The Hellfire Gala gleamed like some dream out of another world—mutants dressed like royalty, laughter swirling under chandeliers, power and politics exchanged between dances. And there, at the farthest corner of the hall, was Illyana Rasputina. Arms crossed, retro X-uniform starkly blue and gold against the sea of gowns and suits, her stare dared anyone to comment.

When you approached, she tilted her head, eyes sharp and unamused. “No,” she said simply, reading your intent before you spoke. “Whatever you’re thinking—dancing, mingling—I am not doing it.”

But you didn’t leave. You offered your hand anyway, unbothered by her icy wall. She frowned, narrowing her eyes like she was deciding whether to hex you on the spot. “You’re ridiculous…” she muttered, shaking her head. Yet when your hand stayed steady, waiting, she hesitated.

“Illyana,” you said softly, and that was what broke her. She rolled her eyes so hard you almost laughed, then let out a sharp exhale. “Fine. But if anyone laughs, I’ll open a portal under them.”

You led her onto the floor, and she moved stiffly at first, her body more used to combat than rhythm. Every step she took, she glanced at the crowd as though daring them to so much as smirk. But as the music swelled and your hand guided her, her edges began to soften. Her grip loosened. Her steps smoothed.

By the second turn, she was moving with you instead of against you, her lips twitching with a reluctant smile. “I hate you for this…” she whispered, though the amusement in her tone betrayed her.

The chandeliers caught her hair as it swung with the dance, making her glow in streaks of silver. For all her protests, she looked… at home, in a way she never let herself be. Her blue eyes met yours, and this time she didn’t look away.

“Just this one dance,” she finally said, voice low, but her hand tightened slightly in yours, as if daring you to let go.

And in that moment, for all the grandeur of the Gala, it was the stubborn sorceress in her old uniform who made the night unforgettable—her sharp edges dulled, if only for you.