#masquerade!au

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“Gods, how much more is there?”

Velvet gave Coco a sympathetic smile, lifted another pile of papers onto her desk, and pat her shoulder when she slumped over it with a groan. “I can forge your signature, you know.”

“An action of questionable legality,” Weiss murmured, somehow (barely) still sitting upright as they wrote, “but given the circumstances, I’m willing to look the other way.”

Coco gasped, an exaggerated shock on her face when she looked up to Velvet. “Did my ears deceive me? Did Weiss actually say she’d let that slide?”

“Must you blow everything up for theatrics?” they demanded, even as tired amusement flickered through them, hands moving still. “All I’m saying is that there is quite a few things left, and help here when it’s simply--”

“--simply, they say--”

Weiss glared. “Simply a great number of signatures that we’re planning on anyway, Velvet can help with this with little guilt. That’s all. Hardly anything to gasp over, Coco.”

“Just admit you’re tired, Weiss.” Resting her head on her hands with a rather toothy smile, Coco’s attention was now firmly fixed on them. “You want to get out of this as much as me.”

“Hardly.”

“That’s very convincing, bravo.”

Weiss took a breath to retort, but Velvet cut in, putting a hand out between the two. “Let’s just take that break now, mm? It’s hot, and we could all lie down a little while. Alright?”

Heh, well that’s a nice balance.

A part that was kinda supposed to be, a while ago, except some rude comment on ao3 got me petty, so I didn’t write it ‘til now XD

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When they are outside the main hall, Velvet only lets go once she’s brushed her lips over Weiss’ knuckles and promised she’ll be near.

Weiss manages a few steps back into the throng gathered around the doors before an ‘Aha!’ cut through, and they find open space again, Coco at the end of their arm. “Come out of the pond at last, little bird? Amicable to a dance?”

They shoot a look at her, but it quickly loses against a pleading–dramatically so–face. “You needn’t bother with that, Velvet already told me what you wanted.”

“Wonderful.” Under her mask, her expression curls into self-satisfaction. “In that case, you lead for this dance, and I’ll lead the next.”

Still floating from their conversation with Velvet, Weiss couldn’t resist commenting, play to her tone. “I never said I agreed.”

“But you came back here,” is the breezy reply, and Coco’s hand upon their shoulder lightly squeezes.

“Who said I came back for you?”

Coco gasps, ‘stumbles’, but regains her footing by the next measure. “So I’m some side attraction? You wound me.”

Weiss laughs at her unceasing dedication to theatricality, and spins her out.

Together they fall easily into the music’s time, steps matched as they had for innumerable dances before. It isn’t difficult for them, feet long accustomed. Weiss lets their attention slide away. There are a few eyes on them, but most are preoccupied with company much closer, or their food. More than a few are inebriated.

The musicians let the last note hang in the air before beginning the next, and Weiss turns back to Coco then. They pause at the sight of solemn eyes on them. “Coco?”

“Mm? Ah, sorry.” She momentarily lets go and adjusts her mask, before taking Weiss’ hand again.  “…You did talk to Velvet, right? You seemed off, when you left.”

“You saw…? Nevermind, of course you did.” Weiss flashes a quick smile. Coco somehow always kept an eye out for them. “We did talk, yes.”

“Good, good.” Her gaze grows distant for a moment, coming back when she blinks. “I know Velvet’s the one to go to for talking, and I jump you when you need some sense given, a little less politely–”

Weiss bites back a snort.

“–but you know I’ll listen if you need.”

She was worried, Weiss realises, and the words come easily. “I do have something for us to talk about after this.”

“Something to talk with Velvet and me, huh?” Coco tilts her head to the side. “Do I get a hint?”

masquerade au, dustbun? idk, something fluffy like cuddling

(Dysphoria is at the heart of this fic, so be advised.)

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They are young, and Weiss still responds to ‘she’.

dancing and being larger than life. And Magnus pretends he doesn’t notice the tall, graceful man watching him. They somehow end up dancing together and staring at each other’s eyes through the masks, totally enraptured by the beautiful stranger in front of them… And I’m gonna stop now before I write a whole damn fic.

SARA DON’T DO THIS TO ME. They would move so fluidly across the dance floor, unaware of all the envious and curious eyes staring at them. The song changes, but they don’t make to find a new partner. That was new for Magnus, who never stays with a partner for more than a dance, but this man in front of him intrigued him. Under the smooth and stoic facade, there was a hint of shyness as he spoke, low and hushed, asking Magnus for the next dance. And who was he to refuse? He wasn’t strong enough to see those sparkling eyes dim and who could blame him if he wanted more. More of this strong yet gentle man, who held his hands with a firm grip and led with care. 

Contined from x

The chubby woman laughed at that, shaking her head. She related too well, though she could only guess that her idea of crashing a party was much different from the other’s. Still, she shrugged casually.

“Friend dragged me here; I’m only not kicking and screaming because of the presence of free food,” she replied, then narrowed her eyes and leaned to the side to peer around the other woman. A frustrated sigh left her lips and she shook her head, arms crossing tight over her chest. “What a great friend they are; they’re leaving without me. Fucking hell.”