#bornofthedawn.

"If the world treats you well, you come to believe you are deserving of it. " She pauses, her eyes falling to her hands in her lap. "But the same goes for when it doesn't treat you well."

He’d been perfectly content leaning against the wall, arms crossed, scowl firmly in place like armor. Marie was laughing somewhere near the piano, Lou was spinning in dizzy, chaotic circles, and Berlioz—well, Berlioz had decided long ago that someone had to be the sensible one.

And then Aurora was in front of him.

He didn’t notice her at first, not until the laughter and music blurred around the edges and she was simply there, eyes bright as candlelight, hand extended between them like an unspoken dare. She didn’t say a word. Just waited.

Berlioz stared at her hand as if it were some kind of trap—because of course it was. Everything about her always seemed to bypass his carefully built walls, and this… this was worse. This was her inviting him to step out from behind them. He opened his mouth, probably to refuse, to mutter something sardonic and safe. But then she tilted her head, just slightly, a soft smile curving her lips, gentle and knowing.

KJHDKAJSHD THANK YOU ! I LOVE SEEING YOU AND RORA <3