Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Max should have never made a joke about dancing again, especially not with Suzy in the room. Blackmail was something the girl was famous for. She was also Max’s best friend since they met at that dance camp in middle school.

Then again, that was before Max’s mom had passed. The dance camp, that is.

Max had been ‘too anti-social’, as Suzy had put it, and had taken Max under her wing. The dance camp had been cool, but it wasn’t very helpful after his mom’s death. Anytime he saw dancing, even in music videos, Max would get this awful feeling. He could only relate it to the days after his mother’s death.

“Max! Are you listening to me?” Zoey asked, and Max sighed.

“Yep, unfortunately.” Max replied, shaking the memories away. Zoey was quiet for a minute, just staring at her brother. Sighing - with much more feeling than Max had used - she glared.

“Then what was I talking about?” Zoey questioned, knowing her brother was lying. Evidently, Max got this blank look and shrugged carefully.

“Ugh. Okay, fine you got me. I was thinking about Suzy’s request.” Max gave up, and his sister’s rolled her eyes, sitting upright on her brother’s bed.

“You mean demands.” Zoey said dramatically.

“If you want to be real about it.” Max snickered. The two smiled at each other, and Max was reminded about how his sister was also dealing with their mother’s death. Max hugged his sister, having to lean over just a bit. When they parted, Zoey got this knowing look on her features, and Max was reminded of their mother’s same expression when either of the Puckett siblings (sometimes their own dad) was planning on doing something (usually life changing).

“You’re gonna accept her offer, right?” Zoey inquired.

“Of course. But Suzy doesn’t need to know that. Not yet anyways.” Max chuckled. Zoey laughed and punched her brother in the shoulder.
“Nerd, you just gotta gain leverage on the chick. It only fits because your friendship with her is so weird anyways.” Zoey snorted.

“Yep, that’s the term. Friendship. Because. We enjoy each other's company. Yep. Totally.” Max said, voice monotone. His face pulled into a grin at the thought of Suzy being annoyed. She was great and all, but her reactions were so much greater. Zoey hugged her brother before waving to him as she got up from Max’s bed, signaling she was too tired to continue talking. Max opened his mouth to say one last thing to his younger sister.

“Night Zoey. You know the drill-” Max began.

“Wake you up if I have a nightmare, I know, I know.” Zoey yawned sleepily. Max smiled that soft smile reserved for his sister and father, the cue for her to go to sleep.

“You can wake me up too. Night big bro.” Max’s sister said quietly before leaving to go to her room.

“I know.” Max whispered as his door was shut, laying back in his bed. He didn’t bother putting the covers over him, seeing as it was still summer in Mayview.

He dreamt of nothing visible, but he knew when he would woke up that his dreams were filled with the classical music his mother used to dance to. They always were.

The next morning Max received a phone call from Suzy.

“Snoozy it is five in the morning what do you want.” Max grumbled, using the nickname the blonde absolutely despised.

“Good morning Max. I just wanted you to know that auditions are this week on Friday, for the Activity Dance School. If you are interested, I can help you practice and make an audition.” Suzy’s voice was clipped, sadness filling her words. Max felt bad, even if the sadness wasn’t for him. The nickname Suzy usually reacted to didn’t seem to reach her, and Max knew something was up.

“I’m gonna get ready to come over to your house, so expect me soon. I’ll think about the School while I’m headed over.” Max said, anger filling him, but not taking a home in his words. Suzy gave a mumbled okay before saying goodbye, then hung up.

Max sprung into action with his usual grace. He was deliberate and sure in his movements, picking out clothing with some weird kind of passion not evident on his face.

When he was dressed, he grabbed his phone and earbuds, the new smartphone still amazing him more than he’d like to admit.

“Morning kiddo! You going over to Suzy’s?” His dad greeted him as he arrived in the kitchen. Max nodded and grabbed two boxes of cupcake mix and three for lemon squares, putting them in his backpack.

“Just let me know when you want me to pick you up if you aren’t staying the night.” His dad chuckled, waving to his son and blowing the boy a kiss dramatically as Max walked towards the exit door that didn’t lead out to the convenience store.

“Love you Max!” His dad called, and Max mumbled a response and threw a hand up above his shoulder, his own way of saying the endearment back.

Plugging in his earbuds and putting some music on, he got his skateboard out of the garage. Smiling sadly at the memory of where the skateboard came from, Max put his backpack on and his phone in the front left pocket of his jeans.

It had been a gift from his mother, his board, after he had ruined his scooter landing on someone’s face back in elementary school. Max chuckled at that memory. He had been much more clumsy back then, so unsure of himself. His mother had decided on two things to get her son to have more grace. One of them was parkour, which he was still able to do today, and the other was dancing. Something he hadn’t truly done for three years.

When he arrived at Suzy’s house, which was more like a mini mansion, he knew his answer to Suzy’s request. Again.

Knocking on the door in the special code that was unique to Max and Suzy, Max was sure he could dance again, if he didn’t he would only fall back into the bad feelings.

The door opened to reveal Suzy, sleep still in her eyes and her short blonde hair an absolute mess. Suzy moved to let her best friend into her house, and they walked up the stairs to her room, leaving the door open more for the sake of air circulation than any other reason.

“What’s up Suz?” Max asked as he took out his earbuds, pausing the music. He rested his board and bag in their usual spots in Suzy’s spotless room.

“I need to tell you something and I’m not sure you will still want to be my friend but, I need to tell you.” Suzy said, looking Max straight in the eyes. Max’s eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

“I’m gay. I like girls a lot. I would rather date girls than boys and I’m so freaking gay.” Suzy revealed, her voice shaky.

Max rolled his eyes and pulled the worried girl into a tight and rib crushing hug.

“I know, and it’s okay.” Max reassured, as Suzy hugged him back tighter than Max was hugging her. When they pulled apart, Max’s ribs hurt.

“How?” Suzy asked. Max shrugged.

“Birds of a feather flock together and all that shit.” Max admitted smoothly. Suzy’s eyes widened before Max continued.

“Plus all you talk about these days is that Isabel girl you go to school with. You sound like a tsundere to be honest, but I could tell you were in love, so.” Max said, and received a punch in the shoulder from the other teen.

“Whatever…” Suzy replied, then looked at him expectantly.

“And, I’ve decided audition.” Max confessed, exasperated.

Suzy pumped her fist into the air and grinned.

“So are we gonna start practicing or what?” Max asked, rolling his eyes once again.

Hope you’re proud of me, mom.

Chapter Text

Ultimately, they hadn’t practiced that day, but spent it baking and brainstorming for the audition. 

“I think you should do something emotional, interpretive. Not that hip hop stuff you did most of the time at the camp.” Suzy offered, when the afternoon had come and gone, and they had spent at least three hours listening to various modern songs and pieces. Max grumbled noncommittally, unsure.

“I think it’ll be better for you to do interpretive, since you haven’t danced in so long.” Suzy commented, scrolling through her tablet to find more music.

“I mean, I’ve kept up with parkour shit for a long time. It probably won’t take as much physical exertion as it might if I stopped doing physical stuff.” Max said, sipping on one of the many juice boxes Suzy had gotten from the fridge. They were sitting at the kitchen table, Max on his phone looking at dancing videos and the smell of freshly baked chocolate fudge cupcakes halfway saturating the air.

Suzy hummed in response, and a shocked gasp left her mouth.

“Of course! Why didn’t I think of this one?” The girl asked herself, and reached over to pause the video on Max’s phone, Max barely getting a complaint through his brain before Suzy started playing something Max recognized easily.

The lyrics of ‘Oblivion’ by Bastille coming from Suzy’s tablet weren’t words Max was unfamiliar with, and he quickly started humming along before speaking as soon as the song ended.

“It’s perfect.” Max whispered, possible choreography flooding his mind.

“I’m a genius aren’t I?” Suzy squealed. Max rolled his eyes.

“Yeah yeah, so intelligent. Let’s sleep, and in the morning we’ll get cracking.” They finished the last two cupcakes and their juice boxes before getting ready for bed.

Max slept over so often that he had his own guest room, not to mention his own air mattress, at Suzy’s house. Suzy’s parents weren’t always home, but they were incredibly successful and therefore very rich. Plus they loved Max, which was an added bonus.

As Max’s brushed his teeth in his borrowed room’s bathroom, Suzy laughed from somewhere nearby. Max rinsed his mouth with mouthwash before heading towards Suzy’s room. To his surprise, Suzy was actually in his room, texting someone on her rose gold phone.

“What are you doing on my bed, in my room, when you should be asleep, you nerd.” Max asked the girl, who didn’t look up. She had possibly the dopiest smile on, and Max figured she was texting that Isabel girl.

Max hopped on the bed next to Suzy and peeked over her shoulder. He was proven right when he saw the contact’s name.

Isabel Guerra, huh.

“Was Isabel at that dance camp?” Max asked his friend sleepily.

“Hm? Oh yeah. She was the one who always refused to do anything but hip hop stuff. She wasn’t there for very long, since her grandpa got the flu, but she was definitely there.” Suzy said, her voice soft and full of verbal sunshine. Max voiced this much, and Suzy snapped out of it, her pale face beet red now.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Suzy snapped.

Max shoved her half halfheartedly, before laying down.

“Girls are so weird.” Max snorted.

“Oh yeah, when were you gonna tell me you dork?” Suzy laid down with him poking her friend’s face a couple times. The boy swatted her hand lazily.

“Thought you knew. Now let me sleep, we gotta get up early tomorrow and do that training montage…” Max yawned, blinking his eyes a couple time.

“Hmph. Fine, but I’m sleeping in here tonight, my room’s always too cold. And don’t give me that look, I know it’s summer.” Suzy said in mock anger.

Max just put his arm over her in response.

Needless to say they slept well, the two always having been calmed down by one another.

“Ugh, I know I need to let go, stop giving me that look Suzy.” Max quipped, starting over as Suzy sighed and reset the song.

They were in the house’s dance studio, the song they had chosen playing Max had already done his warm ups, and danced the choreography they had come up with two times.

Suzy thought he was too stiff.

Once Max had done the choreography a third time, Suzy stopped the song.

“Okay, I want you to think about your mother. The goal is sad, and you look like you’re bored. Think story, not routine!” With those words, Suzy didn’t wait for Max to give the nod to resume the song, and pressed play.

Max didn’t need to be told to think about his mother, but this time he needed to be told those words. Story, not routine, Max thought to himself.

It clicked then.

Max danced, he danced like he hadn’t since his mom got sick, danced in the way he knew he was capable of. He danced like he had wanted too since his mom died.

In the final note of the song he started tearing up. Max didn’t need to be told by Suzy that he had been good, because he knew he had been good.

“Well look who’s back!” Suzy applauded, smiling wide. Max didn’t notice the tears forming in his best friend’s eyes.

“Again.” Was all he said.

They practiced the rest of that week until it was Saturday, working on refining Max’s unpracticed form and his facial expressions, Max calling his dad afterward.

“Hey kiddo! Whatcha up too?” His dad’s voice filtered in, and Max smiled.

“Practicing.” Max said, and his smile got wider when he heard his dad’s small intake of breath.

“I’m so proud of you Max, so proud. It takes a lot to start dancing after so many years, especially after losing a mother.” His dad said, and Max knew his father was crying.

“Yeah, I know. I wanted to say thank you. And also that I’m auditioning for the school you and mom went too. I was wondering if you and Zoey would come and see it?” Max asked nervously.

“Of course we will!” Max’s father squealed.

“Awesome! It’s this upcoming Monday, so I’ll be home Sunday night of that’s okay.”

“Practicing at Suzy’s house? Yeah that’s totally okay! Does this mean you have an audition dance done already?” His father asked, unsure.

“Yes to both, and thank you. I can’t wait for you and Zoey to see it.” Max said, tears prickling in his eyes.

“I can’t wait to see it! Ah I’m so happy! Wait till I tell your Uncle Forge!” Max’s father squealed, and Max coughed, speaking up.

“He works at the school though right? I think I want to wait to see the look on his face after my audition.”

“Ah of course! I’ll keep it between me and Zoey then. Oh crap, the pasta is burning! I’ll see you Sunday bud, love ya!” His dad said seriously, before panic crept into his voice, and Max could faintly hear the smoke alarm going.

“Love you too dad.” Max chuckled, and ended the call. He sighed, and was truly happy for the first time in awhile.

I’m doing it mom.

Chapter Text

Max took a deep breath as his father drove Max, Suzy, and Zoey to the Activity Dance School.

Zoey was calling her friend, some kid named Isaac, on the phone and chatting about some upcoming anime she had stayed up to read about. Apparently it was about ice skating, so Max had put it on his list of things to look out for. Ice skating may be on frozen water, but it held some similarities to dancing.

Suzy was giving occasional directions to Max’s dad, who hadn’t been to the school since he was a teenager.

As they headed to the school, Max rummaged through his bag for the third time since they had gotten on the road.

“Max, chill, you have everything.” Zoey said as she glanced over to look at her brother. Zoey was shockingly aware of all of her older brother’s emotions ever since she entered middle school. Max’s sister was also shockingly good at reading other people.

“Yeah, I know I’m just nervous.” Max admitted, insecurity taking root.

“You’re going to be fine Maxie, you had me teaching you after all!” Suzy tried, hoping the use of Max’s nickname helped. It did, and Max took another deep breath.

“Okay.” Max said, more to himself than Suzy or Zoey.

During the span of the conversation, the Puckett mini van had pulled into the parking lot of the school, and Max smiled to himself.

"Let’s do this.” Max whispered, unease slowly vanishing.

They all got out the car, Max’s dad locking the bright red mini van. Max and Suzy headed to the backstage theater entrance while Zoey and Max’s father waved a goodbye and went to the regular entrance.

Suzy held onto Max’s arm as they walked past the other kids auditioning. As they got to the men’s changing room, Suzy spoke up.

“Alright, after you get ready I’m gonna go give the light sequence and music to Mr. Lucifer.”

Max nodded at Suzy’s words. The outfit for his performance was in a black garment bag and Max had only seen it once to make sure it fit.

Max had no idea Suzy had added some things, so he was surprised to see his black tank top and leggings replaced with an iridescent smoky blue leotard with black sweatpants. The sweatpants had a drawstring the same color as the leotard, and looked a little baggy, but Max knew they would fit like they were supposed to for his performance.

“Alright, go get changed and I’ll do your makeup!” Suzy exclaimed, gaining some of the other auditioners’ attention. Max smiled and opened the door to the changing room, and changed. Feeling the sleeveless, high collared leotard on his skin was comforting, and when he pulled on the sweatpants he felt ready.

The pants hung a little low on his body, showing a fraction of his bare hips but staying in place. The bottoms came to his mid calf, and Max admitted that he looked damn good.

All that was left was the makeup.

Suzy was texting someone on her phone when he came out, but she looked up and smirked.

“I did a damn good job on this outfit, didn’t I?” The blond asked.

Max rolled his eyes, but a huge smile ruined his fake annoyance. Suzy led him over to an open vanity and had him sit down on the provided chair, pulling out her makeup kit.

“Okay, so all we’re gonna do is some foundation, glow powder, eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss.” Suzy said, pulling out the makeup products she was going to use.

“I can’t believe I’m having my makeup done…” Max groaned, before Suzy giggled and started putting foundation on. The process was quick and Max only opened his eyes to get mascara and his lashes.

“Okay! You’re done!” Suzy squealed, and Max thought about having a counter for every time his friend had squealed within the hour. All thoughts left his mind when he opened his eyes to see himself.

He looked hot.

The eyeliner was a cat eye, as Max had been taught from Suzy and Zoey, and was the same smoky blue as his leotard when it hit the light in the right way. His mascara was black, but wasn't heavy, and his face glowed.

“Awesome.” Max said, grinning.

Max’s doubt tried to creep back in, but Suzy put on hand on his shoulder, before blowing him a kiss and taking the light sequence and music discs to the Mr. Lucifer.

Max already knew he would be on in a few minutes, since he had memorized the order of people going and the person before him was onstage. He took a deep breath, thinking about a counter for those too, and walked to the hallway that led onto the stage. It was a larger space than Suzy’s dance room, and Max blinked when he noticed his father and sister in the audience, Suzy in the process of sitting in the space next to Zoey. He thanked the one way windows - they were labeled - in the hallway that oversaw the audience, thanked them because he was smiling a little too wide and knew Suzy would glare at him for possibly ruining his makeup.

The kid before him finished her performance and bowed, applause radiating through the theater.

The girl went to the hallway opposite from him, and Max remembered from Suzy’s instructions that he too would exit to that hallway.

“Please welcome Maxwell Puckett, dancing to Oblivion by Bastille, with choreography done by our very own Susan Langston.” An announcer said, and Max walked to his place. The lights were dimmed considerably, so no one noticed him walking quickly.

He took the last deep breath he took that day before the music started, and when the singer started, he began.

The light sequence didn’t matter, neither did the audience, just him, the music and his story.

Max slowed his movements when he needed too, but didn’t focus on much besides his facial expressions and his steps.

When the song ended, perhaps too soon for the audience, Max’s chest was heaving shallowly, the only sign he might have been out of breath.

The audience broke into thunderous applause, and Max heard Zoey’s cheer over everything else.

Max bowed, and exited the stage with a small smile.

He had done wonderfully, he had seen that much on Suzy’s face.

Chapter Text

“Max, you did a really good job out there!” Suzy called from the audience as Max disappeared from the stage and into the side wing.

Max grinned as he walked back to the dressing room. The other people auditioning had seen Max’s performance from the TV screens in the room, and Max walked in to applause from the other teens.

“That was so good oh my gosh!”

“You dance so well!”

“Did your girlfriend make your costume? Can you ask her to make mine?”

Max deadpanned at the last question.

“Suzy is not my girlfriend, I’m gay, and you can ask her yourself.” He said, and glared, his eyes set to maim when he glanced at the third person.

“Thanks for the compliments though.” Max mumbled, heading to the changing stalls.

He changed, but soon he realized he was incredibly overwhelmed. Instead of coming out of the stall, Max stayed in the small room. Max tried to focus on his breathing, calming his heart rate, and the cold water from the bottle he had picked up in the exit wing. He drank some more of the cold water, and eventually calmed down. Suddenly there was a knock on the stall’s door.

“Max?” Suzy’s worried voice called.

Max hummed in response, coming out of the room.

“Hey. You’ve been in there a while, everyone else is done.” Suzy said softly.

“Yikes, sorry Suz.” Max frowned, a little upset. Suzy just smiled.

“It’s okay, I was just wondering where you were. Your father and Zoey are still here, but I was wondering if you’d be up for meeting my other, less cool friends.”

Max nodded, and Suzy raised her eyebrows in silent question. Max nodded again, and Suzy shrugged, making a gesture with her chin to follow. While the silent conversation had taken place, Max had put all of his things back into the backpack, and zipped it closed.

As they walked, Suzy began critiquing Max’s performance.

“Your left leg was too loose throughout the first chorus, and your facial expressions during the last couple seconds were pretty bland. But, you did really well other than that.”

“Gee, thanks coach.” Max quipped, and Suzy cackled.

The two came back to the stage, where two groups were chatting. Max recognized Isabel as soon as she turned and Suzy sighed.

“Well, if it isn’t the star of the show.” The girl who Max assumed was Isabel said, a huge grin on her face.

“Maxwell Puckett? Didn’t he go to the dance camp you went too Isabel?” A guy with glasses asked.

“Correct, Edward. This is Max everyone. The friend who never wants to hang out with me if other people are there.” Suzy said, and Max waved.

“Max is fine, no one calls me Maxwell except my uncle.” Max clarified.

The guy who had asked Isabel something introduced himself first.

“Far from Suzy’s claims, I go by Ed. I specialize in ballet and hip hop style dancing.” Ed said with a smile.

“I’m Isabel Guerra, I do hip hop. Only hip hop.” The tanned girl said.

“Ugh, are we really introducing ourselves? Whatever, my name is Isaac O'Connor. Yes I’m Irish, please don’t ask about my heritage, yadda yadda.” A ginger haired guy said, and Max was stunned.

“You look like an anime character.” Max said, and Isaac blinked.

“Thanks. I do contemporary. You did really good on stage by the way.” Isaac added. Someone laughed, and Max looked to the source. A very tall, very bald teen smiled, and Max thought of a crocodile.

“Heh. Name’s Ollie. I do ballet with Stephen, RJ and Johnny.” The crocodile smile guy said.

Next was Stephen, who Max thought resembled a hungry hyena, and then RJ, a hooded figure with green hair sticking out from the hood, who started signing a greeting and that they was born mute and were agender, and Max understood the signs easily. Max replied back in sign, finger spelling his name and then his sign name, shocking everyone but RJ and Suzy. RJ just seemed pleased, and Suzy grinned.

“Woah!” Ed said and his mouth fell open. RJ rolled their eyes, and used their hand to close Ed’s mouth before signing something.

“Excuse my boyfriend, he gets excited whenever I meet someone who knows sign.”

“It’s chill.” Max replied, and someone spoke up from the hallway.

“Well thanks for greeting the guy without me.”

Even though the voice was a little bit deeper, Max knew who it was.

“My name’s Johnny, you did really well on stage kid.” Johnny said, and Max short circuited, his face heating up.

“Max, and thanks.” Max said as he tilted his head down. Just before Max glanced towards the ground, he saw Johnny sign to Isabel something that looked a lot like ‘this guy is really cute help’.

“Thanks Johnny.” Max chuckled. Johnny coughed, his own face heating up to the shade of his hair, and the others laughed.

Well, at least Max’s crush from dance camp thought he was cute.

Chapter Text

Max was at his house, blissfully unaware of the world around him and listening to the TV, when his phone rang.

He knew it was Suzy because he had made her ringtone the Frozen snowman's theme song.

Ha, that's what you get for making my ringtone Ursula's speaking part in 'Poor Unfortunate Souls', geek.

"Max speaking, what do you need o' evil one?" Max said, and instantly recoiled and nearly dropped his phone when Suzy started shrieking.

"Did it come yet!? Please tell me it came oh my gosh the suspense is killing me!" Suzy yelled, most definitely injuring Max's eardrums.

"Uh... Did what come?" Max asked when his ears stopped ringing - that didn't take too long, considering he had been friends with Suzy for years. There was silence for a moment, and Max sighed, turning off the TV and going to his room and promptly shutting the door.

"The letter Max! For Activity Dance School? The School you auditioned for? Last week?" Suzy tried.

"Oooooooooh that one. Yeah, I have no idea if it's here," Max paused and waited for Suzy's frustrated groan before continuing.

"I'll go check and text you later." Max said, hanging up before the blonde girl could get anything else out. The seventeen year old clicked his phone off and sighed, exhausted. He had been practicing and relearning dance moves all day from the videos Suzy had sent him, since she was convinced he was going to get in. Max rolled his eyes and rolled out of his bed, since he had plopped down during Suzy's phone call. He cracked his neck, and headed downstairs.

"Hey kiddo!" Max's dad greeted warmly, smiling wide from his place at the dining table. Max smiled back, but not quite as wide.

"Sup. Did you get the mail yet?" Max asked, going to the fridge and getting the chocolate milk and a glass, pouring himself a glass.

"Yep! The letter came, but I didn't open it, figured you might want to do that. Your Uncle sounded pretty pleased about your performance when I talked to him after auditions." Dad Puckett said, pointing to the kitchen counter where a single letter sat in a plastic bucket.

"Well, as pleased as the man can sound. Which, come to think of it, still sounds pretty bored and kinda annoyed..." The eldest Puckett trailed off, staring at some of the family photos on the kitchen counter. Max chuckled and muttered a 'true that', before reaching for the letter and studying it. The thick paper itself was a very light gold, and had the school's address in the top left corner, and Max's full name in the center. Welp, let's open this bad boy. He thought to himself, and grabbing the letter opener the family kept in a glass bowl next to the letter bucket. Max could faintly smell cinnamon from the inside of the letter, which he thought was really weird, but tugged the actual letter out to examine it further. It was folded in such a way that he couldn't read the text, and Max rolled his eyes. So much suspense am I right?

"Dear Maxwell Valuable Puckett, congratulations on getting into our prestigious academy..." He read aloud, and stopped immediately when he processed the words. Max was also tackled into a hug at this point in time by his father.

"Oh my goodness Max! Congratulations son!"

"What is going on my family members?" Zoey's voice asked from the stairs. Dad Puckett squealed and rushed over to share the news with his daughter, leaving Max to read the rest of the letter. As Max scanned the words he saw something that left him confused. Very confused.

"It's a boarding school?" Max blinked, Suzy hadn't told him that.

"You didn't know did you." Max's sister remarked. When Max shook his head, the middle school child cackled, sounding eerily similar to Suzy.

"Yikes bro, I thought Suzy had told you before you got accepted. Ah well, we should pack." Zoey said, heading off to the hallway closet where they kept suitcases. Max groaned, but that wasn't the biggest issue. According to the letter, there would be roommates. Great.

Two days later on move in day, Max had been driven with Suzy by his father, though Zoey had stayed behind. She had claimed she was hanging out with their adopted brother PJ, who had been away at a sleep away camp for the summer. She had hugged him though before he left. Then she also told him she would be texting him every Saturday night to check in. What a dork...

"Max, you ready to see where you'll be staying?" Suzy grinned when they arrived, resembling a shark. Max nodded, and Suzy led him to the West Hall, which was really cool. The academy dorms were laid out like a mansion, which was awesome.

"Woah..." Max gaped in awe. His mouth snapped shut when he saw the West Hall common room and who occupied the very big room. Johnny Jhonny was saying goodbye to two women that looked strangely familiar. Where had Max seen them?

"Oh look, it's the Jhonny moms! Let's go say hello Max." Suzy suggested, already walking towards the three redheads. Whether or not Suzy had evil intentions to embarrass Max in front of his dance camp crush, or was genuinely wanting to say hello to the 'Jhonny moms', it could not be said.

"Jane, June!" Suzy called when she was nearly a foot away, and the two women looked up and one of them grinned wide.

"Well if it isn't Suzy! I haven't seen you since you were like what, sixteen?" Jane said, and Max sighed, moving to stand next to Suzy.

"I'm seventeen now Jane!" Suzy laughed and Jane, who had a pixie cut in a color that was a little brighter than Johnny's hair chuckled.

"Who's this?" The other woman asked, and Max assumed this was June. This woman had much softer red hair, that looked much more natural. She wore a dress, unlike her partner, who wore cargo pants and a t-shirt that read 'insolent children'. Huh. He and his dad liked that band, though Max's mom had introduced them to the rock band. Max was wearing the grey hoodie that had the band's name on it that day coincidentally.

"Maxwell Puckett is his name, and he was the dancer at the auditions that I was telling you two about." Johnny added in, pulling the other boy into a one armed side hug. Johnny had become much more friendly, and much more touchy, since the day of the audition. Max, surprisingly didn't mind, despite having never truly spoken to him. He usually considered this much contact reserved for his family, Suzy and PJ.

"Ah, too bad we missed it, we're Johnny's moms and... Wait. What's your full name Maxwell?" Jane asked, her hand frozen in a gesturing motion pointing to her wife. Max finally saw the rings, but he was assuming. The question took him a second to register though.

"Uh, Max is fine. It's Maxwell Puckett though." He said carefully, not sure if they wanted his middle name.

"Middle name?" June asked, her voice quiet. Suzy and Johnny exchanged a look of confusion.

"'Valuable'. I know it's dumb but it's what my mom had insisted on back when-" Max stopped, seeing June's teary eyes and soft smile.

"Mother?" Johnny asked quietly, immediately detaching from Max and attaching to his mother.

"She had a kid after all." Jane chuckled.

"We told her to give her first born 'Valuable' for a middle name as a joke but..."

"You knew my mom?" Max responded, wide eyed. June frowned at Max's word choice.

"Yes, we do know your mother. We haven't spoken since her wedding but yes, though we lost touch afterwards." June said.

"She never mentions us?" Jane asked Max. Suzy gripped Max's hand when she sensed his distress. Max inhaled, steeling himself. The women didn't know then.

"No she never did. Not by name anyways. She did talk about her best friends who she regretted not talking to more, but I recognize you guys from the photos." Max said, and winced when his voice wavered. Johnny was quiet, but gave his new friend a meaningful look that Max didn't see.

"Why do ya' keep using past tense with the girl huh?" Jane asked, though her voice was more serious than before. Max squeezed Suzy's hand, signaling for her to tell them. He couldn't say the words again, not after having repeated them so many times after it happened.

"Max's mother passed away when he was twelve. He dropped out because of it, and hadn't danced until the days prior to the audition." Suzy said softly, and June gasped, and the tears she had been holding in spilled over. Jane frowned.

"Shit, I had no idea kid. I'm sorry we brought her up." Jane said and Max shook his head.

"Nah, it's okay. You didn't know. Dad stopped talking to anyone but my mom's brother, Zoey and I for years." Max smiled weakly as he spoke.

"You have a sister?" Jane asked, surprise evident.

"Yeah, her middle names are Jane and June. Mom always said she just liked the names, she always got teary eyed whenever it was brought up though. We also have an adopted little brother who's a year younger than Zoey." Max explained, smiling more genuinely know.

"Wow." Jane said simply, before June suddenly hugged Max.

"Tell your father to contact us. I’m going to bake so many things for you and your family you don't even know." Jane said, mockingly serious. Max hugged June back, and recognized that tone of voice Jane had used. It was Max's 'yeah everything's cool what are you talking about' voice. As soon as June let go, Jane pulled the boy into her arms. Suzy smiled, and Johnny studied Max before poking his jean clad mother in the arm.

"We have to go to our rooms now, but I'll text you two.” Johnny said, and Max heard for the first time Johnny speak in a calm manner.

"Yes, do." June said as her wife pulled away from Max. The women said their goodbyes, and kissed Johnny on the cheek at least three times. Johnny made a grossed out face before hugging his mothers and waving goodbye when they walked towards the exit.

The two boys parted with Suzy when they reached Max's room.

"Text me if you need me and I'll come right over okay?" Suzy whispered, and Max nodded. She waved and went down the hall, probably to her shared room with Isabel, and two girls Suzy had briefly mentioned named Violet and Lisa.

"Woooooah wait, are you sure room 085 is yours?" Johnny said, excitement evident.

Max held up his key that had the room number engraved in it.

"Sweeeeeet! This is my room dude! We're gonna be roomies!" Johnny spoke quickly, and Max barely caught any of it. Max smiled.

Maybe this won't be so bad.

Chapter Text

Three days after settling into his new routine, Max realized that Johnny could get a little over dramatic, especially when it came to things, but not as dramatic as Isaac and Ed.

As it turned out, Ed and Isaac were Max’s two other roommates, who Max was cool with, until Isaac started talking about anime and Ed about super obscure video games.

“So you’re telling me that you’ve never seen First Friday?! But it’s a classic!”

“You’ve never played or even heard of Burnhounds VS Shockodiles?? But you said you played video games!”

Johnny’s version of overdramatic, thankfully, was much less subdued. All the red head did was gape wide eyed at Max until Max rolled his eyes and continued talking. At least, that’s how it was with Max. With the others?

Jeez the kid was reckless in everything all right.

Johnny got, well, Max didn’t know if angry was even the right word. More like… well, he couldn’t put a word or a phrase to it besides ‘recklessly something’.

It was the first day of actual classes, and while Max appeared incredibly nonchalant and perhaps a tad disinterested on the outside, he was oddly nervous internally.

His first four classes were actually school subjects. Well, regular non-dance-school subjects. First Max had his science class with Mr. Gracia, who ended up calling on him a total number of zero times during warm ups thank everything that is good in this world, and then promptly talking about the sub atomic structure of popcorn. Overall, it wasn’t too bad, until Garcia started mumbling about why brains were so interesting and “what if they could leave your body and possess someone”. So that was, interesting, but after that Mr. Garcia actually started teaching, and as it turned out he was a pretty good teacher.

Math was, a little bit different. First, Johnny couldn’t stop laughing whenever Ms. Baxter pronounced something different than how the dictionary told you it was pronounced, and then there was the fact that Jeff would ask questions about stuff that had nothing to do with any kind of math. It was a little entertaining, but then the bell rang and he went to English, where absolutely nothing interesting happened besides the teacher giving out gold star stickers to anyone who answered a question right.

Then there was history with Mr. Spender, and he wasn’t all that bad, ‘cept for the sunglasses. Inside.

By lunch Max was exhausted.

“So, Max, you ready for dance lessons after this? I mean, it’s the reason you’re here after all.” Suzy asked, sitting beside him and munching on a granola bar.

“No, pretty sure you blackmailed me.” Max deadpanned, grabbing some more spaghetti on his fork.

“Did I?”

Max paused. Chewed, swallowed, and then replied, unsure.

“You know I don’t really remember what about. But I’m pretty sure you did.” Max said, frowning.

“Woah! Why are you frowning like someone just splashed you with tomato soup Maxy boy?” Johnny’s voice asked as the teen sat down on Max’s other side.

“Leave tomato soup alone Johnny, it’s pretty decent.” Max replied and Johnny just laughed, his shoulder shaking.

The others soon filled in the table, but there were some others that Max didn’t recognize until Suzy started talking to them.

“Collin and Dimitri, in the flesh, has long has it been?” Max chuckled, a usually rare thing for him to do.

He didn’t notice Johnny’s face as soon as he did said rare thing, but Suzy sure as hell did.

“Hey man, didn’t know you’d be here.” Dimitri said, honest surprise threaded through his greeting. Collin huffed, and elbowed Dimitri.

“Suzy texted us about it yesterday. Did you even check your phone?” Collin asked, but shot a smile at Max, who gave a two finger salute.

 Isabel interrupted them as she cleared her throat, and Max noticed just how long her hair was. It had been in a bun the first few time he had seen her, but he could still tell even then it was long. Max wondered if she ever cut her hair.

“Yeah Iz?” Isaac asked her, and then grabbing a fry off of his plate.

“I think a congratulations is in order for Max. He did very well at auditions, and considering he was one out of two people that got in, well.” She said, tossing an abnormally large strawberry at Max, who caught the fruit with just a little bit of trouble, considering he had not been expecting that.

“Who was the other one?” Ed asked. RJ nudged their boyfriend, and fingerspelled a name that didn’t ignite any recognition in Max’s brain.

“Alex? Really? Well, I’m not too surprised, she was pretty good too. Didn’t she audition last year too?” Ed asked, but not receiving an answer from his significant other, RJ just leaning on Ed and continuing to play on their Game Boy.

“Mm. Sounds about right.” Ollie added.

Soon the bell rang and the group discarded their trash, and headed for the studio.

Which was more like two gyms put together.

“You okay Max?” Johnny asked, having hung back behind the group with Max, talking about whether or not frogs could eat more than two flies at one time. Max assumed the guy had asked since Max had stopped walking mid step, eyes wide and a small, tiny, tiny voice telling him to back out and leave, to quit.

Max felt a shoulder bump into his, and he broke out of his trance. He looked at Johnny and was taken aback at how worried the red head looked. While Johnny’s frown was kinda cute – no no no not right now Max pull yourself together.

“Uh,” Max swallowed.

“I will be yeah. Let’s go, shouldn’t keep the others waiting.” Max rushed out, and walked ahead of Johnny.

For the second time that day, Max didn’t see Johnny’s face when he probably should have. Except this time Johnny looked worried instead of pleasantly surprised.

What has my heart gotten me into? Johnny thought to himself, rushing after the other boy.