#the revolution is the queering of ballroom dance btw

[brigittttoo]

thanks @elwenyere and @galateagalvanized for the fun idea, from the randomizer: https://perchance.org/aif690dk10

Cody follows him into the flat and shucks his coat, the sound of the material sliding over his dance jacket seeming louder in the dark, late night. He feels sweaty and bone-tired and doesn't want to start talking; he knows Obi-Wan well enough to not expect the conversation to begin from his end, so they both stay silent and end up in the kitchen. Cody remembers this room from years ago, and not much has changed. The tea towels are still draped over the oven door handle, the souvenir magnets are still stuck to the fridge and holding up receipts, the linoleum is still chipped on the one tile in front of the sink.

Obi-Wan starts the kettle and automatically takes a second mug down from the cabinet. "Coffee, please," Cody says, voice coming out hoarser than he expected. He clears his throat and leans his hip against the counter.

"You moved well, tonight," Obi-Wan says, not looking up from his drawer of instant sachets. Cody raises his eyebrows and lets the silence pull more words out. Obi-Wan glances up briefly, the grey in his hair and beard shining in the overhead light. "I've always liked the tango, but I know it's not exactly your preferred style."

Cody lets his eyes close for a slow second. He had moved well tonight, both of them had, feet and arms and hips working together like they'd never spent any time apart. He'd felt it in his muscle memory, the way Obi-Wan's hand slid in and away from his own, their shoes trailing across the floor in sinuous arcs. There'd been the usual tension, dark and flowing, lowered eyes and quiet, steady breaths held between them-- and then there'd been the fact they'd been in public, no longer dancing in the empty out-of-hours practice rooms with the blinds drawn tightly shut, but together in front of an audience, professional spotlights and sound systems and flowers held in the crooks of their arms afterwards, his heart bouncing around in his chest. Matching black trousers and polished shoes.

"I do still like the waltz better," Cody says. When he opens his eyes Obi-Wan is staring at him in that way he did five years ago, the mugs and instant coffee abandoned but his hand still clutching the edge of the counter.

"Here," Obi-Wan says, barely a sound, and Cody's hands come up automatically to hold the ones coming towards him. He steps back with his left accidentally, still too used to leading, but then they're doing a slow box step in Obi-Wan's dim little kitchen, and Obi-Wan's hand is clutching his back. "I'm sorry," he says to Cody's shoulder, head tilted down but cheek still brushing Cody's ear. "I should never have left you."

"I was the one that moved away," Cody argues, but then Obi-Wan is leading him out into a spin and he goes with the movement, pulling back in and meeting Obi-Wan's eye. "It was never your fault."

They fall silent again and Cody can't help his eyes from closing, leaning his head on Obi-Wan's. He wishes they could have those five years back so he could fill them with more of this, more dancing and less worrying. "Do you want to get back into it?" he asks quietly, and Obi-Wan hums.

"The world is changing," he says, placing an idle kiss on Cody's cheek, high up by his eye.

Cody jolts like he's blinking awake. "Do you want to get back into it--with me?"

Obi-Wan attempts to push them out into another spin but Cody grabs his shoulder and doesn't let him avoid the question. "Competition?" Obi-Wan asks after a second of wide-eyed staring. Cody smooths his hand further back into proper position until they're chest to chest. Obi-Wan's eyes flick down once to Cody's lips.

"And more," Cody agrees, and when Obi-Wan leads into the next step and presses forward in a kiss, Cody follows.

____

tagging @lttrsfrmlnrrgby and @andthepeople to try their hands :)