#y2 thread 24

[toa-masquerade]

It hadn't expected such a grandiose display of magical prowess to preface the masquerade.  Surely this is a power play on the count's behalf - it can't imagine another reason.  It also can't help but consider the ultimate risk of standing under who knows how many liters of water.  Should the count decide to kill them all, it would be simple.

So why not die dancing? part of it wonders.

It approaches another ball goer, extending its hand.  Like its mask, its hand is covered in black cloth.

"Never before have I seen such a sight," it tells them, referring to the flowing water around them.  "But as it is a ball, may I have your first dance for this night?"

[psychiccatpanda]

BBB 2023 (Round 5) Masterpost

For @buckybarnesbingo!

Card #B002

B1 - Birthdays - A Catch in My Breath (chapter 2).  WinterBones (Brock x Bucky). Teen+.  

B2 - Image of Bucky "I didn't want to wake you" - Too Good to Be True (Chapter 25: Z Is for Zest (for Life). WinterIron (Tony x Bucky). Mature.

B5 - Warm and Fuzzy Feelings - Too Good to Be True (Chapter 24: X & Y are for eXtraordinary Years).  WinterIron (Tony x Bucky). Mature.

U3 - There Was Only One Bed - A Catch in My Breath (Chapter 1).  WinterBones (Brock x Bucky). Teen+.

C1 - Always - A Black Heart of Gold (Chapter 5).  Bucky & Brock. Mature.

C2 - Pining - You Gotta Pay the Troll Toll (Chapter 1).  WinterIron (Tony x Bucky). Teen+.

C3 - Free Space - A Black Heart of Gold (Chapter 2).  Bucky & Brock. Mature.

C4 - Image of Bucky Falling - A Little Bird Told Me: A Tale of the Tangled Threads of Fate.  WinterIron (Tony x Bucky). Teen+.

C5 - Desert Island - Statues Crumble (Who Knows How Long I've Loved You).  WinterBones (Brock x Bucky). Teen+.

K2 - AU: Coffee Shop - Lucky Days and Cat Cafes.  Stucky (Bucky x Steve). General.

Y2 - Image of Bucky about to go into cryo in Wakanda - Should We Call It 'Thorapy'? - A Bucky Barnes Bingo Round Robin January 2024.  Bucky & Shury, Bucky & Loki. General.

[toa-masquerade]

Ah this feels…just right. Yes, just right. “Mmm…” She wanders through the gentle tides with slow steps, eyes clearly away from the crowd and instead turned to the reflection of sunlight above. An illusion, but one convincing enough to bring her a sense of calm. “This is lovely.” A hand lightly brushes against the edge of her mask, wiping off a stray algae. “Is that…!” Sitting atop a rock not too far from the group, an anemone housing a school of fish swayed back and forth. “Oh, they are just little babies…”

[toa-masquerade]

"Please accept my apologies," it replies, but you are already gone, melted back into the crowd.  Even speaking from the heart as it is, it worries that you can't hear their apology.  Regretfully, it has no way of delivering one when it feels the moment has cooled emotionally.  It doesn't know you, and you don't know it.  This is a small misstep between two people, a moment passed that can never again be revisited.

Such is life.

It turns in the opposite direction, and swears silently to avoid your mask in the future.

[END]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no

It's not really the other person's fault, but still.

The implication makes their stomach wretch.

This is a night full of regrets.

They stop the dance right in their track.

"I'm sorry, but I don't feel comfortable with what you're implying.

It isn't your fault; I just didn't manage this conversation well at all.

And this is just another part of an exhausting evening.

I need to rest."

They break away from the other person, feeling slightly ill and worn down.

"I'm sorry, I wish your evening to be lovely despite this."

[toa-masquerade]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no

It's not really the other person's fault, but still.

The implication makes their stomach wretch.

This is a night full of regrets.

They stop the dance right in their track.

"I'm sorry, but I don't feel comfortable with what you're implying.

It isn't your fault; I just didn't manage this conversation well at all.

And this is just another part of an exhausting evening.

I need to rest."

They break away from the other person, feeling slightly ill and worn down.

"I'm sorry, I wish your evening to be lovely despite this."

It finds it a staggering magical feat that it can divine so much from another without knowing anything about the body producing these signs.  You are flustered, you are backtracking, and it has stepped across some unseen boundary, it can tell.  But you still have no face, no eye color, no voice.  There is something stifling, mixed in with the wondrous glamour, that deeply unsettles it as its ability to interact with another is stripped bare to the most basic form.

Of course, it does not want you to know this.  It stays silent, turning you as is called for in the dance.

"People are fundamentally sentimental creatures," it says.  "Echo you may be, that says nothing of the space in his heart you feature.  This anonymity would be the perfect cover to investigate such feelings, though it may be impossible to locate a man underneath this concealing..."

[toa-masquerade]

It finds it a staggering magical feat that it can divine so much from another without knowing anything about the body producing these signs.  You are flustered, you are backtracking, and it has stepped across some unseen boundary, it can tell.  But you still have no face, no eye color, no voice.  There is something stifling, mixed in with the wondrous glamour, that deeply unsettles it as its ability to interact with another is stripped bare to the most basic form.

Of course, it does not want you to know this.  It stays silent, turning you as is called for in the dance.

"People are fundamentally sentimental creatures," it says.  "Echo you may be, that says nothing of the space in his heart you feature.  This anonymity would be the perfect cover to investigate such feelings, though it may be impossible to locate a man underneath this concealing..."

Oh, Naga…

This is a bit closer than the dance normally demands. They can't distinguish much about the other figure; the closeness makes them feel dizzy all the same. Calm down; this hardly means anything. Some people flirt for the sake of flirting; there's no reason to get worked up.

"It's not that kind of relationship; I am simply an echo of someone he lost. You can feel free to reveal yourself to me, but I'm alright with never knowing in some ways, I revealed to you more than I ever should how will we ever look in each others eyes if we ever meet again."

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[toa-masquerade]

Oh, Naga…

This is a bit closer than the dance normally demands. They can't distinguish much about the other figure; the closeness makes them feel dizzy all the same. Calm down; this hardly means anything. Some people flirt for the sake of flirting; there's no reason to get worked up.

"It's not that kind of relationship; I am simply an echo of someone he lost. You can feel free to reveal yourself to me, but I'm alright with never knowing in some ways, I revealed to you more than I ever should how will we ever look in each others eyes if we ever meet again."

As you stumble in the dance, it reaches out to steady you, firm but gentle in the way he holds you.  When the moment passes, the worry is gone, and it is the same as before.

"My, my," it purrs.  "You flatter me so, though I have no interest in coming between you and him.  Should the worst come to pass, at the very least, we could swim..."

Its head cants to the side, its hair sweeping across its shoulder with the action.  "Do you enjoy this little game?  Or would you prefer to know me by name?"

[toa-masquerade]

As you stumble in the dance, it reaches out to steady you, firm but gentle in the way he holds you.  When the moment passes, the worry is gone, and it is the same as before.

"My, my," it purrs.  "You flatter me so, though I have no interest in coming between you and him.  Should the worst come to pass, at the very least, we could swim..."

Its head cants to the side, its hair sweeping across its shoulder with the action.  "Do you enjoy this little game?  Or would you prefer to know me by name?"

"My apologies; the anonymity untied my tongue too quickly, and I spoke without thinking."

They sway mindlessly along the rhythm.

"There's simply someone waiting for me to return. I can't imagine how he'd cope if I had traded my life for a cheap thrill after everything"

They stubble a tiny bit, an act quite uncharacteristic for them.

"I can leave if you want to, but if it's alright by you, i'd like to give tonight another chance and do so by your side."

[toa-masquerade]

"My apologies; the anonymity untied my tongue too quickly, and I spoke without thinking."

They sway mindlessly along the rhythm.

"There's simply someone waiting for me to return. I can't imagine how he'd cope if I had traded my life for a cheap thrill after everything"

They stubble a tiny bit, an act quite uncharacteristic for them.

"I can leave if you want to, but if it's alright by you, i'd like to give tonight another chance and do so by your side."

A heavy conversation topic to entertain for something as light as a dance seems to be what this fellow stranger is interested in.  It doesn't mind itself; dark as it appears on its own merits.  Certainly, its mask only adds to the macabre air that normally surrounds it.

"Your words to me sound vaguely like a threat," it says, leading the other in a turn.  "In reverence to the evening, this I will choose to forget.  Everyone in attendance here has some one who would miss them, so let us not call upon any potential mayhem."

Though its face is completely shrouded in a way that renders the spell slightly redundant, it can see perfectly through the shroud.  It stares deep into the others' eyes, knowing full well that the opposite is quite impossible.  That is some strange comfort.

"Should we not focus instead on the joy to be found tonight?  The purpose is to have fun, is that not right?"

[toa-masquerade]

A heavy conversation topic to entertain for something as light as a dance seems to be what this fellow stranger is interested in.  It doesn't mind itself; dark as it appears on its own merits.  Certainly, its mask only adds to the macabre air that normally surrounds it.

"Your words to me sound vaguely like a threat," it says, leading the other in a turn.  "In reverence to the evening, this I will choose to forget.  Everyone in attendance here has some one who would miss them, so let us not call upon any potential mayhem."

Though its face is completely shrouded in a way that renders the spell slightly redundant, it can see perfectly through the shroud.  It stares deep into the others' eyes, knowing full well that the opposite is quite impossible.  That is some strange comfort.

"Should we not focus instead on the joy to be found tonight?  The purpose is to have fun, is that not right?"

So the other person wishes to be the one in control? They suppose they did ask for this...

"I know nothing of him, so I cannot judge his mind. It could be a strange mass murder attempt, or it can be a rich quack with too much time on hand. And we all came here of our own wills. How selfish of us to risk such a pointless for a cheap thrill."

As elegant as always, they let the other person guide their dance.

Light footsteps, heavy heart.

"Do you resent yourself for coming here? Would you say no one would miss you?"

[toa-masquerade]

So the other person wishes to be the one in control? They suppose they did ask for this...

"I know nothing of him, so I cannot judge his mind. It could be a strange mass murder attempt, or it can be a rich quack with too much time on hand. And we all came here of our own wills. How selfish of us to risk such a pointless for a cheap thrill."

As elegant as always, they let the other person guide their dance.

Light footsteps, heavy heart.

"Do you resent yourself for coming here? Would you say no one would miss you?"

Its offer accepted, it leads its partner closer to the center of the floor.  Most guests seem to be clinging to the edges of this arcane ballroom, transfixed by the impressive magics on display.  It's a bit quieter towards the center, which makes for a safer feeling, even with the weight hovering perilously over their heads.

"Fascinating is a very apt word to apply," it says, adapting the poise of a lead.  If its partner objects, it will attempt to follow instead.  "If the spell fails, we all die.  I cannot prevent my mind from the thought, do you believe the viscount understands what he has wrought?"

[toa-masquerade]

Its offer accepted, it leads its partner closer to the center of the floor.  Most guests seem to be clinging to the edges of this arcane ballroom, transfixed by the impressive magics on display.  It's a bit quieter towards the center, which makes for a safer feeling, even with the weight hovering perilously over their heads.

"Fascinating is a very apt word to apply," it says, adapting the poise of a lead.  If its partner objects, it will attempt to follow instead.  "If the spell fails, we all die.  I cannot prevent my mind from the thought, do you believe the viscount understands what he has wrought?"

Fuck, the mask is scary; they have never seen a creature with only a single eye.

But who are they to refuse?

"Me neither, but while I initially felt anxious towards the idea of breathing underwater, this lands magic continues to fascinate me."

Ah, a dance; dancing is something they're at least good at. They take out their hands eagerly, ready to begin.

"Very well, let's dance."

[toa-masquerade]

Fuck, the mask is scary; they have never seen a creature with only a single eye.

But who are they to refuse?

"Me neither, but while I initially felt anxious towards the idea of breathing underwater, this lands magic continues to fascinate me."

Ah, a dance; dancing is something they're at least good at. They take out their hands eagerly, ready to begin.

"Very well, let's dance."

It hadn't expected such a grandiose display of magical prowess to preface the masquerade.  Surely this is a power play on the count's behalf - it can't imagine another reason.  It also can't help but consider the ultimate risk of standing under who knows how many liters of water.  Should the count decide to kill them all, it would be simple.

So why not die dancing? part of it wonders.

It approaches another ball goer, extending its hand.  Like its mask, its hand is covered in black cloth.

"Never before have I seen such a sight," it tells them, referring to the flowing water around them.  "But as it is a ball, may I have your first dance for this night?"