Masked (LokixReader) {COMPLETE}

Chapter Three

(Your Pov)

"To ask you to dance with me." His words echoed inside you head, despite having nowhere to echo outside. Few people were out here, your private dance floor well outside the line of sight of the party goers.

For a moment you hesitate. Why did he not want to dance inside, like everyone else? But you couldn't leave him without an answer for too long, quickly deciding to take the chance.

"I'd love to." You place your hand on his, the coolness mirroring that of the night around you. Although it wasn't a sharp cold, rather one that left you feeling refreshed and mystified.

He lifts your hand to the dancing position, placing his other one on your upper back. You leave your arm to rest on his shoulder, a beat passing before the first step was taken. And then another, and another, until suddenly he's spinning you around the terrace like you had known each other for eternity. If you misstepped, he easily countered, keeping the flow to the faint music wafting out of the doors to the far side of the gardens.

"I can see why you wanted to dance out here." You tease, as he spins you around again, a playful tone laced to his voice.

"And why is that?"

"You would have made every person in there jealous."

He laughed. An honest, real chuckle to both a tease and a compliment.

"And your beauty as well." You blush, glad for once the mask was blocking your face. He still smirked as if he knew what his words had done, even having the slightest idea. "The truth is, if my family saw me dancing with another, they would make it an ordeal which I do not wish to have."

"Ah. I understand. You have to retain your reputation."

"Precisely." He laughed. "But when we locked eyes, I couldn't not dance with you."

You giggle. "You too? I thought I was crazy for following you out here."

"I would hope not."

The music finally slowed to a stop. Leaving you both standing there beneath the stars, less than arms length apart, catching your breath from such a dance. He was nearly a head taller than you, his lips right at your eyeline. Which was quite troublesome, as he panted to catch his breath.

After a moment, you divert your attention to anything other than him in front of you. Before you knew it your eyes caught the skyline, and you gaze up above you.

"It is quite astonishing, isn't it?" He asked, long after he removed his arms from you, "I like imaging each star as a leaf of Yggdrasil, and the ones that fall become shooting stars." When you remain quiet for a moment, he erupts in nervous laughter. "I know it's dumb-"

"I think that's a wonderful analogy." You smile up at him, "I find it fascinating."

"Then I'm glad."

Seconds of looking to the heavens pass, before you suddenly see a streak across the sky. "Oh! Did you see that?"

"One of the leaves fell."

You smile. "Shooting stars are special. Make a wish, and there's a better chance it'll come true."

"Very well." He chuckled, "I wish-"

"Wait! You have to say it in your mind. If someone knows it doesn't work."

"Really?"

"Yes."

He sighed. You recite the wish you wish every time, the one that could never fail you.

'I wish I had my own happy ending.'

You look up at him once you're done, finding him staring down at you. "What did you wish for?"

"I can't tell you, it would ruin the magic."

He laughed. You couldn't help but smile along with him, watching how some of his hair fell out of place as his head shook. Once he finished his tirade, the beginning notes started to one of your favorite songs. You smiled in reminiscence.

"What is it?"

"I love this song."

*

The two of you danced the rest of the night away, smiling and laughing while talking about the most simple of topics. Turns out you had a lot in common. Books, sweets, light mischief, and astronomy among the similarities.

The ballroom had become much more empty by the time you could dance no more, meaning the end of the party drew near. This man... he was a wonderful dancer. A very handsome dancer. One that obviously had been doing this his entire life, while you guessed it was pretty evident you were out of practice.

"Thank you for tonight. It's been so much fun." You say, as you start to head back towards the ball. Not too close, but more so than when you were dancing.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation." He smiled, staring into your eyes just like before. As if studying every aspect of your eyes, in hopes to remember. You did the same, hoping to maybe meet him again. In some less formal setting, under less anonymous circumstances, hopefully.

You wanted to meet him again. This handsome stranger. The masked dancer.

You hadn't known him for more than a few hours, and yet staring up at him made your heart flutter softly. Looking up... past his lips.

Past his lips.

Past-

You glance briefly at them, before quickly meeting his eyes again. But it had seemed he'd done the same.

Maybe... maybe this masked dancer was good at more things than just dancing, or reading, or compliments.

Maybe- maybe you found yourself leaning up to him.

And maybe he found himself leaning towards you as well. Your eyes now strongly locked in contemplation, weighing both the other's actions and their own.

Mere breaths away from closing the gap, and a thought pushes its way to the front of your mind. "I don't even know your name."

"I think we should just be... unknown, for now." He whispered back, eyes fluttering close.

And before you could realise, the gap was closed. Briefly, at first, before you wrap your arms around his head to kiss him deeper. He holds your hips to steady you, fighting you for the single breath of air you managed to keep.

He tasted like tea and mint, freshness and somehow the color green. Just... so green. You couldn't get enough of him.

Little did you know, you weren't kissing just any nobleman.

You were kissing the prince of Asgard.

You were kissing Loki.