Part VI.
Percival rearranged the vase of flowers on the dining table for the dozenth time. Everything had to be...just so... It had to look perfect for Rody.
Suddenly there was a light tapping on the door.
Omigodomigodomigod! That's him!
Percival checked himself in the mirror one last time, making sure he looked presentabe. He scowled at his reflection, realizing how flushed he appeared. He was nervous and excited--and it showed.
Somehow, he made it to the door and managed to get it open. He greeted Rody with a bright smile. "Come on in!" he said with his friendliest tone.
"Hope I'm not too early...or too late...?"
"...Depends on how you look at it," Percival laughed. "If I had to wait another instant I'd have died on the spot; but on the other hand, dinner's not quite finished."
Rody smiled with pleasure as the knight looked him over with a smile. The magician had on clean black robes today over white pants, his hair tied neatly--but not too neatly as to not slip at some most convenient time--and he smelled of the sweetest honeysuckle.
"I missed you..." Percival started, but then a bell rang, announcing that a servant was bringing in their meal.
"So who's the lucky gal--er, hello...Rody." Louis tried not to look too confused as he set up the romantic candlelight dinner. Rody just smiled softly, but didn't blush. If Percival had invited him to his room for dinner, there was nothing wrong with being caught there, was there, now?
"Enjoy your meal...gentlemen." Louis bowed and backed out of the door, closing it gently behind him.
"This smells delicious!" Rody cried. Percival smiled sweetly and removed a covering on one of the dishes for Rody to inspect. "Ooh, how did you know this was my favorite?!" the magician cried in astonishment.
Percival rubbed the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. "...I asked Estella."
"My magic instructor?!" Rody let out a laugh. "How very clever!"
The two enjoyed a vegetarian meal--although Percival really didn't understand the boy's distaste for juicy meat--and had fine wine to splash it down with.
Afterwards, they settled into a semi-awkward silence, in which they both knew what they wanted to do, but each afraid to make the first move.
Rody finally cleared his throat. "...Should we have a look at your lines now?"
"We could...but I'd rather look at you." Percival's gaze danced back and forth between Rody's two eyes across the table. He loved the way the boy's glittering irises lit up with candlelight and gentle bashfulness... He is sooo beautiful...
Rody could only smile. He'd never felt this way before. Percival made him feel so special! So wanted. So...loved.
"Would it be okay...if I held you, for just a little while?" Percival asked softly.
Rody nodded with a faint smile. "Please."
They stood together, and Rody's heart began pounding with uncertainty. For how long was a little while'? In what manner did Percival wish to hold him? How close, and was Rody expected to make the first move?
He didn't need to worry about it. Percival walked over to him and put his arms around him, just as before. He pulled him very close, and Rody felt himself melting into that embrace the same as before. Very slowly, he brought his arms up to hug Percival around the waist, pressing his face against the taller man's chest.
Percival sighed happily, kissing the top of Rody's head. He began to sway, rocking the boy as though they were slow-dancing. Oh, that would have been beautiful! But with musicians present they couldn't have this deep feeling of privacy, this intense togetherness that could only be achieved by being alone together.
"Rody? Can I kiss you now?"
"...Please..."
That gentle politeness was driving Percival crazy. He wanted to melt that boy into a lump of sugar and eat him up!
But he settled for a kiss, this one by far the sweetest--being the first they shared equally and permissively while in private quarters without possibility of interruption.
After a time, Percival broke the tender contact, stroking Rody's cheeks with his fingertips. "You are so beautiful," he said. "You make me feel things I've never felt with anyone else before."
"...I feel them, too..."
"Rody... I wish you could play Juliet."
Rody shook his head. "It was Nei's part first; it wouldn't be right to take it from her. I can help you practice, though," he said supportively.
Percival nodded. "Okay, then." He didn't look very happy, though. He really, really wanted to be seen onstage with Rody. He wanted everyone to share a piece of the happiness he'd found...
"Hey, don't be so sad!" Rody said, placing a comforting hand on the knight's arm. "Next time, we'll try out for something together! What's Nadir's next play about, anyway?"
Percival gave a snort. "The Match Girl. It's about a...girl...and matches..."
"...Oh."
"Forget about it," Percival said, running a hand lovingly along Rody's arm, watching the action with his own eyes. "I decided to give up acting after this play is finished, anyway."
"What?!" Rody cried, feeling more at ease to speak without those tender grey eyes seeing into his soul. "But you--you're terrific! Just think, Percival! If you hadn't been a part of this play, we never would have met...never would have--"
"That's a good reason to stop now," Percival said softly, raising his gaze back to his darling's. "I've got you, so there's no reason for me to go on acting, is there?"
Rody could hardly argue with that.
Percival rearranged the vase of flowers on the dining table for the dozenth time. Everything had to be...just so... It had to look perfect for Rody.
Suddenly there was a light tapping on the door.
Omigodomigodomigod! That's him!
Percival checked himself in the mirror one last time, making sure he looked presentabe. He scowled at his reflection, realizing how flushed he appeared. He was nervous and excited--and it showed.
Somehow, he made it to the door and managed to get it open. He greeted Rody with a bright smile. "Come on in!" he said with his friendliest tone.
"Hope I'm not too early...or too late...?"
"...Depends on how you look at it," Percival laughed. "If I had to wait another instant I'd have died on the spot; but on the other hand, dinner's not quite finished."
Rody smiled with pleasure as the knight looked him over with a smile. The magician had on clean black robes today over white pants, his hair tied neatly--but not too neatly as to not slip at some most convenient time--and he smelled of the sweetest honeysuckle.
"I missed you..." Percival started, but then a bell rang, announcing that a servant was bringing in their meal.
"So who's the lucky gal--er, hello...Rody." Louis tried not to look too confused as he set up the romantic candlelight dinner. Rody just smiled softly, but didn't blush. If Percival had invited him to his room for dinner, there was nothing wrong with being caught there, was there, now?
"Enjoy your meal...gentlemen." Louis bowed and backed out of the door, closing it gently behind him.
"This smells delicious!" Rody cried. Percival smiled sweetly and removed a covering on one of the dishes for Rody to inspect. "Ooh, how did you know this was my favorite?!" the magician cried in astonishment.
Percival rubbed the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. "...I asked Estella."
"My magic instructor?!" Rody let out a laugh. "How very clever!"
The two enjoyed a vegetarian meal--although Percival really didn't understand the boy's distaste for juicy meat--and had fine wine to splash it down with.
Afterwards, they settled into a semi-awkward silence, in which they both knew what they wanted to do, but each afraid to make the first move.
Rody finally cleared his throat. "...Should we have a look at your lines now?"
"We could...but I'd rather look at you." Percival's gaze danced back and forth between Rody's two eyes across the table. He loved the way the boy's glittering irises lit up with candlelight and gentle bashfulness... He is sooo beautiful...
Rody could only smile. He'd never felt this way before. Percival made him feel so special! So wanted. So...loved.
"Would it be okay...if I held you, for just a little while?" Percival asked softly.
Rody nodded with a faint smile. "Please."
They stood together, and Rody's heart began pounding with uncertainty. For how long was a little while'? In what manner did Percival wish to hold him? How close, and was Rody expected to make the first move?
He didn't need to worry about it. Percival walked over to him and put his arms around him, just as before. He pulled him very close, and Rody felt himself melting into that embrace the same as before. Very slowly, he brought his arms up to hug Percival around the waist, pressing his face against the taller man's chest.
Percival sighed happily, kissing the top of Rody's head. He began to sway, rocking the boy as though they were slow-dancing. Oh, that would have been beautiful! But with musicians present they couldn't have this deep feeling of privacy, this intense togetherness that could only be achieved by being alone together.
"Rody? Can I kiss you now?"
"...Please..."
That gentle politeness was driving Percival crazy. He wanted to melt that boy into a lump of sugar and eat him up!
But he settled for a kiss, this one by far the sweetest--being the first they shared equally and permissively while in private quarters without possibility of interruption.
After a time, Percival broke the tender contact, stroking Rody's cheeks with his fingertips. "You are so beautiful," he said. "You make me feel things I've never felt with anyone else before."
"...I feel them, too..."
"Rody... I wish you could play Juliet."
Rody shook his head. "It was Nei's part first; it wouldn't be right to take it from her. I can help you practice, though," he said supportively.
Percival nodded. "Okay, then." He didn't look very happy, though. He really, really wanted to be seen onstage with Rody. He wanted everyone to share a piece of the happiness he'd found...
"Hey, don't be so sad!" Rody said, placing a comforting hand on the knight's arm. "Next time, we'll try out for something together! What's Nadir's next play about, anyway?"
Percival gave a snort. "The Match Girl. It's about a...girl...and matches..."
"...Oh."
"Forget about it," Percival said, running a hand lovingly along Rody's arm, watching the action with his own eyes. "I decided to give up acting after this play is finished, anyway."
"What?!" Rody cried, feeling more at ease to speak without those tender grey eyes seeing into his soul. "But you--you're terrific! Just think, Percival! If you hadn't been a part of this play, we never would have met...never would have--"
"That's a good reason to stop now," Percival said softly, raising his gaze back to his darling's. "I've got you, so there's no reason for me to go on acting, is there?"
Rody could hardly argue with that.