Shawn Mendes Imagines !!

Be Your Own Ballerina

The seven young girls moved gracefully across the large stage, going through the steps they had memorized. Dressed in pink tutus and matching pointe shoes, they danced perfectly to the piece of music Shawn had prepared specifically for their performance tonight. Every once in awhile, they would stop to listen to a note from their dance teacher but then would run through the routine again.

Shawn was holding Raul in his strong arms, the toddler settled against his hip and his wonder filled hazel eyes never left the stage. He followed every step the ballerinas made, his tiny fist holding onto the fabric of Shawn's tshirt.

"They're so pretty." Raul whispered almost as if his words would break the magic of the moment. Shawn smiled softly, his heart swelling with an unbelievable amount of love for his little boy.

"Aren't they?" Shawn asked, his voice at the same level as his son's. Raul nodded quickly, his identical chocolate curls bouncing slightly with the movement. Then he rested his head on Shawn's shoulder so he could comfortably watch the ballerinas in complete awe.

"I wanna be like them, Daddy." Raul spoke up, his gaze never faltering from the stage that he was used to seeing his father sing his heart out on every night.

"Hm?" Shawn hummed, listening intently to everything his son was saying.

"I want to dance like them." The four year old continued sweetly while absentmindedly playing with the curls at the nape of Shawn's neck. "Be my own ballerina."

"You can do that, bub."

The words instantly made the young boy perk up. Raul's hazel eyes were alight with wonder and pure joy as he looked at his father.

"Really?" A tiny, adorable smile appeared on his lips as he spoke and Shawn nodded. Gently pushing back Raul's messy curls, he looked at him with nothing but adoration.

"Of course. We can sign you up for ballet classes when we get back home if you want?" Shawn grinned through his explanation and Raul was practically beaming.

"I'm going to be a ballerina!" Raul exclaimed loudly, clapping his hands together just as the dancers on stage finished their choreography. Shawn chuckled sweetly and pressed a warm kiss to Raul's rosy cheek.

That night when Raul was in the crowd with you watching Shawn perform on stage for thousands upon thousands of his devoted fans, he had an awestruck gaze in his eyes. He tugged on your hand when the piano notes he heard earlier flooded the arena and he saw the seven girls dance onto the stage.

"Mommy, that's going to be me!" Raul said excitedly, the biggest smile appearing on his face. Shawn had told you about the conversation that unfolded between the two boys during soundcheck and he couldn't have been prouder. Before you were even pregnant, you both swore to support all your child's dreams no matter what and this was no exception.

"It sure will be, baby."

A month later, Shawn was helping Raul strap into his car seat after his dance class when the little boy piped up with an unusual question.

"Daddy, are you wearing black socks?"

Brows furrowing in confusion, Shawn looked down at his beat up pair of Adidas and saw the dark colored socks peeking out under his favorite pair of black sweats.

"Yeah, bub, I am. I always wear black socks. Why?" Shawn chuckled lightly, trying to figure out what was going through his son's head at the moment. But his response only seemed to spur Raul's enthusiasm.

"Becauseee," He started playfully, reaching up to ruffle Shawn's curls. It was one of the first things he did as a baby and to this day, Shawn found his hair being played with not only by you, but by the child who was almost a spitting image of him. "They match my ballet slippers and I wanna teach you what I learned in class today! But I can't show you unless you're wearing almost the right thing." Raul giggled wildly, his hazel eyes twinkling at his idea.