Title: pas de deux
Fandom: Captain America/Marvel
Rating: PG
Length: 500
Content notes: Not really
Author notes: For fan-flashworks for the Dancing challenge
Summary: Steve/Bucky Ballet School AU.



James walked up and started doing stretches, right next to where Steve was at the barre, practicing his grand jete. James was shirtless, wearing black tights, his long, dark brown hair tied back with a red tie.

Steve moved away for more room so he could keep working on his leaps.

He noticed that James subtly moved back towards him.

“Trying out for the lead?” James asked him finally. He had hardly talked to Steve before. None of the dancers who trained with Pierce talked to him much - before coming here, Steve had never realized that ballet school would be so much like a battle between the two main instructors, Pierce and Fury, with all the students caught in the middle.

“Yeah,” Steve answered. He knew most dancers wouldn’t admit it — they’d give a false denial in hopes of minimizing their competitors’ knowledge.

James kept stretching, bending way down to spread his palms on the floor. It was… distracting.

“You know it’s all politics, right? It’s not about who practices most,” James said.

Steve turned around and started doing conditioning stances. “Trying to get into my head?”

James smiled. “We both know I’m not in the running for lead. But I’ll probably get the part of ‘third soldier’ or something just because I’m one of Pierce’s.”

“Good for you.” Steve started doing strengthening exercises for his upper body.

James stood up, then leaned against the barre, almost too casually. “I’m not trying to discourage you. It’s just… you seem like a nice guy. Don’t want to see you disappointed.”



Steve looked at James, trying to figure out if he was sincere. Finally, Steve shrugged. “If I blow them away at the audition, they’ll have to give me the lead no matter who I train with.”



“That’s very sweet that you think that,” James said, voice amused. Steve prickled at the hint of laugh.


“Well, it’s been nice working out with you,” Steve said curtly. “Thanks for all the tips,” he added sarcastically.

James stood in front of him as he tried to leave. They were close; James’ lips, plump and rough-looking, were inches from his, and James spoke in a whisper, as if he were afraid of someone listening in.

“There are people here who would do anything to be lead. Watch your back, Steve. Be careful, okay?”

James threw a towel over his own shoulders then and went back to the barre to stretch as if nothing had happened.

Steve looked back at him, then nodded, and walked out. He found another room and tried to concentrate on practice, but he kept thinking about James’ warnings, about hidden enemies. And about why James would warn him.

And about James’ lips, whispering to him. About what it would feel like to run fingers through long dark hair.

Steve tried to put his thoughts out of his head. He tried his grand jete again. It was all right. Not lead material.

He thought of James watching and jumped again.

Better.