Hey everyone! Even though I know I should be finishing up Chapter 7 of "My Best Friend's Secret" (which I have been working on don't worry), after seeing HSM2 (which I embarassingly actually taped and have now watched at least ten times since, not including all three times I watched it on TV) I couldn't help myself from writing this. I don't think Disney was even trying to hide the innuendos in "I Don't Dance"--especially judging from how many Chyan fics have sprung up since the movie premiered (which I am absolutely thrilled about)!
After all, that one line was way too suggestive...and then there was the clothes switching too (I'm still having trouble trying to figure out how Disney is justifying that happening! What else could they have possibly meant by the two boys switching clothes...?????). And Ryan actually wasn't set up with Martha...or Kelsi...or any other girl really in the movie (see arguements for Gabriella at bottom of chapter...), so I think we're really all supposed to take him as homosexual. Maybe the world is just becoming more open-minded than I thought that Disney can get away with him...? After all, there was WAY more chemistry between him and Chad than Chad and Taylor...
Anyway, here's what I've been spending my free time since Aug 18 working on...XD
What Would You Have Me Do?
By: StillThereForMe
Part 1/4
"Hey Evans!" Ryan paused; mid-step in his walk of humiliation after he'd lost the baseball game, and consequentially most likely lost any chance of getting any real respect from East High's Wildcats. He wanted to run off and hide under his Lava Springs silk sheets in his private suite, but since the person who was probably the most important of the Wildcats was calling out to him, Ryan felt he was probably forced to listen to what the teen was going to say to him—however more humiliating. "I'm not saying I'm gonna dance in the show; but if I did, what would you have me do?"
A grin spread across the blonde's face as he starting thinking things about Troy Bolton's best friend that he probably shouldn't. If Ryan Evans had control over how Chad Danforth would move, would wear, would say, would look, would do—to him…Ryan shook his head slightly at himself. Chad didn't mean it like that, but the theatre boy couldn't stop those suggestive images and thoughts from clouding his mind thanks to those simple words. Not after that very enjoyable baseball game.
It had been quite a while since Ryan had so much fun doing anything athletic (aside from yoga with his mother of course), and it wasn't just because of those delightful shocked faces he was receiving from the unsuspecting jocks as he showed off his secret baseball prowess. While he played and exchanged words with Chad—and watched the dark boy stretch in that flattering red and white baseball uniform—he couldn't help imagining how impressive a dancer the flexible Wildcat could make. Inning after inning, Ryan continued to picture the well-bodied jock performing complicated choreography around the field. He could see a few of his teammates doing some ensemble parts as well, but it was mostly the big haired jock starring, including several dance steps that Chad would probably never allow himself to be seen doing in public in real life. But in Ryan's imagination, Danforth was more than willing to twist and turn and happily reveal those little slips of his stomach (which he was really doing, though accidentally) under that light jacket throughout the game.
Before their game, Ryan had never really looked at the other boy before. He had noticed him a few times while being forced to watch those endless basketball practices that Sharpay had dragged him to see throughout the year. Chad was a fairly good player (as far as Ryan could understand about the sport) in his own right, and pretty good-looking too, but was always overshadowed by his much more charismatic best friend Troy Bolton—a bit like, Ryan thought, he was often overshadowed by his overly-glamorous sister. And now, similar to how Sharpay had decided to ditch him for the summer talent show it seemed, he had heard from her that Troy had also traded up his teammates for the Redhawks and wasn't currently speaking to Chad; which, Ryan suddenly realized possibly meant, if he played his cards right, there was a spot left available for him by the darker boy…
"It's okay Ryan, you did really well!" Gabriella assured him, running onto the field and up to her new friend and interrupting his progressively scheming thoughts. "Even if you didn't win, you were really amazing, and I'm sure the guys think so too!"
"Thanks Gabriella." Ryan shyly smiled down at the friendly girl, becoming less and less upset with each passing second that his sister had ditched him for Troy this morning. He'd been so angry at her earlier, but now…the day was becoming so much better than it would have been rehearsing "Humuhumunukuapua'a" with Sharpay screaming at him for two hours. "It was fun."
"You looked like you had a blast playing!" The dark haired girl giggled up at him as her friends started coming over as well. "It was a great game to watch!"
"Yeah, you were really amazing Ryan!" Kelsi added, coming around the fence and onto the field behind Gabriella, quickly followed by Martha. "I had no idea you were so good a baseball!"
"That game was really close too." The bigger curly-brown haired girl commented.
"Are you okay though, I mean, after Chad tackling you?" Gabriella questioned, looking down at Ryan's previously spotless white outfit, which was now covered in dirt and grass stains.
Ryan grimaced down at his clothes, but then nodded cheerfully back at her. "I think I'll live."
Gabriella once again giggled and smiled widely. "Good to know."
"Hey? You girls going to come over and congratulate us?" Chad questioned as he walked over by Ryan, and followed soon but slowly by his teammates. His arms reached out to either side of him in question as he smirked proudly at the girls. "Or did we not deserve it?"
Ryan froze at the sudden closeness of the other player he'd been musing about not even a full minute ago. He could smell the dirt and sweat, as well as feel the heat radiating off the darker boy as Chad stood extremely close to him, and couldn't stop the wide grin returning to his face. Unsure of whether to praise or curse his luck, the blond stole a glance towards the other teen's body, and allowed himself a moment to stare at the well-defined muscles that were extremely easy to make out through the tight white tank top under his jacket, and Ryan decided Sharpay was more than welcome to have Troy—Chad Danforth had just as much an attractive body if not moreso than Troy Bolton's. Although Ryan probably didn't have more of a shot with this Wildcat than his sister did with her favorite, but there was no harm in looking, right?
"But I thought we won…why wouldn't we deserve it?" Jason slowly inquired, turning his head to Chad in confusion.
"Yes, congratulations, you were all awesome." Taylor immediately answered, rolling her eyes with a smile.
"I don't know why you guys aren't all on the baseball team." Kelsi shrugged impressed.
"I am." Chad pompously reminded, crossing his arms across his chest.
"I think she meant aside from you, Chad." Martha laughed.
"True, I'd like to know why this guy isn't on our team with his skill!" The spirited jock clamped a hand on the theatre boy's shoulder, shocking his attention from admiring the athlete's chest to his (handsome) smiling face. "Why aren't you on the baseball team?"
"Drama stuff just takes up a lot of time I guess," Ryan answered with a shrug, enjoying Chad's warm hand on his shoulder in ways he shouldn't.
"Well, you should definitely think about trying-out next year. We could use you." Chad encouraged, wrapping his arm around the paler boy's back in a friendly gesture. "I think you'd really do good."
Ryan smirked and raised his blue eyes challengingly at the taller boy's dark brown ones. "Like how you would do well in the Club's talent show?"
"Hey!" Chad protested drawing his arms back and raising them defensively, inwardly again surprised at Ryan's sudden show of backbone. Every time he thought he had the blond boy figured out, he'd turn around and see that strange look in his eye—and something about it made Chad uneasy. Not necessarily in a bad way, but just…a weird, shocked feeling. A nervous smile graced his face again. "I never agreed to that yet! I'm saying maybe I'll dance in the show—maybe! I want to see what I'm going to have to do first."
"Well, I'm in!" Zeke announced, grabbing everyone's attention. "The show does sound like fun, and if you're willing to direct us, hey, why not right? It's not like I've anything better to do!"
"Now that's the spirit Zeke!" Gabriella announced happily.
"Me too, I think I'm going to do the show too." Jason nodded as he answered, smiling shyly at Kelsi's hopeful face—which broke out into a grin after his statement.
Most of the surrounding staff/baseball players began to nod in agreement and started mumbling they'd do the show too, making Ryan smile again. It was nice to feel wanted for his talent, not as a prop. Not that he ever really minded being a prop for his sister—he was always more than willing to be one, but it was cool to be wanted differently. Especially since Troy had taken his job as Shar's prop. Chad meanwhile, was standing very awkwardly, not knowing what to say. After all that bragging and mouthing off, he couldn't very well just totally agree to do the show all of a sudden, and Chad still wasn't so sure he wanted to. After all, the only real reason he had said he'd do the show before was for Troy and Gabriella's sake—those two had needed to be the show, and Troy was only going to do it if everyone else was, or so he had thought before his friend had gone all "Italian Shoes" and ditched the rest of them. Without that motivation, he really wasn't interested in doing any show.
But seeing all his friends looking hopefully at him, and the blond boy in the now dirty clothes from playing a baseball game surprisingly well, saying "no way" outright felt wrong; especially with those vibrant blue eyes watching him so closely. Although the blond dancer's face looked extremely relaxed and subdued to everyone else he was sure, those light blue eyes were completely focused and attentive with some emotion right on Chad. And again, Chad couldn't figure out if that somewhat challenging feeling scared the hell out of him or was exciting him. He desperately wanted to know what the lean boy was thinking. Chad was never really one to plan things, he liked to just jump in and look back later. But this dancing thing, it probably really didn't mean much or was risking anything, but the entire prospect was suddenly nerve-wracking to him. And it actually probably had nothing to do with the dancing. It was that damn look in Ryan Evans's eyes. Chad didn't know why the freaking kid couldn't just tell him what they would be doing!
"Maybe I will after I know what you guys are planning to do exactly." The dark boy tried to shrug off and turn away from the blond still focusing closely on him.
"Oh! Come on Chad! Please? I promise it, will be fun." Gabriella quickly went over and begged him with puppy dog eyes that she shouldn't be legally allowed to do.
"Yeah! If all the rest of us are doing it, what's the fun in being left out?" Taylor added.
"Well…" Chad tried to argue, hating being the different one, head turning from one girl to the other.
"Hey, what else are you going to be doing this summer anyway? Just go to work and go home? Where's the fun in that? You might as well do it." Zeke stated, hitting Chad on the back.
"Okay, okay, I'll watch you guys do a rehearsal or something, and then I'll decide if I want to do the dancing or not, okay?" Chad thought he reasoned very fairly, before the blond boy replied.
"It'll be kind of hard to choreograph a good number if I don't even know how many people I'll be having to direct." Ryan commented casually, leaning his slim body against the fence to one of the dugouts, but when he looked up at the darker boy, his eyes told Chad the comment was anything but innocent. The talented actor looked like he wanted to be smirking. The dancer was enjoying the jock's indecision! Chad didn't know if he wanted to go over and hit Ryan or…the fight with Troy had to be messing with his head. "So you know, it'd make things a lot easier if you said whether or not you wanted to do it now. Otherwise, we might not end up having much of a rehearsal…"
"I'll bet…" Chad mumbled, bitterly feeling like he was being made fun of some way. He turned to Taylor. "Hey, are the showers here for members-only or can the staff use them too? 'Cause I don't want to start eating the good food and dessert with dirt between my teeth, you know?"
"I uh, think they're members-only." Taylor replied unsurely. "Unless you like, work in the pools or something…Gabriella?"
"Well, I've been using them and haven't been caught yet anyway…" Gabriella shrugged, half-smiling. "But then I'm a girl and Mr. Fulton can't really barge in there and yell at me…"
"I don't want to call up my dad to bring me all the way home just to use the stinking shower…" Chad groaned in complaint.
"But the show Chad…?" Zeke prodded. "Are you gonna do it?"
"You know, I'll think about it okay…?" Chad brushed off, starting to get angry.
"If you want, you could use my shower, Chad." Ryan smiled, cocking his head to the side as he stared at the darker boy. "The private bathrooms in Lava Springs are a whole lot nicer than the public ones, and they are huge. Probably a hundred times better than the ones at your home. I mean, they're better than the ones I have at home, at least…partly why I love coming here every summer."
"You have a private bathroom…" The jock repeated in disbelief.
"Yeah, of course, attached to my suite." Ryan replied matter-of-factly. "And don't worry; it's not attached to Sharpay's or anything. And I promise it's clean!" The blond chuckled the end of his sentence. "I was just about to head back and take a shower myself…and change my clothes. So if you don't mind using my shower, you're welcome to it."
"Oh, you are coming back for the after-game party right? My mom's making brownies, and I just know Zeke's got a bunch of homemade desserts for us!" Gabriella double-checked, making sure to specifically let the blond know he was invited again.
"A whole picnic basket full!" Zeke announced with a grin.
"You brought a picnic basket?" Jason laughed.
"Don't worry; I'm sure it's a very manly picnic basket. Right Zeke?" Chad teased his friend who shrugged unoffended.
"Sure, I'd love to come." Ryan honestly smiled at the girl with the dark short braids, extremely excited for the second time that day to be included. Then, shifting emotions, challengingly turned back to the darker boy. "So, is that a yes to the private bathroom?"
Chad decided to rise to the challenge and get some answers on his own. "Well, how could I turn down a first-class suite?"
"Alright then, this way." Ryan gestured fairly flamboyantly ahead of him with a smirk on his face.
"After you." Chad through his hand out in the same direction in just as showy a fashion, and matched the other boy's grin. It was going to be a very interesting afternoon.
This fic has actually been pretty difficult to write. It's not easy to bring two characters together without making it sound too corny (at least for me it is)...
Anyway, I just wanted to put my arguement for Gabriella and Ryan's "relationship" in HSM2 in here: it was definately alluded to in the movie, but I have to say that it seemed much more like a "my best gay guy friend" type of a relationship than a possible romantic one (or like, Ryan tried being straight for her for about a minute...then he saw Chad). Most of the "flirting" between him and Gabriella in the movie seemed much more like payback against Sharpay for ditching him rather than a serious romantic interest. Like, he was almost spending his time with Gabriella purely to get back (and possibly make his sister jealous since I am a Rypay fan too...) at Sharpay for spending so much time with Troy. But overall, it seemed much more like a cute friendship than a couple-type of relationship to me (plus, if Gabriella was seriously interested in Ryan, I don't think she would've quit working at Lava Springs so easily once she and Troy broke up). But then, that's just my opinion. (Anyone who wants to discuss it, feel free to PM me!)
Anyway, please review! I am so thrilled this fandom is picking up so quickly...I was shocked at how many fics came out at once, that one of my faithful reviewers actually had to PM me about one fic that I had missed for my C2 community! XD If you think I'm missing one by the way, don't hesitate to message me because I am trying to get all the Chyan fics in there--I'm not purposefully not including any!
Next part of this should be out fairly quickly.