[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she has to admit, she likes deviating from the normalcy. even if it’s just for one night, it’s something she holds dear.

he draws little circles around her cheeks. skin heats at the touch and despite herself, morphs into a slightly darker shade.

”just tonight?”

she teases with a faint, underlying purpose. proding without asking the full, actual question feels safer than the alternative.

faintly, an orchestral melody plays from the main ballroom. it becomes a soft, welcome white noise in the background. it prompts another question. this one is different in tune, light and almost shy in contrast.

”would you like to dance?”

Felix Gallagher
dress, mask
mood music

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]a promised tomorrow placates her for now, kept satisfied enough to not weasel more time out of him. it'll last until it shatters and what will she do then?

the kiss lingers long after the music lures them away. it persists with a feathery warmth, spreading from head to toe and leaving her a little dazed as he takes her hand into his. the other hand settles at her back and like he's pulling her strings, her free hand settles onto his shoulder.

he leads them into the dance. and despite not being well versed in ballroom dance, it's easy to move with him. he steps, she follows and it repeats until it's in time with the melody and she feels a bright smile overtake her lips.

"is it bad if i don't want to go back to the ball after this?"

it's quiet, as if she's already worn her social battery down.

Felix Gallagher
dress, mask
mood music

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]truthfully, she'd like to exist in this little pocket dimension for as long as humanly possible. it's safe, comfortable, affectionate.

and with a light sigh of contentment, she shifts to rest her head on his shoulder.

"promise?"

it's easy to ask when she's not looking at him, she realizes, as if she'd lose her nerve if he stared at her long enough. and mostly, it's a soft hope budding in the spaces between them for an unspoken relationship they've cultivated.

she shifts a little closer, holding onto him a little tighter.

"this is all i'd ever need."

in between syllables lies a confession in loose terms. and maybe that's all she needs to explain it because god knows finally unearthing how she burns for him seems like the hardest thing to do.

Felix Gallagher
dress, mask
mood music

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]a whispered confirmation brings with it a swell of warmth and, subsequently, a shift closer into him.

by now, their dance is a slow sort of motion, as if they're dragging it out for as long as possible. each move causes the lights to dance with them, darting around their bodies to bathe them in warmth one way and then the other.

and while he doesn't quite say it in the way she had, keeping her eyes on his produces the same result: a mutual agreement.

it settles her enough in comfortability to begin talking again, as if she wants to state what she's already admitted to jayden cross in the confines of a cozy restaurant.

"i --"

the words don't quite want to come out. she fumbles over them softly, mouth slightly open and mind resisting.

and in resistance, she finds insecurity. her mouth closes a moment later and her eyes retreat, cheeks flooding with rosy heat.

Felix Gallagher
dress, mask
mood music

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]he catches the words, cradling them with a warmth she can't quite ignore. it's soft, gentle, patient.

and when he slows them down a little further, dance moving to a crawling pace, his hand finds her chin and she can't retreat anymore.

her head rises and red drags back to green.

here, she finds hesitation and insecurity building up into a cyclone. what if she says it and it's wrong? what does she do if she's gotten this all wrong?

her voice is barely audible, a soft whisper half drowned out by the music flooding out of the ballroom. and yet, she has a funny feeling he'll hear it regardless, catching it in his hands and holding it up to his ears.

"i love you."

with it out in the open, she lowers her face in an attempt to hide, his fingers on her chin slipping from her awareness.

Felix Gallagher
dress, mask
mood music

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]is she?

there's a hesitation that rises quickly, suddenly. it drowns out everything except the thrum of her heartbeat echoing in her ears.

in her anxiety, she had missed the reaction.

and without it, she spirals.

the orchestra continues to play. their melody is persistent in the way it drifts in. it speaks for her softly, eroding her silence until she finds the confirmation.

when she does, her eyes slowly rise back up to meet his. they're soft despite the slight fear around the edges.

"yes, i am."

there is no taking it back.

Felix Gallagher
dress, mask
mood music