Like the Flower
"Be like the flower, turn your faces to the sun." Kahlil Gibran
" – and then I need to get downtown and make sure that everything is wrapped, or wait, I mean that I've got everything – no, get everything and then make sure it's wrapped and well you know what I mean. Gee, look at the time, I've gotta run, I'll see you later, Ken!"
Sora laughed nervously and waved back over her shoulder as she turned and headed off toward the dorms. She made it about a quarter of the way down the path before her steps started to slow, half-way before they lost their bounce and became flat. Never once did she look back.
Ken watched her go, biting his lower lip before looking down and away.
"How is she?" called Yuri's soft tenor as soon as she was out of hearing range. Ken cast a glance up to where the blond acrobat and his silver-haired counterpart stood on the low candy cane shaped platforms that had been built for the annual Kaleido Stage holiday extravaganza. He shook his head.
"She's trying not to let it get to her, to pretend that everything's all right," Ken said with a sigh. "You can tell that it's bothering her, though."
"I can't imagine how it wouldn't. If it were my father in the hospital…" Yuri's voice trailed off as a bitter half smile quirked the corners of his lips. "Well, I'm sure you can imagine."
The holiday extravaganza would take place tomorrow night, and Sora was clearly doing her best to hold herself together until then. Everyone had been quite excited for it until Sora had received word that her father had been hospitalized for a second, more serious heart attack. Mr. Naegino had been well enough to speak, though, and had insisted that Sora not disappoint her audience. In the face of that, and Kalos's reminders of her commitments, Sora had reluctantly agreed to remain half a world away from her ill father. The stress of it had begun to show, though.
Leon jumped casually down to the floor. Ken and Yuri watched as he snagged his towel from a chair and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. He waited a moment before speaking, and his gaze flitted back and forth between the other two men when he finally did.
"Isn't there something we could do for her? She –" His arms had dropped to his sides, head snapping up. Leon paused, collecting himself and leaning back against the wall, dropping his head again.
"It's a good idea," Yuri said, pre-empting anything else Leon might have said as he flipped onto the ground. He snagged his own towel from the chair and dropped unceremoniously into it, legs spread to either side as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the edge of the seat. Yuri steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them. "What can we do, though? She can't go home yet, and her father's too ill to come here."
"If we let her know how concerned we are, she'll only try to hide it more." Ken readjusted his glasses carefully. "Whatever we do, it'll have to be subtle."
"Hmm…"
The sounds of ongoing rehearsal floated over and around the three men as they silently considered what to do next. Leon's scowl deepened as he let more of his weight rest against the wall. Yuri's head dropped, and Ken's grip on his clipboard tightened, his knuckles turning white.
"Flowers?" Yuri suggested after a moment. Ken and Leon turned to look at him. The blond acrobat shrugged. "It's what I used to do for Layla when her father missed another show's run."
"Maybe." Leon nodded slowly to himself. "It's what Sora used to do for me, when I was in the hospital."
"WAIT! That's it!" Ken exclaimed, clipboard nearly going flying as he spread his arms in excitement. The ongoing practice halted momentarily as everyone turned to look at Ken, who blushingly apologized and bowed before hissing at the others, "I've got it! It might take a little planning, but I'm sure it'll cheer Sora up."
Ken explained his idea quickly as the rehearsal resumed. After agreeing upon it, they all jumped into action to carry it off as soon as possible.
- - - - -
"Thank you for coming," Yuri said, opening the car door and offering his hand to the elegant blonde woman in the passenger seat. The woman shook her head, taking his hand as she rose gracefully from the car.
"No, I'm glad you called." She tossed him a pointed smile. "I never thought I'd see the day you let someone else drive your car, let alone the Grim Reaper."
"Yes, well," his smile tightened as Leon tossed him the keys, "some people we owe more to than a car. Besides, someone needed to be here to distract her, and she spends more time near me in this show than Leon. Ken's got her at the moment; I think he asked Mia to tell her the plot for the next show."
"This way," the silver-haired man interjected, snapping his phone shut. Together they walked along the empty backstage corridors, past old posters that the woman noticed wistfully with the corner of her eye. They stopped a little outside the dressing room, Yuri and Leon fading back to stand along the sides of the corridor while she waited alone in the middle.
"Honestly, Ken," came a harassed sounding voice as Sora dragged the blond in question from the room and off towards the dorms, "we shouldn't bother Mia when she still hasn't decided what we're doing yet. You know it only makes her more nervous! Come on, let's get –"
"Sora." The blonde said, just loudly enough to be heard.
"Yes?" The girl in question turned around slowly. She froze half-way, eyes going wide as she dropped her hold on Ken's arm and came to an abrupt stop. When she spoke her again, her voice was half-whisper, half-plea.
"Layla."
"Are you all right, Sora?" Layla asked, not unkindly. Sora stared at her for a moment longer as though not daring to believe her eyes. Ken, though, moved behind Sora, and pushed her lightly towards the older woman.
"Layla!" She repeated more emphatically, launching herself at the other woman. Leon couldn't hear what else was said as it faded away in a speedy mumble buried against the blonde's shoulder as Sora's own shoulders shook. Layla wrapped her arms around the smaller woman and slowly lead her away.
Ken, Yuri, and Leon watched them go. When at last they disappeared from view, Leon turned to Ken.
"This is how you intended to cheer her up?" He asked, snorting derisively as he gestured after them. Ken smiled and nodded in return.
"She needed this," he replied simply. "Layla has always been the person she let herself rely on. She'll be fine, now."
"Sometimes," Yuri agreed with a nod, "things have to get worse before they can get better, right?"
"Hm."
- - - - - -
Two days later, when the Holiday Extravaganza opened, Layla Hamilton was seated in the front row, Mr. Naegino had gotten out of critical care, and Ken, Yuri, and Leon had everything prepared. That night, Sora shown more brightly than in all her previous performances combined. All that anyone could remember was her carefree smile as she danced elegantly above the crowd, light as a butterfly on the wind.