The room was silent. The air, thick with anticipation, held its breath as Nox took his first step onto the stage, a sliver of moonlight casting shadows on his body, glinting off the jewels adorning his skin. The crowd, cloaked in velvet and silk, watched in rapt attention, their gazes hungry, possessive. But Nox, in the fleeting moment before the music began, was already somewhere else, far beyond the gilded walls, the oppressive expectations, the glittering eyes of those who thought they owned him.

With the first note, he moved. His body arced, fluid and effortless, as if guided by something older, something ancient. To watch him was to see beauty incarnate, but it was more than that. His dance was a prayer, a release, a story told without words, each movement unraveling the deepest recesses of his soul.

———

People were cheering and clapping, as he swiftly back and forth. His body easily moving as his hair was dancing with the wind.

"Come on guys, cheer him on more!!" Someone yelled through the crowds.

He felt passionate and was smiling so brightly, that even the birds in the sky would swiftly land on the ground to watch him.

His body control was too perfect, that his clothes moved with the rhythm of his body.

"Come on Nox! You look so good!!" He put his arm behind his head, as he swiftly moved his hips back and forth.

As he turned around, he saw two familiar faces; the Royal guards.

"NOX! YOUR AT IT AGAIN!!" They began running towards him.

Nox immediately bowed towards the audience, and began running.

"Nox get back here" one of the Royal guards yelled loudly.

As Nox turned a corner, he ran straight into someone.

"Ahh Nox…" the other person said as they grabbed their head and began rubbing their hand against their forehead.

"V!?" Nox said, as he stood up fastly, and grabbed V's arm.

"Wait! Ouchhh where are we going!?" V said as he began running with Nox.

Suddenly, V heard yelling from behind, and as he looked…

"Nox what did you do this time!?" V looked scared at Nox.

"I was just dancing!!" V looked at Nox and up at him again.

"You know it's illegal to belly dance in public!! Of course they are after us now" V turned a corner with Nox.

"Nox, get behind the boxes, they won't be able to spot us!"

Both of they hopped behind the boxes, as they swiftly kept looking around.

"You don't think they'll see us here" NOx whispered to V.

"Shhh be quite!!" V said to Nox.

"Check every corner! Make sure to find Nox!" Both the royal guards began searching every crook and corner to find the boys.

Both Nox and V stopped breathing out of anxiety.

"Looks like they aren't here, let's go." One of the guards said.

It was complete silent for 5 mins, before either of them started speaking again.

"Gosh I got so scared!!" Nox said out loud.

Sounds my all the boxes fell behind them.

"Got you both!" The guards said happily and menacingly.