ONF oneshot collection

Silent Calling

Ship: KyunYun

Tags: masquerade ball, cosmic horror inspired, mild blood/injury

Changyun felt out of place at the masquerade ball, until an enticing stranger approached him and invited him to a dance.

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The night sang a silent symphony as Changyun arrived at the estate, it was even more ostentatious than he anticipated. He could spot the ballroom filled with golden light that seeped into the cool outside, contrasting the blue moonlight shining on him. The party seemed to be starting already, fellow guests walking past him, in dresses and tuxedos, their faces covered. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the hall, for as much as he liked big gatherings like these, masquerade balls terrified him.

He didn't like the masked faces all around him, expressions indecipherable. Changyun couldn't help but be on edge, he didn't know if anyone could be looking at him or any intentions they could have. The open neckline of his dress felt increasingly baring, increasingly vulnerable as his jeweled choker weighed on his neck. Each breath he took felt slightly more suffocating, more restricting as the oppressive air of hidden intent felt ever stronger.

Trying not to let it get to him, Changyun shifted his focus to the bright lights illuminating the ballroom, their warmth providing a sense of comfort as he strolled around the unknowable guests in an inconspicuous manner, thinking that being unnoticed would be better than being preyed on.

The sudden sound of doors opening drowned all the others in his head, a new guest arrived, fashionably late. A tall man in a black dress, a corset accentuating his waist and a lace piece wrapped around his neck, exposing his collarbone and golden shoulders, shoulders that caught the glow of the ballroom almost as brilliantly as the highlights in his long dirty blond hair. The floor length skirt added to his presence as the small multicolored jewels glistened in the exposed crinoline. The coverage provided by the black mask and opera gloves made the combination tasteful in such an event, yet definitely striking. Changyun was awestruck as he felt a pressure build in his chest.

So much for the mask in his face, his body must have betrayed him as the mesmerizing stranger slowly approached him, as if he were gliding just above the marbled floor. Changyun was unable to move, almost breathless, his brain not catching up while the man clad in black closed in and wordlessly extended his hand towards him. Changyun accepted his invitation, his body moving before he could realize it, his trembling hand on top of the stranger's.

The music begins. The figure in front of him starts moving, and Changyun follows. Though clunky at the beginning, both adapted to each other and to the music, their joined hands forming a connection. Each step, weightless, felt like a drop, their surroundings vanished. Changyun didn't feel the oppressive presence of the masks all around him anymore, it was only him and his mysterious partner, submerged, alone, at peace.

They kept on dancing, no words were uttered. As much as he tried to get a feel for his partner, Changyun was unable to discern much; the cold yet gentle touch, bright inviting lips, everything felt hazy, save for the eyes behind the black lace mask. All he could do was stare at those big eyes, intense yet aloof, almost beckoning him to dive into the abyss of his pupils.

Suddenly, he noticed their movements slowly coming to a halt. In his daze, they had waltzed through the whole piece, never losing contact with each other; either through palms connecting, a hand on the small of his back, a wave of energy radiating from him. Once his brain caught up with the moment, Changyun pulled back, even though part of him still wanted to linger on the eyes behind the mask, sink into his touch and be completely engulfed by his overwhelming aura.