How long will I give to you?

As long as I live through you

However long you say

Dancing together had become as spontaneous and soul-quenching as laughter. At the beginning of each day, they seemed to fall effortlessly into whatever routine they were working on. This was the penultimate week though. Neither of them ever mentioned that to one another, it was too hard to think about reality. Instead they stayed locked away in their paradise practice room.

Doing Strictly had allowed Rose to perform a range of emotions and characters, it was like nothing she could have ever imagined, Giovanni really pushed her each and every week. However, it was now the semi finals and this week, he seemed particularly focused on killing her.

Two bodies moving in perfect tandem. Their legs were entwined. Their eyes were locked together and both of their breaths surprisingly shallow. She could feel his chest expanding and her own was vibrating in response. His hand came up to brush a some of her hair behind her ear.

"Did you still want to change dances" It came out in a whisper, but she understood him perfectly. She could feel the mood shift. It was serious now. He really wanted to know. Wanted to check in with her.

Rose shook her head, her lips twitching slightly

"No chance"

He laughed then. They both knew that Rose had been thrilled at the prospect of getting to perform this dance. It had been four hours, she assumed they were only halfway through the day. She rarely gets to leave the training room early any more.

The exception is when they have to do boring press things. She would much rather be dancing, but duty calls. However, the Argentine Tango was without a doubt the most intense dance that they had done so far. Much more than the Paso Doble. This was intensity with your partner, the performance aspect was a dream come true.

Rose can see his eyebrow raise and the slight smirk that is forming. She knows what's coming. "Good because I have new dance idea..." her eyes light up, and she focuses on what he is saying. There is a different glint in his eyes whenever he can come up with something creative and imaginative within a dance.

It seems to be when he is happiest, she is perpetually inspired by his desire to keep pushing the boundaries. Even seven years on.

Then suddenly she is drawn back to lip reading when something very specific catches her attention. Almost kisses? What about them….oh.. Okay focus Rose.

"a popular choice with other couples...so we can't... We need to do something different"

That is... An interesting way to put it… Still she is unsure how to process that and instead, audibly gulps. "Oh...kay..so if no almost kiss...what are we doing"

...

Giovanni's head tilts a little in confusion, she sounds unsure?...he thinks he can read that right..of what he has no idea. Almost kisses are old hat at this stage. Boring. No one wants to see an almost kiss again.

So he further explains "I change the ending . Didn't like it. We not doing that. Now i pull you in close to me.. like this. Sharp."

The professional dancer demonstrates as he knows that Rose responds better to show than tell. He takes her by the hand interlocking all of their fingers in a very deliberate manner. Then She can feel the sudden tug as she crashes into him.

Then his free hand runs up her arm. "I will tell camera to follow this" as his hand meanders up her exposed arm to where her top lies on her shoulder. "Then...music builds to a swell… five six seven…" and he tugs her again.

It is impossible to be this close. Yet they are.

"Eight… lights go dark."

Rose takes a moment. She feels his hand still rubbing up and down her arm. They had stopped dancing, so he should have stopped performing. Yet deep down she was happy he didn't.

"Ooh suspense.. so instead of showing an almost kiss...Audience decide what happened. I like it"

They are still pressed firmly against one another, but neither seems to want to pull away. Nodding her head, she smiles. "The Sun will be shining on Sunday.."

Giovanni smiles "They think they know everything..and they will think what they want happened. But doesn't matter.. I don't care what they think happens. We know what will happen.

Rose smiled and leans away, needing to separate herself. "Yes….. we will…"

As they break apart, both of them are visibly shaken up. Yet neither feels the need to voice their thoughts. They both know what the other is thinking anyway. Realistically they are stupid to think that they haven't a clue.

"Can we do Waltz now?" Rose asks hopefully. They needed a change of pace and she loves ballroom, , and since the moment they started this dance, she has been envisioning what dress she will be wearing. Of course Giovanni had been thinking that as well, and as he complied and changed CD's.. and pressed play

"How long will I love you?

As long as stars are above you"

"It's true" he says. But of course… he was facing the other way, so that was yet another thing…left unsaid..

But again… he didn't need to say it. She knew.