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It was the yearly anniversary of the manor, the anniversary of the birth of the Barron of Oletus Manor. The one that has fooled you all into participating in these hellish games, you were now celebrating the birthday of. Everyone found it quite funny, however nonetheless a break was still a break.
During the celebration, games would pause for the week, and both hunters and survivors would get together to celebrate the event. The party was hosted at the manor's ballroom, and many would come lavishly dressed. A feast was prepared, and many found themselves drinking and dancing the night away.
Preparations for the event took place three days prior to the event. Many would prepare the feast, the decor, and most importantly, their outfits. However, some found themselves practicing ballroom etiquette, and dancing. That "some" being you, Y/N.
In your quarters were you dancing along to Mary's instruction.
"One two three! One two three!" Mary counted, as she looked at your form. You held your posture up straight, and placed your hands in a position as if it was holding someone. You moved your foot to the counting, your body swaying in all sorts of directions.
"You're a fast learner, Y/N," Mary applauded as your form was better than it was a few days prior. You smiled back at her, feeling accomplished and quite proud of how far you've improved.
"A little improvement on your foot work, My Dear, and you'll be all set for the ball!" Mary cheered, as she adjusted the positioning of your foot.
"Why did you suddenly ask me for help though? The past few parties, you didn't really dance much," Mary asked as she got up to get a overview of your adjusted stance.
"This year, I want to dance with someone, without messing up."
"Oh? Fancy someone I see?" Mary let out a soft chuckle, as she was reminded of her past. Y/N let out a small "mhm" as she continued to dance.
"Well in that case," Mary walked up to Y/n, "let me help you the best that I can."
Mary grabbed Y/N's hand and intertwined it with hers, a tight grip reassuring Y/N that she wouldn't let go. Her hand was placed on Y/N's shoulder, and Y/N's own hand was placed on Mary's waist.
As music began to play, Mary took a small step back, Y/N following. To every beat of the song, Mary took gentle steps in various directions, Y/N following after. Before they knew it, Y/N was dancing along with Mary. Although there were some complications along the way, Y/N managed to breeze through the song.
"You did great," Mary complimented, her gentle eyes staring back into Y/N's. Her lips formed into a soft smile, as she patted Y/N's head.
"I'm sure you'll dance well with the one you love," Mary took Y/N into a tight embrace, proud, "actually, who is it that you want to dance with?"
Y/N froze up for a bit as Mary stepped away from her. If Y/N's skin was light enough, a blush would've appeared across her cheeks, however the embarrassing red tint remained hidden. Love was a strong word, a word Y/N wasn't sure of described her feelings to this man. Sure, she had a little crush on him, but she was sure it was just puppy love, and nothing more, right?
"Aesop Carl, the Embalmer," Y/N spoke, chills being sent down her spine as she said his name. Y/N wasn't too sure of her feelings for the guy, but the way he would look at her during matches, or the small talk they'd make during the manner was enough for a tingly feeling to form from within her gut. A warm, yet tingly feeling. A feeling of wanting more to do with him, wanting more of just...Him.
Mary's expression turned slightly shocked, but nonetheless the same gentle smile remained.
"You know, for someone as popular as you, I'd expect different," Mary mentioned, "I would expect maybe someone like Edgar, or maybe Martha?"
It was true, Mary wasn't wrong about Y/N's reputation status in the manor. Pre-game, she's had a line a suitors at her foot, and even carried that charm to Oletus manor. The charm of the heiress that made even a hunter fall for her. That hunter being the one she is talking to as of now. From other's perspectives Y/N seemed to have it all, from the socialness, to the gentle and kind personality she had. So of course, it was quite baffling learning the fact that she had her eyes on The Embalmer, a socially anxious man who flinched at the slightest of touch.
However, despite being opposites, the feeling he gave her whenever he called her name, or when he greeted her after an embalm was undeniable. She could only ever imagine his soft and gentle tone greeting her in the morning, or encouraging her before a game. God, Y/N was lucky if he even looked at her for longer than ten seconds when in the manor. Y/N was only left to wonder if Aesop had felt the same.
"Yeah.. I would've never expected this as well," Y/N awkwardly laughed as she scratched the back of her neck, "I don't know he just makes me feel... Warm,"
Mary reached for Y/N's hand, and held it tightly, the same smile still plastered on her face.
"I've felt the same way, and trust me darling, I wish I had told them," Mary turned her head to the old clock Y/N had in her room, "it's tonight or never, Sweetheart."
Mary, now holding both of Y/N's hands, encouraged her to express whatever feelings she had for the dear boy, something Mary couldn't do with Y/n herself. Y/N nodded her head up and down, a joyful smile pulling at her lips.
"Thank you, Mary," Y/N placed her forehead on Mary's hands, out of respect for her. Mary nodded her head in acknowledgment, before pulling her hands back.
"Now since the lessons are over, I suppose I should head back to my side of the manor," Mary got up and made her way towards the room door. She waved goodbye to Y/N before she walked out, leaving Y/N alone to prepare for the ball that was to be held in less than a few hours.
--
The hour was upon the manor residents. Many were already dressed for the occasion, while others still had to prepare. If you listened closely, you could already hear faint music playing from the manor's ballroom.
Y/N sat by her vanity, as she observed her appearance in the mirror. She grabbed her nearest makeup brush, and brushed on a little pigment to her cheeks. She worked on the final touches to her makeup and hair, before sighing at the final piece.
"Y/N? Can I come in?" A sudden voice followed by knocking rang out. Y/N a bit startled, got up to open her door. Vera, who was dressed in a form fitting, white dress appeared before Y/N. Her hair was tied into a tight, low bun and was topped with a short veil, adorned with white roses at the top. A gold pattern decorated the rose-adorned dress.
"Oh don't you just look beautiful tonight!" Vera smiled when Y/N revealed herself. Vera walked into Y/N's room, as Y/N sat back onto her vanity seat. Vera stood behind Y/N, admiring her appearance. She placed her hands on Y/N's exposed shoulders and smiled.
"Does the dress look good..?" Y/N asked, before getting up and checking her mirror. The dress she wore was a simple red gown that fell just above her knees. The skirt of the dress was held up by a petticoat that allowed for a more puffed-up, fuller appearance. It also allowed for the dress to sway to any movement Y/N made. A tightly pulled corset acted as the dress's bodice, and the dress's only sleeves loosely wrapped around Y/N's shoulders. There were frills all over the dress's skirt, and some on the bodice. Red bows were placed in selected areas of the gown. As for Y/N's hair, it was accessorized with a Lolita headdress that stretched from one side of her head, to the other. The bows on each side of the headdress draped nicely over Y/N's hair.
It's been a while since Y/N dressed this nice, however she never failed to impress. As the title of an "heiress", it was only natural that she knew what gowns looked good on her, and what didn't. But this year, she wanted to try a little harder, especially when she planned to dance with that embalmer.
"Is that even a question? You look stunning?" Vera giggled out as she lightly punched Y/N. Y/N couldn't also help but laugh at the playfulness Vera had. Ever since she joined the manor, Vera and Y/N grew close together, "besties" one could say.
"Oh my god, who did your makeup?" Y/N caught a look at Vera's face, and brought it closer to hers, "It's so well done!"
"Oh! Really..? I'm glad. Aesop did it. You know, the embalmer kid," Vera responded as she showed off the art he did on her face.
"Is he really that good?" Y/N's heart couldn't help but race at the thought of Aesop. Oh how badly she wished that she had the courage to ask Aesop to help her with her own. In a way, she was jealous of her own best friend. Jealous of the courage she held, jealous of the friendship she had with the young man. But nonetheless, Vera was still Y/N's best friend, and a friendship like theirs, no man could separate.
Meanwhile, in Aesop's room, the boy sat by his desk, a small mirror facing him. He brushed on a powder over his blemishes and dark-eyes to cover up the flaws, and to give a more "approachable" look. He rubbed on a red tinted cream on his pale lips, and brushed on a faint blush to his cheeks. That way he'd look more lively, or so that's what he thought.
--
For a while, Y/N and Vera talked. Time before the ball was killed as laughter filled the room and gossip about the manor's people flowed out. If it wasn't for the clock's loud toll, both of them would've completely lost track of time.
"Oh! We should get going!" Vera got up grabbing Y/N with her, a big smile on both their faces.
"We'll be the hottest people to walk in!" Vera laughed out, as she prepared to leave Y/N's room. Y/N nodded along with an excited smile, before both of them walked out, hand-in-hand. They strutted down the manor hallways, the clicks of their shoes echoing throughout the wooden halls.
"Well," Y/N sighed out as she approached the ballroom doors, "It's tonight or never," Vera continued for her. Both of them exchange goofy smiles, before they pushed the doors open.
The ballroom was full of people, it seems like they were the last ones to arrive. Hunters and survivors alike gathered around at the tables they liked, or stood by and chatted with the people around them. Carts of food were wheeled out, as some people danced with others to the music on the phonograph. Y/n's eyes scanned the room in search of him, the embalmer. For a moment, she couldn't spot the silver haired boy, but just as she walked with Vera to her seat, there she saw him.
Aesop, sitting across the room from her table, visibly tense. He was dressed up nicely in a black waistcoat, and a white button up shirt under, however the rest of his suit was hard to see, especially since he was sitting so tensely. His arms were balled up by his lap, and his shoulders were raised slightly. His head was pointed down at his wine glass, avoiding any eye contact with anyone.
Y/N's heart began to race the longer she looked at Aesop. Much like Aesop, she began to tense up, nervous. However, she couldn't keep her eyes off the darling boy. The way his figure fit his suit, how neatly his hair was tied back, and his just overall look had this charm that made it impossible for Y/N to look away. If she could, she would sit back the whole party and admire him from afar.
"Hey... Your food's gonna get cold, you okay," Vera's voiced trailed off as she noticed Y/N's daze. She turned her head to see where she was staring, and sighed as soon as she realized who it was.
"You still like him don't you?" Vera whispered over to Y/N, in which she turned her head and nodded.
"Well.. I think I like him," Y/N sighed out, unsure, "I don't know, I just like the feeling I get when I see him."
Vera nodded in understandment before placing her hand on Y/n's shoulder.
"That's alright... Why don't you go talk to him?" Vera suggested. Y/N sat in thought for a moment. This time was a perfect opportunity to approach him, and get to know him a bit more. There was also a lot of preparation for this moment. It was worth a try, after all not much could go wrong. Y/N got up from her seat, mind made up.
"That's my girl," Vera cheered, before going back to her plate of food.
She walked towards where Aesop sat, however as she got closer, she had realized Aesop had disappeared. Worried, she walked over to Aesop's friend, Norton, who just so happened to be nearby.
"Hey, Norton do you know where Aesop is..?" Y/n approached Norton, who looked up at her.
"He went to the gardens, for fresh air. Said it was too much for him here," Norton scratched his head awkwardly. Y/n thanked Norton, before heading off to the Oletus Gardens. Despite her shoes, Y/N was able to walk quite fast to the gardens, and before she knew it, she arrived at the Manor's backdoors.
Through the glass doors, Y/N was able to make out a tall figure sitting by the fountain, who she assumed was Aesop. Not wanting to scare away the boy, she quietly opened the doors, and snuck her way through the stone pathway.
As she got closer, her suspicions were correct. There Aesop was, sitting on the fountain ledge, staring off into the yellow roses that bloomed from the garden's hedges. His posture was slumped, and relaxed, and his hands were placed on top of the ledge space beside him. He looked much more calm now, than he was before.
Y/N approached the boy, who flinched when he heard her speak. She shook a bit, nervous at her first attempt at talking to Aesop.
"What is it you need..?" Aesop mumbled out, his eyes now staring down at the stone pathway.
"Can I sit beside you?" Y/N asked, in which she received no response. Aesop's eyes remained avoiding eye contact, as he turned his head slightly to the side.
"Very well then, I'll stand right here," Y/N said, giving the anxious boy his space. For a moment, there was a silence between them, the only thing that was heard was the muffled music from the ballroom. Both of them struggled to find the words to speak, and the silence between the two only grew louder.
"You can sit," Aesop whispered out, barely audible for Y/N to hear.
"Hm? What is it..?" Y/n asked, hoping Aesop would repeat it again.
"I said you can sit," Aesop said, much louder than before, "I shouldn't make a lady stand, especially you."
Y/n smiled, and nodded in acknowledgement before taking her seat right next to the boy. Much like before, both of them sat in silence, except Aesop turned his head back to the roses.
"The roses... Do you fancy them?" Y/n asked, as she noticed Aesop's fascination with them. Aesop lightly shook his head up and down.
"They remind me of my mother."
"Oh? Where is your mother?"
"Dead."
"Oh. My apologies, I didn't mean to ask," Y/N's voice got quiet after hearing Aesop's response. She turned her head away from Aesop, embarrassed, and left feeling guilty. For the first time, Aesop turned to face Y/N. He looked up and down her body, before forming which words to say.
"It's fine," Aesop reassured. He got a good look at Y/N's figure, and noticed her hands slightly shaking.
"You must be cold," Aesop said as he began to unbutton his suit jacket. Y/N looked over to the sound of fabric ruffling, only to be met with Aesop holding out his jacket towards her, his head turned the other way. Y/N didn't need to see Aesop's face to know it was red.
"Oh! Um, you don't have to do that. I'm not cold, I'll be fine," Y/N responded. It was true, she wasn't shaking out of the midnight breeze, but rather the nervousness that ate up her body. She didn't know why she was shaking, since the feelings for Aesop didn't seem strong, or so she thought.
"No complaints. Just take it. It's the least I can do," Aesop insisted as he pushed the jacket closer to Y/N, his face deepening in color. Some part of Y/N wanted to keep declining his jacket, however in the end, the black jacket ended up over her shoulders, keeping her nice and warm.
"Thank you, Aesop," Y/N said as she smiled to the boy. Aesop looked over a confused expression wiping over his reddened face.
"You know... My name..?" Aesop asked, shocked. For someone of a status like Y/N, it was surprising that she knew the name of some middle class embalmer. Aesop sat there confused, unsure if he should be flattered. He stared at the ground once more, embarrassed.
"Of course! You've helped me so much, why wouldn't I?" Y/N lowered her head, so Aesop could see her face, despite looking down. From the side, Y/N's warm smile peaked through Aesop's curtain-styled bangs. He couldn't help but smile as well, despite it being small. Something about Y/N remembering his name, or knowing it in the first place brought a warm fuzzy feeling to his gut.
"Norton said you came out here for fresh air..? Is that true..?" Y/N asked, hoping to avoid another awkward silence. Aesop only nodded, a small "mhm" escaping his lips.
"Are you here for the same...?" Aesop finally spoke. Y/N nodded her head as well. Really, she came out here to ask Aesop to dance with her, but afraid of rejection, she avoided the question.
Both of them sat in silence once more. The muffled sound of music and chatter flowed out from the ballroom. It sounded like the ball was close to concluding. Y/N, hell-bent on not letting this chance slip by, gently slapped her face before opening her mouth to speak.
"Actually I came here for another reason," Y/N quietly spoke up.
"What would that be-" Aesop asked, before shutting his mouth as he saw Y/N get up, and stand in front of him. Her hand was held out, like she wanted him to grab it. He looked up at her hand, then her face, confused.
"I wanted to ask you to dance with me, before the night ends," Y/N said as she kept her hand out, hoping Aesop would grab it.
"Well I-" Aesop looked away for a moment, conflicted.
"Can I really dance with you..? You're an heir and all that and I-" Aesop tried to speak, but was cut off.
"I was an heir, but now that status is reduced to nothing but a simple title in this manor. In here, I am like you, and you are like me. So please, disregard my royalty," Y/N explained, a bit sad that her own title prevented her from dancing with the one she liked.
Y/N feared the worst as there was a silence between them once more. Aesop's eyes averted her gaze, and only stared at her hand that was held out and patiently waiting for his response.
"I like you Aesop. Please," Y/n sighed out, as she confessed. It was a last resort, however Y/N hoped it would work. Aesop's eyes widened in shock as he looked back up to Y/N's pleading eyes. Aesop sat in thought for a moment, his heart racing at the sudden news. After all, an heir liking a middle class embalmer? That was unheard of. Aesop was unsure of his feelings towards the girl, however not wanting to disappoint, he gently took hold of her hand, to which Y/N smiled, gratefully.
Aesop slowly stood up, and once he was on his feet, Y/n didn't hesitate to hold him in position. Her hand was placed on his shoulder, as the fingers of her other hand intertwined with his. Meanwhile, Aesop's hand gently rested on Y/N's waist, while his other hand was held by the grip of Y/N's hands. She held his tightly, like this moment could slip away any moment.
Both of them looked each other in the eyes, gentle gray eyes meeting longing ones. The warm feeling in Aesop's gut began to deepen the longer he looked at Y/N like this, and if both listened closely, they could hear the beating of each other's hearts.
"Shall we begin?" Y/N nervously asked, to which Aesop nodded.
To the beat of the muffled music, both of them began to dance. Their steps were light and elegant, like petals swirling in the wind. Y/N's dress swayed each spin they turned, as well as Aesop's waistcoat ends. Both of them were unsure if they were going to step in the right direction, yet none of them dared to take their eyes off one another.
The moonlight lit their path as they danced around the fountain. They swayed in the moonlight, creating a memory that both of them could never forget. A warm smile began to appear on Aesop's face the longer he spent time dancing with Y/N, and although he didn't want to admit it, he didn't want his time with the heir to end.
The warm feeling within both Y/N and Aesop grew stronger, and before any of them realized, both of them had fallen head over heels for each other. They were aware that the dance soon had to come to an end, however neither of them planned on stopping. Aesop gently wrapped his arm around Y/N's waist, pulling her much closer to him. Neither of them wanted the moment to slip away, so they closed the gap between them as much as possible.
Aesop's nervous touch slowly turned loving as he tightly held onto Y/N's waist. Not once in his life did he ever think he'd dance with someone like this, let alone develop these foreign feelings to them. However, he did not wish to complain as the feeling of joy this woman had brought to him was undeniable. Although he was not familiar with it, he loved her, and for the first time, did he find a reason to keep going in this hollow life. For the first time, he was brought to a stop on his original "mission", and was given a new mission: To protect someone. That someone being the woman he danced with, Y/N L/N, the heiress.
Slowly, the memory came to a dreadful end as the ballroom music faded. For a little longer, they danced, even if there was no music to dance to. All they wanted was just more time to each other, even if it was mere seconds.
After a few moments, both of them came to a stop, yet eye-contact was never broken. Aesop let go of Y/N's waist, as she let go of his hand.
"Thank you, for sharing this moment with me," Y/n said as she politely bowed, in which Aesop did the same.
"No, thank you, for asking me to dance with you," Aesop smiled much wider than he ever thought he could. Y/N looked away, her face slowly heating up. If a blush could appear on her skin, she knew it would've been as dark as a rose.
As Y/N looked back at Aesop, his hand rose to her cheek, gently caressing it.
"Aesop are you-" Before Y/N could continue, Aesop placed his lips on hers. Y/N froze at the sudden move, her eyes wide in shock. However, over time did she give into the act of affection. Under the pale moonlight did they share a passionate kiss.
In the distance, Mary watched as the newborn couple kissed. She came to the gardens to look for Y/N, since she had not seen her all party, but she was pleased by the sight she saw. Earlier that night, she attended the ball knowing that Y/N's fate could go down two directions. Her heart shattered, or a new path ahead of her.
"Good for you, Aesop," Mary smiled as she knew that Y/N's life opened up to a new, more hopeful path. She smiled as she knew Y/N got the happy ending. Slowly, she turned away to return to the ballroom, giving the couple their privacy.
The pair kissed for a few seconds more, before slowly breaking apart.
"Thank you. So much," Aesop thanked as he pulled Y/N into a tight embrace. If it was one thing they shared that night, it was not only a kiss, but their obvious feelings for each other.
"We should head back," Y/n suggested as she held out her hand for Aesop to hold. He then nodded, in agreement before taking her hand, and walking her back to the ballroom.
There at the ballroom, they parted their ways as they headed back to the tables they originally sat in.
"How did it go with Aesop?" Vera asked as she cut her cake slice into manageable bites. Y/N's face pulled a rather wide smile, before she held her thumbs up.
"You get 'em!" Vera cheered as she patted Y/N's back.
From then on did the couple meet each other in the gardens on moonlit nights to share a dance together, commemorating the memory of that fateful night.