#otpsmartbeat

This is so fluffy and cringe and cliche but idc. My head hurts and my stomach hurts. This is where im at right now.

A ball or a gala or just something elegant and formal with dancing and mingling and probably inebriation of some kind. Maybe these are only once a year for a unique holiday. Sponsored by Highfather but planned by a committee. Themed? Idk, i dont want it to come off as a prom lol. Maybe they do color palettes to emphasize the theme mostly. But i do like the idea of New Genesians going all out with like over the top kirby style head gear but make it formal. Huge jeweled collars or bib necklaces that hang beyond the chest. Things like that would be fun. And some traditions too, but id need to work out what the holiday is about first.

Anyway, so everyone is invited. Nobody living there is not invited. So very fancy invitations are sent out to all residents, including Metron. Of course he never goes. No need, its not worth his time. Nothing to so much as glean there. But this time Heartbeat is there, and she sees the invitation (beautiful, gold laced, smells of sweet rose when opened, has a glow to it). And shes like omfg we have to go to this. Metron's all, do what you want, im not going though. But the invite is to Metron and his guest, not to her by name, so she kind of frets about that. Plus she doesnt know the customs and would be uneasy attending alone. Metron says he'll get Lightray to take her, and she's like stop saying you'll get Lightray to do everything :| Plus, wouldnt he be going with Orion (yes).

So they squabble about it. Probably some stuff happens in the meantime. Heartbeat wardrobe tryon montage. Metron nonplussed and generally being a stick in the mud. Orion and Lightray teaching Heartbeat about some traditions, which would probably be funny to get their differing perspectives. And in the end she plans to attend alone after all. Maybe this is fairly early into her stay and other people dont really know who she is yet, so that's some of where her apprehension is.

So the time comes and Metron still isnt going, but he sees how excited she is and despite himself has noticed how much shes been into learning the traditions and getting dressed up. Shes heading out, alone for the first time (she'll meet Orion and Lightray there, she wont be completely alone), and Metron also sees that she had held out hope to the very last second that he might go. I think hed have his own hangups about it, and even though 99% of him really doesnt care about this thing and thinks its a waste, 1% of him is kinda of using that as an excuse. He'd be shunned anyway, doesnt fit into that kind of thing, would be the center of rumors and gossip bc itd be so unlike him to go, and what would he even do there besides stand in a corner and observe, which that creeps people out too. Of course Heartbeat has no idea about any of this, she just thinks he's a party pooper.

But shes disappointed and it shows with how deflated she is when she leaves. She wanted him to go because she already does like him even though it hasnt been long. Not that shes feeling any romantic ways about him, but hes the one she knows best. Shes comfortable around him, and it feel like theyre kind of a duo with how much time theyve spent together going places and doing things. Shes a little hurt he wouldnt just go to this thing with her to keep her company. Hes done far more uncomfortable things, so yeah she takes a little hit to her self worth over it. Maybe they weren't actually becoming as close as she thought. Maybe she just got too comfortable with him or assumed too much about what their time together has meant. It wouldve been kind of nice to do something actually social with him. Out. Away from the lab. Away from the Mobius Chair.

She goes and it's a blow out event (always is). People are looking extravagant. Lightray finds her and both he and Orion look stunning. Orion doesnt like the stuffiness of what hes wearing, but he honors the traditions of New Genesis. I imagine hed wear some stylized armor but mixed with whatever passes as formal menswear in Supertown. Not sure what Lightray's wearing but its probably awesome and glowing.

Theres food and drinks and dancing. Heartbeat is alone for most of the evening, a wallflower. Others are kind of avoiding her because the rumor is she's Metron's pet project, so theres probably something weird about her, or shes probably cold like he is, or who knows but easier to just keep your distance from her. Lightray had tried to combat the rumor mill but its an uphill battle, and he and Orion have been swept away for much socializing and dancing. So Heartbeat spent much of the night watching people dance and trying to learn the moves mentally. At some point Orion makes his way over. He's clearly nearing his limit for socializing, and he tells her hes sorry the town has not yet warmed to her, but they will. Just not tonight. He knows how that feels though, and it can hurt. But he says the upside is you don't have to engage in pointless surface level conversation with the entire population of the town in the meantime. Orion will probably leave soon (Lightray always stays until theyre kicking people out), so he can take Heartbeat back.

But then theres a small commotion from the other side of the great hall, and lots of talking and gossiping makes its way back towards where theyre standing. People look real put off and theyre saying things like idk why he'd come here. And advising each other to steer clear. And turning to the next person eagerly saying youll never guess who just walked in.

Its metron. Hes wearing what I guess would be the bare minimum youd consider as dressing up? Some robe like thing thats very simple and understated, and is clearly over his normal suit, which is kind of hilarious in a you-tried-sticker kind of way. The crowd parts as he walks through, emotionless as ever. Music still plays and people are still carefree dancing, but anyone who was mingling is now absorbed with gossip. He makes his way to the back of the hall where he has spotted Orion and Heartbeat. Lightray also emerges at their side bc hes going to run interference if he has to, this looks like some drama about to happen. So Lightray steps forward and greets Metron with all the charm he has, trying to lead by example and show everyone its fine to interact with Metron in a social setting even if hes kind of a piece of shit asshole all the time. Unclear if its working since Metron kind of dismisses him and beelines for Heartbeat.

And Heartbeat is ...confused? Kind of excited bc hes here! But also why is he here? He wasnt going to come, is something wrong? And even though she wanted to attend with him, now that she sees what it's like and the rumor mill they have to endure, shes kind of like ohhhh maybe this is also why it wasnt worth his time. Shes thinking now ehhhh it probably wouldve been better if he hadnt shown up bc things just got 500 times more awkward. But that still doesnt stop her from being a little giddy about it, even though its weird and he's weird and god everything about this is just so weird. And hes there for her. Clearly, its the only reason. It makes her heart skip a beat and an involuntary muffled ping rings out from in her chest. He glances down at her chest and back up, he definitely noticed that even with the noise of the music and crowd.

Half the room is watching them, and some people are starting to go from thinking Heartbeat was there for some ulterior motive to like spy on them, to now being like omgggg is there something going on between them?! And theyre basically hyping it into a soap opera waiting to see what happens. Metron and Heartbeat both catch fragments of murmurs, and Heartbeat starts getting a little distressed. Metron steps closer and tells her not to give any thought to what people are saying. She had been very interested in the traditions of New Genesis, and what is gossip but a social tradition practiced by all. Every one of them has been the focus of it, its victim or its victor, and so will again as the cycle continues. So do not let it be a loss that this night the focus is on you.

He offers his hand and she takes it. She looks into his eyes and silently, internally begs that she can trust him. The look he's giving her is piercing, but she feels like he's answering that she can. He sweeps her into a dance, which is so, SO unexpected that some of the crowd gasps, other giggle, and many are now somehow rooting for Heartbeat. The narrative of the gossip starts to shift to the idea that she's this mysterious stranger who has come along and somehow tamed Metron's heart. People are basically eating this up. As they dance Metron keeps her eyes locked with his. Ignore them. Theyll say anything. But by the end of our dance they will fear you no longer.

The song ends and theres a bit more gossip that swirls around the room, and then to Heartbeat's surprise, everyone sort of turns back to what they were doing and it all sort of settles back into the comfortable energy the ball had before. A few people still watch and whisper and they leave together, Metron leading Heartbeat by hand. In the Mobius Chair on the way back, he explains that at events like this, the town hungers for a juicy plot. If it wasn't her, it would've been someone else. But he knew if they were given some climax to the night, they would be satiated. Of course the two of them will be whispered about for some time, but eventually it wont matter and attention will wane when nothing more comes of it. Heartbeat understands what he's saying and thinks okay she can endure that.

But why did he come at all? And if he was going to why disappoint her like that? Surely he doesnt care about gossip. Of course not, but he explains that he knew how the events would unfold, and the crowd would only react to the most genuine emotions. So Heartbeat had to go alone in order to have this surprise moment at the end. And he doesnt care what the town thinks UNLESS its going to impact his work, and if Heartbeat ends up too depressed about it thatd be an annoyance, so he saw an opportunity to help build favor for her with the socialites of Supertown. Just wait, in the next days people will be so eager to learn more about her before things die down, she'll be quite popular. But shes not buying it. She can tell thats not really what his motives were. Maybe it worked out that way in the end, but he didnt fucking master mind this and send her dejected alone for that purpose. She knows he really and truly was not going to go, so something changed.

It was when she was leaving and he saw how crestfallen she was, and he knew the kind of night she was about to have. Yeah he didnt want her mood to impact their work, and thats what he kept telling himself. But there was more to it. He couldnt explain it, but he just. He didnt want that for her. He had sat there most of the night tinkering on some machine, but his thoughts were preoccupied with how she must be faring until he could take it no longer.

But does he tell her any of that? Fuck no. He sticks to his story about planning this all ahead of time and swooping in at the last minute as a tactic to make the town more positive about her. She isnt satisfied with that but hes obviously not budging about it so she drops it.