A/N:
Okay so I've taken some artistic liberties and allowed my Apprentice to assume the role of the Temperance card because that is technically assigned to another character (no spoilers for Nadia's route). There's speculation this character is the Reversed side of Temperance, so I'd like to believe my Apprentice is the Upright side of Temperance.
ALSO MINOR SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 14 OF JULIAN'S ROUTE. YE HAVE BEEN WARNED.
The Masquerade was in full swing by the time Julian and I were able to wrestle our way to the front of the crowd currently swallowing the costume stand. Apparently, ours were paid for. I wasn't about to question it, but I was going to question what I was given to wear. Julian had picked it out for me and I couldn't help but agree with his choice at the time considering my other options but now? It just seemed too...Grand a piece for someone like me. It was impossible not to hesitate as we both stripped down in the changing tent; seeing Julian practically melt into his own attire made me question it all the more. It looked like it was made for him. He was loving the black garb he'd picked out for himself, straightening out his cravat and running his fingers over the feathers on his jacket. Noticing that I had yet to change, his brow furrows.
"Do you not like it?" he fusses. "If you do, we can change it. I just...Well, I thought you would look rather resplendent in it,"
A blush colours his cheeks and the tips of his ears, and I can't help but smile.
"No, I do like it. It's beautiful. It just doesn't seem like the sort of thing that an apprentice magician would wear,"
That came out more self-depricating than I would have liked and, as if on cue, Julian sweeps to my side. His hands cup my cheeks as his grey eye finds mine.
"Darling, you are so much more than that," he reassures me, leaning so close that his hair tickles my forehead. "Please don't think so little of yourself. You are the most astounding, mesmerizing, gorgeous individual I have ever met. I only picked out something that befitted such a character. At least try it on; see if it suits you,"
His speech has my own cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment at his barrage of praise and I nod, looking at the gown slung over a nearby chair. It was worth a try. Julian kindly offers to help lace me up, which helps considering it's a corseted dress. There's a surprising amount of strength to him, I find out, judging by how well he yanks my corset in. His fingers still as he moves to my front to smooth down the fabric at my chest and I feel myself squirming under his gaze as he gives me a long, languid look up and down.
"Well...What do you think?" I ask, though judging by the look on his face I know the answer.
"My dear, it matters little what I think though if it helps I think you look positively radiant. Like something out of a painting. Have a look in the mirror and see for yourself,"
He smiles broadly and gently takes my shoulders, turning me towards the full-length mirror nearby. I look so unlike myself that I almost don't believe it's a reflection; the only thing that convinces me is Julian standing behind me, his reflection grinning as his hands rest gently at my waist. The gown itself feels gorgeous on my skin. It's cool and soft like silk though it's only opaque around the corseted torso. A translucent panel of shimmering silver fabric sweeps up my breastbone from the pearly white corset and cuts off at the shoulder, turning into billowing sleeves and leaving my shoulders bare. I can spot little grey accents at the end of the sleeves in the shape of delicate wings. The skirt of the dress is still that beautiful pearlescent white colour overlaid with that same silver, a generous slit up one side to aid with dancing. It sweeps even as I shift from side to side. It makes it seem like I'm gliding. Those same wings are embroidered on the hem of the skirt. I can't help but notice how, despite its beauty, the dress conceals less than I had originally anticipated. The slit on one side completely exposes my right leg whenever I shift and the fabric that covers my arms and part of my chest is almost utterly translucent save the slight pigmentation the glittering silver fabric offers. Anyone who gave me more than a cursory glance would see how the corset guided my body into an hourglass, and how the glimmering fabric did nothing to hide the swell of my breasts. I'd never considered my body something that should be wrapped up in something so beautiful. Julian seems to disagree.
"Wait, wait," he gasps, striding to the other side of the tent. "It's not quite finished. We still have your shoes, your jewellery and your mask,"
Judging by the excited tone, he was more excited about dressing me up than I was. Though seeing him happy made me happy too. That was enough for me. He comes back to me with a small box filled with the rest of the ensemble, his throat bobbing as he swallows and gives me another greedy look.
"May I?" he asks.
Of course, Julian wouldn't be Julian without wanting to bend over backwards for me. Literally or figuratively.
"I'd like that very much," I acquiesce, earning me another dazzling smile.
"Fabulous! Let's start with some jewels, though they will seem dull when compared to such beauty,"
He seems pleased with himself when I look down at my feet, the praise not unwelcome but always seeming to catch me off-guard. He lovingly drapes a necklace around me and fastens it at the back before grabbing one wrist and adding a bracelet. Credit where credit's due, he lets me put in the earrings myself. All of them were the same; delicate silver studded with diamond and opal. The earrings dangled slightly like teardrops, small diamonds catching the light whenever my head moved. It felt opulent, strange. I'm carefully expecting the bracelet when Julian drops to one knee, gently lifting one of my legs by the calf and slipping my foot into one of the shoes. They were that same pearlescent white with a single opal set into the front of the shoe with a modest heel made for dancing. I rather liked them. Though I can't help but snort in amusement as he goes to lift my other leg and the slit renders my whole leg bare under his touch right up to where my hip disappears underneath the fabric, causing him to make a strange, strangled noise before he looks up at me apologetically. I notice, however, that he still doesn't let go of my leg. In fact, I could have sworn I felt his gloved fingers close a little tighter around my calf. There was an intimacy about this that made my heart thrum against my ribcage.
"I-I apologise, my dear," he stammers, eyes flitting this way and that. "While I wholeheartedly relish the idea of seeing more of you, I didn't want to do so without your explicit consent. How very rude of me,"
He continues to ramble on for a bit longer, various apologies spilling from his lips clumsily when his eyes can't help but land on my exposed thigh, before I crouch down in front of him so we're eye level. Somehow, it flusters him more. Perhaps that was due to his hand having to move upon feeling me crouch down. Rather than having it curled around my calf, he had it resting gently on top of my thigh.
"And you know I would never want to do or say anything that would make you uncomfortable-"
"Julian,"
"- after all, I've told you time and time again that I'm a gentleman-"
"Julian,"
"- but of course, if you're alright with it then I'm always ecstatic-"
"Ilya,"
That stops him dead. I had only used his birth name perhaps once before this. His stormy grey eyes meet my powder blue ones and he seems to melt.
"Y-yes, my sweet?" he swoons, leaning into my touch as my hand gently reaches out to brush some of his hair from his face.
"You are the only person in the world I would even consider sharing a changing tent with, let alone happening to see my bare leg when I was in my underwear moments ago,"
I can't stop the smile creeping across my lips, especially when he flushes in embarrassment.
"You think too much. If there is anything you would like to see or to touch, you need only ask. For now, though, I really should be wearing both shoes,"
True enough, I'd started wobbling after being crouched with one shoe on and one shoe off. He pauses, reaching out to steady my unsteady form, and lets out a short laugh before helping me slip into the second shoe and getting us standing up straight again. He's still embarrassed, but there's something else in his eye that makes me curious.
"Julian, you okay?" I probe gently.
He just nods and smiles again, brushing a lock of charcoal hair behind my ear.
"Never better, my dear," he replies. "Just had to take a moment to remember how fortunate I am to have someone like you by my side,"
"Funny, I was about to say the same,"
We just take a moment then to enjoy the solitude we weren't going to get again for the rest of the night. In this moment, we're not here to chase down Lucio. We're not here to watch every shady corner for those blood-red eyes and shaggy white fur. We're just here as a couple; two lovers at the most anticipated social event of the year. Julian draws back for a moment to pick up our masks, leaning in to kiss me with a tenderness that makes my knees almost buckle while he slips the mask over my eyes and deftly ties it at the back. He ushers me to the mirror one more time after securing his own mask, his chest swelling with what looks like a mix of adoration and pride.
"Well, don't we look spectacular," he breathes, allowing himself to rest his chin on top of my head.
Indeed, we looked quite wonderful standing together. It's only now that my ensemble makes sense to me now that the mask is on. Two white wings gilded with silver sweep upwards past my brow, touching where Julian's nose would be if he inched forward a touch, and framing the intricately carved image of a dove whose body sat just on my brow. The carving shows its tail feathers fanning out at the tip of my nose, silver gilding radiating outwards after the white mask stopped to frame my cheekbones and around my eyes. Conveniently, the eyes of the mask were perched just under where the dove's wings flared out in a way that could only be described as 'grand'. Julians mask resembled another bird; a raven. The gold beak gave way to a mask that was mostly black save red accents around the eyes, silken black feathers ghosting over the top of his head. We looked quite the pair, he and I, and we both knew it.
"The Raven and the Dove," Julian murmurs, spinning me around to give me another lingering look. "Sounds like something someone would write a poem about, doesn't it?"
"By someone, do you mean you?" I fire back, brow arching under the mask.
"Asra never mentioned that magicians could read minds," he jokes in retaliation, head canting slightly when he hears people lining up outside the tent to use it. "But alas, our reprieve has come to an end,"
The disappointment shows on both his face and mine even with the mask, but he bows with a flourish, extending his hand.
"Well, my little dove, shall we? We have a goatman to catch, and a crowd to dazzle,"
I let my hand slip into his and feel it squeeze my fingers as he uses the grip to pull me to him, arm curling affectionately around my waist as we slip outside. I can hear him chuckle as our exit elicits both surprised whispers and awed cooing from other party-goers. These kinds of environments would usually make me remarkably anxious; I had always hated crowds, but with Julian at my side it felt different. Safe. Perhaps, with him at my side, I could even grow to like such a party. There was no doubt in my mind that I loved Julian thoroughly; heart and soul. He made it clear in his actions that he felt the same, though no words had been exchanged just yet. He allowed me to have hope for the future, and I had shown him that he was worth that future. The Hanged Man had made a Fool of me, but perhaps we could both be more than that.
The Temperance card thrums happily from inside my satchel.