Dancing Through Bullets

Boundaries

AJ was supposed to be stretching for his and Vienna's rehearsal, but he had made the mistake of turning the radio on beforehand. Engaged in an intense dance battle with himself, AJ spun across the floor, trying out new moves in the mirror.

As the music escalated, AJ moonwalked into a backflip and landed in a split right when the bass dropped. "Whoo!" he shouted, popping back up to his feet. 

"Having fun?" a voice called from the entrance to the studio. 

Clearing his throat and bending over to touch his toes, AJ said, "Hey, V. I was just waiting for you." 

An amused smile crossed Vienna's face as she headed to the dressing-room-slash-office in the back. "I'll be out in a sec. Don't hurt yourself, okay?" With a laugh she disappeared through the door.

When Vienna returned in her leotard, tights, and slippers, she and AJ fell into their usual routine, going over the dance step-by-step a couple times, then trying it with the music. 

After a while they took a break for water. "Where's Dodge?" Vienna asked. "Trixie misses her boyfriend."

Gulping down some Gatorade, AJ muttered, "Dodge isn't in a relationship with anyone, let alone your dog."

"That makes two of you, I guess." AJ ignored her. "Hey, your necklace --"

She had barely reached her hand out when AJ shot up to his feet. His face flushed an angry red. "You don't ever  touch these," he growled, shoving his father's dog tags back under his shirt.

Holding her hands up in mock surrender and getting to her feet, Vienna said, "Whoa, sorry, Albert Jones. Didn't mean to awaken whatever the hell that was."

"Whatever," AJ murmured, taking another swig of Gatorade. "Let's just get back to work, alright?" He stalked over to the stereo and turned the music up as loud as it could go.

They didn't say another word to each other as they danced. AJ's attitude gradually calmed a bit, but his movements were still noticeably stiff and guarded. 

Halfway through the routine, Vienna leaped and AJ lifted her above his head. Dropping his hands and catching her moments before she would have hit the ground, AJ concluded their rehearsal. Whirling on him as soon as she had gotten her feet under her, Vienna shoved AJ backwards. "You incompetent shithead! What the fuck was that? Are you trying to injure me before the competition?" 

AJ let her rant as he used his shirt to wipe off his face. Vienna suddenly cut off, and he followed her gaze to the door of the studio. They had a visitor.