A Midnight Masquerade PV: Group Closed

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Had she been some mere outsider, Elena might have felt unsettled, or perhaps even ruffled, by the, at the very least unfriendly, tone of Oliver. He seemed to carry his thornes like a crown, weighing heavy upon his shoulder yet stubborlny indifferent to the soreness of his neck. Comforting himself in the way the shards tenderly pierced his skin, contempt in the knowledge they kept others at bay. A fortress of his own making, carefully constructed, each spear deliberately planted like the quills of a porcupine. A sight she was not unfamiliar with, not in her own person but in other acquaintances - navy eyes flitted briefly across the room to a certain lioness. Those kind of souls erected walls around their hearts, convincing themselves they didn't need any warmth, much less friends or any kind of love. Yet when winter came, they all found out humanity is doomed to starve. Always. At least, she thought, others can at least fill a little of that hunger. Her own hunger was far deeper. Having such an acute understanding of the flows and ties woven through each and everyone of us, the invisible threads that bound people together, she longed for something beyond her reach, a love vast enough to satisfy her aching heart completely. A hollow space some particular souls found peace in, their warmth soothing her constantly freezing bones. She could only hope Oliver would realize, sooner than later, that letting people in was not a weakness, but a strange sort of strength. Giving others the knife - the very one that could sever your chains or sink into your heart. Trust. Such a complicated matter. "My appologies," she murmured at last, her voice light. "I did not intend to offend." Her nose wrinkled in an amusement, slighlty tilting her head as she watched him get dragged away. The initial mirth of watching that ill-tempered cat forced into the heart of the party lasted only for a few fleeting seconds. She watched him practically claw at the groud, amusement curling at the corner of her lips. Then the excitement faded. And in its absence, the strange loneliness she often felt during such gathering struck her harder than she'd like to admit. An aching at the doors of her heart, feeling her lungs tighten as she clenched her grip on her glass. Her breath hitched, as if air was suddenly not enough, and she trailed her eyes on the buffet to give herself a contenance - a thousand eyes watching her, notcing the slight tremour of her hand. Her pulse thundered in her ears, racing like a mad horse. Stealing a chocolate from the table, she let the treat melt over her tongue, the imediate sugary agression soothing her. Hesitating, she lingered a few minutes near the table, not knowing where to go, as a faint shiver curled down her spine. Then her heart jumped. A familiar sight had drifted accross the vast room, her presence at once sparking a warm, fuzzy sensation in Elena's chest. Evpraksiya. As if carried by the airy feeling inside her, the honey haired girl took a step towards her dear friend, hand half risen in an relieved greeting... only to be falter mid air as the object of her comfort turned to great the host of this lovely party. Sucking a sharp breath in, she quickly moved before her hesitation would be noticed - eyes, watching, following her every mood - to give herself a contenance, strolling forward with feigned purpose, trying not to think about what she'll do when she reaches the other way. It doesn't matter, she scolded herself, though the words did nothing to quiet the tiny spark of jealousy stirring whenever she watched the one she considered her best friend pleasantly chatting with another. She hated that feeling. Hated that no matter how much she tried to suppress it, there was always this bitter aftertaste lingering everywhere. It was not genuine jealousy, rather than a quiet fear of being deemed not sufficient. Meiyu was someone she deeply appreciated, and she knew Evpraksiya wouldn't cast her aside without a reason. And yet. She exhaled slowly, striding at the other side of the room, not looking straight in front of h- A gasped escaped her as she practically walked into a familiar figure. "Sandy !" Half relieved, half surprised, her voice carried the weight of every emotion she had until then contained. The blonde girl before her was a lost puppy, one Elena had made an silently sworn to protect not much than a few weeks ago, and it seemed destiny had taken her oath quite seriously, reuniting them time and time again. They had not spoken since that night, yet the sight of her filled Elena with an unexpected warmth. "You look lovely," she said with a genuine, eyes trailing down her simple outfit. Despite being faint next to the sparkly gowns of this evening, there was something admirable about it. In a crowd of glitter and pretense, Sandy reamined true to herself. It was refreshing. "How have you been since we last met ?" A moevment at the edge of the room caught her attention. Her breath hitched, but this time not from unease - from relief. Alyss. A sincere and warm smile split her face in half, as she waved back. "Alyss," she greated back, her voice softer but no less full of affection. "I have missed you dearly."

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interactions : @oliver armani, @sandy thompson, @alyss gilmour | mentioning : @meiyu xiang, @evpraksiya vinogradova