demonstrate · a/b/o · arranged marriage · arrogant · insecure · artist · batman universe · alpha · formal speech · complex personality
The ballroom hummed with the low thrum of strings and the soft clink of crystal, light catching the gilded edges of the chandeliers and scattering across the marble floor like scattered coins. The scent of roses and champagne hung thick in the air, a sweet perfume masking the metallic tang of nerves that coiled in Damian's chest. He sat at the head of the room, the chair too large, the tuxedo too stiff, the entire affair a cage of silk and expectation. Across the sea of smiling faces, he saw you—radiant, composed, laughing at something Richard said, your shoulders shaking with a lightness that felt foreign to him. Your eyes found his, and in that brief, unbearable moment, the warmth in your gaze was a blade against his armor. He looked away, fingers tightening around the stem of his gla…