Work Text:
can i have this dance?
[Kiraboshi High dance practice room, 3:30 p.m.]
“Strange. We’re still the first ones here.”
Gaku remarks as he settles down his duffle bag on the floor of the practice room. He and Hayato, who are now in their third year of high school, had recently finished their classes and are now about to start another one of their usual dance practices for an upcoming competition.
“Have you forgotten already, vice president? The others are still busy with their classes.”
Hayato, who now serves as the president of the dance club, reminded the forgetful pink-haired boy.
That caused the current vice president to scratch the back of his head and let out an embarrassed chuckle. “Oh, right!”
Shaking his head at his friend’s silliness, he too settles down his own duffle bag next to Gaku’s, except he placed it on top of a chair. Taking off his jacket, he approaches the mirror as he declares, “Let’s do some warm-up stretches first.”
“Alrighty!”
After five minutes of rigorous exercises, it was finally time for the two boys to run through what they had choreographed the previous session. The blaring sound of the speakers let them carry their moves with precision and groove, its loudness enough for them to time it perfectly. As they danced in front of the mirror, they moved in sync, never missing a beat. Years of developing a deep bond with each other was proof of that.
Fifteen minutes had rolled by and the club president and vice president kept dancing, finishing up the last few moves which led Hayato to declare a break, his entire body spent and drenched in sweat. Although Gaku’s energetic self still wishes to press on, he felt the need to quench his thirst with some ice-cold water before that.
As the two boys with blue and pink hairstyles sat down next to each other, Hayato wiping his sweat-stained forehead with a towel and Gaku gulping down a hearty amount of cool, refreshing water through his pink tumbler, they did not say a word, too exhausted to even do so. A lot of thoughts ran through their heads as they stared off into the empty distance while recharging their energy levels for the next routine.
They had realized they were already in their third year of high school together, which means they will be graduating soon. Time flies so fast without them knowing, but they always cherished every single memory they had made together and with their other friends as well.
They also wondered how the rest of their juniors were doing, knowing how they’re busying themselves with schoolwork and other academic activities. They still couldn’t process the fact that they already became full-fledged seniors, especially those who are currently presiding over the dance club.
They also traveled back down memory lane to the day they first encountered each other: Hayato showing Gaku his dance as a way to cheer him up from the tragedy he had been through, which was successful beyond measure. The latter owes his entire life to the former because of that, which their bond strengthened further after the grand battle they faced against Desperade.
As Gaku remembered those memories, he let out a fond smile, one that he didn’t force. His water bottle, which was half-empty, was carefully laid out onto the floor, its lid shut tight after he finished drinking from it.
He turns his head towards Hayato’s direction, who he caught putting on a new tank top as he was drenched from their choreography a few minutes prior. A faint shade of pink dusts Gaku’s cheeks, mentally scolding himself for not turning sooner so he could catch a sight of Hayato’s—
*cough*
Gaku didn’t even realize it, but he felt his throat get stuck and now he was caught in a coughing fit, desperately reaching out to his water bottle. After opening the tightly shut lid with frustration (he grew impatient by the second), he slowly gulps down the rest of the water, his coughs dying down with ease. He wipes off the tears that formed in his eyes from what just happened before he closes the lid again.
“Are you okay? Did you choke on your water again?”
Ever the concerned friend that he is, Hayato approaches his closest friend. Gaku tries not to lose his mind again as he feels the warm hand of his friend pat his sweaty back. Little does Hayato know he was the reason why the pink-haired boy choked on his spit.
“N-no. I’m feeling better now, I just thought of something that I already forgot, h-hahaha!” Then Gaku changes the subject. “A-anyways, our juniors must be really busy! I mean, we’ve only been here for thirty minutes and nobody else showed up.”
That statement causes the blue-haired boy to examine his surroundings. “They really are busy. But don’t worry, we can always practice more. That reminds me…”
He opens up his phone to change the music. “Why don’t we try doing different dances outside of the competition? While waiting for them to finish.”
Stars lit up Gaku’s eyes, who brimmed with excitement. “Let’s do it!”
He ecstatically stood from where he sat on the floor, bouncing off his toes. “So what should we dance to then?” and he trails off listing a variety of dance genres from the top of his head.
Hayato smiled while listening to his friend’s rambling, before replying, “Let’s do a ballroom dance together.”
Gaku’s normally talkative self immediately shuts up as he slowly creaks his head around to face Hayato.
Did he hear that right?
A ballroom dance? WITH HIS BEST FRIEND?
Actually, he wasn’t too sure if he could label Hayato that especially after he developed feelings for him right after the battle against Desperade.
But he would not let this opportunity pass. If you dare THE Hoshikawa Gaku, who lives, eats, and breathes dance, to reject a dance, ESPECIALLY if it’s requested by none other than THE Natsume Hayato, who is his closest, sweetest number 1 most important person in his life, it would be a huge abomination. He doesn’t even care if he might not be too familiar with ballroom dancing, he just wants to dance with him. (Take a shot every time the word “dance” has been repeated)
Realizing how he was silent for a full minute, definitely due to feeling flabbergasted at that sudden riz– request, he croaks out, “Y-yeah! Let’s do that.”
With a smile on his face, Hayato pulls out his phone to pick out the song. A single tap, and slow paced music began to play. It was the soundtrack to the movie High School Musical 3, “Can I Have This Dance,” something that Hayato once watched during middle school to learn a bit of English. That scene where the two main characters, Troy and Gabriella, danced together on the rooftop was one scene that stuck to his mind. He wished in the future he would get to dance with someone like that, and now standing in front of his best friend…? Should he call him that since he’s also fallen in love with him since the day he cheered him up with his dance the first time they’ve talked to each other?
Anyways, the dilemma with labels aside, he’s happy he could grasp the opportunity to do this.
🎵Take my hand, take a breath🎵
With that, Hayato stretched out his right arm, palm opening like a blooming flower, to offer the chance to ballroom dance with Gaku, whose face turned bright pink. Damn, he didn’t even realize it, but after the blue-haired boy told him his dance could make him smile, he’s actually got game. No doubt about that.
🎵Pull me close, and take one step🎵
Gaku may not know English, but through context clues, he was being asked to hold his hand so they could begin. Upon placing his palm on top of his (he remarks in his head how warm it felt), he suddenly felt his whole body gravitate towards Hayato, who grabbed his waist using his left hand. This gesture prompts Gaku to place his other palm on top of Hayato’s bare shoulder slowly, suddenly feeling shy.
He never feels shy whenever he’s around him… could be the music’s romantic vibe that contributed to it.
His heart did not prepare itself for the next thing his best friend was going to do…
🎵Keep your eyes locked to mine🎵
Something in the blue-haired boy gave him the urge to grab Gaku’s chin so he could look up to stare at his calm, blue eyes. The other boy’s bright, cerise ones stared back at him, noticing how flustered he felt because of what he just did. That just made Hayato’s lips form into a smirk, a more unusual gesture for him to do.
🎵And let the music be your guide🎵
Still with that dangerous (and, according to Gaku, hot) smirk on, Hayato stretches out his and Gaku’s intertwined palms as if they were professional ballroom dancers. He leads Gaku the steps, which were slow and steady, taking the time for his partner (if he can call him that by this point) to grow accustomed to his steps. But knowing Gaku, he’s sure he could pick it up in a flash.
As the song goes on to the chorus, their movements gradually pick up the pace as Hayato twirls Gaku around. The latter had a big smile on his face as he finished the first twirl; knowing that they were only halfway through the song, he was looking forward to doing more twirls with him. He’s already having loads of fun.
🎵You know I’ll catch you through it all🎵
Hearing this lyric prompted the former to briefly let go of their clasped palms to grab both of Gaku’s sides and lift him up, startling him. The latter’s palms gripped tight onto Hayato’s shoulders once he no longer felt his feet touching the ground, but felt the adrenaline rush through his whole body at that move. Once he was placed back down did Hayato immediately clasp their hands together like before as if he was scared to lose Gaku again, but after the latter gives him a reassuring squeeze in return does his nerves ease up.
As the second chorus comes around again, Hayato gives Gaku another twirl, but Gaku being the excited kid that he is, does it three times in a row, much to the blue-haired boy’s surprise, but decides to let him be. Then the bridge rolls by without them realizing.
🎵’Cause together or not, our dance won’t stop🎵
This lyric caused the two to unconsciously press their foreheads together as their movements began to slow down, savoring the warmth of the touch. By this point, all they wanted was to feel each other’s (almost) embrace.
The song was nearly coming to an end when they heard the door to the practice room swing open and Maito entered through it, who threw his duffel bag in between his seniors’ own ones and accidentally knocked over Gaku’s water bottle, but thankfully its contents didn’t spill.
“Oh, hey Maito! You’re finally here.” Hayato greets his cute junior with a smile, still holding onto Gaku. Speaking of Gaku, the pink-haired boy was pouting not because his water bottle fell down but because of their little intimate moment getting interrupted. Knowing how at any moment they would let go in this position, he had to act fast.
No way he was going to lose to Hayato in the rizz department!
Without warning, Gaku grabs both sides of Hayato’s face to bring him into an unsuspecting kiss.
Hayato’s eyes grew wide at that gesture, but returned it by pulling Gaku closer.
This whole thing lasted for a couple of seconds, right where the song was finally over.
These two want this moment to last for a lifetime, but alas, this thing called oxygen is one thing they need to consider.
And so with that, the two part away, panting at the session they just did with smiles on their faces as Hayato strokes Gaku’s waist.
“GET A DAMN ROOM SENPAIS.”
The loud voice of Maito startles them back to reality. When they turned their heads to face the purple-haired boy, they found that he was holding his phone out, cat stickers and all. He recorded the entire thing.
“But thank you for your service. Tengen-senpai and Sasana-senpai need to know this!”
And with that, after pressing send on their group chat, he runs off the practice room while laughing maniacally, a first for the two of them. This is the first time Maito has acted this way to them, showing how comfortable he finally became.
The two just stayed in the same position, quite unsure what to process since so many things happened at once. But then they hear Maito scream at them again as he came back inside the room after running one lap across the hallway,
“I swear I have gay boys as seniors.”