Lena stood in front of the mirror longer than she meant to. I wasn't vanity–at least, she told herself it wasn't. It was nerves. The unfamiliar kind that fluttered just beneath her ribs, light and persistent, as if her heart had forgotten how to sit still.
The dress hung softly against her frame, crimson red with the trims of her long gloves a darker shade, almost black with red undertones. It wasn't extravagant, but it was formal, and that alone made it feel unreal. The fabric whispered when she shifted her weight, brushing against her leg. Her gloved fingers smoothed over the bodice for the third time, then the fourth.
"You look fine" she reassured herself in her thoughts. It was then that a quiet knock came from the door of the room.
"Lena?"
Shin's voice carried through the wood, calm as ever–but she knew him well enough now to hear the faint hesitation in it. "Are you ready?" Her heart skipped. "Yes", she answered, a little too quickly. "Just one second." She took one last look at her reflection. She could barely recognise herself.
The girl staring back wasn't the major of the Republic. She wasn't the handler who spent most nights bent over maps and reports. When she looked at herself in the mirror she looked... softer. Warmer. Like someone who belonged more in candlelight and music rather than a command room.
Lena exhaled, squared her shoulders, then made her way to the door, twisting the knob and opening it. Standing in the hallway was Shin, dressed in a formal black suit with shiny gold trims. It fit him perfectly, his dark hair combed neatly, and his eyes catching the light as soon as he looked up.
He froze.
For a second, neither of them spoke. Lena's face warmed up into a blush. "Is it... too much?" Shin blinked, then shook his head. "No. You look... incredible." Lena's breath caught. No compliment of Shin's was ever careless or exaggerated. He always fully meant what he said. "Thank you", she said. "You look very handsome yourself."
A faint flush touched Shin's ears. "We should go. Our ride is waiting." The young man offered his arm, which his lover slipped her hand into, and the two of them walked out into the evening.
. . .
The ballroom was everything Lena had imagined as a child–and more.
Crystal chandeliers spilled golden light across polished marble floors. Tall windows framed the night sky, stars glimmering faintly beyond sheer curtains. Music drifted through the air, carried by a live orchestra tucked along the far wall. People moved in graceful arcs across the floor, gowns and suits flowing in time with the melody.
"Too much?", asked Shin, noticing Lena seemingly becoming overwhelmed. "No", the young woman answered. "It's just... I've always wanted to see something like this." Shin followed her gaze to the ballroom.
"When I was little, I used to imagine dancing in a place like this. I was the princess, and I was dancing with a handsome prince." Lena softly laughed in embarrassment. "It was just something silly." "I don't think it's that silly", said Shin, smiling at his lover.
At that moment, the music shifted to a more slow and smooth melody. The guests all divided up into pairs, initiating slow waltzes across the floor. Lena could not help but smile at the sight, and it did not go unnoticed by Shin. He looked at the floor, and then back at her. He hesitated, briefly pausing before he turned to her and extended his hand to her.
"May I?", he asked. Lena's eyes widened. She could feel her heart nearly burst. "I know I may not be a prince or anything, but I'd be happy to give you this dance", said Shin, almost jokingly. The white haired woman before him places her hand into his. "Yes", she said.
The two of them stepped onto the dance floor together. They turned to each other, Lena preparing herself, while Shin just... stood there. For about three seconds, Lena waited for him to do something. "Um, Shin? We can start you know?" The young man looked at all the other dancers, then turned back to Lena with his arms lifting and placing them in their respective positions: one hand joined with hers, and the other on her hip.
But things weren't done just yet. Shin looked at the position he and Lena were in, the sign of unfamiliarity evident in his eyes. "Shin?", spoke the young woman, some concern laced in her voice. The said man sighed. "I... have to tell you something."
Lena remained silent, listening carefully to what it is the man she loved had to say. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then let it out.
"I don't know how to dance."
There was a silence that hung in the air between them after he said that. But the silence did not last long before Lena let out a laugh. Shin looked away, his face forming an expression of bashfulness. "Sorry." "Formal balls aren't common in the Eighty-Six camps, are they?", Lena teased lightly. Shin shrugged. "Not really." Lena then smiled sympathetically at him, and caressed his face with her hand. "I guess I'm going to have to teach you then."
Shin's heart skipped. "Are you sure? You don't mind?" Lena responded by taking his hand again and placing her other one on his shoulder. "Just follow my lead."
The two of them repositioned themselves. "Okay", she began. "It's just a waltz. Slow steps." She took the first step back. Shin followed, half a beat late, but close. "One, two, three", she counted under breath, loud enough for her lover to hear and follow the rhythm.
They moved again. And again. And then he stepped on her foot. "Oh-!", he flinched. "Sorry." She laughed, shaking her head. "It's fine." Another step. Smoother this time. Shin focused intensely, brows slightly drawn, as if he were memorising yet another battlefield. Lena found the expression absurdly endearing. "Try feeling the music instead", she said. "Don't anticipate it-let it carry you."
Gradually, the young man's movements loosened. His grip steadied. The tension that was in his shoulders erased as he began to trust the pattern and the repetition. Lena guided him in a slow turn, her skirt swirling softly around her legs. For a moment, the two of them forgot everything else. The war. The blood. The ghosts that followed them both. There was only the music, and them in each other's presence, his warm hand on her waist and hers on his shoulder.
"...Am I doing alright?", Shin asked. Lena's eyes softened. "It's perfect." "You sure?", asked Shin. "Because again, I'm no prince." "Well, when I was little, to me a prince was a handsome man who rode on a horse and fought dragons", said Lena. "And you pretty much check out all of that." They turned again, slower now, no longer counting. Shin moved with her, not flawlessly, but sincerely. When he misstepped, he adjusted. When she leaned closer, he would follow instinctively.
At some point, she realised he was leading–just a little. The music swelled, the softened, the final notes lingering like a held breath. They came to a gentle stop, still close, still holding each other as the applause rippled across the hall. The two lovers looked at each other, exchanging loving smiles. "Thank you", said Lena, her eyes bright. "Anything for you", said Shin. The two of them leaned in, sharing a sweet, tender kiss.
"Anything else I could do for my princess?", asked Shin as soon as they separated. His lover moved to his side and gently hugged his arm. "You could let me stay with you like this for the rest of the evening. A light chuckle escaped his lips, and he softly kissed her head. "As you wish."
