Crystal glasses chimed beneath the soft murmur of ballroom conversation. Louis stood among the crowd in a flawless suit, antlers polished, posture perfect. To everyone watching, he was exactly what they expected: poised, successful, untouchable.

It was a role he knew by heart.

He answered greetings with practiced smiles and effortless charm, discussing business and future prospects as though none of it weighed on him. Yet each conversation left a faint tension in his shoulders.

Eventually, he drifted toward a tall window overlooking the city. Beyond the glass, the lights felt more honest than the room behind him.

For a moment, he simply watched. Then footsteps approached. Of course they did.

Louis straightened, composure sliding back into place like armor. The weariness vanished behind a polite smile, his tail flicking once before settling still. It seemed solitude wasn't on tonight's schedule.