The ones who live hidden in plain sight (A discovery of witches story)

Mind if I stay

Listen to the universe

You may find an answer

Love is here and everywhere

By Kadebostany

Camille stood by the fireplace, glass of wine in hand, the warmth of the flames gently licking her face as she watched the scene unfold before her. The castle was immersed in a hushed atmosphere, bathed in the orange glow of the fire and the golden glow of the candlesticks. Music played softly in the background, an enveloping classical melody that invited her to relax and daydream.

All around her, the evening unfolded with an almost spellbinding gentleness. Laughter occasionally broke out, voices whispering anecdotes, exchanging stories from another time. A few metres away, Marcus and Phoebe were engaged in a lively conversation, their eyes sparkling with complicity. Camille smiled softly as she watched them, happy to see them like this, accomplices and happy.

Her gaze drifted to the centre of the room, where Matthew and Diana, perfectly synchronised, were dancing with an almost unreal grace. They were in their own bubble, their movements light and elegant, as if they were floating above the ground. They didn't speak to each other, but their bodies communicated with a palpable ease, a silent dialogue that only lovers or experienced dancers could understand. Camille watched them, fascinated by this silent harmony.

While she was absorbed in the scene, she felt a presence beside her. Andrew had approached discreetly, a smile floating on his lips. She looked up at him, already guessing what he was going to say.

- Do you want to dance? He asked softly, his gentle voice blending into the subdued atmosphere of the room.

Camille hesitated. She felt a wave of warmth pass through her, a part of her tempted, attracted by the idea. But another, more cautious part held her back.

- I don't know...' she replied, a little embarrassed.

Andrew tilted his head slightly, his smile becoming even more charming.

- Please, he insisted gently, his voice filled with irresistible warmth.

Camille felt her heart quicken. That smile, that look. He had this disconcerting ability to melt away all her resistance, without even knowing it. She fought for a second against the wave of emotion rising up inside her, but she could already feel that the battle was lost.

Her heart beat faster as she met his eyes again. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, the simple desire to share this moment with her. Slowly, almost without realising it, she let her resistance melt away.

- 'Okay,' she said at last, a discreet smile grazing her lips.

Andrew held out his hand, and she took it in a hesitant, tender way.

He gently led her towards the centre of the room, where the music continued to play.Camille felt her heart beating even faster, but this time it was a pleasant sensation. She let Andrew guide her, her body gradually relaxing.

They began to dance, slowly at first, then more fluidly as she let herself be carried away by the music and the reassuring feeling of his arms around her.The world around them seemed to fade away, and for a moment there was only the music, the crackling fire in the fireplace, and Andrew, who was gently twirling her around.

She closed her eyes, savouring the moment.

The evening had taken an unexpected turn. After the enveloping warmth of the fire and the gentle exchanges and dances, Andrew and Camille decided to get some fresh air. The castle, imposing in the night, stood against the black sky dotted with stars, illuminated by the full moon which bathed everything in a silvery light.

Their footsteps crunched softly on the gravel path that led to the gardens, surrounded by the murmur of trees cradled by the wind. Camille took a deep breath, enjoying the coolness of the night after the heat of the fire and the crowded room.Andrew walked beside her, silent for a moment, simply savouring the tranquillity of the moment.The clear sky offered a spectacular view of the moon, bright and full, dominating the night landscape.

- It's a beautiful full moon tonight,' Andrew said softly, breaking the silence. Camille looked up at the sky, smiling in spite of herself at the hypnotic beauty of the celestial spectacle.

- Yes... it gives everything a kind of magic,' she replied.

Andrew turned his gaze towards her, an amused expression on his face.

- Or maybe it's you who's making everything magical tonight,' he added softly, his eyes shining in the half-light. Camille immediately felt the heat rise to her cheeks, and she looked away, taken back by the compliment. Even in the subdued light, she knew he had noticed her blush. She tried to regain her composure, staring at the moon to avoid meeting his gaze.

- You look really pretty tonight, Camille,' he continued, in a softer voice.

She shook her head slightly, trying to hide her embarrassment.

- It's just the dress... nothing special,' she stammered.

- No, it's you,' replied Andrew, his tone disarmingly sincere.There was something in his voice, something that touched her deeply, beyond words.

They continued walking in silence, their footsteps leading them to a small stone bench nestling near a grove of trees. Camille sat down, still confused by Andrew's words, but also by the intensity of the moment. She could feel the night air curling around them, bringing with it a sense of calm and intimacy.

- So, what are we going to do now?' he asked, sitting down next to her with a smirk on his face.Camille shrugged, letting herself be carried away by the lightness of the conversation.

- We're admiring the moon, listening to the wind... maybe if we wait long enough, we'll come across a werewolf,' she joked, throwing Andrew a knowing glance.He burst out laughing, a frank, hearty laugh that echoed through the night.

- Oh, you think so? Werewolves tend to avoid doctors, don't they?They know you're dangerous with your scalpels.

She laughed back, enjoying the humour that floated between them.

- I don't know, maybe we could offer them a little cosmetic surgery, just to make their transformations less... dramatic,' she said, pretending to look serious.

- It's true, imagine a werewolf with perfectly sculpted abs... or a more engaging smile,' replied Andrew, playing along.

They laughed again, a soft, light, almost childish laugh, but rooted in the complicity that had bound them together for some time now. The supernatural was part of their daily lives, and yet they always found a way to have fun with it, to turn it into a playground for their minds, tired as they were by the sometimes too heavy reality.

Their laughter faded slowly, and Camille realised that the silence of the night was gradually returning. She turned her head towards Andrew, and in that instant she felt an irresistible urge, a desire she couldn't deny. He was looking at her with the same intensity she had felt earlier in the evening, a gleam in his eyes that troubled her.She wanted to kiss him. Her whole body was screaming at her to do it, to cross the tiny distance that still separated them.But something inside her prevented it, an invisible barrier that she couldn't cross.Her fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the bench as she looked away again, searching for the moon as a way out.- It's crazy,' he began softly, 'how the world can be so calm and so chaotic at the same time.Camille nodded, grateful that he hadn't noticed. This moment of complicity and tranquillity was enough for her for the moment.- Yes, sometimes everything seems to stand still, even if inside it's moving very fast,' she replied, her gaze still turned towards the moon.

Andrew nodded, understanding perfectly what she meant. There they were, under the light of the full moon, her thoughts racing but their bodies still, simply savouring the moment.