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𝚂𝙳𝙽’𝚜 𝚅𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝙶𝚊𝚕𝚊 ~𝚁𝙿 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛: 𝙵𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚎જ⁀➴ ♡
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┊ ┊ ┊ ♡ ┊
┊ ┊ ┊ ˚ ♡
┊ ┊ ♡ ⋆ +
♡ ⋆ ┊ .
+ ♡
The ballroom pulsed with an almost blinding effervescence, an extravagant spectacle where music, a soaring orchestral waltz interwoven with modern, upbeat pop, vibrated through the very floorboards.
Heroes, resplendent in their finest formal wear, and their equally dazzling guests, a kaleidoscope of capes, gowns, and custom-tailored suits, mingled like exotic birds in an aviary.
Laughter, bright and brittle, chimed over the clinking of crystal glasses filled with sparkling, ruby-red punch, its fruity sweetness a stark contrast to the whispered secrets and boisterous greetings that filled the air.
Silly, heartfelt gifts, from miniature hero figurines to intricately folded letters, were exchanged, each one a tiny testament to the spirit of the occasion.
Everywhere, roses bloomed in wild profusion – cascades of crimson, blush pink, and creamy white blossoms draped from chandeliers, twined around pillars, and formed fragrant centerpieces on every polished table.
Their intoxicatingly sweet, slightly cloying aroma, a thick, velvety curtain, hung heavy in the air, a scent almost too rich, too perfect.
Richard, however, found it all… quaint. Sweet, even, in a way that felt almost aggressively cheerful.
But beneath his composed exterior, a familiar ache, a raw and wounded heart, stirred with its own reservations about the evening’s forced gaiety. He instinctively smoothed the rich fabric of his corseted suit, the material an almost liquid velvet that caught the light, emphasizing the tasteful heart-shaped cutout at his back, framed by delicate, silver-thread embroidered hearts.
Tiny, gleaming strawberry-shaped stud earrings, a playful touch insisted upon by a mischievous friend, peeked from beneath his dark snow speckled hair, while his gloved hands, each with a subtle, embossed heart on the palm, felt oddly empty.
With a practiced ease born of countless public appearances, he navigated the dense throng, offering polite, almost automatic smiles to the faces that flashed past.
The air grew thick with perfume and the warmth of too many bodies, and he felt an almost desperate need for air. He pushed his way through the final cluster of revelers, the murmur of conversation fading as he reached the grand, ornate double doors, their heavy brass handles cool beneath his gloved fingers.
Stepping out onto the expansive, chill-kissed terrace, the crisp night air was a welcome shock against his cool skin. From an inner pocket, he retrieved the single, slender cigarette he permitted himself on such occasions, its pristine white paper a stark contrast to his plush lips.
With a quiet click, a small, elegant silver lighter flared to life, casting a fleeting, orange glow on his sharp features as he inhaled deeply, the acrid, comforting bite of tobacco filling his lungs.
Valentine’s Day, with its relentless insistence on connection and romance, had always been a particularly gloomy reminder for him, a stark mirror reflecting his own persistent solitude. He wasn't particularly hopeful of finding a companion to share its bittersweet weight tonight, the cynicism a well-worn shield, but even so… a small, foolish part of him, a tiny ember of longing, still wondered…
Would someone arrive?જ⁀➴ ♡