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“Oh my God, his ass,” Luka groaned, slumping down beside Marinette to rest his head on her shoulder as they watched Adrien and Kagami perform the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake. “I think I’m in love.”
Marinette rolled her eyes fondly at her best friend. “You are such a butt guy. It’s a little pathetic.”
“Look at him and tell me I don’t have a point,” Luka snorted. “It’s not like dance tights hide anything.”
She looked just as Adrien assisted Kagami with a spin, and the reflection of Kagami’s behind in the studio mirror caught Marinette’s eye.
She gulped. “Okay. Maybe you do have a point, but I’d be hard pressed to say whose posterior is better: his or hers.”
Luka straightened up to pout at his partner. “I saw him first. You go after Kagami because I don’t need any more competition when it comes to Adrien.”
Luka drew his knees up to his chest and pillowed his arms on them, resting his chin on top. “Not only is he gorgeous, he’s the sweetest, kindest person. He’s so real too. He’s been dancing professionally since he was a kid, but he hasn’t let that fame go to his head. He’s amazing, Marinette.”
Luka hung his head, burying his face in his arms. “…and I have no idea what I’m going to do about it.”
Marinette lightly placed her palm on Luka’s back and started to rub soothing circles.
“Ask him to go get coffee with you,” she encouraged, her heart going out to her lovesick friend. “You’re really amazing too, Luka. I’m sure Adrien will see that if you two spend more time together one-on-one.”
Luka lifted his head and smiled weakly. “Thanks, Marinette.”
She winked, encouraging, “Just keep talking to him whenever you get the opportunity, just like you’ve been doing, and maybe ask him to hang out outside of practice too. He’ll be the one tripping all over himself for you before long. Mark my words.”
A bark of laughter caught Luka by surprise. “I seriously doubt someone as graceful as Adrien Agreste could ever get tripped up, but thanks. I appreciate you supporting me through this ridiculous crush of mine.”
She rolled her eyes and gave him a nudge with her shoulder. “It’s not ridiculous.”
Luka shook his head, uncurling from his ball and stretching his legs out in front of him. “He’s way out of my league.”
Marinette harumphed. “Only when you have that attitude.”
Kagami and Adrien’s pas de deux came to an end, and Marinette pulled Luka to his feet with a fiery look of determination.
“You get over there and talk to him, and don’t you dare come back until you’ve asked him to coffee. If you don’t, I’m going to mess up our pas de deux this afternoon and make you look bad in front of him,” she threatened.
Luka knew she’d do it too.
Once Marinette got an idea into her head, there was no getting it out again.
“Fine,” he muttered sullenly.
A broad smirk slithered across Marinette’s lips like a snake, and she clapped him on the back roughly. “Go get him.”
Luka took a moment to attempt to compose himself before striding across the room with a confidence he didn’t feel to where Kagami and Adrien were grabbing their water bottles.
“Hey.” He raised a hand in casual greeting. “You guys were amazing today. Awesome work.”
Adrien turned toward Luka with a dazzling grin that gave Luka butterflies.
“Thank you! I’m glad you thought so. I’m looking forward to seeing you and Marinette do the Romeo and Juliet pas de deux this afternoon too. You guys are always breathtaking.”
“Indeed,” Kagami replied coolly. “Unfortunately, I think your estimation of our performance is overgenerous. We were half a beat off because someone was distracted.”
Adrien’s gaze dropped down to his feet, and he toed at the wood flooring self-consciously.
Luka clicked his tongue, blithely waving away Kagami’s critique. “You’re too harsh, Kagami. Other than that, it was flawless. I’m sure the only ones who noticed were you two and Plagg and Longg. You guys will have it perfect on the day of the showcase.”
An indulgent smile peeked around the corner of Kagami’s lips. “Perhaps you’re right. I’m glad you enjoyed the performance, Luka.”
With a polite nod, she walked two meters off to give Luka and Adrien some space and sat down to take off her shoes.
Luka looked back to Adrien. “Is there something on your mind you maybe want to talk about?”
Adrien gave a start, and his expression shifted to nonplussed. “Something on my mind?”
Luka nodded. “Kagami said you were distracted. I wondered if something were wrong?”
Adrien’s cheeks colored, but he forced a smile, keeping up the ruse. “Oh, no. Everything’s fine. Thank you. I just lost my focus, is all.”
Luka could tell that something was off, but he didn’t press the issue. They were friends, but they weren’t that close.
Instead, Luka smiled and pretended that he believed Adrien. “Oh, okay. Well, if you ever do want to talk, I’m always available. You have my number, right?”
Adrien’s eyes widened at Luka’s earnest offer.
It always amazed him how much Luka cared for others.
“Yeah. Yeah, I do. Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Luka would never know how grateful Adrien was for Luka’s compassion, how it made Adrien feel a little less alone.
“Sure thing.”
The conversation momentarily stalled, and Luka was tempted to say, “Well, see you later,” and walk away, but Marinette’s threat loomed over him.
He sucked it up, smiled, and asked, “Hey, would you want to go get coffee together on break?”
Adrien blinked, and his face cycled through surprise and confusion before settling into sheepish unease. “I’m sorry. I don’t drink coffee.”
It took a few seconds for the words to sink in, but Luka eventually realized that he was being politely rejected. It still felt like having a hole punched through his lung, but at least Adrien had been nice about it.
“Oh. Okay.” Luka forced his lips into a smile, but they fought him the whole way. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—”
“—For the love of,” Kagami huffed, pushing herself up off the floor. “He drinks tea.”
She stormed over to her partner and hit Adrien in the arm with her pointe shoe.
“Ow,” Adrien whined, his hand going to the spot as he braced for further violence. “What was that for?”
“Being an idiot,” Kagami scoffed. “He wasn’t asking you if you actually wanted coffee. He wants to hang out with you, so go with him to the coffeeshop and order tea.”
“Wait. Really?” Adrien looked back and forth between Kagami and Luka.
Kagami rolled her eyes and returned her focus to Luka. “Forgive him. He had a very isolated childhood without any friends to set him straight, so he’s a little socially inept. He would love to get coffee with you.”
“Hey, I had one friend,” Adrien protested. “You didn’t have any, so it’s not like you were any better off than I was.”
Kagami shook her head with the hint of a fond smile. “And yet I managed to obtain an understanding of social mores while you did not. Enjoy your date.”
Seven shades of red flooded Luka’s face as he tried to stammer a denial.
Adrien seemed more preoccupied with Kagami as she flounced off triumphantly. “And where are you going?”
Kagami looked back over her shoulder with a sly smirk. “I’m going to ask Marinette to have lunch with me.”
“So, what’s the topic of conversation today?” Adrien inquired eagerly as he returned to their usual corner booth with the drinks and slid in across from Luka.
They’d been meeting up almost every day for two weeks now, and Adrien’s time with Luka was quickly becoming the highlight of Adrien’s days.
It had been a little awkward and stilted at first, but now the conversation flowed between them, and Adrien felt like he could tell Luka almost anything…except maybe about the crush Adrien was developing.
Still, budding romantic feelings or no, Adrien treasured these talks with Luka. They made him think that maybe that was what family meals were supposed to be like.
Luka took his flat white from Adrien with a muttered thanks.
“How about…we talk about dance?” Luka suggested.
“What about dance?” Adrien’s head tipped to the side in curiosity.
Luka leaned back, taking Adrien in thoughtfully. “…Why did you decide to pursue dance as a career?”
Adrien blinked and took a sip of his London fog latte. “…I don’t think I did.”
Luka’s eyebrow arched. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t think I ever chose dance. It just…” Adrien bit the inside of his cheek. “It’s just something I’ve always done because of my parents being successful dancers. I think they expected me to become a dancer like them…so I did.”
He smiled in embarrassment. “That’s kind of a lame answer, isn’t it?”
Luka shook his head. “No. It makes sense, but…is dance actually something you want to do with your life?”
Adrien shrugged. “I can’t think of anything I’d like to do better. Plus, I’m really good at this, so I might as well dance as long as I can and then teach once I’m past my prime, right?”
Luka’s lips pursed. He opened his mouth, but Adrien moved the conversation along before Luka could ask.
“How about you? What made you decide on dance?”
Luka hesitated for a beat, debating whether to let the moment go. “…Out of all my passions, it’s the one I have the most limited timeframe in which I can do it well. I’ll continue to improve as a musician as I get older, but my peak as a dancer will probably be this decade.”
Adrien nodded. “I think it’s smart of you to be strategic like that.”
Luka shrugged and circled back to what he’d wanted to ask before. “Adrien, do you like dancing?”
Taken aback, Adrien didn’t answer right away. He found that he really had to think about his response.
“Yes,” he finally decided, but his voice sounded unsure. “I mean…sometimes. Some parts of it,” he qualified and then took a long sip of his latte.
Luka saw Adrien’s contemplative expression and remained silent, leaving space for Adrien to think and try to articulate his thoughts.
“…It’s honestly not that much fun when all you do is stand there until it’s time to lift your partner or help her turn,” Adrien confessed. “You don’t get to shine at all. No one’s looking at you. You don’t really matter.”
Luka smiled sympathetically and nodded. “The plight of the male dancer. I can see why someone like you would feel unsatisfied.”
“Someone like me?” Adrien’s eyes narrowed slightly in concern that the term might mean something bad.
“A star,” Luka clarified. “Someone born to stun people with their radiance.”
A raging blush spilled over Adrien’s cheeks and trickled down his neck.
He nearly choked in surprise. “I’m guessing you’re not a star, then?”
Luka shook his head contently. “People like me are happy being in the background, supporting others and helping them shine. For me, it’s enough to do my part and enable my partner to inspire all the little girls out in the audience. I’m okay with being a piece of a larger whole. I find working with others to create something beautiful to be satisfying.”
Adrien gazed down at the grain of the wood in the table, his blush deepening. “I guess I’m not a big picture person. I must sound like such an egotist to you.”
Luka leaned forward and reached across the table, resting his hand on top of Adrien’s. He gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Adrien’s eyes flew to meet Luka’s, and Adrien was dazed by the warmth and compassion he found there.
“Adrien, it takes stars like you and worker bees like me to make it all come together,” Luka explained gently. “The way you feel is perfectly valid. It’s not a bad thing to want to stand out…and people love watching you do it.”
Luka bit his tongue and kept “I love watching you” trapped inside his mouth.
A soft smile and a pleased blush made a charming pair on Adrien’s face.
“Thank you, Luka. I just…I wish I could feel the way you do about partner dancing.”
He blew out a quiet sigh. “I’ve worked with amazingly talented women, but I’ve never felt like we were creating something together. It’s more like…I’m there to make her look good, and, if she doesn’t, it’s my fault. It’s like that even with Kagami. I adore her and have a tremendous amount of respect for her; she’s a good friend, but…”
Adrien sighed again and shook his head. “…I’d rather be dancing on my own.”
“Do you like solos?” Luka gently prodded.
Adrien’s expression immediately brightened, and a light came on in his eyes, making them sparkle. “I love dancing solos. That’s when I feel like I come alive.”
“I’ve seen you,” Luka confirmed. “You always look like you’re having fun when you’re dancing by yourself.”
“It’s freeing,” Adrien admitted. “When I’m dancing alone, I can fly. Leaping through the air and spinning and throwing myself into the dance is exhilarating.”
Suddenly, Adrien’s face fell.
“…I’ve never felt that way dancing with a partner,” he added melancholically. “This is going to sound weird, but I’m kind of jealous of the female dancers.”
Luka cocked his head in interest. “In what way?”
Adrien sheepishly dropped his gaze. “Like…they always get to shine. I know I’m in a female-centric profession in a world that is otherwise male-dominated, so I should just get over it, but…in most productions, I’d rather dance the female lead.”
Luka’s eyes widened slightly, but he carefully kept any other sign of surprise or judgment under wraps.
Adrien looked up searchingly. “Like, I see you and Marinette dancing the balcony pas de deux, and I wish I could dance Juliet. I want to be Odette and Odile in Swan Lake. I want to play Kitri from Don Quixote.”
Adrien winced. “Is that bizarre?”
“I don’t think so,” Luka assured. “What I’m hearing is that you want to dance challenging roles that captivate the audience and show everyone what you can do. Is that right?”
Adrien blinked at Luka in wonder. “Yeah, but I’m really astonished that you got that from what I said.”
Luka shrugged. “You’re really not that hard to understand. You want to prove yourself and catch people’s interest.”
Luka didn’t mention that this was likely related to Adrien’s crippling desire to earn his father’s approval, win praise, and prove that he was “good enough”.
“I’m glad you get it.” Adrien breathed a little sigh of relief, his smile slowly starting to return.
“I do want to be in the spotlight. I think that’s why I love solos so much. I thrive on the drama, being able to inhabit the character and express myself through them. You can’t really do that when your job is to support the female lead, but once you’re out of the partner situation and get to dance on your own…”
Adrien’s smile gained brilliance as he mentally relived past solos. “I love it when I get to show off my skills. I…I like it when I get to prove that I can be just as beautiful and talented and mesmerizing as my partner.”
Luka reached out and patted the back of Adrien’s hand. “I get what you’re saying, but you should know that I think you’re always mesmerizing.”
A stunned expression shattered Adrien’s previously dreamy look, and his brain began to panic, overanalyzing whether Luka meant what Adrien thought he meant.
There was no way that Luka meant “mesmerizing” in a romantic way…was there?
Meanwhile, Luka was deciding whether he needed to retreat and backpedal or if he should double down and press forward.
Marinette’s voice in the back of his mind cheered him on and threatened to make him regret it if he didn’t follow through.
“Would you want to get dinner with me?” Luka managed in a fairly level voice at a normal volume even as he internally screamed.
To Adrien, the dinner invitation seemed like a total non sequitur, and it made him wonder if he’d completely imagined the possibly romantic undertones of Luka’s previous comment.
“I’m sorry. I can’t,” he informed, voice full of regret. “I have a meeting with my father tonight. He’s not going to show up, but if I don’t, I’ll get punished, so I have to be there.”
“How about some other day?” Luka pressed, no longer deterred by Adrien’s initial rejections now that he understood the way Adrien’s brain worked better. “Maybe we could look at our schedules and find a day next week. I’d really like to take you to dinner.”
A crease started to form between Adrien’s brows. “‘Take me’ to dinner? As in your treat?”
Luka nodded.
Adrien scrunched up his nose in confusion. “You don’t have to do that. I can pay for myself.”
Luka mentally made a note to text Kagami and ask her to explain to Adrien what it meant when someone asked to take you to dinner.
“We can squabble once the bill comes,” Luka compromised.
Adrien nodded, satisfied that he could grab the check before Luka, if worse came to worst.
A few nights later, Luka headed back to the studio after hours to get in a little extra practice on his solo for the upcoming dance academy showcase. When he signed in at the security desk, he noticed Adrien’s name two lines above his in the logbook.
Luka made his way to the smaller practice rooms around back and happened to catch sight of Adrien through the small, square window in the door. He paused for a moment to watch, greedy to see Adrien in action whenever he could.
Luka was surprised to find that Adrien wasn’t working on his own solo. The choreography did look familiar, though. Luka couldn’t quite place it, and the lapse of memory rankled, making him feel itchy and irked with himself.
It was like the name of the dance was stamped on his mind only a bit too blurry to see.
As Luka struggled to place the dance, Adrien performed it masterfully, his movements airy and sylph-like. He floated on his tiptoes and brought his back leg up behind him in a curving arc so that his body from the top of his head to the bottom of his raised foot formed a U.
It seemed to be a short solo portion from a larger duet as Adrien went over to the barre and used it in lieu of a partner to balance as he hinged forward at the waist.
Luka shifted restlessly as he strained his memory for the name of the dance, and the movement was captured by the myriad mirrors in the practice room.
It caught Adrien’s eye, and he turned to look, beaming when he recognized Luka.
Sheepishly, Luka smiled and waved, and Adrien beckoned him in.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Luka apologized as he slipped into the room. “I just saw you dancing and kind of got drawn in, so I stopped to watch.”
Adrien waved away Luka’s concern. “It’s okay. I wasn’t really working on anything. I was just having fun. So…what are you up to?”
“I came to practice my solo,” Luka explained. “I need to work on the pacing so I can finish strong.”
Adrien nodded. “Yeah, the end is pretty demanding. You always look phenomenal, though.”
Luka chuckled, his skin tingling at the warm praise. “Thanks. I’m glad you think so. But what are you up to this fine evening?”
Adrien’s rosy cheeks turned an even deeper shade of magenta as his gaze dropped to the floor and he squirmed slightly. “I was just…kind of trying to process some things. You know. Sort of dance it out?”
Luka nodded in understanding. He himself did the same thing all the time either through music or dance. “What’s on your mind? Anything you want to talk about?”
Adrien gulped and forced himself to look Luka in the eyes even as Adrien’s skin felt like it was being fried by a sunlamp.
“Kagami told me what it means when someone asks to take you to dinner,” he confessed. “I’m so sorry. I’m really embarrassed. I feel awful.”
The agony of rejection stabbed Luka in the chest, but he pushed his own feelings down to do damage control.
“Adrien, it’s okay,” Luka assured, tentatively resting a hand on Adrien’s shoulder and pasting on a calming smile. “I really like you, but if all you want from me is friendship, that’s okay. You don’t have to feel bad, and nothing has to change between us if you don’t want it to.”
Taken aback, Adrien blinked rapidly. “What? No! No, no, no. It’s not that at all. I…”
A fresh wave of heat rolled over Adrien’s face.
“I feel bad because I’m a socially inept idiot and I wish I could have asked you out to dinner first.”
Luka’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open just a smidge. “You…what?”
A bashful smile slowly drifted onto Adrien’s lips.
“I have the biggest crush on you. I never thought anything would come of it, though, because you’re just so amazing, and I’m…” Adrien trailed off with a wince. “I don’t know what you could see in me.”
Luka gave a short burst of laughter. “I’m sorry. I think you have that backwards. You are the amazing one, and I’m a supporting character in the story of your life. How could I not be crazy about you?”
Adrien shook his head resolutely. “You don’t get it.”
“No, I really don’t,” Luka affirmed with a chuckle.
“You’re good at so many things,” Adrien tried to explain, tried to make him see what Adrien saw. “You have all of these interests, things you’re passionate about, and you’re good at all of them. You’re really admirable. …Meanwhile, all I can do is dance. …And I told you about my nerdy hobbies, so I don’t know how you could respect me, let alone want to take me to dinner, at this point.”
Luka cupped Adrien’s face in his hands so that Adrien would have no choice but to look Luka in the eye and see the adoration there.
“How could you forget so soon? Didn’t I tell you just the other day that you’re mesmerizing? Everything you do is captivating,” Luka stressed.
Adrien’s brow creased slightly. “Because I’m physically attractive, you mean?”
Luka shook his head. “No, Adrien. I mean—Yes, you are devastatingly handsome, but I was talking about your inner light that draws people to you.”
Adrien’s eyebrows began to pinch together. “What do you mean?”
“Your kindness. Your thoughtfulness. The way you care about other people and go out of your way to help,” Luka listed. “Even when people don’t deserve it, you’re polite. Even when you’re insanely busy, you make time to help a younger student with their technique.”
Luka shook his head in wonder, gently stroking Adrien’s cheek. “You’re astounding…and, somehow, completely genuine. Adrien, you’re rich and powerful and talented and gorgeous, but do you try to use any of that to get ahead? No. Do you look down on others who haven’t been so fortunate? Of course not.”
Luka took a long breath and slowly blew it out. “With everything that’s happened to you in life, all the good things you’ve been given and everything you haven’t had, you could have turned into a spoiled, entitled brat…but you didn’t. You’re you, and how could I not adore someone like that?”
Luka could feel the heat of Adrien’s cheeks through his palms as Adrien melted into Luka’s touch.
“You say the most beautiful things,” Adrien whispered dreamily. “You almost make me believe that there’s something good about me after all.”
“I think I need to make it my life’s goal to prove to you that you’re wonderful.” Luka hummed, only half in jest.
Adrien broke into a laugh and pulled away, going back to the barre as he shook his head. “That’s a tall order. It might take a couple lifetimes to succeed.”
“A couple lifetimes with you sounds good to me,” Luka assured earnestly.
Adrien looked back up in surprise, his hands tightening around the barre. “You really like me, don’t you?”
Luka nodded, wearing a soft, content smile. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”
An answering smile slowly formed on Adrien’s lips, making his expression almost glow with joy.
The next evening, Luka once again found Adrien in the practice room, dancing the same solo portion of a larger pas de deux.
Like a bolt out of the blue, recognition struck Luka, and he felt like an utter nincompoop.
It was Juliet’s solo bit from the Romeo and Juliet balcony pas de deux—the pas de deux that Luka was dancing with Marinette for the showcase.
Tentatively, Luka knocked and waited for Adrien to motion him in.
“Sorry to barge in on you again, but I was wondering if you were in need of a partner.”
Adrien blinked several times before Luka’s meaning dawned upon him. “For dancing the balcony pas de deux?”
Luka nodded, coming to a stop to lean against the barre beside Adrien. “You said the other day that you’d always wanted to dance Juliet. Do you know the part? If so, I’d be happy to dance it with you. If not, I could walk you through it. If you want, I mean. I didn’t mean to—”
“—Yes!” Adrien cut him off with an enthusiasm that surprised Luka. “I know the part. I’ve seen it probably a thousand times. I have it memorized. I just…I’ve never actually done it before, so I’m not sure if…”
Adrien’s teeth sank into his bottom lip as self-doubt bubbled up.
“We don’t have to do it at tempo,” Luka assured. “We can go slow.”
“…Can you even lift me?”
Adrien’s brow creased as his mind and heart started to race.
“I’m heavy,” he warned. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Luka gave his eyes a fond roll. “You’re definitely not a little stick like the girls, but you’re honestly not that big either.”
“I’m five-ten in shoes,” Adrien snorted, puckering his lips in a sulk.
Luka held up his hands placatingly, mentally kicking himself for forgetting about Adrien’s insecurity when it came to his smaller-than-average stature.
“I know. I’m sorry,” Luka quickly apologized. “Would it make things better if I said I thought you were perfect just the way you are?”
Adrien’s sour mood immediately evaporated into a blushing fit.
“That depends,” Adrien mumbled. “Do you actually mean it?”
Luka nodded, smiling earnestly. “Come here, Perfect Fifth. Let me see if I can lift you.”
“‘Perfect Fifth’?” Adrien echoed as he stepped forward.
“A fifth is the most beautiful, most consonant interval, full of possibilities. You can never go wrong with a fifth,” Luka explained as he gently placed his hands on Adrien’s waist and lifted.
Adrien gasped, his stomach flipping as Luka raised him into the air.
Suddenly, his executive function caught up to his sense of wonder, and he positioned his body like he’d seen his partners do.
A wide grin full of pride and adoration spread across Luka’s face as he admired the sheer joy and sense of accomplishment evident on Adrien’s.
“There,” Luka whispered. “See?”
“I’m flying,” Adrien replied in an awed hush.
Luka nodded in affirmation as he slowly lowered Adrien back down to the floor. “Ready to try the pas de deux?”
“Yes.” Adrien’s answer was strong and certain.
He took a deep breath and got into position, resolved to dance Juliet’s part to prove to everyone and himself that he could do it.
Luka slowly counted them in, and the dance began.
Luka carefully lowered Adrien into a dip to the left and then again to the right, and Adrien let himself fall back, trusting Luka to keep him from ending up on the ground.
Luka next kneeled in front of Adrien, raising his hand for Adrien to grasp.
Adrien hesitated, his stomach twisting up in a panic at the thought of the challenging lift that came next.
“We don’t have to do this if you’re not comfortable,” Luka reminded.
Determination set into Adrien’s eyes once more, and he gripped Luka’s hand.
“I can do this….” Adrien’s face softened into a warm smile. “Besides, you won’t let me fall.”
“If I did, I’d go down with you to soften the landing. I don’t let my partner get hurt,” Luka assured. “Especially not you.”
A peony-pink blush washed over the bridge of Adrien’s nose from one cheek to the other as his heart swelled at Luka’s protective, possessive tone.
“All right. I’m ready,” Adrien informed, taking a breath and holding it as Luka took hold of Adrien’s ankle and lifted Adrien up onto Luka’s shoulders so that Adrien’s body was parallel with the ground.
“Just let me know if you ever want down,” Luka said as he went forward with the next part of the dance.
“I never want you to put me down,” Adrien breathed in exhilaration, making Luka laugh.
“Know that I’d happily hold you forever, but I don’t think my arms will last that long.”
Eventually, Luka set Adrien down, and they moved into the next segment of the pas de deux.
Adrien felt like the wind as Luka spun him and dipped him, guiding him in the spins and scooping him up and carrying him for portions of the dance.
It felt like the freedom of a solo, even though it was slower than the actual tempo and sometimes halting as Adrien moved his body through familiar yet totally new steps that he had seen thousands of times but never performed himself.
Luka was patient and supportive and reassuring throughout, giving Adrien the confidence to keep going.
And Adrien was so glad that he saw it through to the end, if not for any other reward, than for the knowledge of what it felt like to be cradled in Luka’s arms and pressed against Luka’s chest.
Adrien now knew what it felt like for the back of his own body to slide down the front of Luka’s. He could still feel Luka’s arm between Adrien’s legs, Luka’s hand on Adrien’s thigh, as Luka held Adrien suspended in the air.
Adrien’s torso tingled everywhere Luka had touched, and he could almost feel a phantom arm around him, an afterimage of Luka’s embrace imprinted on Adrien’s skin.
Dance had never felt so sensual before.
With other partners, it had always been clinical and platonic. Legs and chests and arms and butts were just common workplace objects that Adrien had never thought about too hard. He’d stopped even seeing them at some point.
Dancing with Luka made Adrien cognizant of human anatomy in a whole new way. Luka’s hands and thighs and shoulders and chest made Adrien’s mind spin.
Luka was handling the experience only marginally better, and that was only because he was so intent on not dropping Adrien.
The choreography depicting Romeo and Juliet rejoicing in their requited love was sweet torture for Luka as he buried his face in Adrien’s stomach and ran a hand from Adrien’s shoulder, over his chest, and down to his waist.
Adrien gave a muffled squeak, and Luka looked up to find his partner’s face looking like Adrien had soaked too long in a hot bath.
“You okay?” Luka checked, wondering if this was too much too soon, even if they were partially playacting the roles.
“Peachy,” Adrien choked, forcing a smile.
Luka quirked an eyebrow. “You sure?”
“I’ve…” Adrien swallowed, mind blurry at the sight of Luka gazing up at Adrien from his knees. “I’ve never done this before.”
Luka chuckled. “You’ve been dancing for years now.”
Adrien shook his head. “This is different. It’s never felt like this.”
A satisfied smirk gently tilted up the corner of Luka’s mouth. “I could tease you and say I’m honored to be your first…but I know exactly what you mean, and I feel the same way.”
“Oh, good.” Adrien laughed weakly. “I thought I was the only one whose body was turning traitor over here.”
“No,” Luka assured. “You’re not alone.”
He bit his lip and considered, thinking ahead to the later choreography. “…Should we stop?”
“No.” Adrien had never been more certain about anything than in that moment. “I want to keep going. I want to finish the dance.”
“All right. Let me know if you change your mind.”
Adrien as Juliet broke away from the intimacy but then turned around and came right back, drawn to Romeo like a planet orbiting a star.
Still from his knees, Luka caught Adrien’s hips, raising him up and then bringing him back down.
Adrien’s insides scrambled as Luka pressed his face to Adrien’s stomach again. He tried to focus on the choreography, on what he was supposed to be doing with his arms and legs as Luka lifted and lowered him.
Next was Juliet’s solo portion, the part Adrien had been practicing on his own.
Everything made more sense suddenly. The movements flowed far more naturally now that Luka was there, returning Adrien’s feelings, sharing in this moment with Adrien. Juliet’s character finally felt completely accessible to Adrien, and he was able to embody her like he never had before.
As much as Adrien loved the solo bit, he found himself overjoyed when it was over and he could go back to Luka’s arms, their faces so tantalizingly close to touching.
Jumping into Luka’s arms and being lifted and spun around made Adrien’s heart soar.
Nothing existed outside of that moment; there were no troubles that could catch up with them and ruin the sparkling fragment of happiness they had found together.
The pas de deux began to wind down far too quickly.
Juliet tried to dart away again, but Romeo caught her by the hand.
They stared at one another, and Luka took a tentative step in.
Suddenly, Adrien remembered the choreography that was coming up.
His eyes widened, and he froze in a moment of equal parts panic and delirium.
Luka’s hands went to Adrien’s waist, and he gently lifted Adrien onto his tiptoes…and then waited.
Romeo was supposed to lean in and kiss Juliet, but Luka wasn’t going to act without Adrien’s permission.
Adrien was in control of the situation, and it was Adrien who closed the gap between them.
The dance and the acting ended there.
Adrien surged forward into a desperate, needy kiss.
Luka laughed against Adrien’s lips at Adrien’s enthusiasm and gradually worked to slow Adrien down to a sustainable pace.
They ended up in a graceless heap on the floor, a tangle of arms and legs and lips.
With his fingers twined through Luka’s hair, Adrien sighed contentedly as the kiss dissipated into the realm of memory.
“I don’t recall that bit being in the choreography,” Luka joked, reaching up to stroke Adrien’s jawline.
“I make my own choreography,” Adrien chuckled, touching his nose to Luka’s.
Luka hummed happily. “I adore your choreography.”
Adrien swallowed, gathering his courage before confessing, “I adore you.”
A startled expression wavered on Luka’s face for a split second before it settled into a soft, sincere smile. “The feeling is very mutual.”
A peaceful silence reigned for nearly half a minute before Adrien apprehensively inquired, “…Can we do this again sometime?”
“Which part exactly?”
Adrien let out a short laugh. “I mean, all of it, but…”
Suddenly, his expression turned serious, and his voice trembled as he explained, “I really loved dancing with you. I’ve never felt this way about dancing with someone else before, and I need to do this again, so…please? Will you be my partner?”
“Perfect Fifth,” Luka cooed, running his fingers through Adrien’s hair. “I will be your partner in anything and everything, so long as you want me.”
“Oh, good.” Adrien laughed in giddy relief. “I think that’s going to be a long time. …Are we still on for dinner on Tuesday?”
“So long as your father doesn’t interfere,” Luka confirmed.
Adrien bit his lip. “Could I maybe take you out for dinner instead? I’ve got hundreds of romantic date ideas crammed into my head, and I’m dying to spoil you.”
“I… That might be nice, actually,” Luka conceded, a faint blush warming his cheeks.
Adrien beamed in triumph, leaning in to steal a quick kiss. “Good because you deserve all the spoiling.”
The
End