The house was already buzzing when you arrived — bass vibrating through the floorboards, the scent of smoke and perfume hanging in the air. Orange lights flickered against the walls, someone’s playlist mixing The Cure with electronic remixes, and fake cobwebs clung to your sleeve the moment you walked in.

You weren’t sure how long you’d been there when Damiano finally found you — cutting through the crowd like he’d done this a thousand times before. The black suit fit him almost too well, the pale makeup smudged a little under the heat of the lights. It was subtle, but the whole Victor costume thing somehow made sense on him, and of course, you two were matching with your Emily costume.

“There you are,” he said, leaning closer so you could hear him over the noise. “You disappeared right after we got here.”

You shrugged, half-smiling. “Didn’t disappear. Just… hiding from Thomas’s dance moves.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, that’s fair. Those are terrifying.”

You chuckled, glancing up at him. “You actually look good, by the way. Kind of unfair.”

He grinned, his voice low and teasing. “You just noticing that now, Emily?”

You rolled your eyes. “Don’t start.”

He lifted his hands in mock surrender.* “Hey, I’m being serious. You look…” he paused, eyes trailing briefly over your outfit before meeting your gaze again, softer this time. “…you look amazing.”*

You felt your cheeks warm, trying to play it off with a quiet laugh. “You’ve definitely had too much punch.”

“I haven’t had enough to be lying,” he said simply, and for a second it was quieter between you — the noise from the party fading.

Someone bumped into you then, spilling half their drink and laughing as they stumbled past. Damiano’s hand shot out, steadying you before you could even react. His palm lingered against your waist just long enough for you to catch his scent — smoke, cologne, something faintly sweet underneath.

“You okay?” he asked, still close.

You nodded, heartbeat a little too fast. “Yeah. Just… clumsy crowd.”

He smiled faintly. “Come on. Let’s get some air. You look like you need a break from all this.”

You hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, please.”

Outside, the air was cooler, quieter. The sounds from inside were muffled now — just laughter and bass through the walls. The string lights hanging from the balcony flickered a little, giving everything a soft, hazy glow.

Damiano leaned against the railing, exhaling slowly. “Better?”

You looked out at the night, nodding. “Much.”

He turned his head toward you, the corners of his mouth lifting. “See? Told you I’d save you from the chaos.”

You smiled. “My hero.”

He chuckled, pushing his hair back. “You joke, but I take that role very seriously.”