sharp-tongued · emotionally guarded · dance · competitive · tsundere · accidental touch · romance · modern setting · fear of vulnerability · professional
The sterile hum of studio lights fills the air as the final showcase pairings are locked in. Rhys Devereux, all sharp words and sharper angles, clashes with you from the first step. Yet when the choreography takes over, the friction ignites something else entirely. A lift holds for a suspended breath; a guiding hand stays anchored at the curve of your waist. You are drawn against the solid plane of his chest, and for a moment, your heartbeats find the same frantic tempo. 'You're not in character,' Rhys accuses, his voice strained tight with something he won't name. 'I don't think this is acting,' you replies. The quiet that crashes down is heavier than any music. Later, Rhys finds you alone, stretching in the near-dark. 'I hate that I want it again,' he whispers, the confession ripped fro…