Archive of Our Own

“I’d rather kill myself,” Varian huffed, pushing away from Rapunzel before she stepped in front of him.

“Varian,” she tried to stop him, but it only made him try harder to get away.

“No, Rapunzel, there’s nothing you can say, there’s no way you can get me to work with that guy,” Varian crossed his arms.

Rapunzel repeated, “Varian.”

Varian fisted his arms, raising his voice as Rapunzel didn’t even flinch. She was probably used to it by now, “He’s an arrogant, controlling and entitled brat with a god awful haircut!”

“Varian.”

“What?” Varian exclaimed, “It’s ghastly. Who did that anymore? An undercut?”

Rapunzel finally snapped, “Varian! I honestly don’t care about your issues with him. You can do whatever. You can hate him. You can fuck him—“

Varian wrinkled his nose is disgust, “No way, I have taste.”

Rapunzel placed her hands on her hips, getting Varian to fall silent, “And I won’t care one bit. Just get through the competition with him. And stop the whining, it’s done now.”

So, Varian fell silent, wondering which cruel god up there decided to not only draw him the short end of the stick, but then proceed to cut it up and eat it.

Varian was a West Coast Swing dancer, a type of partner dance that involved elastic movements, push and pull dynamics and a whole lot of improvisation. You can do it to any music really, it’s not like ballet that uses classical, or hip hop that uses well, hip hop music. It was versatile, and pretty elegant once you got the hang of it.

Varian only got into it through Rapunzel, now that was a prodigy. She had been doing this since she was able to walk, and by the time she was a young adult, not only was she a champion across the kingdoms with her partner Eugene, but she also began teaching it. And Varian, being almost like a brother to her, got free private lessons. So naturally, he progressed, and now at 19 he does it full time, travelling with her across kingdoms to deliver shows and dazzle observers time and time again.

It was a life he actually quite enjoyed, despite not admitting it to Rapunzel for nearly a year in. He enjoyed the buzz, the thrill of being turned and pulling your partner through motions as they raced after you to keep up. He loved the randomness that erupted of just letting your body move and your mind go silent. It was a beautiful chaos, something Varian loved to see bring a smile to those who watched him. Even when red and puffing, if he got just one applaud, it’d make it worth it.

West Coast Swing also had set roles: a follower and a leader. Now contrary to popular belief, the leader is the one adapting to the follower. They aren’t forceful, they start movements and suggest things like direction changes. However, followers are the ones adding styling and texture. They have to interpret what the leader is saying through their body, and overall adds a lot of the freedom and improvisation to it.

So obviously Varian would pick follower, he’s not boring. Why would he choose to be more still when be could be the one doing the fancy turns and making them stand out?

That’s why he worked well with Nuru, a clear leader. Whilst he was under Rapunzel, they visited other competitions just to scope out potential partners, and Nuru stuck out for her ability not to try and control the dance, like many other leaders, but she acted as a guide. As if it was a conversation. That’s what made her perfect. She understood the style perfectly.

So, Nuru and Varian ended up going to lots of competitions, and winning tons of them. They travelled around Corona, then to other kingdoms when their demand rose. It seemed like everything was going well, like Varian finally saw his future in the industry and wow, it was looking bright—

Until Nuru broke her leg a week before the most important annual inter kingdom competition.

According to her, it was her falling down the stairs that did it. But Varian didn’t believe that someone as graceful as Nuru really fell down on her own accord. No, he thought it was sabotage.

Rapunzel did have a big rival company that was trying to produce dancers much better than her. Sure, none of them ever lived up to that claim, but it was always something she was wary of. Especially now being a teacher herself, as those threats passed down into her own students generations.

Donella was the leader of such company. An old bitter woman who had to stop dancing because she ended up tearing her body apart for it. That’s how much she loved west coast swing. She was willing to give up everything for it, even her own life. A creed she passed on to her students.

Varian wouldn’t put it past her to try and get rid of Nuru. With her gone, Varian wouldn’t compete either. Meaning her dancers would sweep the floor, because they were seriously good. Varian wasn’t one to lie when he said their opposition was a seriously tough opponent to face on the dance floor. They were crazily disciplined, moving flawlessly like a machine. But that was their greatest weakness. They wouldn’t stray. The followed the set plans Donella gave them, the set footwork styles, the set turns. They had no creativity, and their spirit in their dancing was a façade— allowing Nuru and Varian to win every time. But now, they had no shot. Unless Varian found another partner in a week.

That’s how the word Hugo was mentioned. A word Varian never wanted to hear again.

He understood that Rapunzel just wanted to help, but seriously? Hugo? The worst one Donella had?

Hugo had claimed he also needed a new partner when Rapunzel was looking for one for Varian. Which was funny really, because he had told Varian triumphantly at a party last summer that he didn’t need to look for partners, because they all flocked to him because of how ‘cool’ he was and so he was never without. Apparently people begged to be with him.

Clearly Hugo wasn’t just a jerk, but a liar too. Because here Varian was now, needing to deal with him because they are both looking for someone and have too short of a time frame to be picky.

Well, Varian couldn’t help but be picky, it was his nature, “How come he needs a partner too?”

Rapunzel sighed, “Is that really important right now?”

“Yeah, I’m curious if he actually tortured, killed and then dumped his last partners body in the river just outside the city,” Varian smirked, making Rapunzel’s mouth gape.

Rapunzel shushed him, “Varian, you can’t say that!”

Varian chuckled, “So I’m right?”

“No,” Rapunzel placed her hands on her hips, “Look, his partner quit dancing—“

“Hah I knew it!” Varian yelled, “He’s so insufferable that he makes people leave the industry!”

Rapunzel rolled her eyes, “Are you done?”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she moved on, “It wasn’t because of him, it’s apparently due to family issues and needing to do other things. It was messy and they don’t know when they’ll see her again. But good news! You have a new partner who has tons of experience and is pretty much your level!”

“Fuck my life,” Varian grumbled.

It’s safe to say him and Hugo weren’t on the best terms. It was one of Varian’s first tournaments, he’d been training for years for this. He knew this was his chance to prove himself, to show the industry that he was going to be a rising name. And honestly? It went incredibly well. His dances were amazing, more established dancers congratulated him and he got the recognition he wanted.

Until Hugo came and ruined everything, like he always did.

They had been partnered up for a dance, and back then, they had no idea who the other was. It was going fine, Varian following his movements, spinning around him and dipping when he thought it was appropriate, until Hugo decided to hold him low like a normal drop, and then drop him to the floor. Varian skid, spinning through Hugo’s legs as he tried to maintain his balance and dignity. By the time he was fully around Hugo, he could see the judges looking on curiously, as if it was just an interesting move. But it wasn’t. It was Hugo trying to mess him up. On purpose.

He smacked the back of Hugo’s leg as he got up, “What the fuck are you playing at?”

Hugo grinned, pulling Varian in and twirling around him, “Sorry V, nothing against you, I just need to win this and you’re, well, in my way.”

Varian was so pissed he probably turned purple and looked like he was about to kill someone. Unfortunately, the dance ended soon after, and the damage was done. Hugo had scored higher than him, leaving Hugo with all the attention, and Varian ready to bite his head off.

The worst part? Hugo was new. So unbearably new to this. Varian had been training since he was ten. Whilst Hugo? He only started two years ago. And despite all that, he was nearing Varian’s level. Sure, he wasn’t as respected by the community, but he was considered a rising hotshot that everyone was obsessed with. Social media was full of him dancing, his comment section full of fangirls and overall, he was so much popular than Varian was.

Varian knew he didn’t have charm, or charisma, or even any social skills. But he could dance. Dance pretty god damn well. And it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

“Look Rapunzel, I just don’t want to be with him. He’s probably got such a big head from all the attention he gets—“

Rapunzel grinned, “Oh, are you jealous?”

“No!” Varian fumed, blushing slightly, “He’s just annoying! And he’s from the enemy company Rapunzel! Remember? He works under Donella!”

“That’s another reason I’m so for this, “ Rapunzel folded her arms behind her back, “This would be a partnership to try and end the rivalry.”

Varian paused, “So like an arranged marriage for peace?”

Rapunzel rubbed her face and muttered about how she wasn’t paid enough for this, “You know what, yeah. I’m arranging your marriage with Hugo. Whatever floats your boat.”

“Oh yay I’m a sacrifice,” Varian groaned as Rapunzel dragged him into a small room, locking him in. He spun around, instantly narrowing his eyes when he saw him.

Stupid smile.
Stupid undercut.
And a stupid waft of cologne that he just knew was a knockoff of something expensive. Because Hugo would so do that.

Varian loathes this man. He makes him feel sick. He makes his skin crawl and his nerves feel constantly one edge. Like he was constantly in danger.

“Hey Ruddiger, fancy seeing you here. It’s a pleasure to be seeing you again.”

“Wish I could say the same about you Rottewange,” Varian spat as he shoved past him, going to try and break the lock on the door.

…

Dance practices aren’t supposed to be stressful. But wow, Hugo makes it stressful. Hugo makes everything stressful.

Varian’s about to pull his hair out, he can feel it turning grey and this sick bitch won’t leave him alone. They had gone over only eight steps in two hours because they couldn’t seem to coordinate. Either Hugo would pull Varian too quickly, Varian would try to do one thing and Hugo would do another, or Varian would assume Hugo was ready to catch him when in fact, he was not. That was the most painful one.

It was so infuriating, leading Varian to storm off for a five minute break. He could fee the sweat trickle down his face as he eyed Hugo venomously. The git didn’t even care. He was probably happy that he looked so stupid. He was probably planning this all along.

The guy had literally stood on his toe. His toe. Sure, he’d stomped on his immediately afterwards, leading to a long lecture about why we shouldn’t abuse our partners from Rapunzel. But come on, they were professionals! How in the name of Demanitus did you manage that? Unless he wanted to take him out like he did Nuru. That was probably it. He wanted to injure him as well so Rapunzel had no students left to compete.

Varian could feel his anger radiating off of him as the blonde idiot wandered over, equally as sweaty. Varian thought he looked disgusting like that, “Hey Ruddiger—“

“Can you leave me alone for like five seconds?” Varian snapped, “I finally get a five minute break from you and I’m trying to use it.”

Hugo cooed, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re even cuter when you’re angry?”

Varian wrinkled his nose in disgust, “Don’t patronise me.”

“I’m just informing you,” Hugo put his hands up in mock surrender.

Varian scowled. Informing him? He couldn’t be serious right now! Like the time he ‘informed’ him that he was off beat (he wasn’t!) or the time he ‘informed’ him that he looked too stiff when he danced (like he could talk, with all those gangly limbs).

Varian spat, “Right. Of course you are. I don’t want your ‘information’ right now Hugo. It’s as useless as you are.”

Hugo’s demeanour shifted them, “What did you just call me?”

“Useless,” Varian refused to hesitate, “When something, you in this case, has no practical use, achieves no result or lacks the ability to function effectively. I mean I knew you were stupid but I didn’t know you were this stupid—“

“Says the guy who took seven years to enter a competition and still didn’t win,” Hugo quickly regained his composure, settling to try to make him lose it instead.

Varian laughed coldly, “Oh, the time you cheated?”

“I didn’t, I’m just better than you.”

“Better my ass!” Varian raised his voice, “You’re an egocentric bitch that the whole dancing community hates because you’re so, so insufferable—“

“Enough!” Donella appeared, a sharp scowl on he face, “You’re supposed to be working together, not going for each others throats.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Hugo shrink slightly at her voice. It made something inside him purr with glee at him finally looking so weak.

Rapunzel sighed, “We’ll go again. But can both of you please try to work together more. The competition is in three days!”

They both groaned simultaneously, moving back to the dreaded practice room. Let’s just say this, not much was achieved.

As Varian headed out to grab food, he heard Donella whisper to Rapunzel, “You know, it’s times like these that I wish I never got into this. I am so close to finding a rope to swing from.”

Rapunzel’s eyes widened, “That’s not—“

“I’m kidding,” Donella responded, but her voice was so monotone that Rapunzel had no idea if she actually was.

Well, at least some people were getting along. He thinks?

…

It was their first round. Usually this one was low stakes. You were pretty much always going to pass unless you were really, terribly awful. And both of them had passed that stage long ago. But this time? Varian couldn’t stop shaking.

A thousand things could go wrong when he gets out there. He and Hugo weren’t good together, they could barely communicate without someone storming off. Add dancing to the mix? He honestly wasn’t sure if they’d make it through.

As he went out, trying to give off as much confidence as he could, he moved into place with Hugo. Before the music picked him, he leaned into the other boys ear, “Mess this up, and I will throttle you after this.”

Hugo leaned down to meet him, “Big talk from a guy that is so short he can barely look me in the eyes.”

Varian punched him in the gut, relishing how he clutched his stomach before the music started, and they began to move. He spun, thankful that Hugo actually managed to hold him. It was, going fine actually. But that wasn’t good enough. Fine was boring. They barely moved. The crowd weren’t applauding. They weren’t impressed.

He had to do something.

He quickly dipped down, getting the audience to scream. The cheers fuelled him as he made to move up, but he couldn’t. He was stuck. That’s when he realised that Hugo was a beat late. His hand wasn’t in to correct position at all, leading to Varian having to awkwardly pull himself out of it.

He felt a stone drop in his stomach as they continued. People definitely saw that. Before they were just faking a connection, and no one saw an issue. But just then, it stuck out. Like a crack threatening to tear them both to the ground.

Funnily enough, the dance itself wasn’t the worst part. It was the aftermath. As Varian made for his green room, Hugo cornered him, slamming him into the wall as he shouted, “What the actual fuck was that Ruddiger? Are you trying to screw us up?”

He was blaming him? Varian’s confusion soured quickly, “Seriously? I’m not the one who messed up the dip! That was you!”

“Because you changed rhythm half way through! And you don’t listen to what I want!”

“A good leader would’ve caught that! Oh, and why does it always have to be what you want?” Varian yelled back, not caring that others were looking at them now. This controlling idiot needed to realise that he was in the wrong. He needed to take accountability for once.

Hugo snarled, “You changed without warning! How was I supposed to see that coming? Followers aren’t as unpredictable as you. But like usual, you just had to go and be the centre of attention!”

Varian scoffed, “Centre of attention? We need attention! This is a competition!”

Hugo’s face was nearly red in all of his shouting, “Not when it sabotages our partnership!”

Varian retorted, “What partnership?!”

They both panted, red and out of breath as they fiercely started at each other. They had no idea who’d move next. Who’d shout louder. Who’d say the next worst thing.

At that moment, Rapunzel and Donella rushed in. Rapunzel stood in between them, “By the sun, what do you guys think you’re doing?”

“At least take it to a green room,” Donella grumbled, almost finishing off Rapunzel’s sentence. It’s then that Varian realised he hated this duo. They were like overbearing moms.

They both hurled them in, Donella locking the door as Rapunzel crossed her arms, and for the first time ever Varian actually thought she was pissed, “You have zero chemistry, and its so blatantly obvious that the judges commented it to me. Do you know how bad this looks on us?”

Donella continued, “To top it all off, you’re boring.”

Varian eyed Hugo at that.

And when you try not to be, you look stupid.”

Then it was Hugo’s turn to eye Varian.

Rapunzel sighed, “You need to sort this out immediately.”

Varian spoke up, “So that means we’re still in?”

“Surprisingly,” Donella replied dryly, “But they’ll be harsher next time. If you do something like this again, you’ll be out.”

Both women left, leaving them with awkward silence and unsaid apologies.

…

Varian hated when Rapunzel was happy.

Well, when he says it like that he sounds like a horrible person. But there was a type of tone she used when she was overly happy about something she orchestrated happening to him that he wouldn’t like. That tone was the problem. Seems specific, but he’s heard it enough times to tell. Like the time she arranged for him to take some of her dance lessons which lead to him wanting to rip his head off.

So, she used the tone five minutes ago, when informing him that he’d be sharing a hotel room with Hugo. For the entire competition.

He wanted to bury himself in a hole and never come out.

See, having to deal with the guy on the daily was annoying enough. But sharing a room? He’d never get a moment of peace! And he bet Hugo had some annoying habits. Like a ten step skincare routine that would keep him up. He would so be into skincare.

As they both rolled their suitcases to the reception desk, Hugo spoke up, “Hello there! We booked a room under Hugo Rottewange.”

Varian’s ears quirked up at that, “Hey! Why is it under your name?”

“Because I’m the responsible one, Ruddiger,” Hugo sassed as he tried to quieten him down.

Despite it being 00:14, Varian didn’t give two shits, “Responsible? You have to be kidding me. You once nearly missed a competition because you lost your passport.”

The receptionist quirked a brow at their bickering, making Hugo chuckle, “Oh sorry! He’s just a bit feisty. Poor guy hasn’t slept or eaten for 26 hours now!”

“We ate five minutes ago,” Varian deadpanned.

“Shut up.”

The receptionist cleared her throat before a huge smile appeared on her face, “Oh, we’ve been expecting you! Your room is all ready, here’s the keys. It’s room 1333 on the thirteenth floor.”

Wow. Summarised their luck.

“Congratulations by the way!”

Varian paused, turning back around, “Sorry?”

“You know,” the receptionist continued, “on your wedding.”

Hugo began to choke on his water, leading Varian to have to smack the shit out of his back until he stopped, “We’re not married.”

The receptionist laughed, “Well here it says you booked the honeymoon suite.”

Varian nearly turned purple, “Rottewange, I swear by the sun—“

“I didn’t book! Rapunzel did!”

“Then why were you saying all that stuff about being responsible— oh never mind let’s go,” Varian huffed, dragging a barely functioning Hugo to the lift.

At least he knew why Rapunzel was so jolly.

As they got to their hotel room, they found out that honeymoon suites are the craziest rooms you’ll ever find. Dual vanities, dual sinks, dual toilets. Since when was it romantic to shit together?

Varian set down his bag, collapsing onto the bed as he sighed dramatically, “Okay, I’m going to bed.”

Hugo then lay right next to him, “Same, I’m exhausted.”

Varian shot up, shuffling as far away as possible, “Excuse me? Get off my bed!”

“Look around Ruddiger,” Hugo shot back, “Where else will I sleep?”

Varian looked up to scan the room, until he finally realised the conundrum.

There was only one bed.

“You get the floor then,” Varian spat, rolling over.

Hugo retorted, “Don’t be a baby, we’ll just put a pillow between us.”

Varian narrowed his eyes at him, leading to a tense standoff before he realised he was too tired to argue about it, “Fine. Just respect the pillow rules.”

“Which are?”

“Don’t cross it, don’t touch me, and don’t move it,” Varian grumbled.

Hugo laughed, “Okay Ruddiger, you’re making it sound like I want to cuddle with you.”

Both of them went pink after that, encouraging Varian to get up and actually shower. He had been dancing after all.

“Where are you going?” Hugo asked.

Varian rolled his eyes, “The shower? Do you really have to keep tabs on everything I do?”

“I wouldn’t suggest that,” Hugo responded quietly.

“I already told you, I don’t care for your suggestions,” Varian opened the door to the bathroom, realising that there was no shower in sight.

Hugo sighed, dragging his hand down his face, “Varian, the shower is in the middle of the room.”

And there it was. A glass cubicle right in the centre, so that everyone from all corners of this stupid rooms could see.

Varian fumed, “Okay, which stupid designer did this?!”

Hugo replied, “This is a honeymoon suite. Must I continue?”

Varian moaned, “Who would do that?!”

“Married couples…?”

Varian shot back, “Whatever. Keep your eyes firmly closed, and I mean it. After I’m done with this, I want to sleep. Don’t you dare think of waking me up before 8.”

…

Unfortunately, it was like they had a bad omen stuck to them. Every round was a struggle, even though these were supposed to be easy. They fumbled every time, leading to near eliminations. At this point, both of them were tired, barely able to keep up the banter with how stressed the whole situation was making them.

They were going to lose. And every time they thought they were getting better, they weren’t. Because Hugo and Varian were just that, puzzle pieces that didn’t fit. You can try and shove them together all you want, but all you’ll get it two broken pieces that then can’t fit with anyone else.

When Varian is stressed, he decides to stay outside. Instead of pacing their awful room, he’d stay under the stars, finding shapes and patterns in them he’s never seen before. It was something he did with his dad as a kid. His dad was never a feeling sort of guy, hell he wasn’t the most present either, but their bonding consisted of sitting outside in each other’s presence, only talking when they spotted something.

Even now, the cool breeze on his neck brought him back to those moments. He felt lighter. He felt more comfortable. He felt like his mind was being massaged back into place.

He could feel his eyes close as he lay his head back onto the tree behind him, before a twig snapped. His eyes shot open, scanning rapidly until be caught sight of it. Not a cute rabbit. Not a small deer.

A Hugo.

Hugo asked, “Why are you outside?”

“Can’t sleep,” Varian replied, “You?”

“Neither,” Hugo replied, before wringing his hands awkwardly and shifting from foot to foot.

Now Varian could just leave him there standing. It’d be funny to see him squirm, and that way he’d get out of here. But some small part of him wanted to try and be better.

He patted the ground next to him, “Do you want to sit? It’s nice out here.”

Hugo nodded silently, bringing his knees to his chest as they sat next to each other, just staring at the stars.

Varian pointed out, “Doesn’t that one look like a bunny?”

Hugo cocked his head to the side, “I thought it was two lions fighting for a scrap of meat.”

Varian chuckled quietly, “Why are your stars so violent?”

“I don’t know why… I guess I’ve always been rough around the edges. Helps you to survive, you know?”

Varian fell silent after that. He didn’t expect Hugo to be so forthcoming like that. Despite never being able to shut up, he never delved into something so vulnerable. It was probably the first and only time he’d ever see this.

He felt like a stranger who didn’t deserve this, but he so desperately wanted to explore it. Stupid curiosity.

“I get that. The world takes anything soft and crushes it under its heel,” he replied softly.

They were supposed to fight. You’re supposed to shout at him. Scream and berate him. Say you hate him Varian. Say it.

“But I want to be… I don’t know. Whatever,” Hugo turned away, falling silent as he bit his nails.

Varian watched him closely. Hugo had a wide gate. He carried himself with poise and cockiness. But here? He acted like a totally different person. He was insecure, he was struggling and he… wasn’t as much of a jerk as Varian believed.

You hate him
You hate him Varian.

Sensing that Hugo wouldn’t continue without some reciprocation, he decided to offer some of his own, “You know sometimes I hate being in west coast swing.”

Hugo’s eyes widened, “You do? I thought you loved it.”

“I do,” Varian whispered, “But sometimes it makes me want to curl up and call it quits. And it’s not because of you.”

“Oh darn it, I thought I had finally won,” Hugo retorted back, but his voice didn’t hold any venom. It was softer, with a playful teasing lint. It was all Varian needed to continue.

Don’t Varian.
You don’t confess such things to your rival.

“Sometimes it feels like I’m not really me. I’m always in Rapunzel’s shadow. I mean, it makes sense, she’s amazing, but I just want to be known for me. I just want to be my own person. I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“It does,” Hugo shuffled closer to him.

Varian took a deep breath, “It just makes it awkward between me and Rapunzel. Because whilst I love her, and don’t get me wrong I really do, it just creeps up on me that she’s the reason for why I feel so lacking in confidence despite training so hard. Nothing I ever do is enough, because of her legacy. I know I shouldn’t despise her for it, and I don’t. It just… makes things slightly complicated.”

“Tell me about it,” Hugo lit up, “Dons complicated. One minute I feel like I’m her favourite, the next she’s holding my contract over my head.”

“Your contract?”

Hugo spoke slowly, seriously confused at Varian’s inability to understand, “Yeah, you know. The thing you signed before entering this domain?”

But Varian didn’t, how could that work, “How does she—“

“Look, I was stupid, okay,” Hugo continued, “She’s strict as fuck, and I told her to take me on because I’d be the best. I’d win her everything. And she took it so seriously or was in my contract, something that I thought was a figure of speech. I have to win. If I don’t… if— I’ll— I don’t know what will happen.”

“But you won’t be able to dance again,” Varian finished for him, and Hugo nodded solemnly.

Varian fell into silence as well. It seemed that they were more similar than he’d once thought. Both under intense pressure, both wanting to prove themselves, both wanting to win.

Huh. Both wanting to win.

He can’t hate him.
What was wrong with him? What had Hugo done?
He can’t hate a boy who was so much like him.

Varian mustered up all the courage he could before he spoke again, “Okay, you know what. Why don’t we try to prove them all wrong. You prove that you can succeed and show Donella. I prove that I’m my own person, and not just Rapunzel’s little student. It’s a win win.”

Hugo pondered for a moment, “I’m in. But don’t do crazy drops again.”

Varian let out a small smirk as he lowered his head onto Hugo’s shoulder, closing his eyes, “I’ll try my best Rottewange. No promises though.”

He fell asleep to the sound of Hugo’s chest reverberating as he laughed, and he couldn’t tell whether that was a blessing or a curse.

…

It was the day of the next round, but this time the air was different. Less hostile, more focused. They had been training hard for this. Practicing twists, combinations and even those dreaded drops until their feet ached. Both boys were starving now, ready to fight as hard as possible for the cup.

He floated onto the dance floor, smiling softly as Hugo joined him in their starting positions. People were apprehensive around them, he could feel it. He always had a knack for telling the crowds energy. It made sense, given their recent track record. People were betting they’d be out today. Even Donella and Rapunzel had lost their spark, seemingly giving up on them.

Well, it’s not over until the last beat. So you better dance until you drop.

The beat picked up, and immediately Varian began to move, taking Hugo’s hand and doing a slow motion dip, already earning a scream. He got up with a smile, until Hugo put a finger to his forehead.

What did he want? For him to go backwards?

Varian looked up at him, and the other boy just shrugged, seemingly wanting him to do whatever.

Huh, the control freak finally gave up control.

Varian decided to body roll, making Hugo smile and mutter a small ‘of course’ before before pulling him back and spinning around him. Varian let himself go, being pulled down the line to where Hugo stopped, giving Varian a turn to add something. He grinned, before deciding to go through his legs, again making people shout in awe. It was something they hadn’t practiced, but Hugo managed to pick it up quickly, letting him get up and take control off him for a bit, spinning him into a new position. Hugo pushed them both out as they span, leaving them by themselves until they caught each other again.

Oh. Oh they could actually do it. They could actually work together. They had a shot.

The chorus was about to hit. He looked at Hugo for ideas, when the other boy just smiled with confidence. Varian actually felt like he trusted him to do it. Oh fuck. He trusted him now.

Hugo motioned him into a long spin, doing other things as he still managed to keep Varian spinning without falling over. Now that was talent.

Oh stop it Varian.

Varian turned as the beat popped, letting himself body roll on Hugo as Hugo did the same. He turned his face quickly, trying to hide the small blush that was creeping on his face.

Grow a pair Varian, you’ve done that to so many people before.

Hugo pulled Varian low, Varian letting his leg hang out as he did before they both felt the beat end.

Okay, ending pose.

They both recovered from their spins, dropping into the exact same position facing each other.

Both of them breathed heavily, grinning wildly like they had committed a crime and no one could tell. They were buzzing as they went back to the green room, excitedly ranting about how well it was.

Rapunzel entered, a beaming smile on her face, “By the sun, that was great!”

Varian shot up, “You think we got through?”

Donella spoke up, “Not think, we know. The judges just told us.”

He turned to Hugo, going still as he watched the other boy really smile. He had never seen that before, he realised. Sure, he’d seen his smirk a lot, or a small smile, but never one like this. One he truly meant.

…

This energy continued for the rest of the rounds. They were literally vibrating off of each other, feeling more and more connected as they went. Seeing each other at practice only turned into buying meals together. Celebrating just in the green room turned into spending their evenings bowling (which Varian hated because Hugo was always better than him, but not enough that he’d refused to go). And overall, they got by with less arguing than before. Sure, it was still there, but now for more mundane things like the last cookie or last cup of coffee. And it was no longer hostile, but always soft. Teasing. Comfortable.

He could drop and trust Hugo to catch him. He could start to lean closer, and closer until their hips were flush, and still no one made an attempt to move away. He could bounce off of him, and Hugo would know exactly what to do. He’d end up in his arms more, he’d constantly be in his space, and surprisingly despite his impression of Hugo not being so comfortable with it, wasn’t annoyed at all.

They had reached the semi finals, both of them ready and pepped. Donella and Rapunzel were shocked at how far they had gotten, given their rocky start, but they were over that now. Smooth pebbles after a hard night at sea.

The beat picked up, and Varian’s eyes widened.

Oh. Oh fuck.

The song’s lyrics weren’t the problem. It was the vibe. It gave a sultry tone, making him think only one thing.

This was going to be so awkward that he might need to shoot himself in the head and then do it repeatedly so he can forget this ever happened.

Varian stiffened, leading to Hugo having to put his hand onto his waist and look expectantly at him to start.

“Hugo, I—“

“Varian,” Hugo’s voice was clear and sharp, “Just do it. We’ll laugh about it later. Do whatever it takes to make this work.”

Varian nodded, spinning around before dropping to the floor, swinging his hips from side to side. Hugo paused, flushing completely red as Varian smiled happily. The crowd laughed as Varian dropped again into a low body roll, keeping his eyes on Hugo’s. His emerald eyes sparkled with just a hint of enjoyment, feeding Varian to keep going. They spun, dragging their feet in slow motion in sync as the crowd looked on in awe.

Varian started taking it slower, just moving in and out as he tried to think of something else. He could get close to his neck? No that’s weird. He could jump on him? Not really the style. Hugo spun him again, leading to him drop into a split and rely on Hugo to pick him up, which Hugo quickly got.

The crowd screams. Good, but not enough. It was flashy, but not spicy.

He leaned in, pressing their chests together as they spun, closer to bachata than west coast, but it got the point across. Hugo slid his hand up Varian’s leg as they went, created more chaos from the audience.

He whispered into Hugo’s ear, “Huh, you can do it.”

“Of course I can Ruddiger,” he leaned down to his neck as Varian dropped slightly, again hearing screams as he did.

Hugo launched him out for a long solo spin, allowing him to grab attention as people cheered, Hugo finally having moments to recalculate his moves.

He seemed to have a lighbulb, pulling Varian’s back to his chest. Varian grinned, looking up to him as he side stepped out, pushing his hand to his chest as he swung his hips again. It was like they were playing a game of cat and mouse. And Varian, despite wanting to tease, would hate to get caught.

The judges seemed to love the dynamic, as they found out soon after that they were in the finals. Both of them nearly scream when they found out, going to hug each other before stopping short.

Hold on Varian. Not there yet.

As they went back to the green room, Hugo spoke up, “That was intense, huh?”

Varian felt his blush show, “Hah, yeah. But we pulled it off.”

“They said we looked like a couple,” Hugo mused, making Varian choke.

“Who did?”

Hugo quirked a brow, “The judges? Weren’t you listening?”

Varian bit his lip, “No… I must’ve missed it. Rush of the dance you know. Anyways… let’s just go do something. Pancakes?”

“Dinner?”

Varian nodded, “Fine. Dinner, then pancakes.”

…

If he thought that would be the end of it, he was a fool. It wasn’t. Before the finals, they had to go through interviews. So many interviews.

They all blurred into another to be honest, but one of them really stuck out to him. One where he could barely sit still, hands fidgeting as he decided to have a crisis part way through.

The interviewer smiled warmly, “Hello! I’m Katya, and I’ll be your interviewer today. Can we just get your names to start us off?”

The cameras flicked to life, and Varian and Hugo quickly fell into character.

Hugo smiled, “Hello, I’m Hugo Rottewange.”

“And I’m Varian Ruddiger,” Varian finished, turning to face Katya again.

And it was off. It started with the basic questions, how long have you been doing this, how long have you known each other, favourite moment so far. All mundane things Rapunzel made him prepare beforehand to calm his nerves. But then, Katya started going a bit off topic. To things better left unsaid.

Katya laughed, “So, have you heard of Varigo?”

Varian blinked dumbly, “Sorry, what?”

She continued, “Your ship name?”

Hugo turned red, whilst Varian had no idea what was happening, “What’s a ship?”

Hugo cleared his throat, “You know, a relationship… a romantic one. Basically it’s something fans do, they ship people they think should be together.”

They did WHAT? About them? No way. But from the serious look on Hugo’s face, it seemed like he was being serious.

Varian stuttered, “Oh, okay. Our ship.”

Katya raised a brow, “What do you think of it?”

“We’re not together, if that’s what you’re asking,” Hugo said sharply, and Varian hated the way his stomach dropped at the statement. What was wrong with him?

“How come?” Katya started again, “The rivalry? The sexual tension? You seriously haven’t… done anything physical outside of practice.”

Varian nearly choked as he got the innuendo. He felt sweat build up as the air got warmer between them. Hugo looked at him nervously, before finally responding, “Not at all. Our relationship is completely professional. Right Ruddiger?”

Oh that’s him. Okay. Time to be a big boy and talk.

“Yeah,” Varian managed without a voice crack.

“Okay then, let’s move on, shall we?”

“Let’s,” Hugo replied coldly, making Varian shrink away in horror. What was happening? He was just saying to move on. Why did it feel like his heart was being torn to pieces?

As the interview went on, he found himself looking to Hugo to answer. See, whilst he could do it himself, Hugo was just so much better at speaking, and whilst it usually made Varian’s blood boil, it didn’t this time. Instead he focused on the way his brow quirked up at a surprise question. How he’d lick his lips when nervous. Those pink, plush lips.

He had never noticed his vulnerabilities like this. But they weren’t weak like he thought they were be. They made him… human. Varian didn’t like that.

As it continued, Varian’s thigh started bouncing. It wasn’t intentional, just a habit he picked up out of stress. It usually only apparent in exams, but clearly interviews got his anxiety going just the same.

Hugo placed his hand on his thigh, gently pressing it down as he went. His hand didn’t move afterwards, leaving Varian to stare at it like an idiot.

Why wouldn’t he move? Did he forget his hand?

Think logically, he probably doesn’t want you to show that you’re nervous.

Okay, he’s achieved that. He can move now.

Well if you’re so worked up about his hand, why don’t you go and move it.

No.

What do you mean no.

I can’t.

Varian pull it together.

Sweat trickled down his forehead as his hand refused to obey, screaming as if it wanted Hugo to stay. Stay as close as possible. Be a reassuring presence.

Move your hand Varian, what, do you like him?

Varian went still at that. Did he? Was that what the warmth in his chest was that he got when he looked at him. Was that the reason for why he tripped over his words when he was around him? Was that why always wanted to impress him?

No. Of course not. That’s absurd.

Move the hand.

Oh, maybe it wasn’t.

He doesn’t like Hugo! He’s an arrogant bastard!

By the sun, he was actually sitting in an interview whilst having a meltdown. No fucking way.

His cheeks were pink, his hands trembling as Hugo was in his space. But it wasn’t anger. It wasn’t discomfort.

It was… something else. And that’s all he’d label it as. Something that needed to be squashed. Compartmentalised. Kept away so it never distracts him again.

Hugo can’t distract him. He has a job to finish.

…

The final was here. He would say finally, but Hugo had already said that the joke wasn’t funny.

Cameras flashed, making them wave awkwardly before they hid in their dressing room, slamming the door behind them.

“Okay so this is crazy,” Hugo huffed, keeping his back on the door in case anyone broke in.

Varian shuffled from feet to feet, “Agreed, and it isn’t making my worries any better.”

Hugo pulled him around, placing his hands on his shoulders, “Hey Ruddiger, relax. We’ve so got this. We work together well, we’re at the top of our game. I know you’ll do amazing, you always do. So be confident in your skills, okay?”

He knew he should’ve been listening to what was probably a great piece of motivation, but he couldn’t. Hugo’s hands were on him. Hands. On. Him. Breath on his face. Noses nearly touching. He was about to explode.

“Okay,” he cringed as his voice cracked, “I can do that.”

Hugo tied his hair, “Right, then let’s show them what we’ve got.”

Oh, they tried. They really tried. But it was always so close. Their points constantly overtaking one another. Their competitors were insanely good, with experience far superior to their own. And to top that off, the pair were married. Sure, you don’t need to be dancing with your partner, but it sure helped the coordination when you spend every moment with them. Him and Hugo were practically strangers in comparison.

No matter what he did, how many times he did a dramatic split or a body roll, it wasn’t enough. His dancing wasn’t enough. They were falling behind. Losing. They were never going to make it.

Varian’s breath came out heavily, eyes darting wildly. Hugo caught on, holding him up by the shoulders as he motioned for Rapunzel or Donella to step in.

Rapunzel shot up to the call, “Can we take five please?”

The judge shook his head, “Ma’am, this is a final of a serious competition.”

“Don’t patronise her,” Donella retorted, “You’re talking to one of the best dancers in all of the seven kingdoms.”

Both pairs stopped to watch the interaction with batted breath. Varian just looked on perplexed, Donella and Rapunzel really were good friends. Meaning they probably weren’t rival companies anymore. He felt his heart sink at the possibility of not having clear rivals anymore. He had a competitive streak, and he loved to show it off in his rivalries. Now? He had no outlet for it at all.

Well, he had Hugo. But did he? Were they rivals? Or were they something else?

The judge narrowed his eyes, leading to Rapunzel doing the same thing, “My dancers need a break. So if you don’t mind, I’ll be giving them that.”

The judges allowed them fifteen minutes. As soon as it was called, Hugo rushed Varian off stage and locked their dressing room shut.

“Ruddiger, what’s going on—“

“We’re losing!” Varian shot back, “We’re losing, and there’s nothing we can do!”

Hugo replied calmly, “Okay, let’s think about why.”

There was a pretty good reason for that. Their chemistry is off. Hugo was being too careful, and barely let Varian dip. Varian himself was overcompensating so much that Hugo couldn’t keep up with every flashy move he did. Both of them were distracted as fuck, leading to them nearly messing up an entire section.

Hugo remained calm, “Our chemistry is off because you keep pulling away from me.”

He would argue back, deny the accusation immediately, but it had some truth to it. He was avoiding eye contact. Avoiding coming closer to him. Panicking as soon as Hugo’s hand slipped low.

He didn’t like the way Hugo made him feel. He had no word for it. Varian hated such ambiguity.

Varian sighed, “Well, you’re being too careful with me. I’m not going to break!”

Hugo’s voice raised, “Well I don’t want to mess up! I can’t—“

“Can’t what?”

Hugo bit his lip, “Don’t make me say it.”

Varian took a step forward, finally locking eyes with Hugo. His skin tingled. Breath quickened. But he didn’t care. He knew he was going mad, but he needing to know if Hugo was as well, “Say it.”

Hugo exclaimed, “I can’t let you down, okay? I care too much to do that.”

Oh fuck. He didn’t expect Hugo to get so raw so quick. He didn’t know how to take something like that, the words almost burning his skin.

He cares.

He cares Varian.

For you.

It made bile rise up his throat and his heart palpitate at the same time.

“Oh,” Varian finally made a sound, making Hugo wince.

“By the sun, I—“ Hugo pulled at his hair, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I want you next to me and then I hate myself for saying it.”

Varian gasped and continued, “I want to you touching me even when we’re not dancing and it’s driving me insane.”

“And every time I try and focus on anything else, anything to try and tell myself I’m fine, I’m totally fine, I’m brought back to you,” Hugo collapsed, almost like saying it took all the energy he had left.

They stayed silent, just fixed on each other as they waited to see who would move first. Who’d break the tension. Who’d cross the line.

Varian looked at the clock. They still had twelve minutes. He could so do this in twelve minutes.

As he leaned in, Hugo got the hint immediately, pressing his lips to his. Varian felt like he was exploding, finally getting what he wanted after all this time. His hands roamed in Hugo’s stupid hair, tugging at his ponytail to make it come loose as Hugo pushed him into the wall, making him groan as he did. Hugo pushed his hips flush against his, making Varian whine as he finally got the contact he was so desperately wanting.

Hugo leaned back, leaving them both panting, “What are we doing?”

Varian leaned his head back against the wall. The sight of his neck and bruised lips made him forget that in an instant as Hugo went down on his neck, sucking marks in his skin he knew weren’t leaving for a couple of days.

Varian moaned, biting his lips to conceal the noise, “Ah, Hu—“

Hugo clamped his hand over Varian’s mouth as he placed open mouthed kisses to his neck, making his legs feel like jelly, “Whilst I love hearing you moan my name, the walls aren’t soundproof.”

Varian continued to whimper behind his hand, rolling his eyes back as Hugo continued. Hugo picked him up, slamming him back into the wall as Varian slid his hands under Hugo’s shirt, picking at the buttons with haste. He got so impatient he nearly tore the thing off, throwing it to the ground as he walked his hands over Hugo’s chest.

It was now Hugo’s turn to whimper as he tried to get his words out, “We need to stop.”

“No we don’t,” Varian placed his fingers to Hugo’s red lips, sliding his hands to Hugo’s belt as he began to undo it.

“Rudd— Varian!”

His hands fell dead at once. He had never heard Hugo say his name. It was either his surname or some annoying nickname. Never his actual name.

Hugo panted, “We have ten minutes until the final starts again! We cannot do this right now.”

Varian cocked his head to the side, “We can be quick?”

Hugo looked like all the wind got knocked out of him at once, “What?”

Varian traced Hugo’s jaw as he spoke, “Okay, it’s up to you. We can either stop right now. Or, I can make you cum in less than ten minutes. In fact, I bet I could do it in five.”

Hugo’s eyes widened before he grew a dirty grin, “Let’s change that. I bet I could do it quicker than you could.”

Varian placed his hands on Hugo’s belt again, “Well, I guess we need to find out,”

…

Word of advice for anyone competing in a west coast swing finale. Do not fuck your rival/partner/Varian doesn’t even know anymore in your break. By the time they had to be get back, their clothes were barely on properly, their hair was a mess, the room smelled like sex and both of them were so flushed that people could probably tell what happened.

Maybe they thought they trained really hard in their break? Yeah, let’s be hopeful.

Well one good thing, he got to hear Hugo say his name so many times. 43 times to be specific. It felt wonderful on his tongue, almost sounding like a prayer every time the other boy had moaned it.

They fell into position, waiting for the music to pick up. As it did they held each other close, Hugo moving backward as Varian followed suite. He twirled him around, Varian dropping low, wrapping his arm around Hugo’s thigh, making people scream.

Well, he had to keep the shippers happy. You know, for the Varigo.

He let himself fall through Hugo’s legs, Hugo showing an amused expression as if to say ‘you’re too easy to read’. Sure, it was his favourite thing to do. It got people staring at him, so why not?

They spun, Varian landing on the other side. He grinned at Hugo, bouncing in position as he waited for this set of eight beats to end. Hugo pulled them back into an almost waltz movement, moving down the line as they did, finally allowing Varian’s mind to slow for his next move.

He spun for a bit, before shuffling towards Hugo as he did the same, the symmetry making them look all the more satisfying. He grabbed his face, placing his hand down his jaw as Hugo brought his arm up and into a steep drop. With this one, Varian actually couldn’t see a thing. Hugo’s arm blocked his eyes, but he had no issue with it. Not anymore. He’d move into place, and let Hugo guide him until he could see.

They were up once more, moving around each other until Hugo brought him to a longer spin. Varian decided to add a bit of flair to that one, ending by swinging his hip and pushing Hugo’s chest playfully, earning some aws from the crowd. Hugo stumbled back in a controlled manner in an attempt to make it look funnier, taking them down the line and dropping to the floor himself as Varian spun him this time.

Hugo then turned Varian’s back to his, only facing him again as he ended up behind him.

So, Varian could either play into their ‘ship’ thing. Or he could… okay the other option was boring.

He placed his hand on Hugo’s hip, guiding him one way as he grinded alongside him. He relished the screams he got from that as he moved out with a teasing grin, admiring the shocked look on Hugo’s face.

Varian eyed the points, and it was actually looking up for them. They were in the lead, not by an overwhelming amount, but enough to make him feel comfortable. He let himself be weightless in Hugo’s arms as he leaped, arching his back so much it looked like a back bend. It was like breathing, moving alongside him. Every step flowed into another. Hugo didn’t just see what he was doing, but he adapted to make it so much better. Even to the smallest details, like lingering his hand to make people squeal, or pushing him just so he can spin for longer.

He could feel the song ending, and he looked to Hugo for ideas. The control freak. Yeah, that guy.

Hugo just nodded, placing his hand on Varian’s waist for support as he spun low, and then letting go as he spun at floor level without a hitch.

Show off. But hey, the judges liked it.

Hugo then took Varian to the floor, spinning around him as he rose slowly to standing position, still twirling as fast as he could. Fuck he was so dizzy he could collapse, but there was just a couple beats. He could do it—

As he arose, the world was spinning, but he knew the last beat was there. Hugo took the reins, dipping Varian as he naturally leaned his head back from how heavy his head felt, Hugo leaning over him, lips brushing. People screamed, applauding loudly as they then relaxed, taking a bow before quickly making an exit.

Rapunzel burst into their room as soon as they were done, suspiciously eyeing its messy state, but making no comment, “That was so good! The chemistry was spot on! I’m sure you’ll win.”

Donella emerged, “It was close though, so don’t be surprised if—“

Rapunzel shushed her, making the older woman fume, “Don’t be so negative Donnie!”

As they both argued over if Rapunzel had the right to call her Donnie, Hugo leaned down to his ear, “See, you did great. No idea why you were so stressed.”

Varian began to lean in for a kiss to shut him up, before a judge burst in, announcing that the results were in. The other two rushed out, leaving Hugo cursing madly under his breath.

Varian chuckled, “Oh calm down you. You’ll get a kiss later.”

Hugo pouted, “I don’t want one later—“

Varian pulled him in for a quick one, melting Hugo instantly as Varian called him a brat against his lips.

As they emerged, the whole room was silent in anticipation. Varian’s hands were shaking, leading Hugo to clasp them gently in his as they walked forward, ready for the verdict.

The judge cleared his throat, “After careful deliberation, we believe that the winner of this years competition is… Varian Ruddiger and Hugo Rottewange.”

They both screamed, hugging tightly as confetti rained down, drenching their hair in blue and green pieces of paper. Hugo straightened his glasses as they went to receive the trophy, Varian holding it up with glee as the cameras captured the moment. Rapunzel was in near tears, and whilst Donella would never admit it, she was as well.

…

So, what happened after that?

‘Varigo’ or whatever they wanted to call it, was all the rage amongst the public. Everyone shipped them, and they were making headlines for their chemistry months following the competition. Both of them finally got their names out. Varian was seen as an established dancer for himself, not just Rapunzel. And Hugo’s contract was revoked, allowing him to make a new one without the harmful clauses.

They even became a permanent duo. It was a hard conversation with Nuru, but one she understood, especially since she wanted to try partnering with someone new. Whilst she said it was to ‘give someone else a chance’, he could tell the real reason a spritely girl called Amber was chosen. Nuru couldn’t take her eyes off of her.

To the public, they were constantly bantering. Teasing each other, pulling each others legs, the sorts. It’s only in small whispers between camera shots or green rooms where they’d finally be able to use their names, rather than their surnames. They’d act like best friends, never straying into messier territory unless they were on the dance floor.

So, whilst they’d be waving happily in front of paparazzi, all it took was one second for them to run and hide in the nearest alleyway to claim a searing kiss, one powerful enough to make the heat in their bellies burn in want. He’d trail his fingers down Hugo’s chest, pulling him by the collar closer and closer until they were disheveled and messy but oh so perfect. Oh so them.

No one knew about them, and they were happy to keep it their little secret.