Bite Me

Chapter 3

"Okay." Earth said, shutting the door of the studio behind him, "Turn the music on then since you wanted to practice so badly."

The commotion outside died down and Santa heard the distant slam of the main entrance door closing for the night. The hall lights clicked off and everything was cast into a dimly lit glow as the energy savers came on. The sudden silence was jarring but Santa refused to let it be uncomfortable.

Earth threw his belongings against the wall by the door and they landed in a heap next to Santa's bag. He walked over to the mirror and shook his bangs out before arranging the strands of his hair to fall artfully across his forehead.

Santa didn't even try to look away as Earth preened, and when they met eyes in the mirror Santa smiled at him, warm and flirty.

Earth stared for a moment, mouth parted and face unreadable before he quickly averted his eyes. "Are you going to turn it on?" He prompted, voice a little husky.

Santa plugged his phone into the speakers and made sure the song was set to repeat before pressing play. He skipped forward so they would have just enough time to take their ready positions.

When Earth didn't move, Santa grabbed his waist and pulled him away from the mirror to the middle of the floor.

He held Earth against him like that, enjoying his closeness.

When Santa left earlier that year, he didn't know whether he would dance like this with Earth ever again. But here he was, here they were. They were dancing together again, and it felt like a dream within a dream. He floated above everyone and everything, feet pillowed on the clouds, an idyllic blue sky stretching endlessly just for them.

Santa had broken the ice by dragging Earth into the dance, and their practice became silly. Their movements were accurate but loose and they shot each other exaggerated coy looks each aiming to make the other laugh.

Right now, they didn't have to put on a show, and they didn't have to be a spectacle. Here alone in the practice room with Earth, it was relaxed and comfortable and despite their frivolity, it was so intimate. It was like they were dancing in the kitchen, messing around while they waited for whatever was on the stove to finish cooking.

Santa was reminded of all the times they would play music and dance around each other's houses without abandon. No choreography, no expectations. Just themselves and the music and the laughter that would get louder the more ridiculous the dance moves that were attempted.

Right now with Earth, Santa was reminded of why he loved dancing in the first place. He remembered a time when he danced just for fun, just for the sheer joy of movement and expression. As the song wound down, Santa abandoned the choreography entirely and let his limbs loose, he flailed this way and that, in awe of how therapeutic it felt to drop the facade of indifference he'd used like armor for almost a full year.

"Okay, okay!" Earth exclaimed when Santa got in his space, eyes scrunched and tongue lolling, face contorted all funny. "For real this time."

Santa was still smiling at Earth when the song started over and they returned to their positions.

Earth was more serious this time so Santa matched his energy. He was also much more sexy. Earth had enough playing around it seemed, and he shimmied down Santa's front like he meant it. He ignited him everywhere he touched and Santa didn't care to mask the effect that had on him. Santa had lost count of how many times they'd practiced this dance, but when Earth ran his hands all over his chest, Santa tingled and burned like it was the first.

Santa pulled Earth close, almost nose to nose and fuck but he wanted more. He wanted everything.

He didn't want to mess up their working relationship, it was still a newly mending thing, after all. But he desperately wanted to take this next step, he needed to know what his place in Earth's life was. He needed to know whether his feelings were reciprocated.