"Excuse me, Mr Gray, might I have this dance?"
There were few moments in his long life that Dorian Gray found himself struck with a sudden sense of disbelief, even fewer when he was forced into silence. However, Dorian had never expected that someone so plain, so mediocre, as Dr Victor Frankenstein would be the creature to silence him with a simple request. Yet here he was, stood in his ballroom, surrounded by society's most loved and a glass of champagne in hand, with Dr Frankenstein standing before him and waiting for an answer to his question.
"I -," Dorian attempted to speak, but his words her trapped at the bottom of his tongue, pushed down by the dry and scratchy flesh of his throat. He had noticed a few suspicious glances, and rightly so, this was not proper behaviour.
The feeling of heat under his cheeks, the sweat against his palms, and the shaking of his knees. All these things were new to him. What was this? He had not been so confused by his emotions since that poor encounter with Miss Ives. Was he, by chance, embarrassed?
When Dr Frankenstein placed his hand forward, offering it to Dorian, he did not shy away. He did not fear the male touch, nor did he fear the gossip and watchful eyes of his party guests. Still, there was a sense of nervousness filling his veins and clinging to his bones when he looked into the doctor's eyes and accepted. He placed his palm into his own and he allowed himself to be brought forward, to be presented on the dance floor as the crowd separated and stared in awe at the two of them. At the two brave and foolish men.
Dorian's breath shuddered as Dr Frankenstein – as Victor – placed his hand on his waist and brought their bodies closer together. They moved together perfectly, their steps well timed and the sound of their shoes squeaking and clapping against the ballroom floor as not even the band continued their music. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.
The silence in the room was louder than any orchestrator, any crowd, any scream that Dorian had ever heard. He felt nauseous. He felt afraid. But when Victor moved to spin him under his arm, he moved along with him confidently. He lowered his head and went under the arch of Victor's elbow and the two pulled together once again, like two forces connected.
And when Dorian's lips found Victor's, and the silence of the room was interrupted by the scandalised guest, the nervousness of before vanished, for he knew that as long as he could, he would dance with Dr Victor Frankenstein.