✨💐 Spring Gala cont. 💐✨
I’m so horribly behind on posting stuff from the April Art Club Event
It takes time to cross the room, and Mikael feels eyes on him as he slowly makes his way across the ballroom floor. It's sharp, calculated...distinct from the other hundereds of guests here for the party tonight. Dread floods through him as he wonders if he's been caught. It's been more than an hour after all. And his luck had been running a bit too smoothly tonight.
Instead, he turns to meet a familiar scowl head on. His anxiety dissipates as he unabashedly stares back at pale grey eyes, narrowed at him and radiating a cocktail of pent up emotion that has a shiver running down his spine and blood rushing to the tips of his ears. He feels pinned down, in the most delightful way.
He's flirted with the half elf before, many, many, times when he's busked in the center of town. He's a performer, it's just part of the gig. He knows he lays it on thick sometimes, especially when rent is due and he's still several coins short. And people tend to respond better to friendliness than to begging.
But his flirting was always meet with furious blush that made him feel like a kid with his first schoolyard crush. A desire to tease. The only way he's ever been taught to express affection. He can't help it, and for some reason, the half elf's rebuffs always hit home a little different, spurring on a embarrassing cycle of trying harder the next time just to be rebuffed again and again.
But the blush is what sticks in his mind. The anger in his eyes that doesn't always seem to be a result of being flirted with. He thinks for a moment of Verity, and wonders if he's doomed to always chase after people who ultimately will never want him.
But, those eyes are different than hers. There is an honestly that betrays enough that he feels confident in his decision to approach, despite his palms sweating as he sets his empty glass down on a passing tray.
Searos has found an alcove to sulk in, as far as he can get from the main floor without leaving the place entirely, shadowed by the balcony of the private boxes on the second floor. By the time they're standing face to face, Mikael feels his courage waver a bit.
The scowl hasn't softened, but his arms are no longer crossed. More just, hovering awkwardly like he doesn't quite know what to do with his hands. It's incredibly endearing, and he decides to take the risk.
Mikael reaches out slowly, telegraphing every move deliberately, so that Searos has plenty of time to step back if his presence is truly unwelcome. He's almost surprised, that he's allowed to lift his hand up to his lips as he bows slightly, bringing them both to eye level.
"Are you content to just watch? Or would you do me the honor of dancing the next with me?"
He can see panic in those pale eyes, and internal battle he's not entirely privy to. He hopes for once, some of his sincerity bleeds through as he keeps steady eye contact and allows a smaller, softer smile to curl at the corner of his lips.
"Okay.”
It's almost lost in the noise of the room.
Mikael's eyes widen in surprise. But before he can second guess himself, he straightens up, still holding onto Searos' hand has he guides him out of the shadows and onto the ballroom floor. He can feel his pulse hammering away as Mikael threads their fingers together.
"Now hold tight," he says as he guides Searos to place and hand on his shoulder. "And just follow my lead."
He places his other hand on Searos' waist and pulls him closer, and Searos makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat and looks like he's seconds away from jumping out of his skin. Mikael feels an overwhelming sense of fondness rush over him at the sight.
Oh, he definitely won't waste this opportunity to sweep him off his feet.
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(Big thank you to @infiniteseahorse for putting up with my nonsense and subjecting the most babygirl shadow monk to his own romance novel 𐔌՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ ՞𐦯 💕)
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