#ig....its a dance | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

puppiesandnightlock · 7 months

Text

Link Nightwing and Flamebird

Aggggggghhhhhh this is the prompt i was so excited for!!! its my favorite one out of all of them!!

Summary: Its a masquerade ball and Jon is ready...if only he could find who he was supposed to be matching with.

i.e. damian and jon went matching to the gala but damian failed to mention who they were going as and they dance and its really cute.

A/N:

so, just a disclaimer, even tho i did do my reseach on the flamebird and nightwing thing and obviously ive read a shit ton of fics thta deal with this, im shortening it incredibly and switching up some things bc i have to fit it in the context its used for in this story anyways this is the prompt i was most excited for bc yassss masqurade ball and i almost made it a royalty one but at the last minute did this lol

If anyone would have asked Jon, he would tell them that everything that happened that night was completely Damian’s doing.

It started off simple enough, when the Kents had gotten an invite to the annual Wayne gala. He hadn't thought much of it, they were invited every year, his parents called to cover the event by the Planet.

Jon had completely forgotten about it until a week before, when his brother waltzed in one night and asked him what he was going to be for the masquerade ball.

“W-What?” He’d sputtered.

“Yeah, you know the ball Tim’s family puts on? We’re going as demons and angels.” Kon had said, laying in the air with his hands behind his head in a resting position.

“They didn’t tell me that!” Jon whipped out his phone and began spamming Damian with questions until his phone started ringing.

“ Honestly, corncob, must you do this now?”

The familiar annoyed tone drawled through the phone speaker.

“Uh, yeah! What the actual heck am I supposed to go as?”

The two boys could hear the eye roll through the phone, followed by the usual “tt '' of disappointment.

“ Calm yourself Jonathan, if it worries you so much, you can simply go matching with me. I’ll send something over in your measurements tomorrow, assuming they’re still the same from a few months ago .”

“Fine. What are we going to be?”

“ I think I'll let that be a surprise. I’ll see you next week, Jon.”

The phone clicked, signaling the end of the call.

“You see, your boyfriend has your back.”

Kon ruffled his hair, ignoring the angry screeches of “ He’s not my boyfriend, Connor!! You know what he is? He's a flaming piece of sherbet!”

“Still can’t swear.” He chuckled, zooming out the window.

The fact that Damian wouldn't tell him didnt stop the flow of guesses coming from the farmboy.

He pulled the worst guesses after a while, disappointed when even the best ones had been vetoed. The sun and moon one had come close, Damian had nearly smiled when he said it so that was close at least.

When the night of the gala came, he stepped into his room only to be greeted by an intricate box tied with a ribbon on his bed.

Opening it, he found a black suit, flames running up to his elbow from the cuffs, the suit otherwise black but illuminated by the colors of the sleeves.

The mask was built up with intricate patterns of gold, and when he put it on, it gave the picture of wearing fire itself.

Gasping, he stumbled a little, pulling it off before placing it delicately back in the box. As he took the suit out to put on after a shower, he noticed a paper floating out from under it. He snatched it midair and noticed Damian’s elegant script.

“ You have your half, now you will have to come find me. No powers, by the way.”

Of course he couldn't just tell me what we were doing. This is fire, right? What's the opposite of fire?

He dressed, finding in pleasant surprise that the coattails of the jacket had the same flames his cuffs did, cut in an odd jagged pattern. As he spun in the mirror, they flared out, almost resembling…dragon wings?

He picked up the mask again, noticing the way it curved down on his face, resembling a snout.

An idea began to form, it was if he had all the pieces of a puzzle but couldn't yet fit them together.

His parents had insisted on pictures, marveling at the suit and mask.

“Damian must have designed this himself. It has his mark of dramatics.” Lois traced the fire on the sleeve.

“What is he going as?” Clark asked as they got into the car that had gone to pick them up.

“He hasn't told me. I’m supposed to guess.” Jon rolled his eyes, the concept stupid to him.

Per usual, they were swarmed like celebrities themselves exiting the car, Lois and Clark mixing into the crowd as Jon stood alone at the top of the ballroom's large staircase, scanning the room of masks.

He caught Kon and Tim in the corner, both dressed in matching suits of deep red and soft white.

Dick had a redhead on his arm, as usual(choose your ship), matching sun and moon. Jason was hidden away by the refreshments, Duke following behind him. Steph and Cass were out on the dance floor, with coordinated dresses like the queens they were.

Tired, he gravitated towards the refreshments and fought the urge to run a hand through his slicked curls.

As he looked up, his gaze landed on a man there, sipping from a glass of champagne with an amused smirk on his face.

His suit was a deep navy, almost black, with a thick light blue stripe making up the design. The coattails were a familiar dragon wing shape. It suddenly clicked in his mind who they were supposed to be, and without a second thought, he strode over and offered the shorter man his hand.

“Care to dance?”

Damian’s green eyes twinkled at him as he set down his flute to take his hand.

“Took you long enough.”

They swept out onto the dance floor, brushing by Steph and Cass, who winked at them and shot thumbs up to Damian behind Jon’s back.

He huffed and turned back to Jon, the flaming colors of his mask making his eyes stand out like icy blue pools.

The song played on, and Jon leaned in to whisper.

“Nightwing and Flamebird, huh?”

“Mhm. You were rather close with your sun and moon theory, and the fire and ice as well.”

They spun, transitioning into formal waltz.

“Never thought you’d go with an old kryptonian legend. They were partners, the best of the best. Soulmates. Flamebird kept Nightwing from falling too far into the dark, and nightwing vowed to be by his side forever.”

“Lovers.”

Jon nearly tripped over his own shoes. “What?”

“They were lovers, if I'm not mistaken.”

“Y-yeah, that too.” He grinned suddenly. “Dami, are you a romantic ?”

“No! The very thought is appalling, I would never stoop to such a level of meaningless gibberish.”

Being the little shit he was, Jon listened to the skip in his c̶r̶u̶s̶h̶ best friend’s heart as he dipped him slightly, bringing his face closer.

“I think you are.”

“So that’s the way you wanna play it, Kent?”

Damian hitched a leg over his waist, doing a specific movement to the beat of the music and smirking at his blush.

“Because you’re sure to lose.”

“We’ll see about that, bat boy.”

The world around them became blurry, the only thing in the room being the two of them and the rhythm of the music.

One moved, and the other tried to top it. They wove it all together in a beautiful dance, daring each other with the way they moved, the sly grins and glints in their eyes the only words they needed.

The goal was to make each other as flustered as possible, and every gasp, blush, and breathy laugh was a prize. As the music began to slow, they spun out, back in, and into a low dip, panting heavily.

A flush of exhaustion brushed their cheeks, sweat beaded on their foreheads. For a moment, their surroundings had frozen, and there was just them. All the unspoken emotions, the words missed for years had somehow been spilled out in simple dance, and they were shook, the only thing snapping them out of it was the applause that sounded once they’d stopped dancing.

Quickly they stumbled apart, smoothing their suits and giving a nervous bow as the gala goers clapped, having watched the whole exchange.

Grabbing Damian’s hand, he led them through the crowd that had gathered to watch them, ending up in the hallway of the manor.

Green eyes twinkled at him as he began trying to speak, stuttering out a long drawn confession speech he’d made somewhere around five years ago.

“For the love of- Get over here, Corncob.”

Damian tugged his shirt collar, reaching up on his toes to press his lips against the others.

The flush returned, more prominent than before.

“I-ah…the feeling is mutual, then?” Jon squeaked, mentally slapping himself for such a stupid response.

“Quite.” A pink color was dusting the caramel complexion of the shorter boy as well.

Grinning, he bent to place a kiss on the smaller boy’s cheek, taking his hand. “What do you say we get out of here, then?”

“I’d say yes.”

*********************************************************************

for @super-sons-week-2023

30 notes · View notes

bettathanyou · 10 months

Note

Need need NEED cedric and reader fic where hes all sauve and confident in front of her when everyone expects him to fuck up and shes all shy and bothered iykwim;);) bonus points if they're "friends" who everyone obv ships

I'm ngl, this ask was a little hard to answer because Cedric has such few moments where he's confident on screen ☠️☠️ he's such a dork, I love him 🫶

Either way, sauve Cedric is still a guilty pleasure to think about. I hope I can nail down the vibes like you requested! I also wasn't sure if you meant by "friends" they were in a pre-established relationship or not, so I left it sort of ambiguous 🌝 but don't worry there's still plenty of shipping content if that was your intention!

I also decided on a whim to make this a christmas-y fic, cuz Christmas in the summer! Why not!

Dance With Me

A Fic by Bettathanyou

. No trigger warnings, except tooth rotting fluff and the coy implications by our sauve sorcerer 🤭🫣 this fic is inspired by the episode Cedric Be Good, because seeing Cedric dance with Sofia makes me obsessed with the idea that he's a good dancer.

It was the week before Wassailia, and everyone in the entire kingdom could feel the excitement grow palpable in the air. Though Wassailia always brought out the mirth and child-like wonder in nearly everyone's heart, this year felt different; whispers among the castle maids promised a party thrown in Enchancia like no other.

Normally, gossip amongst your other castle coworkers was more unwelcome noise; however, you kept your ears perked as you caught wind that this year, the common folk of the kingdom were formally invited to the Wassailia ball.

You tried to dismiss the notion at first, unconvinced that your rulers were that altruistic.

To your surprise, the King made a public degree the very next day, confirming the rumors to be true.

As much as you would appreciate the royals efforts to bridge the gaps between nobility and the common man, the gesture seemed more of a burden than a blessing as you toiled with triple your usual workload on such short notice.

Sighing in contempt, you take a small moment to sit down to rest your aching joints and tired feet. You take a rag from your dress pocket, wiping the sweat from your face and neck. Your eyes trail lazily around the half decorated ballroom- multicolored streamers, bows and flowers slowly finding their way into every crevice.

Just as you were getting comfortable, younger servants entered the ballroom; the two of them chittering away at decoration placement off to your right, disturbing your peace and quiet. Biting back harsh words, you glare venom at their backs in a heated silence. You take in a sharp breath, exhaling slowly as you rub your temples with your fingers.

"What if we meet a cute guy from the village?" The taller girl spoke in between sheepish giggles, and her counterpart barks out a laugh that echoes off the walls.

"C'mon, get real! We're at a royal ball, darling," the girl chastises her friend, shaking her head. The tall girls face falls, but before she can reply her friend flashes her a toothy smile.

"We shouldn't be looking for village men, we need to find a noble one!" They both pause for a moment, then immediately start laughing together. Hugging their sides as their laughing fit ensues, the noise reaches a fever pitch and their laughter feels like stakes being hammered into your skull.

Normally, you'd at least laugh a little bit, albeit sarcastically. However the stress has been building fast between a few days, even moreso than you originally thought. Anxiety and rage do a dangerous dance in your chest, and you don't know whether you should cry, laugh, or scream.

You had to get out of here, and quickly. Somewhere where it's quiet, and no one will disturb you. At least for ten goddamn minutes.

As soon as you had set your goal, the perfect destination popped in your mind.

Cedric's workshop.

The thought instantly made you feel lighter, happier. Your mouth twitched in the ghost of a smile. While still overwhelmed and angry, the hope of spending time with Cedric already was soothing your shot nerves.

You shoot up from the floor, slinking off to the doors leading out of the ballroom and into the hallway. Luckily the girls were preoccupied with their conversation to address you, and you knew how to be inconspicuous. Reaching your hand to push the doors open, you quickly step forward, making your escape a success.

Shockingly, the route to Cedric's tower wasn't as busy as you had thought, given the circumstances. Polite greetings towards your peers were exchanged in haste, and you had to keep your hand glued to the cold stone walls of the servant tunnels to keep you grounded.

Taking the next exit that leads towards Cedric's tower, your footsteps quicken subconsciously. Exiting the tunnels a few minutes later, you scurry down the hall and up the staircase leading to Cedric's door.

With your destination finally in arms reach, you let out a breath you didn't realize you'd been holding. Now, your body feels heavy, sluggish; the giddiness of seeing Cedric has finally worn off, and in place was an ache that set deep in your bones, straight down to the marrow.

You lean against the sturdy doorframe, knocking timidly on his door. You wait, hearing movement beyond the door. Footfalls creep closer, and you close your eyes and listen to the familiar shuffle of Cedric's pace.

A loud groan escapes the door hinges as it swings open, startling you from your stupor. You lazily straighten yourself upright, your hand still leaning on the frame to give you extra support. Plum colored silk fills your vision, your eyes automatically flicking upwards to meet warm mahogany irises.

"(Y/n)!" Cedric's brows rise in obvious surprise, his head cocking to the side like a slightly confused yet happy puppy.

Coupled with his rich brown eyes, it really sold the look. A small laugh bubbles up from your core before you could register what your response was going to be.

His previous puppy-eyed look was now replaced with a more common unamused stare, a slight pout at his lips. He leaned on the door frame, his usual slouched spine straightening to his full height. His head was angled down towards you, making his silver bangs frame his face in a way that made your knees weak.

"Well, darling, if I had known you'd come all this way just to laugh in my face, I'd at least put on a jester hat for your arrival."

Every word dripped with sarcasm and attitude, but the glitter of humor in his eyes and the corners of his mouth stretched into a smart ass smirk betrayed his bluff.

Your heart leaped into your throat at his pet name for you, but you swallow your reaction for now, opting instead to engage in Cedric's banter.

"You'd do all that for me?" You shoot back with a smile, trying to feign innocence as you look up at him through your eyelashes.

Cedric's biting smirk immediately vanished, his face becoming momentarily unreadable. He raises a gloved hand to his face, self consciously rubbing his cheek.

What wouldn't I do for you?

It was the only words that came to Cedric's mind; staring down at you, all other thoughts vanished within those (e/c) pools he has fallen for. He felt the heat of blush being pulled to the surface of his skin, so strong it permeated through the leather of his gloves.

It was then you both noticed that neither of you had said a word in a good minute, only staring into each other's eyes. You felt your skin tingle with embarrassment, and you both broke eye contact swiftly.

Cedric coughs awkwardly, trying to remedy the situation.

"So, what brings you here, (y/n)?" He offers the question gently, his hands wringing together in a nervous habit.

"Peace and quiet," you grumbled back, more irritation propelling your answer than you had planned.

He laughs dryly, shaking his head at you.

"So you came here?" Cedric eyes you incredulously, his whole body leaning on that last word for more emphasis.

"There was nowhere else I could go." You answer in a defeated tone, the pull of your tiredness making your body sag. You quietly sigh, staring down at the ground.

"I know you're busy- but if it's okay, I only need ten minutes." You ushered the words out quickly.

Before Cedric could respond, you continue speaking.

"I understand completely if you can't spare the time, though." You added apologetically, rubbing your arms to help soothe yourself.

"I always have time for you, (y/n). I didn't mean to come off as rude. I-I apologize. I only me-meant to say that-" Cedric tumbles over his words in a frenzy, and you cut him off with a small but reassuring smile.

"I know what you meant, Ced. You don't have to apologize." You cooed affectionately, your gaze now level with the sorceror.

Cedric stops and holds your stare, your voice sounding as soft as velvet to his ears.

"Right. Of course," Cedric nods to himself, almost in affirmation. After a beat, he wordlessly steps aside, his arm beckoning you inside.

"Thank you." You say with sincerity, your eyes momentarily meeting his again. A shy but sweet smile was his response to your thanks, and it was better than any words he could've said back. You burn the image of his smile into the back of your eyelids, along with the countless others you daydream about.

"I'm going to just head upstairs, if that's alright," You turn to Cedric, awaiting his approval.

"Go right ahead." Cedric waves you off, and you bound up another flight of stairs for the day. Just as you were going to sit down on the plush chairs that sat next to the wall of bookcases, Cedric's voice called out to you from below.

"Did you want something to drink?" He asked expectantly.

"I can't, I'm working tomorrow." You replied without thinking, then immediately as the last syllable left your mouth you realized that wasn't the kind of drink he was talking about.

"Haha, very funny." Cedric answers, and you swear you can hear the eye roll in his voice.

"I misspoke that time, actually!" You called down from the balcony, correcting him. He gave a quick hum of acknowledgement, then you heard a cabinet opening along with the soft clinking of metal utensils.

"So, is that a no on the tea, then?" Cedric asks you again, and you think about your response.

"...Yes! Wait, no, I mean-yes, I would like some tea... please." Your voice dies off at the end of your sentence, and you let out a groan of frustration at your lack of ability to speak.

Cedric says nothing, but you swear you hear him chuckling downstairs over the sounds of him assembling your tea.

"I'm tired, leave me be!" You jokingly scolded him, but he gave you no response. With a final huff, you settle into the soft exterior of the chair you sat in. You lean your body weight into the supple cushions, and you swear it almost brings a tear to your eye.

You close your eyes for a moment, the darkness bringing relief and the stillness of Cedric's workshop made your tense muscles finally unbind themselves. You already feel the urge to sleep weighing you down further into the chair, and for once you don't fight it.

You awake again with a startle, your eyelids flinging open. You whip your head around your surroundings, your eyes finding purchase against the warm amber glow of Cedric's own eyes. He raises his brow at you, continuing to drink his cup of tea.

Your eyes then fully take in the scene in front of you: Cedric was seated across from you, with a simple metallic tea kettle and two cups of tea was splayed out on the dark wooden end table.

"How long did I sleep for?" You ask hurriedly, your heart starting to hammer.

"Just long enough for your tea to cool down. Should still be warm though," Cedric nods towards your cup, and you take it into your hands. You hesitantly take a small sip, and you nod in affirmation of Cedric's comment.

You take another drink, bigger this time, and set your cup down gently. You feel a little embarrassed, having Cedric see you sleeping. You thumb the soft porcelain cup in your hands nervously, staring down into the rich tea inside it.

It's the same color as his eyes, you noted mentally, the realization so sudden that you couldn't help but let a soft chuckle escape your lips.

"What's so funny now?" Cedric prompts you, his body slightly leaning forward in interest. His eyes have taken on that sparkle, akin to a cat's, that surfaces every time he's curious about something.

It made your heart flutter.

"It's nothing," you smile coyly, shaking your head dismissively.

"Really..." Cedric trails off with an arched brow, his eyes not leaving you.

"You know I'm too curious and too stubborn to play this game with me, so out with it." Cedric shot back, his eyes boring into you with a mischievous and smug glimmer.

You sigh, knowing that you've been checkmated. You feel your skin flush as you summon your courage to speak your thought aloud.

"I just... I found it funny, that this tea is the exact shade of your eyes." You murmured pensively, picking up your cup to drink so you would have a distraction.

Cedric doesn't answer immediately, and you eye him from above the rip of your teacup. His normally fair skin took on a reddened hue, his hair falling into his eyes as he stared his cup of tea down.

Your lips curve into a smile against the delicate china, and you finish your drink.

"I... I suppose it is, yes." Cedric swallows thickly, and you try to bite back your smile. Cedric fidgets in his seat, clearly flustered and trying to play it off.

Seeing his reaction lights a fire in you, and the tea only adds to the warmth you feel growing in your stomach.

"Thank you for letting me sleep, by the way," you finally spoke, delicately trying to redirect the conversation.

Cedric's skin was still flushed, but you notice his body relaxes a little bit.

"No need to thank me- I didn't really do anything." He shrugs you off, but still offers you a smile.

"Well... You made me tea, at least, and I haven't thanked you for that yet. So... thank you," you nod to Cedric in thanks, and his smile grows across his face.

"...You're welcome, (y/n)." Cedric responds, his voice audibly softening at saying your name.

For a moment, you wish that the peace of this moment could last forever. You sigh contentedly, but soon after reality comes creeping back into your mind.

"Ah- will you be at the Wassailia ball, right?" You suddenly ask, your spine straightening.

"Of course- the royals need their entertainment, after all." Cedric snickers, and you snort in amusement.

"What do you have planned?" You prompted, but Cedric only gives you a pointed look.

"What?" You asked, and a laugh rumbled in his throat.

"You'll just have to wait and see, my dear. Can't give away all my secrets- I'm sure you understand." Cedric shrugs apologetically, and you agree.

"Then that means I'll have something to look forward to." You flash Cedric a cheery smile, and he immediately flushed again.

Before he stutters out a response, your eyes suddenly shift over to the clock on the wall nearby.

"Shit," you cursed under your breath, already rising to your feet.

"Time to go?" Cedric asks, his voice thick with melancholy.

"Wayy past time, I'm afraid." You say with a laugh, but you notice the light dimming in his eyes a little.

"But it's like you said before- I'll always have time for you." You spoke in an uncharacteristically bold voice, holding his gaze to drive home your point. You felt your cheeks light up, but you refused to shy away or hide them this time.

Cedric's eyes light up again at your words, but it was different than what you're used to. Instead of a mischievous glint, or a smug glimmer, or a curious sparkle- it was like a smoldering ember, searing holes into you with an unwavering look.

You were the first to break out of the stare, excusing yourself so you could leave.

You trudge down the balcony, your footsteps laden with dread at the workload you still have to finish. You sigh deeply, lingering near Cedric's door to say goodbye. You turn to the sorcerer, a somewhat longing look in his eyes that makes you shy away.

"I'll see you at the ball, then..." You trail off awkwardly, your hand resting on the door handle. You were never really good at goodbyes, and Cedric was even worse at it.

"Yes- I'll look for you after the magic show is done?" Cedric drawls out hesitantly, and the gesture surprises you a little bit. Cedric was never one who enjoyed parties; usually after he was done performing for them, he would retire back to his chambers.

"Of- of course," you stuttered, more out of shock than embarrassment.

"Then it's a plan." Cedric nods in affirmation, and swiftly turns to his workbench again. You smile a little, taking in one last look of him before turning back and exiting through the door.

____________________________________

Time Skip To The Wassailia Ball~

The crowd that gathered around the stage where Cedric stood erupted into a standing ovation, with the high walls and arches ceiling of the ball room making the cries and applause deafening.

You were cheering and clapping at first, but the volume has turned painful and you opted to cover your ears until it died down.

Cedric was standing in the spotlight, a huge Cheshire grin on his face. He humbly bowed in thanks, which made the people cheer again. He basks in the praise with an unparalleled joy you rarely ever seen out of Cedric.

You wore a smile so huge it hurt, but at the same time you didn't care. Seeing Cedric this happy was worth more than any jewel the cheering royals beside you could own.

He then turns to exit through the drapes behind him, stopping one final time to bow before the audience. You let out a laugh, which drowned in the sea of cheers and whoops.

Slowly, the crowd dispersed again, with people breaking off into larger chunks or turning to each other to chat about the show that was performed.

You decide to break off from your position, heading towards the sides of the stage to wait for Cedric. You stand restlessly for about ten minutes, flashing awkward smiles at passersby and trying not to look too obvious that you're waiting for someone.

Suddenly, a tap on your shoulder makes you yelp in surprise as your body whips around to the source. Cedric was standing there, an apologetic look already on his face.

"You scared the hell out of me...!" You exclaimed bitterly, more upset at yourself for being caught off guard than Cedric scaring you.

"I tried calling your name two times! But you didn't hear me..." Cedric insisted, his tone somewhat defensive but still apologetic.

"Sorry, I was just caught off guard." you huff, swiftly ending the argument.

"Anyways- your performance was amazing, Cedric." Flashing him a smile, you see the giddiness swell in his eyes.

"Did you hear the way they cheered for me, (y/n)?!" Cedric exclaimed in amazement, his hands clutching his heart.

"I sure did- I was there, cheering with them!" You nodded in agreement, relishing in Cedric's happiness.

"I know- I saw you there, in the crowd! I almost waved to you, actually." Cedric continues, speaking excitedly.

You chuckled at his comment, but before you could reply you spotted a group of about ten richly dressed noblemen and women approaching from your peripheral.

You silently point towards the crowd, getting Cedric's attention.

"I think some of your fans want to meet you," you say coyly, giving Cedric a catty grin. Cedric scoffs, but he still wears a huge smile on his face. You haven't seen this man smile so much, and it fills your heart in places you didn't think existed.

"I'll let you chat with them while I wait for you near the drink table." You give him an endearing clap on the shoulder, but there was a slight hesitancy in the way he looked at you. You shot him a look of puzzlement, and he adverts his eyes.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be alon-" he starts, but you swiftly turn his body around and give Cedric an encouraging push towards the nearing nobility.

"I'll be fine- you should enjoy this!" You hissed, your hands already leaving his back. You sharply turn on your heel, leaving Cedric no opening to run. Your feet carry you to your agreed spot, grabbing yourself a random glass of carbonated liquid.

You watch, your heart melting at the sorcerer mingling with the royals now surrounding him. Cedric definitely seemed nervous, but if the royals were talking about magic, then Cedric would definitely talk anyone's ear off about it. You see him laughing at something, and you chuckle in return.

You fix your eyes on your drink, raising it to your lips. As the liquid went down your throat, you sputter at the fire consuming your windpipe. You eye the glass with trepidation, quickly setting the rest of your drink aside.

"Well, I suppose it's Wassailia- they wouldn't want to spare any expense on the drinks..." You muttered, training your eyes back to Cedric.

Now he was actually talking animatedly, his hands gesturing with gusto. As you watch, you almost don't notice how the background music has changed into something more lively. You only noticed as the general crowd around you responded in turn, everyone shuffling to grab a dance partner.

Suddenly, you felt very aware that you were standing alone, in the middle of a Wassalia ball.

Your eyes shift again to the spot you last saw Cedric, only to find he was missing. Your heart dropped; the first mental image coming to your mind was the arm of a charming, wealthy, noble woman snagging Cedric for the first dance of the ball.

You grit your teeth, and you weren't sure if you were cringing at the idea of it or the way your body flew into a visceral rage over the thought. You shake your head to try and clear your mind, squeezing your eyes tightly for a moment. You listen to the melody of the music, the stringed and wind instrumentals soothing your nerves.

You slowly open your eyes again, and a splotch of dark purple immediately makes you stand at attention. Your eyes dart through the sea of cloth and silk, trying to find that familiar plum stained silk you caught a glimpse of before. You're itching to plunge into the sea of paired couples, but you restlessly stand in place, recalling your own instructions to meet at the drink table.

Then, as if by magic, Cedric appears through the masses, and you excitedly wave him over. His lithe frame slinks through the crowd with grace, his eyes never leaving yours.

If you were being honest, you were quite impressed by the fluidity of his approach. You watch with an amused smirk as he finally squeezes past the last wave of people, his tall frame coming towards you.

"I see you came back unscathed," you joked, chuckling a little.

"Would you like to dance with me?" Cedric blurted out, his eyes going wide; It was if he was just as surprised as you for offering. You both stare blankly at each other for a few seconds, actually processing the question.

"I-I..." You stammered nervously, your gaze shying away from his warm amber eyes. Even though your eyes were downcast, you could've sworn you saw his whole body droop in disappointment.

"No- Cedric, that's very sweet of you, but I- I can't dance. I got two left feet, seriously-" you force the words out of your mouth as quick as possible, trying to salvage the situation and not make Cedric upset.

A small part of you was screaming for you to take back your decision to decline- you were just upset about being alone in the middle of a dance, so why did you just pass up a good-no, perfect opportunity?

"W-Well... If your adamant about your decision, I won't pester you," Cedric fiddled with his robe sleeve nervously, and his eyes shifted to avoid looking at you directly.

You go to open your mouth, but Cedric speaks again, cutting you off.

"However; I just want to point out that as long as you have feet, you can dance. A matching pair isn't even required." Cedric looks at you with a pointed smile, one eyebrow raised-almost in a challenge.

The words you had prepared shriveled up in an instant, as you were thrown off by the unexpected comment. You finally let out a laugh, but it came out short and rough, almost like a bark.

"I-I don't know, Cedric. It's not that I don't want to... but I really don't know how to dance." You admit slowly, feeling your skin prick as you confess.

"If you're willing to learn, that's half the battle. I don't want to brag, but- I'm actually quite good at dancing. I'm sure we could get you familiar with the basics, if you'd like." Cedric offers again, this time with a more confident air.

"I've never seen you dance," you eyed him with a skeptical look, but a grin was already halfway spread across your cheeks.

"If we keep bickering, you never will." Cedric says in an exasperated tone, but you could see his lips twitch to keep himself from smiling.

"..Alright, fine." You reply, raising your hands up in mock surrender. You take in a deep breath, exhaling as you reach out your hand to the sorcerer in front of you.

"Perfect- just in time for the waltz to start from the beginning." Cedric says with a giddy hum, immediately taking your hand into his slender gloved ones.

He promptly turns around to face the crowd, practically dragging you to the dance floor. Each footstep you took felt like you were wading through mud, with weights attached to your ankles. Your heart began to beat faster, anxiety clawing its way from the pit of your stomach and nestling into every inch of your body.

You know your hands were starting to sweat, and you were grateful that Cedric always wore his gloves so he wouldn't notice.

Through the crowd, you miss all the surprised and shocked eyes on the two of you.

To the side, unbeknownst to both of you, Roland and Miranda watch from their thrones with amused glances.

"Looks like they're getting along well, Rolly." Miranda nudged her husband playfully, and he smirks in satisfaction.

"So it seems." Roland agrees with a nod.

I'll admit- throwing the ball so suddenly was a hard plan to execute, but this definitely makes it all worth it." Roland laughs, eyeing his wife.

"Does cedric- know how to dance?" Miranda whispers lowly, covering her mouth sheepishly.

Roland shrugs lazily, watching the pair part the crowd of his subjects like Moses and the red sea.

"I suppose either way, we'll find out." Roland snickers, and Miranda swats at Roland's chest forcefully.

"Hey-!" Roland protests, but Miranda dismissed his cries with an eye roll.

"Let's just focus on them being happy together, hm?" She tilts her head towards Cedric, and Roland agrees with a weary sigh.

"Alright- it's simple enough; one hand on my shoulder, the other I'll hold to help lead the waltz." Cedric instructs clinically, with you promptly following his instruction.

"Then, all that's left is to mirror my movements to the rhythm of the music- it'll help if you keep a metronome going in your head." You look at him, already feeling confused and you two haven't even moved yet.

"Right..." You feebly answer back, not fully meeting his eyes for fear they would betray your confusion.

"Here, like this; one-" Cedric shifted his foot backwards, gently pulling you towards him to prompt you to step forward.

"And two-" Cedric swiftly shifted his body to the side, his hand lightly squeezing your hip as he pulls you to match his movement. The gesture, while meant to just teach you the ropes, made your heart hammer wildly in your chest. You feel your face getting hot, and you feel a little light headed as you begin to sway per Cedric's instruction. You find your hands gripping onto Cedric's for better support, your eyes glued to your shoes in fear of tripping.

"Ah ah- eyes on me, (y/n)." Cedric tutted, his hand sliding off your hip to raise your chin up to meet his gaze. His fingers barely graze below your jaw, and it's like he somehow stole the breath from your lungs. You feel the heat from his hand, radiating through your flesh; or maybe, that feeling was from your blush- that had made your skin feel like it was on fire, creeping from your cheeks all the way down your neck.

Staring up at the sorcerer, you notice a sultry grin is now plastered on Cedric's cheeks. While his skin held the delicate rosy tint of blush, his eyes held that same blazing look from the last time you visited Cedric in his workshop.

You gulped, and while you opened your mouth to speak, your words failed miserably. Nothing but an involuntary giggle shot out, moreso from shock and being horrendously flustered.

Cedric chuckled at your speechless state, his hand leaving your chin to settle back to its previous position. You almost let your eyes fall back to the floor, but you were caught again by Cedric's honey golden gaze engulfing you.

"Very good; now let's try that again-" Cedric praises you, raising his brows to signal for you to follow with his step. You manage to copy it decently well, given your inexperience. Cedric shows you the rest of the basic steps to a waltz, and when you're finished, you notice the instrumentals changing once again- your eyes dart to Cedric, and you try to hide the look of fear you have behind your thinly veiled confidence.

"Just in time, it seems..." Cedric murmurs, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

"For what?" You glanced over him suspiciously, but you had a bad feeling you already knew what Cedric meant.

Cedric laughs, with a mischievous glint in his eye that is all too familiar.

"To show me how much you've learned, (y/n)."

Your eyes widened with horror, but before you could squeak out any protest, the couples on the dance floor were lining up to begin the dance over again. You hurriedly join the others lined up on the left side of the ballroom, squeezing through the inches of free space between two other servants you're acquainted with.

"Y/n!" The servant exclaims in an excited whisper, shock written all over her face.

You manage to give her a strained smile, turning your head back to listen for the change in melody as your cue.

"I saw you with Cedric- was his dancing as bad as I think?" She snickers, leaning in towards you for an answer.

You turn to glare at her, but as you do so the music changes. Your eyes pricked at the sound, and begrudgingly you whip your head back to attention. The waltz begins as you walk towards Cedric, and the words of your acquaintance ring through your ears once again.

With gritted teeth, you join Cedric's embrace, his hands meeting yours in the same way as before. Your hands grip onto his body tightly as you both began to dance together.

"Are you alright?" Cedric asks lightly, wearing a purposefully neutral expression.

"Of course, never better." You brush him off, not wanting to spoil the moment. You can see the doubt lingering behind Cedric's gaze, but he doesn't press you further.

Exhaling a tiny sigh of relief, you regain your focus back to dancing with the sorcerer in front of you. The two of you sway to the music, and your shocked at how easy you caught on to the waltz. You both glide across the polished tile of the ballroom, the music propelling your bodies together in sync.

Cedric gazes down at you, and you struggle to hold his stare. The lights that hung from the crystal chandeliers splayed out on Cedric face handsomely, accenting all of his facial features in a play of light and shadow. His bright brown eyes flickered in hue as the light hit them; a dizzying display of copper and gold, amber and honey. Coupled with the way his silver bangs glowed like a halo as he moved, to say you were spellbound was an understatement.

"You seem to be catching on beautifully," Cedric purrs, his eyes crinkling as he gives you a smug smile.

Snapped out of your trance, you rush to respond.

"You were always a good teacher, Cedric." You state simply, but your cheeks warmed from giving him a compliment.

"You think so?" He hums back, his cognac eyes lighting up at your words.

"You made a dancer out of me of all people. If anything, it's an understatement." You confirm with a cheeky smile, and he bashfully adverts his eyes for a second.

"You're too generous- but, thank you." He sheepishly replies, his fair skin now tinged pink.

You let a soft chuckle slip past your lips as he gently leads you into a twirl, his arms providing you an anchor as your body spins.

Feeling bold, you accelerate as you reach the end of your twirl, standing on your toes as you do so. Turning back to face him again, you suddenly feel your ankle give out from under you.

It happened so suddenly, you didn't even have time to react at all. All you could do was watch as the world moved in slow motion, and feel your heart drop as your body sinks to the floor. Accepting your fate, you await the pain of hitting the hard, cold tile of the ballroom floor.

However, it never does. Your brain doesn't register what happened, but instead of the harsh, unforgiving floor beneath you, you feel lithe arms and silken sleeves wrapping taut around your body. Your eyes slink upwards, meeting the frenzied state of Cedric's bright brown pools.

You both stare at each other, frozen and unable to reach for any words to say that could remedy what just happened. Your eyes feel as blown wide as Cedric's, and your jaw hung slack as you felt your body catching up with itself. His face was mere inches from yours, and a curtain of dreamy silver bangs just barely tickled your cheek. Though his face fell into shadow, you can clearly see the blush seeping into his skin. His lips were parted slightly, as if he caught himself before he could scream. Your fingers twitched, and you now noticed that one of your hands was practically buried into his scalp. You dared not move your hand, but even still you could feel the softness of Cedric's ebony locs in your grasp.

Your heart ricocheted from the pit of your stomach into your throat, where your pulse raced frantically; your empty stomach nowfilled with butterflies and twisting into knots.

With the new position you find yourself in, it looks as if he dipped you dramatically as the music reached its crescendo- which, to your surprise, made you giggle.

After another few seconds, you break into full laughter, shaking your head at the ridiculousness of it all. With the tension broken, you feel Cedric's chest vibrate with laughter, in turn egging yours on. Despite being in the middle of a ball room, you two continue laughing without a care in the world.

As your laughter finally dies down, Cedric slowly and carefully pulls you back up to a standing position. Your head swam as he hoisted you upwards, and instinctively you leaned into his chest for support.

"I suppose I spoke too soon, huh?" You grumbled sarcastically into his robe, and you hear the laughter he tried to hold back in his chest.

"Perhaps- At least, you could've warned me before trying to twirl like that." You feel his eyes on you, and shyly you step away from his embrace to stand facing Cedric.

"Right... Sorry- I got carried away." You apologized sincerely, the embarrassment now catching up to you. You couldn't think your body could feel any hotter than before, but you're soon realizing you're mistaken.

Cedric shoots with an unreadable look, and for a moment your flashing hot body turns to ice as you fear he's upset with you. You stall your breathing, eyes locked in his unnerving stare.

"W-what?" You finally ask, cringing internally as how pathetic your voice sounded.

"You know... This may sound strange, but-" Cedric pauses, staring at you a moment more before stepping towards you. You try to step back, but your body doesn't budge. You turn your head to decipher the problem- now realizing now that his arm has already found it's place against your back.

With his free hand, Cedric cups your cheek into his palm and directs your face back to his. You're completely speechless at this point, and your brain is so fried from being flustered that any motor skills you had are long gone.

"I think I like it when you get carried away..." Cedric chuckles lowly, his eyes holding those same sparks that make a fire light deep down in your belly. You try to crawl around in your brain for any comeback, quip, or smart remark- but all that's left of your coherent thought is how desperately you want to be even closer to Cedric's body.

Acting on that whim, you hook your arms around Cedric's neck. His brows shoot up in questioning, but he doesn't protest.

"Would you like another dance?" The words manifest on your tongue without thinking, and your heart felt giddy as you awaited his response.

"It would be my pleasure," Cedric spoke, his voice soft as feather down as his head dipped even closer to your own. Feeling your breath catch in your throat, all you can do is nod your head in affirmation.

Even though you both had agreed to dance once more, neither of you made the move to untangle yourself from the other's embrace. You knew that one of you had to give, yet you both clung to each other just as tightly.

After a few moments, you feel Cedric's body shift, and you follow to unbind your arms from his neck. He suddenly stops, and you follow suite. You feel Cedric tip his head towards your ear, and you swallow hard as he whispers to you.

"I was thinking... If it's alright- we stay like this." Cedric's voice now had a rougher tone to it, and it sent shockwaves through you. Instead of answering, you adjust yourself back into the position you were in previously.

You smile into his shoulder, letting yourself fully enjoy his embrace. Taking in a deep breath, you inhale the Cedric's scent. The smell of dried herbs, his sweet soap, and the musk of old books makes your head spin in the best of ways.

As if almost on cue, the music changes in the ballroom once again, to something more slow and moody.

You lift your head in response, eyes scanning the scene around you, and you catch the eye of Queen Miranda somehow.

She quickly gestures towards the musicians, then gives you a sly wink.

Biting back a smile, you opt to bury yourself into Cedric's shoulder again.

This year, Wassailia has shaped up to be one of your favorite memories yet.

#cedric the sensational #cedricthesorceror #cedric x reader #sophia the first #Wassailia fic #cuz why not #christmas in summer fuck it ig #cedric can dance its canon

34 notes · View notes