Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sound of the music was muffled. It resonated through the house. Down the halls, upstairs, maybe even outside. David’s house was big, meaning that the songs would echo itself around the house. Tank sat on the stairs, scrolling through their phone, casting glances at the front door, as if waiting for someone. They hummed along to the lyrics of the songs. They sighed and stretched, extending their legs and arms out, and went flat against the stairs. The wolf let out a groan and went limp, not curling up and just layed there. They heard a door open and cocked their head over the gaps on the railing to see Angel walking out. The volume of the music increased by a lot which made Tank cringe slightly. 

Angel made eye contact with Tank and grinned. They made their way to the front of the stairs. Tank moved their legs, thinking that they were going up, not wanting them to be blocking the way, but the en-empowered person just stood at the bottom of the stairs. 

Tank blinked in question. 

“We are having dessert now, I came out to ask if you wanted any.” Angel smiled.

“What’s dessert?” Sure, Tank was a full grown adult, but sometimes, the mention of dessert gets their interest piqued. 

Angel grinned. “Not sure, Davey and Stealth are making 'em right now. Though considering the ingredients they brought out, I’d say it is probably chocolate pudding.”

If Tank had wolf ears, they would’ve perked up at the dessert name. “Really?” 

Angel seemed to see the similarity and laughed. “Yeah. I’m gonna guess that you want dessert? They asked, crossing their arms and shooting them a smirk.

Tank snorted before giving them a sly grin. “No actually, I absolutely would not like dessert.” They raise an eyebrow. 

Angel chuckled and rolled their eyes. Just then, Tank sensed an aura coming in close to the house and the wolf recognised it.

A vampiric one .

At first, Tank panicked, but then, their phone chimed. They picked it up and saw a notification. 

Cowboy <3

Hey, I'm coming into David's house. U there? 

Tank’s heartbeat slowed. Right… Sam, they thought. The doorbell rang and Angel spun on their heel.

“It’s Sam.” Tank offered.

Angel nodded and let out a small ‘oh’ before shuffling over to unlock the door for the Southern vampire. As the door opened, the warm summer air rushed inside, as the door creaked open, revealing Sam standing at the doorway. 

“Howdy.” He greeted before frowning. “Actually- ignore I said that. Hello.” 

Angel’s lips twisted, trying to hide a smile, while Tank didn’t bother hiding their smirk. “Seriously? You protest about Vince and I calling you a cowboy but you go on and greet people with howdy ?!” 

Sam sighed. “Not all southern people are cowboys Darlin’,” He nodded towards Angel and they stepped aside and he walked in. “Plus, it’s an old habit of mine. Jus’ used to it.” 

Tank rolled their eyes. “ It’s an old habit of mine ,” They grumbled, along with mocking the vamp’s accent. “Bullshit Sam, just accept it, you are a cowboy through and through. ” 

“Whatever.” 

Angel grinned as they listened to the couple, and locked the door. “Nice to see you too Sam,” They pointed to the door that led to the living room and kitchen. “Imma go. Dessert is soon, being baked right now. It’s chocolate pudding,” They pause. “I think so anyway. Feel free to join us. Asher was gonna play Just Dance. Though I think he’s doing karaoke at the moment…”

As if on queue the trio hear the beta belt out song lyrics to… Careless Whisper? 

“Tonight the music seems so loud! I wish that we could lose this crowd~ May-be, it’s better this way! We’d hurt each other with the things we’d want to say!” 

Tank blinked, Sam frowned and Angel bit their lip. Asher’s voice was muffled yet it still reverberated through the hall.

“We could have been so good together! We could have lived this dance forever- But now~ who’s gonna dance with me? Please stay~”

He continued to sing ‘Careless Whisper’ very loudly. Though surprisingly, he was on key. Who knew he was a pretty good singer. 

Sam clicked his tongue. “That’s… something.” 

Angel snorted. “Yeah… so… welcome Sam! Hope you enjoy the party.” They hurried off. The door opened and the sound of Asher singing increased before the door shut and it was muffled again. 

Tank grinned. “Something indeed.” They groaned as they got up and walked over to Sam. 

They reach over to cup his face with their hand. “Howdy to you too Sam.” Tank hovered their lips over Sam’s before closing the small gap and giving him a kiss. Sam rolled his eyes but kissed back.

“You- are an idiot Darlin’.” Despite the comment, he had a smile on his face. Tank hummed.

“Right~ But you’re still with me so… You must love this idiot a lot.” They smirked and opened their arms in a sort of shrug. 

Sam laughed. “And rightfully so.” He pulled them in by the waist and started giving kisses along their neck. 

The shifter spluttered but laughed at Sam’s actions. “Hey now… we should go, wouldn’t wanna keep dessert waiting.” They look up right into his eyes. A beautiful shade of grey. It glittered in the soft orange hue of the lamp in the foyer. 

He smiled softly. “It’ll take a while for the dessert to bake. They can wait.”

Tank just stared at Sam, admiring at how he looked. “You’re… really pretty ya know that…?” They paused, realising they said that out loud. They flushed and looked down. 

Sam was taken aback but got over his shock before resting his chin on his mates’ head. “So are you, Darlin.” 

The wolf blushed but smiled at the floor at his compliment. They hummed happily. 

The song in the living room changed and it was another slow song. Tank recognised it.

Apparently Sam also knew it because he hummed along to it. Tank looked up at him. “You know this song?”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “I do, Vincent’s partner showed it to me… Do you?” Tank chuckled, “Yeah.”

The two just stood there, Sam holding Tank and Tank holding Sam. But suddenly, Sam started to sway, moving along to the music. They both moved slowly, to match the song’s tempo. The guitar strummed away. It was romantic. The dancing, the lighting, the song, the whole scene was. 

Tank sighed contentedly as they moved, the sound of the two’s steps were soft and light. Sam’s grip on their hip was soft, gentle. He continued to hum along to the lyrics. His right hand moved along their body until he was holding their hand and put it up. It was as if they were waltzing… but in a slow dance kind of way.  

As the song continued, Tank remembered all the moments Sam and they had. May it be big or small, Tank thought back on all of them. They smiled at Sam and he smiled back. Tank leaned their head forward and Sam did the same and their foreheads touched. 

It was as if time stopped. The whole world was put on hold and it was only Sam and Tank. 

Just Sam and Tank.

Just them two. 

Tank never realised how much they loved this man. At that moment, they did. They sigh again and rested their head against Sam’s shoulder. Sam rested his chin on their head again. Tank hummed and the couple continued to shuffle slowly along to the song. The two in their own world and forgetting everything around them. 

The two didn’t even hear the door open and didn't hear the footsteps of the person before it was too late. 

“Oh!- Shit.. uhhh-” Tank snapped back from their daze and practically teleported away from Sam. The vamp blinked in surprise to find his mate around 4 feet away from him and a very confused Asher staring at the couple, mouth wide open.

Tank opened their mouth to explain. “Ash-”

Asher had a small grin twitching on his lips. “Shit, am I interrupting something? Wait- were you two dancing ?!” He gasped and he had a shit-eating grin. 

Tank groaned. “No! …Well yeah but-” 

Asher laughed. “Oh my god Tank! Oh I am so telling the others!” He said gleefully. He turned and dashed towards the living room.

“Ash!” Tank shouted before growling and running after him. “Asher Talbot, you get your ass over here!” 

Sam stood as he watched the scene unfold before him. He heard the beta laugh loudly as he was chased by the embarrassed wolf. The vamp made his way to the living room to see Tank chasing Asher out into the back garden. Asher was still laughing and Tank’s face was flushed red. 

“So nice of you to join us,” Sam turned to see David standing at the kitchen counter. “,Now may I ask, why are they chasing Asher around?” He had a small smile flicking across his face. 

Sam pondered that question. He turned back at the two. It was amusing, Tank chasing the beta with him laughing his head off. 

Angel leaned their head back from the couch to look at Sam. “I heard Asher say something about… what was it- uh… dance? Do you know anything about that?” Sam just smirked.

“Hmm… I’ll just let them explain that. I’m just gonna watch from the sidelines.”

Angel cocked an eyebrow and didn’t ask any more. “I guess it’ll be more entertaining seeing those two explain.” 

Sam sighed. He looked over to his mate and smiled. Despite their face, flushed and full of embarrasment and anger, He remembered how they looked during that whole thing. How the lighting seemed to find the perfect places to cast. How their smile looked so… happy. Just them at that very moment.

He really did love them.  

Chapter Text

“Wait- so you two were dancing ?” Angel blinked a big smile making its way across their face. 

Sam nodded and Tank groaned from the couch, a pillow on their face. Clearly, still embarrassed. 

Angel laughed. “But that’s so cute? Why’re you embarrassed?” 

The wolf grumbled. “It’s just Ash! He was the one who made it embarrassing!” Asher scoffed. 

Tank removed the pillow on their face to glare at Asher, a faint red blush still on their face. “Shut up, you are never gonna let me live that down now!” The beta grinned. “It was a very cute moment though- oomf!-” A pillow smacked itself against his face, cutting him off. 

Tank scowled, their hand extended, the pillow from earlier, gone, and now on Asher’s lap as it fell from his face. 

Milo snorted. “Yeah he is never gonna let you live that one down.” 

David hummed. “He has a point.”

“Okay whatever! Now are those puddings ready? I’m hungry after all that running away.” David rolled his eyes. “No they aren't, can't you just wait a bit?”

Asher grumbled. 

Stealth emerged from behind the kitchen counter, wiping their hand on a towel. “I thought you were gonna play Just Dance?” 

“Hey, don't remind him!” Milo said quickly but it was too late. Asher’s face lit up.

“Right! I nearly forgot about that,” He went towards the couches where his mate was sitting. “Hey Babe! Help me set this up!” 

Milo groaned. “Sweetheart…”

Stealth winced. “Sorry-”

“Now there is gonna be a Just Dance, the best dancer competition of something… I don’t know what type of names that goofball makes up.” Sam commented.

Asher, who was croached down in front of the TV, laughed. “What? Too old gramps? Those bones of yours aching too much? But considering earlier, I’d say you’d be pretty good-” Another pillow smacked Asher right on the back of the head. He stumbled forward and his hand shot to the back of his head. His head swivelled around. 

Sam scoffed. “Thanks Darlin’.” 

Tank smirked. “No problem.”

“Well…” Angel stood up. “If he wants to play Just Dance, we’d better play, he won’t stop bugging us if we don’t. Especially if it's a tournament… thing… whatever-” .

Tank stood up and walked over to Sam and stood beside him. Sam took their hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of it.  “Can’t back outta this one can we?”

They laughed. “Nope.”

Sam sighed. “Cat’s outta bag then.” He turned towards his mate, still holding their hand, and bowed. He gave their hand a small kiss. 

“Care for a dance, Darlin’ ?” A small smirk played across his face.

Tank decided to play along and mocked a courtesy. They had a mischievous glint in their eyes. “Thought you’d never ask.”