The Dance

It was in the way they didn’t move.

It was in the way they could talk to one another in just a single look.

It was something unspoken between them that said they can speak for each other—-and in a single gesture, a single movement, the other knew what they were conveying.

Their searing, unbroken eye contact that would be like a tug of war—-neither of them relenting, until one would move toward the other, lighting up a cigarette——-and,

Passing it from their lips, and placing it in between their partner’s fingers, fluidly as though they were an extension of each other. Sharing that with each other,

Was their way of being intimate in public without going mad on one another.

It was also in the way they had those subtle, intimate moments, when they thought no one was looking.

The way their hands brushed against each other’s for the briefest of moments, but if you really paid attention,

One of them might try to hold on to the other’s hand for a second, relishing the contact.

The way the slightly taller one would comfort the other by placing their firm and strong hand on the other’s shoulder.

The way they stood up for each other, and never let anyone put the other down.

How’d they whisper secrets to each other—-but they both already understood the deeper truth of each word, putting it together to qualm fears and heartaches with an affectionate affirmation.

And how they danced.

It was more beautiful than any dance, because to them, they both were very much,

Totally, madly, dreamily, crazily,

Utterly,

In love—-and no,

They didn’t need to show it off to anyone, or show it off to each other.

They knew if they both really needed something, or truly were in trouble or danger—

Neither would ever just lay down and allow anything to happen to the other.

They didn’t really dance; but they’d argue that they didn’t need to.

But they both made each other laugh like no one’s business—-and the one who was like a poet and a comedian, who was also the taller one, would sometimes lean down a bit—-

To slide his cheek against his more serious companion’s cheek in a private moment.

They wouldn’t kiss, not yet—- but it felt more

Passionate somehow,

And they both knew it as they looked into each other’s gaze,

That their dance was too fast for human

Eyes.

And their shared songs were numerous, but as they listened to them together, they would be

Completely motionless, but they hearts were in synch, beating perfectly,

And their breathing in perfect unison.

They both took dancing to a new level,

A dance without movements,

But it was breathtaking,

Strange,

Because they traveled together, and

They never went anywhere

Without the other,

Because if they did, then their silent but intense dance

Would collapse,

And their wave of light and shadows would surround them,

A lonely sputtering of energy that would lay down—doing one last

Invisible dance before

That last shared intimate breath would

Burst into smoke.

They both kept the fire going, because

the dance never stopped,

Not for a minute.

Their dreams

Was a way to escape from those constraints—-

Where their love wasn’t judged by

How close they’d stand by each other sometimes,

Thigh brushing against thigh,

And how their dance really

Was starting to look like

Lovers

Enveloped, entranced, fervent, entangled

And everyone saw it, but didn’t say anything—

Because they were so quiet about it,

Knowing at the end of every day,

They’d collapse into one another’s arms—

“It’s just that I’m tired, darlin’,” the cheekier one would say, “I’ll lean against you for support,”

And the one who just wanted to survive would smile again, saying nothing

Because words didn’t say anything like how they really felt,

So they’d lean against the other,

Sometimes cheek against cheek,

And the loquacious one would whisper sweet nothings, while the other dreamt of their

Silent dance

And kiss each other, intense and

Deep.

———————-

Author note: This was inspired by the relationship between Billy and Goodnight in The Magnificent Seven, with Ethan Hawke and Byung-hun Lee. I love that movie very much—-and I especially loved the loyal and seemingly intense relationship between Billy and Goodnight. But, you can interpret this however you want, with any gender for the couple. ❤️