[ 𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎. ] they are gathered at a lavish dining table which is longer than it is wide. it is not a modest party by any means but the candlelight glow and soft muted darkness that ebbs at the edges of the room make it seem rather cozy ; no, intimate. and intimate it is. the guests whisper to each other, perfectly moulded mouths painted perfect rouges or golds hidden behind a bent hand holding fine cutlery. only their eyes gleam behind their theatrical masks, those fine windows to the soul. nothing else is true, not their names, not their voices, not their faces... save for the soul that shines through in their rapt gazes. their souls connect like invisible threads, a sense of comfort knowing behind the facades there lives a fascinating stranger. but it’s best if we all stay strangers, isn’t it?
[ 𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚝𝚠𝚘. ] a house like this... it would be a shame not to wander and experience the richness for oneself. some think it is a larger shame to let the beautiful person before them go to waste so they stay and speak of things which their real, unhidden mouths would never dare speak of. others move about to take in the decor and ambience, the exquisite architecture and smart lay - out, the darkened hallways and hidden doorways... [ ah, here we depart from perceived frivolities. ] souls are not simple things ; even a clever soul might fancy a short game of deception and cunning. the party disperses, to each their own, and motives come awry, splintering away to envy or necessity.
[ JADE, 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐, 𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 ; 𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚙𝚞𝚗 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚝, 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝚊 𝚍𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚜 ; 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎. ] she walks close to the wall, without enough room to even sway the hips if she wanted to. the side of her thumb trails lightly against the wall, right under the simple moulding that separates the lower half of the wall from the lighter top, stretching the height of the ceiling by illusion. too soon, she finds herself at a turn, knowing that it’ll take her back to the second - floor balcony that overlooks the grand staircase. on the other side of the opening, nearer the landing of the staircase itself, another figure appears from around their corner. she sees the glint of his eyes, his soul even from this distance, and gives the slightest shake of her head. her breath pauses in the slim column of her throat for his answer when a scream, hysterical and high - pitched and elderly, rang up from the chasm between her and matteo. / @vervaene .
