Under the Solstice Starlight

Tonight was the night. It was both the night of the winter solstice and of the Solstice Ball, an event in which the people of Aurora Zenith celebrated winter's arrival. A slight chill hung in the air, the moon's lustrous light radiating down upon the town. The sky held not a single cloud, letting the stars have their turn to shine. Winter was starting off cold yet beautifully.

Ferreth looked at the dance hall in all its glory. It was amazing to see its transformation from old dilapidation to grand majesty. It had been built in a clearing not far from town long ago and it served as Aurora Zenith's only landmark. Soft candlelight could be seen from its many tall windows, a faint orange glow cast on the grass. People in all sorts of formal dress were gathered around the small courtyard, waiting for the ball to officially begin.

He let out a breath and pulled on the lapels of his jacket to straighten it. He felt a mix of nervousness and excitement for tonight. This was the first formal event he'd be attending and he couldn't help but worry over how it'd go. Was he dressed appropriately for the occasion? Would he end up humiliating himself in front of the other partygoers? That wasn't even taking into consideration the biggest concern of them all. How would he handle himself around Ven?

The last few weeks hadn't been fun. He couldn't try avoiding her, it'd rouse suspicion, but keeping himself in check around her was hard. It wasn't so much his actions he was worried about as it was his words. A slip of the tongue could give his feelings away or be misconstrued as something else entirely and if that happened, it'd be over. It was bothersome to do but it was necessary. He just needed some more time to figure out a way he could be around her without stifling himself. For now, the best friend who holds only platonic feelings role was still his to play.

He stepped through the ivory double doors. The aroma of many different perfumes greeted him as he stood in a red room. To the front left was a set of red curtains that hung over the entrance of what he believed to be the ballroom and to the right was a mirror installed to the wall. A small counter sat in the middle with a young woman slouched over it before quickly standing up after seeing him. This must be the coat check room, he thought.

After a brief exchange with her, he shoved the ticket he received into his pocket as she vanished into the room beyond with his jacket. He glanced over at the mirror, his reflection staring back at him. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to check and see if anything was out of place before he went in.

Nope, everything seemed to be perfect. There weren't any stray hairs sticking out of his head or dirtying his outfit. His clothes were neat, crisp, and fitted just for him, which had to be a pain in the ass for the tailor. He looked good, better than he thought he would've, though it helped he was naturally handsome.

It didn't help the slight discomfort he felt wearing this. The stark white dress shirt was already a little too snug for his liking but the vest just made it worse. At least it was a nice shade of brown that went well with the shirt. The pants weren't too bad; they were pretty similar to the ones he usually wore so it wasn't that big a deal. Dress shoes, however, he would never ever get used to. The gloves were a last minute decision since he figured his bandages would stand out and not look good at all. It was weird not being able to feel anything with his fingertips.

Now there was only one thing left to do. This was going to be incredibly lame and embarrassing but he needed to psyche himself up. Tonight was too important for him to fuck up so this had to be flawless.

Looking around to see if anyone was watching, he began whispering to the mirror, "All right, Ferreth, you've got this. Ven may be in the next room but don't lose your cool. Just talk to her like you've always have. All you've gotta do is just get through tonight without any fuck-ups. Whatever you do, do not let her know you love her."