Ten months later…

Strands of pink and red lights gave the ballroom a soft, romantic glow for the Valentine's Day dance. Couples held each other close and swayed to the sensual beat of Latin love songs. After two energetic cha-chas, the playlist switched over to a smooth tango. Dancers normally changed partners after every song, but tonight almost no one did. A few couples left the floor, while the rest faced each other and shifted their position.

The stream of dancers moved counterclockwise around the room, feet going slow, slow, quick quick slow. Near the edges, two blond young men overtook and passed several other dancers, moving faster on their longer legs. Their crisp white shirts and pressed navy slacks gave them the appearance of professionals, but from the smiles they exchanged, it was obviously a date night. They only had eyes for each other.

"Alfred, you know the tango isn't supposed to be bouncy, right?" Arthur asked with a smile softening his critique.

"I can't help it. I'm a bouncy person."

"I know." Having successfully slowed Alfred down, Arthur leaned his head against Alfred's shoulder.

Heart beating fast, Alfred pulled Arthur even closer. He squeezed Arthur's hand and pressed his fingers against the stiff fabric of Arthur's shirt. Although Alfred would have preferred jeans with holes and a plain cotton t-shirt, he'd let Arthur pick the outfits for the evening and Arthur chose a fancier ensemble. Clothes maketh the man, he'd said. They probably looked like Mormons, but Alfred was pretty sure no one would confuse them for Latter Day Saints as they pressed against each other on the dance floor.

Despite his inexperience with the tricky tango tempo, Alfred lost himself in the sheer pleasure of holding his boyfriend close and dancing with him in the warm, crowded room. It was like the annual four-day polka festival in his hometown, except even better because here no one would care that he was dancing with a guy. A real hot guy. Probably the hottest guy who had ever lived.

After two more laps around the dance floor, the song ended with a stunning finale. Showing off his flexibility, Arthur kicked up his leg and hooked it around Alfred's hip and behind his lower back. He bent backwards. Taking his cue, Alfred leaned forward and dipped Arthur until his hair nearly brushed the floor. When Alfred pulled him back up, they pressed against each other again and ended the dance with their noses just centimeters apart. Breathing heavily, they gazed into each other's eyes. Without another word, Alfred and Arthur locked lips.

They were lost in their own little world near the edge of the dance floor while the playlist continued on and the other couples shifted into different stances. Alfred and Arthur would have cheerfully, obliviously continued kissing on the dance floor for another minute if Alfred hadn't noticed something special about the new song. Unlike the earlier songs, this one had a strong, even beat.

He pulled back and grinned at Arthur. "Do you hear that?"

Arthur shrugged. "Sounds like salsa."

"Yeah, but there's something else we could dance to it..."

Knowing his boyfriend as well as he did, Arthur caught his meaning immediately. He scowled. "No, absolutely not."

"Come on, please, please, please!" Alfred begged shamelessly.

"I'm not doing the polka with you on Latin dance night. It's a ridiculous dance and this room is far too crowded."

The blond sophomore glanced around, gauging the depth and movement of the dancing students. Yes, it was crowded, but less so along the edges. "We could make it work," he insisted. "We're the best and I have a trophy to prove it."

"Oh, for god's sake, what is it with you and polka?"

"Well," Alfred glanced down at his feet, "it was the first dance we ever danced together..."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Don't think you can win me over with sap."

"How about this: it could be your Valentine's Day present to me."

"I've already gotten you one."

"Please, please, please?" Alfred begged again. "If you do, I'll agree with you that American chocolate is crap."

"You should agree with me anyway because it's true." Despite his harsh words, Arthur gazed at his boyfriend thoughtfully. "Okay, fine," he grudgingly agreed. "But only because it's Valentine's Day. And I'm leading."

Even though the salsa song was already half over, Alfred whooped in excitement and gave his boyfriend a face-splitting grin. They took a step closer together and clasped hands on one side. On the other side, Arthur placed his hand on Alfred's back, while Alfred rested his atop Arthur's shoulder. They had a good, solid connection, allowing them to feel each other's movements and anticipate what the other would do next.

Earning many surprised looks, they took three quick steps to the side and then started the polka. They twirled and pivoted in a large circle around the edge of the dance floor, weaving between the stationary couples with speed and grace. Alfred laughed with glee as they dodged between two other couples, barely managing to squeeze through the gap. Dancing with Arthur in a crowded room was fun and exhilarating and everything the polka was supposed to be.

By the time the song finally ended, Alfred out of breath, but still grinning so hard it felt like his face would hurt the next morning. He wiped some sweat from his brow with his hand and gave Arthur a happy, but tired, smile. "Wanna sit out the next coupla songs?"

"I have an even better idea. Let's head back to my apartment and I'll give you your Valentine's Day gift."

"Oooh, I like that idea," Alfred agreed cheerfully; he had a pretty good idea what the 'gift' would be. Weaving his way along the edge of the dance floor, he followed Arthur to the overflowing coat rack near the entrance. They changed into street shoes and extracted their coats from the pile. After slipping on their coats, they hurried out into the cold February night glove-in-glove. Alfred squeezed Arthur's hand and, seeing Arthur return his smile, felt a rush of heat that no winter evening could chill.

Unfortunately, after just a couple blocks on the way to Arthur's apartment, Alfred realized he would need to make a detour if he didn't want to walk home the next morning in dress clothes. He jerked his thumb toward the left. "Mind if I meet you there in like ten minutes? I need to go back to my room to get my clothes and a toothbrush and stuff."

"Of course." Arthur kissed him on the cheek and they parted ways.

Eager to make up for lost time, Alfred jogged the two blocks to his residence. The large dorm-style building was, fittingly enough, called Kirkland House. He loved it nearly as much as he loved his boyfriend. It helped that he had replaced the angry Italian with a much better roommate for his sophomore year. Toris was quiet and friendly and he always had a pot of coffee going in his coffee pot. Alfred raced up the stairs and dashed halfway down the hallway. He unlocked the door to his shared room and frowned when it refused to budge. It felt like there was something blocking it from swinging open.

"Toris?" he called. "I think there's something wrong with the door."

"Well, it's uh..." his roommate sounded out of breath. "I just... I thought the dance didn't end for another hour."

"We left early."

"Um, would you mind coming back in an hour?"

Alfred heard a few feminine giggles from behind the door. He realized his mistake and flushed in embarrassment for both of them. After sexiling Toris once or twice, he owed it to his roommate to give him and his girlfriend(s) some privacy. "Oh. I, uh... yeah, I'll be back tomorrow morning."

He could live without a change of clothes, he decided. Unfortunately, as he stepped outside of his residence, Alfred remembered that he had left Arthur's present sitting on his bed. Too embarrassed to go back, he decided he would just have to buy a replacement gift. So much for the L.A. Burdick handmade chocolates he had bought to prove to Arthur that American chocolates could be delicious

Alfred jogged to the local organic market and quickly realized the dangers of trying to buy a Valentine's Day present at 10pm on Valentine's day. He gazed forlornly at the nearly empty shelves. The roses were gone. The chocolate was down to Hershey's, which Arthur hated. There were still plenty of wine bottles left, but he had no idea what kind Arthur liked. As far as Alfred was concerned, wine came in two flavors: red and white. The vast array of international brands was too much to handle.

He helplessly wandered the aisles, knowing that every minute he wasted was just going to make Arthur more annoyed. But he couldn't show up with nothing when Arthur had given him the gift of polka! Alfred finally settled on the card aisle and picked out something very glittery and expensive. It was the thought that counted... right?

As Alfred hurried to the cash register, he bumped into a shelf of seed packets. The ones at the top caught his eye and a grin slowly spread across his face. He couldn't get Arthur roses, but he could get him rose seeds!

With a spring in his step, Alfred quickly paid for the gift and sprinted the rest of the way to Arthur's apartment. He was met at the door by a less-than-enthusiastic Englishman with wet hair in a bathrobe.

"You certainly took your time," Arthur complained as Alfred stepped inside the small studio apartment. They stood on the tile floor next to the tiny kitchen.

Seeing Arthur's annoyed, disappointed expression, Alfred didn't even wait to catch his breath before explaining. "Yeah... well... my roommate... sorta sexiled... me and then... I hadta get... a new gift," he said between gasps for air. He pressed the pink envelope into Arthur's hand.

The older student opened the note and raised an eyebrow as he studied the pouch inside. "Rose seeds? Alfred, I don't have a garden here."

"I know." By this point, Alfred had caught his breath, but he still spoke hesitantly. It had been a spur-of-the-moment idea, as all of his great ideas were, and he wasn't sure how much Arthur would like it. "Actually, I was thinking you could maybe come to Wisconsin with me for spring break and we could plant them there."

Arthur's eyebrows skyrocketed. "You want to introduce me to your parents? Do you really think that's a good idea?"

"Yeah." Alfred's grin faltered. "Maybe. I'm not sure."

"We can think about it." Arthur gave him a softer smile. "You're such a sap."

"So, about that present you mentioned..." Alfred waggled his eyebrows and nodded at Arthur's soft, fuzzy bathrobe. He had a pretty good idea what was under the robe. Or more accurately, what Arthur wasn't wearing under the robe.

Arthur grinned playfully. "Let me set the mood." He walked a few steps away from Alfred to his desk and started playing Moonlight Serenade on his computer speakers. With the seductive 1940s Glen Miller music providing a romantic ambiance, he took a few more graceful steps and posed dramatically next to his bed.

Gazing seductively at Alfred over his shoulder, Arthur untied the belt around his waist with smooth, careful movements. He paused dramatically, and then let the bathrobe fall to a soft, fuzzy pile on the floor.

Alfred gasped in shock to see the red, sparkly dress that Arthur was wearing underneath. The dress hugged his body at his trim waist. A little lower, it split on each side near his thighs, showcasing Arthur's incredible legs. The American gulped and drank in the beautiful sight. After their victory, he'd been blessed to see the photos Arthur had taken of himself wearing a red dress in the changing room, but they didn't do him justice.

"You actually bought it?" Alfred asked in surprised delight.

Arthur turned around to face his boyfriend, the red sequins shimmering as he moved. "A few days later."

"But you didn't even know we'd win."

"I knew."

"Or that we were gonna get together."

"I had a good feeling about that too." Arthur placed his hands on his hips, looking seductive in his tight, glittering red dress.

"Yeah? Me, too." Alfred's look of surprise slowly morphed into a gentle smile. He took a few steps closer and unabashedly ogled his boyfriend. "You look amazing. I mean, you're always sexy, but this is like, extra super awesome sexy."

"I still don't really understand why you like seeing me in a dress so much."

"Well..." Alfred bit his lip. "I think it's because growing up, I was told that girls in dresses were attractive. And I didn't find girls attractive, so it had to be the dresses." He looked Arthur up and down from the top of his messy golden hair to the tips of his adorable toes. Alfred smiled. "Or it might just be how great your legs look."

Alfred took Arthur by the hand and spun him around a few times, admiring the way the red sequins sparkled on Arthur's cute butt. He wondered if he could convince Arthur to wear the dress during a competition. Then again, maybe he preferred to be the only one who had ever seen Arthur in his sexy red dress.

He grinned at Arthur. "You look like you could use a partner. Would you be my Valentine?"

"Of course, love." Arthur kissed him gently. "Happy Valentine's Day," he murmured as they stumbled toward the bed.

The music played and they danced all night.

A/N: At long last, here's the omake I promised some people and the return of the red dress! Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. Saint Valentine was the patron saint of gay fluff, right? :D