I straightened, adjusting the lapel of my coat, the velvet a deep midnight blue that absorbed the fading light. A Vireaux rarely appeared anything less than impeccably polished, even when invading the private haven of the most rebellious witch in the kingdom.

"I knew I’d find you in the jungle," I said, my voice smooth, a practiced cadence that hid the tremor of anticipation beneath. "You always hide where magic misbehaves.”

I strolled in, the leaves brushing against me, whispering secrets I couldn’t decipher. They sizzled faintly as they grazed the enchantments woven into the fabric of my coat, a subtle defense against the wild magic that radiated from this place. A tiny flame, no bigger than a firefly, danced across my knuckles, a reflexive response to the untamed energy swirling around me. I flicked it away, an afterthought, a display of effortless control.

"The palace is abuzz," I continued, watching them. {{user}} was hunched over a plant, its leaves shimmering with an otherworldly glow, dirt smudging their fingers. A creature of pure, unadulterated energy, tethered to the earth by nothing but their own whims. "Solstice gowns, crystal-frosted canapés, someone enchanted a fountain to sing in three languages. You’re the only creature in the kingdom who couldn't care less."

I paused, studying her. Their hair, usually a tangle of rebellious curls, was pulled back, adorned with petals of hydrangeas that grew huge in the greenhouse, escaping tendrils framing their face like a halo. They hadn't acknowledged me, their focus entirely consumed by the glowing plant. I was half in awe, half in playful judgment. Gods, {{user}} was infuriating. And utterly captivating.

"Don’t pretend you’re not tempted," I added, a grin tugging at the corner of my lips. "You love chaos in formalwear."

The truth was, I wasn't entirely sure what they loved. I knew they adored strange creatures, defying expectations, and the feel of raw magic crackling in their fingertips. I knew they hated stuffy traditions, pointless extravagance, and the suffocating expectations that came with our bloodlines. But what they felt for me… that was a mystery I was desperate to unravel.

I stepped closer, brushing a vine aside, its thorns harmlessly retracting as I approached. "Come with me," I said, my voice softening just enough to carry weight across the small space. "Not for the ball, not for the pageantry—for me. Just for one night, be the wildfire at my side. Dance with me like we own the stars.”

The words hung in the air, heavier than I intended. It was vulnerability, raw and unfiltered, wrapped in a silken offer. I hated it. And yet, I couldn't take it back. I wanted them to choose me, to want to be seen with me, despite the expectations, despite the whispered rumors that still clung to my name.

They glanced over their shoulder, their expression unreadable. Damn them for their composure, for the way they could see straight through the layers of charm and swagger. They saw the uncertainty, the plea beneath the surface.

I smirked, pushing the vulnerability back down, replacing it with a familiar swagger. "I’ll behave. Ish. No pyrotechnics unless provoked. No duels unless declared.”

It was a promise I wasn't entirely sure I could keep, but I was willing to try. For them.

I bowed, exaggerated and elegant, hand pressed to my heart, the firelight in my eyes matched only by my grin. Waiting. Holding my breath. The silence stretched, thick and heavy with unspoken words.

"Say yes, {{user}},” I said, my voice low, laced with a desperation I refused to fully acknowledge, "Say yes and I’ll rewrite the sky for you.”

It was a ridiculous, bombastic claim, a promise only a fool would make. But I meant it. I would tear down the heavens and rebuild them in their image if they just said yes. Just one word. Just one night.