Author's note -

Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed/favourited this collection so far! I really love to hear from you - it's so inspiring. :)

A modern AU Sybil and Tom ficlet that was first published on Tumblr a while ago, which I am now bringing over here to find it a home on ff. It was inspired by the beautiful picture of Sybil x Tom dancing which I used to illustrate it on Tumblr, which was created by the very talented piperholmes (who kindly gave me permission to use it). Thank you!

Shall we dance?

"Slow, slow, quick quick slow..."

The look of concentration on Tom's face made Sybil laugh. "Sweetheart, this is meant to be fun!"

"Mmm - fun for who? Don't distract me, Sybil - I'm trying to count," he grinned.

They danced around the small studio to the insistent rhythms of the music, along with a few other couples, mainly beginners who were as hesitant as they were. Sybil loved to dance and had always wanted to learn the tango, so when she won the free lesson in the daycare raffle she couldn't resist giving it a try.

She had managed to convince Tom to come along, under the guise of "date night". Now that Michael was starting to walk, they didn't get much time to themselves, and once Matthew and Mary had offered to babysit, offering the excited little boy a cousins' sleepover with George, it was an offer too good to refuse.

Sybil had fun getting dressed up for the night, putting on her favourite red lipstick and a pair of shoes that made her husband grin suggestively - "You can leave those on when we get home later..."

Their teacher clapped her hands - "Good, very good, but don't forget - the tango is all about the embrace! Gentlemen, hold your partners so they feel secure, but always free to move."

Tom was trying to look serious as they stepped back and forth together, bodies pressed close, but he couldn't help a little smile breaking out as he trod on her toe for the third time in as many minutes - "Sorry, love, you know I am useless at this - I'm no dancer."

"That's not true - we danced the night away at our wedding!"

"Ah but that's because it was a ceilidh - that comes naturally to me," said Tom as he spun Sybil around and then dipped her.

Her long hair trailed towards the floor as she almost fell over, giggling. "Don't drop me, you muppet!"

With a wink, he pulled her back up. He slid his arm further around her waist and pulled her more deeply into him - "I do like the idea of the tango being all about the embrace, though… come here, you."

She could feel his heart beating against her own as he looked intently into her eyes. "I love you, Mrs Branson. Did I ever tell you that?"

"Mmm yes, maybe, once in a while. I love you too, Mr Branson."

"God knows, I can't blame you - sure, aren't I lovely."

She swatted his chest - "Watch it, cheeky - I might just accept the offer of that charming gentleman over there who kissed my hand when he asked me to dance with him."

Together, they turned to look at the old couple next to them, moving as if they had been doing that same dance together all their lives - so perfectly in sync with each other, they didn't even need to speak.

Sybil sighed, sounding a little wistful - "They are really sweet, aren't they - I wonder if we will be like them when we are old and grey."

Tom looked down at his wife - God, he loved her so much! Life was so busy these days and he wondered sometimes if he told her often enough how essential she was to him. She wasn't only his lover, she was also his best friend, who loved him for who he was, who always had his back and who encouraged him to be his best self. His face moved down to hers, coming within a breath of her lips.

"Darling, I promise you - I will love you, just the way I do now, until I die," he whispered. "Now, can I kiss you, for feck's sake?"

"What are you waiting for - a written invitation?"

They kept rocking slowly as their lips met - she closed her eyes and tightened her arms around him, feeling his tongue slide into her mouth and hearing him moan softly - "Mmmmm".

The silk of her dress slipped smoothly beneath his hands as he moved them gently up and down her back, feeling her warm skin through the fabric as he caressed her. The music was still swirling around them, and the other dancers gave them some room as their kiss deepened. After several minutes, they broke apart -

"Hold that thought, gorgeous girl... "

"Promises, promises," she replied, looking flirtatiously up at him through her long eyelashes as they started to circle the floor again.

"Come on - slow, slow, quick quick slow... " encouraged their teacher.

"It's lovely to have an evening alone with you, even if you insist on making me come out to fall over my own feet," he grudgingly admitted.

"Enjoy it while you can..." He quirked an eyebrow at her - "There's going to be another Branson, my love - I'm pregnant."

As Tom lifted Sybil off the floor and twirled her joyfully around in his arms, the old couple next to them watched and smiled. After all these years, they could tell a lot about people from the way they danced the tango and they could see that this young couple had already mastered the first rule - to embrace your partner as though you are about to dance the dance of your life.