Work Text:
Ballroom
The night was young, the full moon hung above, lighting the way. Over an old bridge that creaked, plants grew out of the wood, vines climbed over it, dirt made the old rotting wood its’ home. The dirt road was almost gone, trampled by fallen leaves, grass grew covering up the road.
He stared at the bridge, his bottom lip quivered, the last time he was here the bridge was gone, in the river, along with a car. He was in his twenties then, and now? His nineties. He hobbled over, using his cane, fixing the tie on his fancy old shirt, it still fit after all these years.
His aged hands ran over the old wood, he dug a finger into it, hearing it split. He shrugged, wobbling over the bridge, holding onto the railing. His eyes not once leaving the river below.
He was old, older than the bridge, people claimed he was losing his mind, maybe it was true. Maybe his daughter was worried sick about him now calling the cops. It was true he did ‘wander’ off, in his best suit, and a sunflower in his pocket. He was old.
He turned back, licking his chapped lips, back into the dark swirling waters below, he was safely across the bridge. Feeling his old eyes water up. Once again he fixed his tie, straightened his fancy dark blue jacket, and headed off, into the night.
“You’re gonna be late!” His mother called from downstairs.
He grinned, his hair was in a tight bun and his deep blue eyes glimmered. He fixed the little bluebird pin on his red jacket. He grabbed a little black box on his dresser, dashing out of his room, down the stairs. “How do I look?” He said just as one of his bangs flew lose, his smiled faded, he spent the last few hours getting his hair in a bun.
His mother sighed, her longer blonde hair swished behind her. “Rambunctious little son of mine.” She licked her thumb slapping the strands of hair back into place. She smiled taking a long good look at her son. “You’ve even shined your shoes?” She smiled that warming smile.
He grinned. “You’re right this super fancy suit is my color.” He sighed knowing they both saved every penny for the year to get it, he saved extra for the little fancy box in his hand.
She hugged him, tightly, sniffing as she tried to hold back tears. “Look at my little boy growing up so fast.” She kept many secrets for him, like his lover. Knowing that if they were found out that they would be frowned upon. But her lips were sealed tight, she lost her love, his father, and she couldn’t lose her son. “I don’t care if the world hates you two, they’ll have to fight me.” She winked.
“Mom.” He mumbled pulling back, seeing her eyes fill with tears. “I’ll be fine, we’ll be fine.” He kissed her forehead.
“Now, now, get your butt out there. I bet he’s waiting.” She slapped his butt, as he walked by. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.” He said grabbing the keys, as he shut the door behind him. Breathing in the crisp cold night air. The moon was full.
~~~~~~
He stared outside, feeling the wind rush past him. His fingers pressed against the broken glass of the window, leaving no trace of his fingerprints. The moon was full, like that night so many years ago. The wind was rattling the trees, leaves swept into the room, the ballroom. The walls were falling apart, the floor was deteriorating, parts of the ceiling was falling in, the chandeliers were on the floor shattered into a million pieces.
He’d been waiting.
And yet he was late.
All these years he’d been late.
He frowned walking over the chandler, looking at his shining shoes. His suit fit, it’s been fitted for years. Long , long, agonizing years of waiting, and being late. Mother was right about one thing, red is my color… It still held the little bluebird pin, his blonde hair still in a bun.
Yet his pocket was empty, he didn’t have the case after all these years, it was gone. The river swallowed it.
He cried. He’d been crying.
For over eighty years.
He’d been late, early and crying.
He huffed using the cane to get up the old steps, they too overgrown with greenery. The night breeze blew through his hair, calling him towards the old building. One step at a time, back when he was young he dashed up the steps, unable to keep back his happiness. He ran through the chatting people outside, not caring if he spilled any wine or punch. He had so much energy he ran the whole way here, he didn’t care if his hair was a mess or if his suit was either, he just needed to be here that night.
Like he needed to be here tonight.
He found it days after the bridge collapsed, he found the box, sitting on a boulder a few feet away. He knew it was meant for him, but he didn’t open it, he hadn’t opened it for all these years. But he kept it close, on his nightstand, when he went to work, even at his wedding he kept it in his pocket, still unopened. Some nights he found himself glaring at it, others he was crying over it. And sometimes before he went to bed he’d kiss it. Even now in his aged state he still kept it close.
He reached the top of the steps, seeing the outside plaza, the fountain, dry, the cracked tiles, the overgrown trees. Yet he imagined it years ago on that night. Lights hung over the plaza, the fountain was full of water and lilies, the tiles freshly polished. The food tables set out overflowing with fresh dishes. People chatting over anything and everything.
The ballroom overlooked the plaza, it too aged by time.
But the windows were polished, the challengers hung overhead, and the wooden floors shined when you looked at them.
He looked up there, where he was standing that night.
~~~~~~
“Where is he?” he mumbled under his breath, his blue suit was cleaned, his red tie was fixed again, and a sunflower pinned to his coat. He pressed himself against the glass, looking down at the people below scanning for a blonde. He was close to the glass his breath fogged it up, the tension in his heart didn’t help. What if his Mother suddenly doesn’t want him to go? What if some other girl is holding him up? What if-
“Xavier!” A high pitched voice squealed behind him.
He turned to see another girl, in a white dress on of his classmates. “Bella.” He greeted her, forcing a smile.
“You must dance.” She begged grabbing his arm, yanking him over.
He slipped his arm out of her hold. “Sorry Bella, I’ve been waiting for Zach.” He shot her an apologetic smile.
She frowned. “You two are just unstoppable!” She huffed, folding her arms. “Fine go ahead wait for you ‘ boyfriend’ !”
Xavier shook his head, she’d been too close to the truth. They were in love, spending summer nights together, running around like sugar hyped up kids. He’d been saving every one of his dances for Zach, even the one his parents taught him when he was very young. Their wedding dance. One he only wanted to share with Zach.
So he waited.
And waited.
And waited.
He admitted he’d been selfish, he stayed. In that very ballroom, the one he’d been late to meet up with Xavier. He stayed, he watched happy couples dance, laugh, and fall in love, a love he never got. He remembered setting fire to the curtains one night during a wedding reception. Letting the chandlers drop when a high school dance took place. Even shorting out the electricity during a palette recital. He wanted the place to himself, and he didn’t want to hear or see anyone else dance again. How dare they be happy, smile in front of him.
He looked over to the orchestra pit, still hearing the violins and cellos, seeing the decay, gold trim all over the walls. The burnt red window shades, and the faded white paint.
He remembered what this place use to look like before he destroyed it.
One night his loneliness took over, his self-loathing, his broken heart. The roof fell in, the windows were smashed, the wooden floors started to fly up. The walls cracked, the chandlers rocked on the floor, their metal frames bending. The fountain outside was cracked down the middle cut in two. And there was a ghostly howl as he screamed into the night, challenging the moon, and whatever cruel God did this to him.
Time forgot about the old building in the countryside, no rebellious teens dared to enter the place.
And he was left alone.
~~~~~~
He couldn’t help but grin, pulling the steering wheel, drifting as he did so. Hearing angry crickets chirp at him, he rolled his eyes, drifting onto another dirt road. The moon hung heavily above, he slowed down as he entered a wooded area. The summer’s bright green leaves made a canopy over his car, one drifted down and slipped in through the window. Landing on his lap.
He scoffed at the leave, twirling it in his hand, his car slowing down as the bridge neared.
He shrugged letting it slip out of his fingers, as his car slowly went over the wooden bridge, there was the normal creaking of the old wood.
Then some more cracking, the cracking. His mind racing one hand on the steering wheel another on the stick.
~CRACK!~
~SPLASH!~
The bridge fell. Wood crushed his car with him in it. He sucked in what little water he had as freezing cold water barged in, taking any warmth he hand. He broke the window cutting his knuckles, slipping out feeling the glass cut his ankle, his bun of hair came undone, his blond hair free. He ripped off his coat swimming up, up, up. Pieces of wood drifted down, squeezing down on his car, he slipped past one chunk, then another. He pushed himself, seeing the largest piece of wood crashing down. The water pushed him towards the massive part of the bridge. He smashed into it, the air knocked out his lungs.
With little strength he climbed over it, his vision starting to black out, his limbs starting to lock up, the water creeping in.
He broke through the water, gasping for air. Hearing people yelling and running, he was relieved even though the cold water still had its’ clutch on him.
“Zach!” It was Xavier.
He smiled. “Xavi-!” He was dragged down water pushing into his lungs. His shoe was caught on the wood, dragging him down, back down. He panicked, yanking his foot, pushing against the wood. He winched as his ankle broke.
Just then the river swept away the small box from his coat pocket, he screamed reaching for it. The rest of his air slipped out of his lungs. His panic faded into a slumber, he couldn’t fight anymore. Weakly he reached up to the moon, he couldn’t tell if he was crying. ‘Please,’ he mouthed his vision fading his limbs draining, ‘I need to tell him, I need to dance...I need to love him.’
He died, still reaching, still crying.
Begging.
~~~~~~
He hissed hearing the front door creak open, he faded away, hiding. Whoever dared to enter was a fool . He watched.
And old man hobbled in, overly dressed for a midnight walk, he looked to be in his nineties. His hair was a snowy white, his aged face looking sad. He clutched the cane sitting on the steps where the orchestra would’ve been, he pulled out a sunflower, setting it on the steps. He looked around. “Woah, I’ve always heard this place was haunted, but I didn’t think they’d let it fall apart.” The old man leaned back. “Never got to dance here, then again… I didn’t have anyone to dance with…”
He gasped, seeing the old man pull out a ruined little box.
The old man sighed. “Haven’t opened this, all these years...I’m sorry Zach.”
Zach fell back a long howl cry, it was him, it was his Xavier! He floated overlooking over the old man’s shoulder, feeling tears well up in his eyes. After all these years Xavier held onto the box, hasn’t opened it. It was hard to believe that he was here, and even harder to believe that he felt happy about it. “X-Xavier…” He whispered.
He remembered running down the stairs, screaming his head off, towards the bridge, he saw Zach’s car plummet into the river. He heard the bridge. The dance stopped people rushed over. Xavier ran, feeling his feet trip up over the rocks, dashing through the grass, his heart pounding. He couldn’t believe it at first, it couldn’t be true, that couldn’t be Zach’s car!
He ran only a few feet from the river. “Zach!” Please don’t be him!
“Xavi-!” Zach’s voice was cut short, there was a splash.
He was numb, rushing down the side of the river, the bridge was slowly floating along. “Please, no, God please!”
He was held back by another classmate, as the police came, the current far too strong. They dragged up Zach’s pale lifeless body. Xavier couldn’t look at it, feeling his heart shatter.
Hours later he found himself glaring at the river, hating it, taking him away. The sun burned down on his back, by now Zach’s mother must’ve gotten the news.
Something caught his eye. Slowly he dragged himself from his statue-like position, walking over to the river side. There in the mud, crushed over millions of footsteps, was a box, laced with gold. Xavier frowned, picking it up dipping it into the cold waters, studying the box over and over. “He wanted to tell me something…” His broken heart ached, not opening the box, but slipping it into his pocket. That day he promised he’d never open it until he was ready.
Years slipped by, his marriage, a plastic smile plastered on his face. When his first and only daughter was born he smiled, actually happy, strangely she had bright blonde hair and blue eyes, like Zach. He played with her, made sure she was always happy, made sure his wife was happy even though he was far from it. After years of being married she left, leaving him with a daughter in high school. He aged watching his daughter grow, seeing her smile as her kids, at his grandkids, and now at his great grandkids. He was content, he only smiled for his blood, not for his wife. And as the years went by he never returned to that building, he never smiled for no good reason.
And now he had to visit it one last time. He got the letters tonight, or rather his daughter got them, he was being forced into a retirement home, dumped. That’s why he wandered off. The world had been cruel to him, taking away what he loved most, his daughter didn’t care for him anymore, his grandkids never seemed to smile around him. So he was okay if he died then and there, just left this miserable planet.
Alone, cold, and forlorn.
He started talking to himself now, turning the box over and over again. A chill ran up his spine. “Haven’t opened this, all these years...I’m sorry Zach.” His shoulder sagged like they’ve been all these years.
The chill grew even more like he stepped into a freezer.
“X-Xavier…” It was a whisper, but he heard it.
He froze, he knew that voice, a voice that lingered in the back of his head. “Z-Zach?”
There was a soft sound in the background, it took him a moment to realize it was a violin, playing softly, then a cello, and violas. Xavier gasped, seeing the room slowly put itself together, the floors were polished the chandeliers were pieced together, shining, the walls painted and restored, the gold trim was everywhere. Even the red drapes. He stood up, looking around. The orchestra was there with every instrument, playing people playing even though their figures were see through, the bumped into someone, a couple was dancing, then another, the whole room was full of couples each dancing.
He spun around, hearing laughter, feet tap on the floor, light filling the room. His own body was different he appeared to be years younger like time was spinning back, even his limp was gone. He shook his head, overwhelmed he fell back landing on his butt, hiding his face, as ghosts of the past danced around him not bothered by him at all.
There was a solid sound, footsteps, the only real sound. They stopped in front of him, a soft hand nudged away his own.
Xavier’s eyes met a smile he hadn’t seen in years, Zach stood above him smiling his blue eyes soft, his hair in a bun, in a red suit Xavier had never seen before, a bluebird pin stood out. “I’ve been waiting for a dance.”
He couldn’t help it, grinning like a madman. His arm pressing his Xavier close as the danced. Feeling a little drained from putting off such an illusion, but couldn't see Xavier like that grieving over him, over nothing. Xavier was lost, looking around seeing all these shadows of the past. “What worries you, my love?” Zach asked, spinning them around, not too fast he was more than delicate.
Xavier shook it head. “It’s so hard, after all, these years to be happy, I-i don’t know what’s going on, or how this happened, and it’s hard to trust it.” He frowned, tears gathering in his eyes.
Zach gave a weak laugh, leaning in kissing Xavier’s cheek, stroking his soft face. “I know it’s hard, hard to believe you’re here, that you’ve kept that box all these years. You even remembered my favorite flower.” They both looked over to the sunflower on the steps.
“H-how is this possible, Zach...Please don’t lie.” He found that his tears wouldn’t stop, he didn’t care if the truth was that he died, or was dying off if he was dancing in this room alone, talking to himself, or if he was losing his mind.
Zach stopped he sighed, kissing Xavier. “Please just stop crying, you know I hate seeing you sad.”
Xavier couldn’t how could he? For once he felt happy, that he knew love.
Zach laughed, kissing his forehead. “We’ll I don’t think this is on your bucket list, but you’re dancing...with a dead person.”
Xavier laughed, he couldn't stop laughing, looking around seeing that the floor was still decomposing, that the instruments were transparent, and that everyone dancing had no faces.
“W-why are you laughing?” Zach stopped, trying to hold his Xavier.
Xavier started to flood with tears, shaking.
“Why are you crying?” Zach hugged his Xavier, kissing his flooding face knowing his lips were cold, that his arms were just a freezing breeze.
Xavier hid his face in Zach’s neck. “I’m so selfish, after all, these years I come back and aged man, and find you here, alone.” He sniffed, hugging Zach back, they swayed as one, alone in a room full of fake shadows. “I’ve run away from this place, from you, and I didn’t know you’re here.”
Zach hummed. “I did this to this place, I set the place ablaze once, dropped the chandeliers, I haunted this place, jealous of those finding love. My soul turning dark, I could’ve left, flown off, disappeared…”
Xavier shook his head, his lovely chocolate locks, and underneath snowy white. “I wanted to grow old with you, raise a family, fall in love with you every night...You were taken from me, and...and I got married, had a daughter, I now have grandkids...and I left you here still waiting for one stupid dance.” Xavier sniffed, wiping away tears.
“Good.” Xavier looked up at him his eyes a mix of deep overflowing sadness and love. Zach cupped his chin, kissing him again, he loved how Xavier always tasted, somehow sweet. “You moved on, you lived.” It was hard for him to not cry, imagine what their lives could've been.
Xavier shook his head again. “I wanted to do so much with you! Only you!”
“D-dad?!”
Xavier stopped, glancing around the room was empty no longer lit with warm light now full of cold darkness. Finding himself alone crying talking to the empty room, his frightened daughter staring at him, two police officers behind her.
In his hands was the small box, but a bluebird pin was pinned to it now. He frowned, wiping away what tears he had left.
His daughter ran towards him, grabbing his arms. “Dad, what are you doing here?”
“Zach?” He called out in the empty room, there was no answer. Maybe he was losing his mind. He held the box closer, running his thumb over the bluebird. “Please Zach where are you?” The loneliness crept back in taking over his heart. “P-please Zach,” It was hard for him to speak now, his throat choking up.
“Dad please.” His daughter helped him back to the steps, helping him sit down. “What were you thinking?” Rachel raised her voice as if scolding one of his two grandkids, Xavier jr, or Alex. “Going here to this...Depressing place.”
Xavier frowned, he hated it when Rachel treated him like this, with little respect. “I’m fine.” He snapped.
“Fine!” Rachel once again raised her voice, the police officers looked at their feet, feeling guilty themselves. “Dad you’ve run away, I panicked and called the cops, I had to leave Alex and Xavier Jr. with Michael!” She huffed crossing her arms.
Xavier sagged, looking down at the box, frowning. “Maybe I wanted a little longer freedom…” He sighed, running his hands over the small box. “And old man...Not a child.” He huffed. “A lonely old man whose daughter doesn’t want anything with him!”
Rachel groaned. “You know it’s for your own good, I can’t raise two kids and keep an eye on you.”
Xavier bit his lip. “I can look after my own damn self.” It wasn’t like him to curse, he never cursed in front of his daughter. Even when her mom walked out. He hissed in a ragged breath clutching the box.
“You’ve got a pacemaker, your knee is messed up, you’re extremely unhealthy, and you have dementia! So please don’t fight me and let’s go home.” Rachel had her arms crossed, her face twisted with worry.
“Why can’t you just let me be happy?”
The room fell silent.
Xavier sighed. “I’m sorry...Just I keep thinking and thinking of how different my life could’ve been, I love you, Rachel, I really do love you my little dandelion...But your mother…” He felt the tears well up again, he pushed them down. “Rachel I’ve never told anyone one this, but you remember Mrs.Wily, the lady we use to visit up the street?”
She nodded, almost tasting the cookies Mrs.Wily always had out for her.
“She had a son once, we grew up together, closer than anyone else...we fell in love.” He kept still, staring at the little box in his palm. “It was a dance, we both wanted to go, even if it was frowned upon back then we wanted to dance together. That night the bridge out there fell, dragging him into the river...I never got to dance with him.” He held his head in his hands. “I’ve never been in love.”
“Dad.” Her voice was soft as she sat next to him, hugging him. He always kept this strong demeanor, it was hard seeing him so weak, so sad.
He dragged in a shaky breath. “An old man sitting in an abandoned ballroom, dancing and singing to himself…” He clutched the box. “Holding onto some stupid box that’s all I have left of him!” He chucked the box hard it hit the wooden floor, bounced once, popping open, a gold ring rolled out. The only noise was the metal band on the floor, finally, it rolled to a stop falling flat.
Xavier’s shoulders dropped, the tears returned. “Z-Zach…”
A cold breeze ran over him.
A gentle touch to his shoulder. “I wanted you to find out, to see you cry with tears of joy.”
Zach showed himself hearing everyone but his Xavier gasp. He couldn’t handle it, his love so sad, he wanted to take Xavier away from this room, from his life. Just them, far away. To the field of sunflowers where they used to run, where they falling in love. He eyed the sunflower on the steps, he smiled.
Xavier blushed, standing up.
The two officers stared wide eyes one of their mouths dropped. Rachel only reflected their own shock.
He smiled offering a hand to his beloved. “At least one more dance?”
Xavier weakly took his hand standing tall without his cane. The second their hands touched the room was light again. He ignored Rachel’s gasp or the cops running over to her. The only thing that mattered was making his Xavier smile. “Sorry, I’m a little rusty.” He smiled weakly.
Zach shook his head, their feet falling in place side by side, like they spent weeks learning how to dance, which they did. In the sunflowers at night, dancing, and dancing, each step making him fall harder and harder into those emerald eyes. Xavier’s aged face faded back to his young self. “You wanna lead?”
Xavier blushed. “I’ve been waiting to do this traditional wedding dance my mother and father use to.”
“Alright, horse feet you lead.” Zach kissed his lips, remembering the sweet taste.
They told one another stories as the music played on, as their feet circled one another, slow and each step full of emotion. Zach held onto Xavier, so scared that this wasn’t real. How could it be? His Xavier aged and unhappy and him...a ghost who’s been waiting for years.
Xavier drove out the fears laughing. “You remember that time when we went out tipping cows?”
Zach snorted. “I got caught in the fence.”
Each story brings back warm memories, each one softer and softer. The night when he told his mom and she was so happy. The day Zach drove Xavier home, and he told Xavier, he was so scared, then Xavier kissed him, ‘I know’, those words made him cry. The time when they ran through the sunflower fields, rolling in the dirt. It was hard not to tear up.
“You were planning to give me that ring, weren't you? “ Xavier’s voice went cold.
Zach sighed. “Yeah, I wanted to share my life with you, and that night I wanted to wait till the ballroom to empty and…” He laughed. “I had it all planned out, every inch, we’d stay late, help clean and once we had a chance, I’d get down on one knee…”
Xavier was quiet, hiding his eyes, Zach knew he was fighting back tears. Xavier rested his old head on Zach’s chest. “You know I would’ve said yes, over and over again. We could’ve found a nice cottage in the mountains and life up there.”
Zach stopped dancing, patting Xavier’s shaking back, the background dancers started to fade, the music was now a whisper. “Next to a little stream?”
Xavier nodded. “With a water wheel.” Xavier’s voice cracked.
Zach laughed, feeling weaker, the music stopped, the room faded it was dark now besides the moonlight. Even he was on borrowed time. Xavier’s fake youth slipped away, his aged body was reviled. “I wanted to grow sunflowers and poppies in the front, next to a weeping willow.”
Xavier laughed. “On rainy days we’d stay inside, you’d try to teach me how to cook, knowing I’d burn even an egg.”
Zach giggled, it was true Xavier couldn’t cook, everything he put on the stove would burn or turn into a column of fire. He was tired, very tired, it all wore him out, after years of hiding and then erasing all the scars, giving Xavier his ballroom. He glanced down, his figure was fading too.
“Zach…” Xavier noticed, seeing Zach’s legs become more and more see through. “Zach!” He glanced up his emerald eyes overflowing with pain and horror. “Zach what’s going on!” X choked out, dragging Zach over to the steps. Rachel heard and was running over.
Zach let himself be lead, his legs stumbling. Xavier set him gently on the steps, next to the flower.
“Dad what’s going on?” Rachel who’s been quiet the whole time looked down at her father’s secret lover, her face pale. “Z-Zach what’s happening?”
Zach smiled he tried to smile, to make them stop worrying. He couldn’t he winched in pain, his soul was ‘dying’, in other words, he was fading away. “I’m,” He looked at his Xavier the aged face, the tears rolling down his cheeks, this would break him. “I’m going to fade away...I won’t exist anymore.”
“No,” Xavier choked out, burying his head into Zach’s neck, pulling back feeling that Zach was slipping out of his gasp. He couldn’t hold him anymore. “What can we do, please what can I do?”
Zach looked away. “N-nothing, there’s nothing.”
“Don’t you say that!” Zach jumped, he forgot what Xavier sounded like when he was mad, even Rachel jumped, backing away. “Don’t you say that!” He repeated softer, it was only softer as tears started to choke him. “Please Zach, tell me what to do, I’m not losing you again.” He tried to lift Zach up, his hands slipping right though Zach’s torso. Xavier couldn’t hold him anymore.
Zach’s heart sunk. “There’s one thing, and you’re not doing it.” He didn’t yell but his voice was firm.
Rachel walked up behind her father. “Zach please, this is the happiest I’ve seen him in years. I’m begging you.” In her hands was the box and the ring, she set it next to his head. “Please, My whole life my father was there, he was my rock. He never cried in front of me, never yelled at me, and he was always there...and I can’t see him slip away, for him to forget who he is. Please.” Her voice cracked.
He looked at her, seeing her eyes water up. She looked awfully like him, but she behaved like Xavier. Zach smiled. “I’d be proud to call you my daughter.”
Rachel hugged her father, burying her face into his shoulder. “P-please Zach tell us what we can do, for my father- no my fathers.”
“Zach,” Xavier let out a long heartbreaking sob.
Zach felt the tears coming back. “It’s kinda cheesy,” He forced himself to sit up, his arms starting to fade. “Xavier I need to...to kiss you, but...I’ll suck the soul out of you, you’ll die.”
Xavier looked at him, running his curled hand against Zach’s cheek. “I-i don’t care Zach, please.” He grabbed the ring, slipping it onto his wrinkled hand, the only ring there was. “Please, I’m your’s and always will be.”
Zach smiled, it hurt, sitting up, smiling, seeing his Xavier like this. Knowing he was about to take his lover’s life. Slowly he brushed away Xavier’s hair, wiping away tears, fixing his coat. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Xavier’s voice cracked.
Rachel hugged him as they kissed. “Please make sure my dad is happy.”
Her father died that night, a month later she bought the ballroom, fixed it up and years later it was overflowing with activity. No one knew of how her father died, but everyone knew that he died next to her and happy. Now she lived away from the city, in a cottage, a cottage just like what her fathers wanted.
Rachel was old now, pleased with her age, she looked into the ballroom, the one that her fathers danced in. It was full now, of young teens, dancing to overly loud music. She smiled seeing her two sons, Alex, who was talking to a teen from another school, blushing, and Xavier jr. who was dancing with one of their classmates. She froze seeing it was Oliver, a light blonde haired man with somewhat long hair, pale skin. Xavier Jr. was just like his grandpa. They were the spitting image of Xavier and Zach.
She smiled, the vase of sunflowers, wrapped with a blue and red ripping a cardinal and blue jay pinned to the ribbons. She set the vase down, on the steps, looking up at the writing on the wall.
Years ago in this ballroom,
Two lovers planned to spend their lives together,
One didn’t make it,
The other grew old and sad.
His lover waited for him.
Then one night they met again.
Under the little saying was a gold band, and sunflowers, two birds, one blue the other red. She smiled, glancing over at her son's, seeing that Xavier and Oliver were kissing and that Alex was more than flustered by the strange purplele haired gentleman. She rolled her eyes. Walking out.
Hours past the room was empty, well almost. On the steps next to the flower two glowing figures sat, their hands weaved together. The full moon broke through the windows given the whole room a blue glow.
The smaller figure sighed and rested his head on his lover’s shoulder, dozing.
“Wanna dance?” The other asked, his voice softer than a baby bunny’s fur.
The other laughed. “As long as I get to lead.”
“Fine horse feet.”
Sometimes people heard their laughter after dark, or even during parties or weddings, people reported two strangers dancing at times. But no one complained ah the overflowing feeling of warmth the ballroom gave them.