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Mister Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Díaz has been studying for his law degree for almost three years when he gets wind of Lord Percy Okonjo’s night of freedom and debauchery. Even though he has been living outside London for the same amount of time, he can admit, at least to himself, that he doesn't know much of it, living either at the Oxford Library or the pages of a book in his own headquarters.
Nora and June coax him into attending by misleads and a bit of bribery, which is par for the course with anything that involves both women, and Alex shouldn't be so surprised.
Still, Alex can see the appeal when they get there on an unmarked carriage. The three of them looking dashing as ever, donning masks to protect their identities as is mandated by the host of the event.
Alex thought he would stand out with the bold choice of wearing a velvet burgundy coat that matched his trousers, even though the only scandalous part about his black waistcoat was the buttons, or that's what Nora told him. He had been told by both Nora and reluctantly by his own sister that he looked astonishing, and there wasn't anyone he trusted more than these two with his own life, even though sometimes that trust had costed him a few headaches and an uncountable amount of pennies.
Still, he was relieved that the bold choice in his attire was not as bold as he thought, seeing everyone with extravagant cravat and coats and everything in between. Now the name of the ball made increasingly more sense. A night of freedom and debauchery indeed.
Alex mingled and danced with some, but he had gotten bored too quickly and decided to roam through the halls of the opulent manor instead, where he had seen some of the aforementioned debauchery. He had seen enough on the Oxford living headquarters to be a prude, and he supposed one full night of throwing the societal expectations and decorum through the window couldn't hurt anybody too much.
He had been nursing a mysterious drink while perched on the balcony that looked out to the grand ballroom, and so he had a full view of the dance floor and its participants. One participant in particular intrigued Alex immensely.
Alexander notices the blond hair at the same time he sees a hand run through it. It is more or less the fifth partner this beautiful stranger has danced with, and there’s something simmering underneath Alex’s skin.
Maybe there is something in the Hallow’s Eve punch, maybe there is something in the way that dapper stranger moves across the ballroom, maybe it is the fact that everyone is masked, maybe it is the fact that there hasn’t been a ball this grand in decades, regardless someone has caught his attention and Alexander, well, he never said he had the patience of a saint.
He dashes across the stairs as gracefully as he can while in his haste to get to the stranger, and that is why he misses the last step and goes careening to the ground.
Except the fall never lands, and instead Alexander finds himself in the warm and strong embrace of the beautiful stranger.
As soon as he looks into those blue eyes, he recognizes them instantly from longing glances across bookshelves and his own yearning dreams.
“You.”
“Hello, love.”