The Artist & The Dancer

II

*flashback*

"Hello? Is anyone there?"
Dan's eyes had flown open. He had been in a deep sleep until he was rudely awakened by the sound of someone in his studio. Dan slowly peeled himself from bed, rubbing his eyes,and pulled open the door separating his room from the art studio. It had been a day or two after the dancers had performed. All the other performers had went on their way and Dan hadn't seen Cadence anywhere. It had been a surprise to him when he saw the young dancer standing in his studio looking through all his unfinished paintings. As Dan had pushed the door open, it squeaked loudly, Cadence looked up. They walked over to each other, Candece with a huge, dorky grin stretching from ear to ear and Dan with wide eyes and a nervous look on his face. He was in his pajamas afterall.
"Good morning sleepyhead!" Cadence said loudly, handing Dan a sealed envelope.
Dan had torn it open quickly, accidently ripping the letter inside. The young dancer frowned while he read the carefully scribed piece of paper. It was odd, the king had never sent Dan a letter before. He placed it back on his workstation looking up at Cadence again. The letter explained that Cadence would be staying with Dan until room was made for another studio in the castle. There was no date of when the construction of this extra studio would be created, so the amount of time that the dancer would be living with dan would be unknown. Dan hated variables.
"Um, so where would you like to stay?" Dan had asked, looking around the crowded, messy studio. There wasn't much room for a 6'3" guy to stretch out. Dan couldn't figure out why Cadence had been put with him. The king had seen his studio many times before.
"Well there isn't much room in here. Maybe I could stay in there. Well, if that's alright with you that is." Cadence answered sheepishly as he pointed towards Dan's room.
Dan frowned for a second. His room was the only place where he was truly alone, was he really willing to give that up?
"Sure I guess you could stay in there. I mean, it's not much roomier in there either but it's better than in here." Dan said.
"Okay thanks." The two roommates walked into the small accommodation, the door was so small that Cadence had to duck down just to get through. Dan had pulled open the curtains on the lone window on the middle wall. As the morning sun flooded into the room, it illuminated Dan's bed and night table, the only furniture in the room except for the single small chair in the corner. Gray paint chipped and peeled away from the walls and the stone floor was as cold as ice. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, making the whole room feel like a tomb.
But, Dan liked it that way.
And so did Cadence.
"Wow. You've got a nice room. Back home I had to share a room with my four other siblings. Finally some peace and quiet. Are you sure you still want me in here? I mean I don't mind staying in the studio..."
"No it's okay. It's nice to finally meet someone who appreciates silence like I do."
Cadence sat down on Dan's bed, it made a loud creaking noise that made the dancer jump. Dan had been used to it so it just made him... laugh... something that he hadn't done in a long time. They both just smiled at eachother as silence took over the room. And this had been the start of something new.
*end flashback*

A painful stab of recollection shot through Dan's brain as if forcing itself through a wall he had built to protect himself. Cadence had been such a kind person. Maybe that's why had been singled out as a victim. It wasn't fair, Dan thought to himself.
Suddenly Dan was knocked off his balance, he tripped to the floor with a thump, knocking him from his train of thought. He laid on the cold, hard ground looking up at the ceiling. Forgetting about the consequences, he stayed in the middle of the huge stone corridor. He closed his eyes, letting the memory play out as he remembered it.

*flashback*
"Do you love me?"
"I-I " Dan turned away from him. He felt like he was going to cry. He didn't know what to think anymore. Why was this so freaking hard!
"Answer me Dan! Please."
"I don't know Cadence!"
"Well, let me help you then."
With sudden realization Dan turned around to look at Cadence. He was towering above him now, staring straight into Dan's eyes with a sweet smile stretching across his face. Dan didn't know what to do just then. He felt like he wanted to reach up and slap him. Tell Cadence to leave him alone and let him get back to making art and living a insignificant little life.
"Is it worth to spend your whole life unhappy and overworked because you're afraid of change, or would it be better to forget that the rules exist and live a little? We can't change the kingdom's laws. How could you expect us to? We can barely comprehend it in itself. But we can do something about our situation. We are being offered the chance to make a difference. A difference that is probably bigger than anything else in our little lives. I'm not saying that it won't be scary, but we can do it. Daniel Taylor, I love you with all my heart and I would do anything to be with you. But you need to get over your fear of change first.."
Everything was so confusing and overwhelming all at the same time. What Dan had come to believe was crumbling at his feet. He had never felt like this before. He did fear what would happen if he strayed from what he thought to be normal. The thought had tempted many times, but he had never found enough courage to actually do anything. After working under the king for so many years he had been conditioned to be a rule follower, he had no choice but to live inside his own little box. It had been what he was taught to do. Tears formed at the corners of Dan's eyes. Was he ready to take the jump? To fall into Cadence's arm and let go? He didn't know.
"Please don't cry. I'm sorry. I know i'm coming on strong." Cadence told Dan calmly, his smile turning into a worried frown
And that's when he broke. Dan's foundation finally caved in and he took the leap of faith. It took a male ballet dancer for him to finally realize that the only thing holding him back from falling in love was himself. Dan wrapped the tall eighteen year old in a big hug, millions of thoughts racing through his mind all at once. Dan looked up at him again, smiling. No matter what anyone had taught him, Dan was proud to identify as gay. Being unique was a gift that it had taken him way too long to open.
Cadence leaned down to Dan's level, looking into his eyes, trying to decode what the other boy was thinking. That's when Dan closed the gap between them. Once their lips had touched, both boys were filled with an electricity that they'd never felt before. Dan's first kiss was long and sweet, just how he had always imagined it. And for a moment, that was all that mattered.
**end flashback**

A sorrowful smile spread across the artist's face as tears rolled down his cheeks. His first kiss had been one of the most magical events in his entire life. After that, Cadence and him had only grown closer. The days began to roll into each other, becoming a huge mess of love and happiness. Waking up in the morning to see Cadence dancing in the room next door was Dan's favorite way to start the morning. They spend the days working and the nights giggling like schoolgirls and falling more and more in love. Three months ago, love had made Dan blind. Him and Cadence had been so naive to think that their secret was safe. That they would never be found.

And boy, had they been wrong.