A Ball, a pandora hearts fanfic

Title: A Ball

Synopsis: People were never anything more than toys to Vincent Nightray, but when she dances with him, Ada feels like the most special girl in the world. A few flimsy words and she is just his puppet, dancing on a string. Onesided Ada/Vincent.

Rating: T.

A/N: Vincent is very, very fun to write about. By the way, this is set early in Vincent's courtship of Ada, probably before the manga talks about it…

Disclaimer: I don't own Pandora Hearts, because if I did, Gil would really kill Alice.

"Society is like a large piece of frozen water; and skating well is the great art of social life."

-Charles Lamb

All of those people… They looked the same.

The girls fluttered their fans and the boys laughed jovially with one another. Their days were gossip and tea and their nights full of diamonds and champagne. It was such a simple existence that they lived; parties to parties to parties.

What really amused Vincent very much was the fact that beneath the skin of each of these fools was the thought that their suffering was the greatest of all of the suffering in the world. Never had they been cold, or poor, or starving, but yet, they knew that their petty problems were the greatest tragedies that had ever been bestowed upon the world.

"It's Vincent Nightray!" A girl that he had met a few times and never ceased to remind him of a harlot said with a smile. She waved to him, beckoning him to come closer to her, and so he obeyed. At these gatherings, it was his duty to please. "Hello Vincent-sama, it's been quite some time since we've seen you at a social engagement like this." Her group of friends, all in pastels, giggled and clucked with one another.

Playing her game, Vincent took her hand and brought it to his lips. "You are looking lovely tonight, madam." Her face turned red and she took out her fan. With a practiced flourish, she opened the contraption and began to fan herself. The chickens continued to cluck behind her.

"You're very flattering, Vincent-sama, but you neglected to answer my question." With a look that she thought was coy, she smiled and fanned herself slowly. The effect was vaguely dizzying in the sense of wanting to throw up, rather than having butterflies of love in one's stomach.

Nevertheless, he continued to smile. "Ah yes, things have been busy for me lately. I apologize if my meager presence has been missed."

She let the fan drop to her side; Vincent was glad. "Of course we have missed you, Vincent-sama! Whenever you're not around everyone here is very sad." Behind her he girls nodded their heads in unison; Vincent thought that they would make a decent synchronized swimming team. The girl in front, their ringleader whose name Vincent still did not remember, pouted. "That is why you need to come to every party that is thrown, for we do so enjoy your presence." The fan came back; Vincent nearly groaned.

Something from the other side of the room caught his attention.

"Excuse me…"

Leaving the ladies rudely and ignoring their ever-increasing protests, he traveled across the room. Many stared or whispered; all had heard things about the strange Nightray boy. So beautiful on the outside, but so cold and distant. His smile charmed all that saw it, but there were times that it seemed that it was not entirely sincere. Nothing was known about his past and he made no ties to the other nobles that tried to get to know him. Yet, he was part of their social circle and they would welcome with him with open arms, a smile, and a glass of wine. He was, of course, one of them.

Vincent had been correct in tracking his prey. That blonde head of hair was unmistakable. Standing with her uncle looking confused and overwhelmed, was Ada Bezarius. For a minute he stood, waiting for the uncle to wander off, before pouncing. Sure enough, the uncle found something better to do, and so Vincent got his chance.

"Ada-sama, I had hoped to see you here tonight." She had no fan to cover her blush when Vincent kissed her hand. "You alone have made attending this engagement worth it."

She waved her hands in front of her. "You cannot be serious, Vincent-sama, I mean… I'm just…" Her eyes were glued to her feet. "I'm glad that you're here as well."

"Ada-sama, would you like to dance?" Her head perked up, and she was almost able to look him in the eyes. "I'm not that good and I'm not quite used to it, but I thought that maybe, if it was with you, I could try it." He held out a gloved hand and gave his most dazzling smile; their interpretation of what was beautiful was all the same, as well.

Then her eyes fell back down to her feet and she had trouble speaking to him again. This courtship would have been much easier if she was able to formulate a sentence in his presence, Vincent thought. "Are you really serious?"

He tilted his head to the side. "Of course I am, Ada-sama; since I first met you I knew that you were the one that would get me onto the dance floor." He lowered his face to be on the same level as hers. "So please, Ada-sama, do me the honor of dancing with me?"

She looked over to where her uncle was, making sure that he wasn't watching. Obviously he wouldn't want his beloved niece dancing with a scary Nightray boy; that was something that no parent really wanted his or her daughter doing. But no parent but Ada's would ever have to worry about that. If there was nothing to be gotten out of a relationship, then Vincent would simply sever ties, just as he would with this girl once she outlived her usefulness. Alone, she would die, an outcast from society, her hands stained with the sins that Vincent would have her perform.

Yes, she would never again be allowed into these stifling social circles full of lies and secret despair that meant nothing. It was a cruel fate that he was bringing her, yes, but no crueler than his own. If she had so little intelligence as to fall for him, then she deserved whatever came to her in the future.

With just a slight bit of hesitation, she placed her hand in his. "Thank you, Ada-sama." Poised, he led her out to the dance floor. A song was just starting up, and he put his hand on her waist and she put hers on his shoulder. Her body was solid and firm beneath his hand, not at all like the air that these girls tried to so hard to achieve. No matter how they starved themselves and how many corsets they stuffed themselves into, they would always be solid and firm.

Together they danced without conversation. Ada's movements were clumsy and it was all Vincent could do to keep her from falling over. He counted the moments until this dance was over and made a note in his head to never ask her to dance again; she must have hated to be so very exposed in that way.

And yet, when they left the floor, Ada smiled wide and happy. "Thank you Vincent-sama, I don't usually get asked to dance like that." Her smile reached her eyes and it seemed to be truly sincere. It burned Vincent's eyes.

"It was no problem, Ada -sama, I enjoyed every moment of it." He lied through his teeth, but she would never notice it; none of them ever noticed the lies that he spouted.

She smiled again, cherubic and innocent. "You don't need to lie to me, I know hat I'm no good at all at dancing." She paused, but to Vincent's surprise, she didn't look at the ground. "But I'm really very happy that you asked me anyway; you're so much different than the other people here."

And for that, he was eternally grateful. "It was my pleasure, Ada-sama, and even if you are not the best of the dancers out there, you are still the only one who can catch my eye at all." He grabbed her hand and brought it up to his lips. Softly, gently, he pressed them to her glove. He intertwined his fingers with hers and brought his hand down. "I would like to meet you again, if you would allow me to."

Staring at their hands, she nodded. "Of course, Vincent-sama."

"Then, until then, I bid you farewell." He let go of her hands and walked away. For a moment he paused briefly and looked back, his face full of feigned longing. He found that her eyes were still glued to him. Satisfied, he continued to walk away.

She was just like all the rest; a dance, a compliment and a kiss and she was his for the taking.

Fin