Sanders Sides One Shots & Shorts

To Dance in Silence (Prinxiety)

Date Written: May 24, 2020
Word Count: 1387
POV: 3rd Person

Roman's leg bounces nervously, as he glances around the mall's courtyard. His eyes linger on anyone with headphones, wondering if they know about what they're planning. Are they in on it too? Or will they be surprised? There's no way to really be able to tell who is there for the same reason he is, and it's both thrilling and extremely nerve-wracking. Roman's hand clutches his cellphone, which is hooked up to his white earbuds and presses against his knee. He's sitting outside of a coffee store, with his favourite warm drink sitting on the metallic table in front of him, but it's still full to the brim. All he can seem to do is look around the expansive foyer beyond with anxious eyes, and check as the time climbs both too slowly, yet way too quickly towards eleven o'clock.

"Hey, Roman, you good?"

Roman looks away from inspecting a couple who are stepping off of the escalator, to meet the slightly concerned gaze of his boyfriend. Virgil sits across from him, with his hoodie tied around his waist, and his black noise-cancelling headphones looped around his neck casually. "You haven't touched your coffee."

"Hm? Oh yeah, I'm fine." Roman says, but his voice wavers a little more than he'd have liked. He tries to disguise it by forcing himself to take a long drink from his coffee, which is turning cold at the edges of the cup.

Virgil clearly doesn't buy it, and he sets his hand atop Roman's on the coffee cup. "We don't have to do this, you know. It's okay." He says, genuinely.

Roman shakes his head quickly. "No, it's alright." Virgil has invited him to do this with him, because it's something that Virgil likes to do, and Roman doesn't want to be the reason that Virgil is going to miss out on it.

"Roman--"

"Virgil, it's okay. I can do this." He says, before checking the time once more. Two minutes. Roman catches sight of a pair of teenagers who stand leaning against a support pillar a few feet away, trying to appear nonchalant as they grip their respective cell phones. He recognizes them, one with his signature black beanie and grey denim vest over his cuffed yellow shirt, and the other is... his brother, to his surprise. He didn't know that Remus was into this sort of thing. Or, perhaps he's just there for Janus' sake. The pair seem to notice him, and they nod at Roman before beginning to put on their headphones.

The next minute is agonizing. Roman can feel the nerves and anticipation mix into a jittery cocktail as they rise in his chest.

The hour turns over, and on an invisible cue, people littered all over the courtyard put on their headphones and press play. People from everywhere begin pouring out of shop fronts, running towards the center of the open courtyard, dancing to music that Roman can't hear. It's fantastic, strangers smiling at one another, all dancing differently. Some are jumping, some just sway, some pulling out practice choreography all synced to mysterious beats that only they're listening to.

Virgil is securing his own DJ-style headphones over his ears, but his expression is still questioning. He stands up slowly, offering a hand out to Roman. "You ready? If you don't want to--"

But Roman cuts him off, by setting a slightly shaky, but determined hand in Virgil's own. "Ready." He says.

The smile the Virgil gives him is dazzling, with excitement glinting in his eyes like stars. Roman lets Virgil pull him to his feet, and soon they're stepping out to join the rest of the accumulating crowd. They find their way to the middle somewhere, and Roman lets go of Virgil's hand, in favour of pressing his headphones into his ears, and pressing play on a playlist he's had cued up all morning in preparation for this.

Roman looks over at Virgil, who places a quick kiss on his lips, and nods encouragingly. Roman glances around at the sea of strangers as music swells in his headphones. Some people are dancing ironically, with awkward recreations of "the sprinkler" and "the shopping-cart", having the time of their lives. Others do tricks in ways that are calling for attention, or some have video cameras in their hand, filming the experience. But the flash mob isn't about them. It isn't about attention, or cameras, or the gawking crowds that have surfaced from the surrounding stores to see what's happening. It's about people like Remus and Janus, who Roman spots a little ways away. They have their eyes closed, smiles wide, and dancing side by side like no one's watching. Like there's nothing else in the universe but them and their music. As if the moment is infinite enough that they don't need to document its existence, and they just live in it. Roman takes a deep breath, before closing his eyes and trying to do the same.

At first, Roman's uneasy and awkward, tripping a bit over his own feet that feel like lead. His face flushes warm with the fire of embarrassment, but he tries to keep at it. He attempts again, picturing his bedroom around him as he lets himself get lost in the rhythm that plays against his eardrums.

He tries to focus solely on the music, letting it spiral down his arms and swirl around his head. He turns up the volume, and lets the bass line flood his mind, washing away all of the other thoughts from his head.

Eventually, the room slips away entirely, and Roman feels like he's floating. His hands rise and fall with the crescendos of his music. Electricity courses from his thundering heart to the tips of his fingers and back, and then down his spine in a way that makes the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Soon, he's not thinking at all. The music lifts his feet of its own accord, and his head tips upwards as the ground no longer tethers him. It feels like he's dancing amongst the stars.

Roman opens his eyes, and is greeted with the visual of Virgil, who's standing in front of him. His eyes are closed, just as Roman's had been, and he has a hand cupped over one side of his headphones. A small smile plays at the curving corners of Virgil's lips, and Roman is enthralled by how ethereal he looks. His hips curve as his other hand snakes into the air. The pocket-watch necklace he wears bounces up and down over his chest, and Virgil just glows as his lips surround inaudible lyrics. Roman can't help but wonder what his boyfriend is listening to.

Virgil's eyes flutter open, and his smirk makes Roman flush once more, although for a different reason than before. He watches as Virgil reaches up, and takes off his headphones, indicating for Roman to do the same. When Roman does, Virgil motions for him to look around, and they're surrounded by the reality of what they're doing, what they look like. Hundreds of complete strangers dancing together in absolute silence.

"Well, what do you think, Princey?" Virgil asks.

"It's... magical." Roman whispers, not wanting to intrude on the fragile quiet.

Virgil's laugh is breathless, and he pulls his headphones on again. Roman follows suit, and shuts his eyes once more. This time, he feels hands wind around his shoulders. He squints open his eyes just a little, just enough to see the way Virgil's bangs fall over his eyes as he resumes his dance, and feels the way Virgil's wrists hook behind Roman's neck. Roman's hands find their way to hold the sleeves of Virgil's hoodie that belt it around his waist, before he closes himself back into darkness. He can feel the way they move together, their downbeats a bit off-sync as their songs mismatch, but it doesn't matter.

When Virgil first told Roman about his interest in silent flash mobs, Roman had been surprised and a bit wary. But now, Roman can feel the electricity in his veins, and how his dance mingles with Virgil's, and how they share it with Janus, with Remus, with dozens of strangers who are authentic in their vulnerable silence. And Roman decides he'll have to accompany Virgil again.

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I don't really know what this is, haha. But I thought it was a cool concept so here we are.

I actually wrote this for my WTIYS, which I know I talk about a lot but like... it's cause I love it. If you haven't looked at it yet, please do! The new prompt should be coming out later today or early tomorrow, so :)