“What? You thinking of learning to do it yourself?” Anne tried to side eye me but she couldn’t quite manage it because she was putting on makeup.

“Nah, but you’re beautiful, and if we weren’t together, living together, I would never see this.”

“Gross.” Anne rolled her eyes and I smiled. I know to her it was normal, and she had sisters growing up so it wasn’t a private thing for her, but to me it was, one of many little glimpses into her life I would treasure.

Seeing Anne in that dress again, and, I was proud of us, myself, both, I don’t know. We were going out somewhere, we were actually invited, we looked good, I had never had so much going for me before. It was nice, made it easy to relax even with everything new in our lives. Neither of us had been to a dance hall before, though Lilly made me, well, not nervous, but I still didn’t know what to make of her. I hoped they would talk more tonight, I trusted Anne’s opinion more than my own.

We took a carriage there. It was nice to have privacy until the last possible moment. During the ride there my nervousness and excitement mixed into some emotion I couldn’t figure out, not bad or good, just a lot, and new. Anne though, she was only excited, and I did my best to lose myself in that. I think she knew, the way she looked at me.

We got there early, and while a few groups of people were outside smoking there wasn’t a crowd yet. The bouncer waved someone over when we gave them our names, and we were led upstairs. In hindsight it made sense Lilly would have special seats, but we didn’t expect it. Maybe she didn’t say anything ‘cause she thought it might scare me away. The second floor had a bar, tables, couches, and a balcony looking over everything. Anne and I didn’t need to say anything to each other, instead we stood at the railing, my arm around her, and watched the crowd that was slowly starting to form below us.

“You made it!” I flinched a little at the sound of Lilly’s voice. She hugged me and I moved my hand off my revolver as subtly as I could, hoping she hadn’t noticed. Anne did much better. She smiled back and they went in for a hug at the same time.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Of course! Wouldn’t miss it!” Anne said as she leaned against me, still smiling.

“And don’t you two look perfect together.”

“I know right.” Anne took a step away from me, did a little twirl, and she looked so happy I could’ve cried. When she leaned up against me again she took my arm and put it around her waist.

“Thank for,” I wasn’t sure what to call where we were so I made a vague gesture, “I thought we would be down in the crowd.”

“I’m sorry,” Lilly looked between me and Anne, “I should have said something, I didn’t think of it.”

“It’s fine, really.” I was surprised, but Lilly shouldn’t feel bad about it.

“Plus it’ll be better up here,” she continued like I hadn’t said anything, “got lots of horns tonight, gets too loud for some people.”

Anne laughed, “we’re both a little deaf anyway, so we might head down at some point, get the real experience.”

“Oh no, how’d that happen?” Lilly seemed genuinely concerned.

“The shellings.” Anne was trying hard not to upset Lilly. “I get a ringing sometimes, when it’s really quiet, but we both hear well enough still, hasn’t been a problem.”

“Sorry,” Lilly looked down at nothing, “I should have guessed.”

I shrugged, “it is what it is.” Lilly nodded in agreement before instantly sliding back into her warm, cheerful, demeanor. “So do you two dance?”

“I don’t, but I think Anne knows some traditional ones.”

“Love, that was years ago, and I was never very good. Got a stern talking to from a priest once.” Anne’s eyes lit up as she smiled at the memory.

“That’ll work. I may use Beauvaisian instruments, but I only play our music, and it’s not about being good, all that matters is you have fun.”

“I don’t know how much I can handle.” This was already a lot for me, but I looked down at Anne and she was looking up at me.

Lilly interrupted my thoughts, “I only sing for an hour and a half or so, and the band plays the rest of the night, so if you stay I can teach you. I grew these,” she opened her wings and gave them a little flap before closing them, “so I know my way around the aches and pains.”

Anne hugged me, “Zal we have to,” and I kissed her, not just because she was beautiful and I loved her, or that I could lose myself in her so easily when she was happy like this, but because I didn’t know what to do with myself. This already felt like too much and I wanted more, all I could take, of Anne, of all of it. I didn’t realize the kiss had gone on too long until it was over.

“Sorry,” I said to Lilly, embarrassed.

She laughed at me. “Baby girl, we need to get you around your own kind.” Anne nodded in agreement as Lilly continued. “I’ll take that as a yes, see you in a couple of hours.” She gave me a quick hug and Anne and I went back to standing at the railing, watching the crowd, holding each other.