#masquerade ball

[mads-teeth]

my entry for @/ _leefe0n_ ‘s oc masquerade ball on insta! im kinda booty at designing clothes nd his shoes accidentally ended up looking like demonias but whatevssss

[ask-doctor-isami]

"No one said you couldn't join us for a tea party, Haku," Yuri teases primly, "unless you thought I meant a different sort of affection. Kagami has my highest respect, make no mistake. Seeing his face flushed is a thought, but I'd be remiss to disrespect one of my best patients." Subaru always called when necessary, never skipped an appointment without calling or rescheduling, and enjoyed sharing tea blends.

He'd been offended when Haku transferred away to Hotarubi, initially, but he was clearly in good hands. "Well, I could do that or you could put in just a little extra work and carry me if you want me to visit you so badly. After all the times I carried you back in Frostheim, it's only fair, isn't it?"

"Haku, I fucked up." Yuri groans, "that girl from Jabberwock....I just wanted her to behave and stop making so much trouble for me. I just told her to be a good girl, and now she keeps touching me and staring at me and trembling and looking like she would kill a man for me." He glances behind him, almost worried Alli will manifest all of a sudden. "You're popular with women, how do you handle this sort of thing?"

@ask-doctor-isami

Haku was taking a well-earned break after his performance, grappling with the desire to be lighting up a cigarette the way he used to as he leaned against a pillar at the edges of the ballroom, when Yuri found him.

"Oh, you mean Alli?" he asks, amused. "Throw that girl a bone and she'll gnaw on it like one of Jabberwock anomalous pets."

He does seriously consider Yuri's question though. "Hm... she's clearly a bit attached to you. Some women go crazy for being called a 'good girl'. And even when you try to be dismissive of their advances, it seems only to egg them on." Wow, he might actually kill for a cigarette right now. Haku took a deep breath of the crisp Frostheim air. "Personally, I tend to entertain people until they're bored, but I don't think that's what you're looking for. Have you tried... just telling her to cool it though? Being direct about the problem?"

Finishing his piece, Haku's mind still lingers on Yuri's greeting line. Haku, I fucked up. It was like a whiplash into the past. All the times Yuri came by his room, covered in goo or ash or even blood. Haku, I fucked up. In the library, the poor guy almost tearing his hair out as he groaned it into the pages of a book after realising something. Haku, I fucked up. That one moment, a year after they'd gone separate ways, staring at each other during the Clash.

[saltska]

Rough concepts for a masquerade ball in the upper city with subterfuge missions and a dance with your companion. One can dream 🥹

who should i draw next for the ball? XD

[ophelialoveshandsomemen]

Say what you will about Van Helsing 2004; hate it, love it, be indifferent, But the All-Hallow's masquerade ball went sooooo hard and it had zero right to do so! It's a fun, campy, monster mash movie with wonderfully dated ( and expensive) cgi and non-stop action meant to be a popcorn flick one takes out to watch around spooky season. And it has this* chef's kiss* GORGEOUS 6 minute sequence plopped arbitrarily in the second act, which unexpectedly surpasses nearly every other ball in the last 30+ years of film( notable exception being the Cinderella 2015 ball) for literally no reason other than to be dramatic af.

Like feast your eyes on this Gothic masterpiece!!! Who doesn't want to immediately live in this picture?!??

They used those candles with oil in them so that they would have real candles, real string orchestra( I believe), probably around 100 real life extras( something which is tragically absent in modern film), said extras are all in beautiful fully decked-out costumes( which are in luxuriously dark colours, but nearly no fully black, another thing you cannot say for much modern cinema), REAL CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PERFORMERS for all the acrobatics!!!! Hell, instead of filming in a sound stage, where they could control the reverb and the acoustics and the size of the set and the bloody lighting ( they apparently had a heck of a time emulating the firelight for this sequence) and the temperature( it's very cold in stone churches!) better, they filmed in a Baroque church in Prague! As I said, peak dramatic splendour, jfc...

Think about that a second...They filmed a vampire masquerade in a Baroque Catholic Church( St. Nicholas' in Lesser Town, if you were curious) with amazing over-the-top acoustics and marble statues and real, tiled floors and marble pillars and a choir loft which they very much utilized, covered the pipe organ and the altar with a grand brocade curtain so it wouldn't be so obviously a, you know, a church! And there's a gold gilt elevated and canopied pulpit into which they put two vampire kiddies for, again, the sake of being dramatic.

And the costumes! They remind me of the 25th anniversary Phantom of the Opera Masquerade costumes. Same quality, like they're old, well-cared-for costumes pulled out of a warehouse, instead of fast industry churn-outs. With lots of trim and colour and masks and lace and feathers and..just...ugh.. they are all perfect! Just look at all the head pieces on the ladies and the hats on all the gentleman ( save Dracula of course) and the powdered wigs on the musicians. ANNNNDD! The dresses are historically correct!!!!!! It's the 80's bustle era! Nobody does the 80's bustle era in film anymore and it's a bummer. Oh and one other thing! Anna's ( and other women's) hair, at least here in the ball, is also historically accurate because it's all pinned up! None of those fucken modern beachwaves at a ball! Everybody's got updo's!

Gah, I swear, Dracula in his gold cloak really does things to me in this scene!

By the way, the acrobatics are bonkers in here for just background stuff!! Especially the random guys on unicycles and the dude playing the violin whilst standing on a ball...Like....WHAT?

Anyways, all this to say, that this masquerade ball feels sooo real and tangible and because of that it blows every other film out of the water, and no, I will not change my mind!!!!!

Here's a few more gifs, bcuz, why the hell not, this scene is sexy as fuu*ck?

Alright I need to go to bed now.

[chocolatepyrusart]

Art collab with @vagabond-art who did the sketch⬇ based on an outfit I designed 🦉✨💜🍷

[julls]

The masquerade ball with Gortash we all deserved!! (they're probably gossiping about the nobles...) gorgeous Enver Gortash x Durge Juria comm from yec_yourz ♡

[norrevu]

masquerade

[julnites]

Yet another @yeehawpim comic collab 🩸 See Pim's layouts here!

[narttart]

Masquerade boiss

[alastor-simp]

Masquerade Ball - Alastor x Reader🎭💃🏼

Today marked the date of the Pride Ring Ball. Every year in Hell, Lucifer Morningstar would host a ball for the notorious residents in Hell at his palace. The invites extended to the Sins, Overlords, and Goetia family. Sadly, you were just a regular sinner in hell, so no invitation for you, or so you thought. The time you arrived at your apartment in Hell, you noticed the red envelope, with a black seal in your mailbox. "What was this", you thought. Opening the envelope, you realized it was an invitation for the ball. WAIT WHAT?! Thinking it was a mistake, you opened the envelope to see if it was really addressed to you. The message inside the envelope read:

𝒢𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔, 𝒴/𝒩 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑜𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝒾𝓃𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒸𝒶𝓈𝓉𝓁𝑒. 𝐼 𝒾𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒾𝓉 𝓂𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝒶 𝒷𝒾𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝒸𝓀 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝑒𝒸𝑒𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒶𝒹𝑜𝓇𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝑒𝓇, 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝓁𝒾𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒾𝓃𝓋𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉 𝓈𝑜𝓊𝓁 𝒶𝓈 𝓌𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹, 𝒶��𝒹 𝓌𝒽𝑜𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝒹𝒶𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒶𝓈 𝓌𝑒𝓁𝓁. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒾𝓈 𝓈𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒹𝓊𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝒶𝓉 𝟪:𝟢𝟢 𝒫𝑀 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝒶𝓈𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓇𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂𝑒𝒹, 𝓈𝑜 𝓅𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝑜 𝓌𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝒶 𝓂𝒶𝓈𝓀. 𝒞𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝒾𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝑒𝑒𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊.

𝒮𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎, 𝐿𝓊𝒸𝒾𝒻𝑒𝓇 𝑀𝑜𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇

OMG! It took you awhile to get your jaw off the floor after reading the invitation. You had met Charlie Morningstar, a few times in your time in Hell. She had dropped flyers for her hotel on the ground one day, and you happened to be around to help her. After that, the both of you chatted and exchanged cell phone numbers. She insisted you stay at the hotel, and think about being redeemed. Honestly, you were a bit skeptical on the idea, but you told her you would think about it. You didn't expect her to do this for you. You needed to thank her so much when you saw her at the ball. The big problem was finding a dress to wear. You had plenty of clothes, but none of them were ball material, and the funds you had to buy one was very slim. Trying to come up with an idea, you decided to message Charlie, thanking her very repeatedly for the invite and also if she could help you look for a ball gown and mask. Her response came quickly and she said would handle it and for you not to worry. That left you a bit confused, but you didn't question it and just replied back with a heart and smiley face.

It was the day of the ball, and you had just arrived back home from work. Once you arrived at your door, you noticed there were two golden gift wrapped boxes placed in front of it. Grabbing the boxes and headed inside, you see that they were for you. Opening them, one of them contain a beautiful ball gown and the other a masquerade mask (Dress and mask below)

This almost felt like a dream. Inside the box was a note from Charlie, saying hope you love the dress and P.S a carriage would arrive for you at 7:00 PM. Taking a look at your clock, the time read 6:30, which gave you enough time to do your hair and makeup. Once that was all sat, it was time to put on the dress, which fitted you like a glove. Placing the mask on your face, you peaked at the clock and saw that it now read 6:58 PM. Heading out, you gotten to the lower level and spotted your ride. It was a large apple carriage, painted red and gold. The driver was an short imp, wearing a tuxedo. The horses were full on skeletons, with flames for the manes. The driver gave you a nod, hopping down from his seat, and opening the carriage door for you. Thanking him, you went inside and took a seat. Soon you heard a crack, and the carriage began to move, heading towards your destination.

The carriage had drawn to a halt, arriving at the Morningstar palace. It was enormous. The exterior was painted an ashen white. The ceiling was a crimson red and there were apple shaped symbols covering the gates. A fountain was in the middle, spewing out red water. The carriage had stopped right in front of the many stairs, leading to the door of the palace. The driver had dropped down again, opening the door for you this time. Stepping out, you gazed at the palace. You still couldn't believe this was really happening. Making your way up the stairs, the doors opened for you. A large hallway was in front of you, leading to two large doors, marked with red apples and snake symbols, along with two demon guards. Taking a deep breath, you made your way over to them. The guards bowed before you, then proceeded to open the door.

The doors opened leading to the upper deck of a staircase, with two stairs going down on both sides. Peering over the deck, you gazed down. In front of you was the ballroom, where the festivities were talking place. A crowd of demons were gathered around certain areas of the room. An orchestra was playing in the corner of the room, and there were tables of refreshments and imps walking around with trays of beverages. Demons of all shapes and sizes were donning beautiful costume and dresses, along with many interesting masks. A few demons had stopped to gaze at you at the top of the staircase, whispering to themselves. Oh boy, you were starting to feel insecure now, but you were already here so might as well pull through. Hiking your dress up a bit, you gracefully walked down the stairs. You gazed around the room, observing many of the different people that were there and hoping to spot Charlie. You walked slowly around the ballroom, taking in everything. You got many different reactions as you walked around. Many demons smiled and bowed at you, which you returned back with a curtsy. Others gave a glare and scoffed at you, which you ignored. You kept looking for Charlie, but it was very difficult since there were so many masks. The thumping of heels could be heard behind you. Turning around, you were tackled into a bear hug, by someone wearing a pink mask and blonde hair. "YOU MADE IT!!!"

Recognizing that voice, you took a step back, realizing it was Charlie, wearing a beautiful magenta ball gown. Smiling you hugged her back. "Ah you must be Y/N!" another called out from behind the both of you. Looking up, you saw the king of hell himself, Lucifer Morningstar along with his beautiful wife, Lilith. He was wearing his signature white suit and hat, while holding his apple cane. He was wearing a white mask, with black feathers covering it. Lilith was wearing a gorgeous amethyst-colored dress, matching her purple diamond mask. Letting go of Charlie, you politely introduced yourself, giving a bow. "Ah no no my dear! No need for formalities!Come here!" Lucifer smiled widely, walking over to you and giving you a bear hug, similar to Charlies. Welp that was a surprise, you figured Lucifer would be a bit more authoritative, but he was a bit of a goofball. Lucifer let you go, leaving Lilith to come towards you. Her presence took your breath away, giving her amazing height. She bent down a bit, and gave you a hug as well, to which you returned. Having let you go, she placed a hand on your cheek, giving you a motherly smile. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Y/N. Charlie has told us much about you. Thank you for being a kind friend to her."

You nodded your head. "Charlie is truly amazing. You both did an great job raising her." Your face turned towards Charlie, giving her a smile as you turned back at Lilith. Charlie eyes watered with happiness, and she gave you another hug, followed by another one by Lucifer. "AWW LILITH! CAN WE ADOPT HER?!" Lucifer said, as he continued to squeeze you. Lilith gave a chuckle, finding her husbands actions adorable. "Now Luci~. Behave yourself." Lilith tapped Lucifers back, letting him know to let you go. Both Charlie and Lucifer finally let you go. You hoped this didn't cause a big scene, especially since there were so many demons around you. Surprisingly, not many demons were looking your way, maybe because of the Morningstars status, no one bother to say anything of give weird looks. Lucifer adjusted his suit, trying to go back to being professional. "Well sorry for cutting his meeting short, Y/N, but we have to meet with the other guests in the room. Do enjoy yourself!" Lucifer gave you a smile and a bow, and began to walk away. His wife smiled back at you, and followed after her husband. Charlie gave you another hug, and went to catch up with her parents. The ball continued around you. Many demons had gone to a center in the room and began to waltz. You decided to stay off to the side, where the refreshments were, and watched everyone dance. You weren't expecting anyone to ask you to dance, so be better if you just stayed in the shadows and observe.

Your eyes spotted a very tall man on the other side of the ballroom. He was sporting a wine-red tuxedo, along with a black mask with red swirls. His smile was very prominent on his face. In his hand was a microphone? That was odd. Most of the male demons were holding canes, so why did he have a microphone. He was very handsome the more you observed him. Soon his eyes were gazing back at yours, and you turned your head away, embarrassed that he noticed you staring.

***Alastor POV***

""Ah another boring event as always." Alastor thought. He was invited to the Morningstar ball, given his overlord status. Finding it rude not to attend, he still showed up. Alastor would have preffered if the band would play something other than classical music, perhaps some jazz or electric swing, oh how riveting it would be. Gazing around the room, Alastor's eyes then locked on to another staring back at him. Well well, who was this? The demon was staring at him, but instead of looking at him with fear, they were admiring him until they saw that he was looking back, and turned away. Alastor's was becoming positively giddy with excitement, as many who dare to look at him never looked at him with eyes like that. Laughing to himself, Alastor began to walk to where you were standing.

***Your POV***

Turning your head back, you noticed the man had left. Damn, maybe he got creeped out from you staring. A tap on your shoulder caused you to jump. Spinning around, it was the very handsome man you were looking at. His smile was the most noticeable thing on him, even with the mask covering his eyes, the smile took up all of his face. Good evening, my dear! I say you look positively stunning!" His voice radiated static, which you found very surprising yet amazing. Blushing at his words, you looked down, muttering a thank you. The man let out a small laugh, then he grabbed your hand and bowed, kissing it. "The name is Alastor, my dear! And you are?" Still flushed at his greeting, you calm down and told him your name: "My name is Y/N. Its a pleasure to meet you." Why did the name sound so familiar? A thought then came rushing into your mind and your whole body tensed. THIS WAS ALASTOR THE RADIO DEMON!! The stories you heard about him were enough to send chills down your back, but you never knew what he looked like in person. He wasn't at all what you expected, less scary then you thought, but looks could be deceiving. Alastor stood next to you, smiling wide. "I haven't see the likes of you before. Are you a newcomer to hell perhaps?"

Shaking your head, you explained everything about how you were friends with Charlie, and she got you to come to the ball. "I honestly still think this is a dream." You told him, as you swirled the drink in your hand. "Ah yes! Charlie is a truly charming demon. I am helping her with her little program at the Hazbin Hotel! I'm sure you have heard of it, my dear?" He said, as he folded his hands behind his back. He was helping her with the hotel? Why would the most notorious overlord be helping her. You kept your question to yourself as you thought he probably had his own reasons for helping Charlie. "I have yes. Charlie asked me to come and stay there. I am a bit skeptical at the moment about it thought. Maybe later on, I can decide." Alastor hummed to himself, as he gazed at you, his eyes flashing crimson. "It is a very entertaining environment. I would be very pleased to see you there." That made your heart race. Alastor then turned to you, extending his hand out. "Care for a dance, my dear?" Feelings of nervousness began to fill your body. You didn't know how to dance, let alone waltz. "Um, I-I don't know how to dance." Looking down ashamed, you imagined you had upset him. His hand then grabbed yours, and starting pulling you towards the dancing. "Not to worry, my dear. I will teach you!" The both of you had arrived to the center of the dancing area. He had turned you around, and pulled you closer, placing one hand in yours, and the other on your waist. "Eyes up, my dear! Follow my lead!" You weren't ready for this. It was a bit rough in the beginning, but you slowly began to memorize the steps, and started dancing along.

The demons surrounded you began to depart, and pretty soon only you and Alastor were dancing. The crowds stopped and stared at the both of you. Whispering words could be heard. "Is that the radio demon?!" "Who is he dancing with?" "Never seen them before?" The words didn't bother you, as you began to become lost in the dancing, and in Alastors eyes.

The whole world around you began to blur, as you focused manly on the man in front of you. He was smiling down at you still, but his eyes were gazing at you tenderly. He spun you around, causing your dress to lift a bit. "You are a quick learner! I must say I'm impressed." He leaned down, whispering to you. Smiling, you thanked him. Soon the dance came to an end. Applause erupted around the both of you. Standing hand in hand, you both gave a bow. After the dance, you and Alastor went outside and roamed around the castle gardens, chatting about certain topics and cracking a few jokes.

Suddenly an announcement was given out, letting everyone know the ball was coming to an end. Alastor was nice enough to escort you outside, where the carriage was waiting to return you home. "I must say my dear, this was the most fun I have had at the Morningstar ball!" His smile had calmed down to a simple grin, as he gazed at you. This was your first time at a ball and you didn't want it to end. The time you spent with Alastor was entirely magical, making your heart flutter. "I enjoyed spending time with you as well Alastor. Thank you." Cocking his head, he was asking what you were thanking him. Feeling shy, your eyes darted down. "Coming to a ball like this, despite being a normal sinner with no royal or overlord status, had me nervous the whole time. But, spending time with you helped calm me down. I got to enjoy the ball and I got to enjoy it with you. So, thank you." The smile on your face, made Al's heart skip a beat. How strange, he thought. Smiling tenderly, Al grabbed your hand again, giving it another kiss. "I'm glad I was able to make your night enjoyable, my dear. May our paths cross again someday." The butterflies in your stomach were going crazy and your face flushed crimson again.

You thanked Alastor again, as you made your way to the carriage and hopped inside. As the carriage began to move, you took another look back at Alastor through the window. Smiling still, you gave a small wave which he returned. The carriage then began to depart the castle, making its way back to your home. During the ride back home, you placed a hand on your heart. It was beating rapidly. You never felt like this before and it was making you nervous and excited. No one has ever made you feel like that before. Maybe you could give the hotel a shot, as long as you could see Alastor again. Giving out a dreamy sigh, you gazed out the window, staring at the crimson sky.

[oriixxc]

Lord Ancunin’s masquerade ball

[sweetlittlevampire]

My drawing for this year's @mdzsrbb ! It goes hand in hand with "King's Shadow" written by @solmae , a wonderful royalty AU with a happy ending. Follow this link to read it and find out what the drawing is all about!

[strnilolover]

Masquerade Ball …

(this is in second person <3)

The palace was alive with excitement on the night of the masquerade ball. Nobles from neighboring countries, prestigious guests, and even members of the royal family’s inner circle had come to celebrate under the grand chandeliers and golden arches of the ballroom. As the evening approached, the palace was bustling with preparations, every servant and maid in a frenzy to ensure every detail was perfect.

In Matt’s bedroom, you were carefully fastening his collar, adjusting the dark, elegant fabric of his suit. Your fingers worked delicately, your heart racing slightly as you stood so close to him, feeling the warmth of his presence.

“Thank you,” Matt murmured, his gaze fixed on you with that soft intensity you’d come to know well. His mask lay on the table, a sleek design in dark hues that matched his attire, leaving his eyes just visible beneath it.

You glanced up at him, managing a shy smile. “Is there anything else you need matt?” you asked, your hands dropping from his collar to rest at your sides.

He shook his head, smiling faintly — but he quickly changed his mind. “Actually, yes. I have a surprise for you.” His voice was warm, teasing, with a glimmer of excitement that caught you off guard.

You raised an eyebrow, confused but intrigued. “A surprise?” you whispered. He nodded, gesturing toward the adjoining door that led to his private bathroom. “In there. Go on.”

You looked at matt for a moment before turning your gaze back to the bathroom door. You took a hesitant step forward, but then fully walked forward. You hand grabbed the handle, turning it before pushing the door open.

When Matt told you to check the bathroom for a surprise, you hadn’t expected anything close to this. You held your breath as you entered his bathroom and found a gown — a stunning dress in purple and gold, shimmering with delicate jewels that caught the light. There was a matching mask, adorned with lace and gems, lying beside was a handwritten note — in no other than matt’s handwriting himself.

Wear this tonight. For me. Join me at the ball.

Your heart raced, disbelief mixed with a thrill that made your hands tremble as you picked up the gown. You whispered to herself, “This is risky. This is more than risky. What will everyone think?”

Up until now, your relationship with Matt had been limited to hidden glances and whispered words, secret meetings and moments stolen in the quiet corridors of the palace. But this? Going to the masquerade ball, dressed up as a guest? It was a bold step, and it made you nervous.

Even though your face would be covered — that no one would know it was you, made it more exciting. But you couldn’t help the way your skin pricked with uncertainty — what if someone did recognize you? you weren’t supposed to be seen with the prince in that way.

But Matt had asked you to be there. He had thought of you, arranged this beautiful gown just for you, and left you a note as if you were the most important person in his world. You’d always watched the masquerade balls from the sidelines, helping set the table or serving drinks to the guests, never imagining you could be one of them. The idea was exhilarating.

You slipped into the gown, your hands smoothing the fabric as you looked at yourself in the mirror. It felt strange, being on the other side of things — dressed up as someone who belonged at the ball, as though you weren’t just a maid but an equal. The mask settled snugly over your face, hiding your identity just enough that it gave you a small rush of confidence.

“Just for tonight,” you whispered to yourself, smoothing your skirt. “I’ll be someone else.”

When you entered the ballroom, your breath caught. The chandeliers sparkled above, casting a golden glow over the crowd of masked guests twirling on the dance floor. You’d never seen it from this perspective, never felt the music sweep your away as a guest rather than a servant. It was magical, and though you knew the risk, a part of you relished the chance to feel like you belonged here, if only for a night.

Almost instinctively, your eyes scanned the room, searching for him. You felt like an imposter, someone pretending to be part of this world, apart of matt’s world that you didn’t know how to really fit into well. But, you felt as if maybe seeing matt might make you feel better.

Your eyes scanned the room, searching for a long moment. There were lots of people — ladies dressed in beautiful gowns and men dressed in sleek outfits and ties. But then, through the crowd, you spotted him.

He was talking with a group of nobles, his mask obscuring part of his face but leaving his intense gaze visible, a gaze that lifted and locked on you the moment you saw him. His eyes widened briefly, his lips curving into a faint smile. In that instant, you knew he’d been waiting for you.

Unable to help yourself, you moved through the crowd toward him. His own feet carrying himself to meet you halfway, his eyes never leaving yours as he took your hand, his fingers warm and steady against your own.

“You came,” he murmured, his voice soft with amazement, his gaze sweeping over you. “And you look… absolutely stunning darling.” he held your hand up, encouraging you to spin — and you did, giggling slightly.

You smiled when you came to a stop, you cheeks warming beneath the mask. “I… I wasn’t sure if I should. I mean, I’m not…” you trailed off, glancing around nervously. “I’m not supposed to be here, not like this.”

He squeezed your hand gently, pulling you closer, his expression soft. “Tonight, you belong here just as much as anyone else,” he murmured. “And I wanted you to see yourself this way. You’re not just my maid. You’re so much more.”

Your heart fluttered, and you looked up at him, your voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t believe I’m here, dressed up, actually… part of the ball. I’ve only ever seen it from the other side, watching everyone else have this life.” you admitted.

He smiled, leaning close as his voice dropped to a quiet murmur. “Well, tonight, I want to watch you enjoy it. I want you to see yourself as I see you.” and he pulled back, grinning — his blue eyes stood out under his mask, it made you breathless.

Before you could respond, he took your hand, guiding you onto the dance floor. The music swelled around you as he pulled you close, his hand firm at your waist, his eyes never leaving your own. You felt your worries start to melt away as you moved together, and for the first time, you let herself sink into the moment, letting yourself feel as though you belonged there in his arms — among all these people.

You danced until your heart was pounding, your cheeks warm with exhilaration, every touch and every glance between you two felt suffocating and filled with an unspoken longing. When the music slowed, matt leaned in close, his breath warm against your ear. “Come with me,” he whispered, his voice low and rough.

He took your hand, quickly leading you off the dance floor and down a quiet corridor away from the crowd. Your heart raced, anticipation tingling through you as he pulled you into a dimly lit corner, where the sounds of the ball faded into the background.

You were alone, hidden in the shadows, and he turned to face you, his eyes dark and intense as he took both of your hands in his. “You have no idea how stunning you look darling — how hard it was to not let myself get carried away in there..” he whispered.

Your breath caught, and you felt a nervous thrill as you looked up at him, your own voice a whisper. “It felt strange… being here like this. Like I was part of your world, even though I’m not.”

He shook his head, reaching up to gently cup your cheek, his thumb brushing over your skin with a tenderness that made your heart ache. “You are part of my world,” he said softly. “You’re the part that makes it feel like home.”

Before you could reply, he leaned in, his lips ghosting over yours before meeting you in a kiss that was soft but filled with a quiet urgency. You melted into him, your hands resting against his chest as his unoccupied hand rested against your hip — pushing you up against the wall. The kiss was sweet but urgent — quickly turning heated, but it didn’t get too far.

When you finally pulled apart — your breath coming in short pants, he rested his forehead against yours, his fingers still tracing gentle patterns on your cheek. “I want more nights like this,” he murmured, his voice a gentle plea. “I don’t want to have to hide it. I want you by my side, every day, just like this.”

You looked up at him, your eyes shining, voice barely a whisper. “Then let’s have tonight. Just this moment.”

He smiled, brushing another kiss to your lips, and for the rest of the night, you decided to stay hidden in the shadows — forgetting all about the ball and matt’s duties as prince. Letting yourselves believe that, for just a little while, you could have a life together, free from rules and expectations.

© strnilolover

[saltska]

after party. a mysterious invite to a masquerade ball. a flap of wings in the distance. A distant flap of dragon wings. A return of an old friend? A dance with your companion..

[ectospacecadet]

-[Masquerade]-

“Face your smiles and hide your face.”

In my Danny Phantom RP server we’re planning on a masquerade event, so we’ve been designing our gowns, here’s Ethan’s.

[stop-ur-losing-me]

my favorite lovers tropes

academic rivals to lovers (IS SO GOOD, plus when theyre forced to work together)

the "why didn't you answer my letters??" followed by "you wrote me letters???" HEARTWRENCHING

fake dating (enough said)

the 'you need to learn how to dance so im gonna teach you and oh gosh why r we this close?' (honestly one of my all time favs)

the two enemies dancing together at a masquerade dance (yes, just yes)

the screamed love confession during an argument "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU" (best thing ever)

one bed trope (enough said)

the 'i hate everyone but you' couple (yesssss)

one losing their mind if the other is hurt or captured (cough percabeth cough)

the bodyguard/princess trope I REPEAT THE BODYGUARD/PRINCESS TROPE

the 'we were flirting and everyone else knows we were flirting but we're in denial bout it' (this trope)

MUTUAL PINING MUTUAL PINING

additionally, the 'everyone thinks we're dating but we r not/ in denial bout it' (BEST TROPE EVER)

the hero falling for the villain (honestly one of the best ones out there)

lovers to enemies (SO ANGSTY)

there's more i'll add when i can :)