Dancing Again

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Once more Elsa found herself drifting back to the Dancing Studio. More and more lately she found herself wanting the physicality of it, to just sort of lose herself in the moment and dance away. She wasn't sure that she really wanted to engage in ballet again, though she certainly appreciated the graceful motions that she'd been taught when she was younger, but she was becoming more and more certain that she wanted dancing to be a thing. Besides, she definitely needed something to relieve stress that didn't involve a bottle.

So there she was, curled hair tied up and away from her neck, fumbling with an iPod docking station. The problem was that she just wasn't quite sure what she actually wanted to dance to. something classical? Pop? Rock? Elsa sighed, shifting her feet and frowning down at the device.

It was then that she heard the light footfalls. A quick cast out with her mind confirmed someone else. So she smiled and looked over her shoulder. "Any suggestions for music to dance to?"

[Abel Bellefonte]

Abel was doing what he normally did, he was looking for a place to study that didn't involve the library or his house. He was also really tired of the courtyard not having any place for him to sit and refused to get grass stains. Coffee shops were over rated because they never gave you enough donuts to eat without you spending a lot of money. So he walked to the dance studio knowing that there would be music and good dancing for him to watch when studying got boring. Unless it was empty than he could just plug in his Ipod and then be done with the roaming around.

He stopped when he saw his sister and shrugged "How about something Foreign, nothing says improv than dancing to a song you can't understand." He gave her a cheeky smile mostly because he had no idea about dancing outside of ballroom dancing. That was kind of mandatory for him he put his backpack down and sat down against the wall out of her way. "Don't worry i'm sure whatever you come up with will be entertaining"

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, that voice was definitely familiar. Elsa sent her mind out slightly to confirm even as she turned. "Abel," she said, blinking, staring at her brother. It had been some time since the two of them had a one on one conversation. Elsa had always ranked Abel as her second favorite sibling, which in some ways meant that he was very nearly her second favorite person. Still, their lives had been so busy lately.

"Foreign?" she replied, raising her brows. "Mother would be furious at your utter lack of breeding," she smiled and nodded to her brother. "It's nice to see you're around," she turned back to the i-Pod, fiddling with it for a moment. "Though I have to admit that seeing you in a dance studio is rather surprising. Have you finally given into the pressure to become a prima ballerina?"

She smiled and looked to him before clicking on the music. "Something foreign" began playing: specifically a Russian suite that Elsa happened to thoroughly enjoy. The complicated melody could be danced either slow or fast too, though Elsa usually mixed them up. For now, she just watched her brother, brows raised, letting the music and the environment do some of the talking for her.

[Abel Bellefonte]

Abel just smiled cheekily at her greeting, sure it had been awhile but he was still the same old person as he had always been. Okay maybe he was a bit more annoying but that was because he was bored, what else was there to be when you went to a school hidden away? Still, he was glad that he had caught her alone, he could see what she had been up too recently while he had been busy studying.

“She should be glad that I haven't switched majors to linguistics and music. It’s not my fault if the foreigners do it better” He smirked at the double meaning of his words but still. He had given the woman enough, what did she want him to do take up law also? “yeah we shouldn’t spend so much time in between catching up.”

He was sure she understood what he was saying, he wasn’t all that good with admitting things like missing people and be scared and stuff. “You caught me, I was hoping you to find you hear figure you could help me with my spins” They both knew he lacked the skills to dance outside ballroom dancing. Now music and languages that was his forte, he prided himself in being able to stay awake through the nutcracker.

“You know, I find a punching bag in the gym a great way to relieve stress, I don’t see how spinning and leaping could help you do that but go ahead I wont laugh if you mess up, promise” He could already tell that she just wanted to get away by her being alone. Maybe he just assumed she wanted to let off steam because that was the only reason he wanted to be alone.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa laughed, shaking her head. Just thinking about Abel also switching to another "frivolous" major brought a good deal of amusement to the Bellefonte twin. Erika was already dedicating herself to art; Elsa was confused; and the chances of Alexis doing anything constructive with her life were pretty slim on the whole.

Though she did have to wonder why Abel seemed willing enough to not spend time catching up with her. Though at least he was willing to admit that he didn't have dancing skills. Elsa knew that his talents lay elsewhere: she made it her business to know her siblings, after all.

"To each their own," she replied airily. Elsa then began moving, her form graceful. She'd actually been learning other types of dancing on the sly, working with a few of the other students and instructors. So while the music might be more of a classical bent, Elsa's movements were not wholly ballerina. There was definitely some modern twists and spins in there.

And something else had developed too. Is there a reason you're actually here? went sliding into Abel's mind, coming across as though he'd read a message on his phone and his brain processed it. His sister looked at him, raising her brows expectantly. The mind messaging was a recent development, after all.

[Abel Bellefonte]

Abel smiled, he knew that he'd at least making her smile at the thought of him changing subjects. It wasn't all that hard to find a subject in school that their mother deemed useless. He just figured that he'd might as well give up and do something the "right" way. Well at least their mothers definition of the right way.

He watched his sister dance as he took out his binder. He didn't want to just stare it was very easy to do though, she was talented. If things were different she'd probably already have a dance career or whatever it was called. " Yup we both know if I pursued dancing I'd be the way equivalent of a starving artist." He took out his binder and started to do his homework, his pencil pausing at the question.

"You know I really do feel like I got the lamest power and....maybe there is." He shrugged his shoulders, there could be many reasons mostly because being home was boring and way to stressful.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

A binder? Elsa couldn't help but be amused at that. The Dance Studio wasn't exactly an ideal place to study, considering that even were Elsa not dancing at the moment, there would still be noise, likely from other dancers utilizing the space for the same thing. Still, Elsa had to appreciate his apparent dedication and drive.

She also kept moving around, though she knew her moves were sloppy. She couldn't help but be distracted by her brother and the bit of conversation. The comment regarding his power had to make her smile slightly. But ah, there at the bit: that last admission.

That had Elsa's brow raising for a moment. She did another few moves before sliding across another mental message across to her brother: Are you going to let me in as to what that reason is, or do I have to start rummaging around in there?

[Abel Bellefonte]

Abel tried his best to ignore the question his sister was asking, because he wasn’t there to talk about himself. He sure as hell didn’t want her rummaging through his head, he wasn’t okay with that ever. He was pretty sure she’d done it a few times before but that wasn’t the point. Why did there have to be something wrong, it wasn’t as if he had purposely sought her out….okay maybe he had but still.

He wasn’t someone who liked to confide in people, mostly because he was pretty sure he couldn’t trust anyone as far as he could through them. It’s not that he didn’t trust her, it’s just that he didn’t trust her to not try and fix what was wrong. Mostly because if she came to him with a problem, he would do everything in his power to help.

“Nothing, Can’t I miss my baby sister? We haven’t really spoken much.” It was true, they hadn’t he had been so busy with school and trying to do what his mother wanted and what he wanted at the same he forgot to slow down. “I’m thinking of switching one of my majors to culinary Arts.” He said putting that out there, a career based on piano lessons and the occasional violin seemed silly. However cooking seemed like something his mother would hate. He had no idea why he was evenig being rebellious he was way past his teenage years so he should be trying to be serious.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, there was definitely something else there. What made the people close to Elsa keep thinking that hiding things from her was a good idea? They did realize that she was quite literally a mind reader, yes? Surely they did, which only made decisions like this all the more baffling for Elsa. Plus, she didn't see why they wouldn't: she gave sound advice and had learned to listen to people quite well, thank you.

"You could," Elsa agreed, actually verbalizing the word for a moment, mostly because her movements had slowed during a slower part of the music, "though that doesn't explain what you're doing here, now," because interrupting her while dancing didn't quite equate to "wanting to spend more time with sister."

Elsa was about to add that she didn't mind or anything, that she enjoyed spending time with Abel, but before the words or even the thoughts could come out, she got something of an answer. Abel's words froze Elsa's movements. She looked at him seriously for a few moments, reading him closely. Had he been...? No, this didn't look like a joke.

"Good for you," She said, nodding. "You should do what you want. And fuck what our parents think," which had essentially been the Bellefonte children's motto for years now, really.

[Abel Bellefonte]

AAbel shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes, of course she was going to give him that look. It was much easier for him to talk to Elsa about things than the other two, mostly because she’d just just snoop around for the answer if she felt it was important. Still he didn’t actually come to have this conversation with her, or maybe he did subconsciously. To be honest he really didn’t know why he did certain things nowadays.

He sighed “Yeah I know but it’s been basically three years of me having parent approved majors, I can’t have three majors, I mean maybe I can switch on of minors to a major and then major in culinary arts, but it I don’t know if it’s possible.” He ran a hand through his short hair and tried to start doing his homework again to no avail. Now she had him thinking and shit, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

“I don’t think I can deal with the backlash unless I get my own apartment” He said giving her the whole my hands are tied look. He had contemplated moving out and getting an apartment in Kalispell for a while now. Probably not the best time to actually bring it up, but she was the first person to actually know that he was considering it.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Well, this had become a suddenly serious conversation. Elsa turned, turning off the music, listening as her brother continued. Oh, the fun things their parents had done to them. She had to smile and shake her head before turning back.

"So drop one of their majors," She said as he finished. "Move out. Erika's done it something like twice now," she held up the fingers with two upright, "and both of us were in the dorms for some time before that. If it wasn't for my little dance with alcohol a few months ago, I'd probably be living on my own by now too. No one says you have to stay in the mansion and do what they say, Abel. You're an adult now."

Elsa paused for a moment, mentally going over a few things before looking to her brother. "You did remember to make a few accounts of your own, right?" Because Elsa had been getting on her siblings to do that for years. They needed to take just a bit of their parents money and funnel it into their own projects. Elsa had been doing it long enough that she was practically independently wealthy. So surely Abel had as well.... right?

[Abel Bellefonte]

Abel looked over at her, it was hard enough being the oldest but he felt as if he had to turn out slightly like his parents wanted being the only son. He had too many “my boy” conversation with his father and his mother was not someone he wanted to argue with now or ever. Elsa did have a point though, he could at least have one Major on his own and switch to a minor if they were that obsessed with him taking both courses.

“Eh, I don't’ think I could do the whole dorm thing again, even if it would be awesome. My own apartment seems like the best option.” He knew he was an adult now, but there was apart of him that didn’t want to disappoint his parents. He didn’t want the whole dead end career and being a good example speech, he really didn’t. “Yeah I know I’m an adult...I just know they’re gonna pull the disappointment card. I could handle it when I was a rebellious sixteen year old but now I’m not so sure.”

Abel nodded “Yes I remembered, I started the first time you brought up.” He had been doing it for awhile and was sure he could support himself for awhile if his parents cut him off. That and he was looking into getting a job since he was trying to move out and get on with his life. He just secretly cared about what his parents thought at the end of the day. Even if he knew he was going to piss them off once he made up his mind.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa could certainly understand not wanting to go back into the dorms. she's all but made that decision herself, though, well, it had been a decision that she'd put off for the time being. She'd missed the window and, again: spending close to a month in various liquor bottles had sort of made people want to keep a closer eye on her. Though at least she was moving away.

Elsa had to roll her eyes though. "They're disappointed in everyone but Alexis, and that's only because their expectations are majorly messed up," Elsa finished with a confident expression. Soon enough she was following that up with a decisive nod. Technically she had made accounts for all her siblings too, just in case they hadn't been great at listening to her. Though she didn't intend to mention it to them unless it came up.

"It sounds as though you have this all figured out then," she pointed out, flicking her hand at Abel. "So let me guess; You needed to say it aloud, to someone, to be accountable for it, and I was you first choice?" she raised her brows, the I'm flattered very much implied.

[Abel Bellefonte]

Abel had been worried about his sister, but he knew that she could take care of herself. He really did understand the mess they each got themselves into at different times. It was hard living with the pressure and gossip, not mention the whole mutant thing. Considering they were barely adults, everything was incredibly hard to deal with most days.

He snorted “Yeah your right with that but still, I still hold up hope they'll pull it together eventually.” He knew it was hopeless but every kid still had some kind of hope about their parents, even if was that they’d drive off a cliff. Still he was glad to be getting it off his chest, he was guilty of holding everything in all the time. That lead to bad decision and different people in his bed the next morning, apparently he had the same bad habits as his siblings.

“Yes to both of those, you’ll always be my first choice...just don’t tell Erika” He said smiling cheekily at her now that they had gotten all his heavy stuff out of the way. There was possibly still more but his personal life was sooo not up for discussion not now or ever. “What about you, anything you need to get off your chest?” He asked opening his binder yet again.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa had all but given up hope on their parents some time ago. There was too much hurt there, too much damage. perhaps someday, in the far future, things would heal enough for something like a healthy relationship to develop. And yes, sometimes Elsa did feel somewhat guilty, having formed such tight relationships among her siblings. It sort of set up an "us versus them." Though, again, their parents had all but fostered that at times.

Nonetheless, she could still see where Abel was coming from. She'd been so invested in the Bellefonte name until only a short time ago herself. It was all too easy to see how someone would still cleave to that, would still want it.

The thought of her being the first choice did have Elsa smiling though. In some ways, it did feel as though she was all her siblings' first choice. Erika turned to her with this, Abel, and somehow Elsa had the feeling that if anything important ever happened to Alexis... well, three out of our wasn't bad.

"Nothing in particular," Elsa admitted, looking back at the iPod. The urge to dance had left her by now. "I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do, after the whole Headmistress debacle," she looked, "followed by my attempt to drown myself in alcohol for the better part of a month. You missed that fun little time."