LOCATION: Masquerade Ball, somewhere close to the fuckin’ dance floor
DATE & TIME: October 31st, 2178; a time when he’s not talking to whoever else I’ve plotted with
WITH: his kinda bf
Out of all the places Augustus could imagine they would visit on an assignment from the Benefactor, Harbor would not have been on the list. It was his old home, yes, but something about it seemed foreign now. Close to a year had passed on the ship, and it felt as if what he had seen tainted the place. That wasn’t entirely the rebels’ faults, as he already felt distain for his childhood residence when he moved out. However, there was no denying they had opened his eyes to more of what was wrong with their society. He felt dirty for being there, for blending in so well. Behaving at parties, making small talk with all the people richer than you who knew more than you, it was how he grew up. There had to be people in the crew who were just as uncomfortable, maybe even more so. Including the man standing next to him.
It hadn’t been a conscious decision on his part, but for most of the night Augustus had stayed close to Fox. Whether it was to make sure the man was faring well in the new environment or if he just didn’t want to leave his side was yet to be seen, but it kept him from getting too caught up in his past. That and the alcohol. He was nursing another golden drink; a special offered for the night’s ball. Just something to keep the edge off, he told himself. Even now, he found himself nervous around Fox, but he was certainly the most familiar face (or mask) around the ballroom. Finding himself glancing over at the rebel once more, he couldn’t help but smile. Raven had dressed him, the woman making it abundantly clear that she deserved the credit. It was hard to deny he looked good in something other than a leather jacket, though he hadn’t worked up the nerve to tell him that yet. Would they ever talk about what this was, or would they keep dancing around the truth?
Finishing the drink, Augustus set the empty glass on the bar. He was getting antsy, the lull in activity making him nervous. Making a split-second decision, he turned to Fox once more and rested a hand on his arm. “Would you, uh, want to dance with me?” he asked, his smile only growing. There was no room for snarky comments, no laughs. If Fox was going to refuse the offer, Augustus would understand. The crew was scattered about, and there was probably something more important that they could be doing. But after all, the Benefactor told them to enjoy themselves. Augustus couldn’t imagine that with anyone but Fox.Â











