AN: Revised chapter 1/16/2017

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While Leon talked with Jerry and Kalos, May found Sora.

"So this is where you two were hiding," May said as she plopped herself on the seat next to the redhead. "Getting all snuggly and stuff, huh?"

"M-May! Where did you – how -?"

May shrugged nonchalantly. "We were looking for him so I saw when Leon stood up. He's hard to overlook, you know."

The statement made Sora wonder, especially with what happened with Ken not too long ago.

"Do you still like him?" Sora asked, "Leon, I mean."

"I know who you mean," May dryly said.

Then, she slanted her eyes towards Sora, thinking of things that Sora didn't know of. Finally, she let out a long sigh and propped her feet on the back of the chair in front of her.

"I'm a big girl," May confidently stated. "These kinds of things don't get to me."

Sora shook her head as she smiled. Same old May. It was a relief to know she hadn't misunderstood anything with her.

"Speaking of big girl problems," May said, cutting through Sora's thoughts, "I know you're injured and everything so it really doesn't matter," she paused to consider if she should say it or not and then just went for it, "But your name was on the Circus Festival list."

Sora let in a sharp breath.

"No," she disbelievingly murmured, "I checked."

May rolled her eyes. "You checked under 'Oswald,' right?"

Sora nodded. May tsked.

"It was under your maiden name, 'Naegino.'"

"But why not Oswald?" Sora muttered, "Did they not know I was married?"

"Oh, I'm pretty darn sure the committee knew," May snorted.

News of Leon and Sora's wedding was all over the circus and entertainment mediums for weeks, even internationally.

"Weird," Sora said.

"Resentful," May corrected.

When Sora looked at her for an explanation, May offered none. She'd leave it to Sora to figure out. She looked down the way to where Leon was with Jerry and Kalos.

"Heard they're running Marie's prints against the first fingerprints they found to see if they match."

"Leon did mention that."

May cocked her head. "Ken said they found prints under the stamps too. Not sure why they're bothering compiling the stamps' prints if we already found some."

"That is weird…"

"Marie must not have worked alone." May slowly nodded her head. "Maybe she wasn't the stalker. She could have just been the one that delivered the letters, getting her prints on the envelopes."

"Possibly her prints. We don't know yet." Sora frowned. "But the photos that were sent –"

"The backstage ones of Leon were probably taken by Marie," May murmured. "But it doesn't mean that all of them were her. Honestly, I see no reason for her to be stalking outside of the stage if she works here, you know?"

"Well, aren't stalkers obsessed with their subject?"

"But with ending Leon's career? Why? She's too young to have been his partner in the past. Besides, if it was a secret crush for Leon, shouldn't she have tried doing something to your silks, not Leon's? It's just all too choppy for me to see."

Sora frowned. "Those are good points."

"Maybe…" The Chinese acrobat looked serious. "What if she's obsessed with you?"

"But how would hurting Leon do anything for her?"

"Get him out of the way? I don't know. I'm just trying to understand."

Sora pensively thought. "That idea doesn't work completely. She didn't really do things to get closer to me." The teen had delivered Leon's costume once, when they had been together in his dressing room. But she was part of wardrobe so it wasn't unusual. "Wouldn't there have been photos of me too?"

"Marie might have. She took her stuff so we wouldn't know." May stood up. "I'm gonna talk with some of the people in wardrobe. They might be able to answer that."

"May?"

She paused on the steps. "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

May scowled a little. "I haven't done anything."

May stalked off, feeling angry at herself. Ken and her lost Marie due to their bickering. Sora really had no reason to be thanking her. But she was determined to help where she had failed to aid.

She definitely didn't want to owe Sora.

SL

Despite the quick changes, the night's show turned out pretty good.

Though some adjustments had been made, especially the several stolen kisses Zorro took from Esperanza and then the kiss Esperanza gave to Zorro at the end. It was tricky, but they settled for caresses rather than kisses.

The end kiss, however, stayed.

Leon knew how to fake kiss on the stage. He merely tipped May back enough that when he leaned over, the audience couldn't tell that he wasn't actually kissing May. Sora had laughed from her seat as Leon pulled May back up. By the ticking of her brow, she took it that he hadn't warned May about the improvisation.

"Trickster," she murmured under her breath in memory.

Sometimes he could be so arrogant and secretive, but she wouldn't change that about him. He was Leon Oswald, and with that name came the confidence and talent he possesses. She looked at him as he refilled his glass.

"What comes with a name," she absentmindedly said to herself.

Was that what May meant?

"You are quoting Shakespeare incorrectly," Leon murmured as he drank from his wine glass.

They were back at the apartment, sitting comfortably on the couch. A movie was playing that neither one was paying much attention to. With Leon's arm around her shoulders and her hand on his knee, she was just glad to have cuddling time. They had worries to take care of, but they had both decided separately that tonight would be a break.

Tomorrow could wait.

"What quote?"

Leon tilted his head as he recalled it. When he got it, he put his glass down on the coffee table.

" 'What's in a name?' " he murmured, his fingers trailing her cheek, " 'That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.' "

"Charmer," she teased, "and a bit of a showoff."

"Just for you," he nipped her cheek, "my sweet, red rose."

She giggled as his nose tickled her neck. "How much wine has my Romeo had?"

"Not much." He smiled against her skin. "Though you are my personal sort of wine. Fruity," he kissed her lips, "warm," he rubbed his nose against her pulse, "silky smooth," he rumbled in her ear.

She flushed lightly. "Enough to loosen that tongue, apparently."

He smirked a little before kissing her open mouthed.

He broke it off too soon. She whimpered a little, his hand gliding down the opening of her collar. Languidly, her head rested on the back couch cushion, biting her lip as he showered her with kisses and love bites. She knew how this night was going, especially with her hand subconsciously maneuvering under his shirt. His warm skin made her mew, the feeling of his lean back muscles shot a thrill up her arm.

"Not on the couch," she managed to remind him when he started undressing her.

"I remember," he murmured.

He paused in his seduction to place a few pillows on the carpet and then smoothly he lifted her up, mindful of her braced foot. She was tempted to tell him that it was basically like being on the couch if she was on the pillows, but the careful way he was being tonight - coupled with the longing in his eyes - made the words stay in her throat.

She helped him out of his shirt as they kissed.

How comfortable we are we each other now. She had been so skittish about intercourse in the beginning. She nearly laughed at her past self's hesitance, but the feeling of his heated skin against her thighs quickly dashed out that impulse. They kissed deeply as hands caressed and sought out the other. A soft sigh escaped her, tickling his lips.

Tonight's love was slow, deep, and gentle.

Just as he promised her that afternoon.

A smooth, sultry saxophone sounded from the tv as they made love, signaling the end credits of the film that they had on. She idly wondered if he had timed it that way, making his move when the romantic music would be on - especially since he had picked the movie out.

Her thoughts on his planning only lasted for a few seconds. Even after the credits ended, she could hear that melody in her head as they continued on, giving the moment a sense of timelessness. But even for them, all good things have to come to an end. Once he had his breath, he relocated them to the bedroom. He held her close as he breathed in her fragrance. Her hands stroked his back, silently admiring him.

"The festival committee did invite me," she quietly revealed. He lifted his head from her neck to see her face. "May said they used my maiden name."

She felt him exhale long.

"Doesn't matter." His lips brushed against her cheek all the way up to her ear. "You won't be participating."

"Not this year," she murmured. "But what about the next time? And the one after that?"

"…I do not follow."

"I'm not going because of my injury, so I didn't have to formally refuse." Sora frowned a little as she thought. "But I'm still going to send them a letter."

At that, Leon sat up to get a better look at his wife.

"I'm choosing to say no," Sora firmly stated, "And not only because I don't approve of that kind of stage." She reached a hand out for him and he leaned closer, allowing her to cup his face. "I'm an Oswald now. If they want to address me, they better use my new last name."

He looked at her for a long time in silence. She was picking a fight but he couldn't find the desire to stop her.

"Have I told you," he murmured, turning his head so he could brush his lips against her palm, "how much I love you?"

Her breath caught in her throat. "I can tell through your actions," she whispered, her thumb brushing his cheek, "but words would be nice too."

"Then let me begin," he murmured into her ear.

Her eyes closed as his voice filled her head, making her heart soar.

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AN: I know some of you would think that Sora wouldn't get upset over the last name, but I figured that it's a pretty big insult to Leon that they address his wife by her maiden name because they don't like him. Like it's beneath them to invite another Oswald to the festival.

Was that clear in here? Maybe it wasn't...

So, thinking in those terms made me think that she might get upset about it.