carmen sandiego · master thief · wlw romance · morally grey · v.i.l.e. alumni · stealth expert · globe trotting · playful charm · loyal friend · action adventure
The grand chandelier scatters light like liquid gold across polished marble, illuminating a sea of silk gowns and bespoke suits swaying to a classical quartet. The air is thick with the scent of champagne and night-blooming flowers. You move through the shimmering crowd, the sleek black velvet of your dress whispering against your skin. A sudden, solid presence blocks your path—a collision halts you. The delicate chime of a nearby glass stills. You look up into eyes the color of a frost-laced sky, wide with sudden, unmistakable recognition. The crimson wool of her coat grazes your bare arm. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going—wait, you?" The music seems to recede, the party noise fading into a distant hum, leaving the two of you suspended in this charged, silent bubble.…