on chase’s waist. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, not because of buddy but because he was humiliated in front of the entire class. Buddy's hand felt gentle in his which was a contrast to the way he treated him. The teacher counted down from four before Buddy started stepping, pulling Chase along with him, as the lead. Chase tried to ignore it but he could feel buddy's hand slipping lower towards his hips, when chase looked up at buddy's face he saw those same piercing blue eyes staring back at him with a slight smirk on his face. They were two steps before the end but Chase couldn’t take the unnerving feeling in his stomach when he felt buddy’s hand move once more…
SLAP
It wasn't on purpose but chase didn't know how else to react. He looked around him to see wide eyes staring back at him, before he even noticed he was grabbing his bag and walking out of the class slamming the door behind him. He looked back through the windowed door before walking off and saw buddy just stood there. Chase didn't get a good look of his face but the way his eyebrows furrowed and mouth quivered ever so slightly looked like a look of guilt.
Chase wandered around the campus before sitting on a bench clutching his bag in his hands. He trembled. Why did he just act like that, was it nerves? Why would it be? Maybe it was Buddy and his threatening aura that made Chase feel that sense of unease? Or maybe that's just an excuse for Chase being flustered and not knowing how to deal with it? He should definitely go back after class to apologise to his teacher but there's over an hour left of class and Chase has some time to waste.
Chase opened up the door of his accommodation, his dorm was in a hall with multiple others next to his, last year the guy who formed next to his would constantly blast music late at night. Strangely it was always the same song, California by Ricky Montgomery, so much in fact that he got kicked out; meaning there was a new person but chase never got to see who that is, he never even heard them leaving or entering which is shocking as the walls are practically nonexistent and soundproof nothing.
Chase loaded up his laptop on his desk and pressed the call button in the ‘family’ group chat. Which consisted of his grandpa, deacon and mother.
Ring
Ring
…beep
"What's up kid?"
…beep
"Hey grandpa… and deacon"
On the screen was Deacon at his desk preoccupied with something and his grandpa crafting god knows what. He watched as the photo of his mom faded as she declined the call, probably because she didn't have the energy at the moment.
"Cut to the chase, haha, but seriously what is it, i need to beat Diane at the craft fair and with you and deacon away at college I've only got Prunella helping me"
Chase sighed before banging his hands on the table.
"You know that guy buddy, the really annoying one, well he was making me feel… uneasy and i accidentally slapped him"
Deacon looked up from his work and gave an uncertain look at the camera
"How do you accidentally slap someone?"
The summer before they both went to separate colleges the two cousins had actually gotten close due to deacon studying at his home. However deacon occasionally is still utterly confused by most of his antics. Chase attempted to defend himself but ended up not even being able to stutter out a sentence.
"Chase, there comes a time in every man's life where a woman… or man in your case. Makes him feel some sort of-"
"I'm going to stop you right there. I hate this guy. I don't find him attractive at all."
"Chase the first time you mentioned him you described him as ‘the sexy emo with really nice arms’ "
"Y-yeah but… ugh whatever I'm leaving"
"Chase i suggest you try and date someone before you end up lonely and your only hobby is studying, like deacon"
"H-hey that isn't tr-"
Chase hung up the phone and groaned, slamming his face on the desk. He should probably start walking towards the studios to make it just after class ends.
The walk there feels longer than the last, an anxious feeling builds up in his stomach as he feels the air being forced out of him, it's got a good feeling at all.
Although it feels like forever it's probably a record time he manages to get there. He can see his class dispersing out of the room and as he goes towards the door his hand hesitates as he feels the teacher talking to buddy. Hesitates maybe, but still walks in almost accidentally, as if his brain did not have time to register that buddy, the man he had in fact just slapped, was there too.
"Oh, is now a bad time? Don't worry ill just g-"
"Ah Mr Hollow, a word. Both of you"
The two stood there as the teacher reprimanded them both for acting inappropriate in the classroom, mainly directed at Chase and Buddy stood to the side.
"And i admit it is partially my fault, i shouldn't of asked you guys to the front… especially after last time-"
"Can we not, I mean. Let's not talk about that"
"You're right, but I didn't do anything wrong. That's just where my hands were positioned for that particular move"
"Even so. You two are training to become professionals here, this is not a thing to be taken lightly so there will be some punishments in order which i will get to shortly. Now the two of you just apologise to each other rather than being stuck up about it."
Silence
"Chase."
"God whatever fine I'm sorry i slapped you, i didn't mean to you just took me off guard"
"And…i'm sorry? For uh… taking you off guard"
The two boys stood there refusing to look at each other probably because of how utterly degrading this was for the two. Chase looked up at buddy to see him looking away with a red face. He didn't take him to be the type to get embarrassed easily.
"Now chase just because you got a scholarship doesn't mean your getting a free ride you have to put in the effort, and you, buddy, your father pays a lot of money for you to be here so i have a right mind to report you to him-"
"Don't. please, don't"
Chase looked up at buddy's eyes and was met with a look of pure fear.
The teacher sighed.
"I won't, i have however decided on your punishment"
Buddy let out a breath of relief before the teacher started up again.
"For this exam you two will be paired up, maybe you will start taking it seriously,"
"WHAT?!"