Part III.
The sudden deafening roar of enthusiastic applause gave Percival his answer.
The lights flickered back on, and Percival blinked in the sudden glare, caught off guard suddenly as each of his hands were clasped by two unidentifiable cast members and the crew gave a bow. The actors smiled with relief and excitement to receive such cheers. The applause kept coming, perhaps even growing, and whistles accompanied the dozens of roses landing on and around the stage.
Soon the crowd was calling for their Romeo and their Juliet, and Percival stepped forward, Rody shyly taking a place beside him. Then, to the magician's surprise, Sir Percival took his hand. Okay, so the knight was wearing a gauntlet...but it still meant a great deal to the boy who had worshiped this man from afar.
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the audience began chanting.
Rody's eyes widened in sudden fear. Were they mocking him? Was it all a joke? What would Sir Percival think? It would be terribly disappointing--not to mention embarrassing--if the knight refused...but what if...what if he didn't?
"...Rody."
The young magician turned his head. Percival was standing beside him--very close beside him. So close that the knight's body heat seemed to feel even warmer than Rody's own flushed cheeks did. Sir Percival was looking down at the boy with a very serious, very tender expression. Rody fell into the friendly eyes, his body melting as the knight pulled him into an embrace. The sound of the crowd's excited murmurs was completely drowned out by the furious pounding of blood in Rody's ears as his heart nearly burst with excitement.
And then Sir Percival's lips were upon his, and Rody swooned.
Percival knew that the crowd knew that Rody was not a woman. And he certainly knew that Rody was not a woman. Yet...yet everyone expected a kiss from Romeo to Juliet, no matter who was playing the part!
But it mattered to Percival. He might not have done it if Nei was his co-star, but with Rody...but with Rody, it was irresistable.
The knight seemed to catch the boy off guard--either that or Rody was a damned fine actor. He didn't even try to resist as Percival pulled him close, holding him gently and lowering his head. Rody's eyes closed and his lips came together in a sweetly formed kiss before Percival's mouth even found them. But he did find those lips, and he touched them with his own as romantically as Romeo could have ever imagined kissing his Juliet.
And then...and then it was over. The crowd went insane with cheers and screams of delight. A huge grin spread across Percival's own face as he took another bow.
For a moment Rody stood in place as though stunned. It had really happened...hadn't it? Percival...had kissed him...and everyone...was happy! Most especially Rody. But then Sir Percival was smiling as though pleased with his own performance, and bowing again.
Oh, so that's it, Rody sighed inwardly. He was just playing to the crowd. Oh, well, he thought, as he curtsied just the way Nei would have. It's better than anything I could have ever gotten from him under normal circumstances.
But still...he wished it could have lasted--even for just a little longer.
The sudden deafening roar of enthusiastic applause gave Percival his answer.
The lights flickered back on, and Percival blinked in the sudden glare, caught off guard suddenly as each of his hands were clasped by two unidentifiable cast members and the crew gave a bow. The actors smiled with relief and excitement to receive such cheers. The applause kept coming, perhaps even growing, and whistles accompanied the dozens of roses landing on and around the stage.
Soon the crowd was calling for their Romeo and their Juliet, and Percival stepped forward, Rody shyly taking a place beside him. Then, to the magician's surprise, Sir Percival took his hand. Okay, so the knight was wearing a gauntlet...but it still meant a great deal to the boy who had worshiped this man from afar.
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the audience began chanting.
Rody's eyes widened in sudden fear. Were they mocking him? Was it all a joke? What would Sir Percival think? It would be terribly disappointing--not to mention embarrassing--if the knight refused...but what if...what if he didn't?
"...Rody."
The young magician turned his head. Percival was standing beside him--very close beside him. So close that the knight's body heat seemed to feel even warmer than Rody's own flushed cheeks did. Sir Percival was looking down at the boy with a very serious, very tender expression. Rody fell into the friendly eyes, his body melting as the knight pulled him into an embrace. The sound of the crowd's excited murmurs was completely drowned out by the furious pounding of blood in Rody's ears as his heart nearly burst with excitement.
And then Sir Percival's lips were upon his, and Rody swooned.
Percival knew that the crowd knew that Rody was not a woman. And he certainly knew that Rody was not a woman. Yet...yet everyone expected a kiss from Romeo to Juliet, no matter who was playing the part!
But it mattered to Percival. He might not have done it if Nei was his co-star, but with Rody...but with Rody, it was irresistable.
The knight seemed to catch the boy off guard--either that or Rody was a damned fine actor. He didn't even try to resist as Percival pulled him close, holding him gently and lowering his head. Rody's eyes closed and his lips came together in a sweetly formed kiss before Percival's mouth even found them. But he did find those lips, and he touched them with his own as romantically as Romeo could have ever imagined kissing his Juliet.
And then...and then it was over. The crowd went insane with cheers and screams of delight. A huge grin spread across Percival's own face as he took another bow.
For a moment Rody stood in place as though stunned. It had really happened...hadn't it? Percival...had kissed him...and everyone...was happy! Most especially Rody. But then Sir Percival was smiling as though pleased with his own performance, and bowing again.
Oh, so that's it, Rody sighed inwardly. He was just playing to the crowd. Oh, well, he thought, as he curtsied just the way Nei would have. It's better than anything I could have ever gotten from him under normal circumstances.
But still...he wished it could have lasted--even for just a little longer.