Quiet Backstage: A Series of Lippa Oneshots

Jealous

We were on a tight schedule for this Nutcracker, so tight of a schedule that days off weren't days off anymore. We spent our once days off now learning new variations and perfecting our already learned ones. And in no way did this tight schedule make anyone happy. The sleep deprivation and the mental wear and tear was making everyone cranky.

I chuckled as I left the studios after my rehearsal for one of my variations. We had a step in for our Nutcrcaker Prince, as we do every year, and this year was fun, because we incorporated some cool lifts with him into my variation.

"Come here." One of my best friends, Lin, grabbed my wrist as I left the studio and pulled me into the back break room. "What is that all about?"

"What is what all about?" I asked, grabbing my water bottle and taking a sip from it.

"Don't act all innocent."

"Innocent? What? What did I do wrong?" I asked, my eyebrows bending in confusion.

"You're in those studios, with closed doors, laughing, and...and talking, and..." He trailed off.

I laughed in return. "Are you talking about Steven?"

"Who else?!" Lin scoffed.

I playfully gasped, just to get on his nerves. "Are you jealous of Steven?" I bit back laughter.

Lin's cheeks tinged a bright red. "N-No. I just don't trust him." He made up. "What if...what if he drops you?"

"No way he will. I promise you that I'm in good hands. He's danced with Joffrey!" I replied.

"Doesn't mean he's any good."

I chuckled. "Really?"

"Yes, really!" Lin shouted back. "I just can't stand seeing you dance with someone else." He admitted.

I sighed. "Why? I've done it hundreds of times. And you watched me do that one heels dance a hundred times. I think that dance was a lot worse than me dancing with a step in for a minute and a half." Lin sighed, remembering that heels dance, the dance he never watched on stage, because he didn't like seeing me dancing in those four inch stilettos.

"You just seem really giggly around him, and I don't think I like it."

"Wait." I folded my arms over my chest. "Is that what this is about? It's not about the lifts, or...or Steven dropping me, no, no, no, you're scared we're going to fall in love or something?"

"Yeah, just a little bit!" Lin exclaimed.

"Woah, woah, woah, first off, Steven and I would never get together, ever. Just...no. But even if we were, you have no place to tell me who I can and can't see."

"Phillipa, I just don't want you getting hurt!" Lin argued.

"Who said Steven would ever hurt me?! He barely even had his hands on me today. We attempted the lift one time today, because we only had a forty five minute block. Relax." I sassed back.

"I can't relax, Pippa!"

"Why not?!" I yelled, getting fed up with this whole situation.

"Because I love you!" Lin yelled, surely someone heard it.

"No." I stated almost immediately after he spoke. "No, we can't be doing this right now." I sprinted from that back room faster than was probably necessary.

"Hey, hey, slow down. What are you running for?" One of my ballerina sisters, Jasmine, asked, stopping me by my shoulder.

"Let go, I just need to go get some sleep, please! I need to sleep, Lin needs to sleep, I--"

"Breathe in between sentences, please." Jasmine nodded slowly. "Now, I get it, we're all exhausted, but what is bringing all of this on?"

"Lin told me he loves me." I stated simply. "And it's just the delirium talking, right? And the sleep deprivation. And...and he's hungry. I mean, of course he is, none of us had any lunch today. So it's just the low blood sugar talking, right?" I ranted off, trying to justify what I was just told.

Jasmine chuckled gently. "You can't work your way around this one, Sis. You have to face the music. You have to--"

"Hey, great rehearsal today." Steven came around the corner, and he kissed the side of my forehead; a common gesture all pas partners gave me. I thought nothing of it. It was always just the ballet thing to do.

"Thanks, you too." I smiled as he waved. My eyes flickered back to Lin, who had now been standing in the hallway, and he had probably just seen all of that.

Not going to lie, he is pretty cute when he's jealous.

~~~~~

Wow, another ballet AU. Aren't I so creative?

Nonetheless, I hope you all had a better day than I did. Xx. ❤