As Kreo and Azazel stepped out of the car, a hush fell over the crowd. Whispers rippled through the assembled guests as all eyes turned towards them. The cameras flashed incessantly, capturing every moment of their arrival.

Kreo, tall and imposing in his tailored suit, exuded confidence as he stepped onto the red carpet.

As Kreo and Azazel stepped onto the red carpet, the whispers surrounding them grew louder. Speculations swirled among the guests, questioning Kreo's choice of companion for the evening.

But as Azazel emerged from the car, supported by Kreo's reassuring presence, the doubts began to fade. Azazel's smile illuminated the night, dispelling all doubts about his suitability as Kreo's partner.

As they walked, cameras clicked and reporters bombarded them with questions.

"You're stunning, miss—"

"What's it like being Kreo James' partner?"

"I feel like we've met before, miss—"

"Miss!" "Miss!" "MISS!!"

The barrage of questions overwhelmed Azazel.

"How about one at a time?" Kreo intervened.

Azazel glanced at Kreo for support.

"Hello! Hello, what's your name, miss?" a reporter inquired.

"My name is Aria Everwood," Azazel replied softly. 

Azazel remained mostly silent, not eager to reveal too much. He clung to Kreo's arm as they continued walking. Everyone seemed to know Kreo as they entered the palace. Azazel simply hoped to stay by Kreo's side all night, but his disguise had other ideas.

"Hello!" A voice came from behind Azazel As two hands grabbed his shoulders. 

Azazel was taken aback by the sudden greeting, his heart racing as he turned to face Elysia Ward, hero of the Mettani realm. Her partner, Sarah Hawthorne, stood beside her. 

"Nice to meet you," Azazel replied, trying to compose himself. 

As Elysia introduced Sarah, Azazel glanced at Kreo, their silent communication speaking volumes. Azazel agreed to talk with Sarah while Elysia conversed with Kreo. 

Walking alongside Sarah, Azazel soon found himself engaged in conversation with her, while Kreo kept watch from a distance. Soon all of the partners joined, and the group talked for a while. 

"We've been together for almost 5 years! And I'm turning 26 already, I can't believe how fast time flies!" Lilith said. 

"It's true, we're all soon going to be in our 30s." Sarah answered. 

"Come on, being 28 isn't that old, Sarah. I'm 29!" Alex said. 

"I'm already in my 30s, are you calling me old?" another joked.

They all continued asking their ages while Azazel just sat aside as he didn't pay much attention to the conversation while drinking coke. 

"How's about you Aria?" Sarah asked. 

"What?" Azazel looked up in surprise. 

"How old are you?" a guy asked. 

"19," Azazel answered without any expression. 

Everyone became silent as they all stared at Azazel which freaked him out. 

"You're so young!" Lilith shouted. 

Azazel didn't know what to say, he didn't pay attention. 

"You're not even 20 yet!" another said. 

Everyone soon complained about Azazel's age, while some thought it was alright but everyone did agree that Azazel was a bit too young. 

"Did Kreo do anything to you?" Alex asked. 

"Were you paid to just be his partner for the night?" another asked. 

"Okay," Azazel stood up trying to calm things down. "Kreo is just 2 years older than me, it's not a big deal!" 

"But-" 

Everyone paused as they looked behind Azazel. He turned to see Kreo standing there. 

"I heard my name being called," Kreo said with a smirk. "Do you want anything, Aria?"

"I'm craving soft drinks," he answered. 

"Alright, meet in 5 minutes too, dinner is starting." Kreo replied as kissed Azazel's cheek. 

"Hey! Not here!!" Azazel flushed red, shouted as Kreo walked off, giggling. 

He turned around as everyone stared at him. 

"I'm so sorry," Azazel apologised. "I'll take my leave..." he turned away in embarrassment. 

[Azazel's POV]

I don't think I can do this.

I went up to Kreo, just standing next to him. He noticed me and gave me the soft drink I asked for.

"I'll be heading to dinner first," Kreo said. "See you all!" 

He turned towards me before walking with me. 

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Kreo said. 

I looked at him, surprised at how he knew. 

"Your face," Kreo said. "I know you more than you think."

I hesitated, unsure whether to confide in Kreo. But Kreo's comforting presence encouraged me to speak up.

I couldn't keep it in anymore, so I opened up to Kreo about feeling uncomfortable and overwhelmed by all the attention because of my age. Kreo listened carefully and reassured me, suggesting we stick together for the rest of the evening. It felt better knowing he had my back...

At dinner, Kreo told me about our assigned seats, and we found ourselves seated near the middle of the ballroom where there was a lot of empty space, bathed in the soft glow of a huge chandelier. The ballroom had painted ceilings and expansive windows adorned with giant red curtains, as we had a glimpse of the crescent moon and stars outside.

"Wow.." I mumbled.

—

Sarah approached Azazel with a warm smile. "Hey there, Aria. Mind if I join you?"

Azazel glanced up, surprised by the invitation, but nodded politely. "Sure, go ahead."

Sarah took a seat beside him, offering a plate of food. "You seemed a bit overwhelmed earlier. Everything okay?"

Azazel sighed softly. "Yeah, just not used to all the attention, I guess."

Sarah nodded understandingly. "It can be a lot, especially with everyone curious about you and Kreo. But hey, we're all just here to have a good time, right?"

Azazel managed a small smile. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Sarah."

They chatted more as they ate, and Azazel felt a bit more at ease in the company of his new friend.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed heroes, welcome to the Awards Ceremony of the Heroes Gala," the host announced, his voice resounding through the ballroom. "Tonight, we gather to honour and celebrate the remarkable achievements of every individual."

"Well, this year we have made it special," another hostess added. "We have thought that the partners of heroes weren't getting much attention. They helped out our heroes, cared for them, loved them, and mostly... helped us have the next generation of heroes."

"Yes, this is why this year we decided to have this..." the host continued.

"That's why," Azazel whispered to Kreo as they giggled.

"Since this year we have twice the amount of people in the palace, we thought of how we could let our guests introduce themselves with their partners with stories!" The hostess said. "We will soon be giving out rewards to our heroes in the middle of the ballroom but now we could start our storytelling!" 

One by one the hostess and host randomly picked 8 guests that eagerly awaited the chance to share their stories. As the spotlight shifted to each hero and their partner, the ballroom filled with tales of bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering support. Some recounted thrilling adventures, while others shared touching anecdotes of love and friendship. 

With each story, the bond between heroes and their partners grew stronger, reinforcing the importance of unity and teamwork. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, tears, and applause as each duo took their turn in the spotlight, leaving a lasting impression on all who were present.

As Azazel watched the heartwarming stories, he couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. He wanted the kind of deep connection and companionship he saw in the other couples. Yet, it was all just a dream to him, knowing he could never have it in this life.

"Wow! Thank you Elise Heart and Alex Stone for sharing your beautiful story," the host's voice broke through Azazel's thoughts, signalling the start of the awards ceremony.

The focus shifted to the heroes and their partners as they walked to the middle of the ballroom getting the reward as well as telling everyone more stories while Azazel's mind was still wandering to the possibility of finding his own happiness someday.