Alfred stepped into the airy room and glanced around nervously, dropping his bag next to the others by the door. The golden, wood floors and the wall covered top to bottom in mirror paneling all seemed to stare at him, reflecting his anxiety. But despite his instincts telling him to run, he stepped further into the room and towards the group of people waiting; Alfred F. Jones would not back out now.

He couldn't really call it a group, more like a group of couples. The farthest couple was a tall blond with glasses and sharp blue eyes that inflicted the feeling of terror, but next to him an adorable little blond had his arm wrapped around the giant's waist and balanced out the larger man's scary feeling. The other two couples stood together and talked, although a bubbled, brunet man and a beautiful woman held up the conversation, while their partners listened to their chatter. Sometimes the elegant, aristocratic man would make a comment to another tall blond, but this one had neat clothes and slicked back hair.

Shit, was this a couples thing? He edged close to the groups, but it became more obvious he was very out of place there.

"Hola, everybody!" A cheerful voice called with an unmistakable Spanish accent as a smiling brunet stepped into the room. Behind him, a dark-haired man followed, a scowl stamped permanently on his face. "My name is Antonio, but you can call me Toni. This is my dance partner, Lovi. He and I will be teaching you the passions of dance."

"My name is Lovino, please do not call me Lovi," the shorter man said, a musical accent colored his voice, but Alfred couldn't place its origins. Lovino glared challengingly around the room, daring someone to call him Lovi. Their eyes locked and Alfred found himself frozen to the spot by eyes that cut through straight to his soul. "Let's get started. Get in a line along the wall."

Everyone hurried to the wall, himself included once he shook himself from his dazed, and stood silently. Lovino's sharp gaze raked over the group, his mouth moving silently. "Oaky, who doesn't have a f— partner?"

Alfred internally winced and reluctantly raised his hand.

"Why don't you have a f— partner?" Lovino stomped to him and even though he stood short than Alfred, he still felt intimidated by the smallish man and strangely excited.

He tried one of his most charming smiles, but that only made Lovino glare more. "I didn't know I was suppose to have a partner...?"

"Sei un fottuto idiota?" Lovino grumbled under his breath. Next to him, the brunet who had talked to the woman before, gasped and gave Lovino a horrified look.

"Lovi—"

Lovino silenced the brunet with some words in a language Alfred didn't understand, then turn to him and said," Fine, I will step in as your partner."

"Uh... Thank you?" Alfred stared at the shorter man warily.

"Will everyone please tell us your names?" Antonio chimed in, lightening the tense mood with his carefree smile. "Starting with you."

"Um, hello. I'm Tino and this Berwald," the cuter of the two blonds said for the both of them. "It's nice to meet you all."

Next was the brunet couple. "I'm Elizabeta and this is my husband, Roderich."

"My name is Ludwig," the smartly dressed man said with a strong German accent.

"Veh, I'm Feliciano and Lovi's my big brother."

"Shut up, idiota!" Lovino glared angrily, and Alfred almost couldn't believe the two polar opposite men were even related, but the resemblance was undeniable. "That's obviously Alfred," Lovino said sharply and pointed to him. He tried to figure out how Lovino could have known that, but then he remember the name sewn into his jacket. "Now, let's get to work."

Lovino put each couple on a black piece of tape, forming a loose circle, and Lovino and Antonio stood in the middle. "In this class, we will be teaching you the different ballroom dances: Waltz or Slow Waltz, Viennese Waltz, Ballroom Tango, Foxtrot, and the Quickstep. You will learn these dances together with your partner and make your love stronger and more passionate," Lovino said in a crisp tone.

"We'll teach the simpler Slow Waltz first. Please, turn all your attention to me," Antonio said, took Lovino's hand and rested his hand high on the man's upper back, while Lovino settled his hand on Antonio's shoulder.

The other couples copied Antonio and Lovino, he stood there uncomfortably, shifting from foot to foot. Lovino broke away from Toni and walked to him, staring at him expectantly.

"What...?"

"I'm your partner, idiot, take my hand." Lovino rolled his eyes irritably.

"Oh!" Alfred quickly grabbed Lovino's hand and hesitantly put his hand on Lovino.

Lovino's hand squeezed his shoulder lightly and spoke in a low, soft voice, "Move your hand higher and move closer to me. Don't hold my hand so lightly, I'm not fragile and you're not going to break me. I may be a stranger now, but you will get to know me as well as you know yourself by the time these classes are over."

Alfred slide his hand his hand higher, dreading the heat he felt creeping up his neck. He could feel the warmth from Lovino's body seeping through his clothes. It would be so easy to just move his hand down and trap the slim man against him. "Why...Why do you say that?"

"Because I'm your dance partner. Do you understand this much?"

He nodded dumbly, enchanted by the man pressed against him.

"Good." Lovino pulled away from him and walked to another couple to make suggestions, before walking back to Antonio.

"Eyes on me, everyone," Lovino called attention to himself. "Watch closely as we show you the first steps."

Antonio took Lovino through a simple gliding, pattern, their steps seemed to mirror each other as they twirled around. He glanced up from their feet to see Antonio's smile turn into a toothy grin just as Lovino's eyes widened. Before Lovino could do, or say, anything, Antonio spun them around and whirled them around the circle. Lovino instantly adjusted his stride, dancing seamlessly with Antonio.

To Alfred, they seemed of one body, knowing where the other would step, turn and spin. Antonio and Lovino danced on together, their eyes never leaving each other's faces, although Lovino glared angrily at Antonio. They came to a stop where they began and Lovino immediately pulled away and punched Toni in the shoulder.

"Bastard!"

"Ow!" Antonio smiled, while everyone clapped for them.

"I'll show you those steps again," Lovino pulled Alfred into the circle, "But this time using Alfred as my partner, so I don't get danced around the fucking room again."

"But—" He tried to pull away.

"Don't worry," Lovino spoke softly, so the others wouldn't hear him. "Just listen to me."

He reluctantly put his hands on Lovino, again feeling the longing hold this man closer and unconsciously tightened his grip on Lovino's hand. Over Lovino's head, he could see Antonio frowning at him and he felt the strange feeling of triumph over Antonio.

Lovino whispered the steps in his ear and he stumble through them. After nearly stepping on Lovino's toes a few times, the shorter man finally said, "Relax and stop looking at your feet."

"Then where should I look?"

"Me, you dipshit."

Alfred slowly looked up and instead of finding Lovino glaring at him, like he was expecting, Lovino stared at him openly. He quickly found himself immersed in ever-changing shades of gold and green, unable to breathe or think clearly. He'd lost himself so completely that he didn't realize they had stopped dancing until Lovino pulled away.

"If this idiot can do it, so can you. Just relax and look at your partner," Lovino said in his usual sharp tone, so different from how he spoke to him before. Lovino went around inspecting everyone's postures and movements, sometimes saying something quietly to the couple, then returning to Antonio's side to whisper with him.

"One, two, three, four, five, six," Lovino called out in a steady, lyrical voice and watched the couples dance. He finally seemed to notice him standing awkwardly alone and returned to dancing with him.

They spent the rest of the hour and a half learning more steps, Lovino flitting between him, Antonio and the other students. Alfred would have felt bad for giving Lovino trouble, if he didn't feel the desire to monopolize Lovino's time and keep him in his arms. Alfred had never considered himself possessive man, but feeling Lovino's slender body pressing against his own awakened something he never felt before.

"I believe that is all we will teach you today, be ready tomorrow to learn the second half of the waltz and we'll show you some interesting flares," Antonio purred, rolling his Rs exaggeratedly.

The little brunet, he now knew as Feliciano, ran over to his older brother and whispered, none too softly, "Let's go get pasta, fratellone. You can bring Toni to talk to."

"Whatever, just give me a moment." Lovino turned to Alfred and he pretended he hadn't been eavesdropping on them. "Hey, you!"

He looked up in surprise. "Me?"

Lovino stood closer to him than he was use to and spoke softly, "You did well for a beginner."

"It was nothing." Alfred let one of his trade-mark grins spread across his face.

The dark-haired man wrinkled his nose in the most endearing fashion. "Mio dio, you're annoying as soon as you open your mouth."

"Anyway, I suggest you find yourself a partner, because I'm the only competent instructor here and working with you slows down the class," Lovino said and walked back to gather his things.

Alfred watched his pert bum in appreciation, but then he finally seemed to hear Lovino's words and not just see his lips moving. Annoying? New partner? He didn't want Lovino to think he was annoying, and he most definitely didn't want a new partner. He brooded over the problem as he grabbed his bag and walked out the door. This was a problem to ask his best friend about.

...

"Arthur, let me in," he whined and joggled the doorknob.

"No! It's not my bloody fault you lost your fucking key again, wanker!" Arthur yelled at him through the door.

"But I need to talk with you!" Alfred banged on the door, gulping when the door gave a creak.

"Alfred F. Jones, if you break my door, I'll bloody skin you," Arthur warned.

"Then open the door! It's important!"

Arthur swung the door open, his green eyes flashing angrily. "Stop yelling! You'll bring the neighbors out!"

"I'm not the only one yelling, you grumpy crumpet!" That was a very wrong thing to say, because he barely had time to shove his foot in the door before Arthur tried to slam it shut. "Please, Arthur!"

The Brit tried to push his foot out. "Go away!"

"Gosh dang it!" Alfred forced the door open, and before Arthur could try to kick him back out, he threw the smaller man over his shoulder and slammed the door shut behind him.

His hostage kicked and screamed profanities at him until he finally threw Arthur on the couch. "Why do you do that every time I come over?"

"To keep the neighbors away." Arthur sat up and resumed drinking tea, like he'd been doing before Alfred had knocked. "There's been a particularly persistent Frenchman sneaking about, a little 'boyfriend' drama will hopefully scare him off."

He could only sigh. This was Arthur, his reclusive, shut-in, best friend. Arthur didn't care much for interacting with people and could come across as dry to most who tried speaking to him. But somehow the man still manages to get many suitors at his door that Alfred as to shoo away, because the princess wouldn't dare come down from his tower to tell the poor men to piss off.

"Now what can I do for you, love?"

"Remember how I told you I signed up for that dance class?"

"Yes, and I told you it was the gayest thing you've ever done, beside other men."

"Shut up!" Alfred sat down and kicked off his shoes. "Don't be a smartass for a moment, oaky?"

"Fine, continue."

"I met this guy and his name is Lovino and he's my teacher, but..."

"But you really want to fuck him?"

"Don't say it like that!" His face grew warm and he looked away. "I don't want only that," he mumbled.

"Oh no, my innocent little Alfie is feeling the undeniable allurement of lust. What ever shall we do?" Arthur smirked at him.

"I'm serious, Arthur! I've never..."

"Felt like this before? Of course not, all your previous relationships were for the other person and never for yourself, you selfless little prick." Arthur, despite his seemingly bitter words, stared at him curiously. "Is there a reason you cannot pursue this man?"

"His dance partner, Antonio. I think they're together..."

"Do you know for sure?"

"Well—"

"Just go ask, it won't hurt anyone, you git."

"But what if he's not even gay?" He seriously doubted Lovino wasn't gay, no straight man wore pants as well-fitted as Lovino, but you never know.

"Then kill two birds with one stone and ask the man if he's dating Antonio. If he reacts with disgust, he's most likely straight, if not, then he's free game." Arthur sipped from his tea again.

"But—"

"Take it from me, there will always be a 'but', or 'if' to hold you back." Arthur eyed him in amusement. "And I know you're not afraid of asking a simple question, right?"

"Of course not! I'm not afraid of anything!" He pouted, knowing full well Arthur was messing with him like usual.

"Good, lad. Now go tell that French frog to get off my balcony before I call the police." Arthur lazily gestured to the double doors with his teacup.

He groaned and glanced out, glaring at the blond head peeking over a large flowerpot. "Why can you never handle these guys by yourself?"

"Because then there'd be no reason to keep you around, love. Now go do it before I throw both you wankers to your deaths."

Alfred rolled his eyes, but stood up anyway. He wouldn't put past Arthur to commit double homicide and the handsome Brit could probably get away with it, too.

Translations:

Sei un fottuto idiota? (Italian): Are you a fucking idiot?

I am not a dance, nor have I ever taken a dance class. But after studying videos of dancers, I have tried my best to describe the different techniques and stances. Thank you for reading.

-Windy