we’re all glitter and tears in the moonlight
hockey rpf
casey mittelstadt/rasmus dahlin
rating: teen
warnings: unhealthy coping mechanisms
summary: Casey's been preparing for this moment all his life. He's finally off to study ballet, and he couldn't be more excited. And it's all great, until he falls for his best friend (who has a boyfriend) and winds up not having as good of a start to his career as he'd hoped.
Nothing that Casey had ever done in his life could have prepared him for what he was dealing with. If he’d thought that auditions had been an intense process, it was nothing compared to what it was like once he actually got to Buffalo.
Every day was a mix of classes, both dance and academic, and time in the studio to learn dances in a group that ranged from first years like him to dancers who were in professional companies. He found himself just staring in complete awe at the power and grace that Jeff freaking Skinner radiated as he danced before them.
He was so caught up in watching everything around him, that he forgot he was supposed to be dancing, too, and didn’t realize he’d missed his cue until it was too late.
He heard some of the grumbling behind him, and swallowed hard, trying to ignore it. Right. This was not his little studio back in Minnesota. This was a big deal, and he had to take it more seriously.
And he’s been trying, he really has. Casey knows that he’s been working hard, and trying hard, but nothing ever seems to pan out quite right. It’s not much; a missed step here, or not enough emotion there, or bruising his ankle after a tough fall there and having to sit out for two weeks.
Casey doesn’t realize that Rasmus has picked up on the frustration until about a month in. He’s been learning to read Casey, suggesting rounds of Fortnite when Casey’s mad, or a movie marathon when he’s sad.
Somewhere between that first day of auditions and now, Rasmus has become Casey’s best friend.
They start to create little traditions as they spend more and more time together. What started as just movie marathons to get Casey’s mind off his stress become a weekly thing. Sundays become romantic comedy marathons, curled together on the couch.
Casey is never quite as happy any other time as he is in these moments.
He doesn’t really think much on it; it seems natural to him to want to spend so much time with his best friend and it just seems natural to enjoy being curled up with him.
His mom, of course, thinks it’s too adorable for words. He rolls her eyes at her, but when he whines to Rasmus later, Rasmus just laughs and laughs and laughs. So Casey rolls his eyes at Rasmus, too.
He’s sitting across from Rasmus at dinner one night, smiling to himself. Rasmus is in the middle of a slightly rambling story about rehearsal that morning, and Casey is so, so hopelessly endeared. It makes him just want to kiss Rasmus.
Casey swallows, trying his best to keep his face neutral so Rasmus doesn’t pick up on his sudden revelation.
He wants to kiss Rasmus. He wants to date Rasmus.
read on ao3! / playlist by cjmasim here!!
