The Charleston/Swing(kind of)- America

When Australia arrived at England's large, very old home that next day, he was surprised to find his dad in a rather sour mood. Granted, England had a knack for becoming quite high strung very quickly; but today was different.

Familiar.

The Brit seemed short tempered and annoyed as he walked his son down the long ornate hallway towards those large wooden doors containing the ballroom beyond.

This kind of mood could only mean one thing really, either France or America had decided to drop by and say G'day...or both. Those two wollys were the only ones capable of giving his dad frown lines that deep. Ok...those two and himself, but only when he let animals into the house...

Moving on.

England left him outside the door, grumbling a 'Goodbye my boy' as he stomped off in hasty retreat. Weird.

When Australia pulled oven those heavy doors and he caught sight of the tall, blond haired man, he grinned wildly.

America!

"America!"

The older man had been standing in front of the vast record shelf, his face screwed up in thought- choosing the perfect music. Upon hearing his name he turned, grinning widely.

"You bloody Yankee!" Australia roared happily, wasting very little time sprinting across the large ballroom to grasp the taller man's hand tightly and pull him in close for a hardy back slapping hug of affection. "How ya going mate!?"

The United States of America was one of his favourite people, the bloke may be a complete idiot with a hero complex sometimes; but he was one of the fantastic few who seemed to understand Aus perfectly(besides New Zealand)! The two had very similar, very strong energetic personalities that seemed to work well with each other (much to England's displeasure) and they always had each other's back, no matter what. In fact, Australia was sure he could even go so far as to say he 'loved' the big dag, crazy schemes and all.

I mean come on...Globo Man? Really mate?

"Hey you big dochebag! It's good to see you! I'm a hero soo I'm going super great right now!" America replied cheerfully as they finally released each other from their embrace. "I'm also here to teach you how to dance the real way too, aren't you super totally excited!?"

"Bloody oath I am!" Australia just couldn't wipe away his wide grin as he watched the tall, strong blond turn and pull out a dusty record from the shelf and blow on it.

Dust and cobwebs littered the empty air space around them. They both sneezed.

"Man, these records are so gross! I'm surprised old England even has my dance music!" The Yank stated idly as he pulled the vinyl from its cover to place on the large, old Gramophone.

"Why are you surprised?" The younger brunette questioned, his hands falling to his slim hips as he watched the other man set up for the day.

"Old Iggy doesn't really consider my style of dancing to be his 'cup of tea'." America explained, looking over his broad shoulder to grin. Australia could relate to that, Dad could be very closed minded when it came to something that wasn't of his own creation. Like culture.

"He thinks it's too 'fast' to be classy- yeah right, it's just too super radical for him to understand!" He placed the big needle down onto the now spinning recorded. The great brass gramophone seemed to cough and sputter for a few short adjusting moments before very loud, very fast upbeat jazz music began filling the empty room. All trumpets, drums and saxophones, pianos and bass- it's fast, upbeat rhythm instantly infectious!

Australia let his hand drop as he listened, he like it; it was different and could always dance to different. He clapped his hands together expectingly as if to get started.

"Well, I've never been a huge fan of Tea m'self." He stated happily as he watched America shrug off his big airforce bomber jacket and throw it to a heap on the floor- out of the way.

"Me neither!" The Yank laughed, now pulling off his tan military uniform jacket and tie to join the other on the wooden floor. "Why do you think I dumped so much of it into the harbour!?" He chuckled at his own joke light heartily as rolled the sleeves of his white dress shirt up to his elbows. He even took of his own glasses and placed them gently aside!

All set and ready to get his groove on.

As the American approached the slightly shorter Aussie he had his arms wide, ready to take his calloused hands in his own. He pulled up just short of the brunette.

"You might want to take off your sunglasses dude- it's gonna get intense."

Australia did as he was told, removing his tinted sunnies from atop his head and placing them aside next to America's pair.

"What are we learning today mate?"

Surly it's not going to be that intense. Well...it was America, it could be.

"The Charleston! And maybe a little bit of Swing if you can handle it!" America was grinning excitedly at the whole idea. It was kind of adorable, he was like a big Dingo pup.

Honestly, he had never heard of them, Charleston and Swing? Like what he does off the trees in the bush? It sounded kinda fancy to the wild Skippy, Charles was a fancy name after all...

How could England not like it, he loved fancy things!

But he didn't say that, he didn't want to hurt his mates' feelings, if that was even possible!

Australia joined happily as the Yank positioned himself into the centre of the ballroom, he cleared his throat over the loud, roaring tune of Ragtime Jazz.

"Ok dude, first we get into The Charleston starting position- it's like a super athletic type of stance, kind of like when you play football!" He explained before bending his knees and torso as he leaned forward slightly- he really did look like a footy player at the scrimmage line, weird.

Australia copied his movements perfectly, he knew how to play football very well.

"Sweet, now we just..." The blond trailed off in favour of a live demonstration. America's big hands began to rise up and down as if imitated the flap of a bird's big wings to the upbeat music before he began moving his legs to match their rhythm. He kicked backwards with his left leg before he shifted his weight quickly to the right. He then flicked the left leg out as of squashing something before he finally stood on it and did the exact same thing with the right! Then the Yank lifted his right knee up high before swinging it back and standing on his foot yet again. He repeated the steps with opposite flaps of his arms, even managing to swivel his hips! He was so fast and in perfect, amazing rhythm to the ragtime jazz music, it was amazing.

Weird looking for sure, but amazing none the less! The younger nation was in shocked awe. It looked so confusing!

Wait, what!? Hang on!

Australia's green eyes seemed to have trouble keeping up. Too right it was fast! Crikey!

America's feet and arms had become a super fast, rhythmic blur that seemed to blend and compliment that tune so perfectly. As his legs and arms danced his body up and down with each quick 'bop', he began moving forward and backwards expertly, even twisting his hips to create the illusion of extra bend and sway. He could understand now why the people performing the dance were called 'Flappers'.

It was incredible. Hard looking, but incredible!

The Aussie really had no idea of how to begin, so he just flicked his right leg out and attempted to follow the Yankee's crazy fast lead.

It was a lot harder then it looks.

As Australia flicked out his right leg in a copied kicking motion, the other left one seemed too impatient and flicked backwards too quickly, making the brunette almost do the splits instead of a step. Hm...

He tried once more. Kick the right leg, bring it back! Or did the left leg go back!?

He was confused.

America stopped his dancing to laugh at his friend, his eyes twinkling with mirth and his breathing surprisingly even despite all the crazy movement.

"Haha come on dude! It's super easy!" He encouraged cheerfully. "Just like, flick your legs and arms in the right order!"

Australia tried to, but he felt no rhythm or beat to guide him through the fast steps but instead an overwhelming sense of incoordination.

He stumbled and America laughed once more. Garrhhhh!

Why was this so bloody hard!? It was just stepping forward and back! His bandaided face flushed crimson with frustration and embarrassment, causing the taller nation to chuckle. Not helping mate!

Ok, America is seriously the WORST dance teacher ever!

"Here dude, take my hands!" America took a step forward and took both of the younger man's tanned hands into his own. "This should keep your balance! Now, follow each step I do!"

"Go slow!" Aus quickly interjected as both of their heads fell to look at their feet.

The blond did indeed go slow, performing each step and kick expertly so the the Aussie could repeat it.

Left back.

Switch weight.

Left forward kick.

Left down.

Right kick.

Right knee up.

Right back.

Right down.

Repeat.

In honesty, it was more like memory game then anything and after about the hundredth slow repeat of those steps, Australia felt comfortable enough to do it quickly. He would never admit to the Yank that he had to repeat the steps in his head so he didn't forget!

"Awesome dude! Looking good!"

Australia grinned up at the taller blond haired man. "What's the next part?"

Those hands did not let the young man go as the older nation smiled cheerfully. "Dude we're doing it! For this dance we hold hands and do the steps together!" He explained. "We kinda hold hands and dance around each other, next to each other and like, do spins out and shit!"

Oh. Ok sweet, more spins- not! At least he had a inhumanly strong partner, no need for panic.

"That's all?" Australia enquired with a raised brow, he felt like perhaps it was just a little too simple, surely there was more too it. America shrugged, dropping the Aussie's hands.

"Yeah dude, I mean we mix it up and stuff to keep it interesting but that's about it. It's super fast which is what makes it fun and radical to watch." America seemed to ponder his own answer before his eyes narrowed on the man standing in front of him mischievously. "Unless...do you wanna add some Swing into it?"

Australia's head cocked to the side curiously."Swing?" He questioned, eyes shining. "Is it hard? Do we need a tree?"

Aw, that was cute.

America couldn't help himself, he laughed hard at that, tears watering his eyes. "N-no dude, we don't need a tree. Swing is super fast and crazy fun! It's not hard at all!" He assured once he could breath correctly. Omg his lungs!

Weakly, the brunette seemed to shrug a 'sure why not' type of answer. "Ok...what do I need to do?"

The blond straightened up a grinned. "Not much! I do all the hard stuff! All you gotta do is hang on and let go when I say!" He offered his right hand out the the younger man who accepted it into his own curiously.

Swing didn't sound so bad, it kind of sounded like a lot of fun.

"Ok, Swing needs two people to dance it, there are heaps of different really fast moves but I'm just gonna teach you something way simple! To add to our Charleston!" He explained, lifting their joint hands high over the Aussie's head. "I want to to spin around before you let go and place both hands on my shoulders and jump up knees bent and together around my left side. Make sense dude? I'll swap the sides and do ALL the hard work, when I say it regrab both my hands. Simple."

It didn't sound simple. But...never the less, Aus was willing to give it a good shot. America could handle it for sure! He was the Hero after all.

"Just...hold on tight, and TRUST me dude."

Ok, that didn't sound ominous at all. The Skippy seemed to swallow hard.

Ok...let's do this.

Aus nodded and the older man wasted little time in getting started. He twirled Australia around by the hand gracefully a couple of times before nodding. "Nice and slow to start with...trust me man, don't fight it."

"I'll try mate."

The brunette placed both of his free hands onto that broad shoulders of his partner and took a breath. With his knees together and bent just like instructed, he jumped up to the man's left side.

Everything that happened next was a fast, disastrous blur.

Big, supportive hand found their way to hold the sides of Australia's waist and swing him from America's left to backwards and up high over the blond's head, then back down to his right side effortlessly. Jesus!

Australia squeaked at the surprise of it all, his hands now gripping onto the fabric of his partners shirt tightly.

"Get ready!" America called in concentration as he repeated the first great swing to the left. As he swung Australia high into the air over his head for the second time, he let go.

"Ahh!"

"Let go! Grab my hands dude!"

Oh, it was terrifying, to put it lightly. America was a very strong bloke indeed!

Australia's brain didn't quite register the command in time, he let go from the others' shoulders just fine, but grabbing America's hands while flying through mid air above him was almost impossible! He hesitated grabbing hold and as a disastrous result, he was a little late.

"Shit!"

America caught him on his way down, barely. The two lost their balance and fell forward, toppling down hard to the wooden floor in a heap.

Australia groaned at the Yankee's weight pinned on top of him, the older nation copied that groan before propping himself up onto his hands to stare down from above at the Skippy.

"Dude..." He began to accuse, voice low; his blue eyes boring into those green ones under him. "You totally blew it!" The Aussie grinned up at him.

"Sorry mate...my bad." He quipped, chuckling. "You scared the bloody sin right out of me when you let go!"

The tall blond groaned once more and rolled off the younger male, coming to lay next to him instead. They both just stared up at the ornate, kinda ugly ballroom ceiling together, trying to catch their shaky breath.

"...sorry, bad warning. I don't think Swing is really your thing Aus. Let's not do that again." He mumbled- his back was starting to ache and he groaned again, causing said wild man to chuckle. He might have a head injury...

"Let's not. I think I like the Charleston a lot more anyway." The Aussie replied happily. "There's less falling, and it's super easy! I'm basically an expert already."

This time it was America's turn to laugh. "Dude, we barely practiced. You know some steps, but we haven't even started on doing those steps together."

Oh. He was right.

Whoops.

Comfortable silence seemed to settle around them as the two Nations just lay there side bye side, listening to the upbeat jazz tune. They had another hour or so left for their dance class, so they had really get into it. At this rate, Australia would have leant nothing but how to bop up and down and fall over.

Skills that wouldn't really be that useful on the dance floor...or anywhere.

The warm silence stretched onwards between them until Australia finally stretched out his arms to put under his head for a nap.

"...you're a really bad dance teacher mate." He stated seriously, not looking sidewards at the blond laying close beside him but instead shutting his eyes. America sighed and placed his own hands under his head in a copied movement, it wasn't a sad or annoyed sound, but one of mutual agreement.

"...I know dude, I know."

...

Because America and Australia WOULD get super distracted and be stupid together without 'adult' supervision! Hehe