ℰ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓁 － ℬ𝓊𝒸𝓀𝓎 ℬ𝒶𝓇𝓃ℯ𝓈 𝒳 𝒪𝒞

𝒜𝒸𝓉 𝑉𝐼𝐼𝐼

A/N: This is a long chapter, a little over 7000 words so, grab a snack and enjoy the hint of spice.

CW: Talk of EDs. Manipulation, narcissistic behavior, gaslighting. Masturbation.

~

"Dude, Bucky got home so late last night. His boss never makes him work past midnight... that's just-" Rebecca grunts as she stands on one foot, attempting to re-tie the ribbons of her pointe shoe. Planting her foot back on the ground, she shakes her head. "It doesn't make sense."

During the entire practice, Rebecca was quiet and focused as usual, and hearing her speak, let alone about her brother, was a shock to both Peter and Lana.

Alana didn't say a word and made Peter swear he wouldn't say shit about last night. She didn't need another person trying to dive into her private life.

On the other hand, Adeline was going to go over Lana's choreography today. She wanted to ensure that everything would be perfect and that Lana would understand the routine as fluently as possible. It was complex, full of unbearable combinations that would leave Lana out of breath by the end of them.

"Maybe he had a date?" Peter shrugs innocently. Lana flashes him a look and has to hold back, slapping him to blatantly show what he is referring to. She pressed her tongue to the inside of her cheek in annoyance, and he chuckled, putting on his dance shoes.

Rebecca scoffs. "My brother? Dating? No!"

Alana smirks to herself but quickly masks it and refocuses on stretching.

God, why can't she just kiss him and find out how fucking amazing he is at it. Him kissing her hand was crossing a line making butterflies swarm in her core. How soft his mouth felt as he did it.

He left a fucking note this morning because he didn't want her to think he would leave without saying goodbye. Who knows where he got the paper?

"If Bucky gets a girlfriend in the next six months, I seriously will do everything I can to enforce that relationship," Rebecca chuckles, finishing the knot in her pointe shoe ribbon.

"Maybe that's why he doesn't tell you?" Lana smirks, stretching at the bar as she looks at Rebecca with a snarky expression. She was trying to seem nonchalant about the scenario, just a friend giving advice.

"I don't know. He doesn't tell me anything," she grumbles, putting her ankle up on the bar to stretch too.

Mistress Adeline walks past the three and gazes over at Lana.

"Adams?" She spoke.

Lana's head snapped up, and she looked at her strict instructor, who was wearing her usual patronizing expression. She could never read her. It could be Adeline asking her to grab some equipment from the closet and the look would be the same.

"Yes?" She answered politely.

"I need to speak with you."

She looks at Peter and Rebecca with a confused expression. They both shrug, and Alana swallows, bringing her leg down from the bar and stepping over in her pointe shoes. Alana walks over to the corner of the room, and Adeline leads her.

When they meet a halt, Adeline flicks her eyes over Lana's appearance.

Had she put on too much weight?

Fuck.

"I have to ask," she looks over at the other side of the room. "Are you and Mr. Parker a couple?"

Lana almost laughed at that and looked over at Peter goofing off with Rebecca. She buttoned her lips and shook her head. "No, Madame. Just friends."

Adeline folds her arms over her chest, gesturing to the exit doors. "What was the whole thing yesterday, then?"