My apologies for this being late.

Dancing is a sport and the tango is a super hard one and this fic was inspired by this video, which you should all watch and marvel at! It's the routine bangdae work up to in the fic~

When Daehyun was younger he used to think of dancing as a fun, frivolous past time, not serious like other sports. Not like soccer, baseball, or track. Then his mother had signed him up for ballroom lessons.

“It will teach you discipline,” she’d said as she drove him there, and he’d mumbled that soccer took care of that.

She had smiled, “Your fidgeting then, it will help with that. Your posture, too, and you’ll learn to be a gentleman.”

So he’d gone, once a week for two months. He’d learned the steps, performed them listlessly, his pre-teen mind wandering as the stuffy old teacher droned on about something or other and his partner (a pretty girl, if a little too timid) eyed him hopefully. He’d leave every class with a sheepish good bye, running outside to meet his friends at the school pitch for some real fun.

One day though, he’d stuck around waiting for the rain to pass.

And he’d seen a different dance. A different set of moves, a different aura, an altogether different strength. He’d looked at the dancers and he’d admired their ability.

He began pursuing this new sport the very next month.

*             *             *

“Your technique is sound.”

Daehyun sits patiently, listening to his dance instructor raptly. He wanted to enter an international competition next year and he’d turned the notch up on his practicing in preparation. His instructor, a vibrant woman who’d spent her younger years in Argentina, living the very dance she loved, looks at him with a soft expression.

“But something’s missing, Daehyunnie, and I’m not so sure it’s something I can help you with.”

He looks at her with panic and she squeezes his shoulder.

“Relax, child, I didn’t say no one could help you,” she says with amusement, rifling through her desk before handing him a crisp business card, “Here. He’s the best tango dancer in Seoul, probably all of Korea actually. I told him about you, he’s expecting a call.”

Daehyun dials the number embossed in crisp black on his way home.

 “Bang Yongguk.”

The voice that sounds on the other end of the phone sounds like rich mocha and Daehyun finds himself mesmerized for a moment before clearing his throat and croaking out a response.

“Hello, I’m, um, Jung Daehyun?”

“Are you asking me?”

There is a touch of amusement in the voice and a mild under currant of impatience.

“No, no, I’m …I’m Jung Daehyun. Sir. Um, my teacher told me to call you; she said you could help me.”

“Hmm, yes. Tango, right? She said you’ve got the technical elements down…” the man pauses, the sound of papers being shuffles sounding over the connection before he continues, “come by tomorrow at seven. You have the address?”

“Yes, I do,” he rushes to answer, mentally rearranging his schedule in his head. He was meant to meet Junhong for a work out but figured Yongguk wasn’t the type of person you negotiated with.

“Good. Come prepared.”

*             *             *

The address leads him to a relatively small studio on the second floor of a row of shops. He makes his way up and finds a modern space, a small front desk and several beautifully designed practice rooms. A young dancer guides him to one at the end where he says Yongguk is and Daehyun makes his way inside. There is a man inside with a woman and they both turn at the sound of his arrival. The man is tall, muscled but lean beneath his tank and jeans and his face is serious. He’s handsome in an unconventional way and the aura of intimidation that surrounds him only adds to it.

“This is Minah,” he says, not bothering with introductions and instead pointing to the woman beside him, “She’s studied your routine from last year’s regional competition and you’ll dance it with her, just how you normally do.  Lead her like you do your partner, don’t change a thing. Pretend I’m not even here.”

Yongguk says this with a look in his eyes, like he knows how hard it is to ignore a man like him. His voice is even deeper in person, layers to it that Daehyun doesn’t have time to indulge in, not with Yongguk looking at him expectantly.

They dance. Yongguk has them do the routine several times, until the awkwardness of dancing with a new partner is strained out and their lines become smooth, their holds more natural.

Yongguk nods to Minah when they finish and thanks her, and she bows before gathering her things and heading out the door with a wink sent Daehyun’s way. He flushes, the red on his face creeping down his neck when he meets Yongguk’s eyes next, focused on him intensely.

“So what do you think,” Daehyun asks, fidgeting on his feet like he does when he’s waiting for praise or fearing a scolding. Yongguk does neither.

“I think,” he says instead, voice velvety, “that your body knows your mind.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Something shifts in Yongguk’s eyes then before he shrugs casually.

“Your problem is leading.”

Daehyun frowns, remembering that his teacher had mentioned he needed to take more control in his movements but he’d never thought it was a major issue.

“I…I’ve done quite well leading before.”

Yongguk’s lips quirk up slightly at that, “I don’t mean you can’t. I mean you don’t want to.”

Daehyun is straight forward. He’s simple. And if Yongguk were anyone else he’d demand the elder stop speaking to him in riddles. With Yongguk though –

“You’ll come by three times a week. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Same time. If you can do that, I can help you.”

– he can do little more than follow.

*             *             *

“We’ll start simply. A basic routine; I’ll lead,” Yongguk says during their first official lesson, “Once you learn what you need in this role you’ll able to provide it that much easier when in the reverse. So pay attention to me. The cues I give you, the support. You need to be able to do the same for any one you dance with, better than you do at the moment.”

Yongguk’s hand rests on the inward curve of his waist like it belongs there, his other hand dry and cool in Daehyun’s own. There was no hesitation in him, nothing unsure about the way he handles Daehyun, the way he guides him around the room. There’s nothing excessive or flashy about Yongguk’s movements either but he still commands attention in his every step.

“They should be able to read your every intention,” he says into Daehyun’s ear, lips nearly brushing the sensitive shell, “Easily and without question.”

The tango is always a sensual dance but dancing with Yongguk is a new experience all its own. Of course, there was the contrast of being led rather that doing the leading. Daehyun had never felt quite as coveted as he did now in Yongguk’s grip. Strong hands applying the slightest pressure to direct him, sending tingles down his spine and across his nerves. At the end of the lesson Daehyun feels like Yongguk’s laid him bare in the sun, every part of him warm and relaxed and ready to be molded any which way the elder pleases.

“Not bad. I hope you were taking mental notes,” Yongguk says at the end, “We’re not done, though.”

“Oh,” Daehyun breathes, swaying slightly on his feet as he steps back from Yongguk.

“Weight room,” the elder says with a pat to his back.

Daehyun groans.

*             *             *

It doesn’t matter how hard the AC is blasting, any place Yongguk puts his hands seems to burn from the inside out. It is a sweet torture, Yongguk’s touch and gaze always leaving him wanting more. Daehyun can fall into something of a daze and still somehow find himself following the steps with ease. Yongguk is pulling more feeling out of him in a few lessons than any of his past partners ever had.

Daehyun tilts his head back like he’s a puppet on a string when Yongguk dips his, nosing at the spot just under his ears. He doesn’t even realize when they move to the other end of the room, his back now to Yongguk until he opens his eyes and finds himself staring at one of the mirrored walls. Yongguk smiles at him over his shoulder in the reflection, a large palm spread over Daehyun’s abdomen and the other still holding his hand.

Daehyun’s almost embarrassed by the expression on his face, just a shade off of wanton. Yongguk is becoming so attuned to him he’s sure the elder can sense the flutter of his pulse.

“Resist.”

Daehyun snaps out of his brief reverie at the demand.

“What?”

Yongguk lets his hands drop and Daehyun isn’t nearly as horrified as he should be to realize he nearly whines at the loss.

“The tango is a dance of two powerful partners. I know you’re strong and I don’t want to eclipse that. I want to parry with it.”

He pouts slightly, taking a gulp from his nearby bottle of water.

“Aren’t I supposed to be learning to lead?”

“A good dancer should understand all aspects of the dance.”

“Hyung wants me to disobey, so I’ll learn my lesson?” Daehyun replies, risking his characteristic playfulness and blinking up at his teacher.

Yongguk laughs and curls an arm back around his waist, “You could say that.”

They begin again and this time Daehyun focuses. Pushes against Yongguk’s pull and teases him just as much as the elder teases him, like cat and mouse. He lets Yongguk guides their movements but never quite lets him settle, keeping them in a perpetual chase with each other.

He smiles up at Yongguk when he rises from their ending pose, faces inches apart. Yongguk hums, pleased with him and it makes him giddy.

“Good, you’re a natural. We can add some lifts now.”

Daehyun is riding on the high of the praise Yongguk gives him and doesn’t register the second half of the statement right away.

“Lifts?” Daehyun grins nervously when he does, “I don’t know, I weigh a little more than someone like Minah. Are you sure you can-”

He cuts himself off at the unimpressed look Yongguk sends him before squeaking in surprise when the elder brings him up by the hips with ease and holds him suspended in the air. Yongguk talks up at him like he isn’t supporting the weight of a fully grown man above him.

“Lifts like these require a great amount of ability but also trust. Trust requires a connection. A connection with your partner will manifest in the way you react to each other when you dance.”

Daehyun keeps his eyes squeezed shut, hands tight on Yongguk’s shoulders until he feels himself being let down gently and he takes the opportunity to flop against Yongguk’s chest. He presses his face against the sturdy surface, breathing slowing down when he feels a hand rubbing his back.

“You okay there?” Yongguk murmurs.

Daehyun tilts his head up and finds them almost nose to nose, quickly ducking his head back down before whispering.

“I’m scared of heights.”

Daehyun’s eyes fall closed again when Yongguk’s hands settle in his hair, running through the strands comfortingly. When he looks back up Yongguk actually smiles.

“We’ll work that right out of you.”

*             *             *

It’s months after Daehyun first started working with Yongguk that he realizes he’s no longer afraid of falling, as long as Yongguk’s the one holding him.

He lands softly on his feet after every lift, Yongguk’s hands securely around him. They twirl to the familiar song Yongguk had built a routine to and it no longer feels like just a dance. They don’t let go of each other as soon as it ends, instead Yongguk tugs him close squeezing him hips affectionately when they finish the complex sequence completely for the first time.

“You’ve really come along,” Yongguk says, pride colouring his tone.

Daehyun bounces on his feet happily, finding he quite likes being under Yongguk’s lead.

“I have a proposal for you,” the elder says next, handing him a bottle of water.

Daehyun settles in beside him and waits excitedly, wondering if maybe Yongguk wanted him to tag along to a competition. The elder suggests something far different though and Daehyun’s jaw drops when he speaks once more.

“Be my partner.”

“…Your…partner?”

“Mhmm. My dance partner,” Yongguk says with a wide grin, like he knows Daehyun’s mind had taken a brief detour.

Daehyun laughs softly, “That’s…I mean of course I’m honoured…but don’t you have one already, hyung?”

Yongguk shrugs, “I haven’t competed in a couple years, trying to get the studio off the ground. So no, I’d be all yours.”

He says the last bit with a smirk and Daehyun blushes bright red, the red only spreading with Yongguk’s next words.

“You’re an exceptional athlete, Daehyunnie. Strong, graceful. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we worked quite well together.”

He ducks his head, the rarely doled out praise making him shy, “You liked working with me? I kind of thought I was annoying you at first…”

The older man stands, holding out a hand to Daehyun and pulling him back into a spin. He leans down, their noses brushing briefly when he speaks against the softness of Daehyun’s lips.

“On the contrary, there’s nothing I like more than someone flowering in my hands.”

Thanks for reading!