Welcome to Gaia! ::

(( backdating ))


He’d settled into a routine - or at least, most of one. Auguste went to his classes at the university during the day, and at night he did homework and studied and slowly got used to being Thrymr. It was something he was still stumbling over, and he felt rather bad about not being able to pick it up faster. But the support he had from the others was helping to bolster his confidence, even if Auguste still couldn’t quite shake the feeling that he was intruding on something special.

He knew Nadia well enough, and he was getting to know Lorne a bit better each time he was over - but the one person that Auguste felt, oddly, that he felt both comfortable and uncomfortable with at the same time, was Colin. He couldn’t quite get past his starry eyed admiration for the other man, but Auguste was relatively certain that he might possibly be scaring him off, just a tiny bit with his enthusiasm.

The ache of loneliness persisted, even after having moved in, and Auguste found himself, one day, at the apartment alone with Colin. It wasn’t unusual, really; Colin came over enough to practically live there most of the time, and his company was always welcome, especially now that Auguste knew he was the one who had saved him from that youma.

He was curled up on the couch, knees drawn up, twiddling with his thumbs.

“Hey…” said Auguste, after a moment, fiddling with the ends of his too-long sleeves, the cashmere sweater draping over his hands. “Do you want to go out and do something? I mean,” he amended, head slanted a little as he turned to look at his companion. “I’m sure it’s not that exciting just sitting around here, we should go out somewhere.”

--------------------------------------

Colin was rarely alone at night anymore; whether he was at home with guests (like Van, Aleksy, Nadia, Lorne, and sometimes Ash or Auguste) or was settled into Nadia and Auguste’s apartment like he owned it. It was helpful to him, being around all these wonderful people usually kept him too busy to get stuck on the past and drew him towards the future instead. A future that included training his fellow senshi, tips and tricks and all that fun stuff that might help keep them alive in a battle - or out of it.

Tonight Nadia was off with Lorne, probably a date, but he was happy to spend time with the pale haired youth that was a newer addition into the ‘team’. Auguste seemed a bit nervous on his end of the couch, but Colin just cocked his head and smiled; he often looked nervous...but also hopeful. A little star-struck still, I guess. Not that he minded really, but he did wonder often when Auguste would start looking at him like anyone else, or when Lorne might stop blushing at every little thing. But it’s cute, so maybe they can just keep doing it…

“Hm?” The curly haired dancer had one leg under him and was mostly facing Auguste. “Oh! Yeah, that’d be fun. Did you have anything in mind? We could go to an under 21 club I used to frequent...or mini golf?” He was just throwing ideas out there, excited with the prospect of going out with his friend. “Or we can find some water and I can chuck you in again.” Colin’s expression was one of innocence, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.

--------------------------------------

He couldn’t help the expression of relief that flitted across his face at Colin’s easy acceptance. It wasn’t like Auguste minded sitting at home reading books or watching movies; but he did also like to get out and go exploring, as evidenced by his many sojourns to various parts of the city. And peace and quiet were nice, really, but Auguste was feeling strangely antsy, perhaps because he was trying hard not to let the negative feelings dwindle inside of him for too long.

“A club sounds fun!” Auguste said brightly, beaming over at Colin. He slid his legs out from beneath him and onto the floor. “I haven’t been to one around here yet, but I do love dancing.”

He wasn’t a dancer like Nadia or Colin was, mostly because he’d never really thought to take the lessons - but he did have a certain amount of grace and elegance when it came to movement, and this was most likely due to the fact that he had, in fact, grown up taking - not ballet - but ballroom dance lessons. This fact tended to be swept under the rug a great deal, Auguste not wanting to remind himself of them for a variety of reasons, and he hadn’t even told the others.

A slight pink tinged his cheeks.

“It’s too cold for water,” said Auguste playfully, but he eased himself up off of the couch, rocking back on his heels. “Do you need to change or anything before we go?”

--------------------------------------

Auguste’s relief at having Colin agree to going out didn’t go unnoticed, but the danseur only chuckled a bit at it; he wasn’t the only person in their little “family” that prefered to be moving as much as possible. He himself was almost always doing something, whether it was dancing for work or pleasure, patrolling, training his teammates, or getting in a popcorn war with his friends as they had an overnight, he wanted to be active. Busy. Nadia was like that and it seemed Auguste had that self-same ‘itch’.

“Well, I’m happy to take you out to your first.” He unfolded from the couch and brushed his jeans and t-shirt a bit to smooth wrinkles. “Nope, I’m good.” And he was, he was in dark jeans and one of those wrap-around, random-logo style t-shirts in dark celadon with an acid-burn pattern. “Just need my shoes.” And his keys and wallet. “Um, I think the cover’s still ten.”

“Could find a heated pool, you know.” Colin quipped and shoved his wallet and phone into his pockets. “It’s not close, unfortunately, but I can drive.” Now that they were actually going? The blond was practically dancing on the balls of his feet, vibrating with energy and excitement.

--------------------------------------

Auguste didn’t technically see himself as part of their little family, at least not yet. It was still too new for him, still too uncertain. He enjoyed more than anything having a place to come home to, and seeing all of these people that he was starting to care for a great deal - but at the same time, that wall of loneliness was a hard thing to climb, stemming from years of cultivating it.

There was a beaming smile on his face, cheeks still pink as he glanced at Colin’s outfit. His own was simple - narrow-legged khaki pants, a slim fitting, thin white short sleeved shirt, and an oversized cable knit blue sweater that hung down almost to his thighs. His hair was tied up in several braids, knotted at the back of his head to keep it out of his face and off his neck - though the former of these wasn’t quite working, a few stray wisps gliding over his pale face.

“No pools,” said Auguste, wrinkling his nose, but he was giggling a little as he reached for his bag at the foot of the couch to extract his wallet. He pulled out a few things and stuffed them into his pockets, not wanting the hassle of carrying his bag or wallet in general, not if he was going to be moving around a lot.

He took a step towards Colin, his smile still as happy as ever, but with the faintest, softest edge of nervousness to it before Auguste pushed it away, eyes twinkling.

“I’ll let you lead the way, then,” he said, gesturing at the door.

--------------------------------------

Colin reached out to tweak one of Auguste’s braids as the youth came nearer, “Next time I”ll give you a hand if you like. I’m pretty good with my hands.” Being around the smaller man more, he’d learned to read him a bit better, but he was so excited about going out with his friend and comrade so he missed the flash of nerves that crossed Auguste’s face.

“I promise, I’m a safe driver. And if someone starts creeping up on you at the club, I’ll take care of it.” The danseur went out more often now, usually with Van or Nadia, but sometimes Lorne or Aleksy (though the latter was rare as the diminutive Russian did not enjoy being surrounded by so many potentially drunk and/or rude people). “When I go with Van or Nadia and that happens,” He whistled as they made their way from the apartment to his car (once his mother’s but now his), “It’s usually easy to get people to back off. I’ve only had to get serious once or twice.”

Usually, by kissing the other person and making it seem like they were a couple and that he was willing to kick the s**t out of the offending party. Settled, seat-belted in, and headed towards downtown to one of the “18 to think, 21 to drink” clubs, Colin glanced over at Auguste and wondered once again just how crazy it was that he was always surrounded by so many attractive people.

“Ah, I’m excited, I have been to Uvo in a while! Other places, but not there. Can’t want to show you off.” He chuckled but a slightly sad note touched his expression - the last time he’d been to Uvo had been with Björn...and it had been memorable.

Upon arrival the building looked neat but extremely normal, sitting on a corner between a bookstore and a furniture store (both closed for the night). Only a small neon sign in glowing purple script would announce the club during the day, but at night the line of youths waiting to get in spoke much louder as to the purpose of the black double doors with the steel handles. As did the bouncer and the guy playing cashier for the steadily moving line they’d be joining.

--------------------------------------

The good with my hands innuendo went over Auguste’s head, but he still blushed anyway, just lightly, a faint tinge of pink dusting his pale cheeks. He attributed it to merely proximity to someone as confident and interesting as Colin was, a little laugh escaping him as he tugged ruefully on a stray strand of hair.

“I think I need the help,” said Auguste, glancing sideways at his friend. “I never used to do my own hair, so I’ve gotten no practice, really, but I do try.”

He followed Colin down to the car, looking up at him curiously, the tail ends of his sweat flapping out behind him as he walked. “Creeping on me?” Auguste asked, head tilted. “Well, I don’t think - I mean, I suppose you have more experience with clubbing, so you’d understand it better, right?”

In reality, Auguste just simply had never seen anyone coming up to him as creeping. This was half because he always took it as a positive when people wanted to talk to him, and half because he just generally saw the good in people - and was also immensely ignorant of what someone else had deemed the ways of the world. His naivety in social situations was probably a little pitiful at times.

Auguste did catch the momentary lapse in Colin’s expression, but he hadn’t wanted to ask about it, not when it seemed personal, and when he was trying to make sure that the latter had a good time tonight. It was true that he just wanted to hang out with the other man, but his instincts were always just to make sure that the other party was feeling happy.

He glanced around with unabashed awe as they stepped up to the line - Auguste had decided to leave his sweater in the car, and he stood side by side with Colin, peering around excitedly at everyone.

“It looks great,” he said brightly, beaming at him. “I’m really looking forward to seeing inside.”

--------------------------------------

With the way his friend was rubber-necking about excitedly, Colin felt like he was taking puppy off-leash for the first time. The energy was good, he wanted Auguste to enjoy what Uvo had to offer - clubs were meant to be fun, after all.

“There’s a good crowd here.” He beamed down at Auguste and reached out to smooth a bit of hair that was sticking up before fishing out his phone, setting it on vibrate and then returning it. It was a just in case thing; if someone needed him, he would be there - even though he was going out, Colin tried to keep himself available.

He stepped forward when it was their turn, paying for both because handing a twenty over was easier than waiting for the guy to give him what was probably sweaty change before snapping the neon green bracelet on his wrist to show he was of legal drinking age. Auguste would get an acid yellow one, being under 21.

As they stepped down a short series of metal stairs and into the club, things got warmer and darker almost immediately. Black and purple light gave people and their clothing interesting casts and strobes set to the bass lines spun continuously. There was a glass-backed bar to one side, a small area for tables and seating to the other; in the middle was a wide dance floor with two raised platforms where scantily clad, beautiful people danced with abandon.

They’d come in just as a new song was starting and it took very little time before the blond had picked up what it was and grabbed Auguste’s hand. “C’mon! Let’s get out there~” b***h I’m Madonna set the crowd to it’s beat and Colin wasn’t going to miss it. Auguste would find himself drawn along by the sheer force of the music and his friend’s energy as he settled into moving with a lot less of the stately grace used in ballet and into straight-up hip-hop and heavy hip movements.

--------------------------------------

He was starting to learn, very quickly, just how physically affectionate Colin was - and Nadia as well, occasionally Lorne when he was not attached to Nadia, but his were more subtle and gentle. Nadia was cuddly and sweet, and Colin was unafraid to do something like lean against Auguste, or pick him up and throw him in the pool, or brush his hair away from his face. Auguste himself was someone who enjoyed such things, but he wasn’t ever certain whether the casual hugs or touches were appreciated or even wanted, especially when he was still getting used to receiving them.

He protested Colin paying for him, but the bracelet pronouncing him under twenty-one made him smile ruefully at it. Music was pounding in his ears from the moment he stepped into the building, Auguste’s eyes roaming everywhere, from the lights, to the dance floor, to the bar, to the dancers in their skimpy outfits. He lingered on the last of these, blinking up at their lithe forms with unembarrassed curiosity -

-but Colin had grabbed his hand, and Auguste was being dragged into the throngs of people and the music, the sound reverberating inside of his chest.

This was not the elegant grace of Colin the ballet dancer. This was not even the lithe charm he held just in general. This was something else altogether, something he’d never seen from the other man, and for a moment, Auguste just blinked at him, lips slightly parted, his eyes a little wide.

He tried to move a little himself, after a second, trying to mimic the movements, but Auguste was a ballroom dancer and a classically trained one at that; he had little experience in anything modern or funky, thanks to his upbringing.

“It looks great in here!” Auguste called, beaming, entirely genuine even if he was awkward at this.

--------------------------------------

With his face up towards the ceiling, music thrumming heavily through his chest, body in motion...Colin felt home as he danced within the music, nothing planned, just coming organically, naturally. Even the warmth of bodies around them, the mix of scents and sounds and flashing lights all contributed. During one of the heavier points in the music he dropped his head so he could watch Auguste moving like he had only a vague clue of what to do.

“It looks better from the platforms.” Colin had leaned in to breathe this against Auguste’s ear, swaying close and reaching for the pale haired young man; he sounded like he knew. From experience. And he did.

“Easier to start with your hips,” The blond set his hands on Auguste’s hips, smiling down at him before shifting his own and using his hands to help guide his companion. “You’re stiff, relax. Feel the music. I know you do.” It was hard to teach someone face to face, but he wasn’t sure Auguste would be cool with being pressed back against him two minutes after they got there.

Then again, they were practically touching foreheads and Colin was doing little hip isolations as well as sinuous body rolls that he wasn’t going to ask Auguste to try for a good long time, if ever. Colin was just...well, he did this sort of thing often. The bright-eyed young man did not - but he seemed game enough!

--------------------------------------

Even though this wasn’t the prince-like elegance that Auguste was used to seeing exuded from Colin, there was still a certain finesse and a grace to his movements that was undeniably Colin. The other man seemed entirely at ease here, head tilted back, body moving and swaying to the beat that drummed in the air around them.

Auguste had turned his head slightly to look around, but almost froze in place at the sound of that voice near his ear, twisting quickly back around. He found himself being tugged a little closer to Colin - or rather, a lot closer, face to face, with those warm hands on his hips.

His mouth opened and then promptly shut again. Auguste’s hands floundered for a moment, like he wasn’t quite sure what to do with them or where to put them - but he finally settled for resting them lightly on Colin’s upper arms. Pink was flushed on his cheeks, but whether it was from the warmth and movement of the club or just something else entirely wasn’t certain.

“I’m - I’m not sure I can get the hang of this as well as you seem to be able to,” Auguste called back, flashing him a rueful smile, but he tried to shift his hips the way that Colin was directing him to, swaying from side to side. It wasn’t nearly as practiced or easy as Colin’s, but it wasn’t necessarily terrible either. Auguste did at least have some rhythm, even if it was wasted elsewhere.

He tried to relax, his fingers curling against Colin’s arms.

--------------------------------------

Clearly, he’d surprised - or was it shocked? - Auguste with the hands on his hips and the closeness, but Colin wasn’t repentant in the slightest, not one iota. Was he amused by it? Yes, yes he was...and also pleased because he was getting to be part of the younger man’s experience.

“Don’t worry about that, Auguste. As long as you’re having fun, you’re doing fine.” It only took a song and a half to get his friend to relax and move similarly to Colin - but without quite the same level of action. Once that part was down, he’d be pretty set for a bit..unless he wanted to do some of the other things that the danseur was. “Let me know if you need to rest, I’ll dance till I drop.”

All around them people danced singly, in pairs or even in groups and as the music changed from song to song their configurations too shifted...as did the way Colin himself moved with Auguste. “You can put your arms around my neck if you want.” His lips quirked a bit, “Or at my hips.” He didn’t mind, wouldn’t have even if it hadn’t been Auguste.

Colin was used to having his hips grasped when he was clubbing...it was quite common. Auguste would get to see that first hand, if he stuck around the blond much. “Orrr...I could show you how to grind.” Was he being a flirt? Yeah, he was - it was like breathing - but Auguste was cute and seemed far too sweet...it really made him want to tease, like he did with Lorne.

--------------------------------------

“I am,” said Auguste quickly, just in case Colin thought otherwise. He flashed a bright smile up at his friend. “I am having fun, promise. I’m just a little…” He laughed, the faintest tinge of embarrassment in his voice. “I’m just not used to this, is all.”

Not used to having people he liked, not used to having a little family of his own, not used to dancing with someone he admired and looked up to probably more than anyone else right now. Auguste gave another smile, smaller, more relaxed. “And I don’t want to stop, not yet.”

He thought that maybe, maybe he was getting the hang of it. Colin’s encouraging hands on his hips and the way that he seemed to effortlessly adjust his own dancing to ease Auguste better into learning was much appreciated. He was easy to be around, and it only served to relax him even more, some of the awkward tension easing from Auguste’s shoulders.

His fingers slid a little down Colin’s arms as he debated whether it would be better or harder if he was holding onto his neck or hips - but Colin’s suggestion made him pause, Auguste’s brow furrowing as he glanced up.

“Grinding?” he asked curiously. “What do you mean?”

--------------------------------------

It seemed that Auguste meant something more than just dancing in a club packed with people, but Colin really couldn’t have puzzled out what was meant, since it never occurred to him that the newest of their family members might feel something like an outsider. “Bit overwhelming? It’s okay, I’ve got you.” Literally, since his hands were still framing the white-haired young man’s hips as they danced.

Whether it was from Colin’s instruction or Auguste’s natural ability, he was definitely moving with more confidence; the blond could have moved his hands but he liked them right where they were. Hips - and the soft skin just under them - were some of his favorite places on a person, hands down.

“Mmhmm. It’s…well, it’s easier to just show you.” How had Björn put it? Oh yes, ‘It’s basically like sex standing up and with your clothes on’ - That’s what he’d said when Colin had tried teaching him. With a gentle but insistent pressure to the smaller man’s hips, Colin spun Auguste so he could slot himself in behind him, hands not just resting on his hips but holding them; it was so much easier to teach this way! Even so, he would pay attention, this was supposed to be fun, not molestation - if Auguste didn’t seem to be comfortable enough to give it a shot...Colin would stop.

Glancing about, he found a good example of a face-to-face grind and directed Auguste’s attention that way with low words right at his ear. “See the girl with the pink hair holding onto the brunette? The way they’re moving together? That’s one way to do it.”

“This is another.”

--------------------------------------

The reassurance made even more of the tension ease from Auguste’s shoulders, and this time the flush to his cheeks was out of pleasure, not awkwardness. He gave a little nod and continued moving, swaying, at first, carefully to the beat of the music, and then less careful as time passed, just letting himself feel it, rather than try to analyze it.

Show him? Auguste opened his mouth to ask how, but the rest of what Colin said caught up to him, and he promptly shut it again, staring wordlessly up at his friend, brow furrowing further. It didn’t make sense to him, even with the outright, bold statement - and even with his limited knowledge of intimacies, he couldn’t quite put two and two together.

“It’s - oh - “

He was suddenly in a very different position than he had been before, his back against Colin’s chest, Colin’s hands wrapped around his hips. The warmth of his body leeched into Auguste, who was always, inexplicably, perpetually cold half of the time, and he gave an involuntary shiver. His chest had tightened; it was a peculiar, unfamiliar feeling that he couldn’t identify, so for now he just set it aside and attributed it to the newness of it all.

Except that was proving a little difficult with that low voice in his ear. Auguste’s pulse picked up a little, and he followed Colin’s gaze, glancing over at the two girls, arms wrapped around each other, hips pressed together as they moved. It was strangely graceful in a way - they seemed to be moving as one, rather than two separate people, sinuous and twined in away that allowed them to stay close.

“Oh!” said Auguste, still watching them, his arms at his sides because he wasn’t quite sure what to do with his hands just yet. “So it’s...it’s two people dancing together like one person, then?”

Oh, he could tell. Under his hand Auguste’s heart was beating out it’s own music as his pulse raced. He should not have been so pleased to have made the 19 year old react as he had, but if Colin were honest...that was precisely how he felt. Pleased and somewhat predatory; reactions from the blond that would not have surprised those that knew him and how dancing affected him well. Auguste didn’t, yet, but perhaps one day.

It was good that Colin was a professional, with the discipline that came with having worked towards that, or he would probably still have his hands all over Auguste. When he’d been like this with Björn, he’d simply been able to drag the big man off and take care of things....and while his pale-haired friend might have been receptive to affection, he wasn’t sure that sort of ‘affection’ was a good idea. Or even appropriate.

Still...his own heart rate was elevated, his jeans were tight, and he really wanted to pin someone to a wall. Or be pinned. And the hand putting steady weight on his damp t-shirt wasn’t helping much; a solid, warm weight to remind him of how nice it felt to be pressed to another person, to dance so close your breathing synchronized. Seriously, stop it. This is neither the time nor the place. Be-have, Hargrove.

Pausing and turning so he could put an arm around Auguste’s shoulders, Colin chuckled. “Of course we’re gonna go back out.” He kept his arm around the other man, but dropped it to the small of Auguste’s back. “Trust me, you’ll be ready to stop long before I am.” As long as they were talking being tired of dancing, that was.

At the bar, he got two bottles of water and two cups with water already in them. “You’ll want to drink it too fast, sip.” The bartender, a pear-shaped guy with pink hair and a lot of metal in his face seemed to know Colin and waved off payment - what did he care about a few bottles of water?

“And you don’t need to thank me Auguste. I’m having fun.” Colin sipped at his water, eyes taking in the messy braids, flushed cheeks, and over-all damp look of his friend. People could be so attractive like that, it was unfair.

--------------------------------------

Colin’s arm around his shoulders made him smile, as did the reassurance that he hadn’t put Colin off of going back out. The music was thrumming in the floor and reverberating up into the walls, making the entire room feel like it was being bathed in light and sound. Auguste felt like it was in his very veins, simmering underneath his skin.

He kept his hand curled in Colin’s shirt, near the hemline, just above the waistband of his jeans. The bartender was given a beaming smile, Auguste reaching out to accept the offered water. As per instructed, he took little sips at a time, letting the cool liquid soothe his dry mouth and throat. It helped ease the ache a little, though his heartbeat was still somewhat abnormal, his shoulder brushing against Colin’s side with every movement.

Auguste twisted his head up to look at him, a slightly shy smile on his face.

“Do you do this a lot?” he asked, voice a little raised over the din. “Come out to dance, I mean. I know you do ballet, and it’s wonderful, but I’ve never - I’ve never seen you this way before, it’s…”

He tried to think of a proper word, and failed, his fingers idly curling and uncurling in Colin’s shirt; a subconscious gesture Auguste didn’t seem to realize he was doing.

“It’s beautiful,” he said finally, nose crinkling with pleasure. “You looked amazing, it was almost magical.”

Then he flushed a little more, feeling as though this was a very silly thing to say.

--------------------------------------

Oh no, Auguste hadn’t put him off wanting to go back out on the dance floor...not by a long shot, not even close. He would go back out, after they’d gotten a bit of rest and rehydration. To keep his diminutive companion from being crushed, Colin shifted his position to directly in front of Auguste, sipping his water and playing human shield. Someone shoved into him from behind and he braced against the bar with one arm and tossed his water over his head and at the person shoving, drenching both. “Oops. Sorry, didn’t notice you were there.”

A fight might have broken out, but shots were produced and dumb drunk people wanted booze more than smacking some prissy b***h around. Colin knew the thought patterns, the type of people. Every club had some like that.

“I do, actually. Or did. For a while I didn’t go out much.” He smiled back at the bright-eyed youth; Auguste was twisting his shirt but didn’t seem to notice...Colin wasn’t going to tell him. It was cute, dammit.

“Oh, uh. Thanks. I didn’t realize what I must look like until I saw your face.” Because he watched himself dance often enough, but not in a club setting. “Glad you’re enjoying the show, though I can’t imagine you got to see much.” Being pressed up so cozy against Colin’s chest, surely that hadn’t afforded him a good look.

--------------------------------------

He didn’t know what had happened, except for a second later Colin was quite easily and simply tossing his water over his shoulder. There was a bit of scuffling in which Auguste got confused, Colin played defense, and the people who had knocked into them were yammering for drinks at the bar. Auguste peered around in concern, eyes flickering over the noisy drunks.

“You all right?” he asked, sliding his unoccupied hand up Colin’s damp back and frowning slightly. “You just dumped water all over yourself.”

But he appreciated the fact that nothing dangerous had happened, that no fight had broken out. Auguste looked up at him, feeling the same sort of uncertainty as before wash over him, but he simply smiled, the hand on Colin’s back falling away while the other remained where it was in his shirt.

His brow furrowed a little. “My face?” Auguste repeated, slightly bemused. “And, well, I saw a little - I felt it, though, in how you move, you clearly love music and you love dancing, and it’s just really…” He eased out a little breath, his smile gentle. “It’s inspiring, I guess, as silly as that sounds.”

He reached for his water again and finished off the last bit of it, licking his lips.

“Can I watch you?” Auguste asked, somewhat abruptly, glancing up at his friend. “I mean...can I watch you dance here? Not necessarily with me, I just kind of want to see more, or see what you see, if that makes any sense.”

--------------------------------------

Colin grinned, dipping his head down a bit as he uncapped one of the water bottles so he could drink from it instead of his now empty cup. “Technically, yes. But I also dumped water on that guy. So it was worth it.” The blond seemed as though he found all this great fun - possibly not as fun as dancing itself, but certainly fun enough that his eyes were bright and he was sort of eyeing the ones he’d messed with as though daring them to start s**t, to try him on for size.

“You got a really...blissed out look on your face.” With the way he’d all but melted into Colin the way the blond did to others, he could identify that expression - it was the lost in music face. “Looked good like that.” Auguste was licking his lips and it was distracting, as was his wet t-shirt. So it took him a moment to catch what was being asked, but when he did, Colin’s smile went up in wattage, fading only when he knocked back half his water while canting his head so he could continue watching Auguste.

“Of course you can watch, if you want.” Did he like being watched? Oh yes. He always had; Colin enjoyed attention very much. “You grab me if something happens and you don’t want it to...and I’ll give you a show.” Setting his nearly finished water on the bar, the danseur took a moment to strip out of his wet shirt and all but dropped it in Auguste’s hands. “Hold onto that or toss it behind the bar, will you?”

Usually shirts were required, but no one was likely to complain about the blond losing his, especially not the crowd of bodies moving to the music. It wouldn’t take long for Colin to merge with the crowd, dancing alone for only a few moments before a six foot, dark-skinned brunette decided to take advantage of his not being partnered up. Heavy bass, heat, and the strobing lights made the air seem to shimmer; the shirtless blond wound one arm around the guy’s neck so he could whisper something into his ear that caused him to look over at where Auguste stood.

Colin was grinning wickedly as he twisted his body around so he pressed back against his current partner much the same way Auguste had been slotted against him. Of the two, the blond was a better dancer, but the brunette was more than good enough - they swayed, rocked, and shimmied their bodies together, with Colin throwing in body-rolls and hip shifts that were positively filthy. Just for his special audience.

He’d promised a show, he would deliver a show, by god.

--------------------------------------

He hadn’t realized what expression he’d been making, Auguste giving Colin a slightly surprised one now, the flush that painted his cheeks not going away. It was already determined, at least in his mind, that it was due simply to the heat and the excitement and no other reason, no reason at all. It had nothing to do with the constant, gentle smiles that Colin was sending his way, or the relaxed and easy way in which he touched him, or the warmth he exuded just in general.

I’ll give you a show.

Auguste opened his mouth to say something, but whatever it was died in his throat the moment that Colin pulled his shirt off. He remembered the stereotype that male dancers were slender and effeminate, and Auguste may have fit that cast, but Colin did not. He was all lean muscle underneath, something that Auguste had gotten a glimpse of when he had leaned back against him, but that he had never seen full on until right at this moment.

He caught the shirt, startled, twisting it in his fingers as Colin strode away, blending easily and quickly with the throngs of people. Auguste watched the process, saw the brunet ease himself closer, Colin murmuring something to him with an arm looped around his shoulders. A second later, they were dancing, Colin’s back against the brunet’s broad chest in a position that was quite similar to the one that Auguste had been in earlier.

And then they were dancing.

If the building had caught on fire right then and there, Auguste still didn’t think he would have been able to tear his gaze away. The fluidity and ease in which Colin moved his body was compounded by the fact that he just could move. There was no other word to describe, no proper way to define just the way that Colin could melt into the music. It was like he was music, all harmonies and beats and rhythms, the melody ebbing and pulsing in his veins. From the initial swaying, starting simple, to the rapid, sensual shift of his strong hips, to the way he seemed to just undulate, body moving in ways that Auguste hadn’t even thought possible until this moment.

He’d forgotten that he was still holding Colin’s shirt loosely in his hand at his side. Everything felt very warm, the heat rising in Auguste’s face and neck, lips slightly parted. His mouth was dry, and he probably looked stupid just standing there against the bar, but he couldn’t look away. A part of him wanted to see if he could join in somehow, whether with him or someone else, if he could ever move like that (he strongly doubted it), but another part of him just wanted to watch Colin move, wanted to see the way he shifted and twisted and curled against another person.

Had he looked like that, enveloped in Colin’s arms? Auguste doubted this too, because no one, he knew now, no one could replicate what Colin was doing, because no one was Colin.

He continued standing there, one hand resting on the bar top, the other still at his side, still staring.

--------------------------------------

Music was sinuous, sensuous. Easy to be lost in. Dancing ballet on stage was different, he didn’t get lost on the same level, the music didn’t envelope him on a subatomic level like it did when he was dancing in a club. Colin loved both, but there was definitely something to be said about feeling the bass vibrating in your breastbone and up through the floor while twined with another person. It seemed Auguste agreed.

Even if he couldn’t really see the changing expressions or the heat that rose in Auguste’s face from where he was dancing. Big hands slid across his torso in compliment to the music; it felt good and the blond’s eyes fluttered closed as he leaned his head back against guy’s shoulder and licked his lips a bit.

Once upon a time, Colin had better fit the stereotype of a soft, willowy male dancer. But that had been years prior, before puberty hit and he started filling out. Now? He not only had his career that kept him near peak physical fitness (when he wasn’t being stupid), but he also had his powered life and while there had been a few months there where he’d behaved like an idiot and dropped an unhealthy amount of weight, he was almost back to where he’d started…and it showed.

Especially with dark hands tracing the well defined lines and planes that bunched and shifted in sync with the heavy, almost tribal beat of the music. And while Auguste might not have looked the same in Colin’s arms he’d looked similar, certainly. Lost to sound and sensation like Colin was, definitely.

From behind the pale-haired youth, the bartender’s voice lifted over the din, “Something else, isn’t he?” And then, after a moment, “Watching’s fun, joining it’s better.” Then the guy went back to slinging drinks for the thirsty bodies calling to him; he’d seen plenty of people watching the way Auguste was - like he wanted but didn’t know how. It was an interesting job.

On the dance floor, white teeth flashed under the uv lighting from near Colin’s ear and the guy lifted one hand off the blond’s body to crook a finger at him in invitation. Whether or not Auguste took him up and joined in was his choice, they’d still be pressed together dancing either way.

--------------------------------------

He couldn’t stop staring. It wasn’t like a train wreck where people kept watching even though it was terrible. This was something like physically seeing music in motion, every shift of Colin’s hips, every curve of his body, the planes of his abdomen sliding a new song in and of itself. The dark hands that slid across his well-muscled chest reminded Auguste of the warm and protective hands that had encircled him not too long ago, and it made his chest tighten, mouth dry.

He was so caught up in the utterly abandoned look on Colin’s face that Auguste almost didn’t hear what the bartender was saying, half turning his head after a second’s hesitation, though he didn’t move entirely. His eyes remained on Colin even as he was listening, his heart beating very fast inside of his chest, erratic against his ribcage.

“He’s…” His voice came out sounding hoarse, and Auguste swallowed hard. “He’s certainly something, yes.”

The shirt was still held loosely in his hand, but the crooked finger that was beckoning to him was enough to make up Auguste’s mind. He took a deep, steadying breath and then passed the shirt away to the bartender, finally tearing his gaze away to make sure it was safe. It was taken with a smile that was a little knowing around the edges, but Auguste missed it, trying to ignore the way it felt strangely difficult to breathe.

Carefully he started to weave his way through the throngs of people towards Colin and his dance partner. It was crowded; he kept getting buffeted on either side by the crowds, Auguste’s face flushed with uncertainty, his damp shirt sticking to his pale skin.

But then he was finally coming up to the two of them, and Colin was in front of him, partner twined around him luxuriously from behind, and Auguste had no idea what to do. For the first time in a long time, his usual laughing, bright nature was subdued into something more open and almost shy, Auguste looking up at Colin from beneath light lashes.

One hand reached out hesitantly and curled in the hem of Colin’s jeans as he took another step closer, heart in his throat.