The two of them moved across the floor, exchanging jabs like siblings, a back-and-forth rhythm that came as naturally as breathing. Her attempt to stomp on his toes was about as subtle as a brick, and Ruth sidestepped with a flourish, throwing her a mock glare.
Ruth kept a cautionary gaze on the other couple, flashing Nairn his tongue whenever the two’s gaze crossed, even as more dancers trickled onto the floor. Megara glanced over, her smile growing wider when she caught Nairn’s eye, and practically snickered at the sight of Dora's glowing face. Ruth’s mood soured, and he felt a familiar irritation prick at the back of his mind causing him to grumble.
Megara's teasing voice drifted back to him and Ruth snorted, the words spitting out like bitter seeds.
They danced for a few moments longer, the air between them settling into a more comfortable silence. Ruth let the movement distract him, letting his focus drift from one thought to the next, his mind flicking irritably between Nairn, Dora, and the annoyance of Megara’s smug, knowing looks. She was saying something again, her voice light and persistent, trying to nudge him, but it felt distant, like a muffled recording through a wall.
Ruth’s steps faltered, coming to a halt and he tried to shake it off, but the ground felt unstable, like the floor was suddenly miles below him. His head felt tight, a sharp, pressure building behind his eyes, and Megara's voice, once clear, now buzzed like static.
”Are you even listening?”
He wasn’t. The pain hit hard, an invisible fist driving into his skull, and his vision smeared, the lights overhead turning into sharp, spinning shards. Ruth’s breath hitched, and he tried to pull himself back, tried to hold onto Megara’s hand, but the muscles in his arm were twitching, trembling like a wire about to snap. His gaze fixed somewhere beyond her, not seeing, not really processing, and he felt his body locking up, each nerve screaming in a twisted, silent chorus.
The world around him warped, sounds blurring together, the music a distant, distorted thrum beneath the frantic murmur of voices. He was dimly aware of Megara’s hand tightening around his, of her trying to shake him, but he couldn’t respond, couldn’t push out a word. A jolt ran through him, and his body convulsed, jerking violently as if some cruel hand had taken control. His hands clawed at the air, grasping at nothing, and his legs buckled beneath him.
There was no rhythm now, no grace, just a chaotic series of movements he couldn’t control, couldn’t stop. His vision blackened at the edges, narrowing to a small, dim tunnel, and the world felt distant, unreachable. Ruth's body twitched, shuddering, as if fighting against itself. The pain was everywhere, scorching, suffocating, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.
For a split second, there was a flash of clarity, a glimpse of the dance floor spinning around him, the concerned, startled faces beginning to turn his way. Then, without warning, everything snapped, the last thread of consciousness severed. His body crumpled, hitting the ground hard, limbs splayed at odd angles. The lights, the music, the faces. It all faded, dissolving into a dark, silent void.
@Nairn
@Theodora Oridotti
Ruth kept a cautionary gaze on the other couple, flashing Nairn his tongue whenever the two’s gaze crossed, even as more dancers trickled onto the floor. Megara glanced over, her smile growing wider when she caught Nairn’s eye, and practically snickered at the sight of Dora's glowing face. Ruth’s mood soured, and he felt a familiar irritation prick at the back of his mind causing him to grumble.
Megara's teasing voice drifted back to him and Ruth snorted, the words spitting out like bitter seeds.
...Some of us are fine being as we are.
They danced for a few moments longer, the air between them settling into a more comfortable silence. Ruth let the movement distract him, letting his focus drift from one thought to the next, his mind flicking irritably between Nairn, Dora, and the annoyance of Megara’s smug, knowing looks. She was saying something again, her voice light and persistent, trying to nudge him, but it felt distant, like a muffled recording through a wall.
Ruth’s steps faltered, coming to a halt and he tried to shake it off, but the ground felt unstable, like the floor was suddenly miles below him. His head felt tight, a sharp, pressure building behind his eyes, and Megara's voice, once clear, now buzzed like static.
”Are you even listening?”
He wasn’t. The pain hit hard, an invisible fist driving into his skull, and his vision smeared, the lights overhead turning into sharp, spinning shards. Ruth’s breath hitched, and he tried to pull himself back, tried to hold onto Megara’s hand, but the muscles in his arm were twitching, trembling like a wire about to snap. His gaze fixed somewhere beyond her, not seeing, not really processing, and he felt his body locking up, each nerve screaming in a twisted, silent chorus.
The world around him warped, sounds blurring together, the music a distant, distorted thrum beneath the frantic murmur of voices. He was dimly aware of Megara’s hand tightening around his, of her trying to shake him, but he couldn’t respond, couldn’t push out a word. A jolt ran through him, and his body convulsed, jerking violently as if some cruel hand had taken control. His hands clawed at the air, grasping at nothing, and his legs buckled beneath him.
There was no rhythm now, no grace, just a chaotic series of movements he couldn’t control, couldn’t stop. His vision blackened at the edges, narrowing to a small, dim tunnel, and the world felt distant, unreachable. Ruth's body twitched, shuddering, as if fighting against itself. The pain was everywhere, scorching, suffocating, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.
For a split second, there was a flash of clarity, a glimpse of the dance floor spinning around him, the concerned, startled faces beginning to turn his way. Then, without warning, everything snapped, the last thread of consciousness severed. His body crumpled, hitting the ground hard, limbs splayed at odd angles. The lights, the music, the faces. It all faded, dissolving into a dark, silent void.
@Nairn
@Theodora Oridotti
10-22-2024, 02:36 PM
