The evening dragged on, an endless stream of finely attired women, royals and ridiculously rich alike. Cain had lost track of how many dance partners he had over the last few hours. But one thing he did know, with growing sadness, was that for every single one of those songs, Ambrose had remained far outside of the dance floor.
It bothered him that no one had seemed interested in Ambrose. Cain sometimes thought he was the only one to still see hints of Glitch inside of Ambrose, just below the surface in the form of a crooked smile or a quick, amused glance now and again. All most of the others could see was a shy, withdrawn, serious and anxious man.
So it was not a difficult decision that lead Cain across the wooden floor straight to Ambrose. He waited until Ambrose looked up from where he was staring at his feet as he leaned against the wall. Cain offered his hand in anticipation of the next slow song. "May I have this dance, Ambrose?"
Ambrose froze, his expression a flurry of confusion and disbelief. "Me?"
"Yeah, you," Cain smiled, shaking his hand a bit impatiently. "Come on, my arm's getting tired."
Glancing around as if to see if anyone was watching, as if expecting to be the butt of a joke, Ambrose slowly stood and took Cain's hand in his own.
Cain noticed right off that Ambrose's hands were cold. He had the overwhelming urge to fix that. Pulling Ambrose close, Cain dropped his hands to Ambrose's waist. "You lead."
"Why?"
"It's your turn."
"No, I mean, why did you ask me to dance? You've no shortage of partners tonight," Ambrose ducked his head, taking the lead unconsciously.
Cain sighed softly, relaxing into the rhythm. "You told me once that I made you feel 'just like the ladies at the dance did,' like you blend right in with the wallpaper," Cain answered quietly, close to Ambrose's ear. "I just...wanted you to know that you don't. Not to me."
Ambrose stiffened. "I said that?"
"You did."
"Well, then," Ambrose cleared his throat and tried to hide his blush. "You're doing a wonderful job. Thank you."
Cain brushed a kiss against Ambrose's ear. "The pleasure is all mine."
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The evening dragged on, an endless stream of finely attired women, royals and ridiculously rich alike. Cain had lost track of how many dance partners he had over the last few hours. But one thing he did know, with growing sadness, was that for every single one of those songs, Ambrose had remained far outside of the dance floor.
It bothered him that no one had seemed interested in Ambrose. Cain sometimes thought he was the only one to still see hints of Glitch inside of Ambrose, just below the surface in the form of a crooked smile or a quick, amused glance now and again. All most of the others could see was a shy, withdrawn, serious and anxious man.
So it was not a difficult decision that lead Cain across the wooden floor straight to Ambrose. He waited until Ambrose looked up from where he was staring at his feet as he leaned against the wall. Cain offered his hand in anticipation of the next slow song. "May I have this dance, Ambrose?"
Ambrose froze, his expression a flurry of confusion and disbelief. "Me?"
"Yeah, you," Cain smiled, shaking his hand a bit impatiently. "Come on, my arm's getting tired."
Glancing around as if to see if anyone was watching, as if expecting to be the butt of a joke, Ambrose slowly stood and took Cain's hand in his own.
Cain noticed right off that Ambrose's hands were cold. He had the overwhelming urge to fix that. Pulling Ambrose close, Cain dropped his hands to Ambrose's waist. "You lead."
"Why?"
"It's your turn."
"No, I mean, why did you ask me to dance? You've no shortage of partners tonight," Ambrose ducked his head, taking the lead unconsciously.
Cain sighed softly, relaxing into the rhythm. "You told me once that I made you feel 'just like the ladies at the dance did,' like you blend right in with the wallpaper," Cain answered quietly, close to Ambrose's ear. "I just...wanted you to know that you don't. Not to me."
Ambrose stiffened. "I said that?"
"You did."
"Well, then," Ambrose cleared his throat and tried to hide his blush. "You're doing a wonderful job. Thank you."
Cain brushed a kiss against Ambrose's ear. "The pleasure is all mine."