I wrote this awhile ago from two tumblr prompts "falling in love with their best friend's partner au" and "meeting at a masquerade ball au"
On rereading this I noticed that the dialogue is formal/flowery. I think I had been watching a lot of Shakespeare and period movies. It doesn't really fit with canon Wolf and Thorne, but I think it works for the au.
Cress opened her door to find Wolf leaning against the wall. "For you." He said and handed her a small box.
"Thank you! I didn't think you would bring it yourself, but it's really kind of you." Cress said.
"Anything for a friend." Wolf shrugged. "It had to be that exact necklace though? I know you have a few pretty close to it."
Cress shook her head, "This one. It has to be to go with my mask."
"Well then as payment for my errand I insist on seeing said mask." Wolf laughed.
Cress rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, but you can't stay long. I still have to get ready and so do you!"
She left to get the mask and Wolf wandered around the front room of the house, though it could almost be called a mansion with how big it was. Dr. Erland was well respected on Luna and his home showed it. On a small table near the entry way were calling cards and Wolf smiled to see about a dozen with a name he had heard often over the past month.
"So when can I finally meet this charming captain of yours?" Wolf teased when Cress came back to the room.
"Tonight." Cress said, "What do you think?" She held up her mask for his inspection. It was a pretty silver and blue colombina mask with sapphires and pearls.
"Alright, the necklace will look really good with that." Wolf agreed. "Are you sure your suitor isn't here right now? I'm dying of curiosity."
Cress smiled, "Even if Carswell was here right now, I would make you wait."
"You," Wolf quipped, "are a bad friend."
"I am nothing of the sort." Cress laughed. "Now go! I'll see you tonight!"
"Fine, I'll leave." Wolf said, "I warn you though, I will be judging this Carswell against a very high standard. Only the best will do for my best friend"
Cress waved him off as he left and Wolf spent the walk home trying to imagine what her mysterious suitor might look like.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Wolf arrived to the masquerade his usual two hours late. He only came to these events for his friends and preferred small gatherings. He wore a simple black domino mask to go with his black suit and managed to sneak in without being too noticed.
He saw Cress in her silver and blue mask and dress standing with the royal princesses Selene and Winter and a couple of men he didn't recognize. She waved at him and he waved back, but they seem engaged in serious conversation so he decided to wait before joining her. He knew the princesses better than most he supposed, but he was never sure how to act around them in front of other political types.
The palace hall was filled with guests dressed in colorful fashions with hundreds of styles of masks. One entire wall was a window looking out over the capital city. Near the entrance was a towering display of crystal glasses arranged on glass shelves branching out from a central clear stem-like structure that flowed with champagne to a fountain at the top of the precarious, sparkling structure.
Against the wall nearest the champagne was a long table covered in cheeses, savories, roast birds and beasts, and dozens of different desserts. Wolf decided that this was an excellent place to start. As he made his way down the table –not bothering with a plate, but just picking bites off here and there and holding a glass of wine in his free hand –Wolf crossed paths with a man in a bronze half mask that included a pronounced nose who was helping himself to the pheasant.
"They're going to think you're after the crown jewels wearing all black like that." The man quipped.
Wolf blinked. "I guess I didn't think of that when I was going for non-descript." He said.
"Sorry," the man said, "I'm awful at jokes. Though blending in with the party is definitely the way I would go about pulling off a heist."
"So you're the one everyone should really be watching." Wolf replied.
The man laughed. "I was either better at that joke or am digging myself into a very deep hole."
Wolf couldn't help smiling. Not many people put him at ease so quickly, but there was something about this man's presence that just felt comfortable to him.
Wolf tried to place the man but came up blank. His mask covered most of his face but judging from his jawline and deep blue eyes he was definitely what people called 'devilishly handsome.' The carefully styled brunette hair visible above the mask suggested that the man fully embraced this identity.
"Am I just not recognizing you with the mask or are you new here?" Wolf asked.
"I'm new to all of Luna actually, I'm with the diplomatic party from Earth." The man said.
"In that case, welcome." Wolf said raising his glass to the stranger. "How do you like Luna?"
"I kind of miss the sky honestly, but the stars are beautiful and so are the buildings." The man said.
"Hmmm, I don't think I'd like it." Wolf said.
"What?" The man asked.
"Not being able to see the stars." Wolf replied nodding towards the windows through which the sprawling star-scape could be seen above the cities spires. It would feel wrong. Stifling I think."
"It is quite a view." The stranger admitted. "You've never been to Earth?" He asked.
Wolf shook his head.
"You should see it. Especially the sky. Especially the sunsets." The man continued.
"But not a sunrise?" Wolf asked, a smile coming easily to him. "I hear there is great debate over which is better. The pictures all look disappointingly similar though."
The brunette flashed Wolf a grin. "I have been awake for my share of sunrises, but such beauty should not be mired by the foul mood that comes with consciousness at such an hour. Mornings should be spent in bed as often as possible. The best way to wake is with the sun well up and shining, lulling you from sleep with the promise of adventure."
"Are you a poet as well as a diplomat?" Wolf asked. He found it impossible not to visualize the stranger's words, especially the waking up part.
"Neither actually, I'm just travelling with the diplomats and politicians." The man said.
"On what business?" Wolf asked.
"That's a rather probing question for a masquerade." The man said, but in a light tone. "I take care of the travel needs."
"I see." Wolf said.
"I think they're rubbing off on me though. I've managed to talk to everyone important here without insulting anyone or making a fool of myself." The man said.
"I'm glad that you're surviving so far." Wolf laughed.
"It's a nice evening really, and I like this music much more than the earlier band's. Unless you know someone in that band. Then they were great." The man said.
"No, I actually just got here a few minute ago. I find it helps to look like I've stayed a decent amount of time if I pay my respects towards the latter half of the evening." Wolf said.
"I'm ecstatic to have found someone willing to talk beyond the obligatory chit chat." The man said.
"Well it's best to avoid chit chat whenever possible." Wolf said, trying to keep his face serious though he wanted to smile back.
"So do you have a charming partner waiting for you to return to their side?" The man asked.
Wolf shook his head no, "I never bring a date to this kind of thing. I barely manage to stay long enough to be polite when I'm by myself. What about you?"
"I'm afraid I've been abandoned by my companion in the name of politics." The stranger said with a shrug.
"I hope that you manage to have a pleasant evening despite of it." Wolf said.
"Well if I can't be with my date, I'm happy to be in your company." The man said and grinned.
Taken aback, wolf retreated a step. His thigh hit against something and Wolf's eyes went wide as he realized he had backed right into the crystal display. The glasses shook and the fountain at the center of the display tipped to the side. All of the crystal and glass cascaded against each other, crashing to the floor in a shower of broken pieces and champagne. Each piece of crystal that fell rang lightly, but together it was deafening. One of the guests that had had their back turned screamed but everyone else was laughing.
Before Wolf could react the stranger had ushered them both out of the way of the servants scurrying to clean up the pile of broken crystal and into a shadowy corner of the room.
"Stars, I can't believe I just did that." Wolf said, horrified.
"No one will remember a thing in a bit." The man said confidently. "Oh, they might remember the destruction as a fun tidbit to tell their friends later, but they won't care who caused it. Anyways, don't forget that you're in disguise!"
Wolf touched his hand to his mask. Maybe the man had a point.
They stayed talking in the corner for a long time. Wolf asked the man questions about Earth and which countries and climates he had traveled in. He could tell that the man was bragging and exaggerating a lot of what he said, but Wolf didn't mind. The stranger had so much enthusiasm it was infectious. He in turn asked Wolf about Luna and what customs he ought to know about. Wolf was sure he would have been briefed before coming over, but was having a good time so he played along.
After what was probably a much longer time than seemed to pass the man became distracted and his eyes kept flitting to the dance floor. He noticed Wolf noticing and smiled. "Talking is nice, but I can only keep myself from dancing for so long." The brunette said.
"Fair enough." Wolf said, hoping he would get a chance to see the man again later.
Then the stranger held his hand out to Wolf as the music swelled.
Wolf took it hesitantly. "Do you know what you're doing?" He asked, "I think I can only handle destroying one major centerpiece per party."
"Absolutely I do." The man said and his voice sent a shiver down Wolf's spine.
Wolf allowed himself to be lead onto the dance floor, glad that he knew the song fairly well. Barely into the dance Wolf lost track of the rest of the room, only focusing on his companion and the movements that brought them apart and together. The man was an excellent lead and even though Wolf hadn't danced much with other men they moved seamlessly through the steps. They spun their way around the room until the song ended and they were left standing breathless next to the grand window, the stars shining starkly against the blackness of space.
"Thank you for the dance." Wolf said, wishing his mask was large enough the faint blush he felt.
"It was a genuine pleasure." Said the man. Though his mask hid most of his face, his eyes sparkled and his smile was warm.
The clock struck eleven and servants began removing the half eaten feast from the one end of the room, bringing out platters and turrets of extra deserts.
"Is it really so late?" Wolf asked.
"It seems that the time has flown by." The man said.
"I suppose I should make the rounds and socialize with other people." Wolf said, only partially exaggerating his reluctance to leave the charming stranger.
"I hope that you aren't going to disappear on me after tonight." the man said.
"I can be found at most of these events." Wolf smiled.
"Are you very connected?" The man laughed, his voice light.
"I only know a few of the people here, actually. Though it looks like my friend has finally caught a chance to escape." Wolf smiled as Cress waved and started toward them.
"Oh." Said the man.
Cress approached them, one hand holding up her long blue skirt. "And how are you fine gentlemen doing this evening?" She asked.
"I thought I would never make it to you." Wolf laughed, "Our hosts were keeping quite the monopoly on you."
"I think our Princess Selene was quite taken with Emperor Kai. He seems to like her too! It's his first visit, but he was very curious to learn everything about Luna." Cress said. "But it seems that you were in good hands all night." She beamed at the man at Wolf's side and said. "I see you've met Carswell!"
Wolf looked from Cress to the stranger. "You're Carswell Thorne?" He forced himself to continue in a neutral voice. "Nice to officially meet you."
His smile stayed in place as he extended his hand but the feelings that had been rising in his chest all night came crashing down like a thousand crystal glasses.
If I can get a bit nerdy about writing on you guys, I wrote this story in a really interesting way. I wrote the scene at Cress' place first, but then when I went to continue the story I only knew how I wanted it to end. I decided to start there and write my way back. So I started with the last line and the imagery of the glasses breaking and then just kept writing one or two lines into the "past" of the story.
I found it challenging but fun! Once I got to the line "Wolf tried to place the man, but came up blank" I did write the remaining chunk in chronological order. Okay I'm done being nerd.
I hope you liked the story enough to leave a review! I really appreciate them a lot!