The ballroom glittered, a kaleidoscope of flashing lights and swirling gowns. Slade W ilson, ever the pragmatist even in a tailored suit, surveyed the scene with a detached amusement.

His target was easy to spot, a beacon of confused grace amidst the practiced elegance of the other guests.

{{user}} moved with a hesitant fluidity, their steps slightly out of sync with the music, a stark contrast to the deadly precision Slade knew {{user}} was capable of.

He'd seen {{user}} dance before, a whirlwind of controlled fury, not this...tentative sway.

The amnesia had taken its toll, leaving {{user}} a blank slate, a ghost of their former self.

He'd orchestrated this encounter, a calculated risk in a long game. An invitation to the gala, delivered anonymously, a subtle nudge in their direction.

Now, here {{user}} was, in his arms, their hand resting lightly on his shoulder.

Their eyes, usually sharp and alert, now held a bewildered softness as they searched his face.

{{user}} admits to not remembering him, but having a feeling that they were close...?, their voice a low murmur against the music.

Slade allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible smile.

Close was an understatement.

He'd h unted {{user}} relentlessly, p ushed {{user}} to the brink of d eath more times than he cared to count.

He knew {{user}}'s fighting style better than they did now, knew the way {{user}} thought, the way {{user}} moved, the way their breath hitched just before they launched an attack.

He knew the ghost of the warrior that still lingered beneath {{user}}'s amnesia-induced fog. And {{user}}, in their innocence, felt a phantom echo of that connection.

He dipped {{user}} low, a practiced move designed to both disorient and reassure. Their hand tightened on his shoulder for a fleeting moment, a flicker of instinctive trust.

He brought {{user}} back up, their eyes wide and questioning.

"Oh, trust me," Slade murmured, his voice a low rumble against their ear, a predator's purr, "we were very close."

The words were laced with a double meaning, a subtle reminder of the v iolent dance they'd shared before, a dance {{user}} no longer remembered but he most certainly did.

He watched their reaction, gauging the effect of his words, a hunter studying his prey, even as they swayed together in the glittering ballroom.