Atsushi scanned the hall awkwardly. He never knew what to do with himself during these events.

He just leant back in the corner, sipping some ice water as he watched through his tiger-shaped mask. At least the guests seemed to be enjoying the evening, dancing to the music.

The masquerade ball had seemed like a good idea, and yet, now that everyone was here, Atsushi simply felt out of place. Obsolete. Unused.

Atsushi sighed, and kept watching the milling crowd. He gulped as he saw one of the nobles from the Eastern District. She was always trying to get him to accept her daughter as his bride. Atsushi just stepped behind a stairwell to hide from her, shifting nervously.

That was when he bumped into someone, turning around with wide eyes.

There was a man standing against the wall Atsushi had just tried to lean on, effectively pinning him there.

He was wearing a well tailored, dark purple-blue coat that slid smoothly over a white silk shirt. His neck was adorned with a Victorian-style cravat. Around his waist was a dark coloured corset-like garment, on which a silvery embroidered design like spiderwebs branched outwards. He was wearing long, semi-transparent evening gloves.

His mask was a single, blackish blue eyepiece with purple decorations and a white feather for extravagance, from behind which dark eyes gazed back at Atsushi, seemingly equally surprised.

Atsushi yelped in embarrassment, immediately scrambling off of the man. Wasn’t he doing well at this party, pinning guests to walls, invading their personal space, probably irritating them-

“ I- please pardon me, I didn’t realise anyone was here- “ he apologised, heavily embarrassed