Elaine had woken up early to eat breakfast before her drive to the address Lucian had sent her the night prior. She pulled into the parking lot, where Lucian was outside cleaning the glass door. He turned, seeing her car pull in, smirking.
He walked over to her door and pulled it open. "Well, good morning."
"Oh, hi!" Elaine jumped, whipping her head around to look up at him with her brows furrowed, "Uh, you didn't have to..."
"Habit." Lucian chuckled, "Comes with being raised right."
"Must be nice." Elaine gave a wary grin, slowly unfastening her seatbelt.
"You're early."
"So are you."
Lucian chuckled, his tongue flicking over his bottom lip, "Guess that makes both of us bad at sleeping in."
He offered his hand, gently grasping hers before helping her from the seat, then gently releasing her hand when she was out. He closed her car door and walked her inside.
"I apologize for the mess. I was cleaning up a bit."
"Looks pretty spotless to me." Elaine hummed, picking up a few stray towels from around the chairs.
Lucian blinked, holding an empty water bottle, "You really don't have to help."
"Well," Elaine chuckled. "I'll look useless if I just stand here."
"Fair." He hummed before cracking a small smile. "Thanks."
Elaine smiled, helping him pick up the rest of the towels to place them in a bin along with the stray water bottles lying around.
"Alright, good enough." Lucian nodded, surveying the studio. "Let's stretch before we kick this off."
"Yes, coach." Elaine chuckled faintly.
"Don't call me that," Lucian snorted, looking her over with a smirk. "I'll start taking it personally."
"Duly noted," she laughed.
He demonstrated a few stretches; Elaine mirrored him. After a few moments, he paused mid-movement, his eyes narrowing faintly.
"Wait… How are you that flexible?"
"Gymnastics and ballet." Elaine hummed, balancing her leg on the railing behind her. "Mom's dream."
Lucian clicked his tongue, nodding. "That explains it."
"That explains it?"
"Yeah." Lucian chuckled, stretching his arms over his head before twisting his body faintly to stretch his back. "The balance, the coordination, and, well, the general overachievement."
Elaine blinked, pausing mid-lunge with her leg stretched out behind her. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It was." Lucian snorted. "Mostly anyway."
"Alright, we'll start with a warm-up first to keep it easy." He beckoned her out into the center of the room, holding the remote to the sound system
He hit play and began moving to the beat in practiced steps. Elaine followed in step behind him. Observing his movements, attempting to pick up on the moves before they happen.
Lucian glanced at her reflection, raising his brows. "You pick up fast."
"Guess I'm a natural." Elaine smiled awkwardly. Until we do something quicker.
"Guess so."
He switched the track to something more upbeat, switching up his steps with a mischievous grin. She adjusted without missing a beat, causing Lucian to laugh faintly. "Okay, show-off."
"You started it."
Lucian (laughs, shaking his head):
"Alright, serious mode."
When he changed the track, Elaine recognized it immediately by the first chord as Blackout Bliss by none other than Premise of Design. She smiled, "Oh, I know this one."
"Well, I would hope so." Lucian humorously rolled his eyes. "You're going to be dancing the choreography."
He ran through the sequence once, precise and fluid. Elaine followed, stumbling slightly before finally locking into the rhythm.
Lucian (half-grin):
"There you go," Lucian smirked. "Perfect."
"You're just saying that because I didn't fall," she mused.
"Nah, if you did that, you'd never live it down," he teased.
"Oh, I'm sure."
The two continued with the intricate choreography of the song, after repeating it a few times, Elaine slowly began to pick up the movements until they hit a moment where they finally synced up.
"Seriously, though, is there anything you can't do?" Lucian laughed.
"Plenty," Elaine hummed. "You just haven't seen the list yet."
"Oh?" Lucian gave a mischievous grin. "I'll start keeping track until I see it then."
As the track faded on the fifth round, Lucian walked over to a chair, grabbing a bottle of water to hand Elaine while picking up his own.
"Are you always this good at everything?" He inquired.
"Only when people are watching."
"Dangerous skill."
Elaine gave a light smile, taking a sip of water. "Comes in handy, though."
"You've got a calm focus." He remarked, giving a subtle nod. "I like that."
"Compliment accepted."
Lucian chuckled, picking up his phone to check it when it buzzed with a call. His brows furrowed, and he let out a soft sigh, "Ah, hold on, I gotta take this."
Elaine offered a faint smile as he stepped away. His voice was low as he answered. Elaine watched him a moment before leaning against the railing, looking around the studio.
How do they make this look so effortless? She smiled faintly, watching her reflection. Her head faintly tilted to Lucian, who was across the room.
"Yeah, we'll be ready by next week… Yeah, everything's almost done… Got it." He ran his fingers through his hair before hanging up, walking back over. "Sorry about that."
"No problem." Elaine chuckled, looking up at him before refocusing on the studio itself. "It gave me time to admire the place."
"Admire the place, huh?" Lucian smirked. "Not the instructor?"
"You're fishing." Elaine teased.
"Maybe." Lucian laughed, causing Elaine to laugh with a shake of her head.
He grinned, tapping her shoulder. "So, one more time?"
"Oh, you're ruthless," Elaine laughed.
Lucian walked backward, smirking faintly. "You'll thank me when you don't trip the next time we perform it."
Elaine raised a brow. "We?"
Lucian:
"I meant Premise." Lucian gave an awkward smile. "Slip of the tongue."
He hit play on the remote, then extended a hand toward her. "Come on then, partner."
"Oh, how charming." Elaine laughed, shaking her head faintly before taking his hand.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
He walked backward to the center of the room before letting go of her hand. They fell back into step. Their timing synced until Lucian's laughter knocked them out of sync again.
"You've definitely done this before."
"Not like this." She stated, trying to lock back into step with him. "I'm learning, not performing. There's a difference."
"You caught that nuance fast." Lucian tilted his head. "What can't you do?"
Elaine rolled her eyes, giving a small chuckle. "We've been through this question already."
Before Lucian could reply, the door burst open with Casen and Rylan entering.
"I told you it was this room!" Rylan protested.
"No, you said it was the one across from- oh!" Casen shot back.
Both stopped mid-argument when they looked over. Casen's face lit up instantly when he spotted Elaine. "Elaine! Hi! You're here!"
He jogged over, grinning from ear to ear. Elaine instinctively took a step back from his enthusiasm.
"Casen." Lucian slowly sidestepped in between them. "Manners."
"Right, right… Sorry!" Casen blinked, slowly stepping back with a sheepish smile, fiddling with his hands. "I didn't expect… you're… uh… hi."
Elaine smiled, amused. "Hi."
Rylan laid a hand on Casen's shoulder, groaning. "You're scaring her already, dude."
"I'm excited, okay?" Casen retorted.
Lucian looked between the two, his brows slightly furrowed. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
"PR email!" Casen beamed, holding his phone up. "Look!"
Lucian blinked, taking the phone that was in his face, and looked over the email. "Entire amusement park reserved for musicians… team bonding… mandatory attendance…" His lips pursed for a moment before he dropped the phone back into Casen's hands and ran his fingers through his hair, muttering. "Of course."
"Come on, man, it'll be fun!" Rylan grinned.
"For whom?" Lucian muttered.
"Oh, come on," Casen exclaimed loudly. "You're not getting out of this one."
Lucian shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose with a sharp exhale. Casen peered around him at Elaine, pausing before grinning. "You have to come too!"
Elaine's brows furrowed, blinking. "...What?"
"He's serious," Lucian muttered before letting out a dry chuckle. "You might as well, you are a musician too."
"I'm…" Elaine paused, looking down at her outfit with an odd expression. "I'm not dressed for"
"Then go home, change, and meet us there." Lucian gave a forced smile, cutting her off before she could finish.
"And tell my roommate I'm doing what, exactly?" Elaine inquired, raising a brow. They're not letting me out of this one, are they?
Lucian looked down at her before tilting his head to the side for a moment, then smirked, turning to Elaine. "Bring her."
Elaine's lips parted as she stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "I'm sorry, what?"
"You heard me." Lucian chuckled. "Bring your roommate. I'll send the directions."
Casen and Rylan nodded enthusiastically, encouraging what was said.
Elaine looked between the three, her brows furrowed before groaning. "You're all insane."
"And you fit right in." Lucian teased, smirking.
Elaine groaned again, grabbing her bag. The three walked with her out of the building to her car before Rylan leaned against it, grinning. "We'll see you there, yeah?"
"Yeah, yeah," Elaine muttered, looking up at Rylan before peering past him at Casen and Lucian. "Don't start any fights without me."
Casen grinned, half-saluting her. "No promises!"
Rylan chuckled when she shook her head, gently closing her car door so she could drive back to her apartment.
What did I get myself into? Elaine groaned, driving back to the apartment, and entering while shaking her head.
"You're back early. Wait," Eleanore stared at her from the couch, squinting. "Why does it look like someone guilt-tripped you into something you should have said no to?"
"Because someone did."
"Elaborate."
Elaine sighed, setting her bag on the counter after taking her shoes off. "Go get dressed." She shook her head, muttering. "We're going to an amusement park."
Eleanore's face scrunched up with confusion. "...Excuse me?"
"Don't question it, just… go get ready."
"Who even-"
"I'll explain after my shower," Elaine murmured, staring at Eleanore, who was still seated staring at her. "Move!"
Eleanore squeaked, hopping up from the couch before running to her room, muttering to herself the entire way. Elaine shook her head, going to take a quick shower.
After about fifteen minutes, Eleanore was leaning in her doorway. "I swear every time you say, 'don't question it,' I end up questioning everything!" She complained.
"Consider it…" Elaine tilted her head, stepping out of her bathroom. "Team-building."
"For who, exactly?!"
Elaine shook her head, checking her bag before lacing up her shoes by the door.
Eleanore stared at her before grumbling, tying the laces on her own shoes, then hopped up, blocking Elaine's pathway. "Okay. We're ready. Now explain."
"I got roped into going to an amusement park," Elaine murmured.
"You have already said that-"
"With Premise of Design." Elaine interrupted.
Eleanore froze mid-motion, staring at Elaine with wide eyes. "You're joking, right?"
"Wish I was."
"I-" Eleanore bowed her head for a moment as if trying to process what she had just heard. "I'm gonna need a moment."
Elaine groaned, turning Eleanore to face the door while opening it with her other hand. "You can have it in the car." She muttered, shoving Eleanore out the door.