A/N: And this is the last one from Stingueweek. There is only a bit I edited, e.g. adding Minerva at the beginning, but nothing major, it's still fluff, don't worry. Thank you for bearing me editing the entries from November now in February. Also this means there is only one chapter left for Zinnia, I hope you are looking forward to it - hint: it's an Au story which wasn't featured yet but has to be part of every ship collection.

Title: Dance with me

Genre: romance

Warnings: None


"A costume party? Doesn't this involve dancing? Not my thing. Can't we sent Rufus?", Sting complains, arms spread while one of their guildmates walks around him, measuring his size; standing still like this is a different form of torture than the meetings he has to attend.

"You are the master and you represent us."

Minerva sighs, but she knows where Sting is coming from. This meeting with the other guildmasters at the castle can turn out to be rather dangerous, magic mixed with politics, and he isn't someone who can easily shut up when he doesn't like something – it's easy to step on someone's toes not just literally during dancing. Rogue exhales a breath as well, but he is used to his whining by now and so there is an amused smile when Sting feels an elbow in his back, a hint to stand straight so that they can finish as soon as possible.

"Ask Rogue and he can teach you how to dance", Rufus proposes because there is no way that he is going to replace their master; he does have his own plans and spending it with other people who go on and on with he current politics is certainly not part of it.

"Since when do you know how to dance?", Sting wants to know, looking at his boyfriend in surprise, curious when he obtained such a skill without his knowledge; it earns him another nudge and a glare he pretends not to see.

"I have a lot of free time", he shrugs, hesitating a moment but eventually nodding when Sting points out that Minerva forced him to, after all she is the only one who can persuade them to do this kind of things and they were often on missions together these past days; she isn't even offended just smiles.

"Kind of."

"But he is a good dancer", Yukino remarks, as if this would change anything.

"I pass, I just pretend that I'm always busy talking with someone", Sting sighs, relieved that he can put his arm down, their guildmate humming to himself and leaving with the notes he made; Sting wasn't interested in a custom made suit but Minerva and a few other insisted and since one of them had married a designer, the problem with the money was non-existent.

"So you don't want to be taught by me?"

"I pass."

Sting doesn't get why Rogue looks so amused as if he missed a joke so he shakes his head again, even more confused when Rufus chuckles as well like he didn't take the opportunity to whatever he would normally do.

Well, paperwork is waiting for him so there is no time to think about it in the first place.


"So, how do you think it looks?" It's been a week and now Sting is standing in their bedroom, wearing the new suit which had been tailored for him.

Rogue had been busy that day so it's not until the evening at home that he can see the costume Sting tries on for him again. It's nothing fancy like he wore during the grand magic games, a dark blue shirt with a black vest and tie to the dark pants, something simple to blend in.

"No jacket with rose?", Rogue teases him, adjusting the tie because Sting has still no idea how to do it correctly, though he is getting better and Rogue wonders if he doesn't put much effort in it so that he does it for him, standing close and allowing his hands on his hips.

"It's summer, I don't want to die."

"It suits you", Rogue hums, stepping back and gaze shifting from head to toe, pleased with the way Sting appeared; the other one knows this look, can tell when his boyfriends thoughts shift and with a smirk, he takes a step closer.

"Do you want me to take it off?"

"Yes", is the immediate reply and Sting has to laugh, never used to this hidden eagerness Rogue sometimes shows but happy about it nevertheless and so he changes without hesitatin and puts the suit in the wardrobe before it gets wrinkles.

It's not like he needs clothes for the activity Rogue has in mind anyway.

Rogue wakes up around two in the morning by noises coming from the kitchen. The place next to him is still warm but there is no body and with a sigh, he gets up. Despite of the heat their floor is cold and so he puts on a pair of socks after putting on some clean shorts because his landed somewhere on the floor or under the bed, he isn't so sure and Sting made sure that he focused more on his lips instead of some clothes. The hall is dark but his eyes always adjusted to it quickly, apart from the fact that he knows their apartment well enough already without seeing anything. Just like he knows his way around the rooms, he can tell what the other is up to and as suspected, he finds Sting in front of the fridge, searching for some leftovers.

"Early breakfast? Don't tell me you plan to work after eating."

Sting jumps when he hears the deep voice but when he turns around and sees his boyfriend standing there, he visibly relaxes – that is until he gets the question and sheepishly grins.

"Maybe?"

Rolling his eyes, Rogue tugs at the hem of Sting's sleeveless shirt and tells him to sit down before he takes some of the soup from the fridge and starts heating it up, a silent promise that he would watch Sting during the meal and drag him back to bed; everyone of the guild knows how hard he works so there is no way that anyone allows him to work at a time he is supposed to sleep.

"So, about the dancing...", Sting starts halfway trough the meal, the silence in which Rogue simply observes him too much to handle, coughing, "Why was Rufus so amused about it?"

Rogue's tired mind needs an additional second to process the question, another one to form an answer in his head and a last one to speak, his voice still gruff.

"Dancing involves two people and especially classic ones allow some form of closeness."

Sting doesn't seem to get it and so Rogue gets up slowly and stands next to Sting, reaching out for his hand; Sting takes it with a furrowed brow and confusion plastered across his face until Rogue pulls him to their living room, pushing the table as quietly as possible aside to create free space for them.

"Come", Rogue says, guiding Sting's left hand to his hip before he places his own right one on Sting's shoulder and holding the right one in his own before he starts to move, telling Sting to take a step back and following him, step by step until he doesn't look at their feet any more and watches Sting concentrating instead.

It's 3am but Sting doesn't care that they are only in their socks and underwear, dancing in the small living room which is probably the worst performance ever but Rogue is close to him and this is all that matters.

(He teaches him how to dance after all and Sting has to realise that doing so in the costume is a bit more difficult – yet he doesn't complain because having Rogue at his side is worth it.)