a-ha one-shots

The Masked Singer (Morten Harket x Reader) PART 2

The moment you exited the hall, a cool breeze of night air hit you. As the door closed behind you, almost all noise was shut off and all you were left with was the sound of the crickets and gentle rustling of the leaves in the wind.

And the masked singer, of course.

You stepped towards the edge of the large terrace and held onto the fine marble railing which divided the terrace from the garden below. The terrace was lifted and somewhat above the garden, making it almost like a balcony. The garden was large with a lot of rose bushes in various colours and sizes. There was a small maze in the far end, even. The middle of the estate was adorned by a big fountain. Admittedly, everything was very old fashioned and victorian style - but it really fit the party theme.

While admiring the huge garden, the masked singer stepped next to you.

"Gorgeous", he whispered.

"It really is! Such a beautiful garden", you agreed.

He chuckled. "I wasn't talking about the garden. But it is pretty nice."

Your face flushed red underneath your mask. You decided not to react to his compliment, for now. His eyes slowly averted from your face and followed your gaze.

The awkward silence was too much for you to handle, and yet you found yourself unable to speak. You cleared your throat.

Thankfully, he took initiative again.
"It seems like we have a lot to explore", he said, offering his arm again, "Shall we?"

You nodded and gently took hold of his arm again.

The two of you went down a small stone staircase and started roaming the garden.

Everything was veiled with blue under the moonlight. Only a few lamps here and there gave additional light.
The dew on the flowers and bushes made everything glisten and sparkle under the cool moonlight. In this environment, the masked singer looked even more appealing - mysterious, somewhat dark and alluring. You tried not to stare too much.
When you were busy looking at flowers  however, he took the opportunity to look at you, as well. In the corner of your eye, you swore you saw the corners of his mouth rise up to form a pleased smile every time he watched you.

Then, nervosity took the better of you.
"Why are you looking at me like that?", you asked.

He chuckled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I just find you rather interesting."

"And?"

"The way you look at pretty much every single flower, every single plant. Every single petal, even. Nothing goes unseen, or unappreciated. You have got quite an eye for... everything, really. The small but beautiful things", he continued.

Your heart fluttered at his words. He was right. But he made it sound so positive. How often has your mother had to scold you for losing yourself in the moment, for daydreaming on a busy sidewalk, for stopping to look at a ladybug for a good 10 minutes. How often had others chuckled behind your back when you were simply watching birds or the clouds go by, while others were getting drunk at a pool party. How often had people looked at you questioningly when you inhaled the smell of summer rain with the greatest pleasure.

"I... don't know what to say.  Except for maybe that you're not wrong", you said, laughing nervously.

"I know people like you very well. I see them, even when they're hiding. I see them, even when they're only physically present. I see them, even when they are absolutely lost in the performance of musicians on stage."
He said the last sentence with a very suggestive tone. It irritated you and you tried to ignore it by fondling with a rose's head that grew nearby. The petals felt like silk on your fingertips.