Part VII.
Two weeks passed. It was the final performance, the end of the play, and Percival was more nervous than ever about being on stage. In fact, he couldn't recall ever having had stage fright before; he was a fine actor, and was confident with his ability to perform. But things had altered since this time last week. Not only could he not pretend to be in love with Nei, now he was truly in love with someone else, and this past week spent with Rody was the most wonderful time of his life. If he kissed Nei in front of people, the way he wanted to kiss Rody in front of people...wasn't that betrayal?
"You're being silly," Rody sighed, but he was actually flattered that Percival felt so obligated to him already. He hung his arms around Percival's neck from behind as the actor prepared for his next scene.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" he asked worriedly. "I won't kiss Nei if it's going to bother you..."
"Percival, I trust you!" Rody insisted. "I know it's just for pretend."
"...It feels real."
"Well, you know what I mean. Hey, if it helps, just pretend you're kissing me." Rody blushed very lightly. It seemed so strange to say something like that to Sir Percival! Even though they had kissed several times this past week, mostly they had talked and held hands as they walked through the gardens of Lake Castle.
Percival's reflection in the mirror brightened.
"...Pretend...I'm kissing...you... Rody, that's brilliant! If I think about you, I'll kiss Nei so romantically, tonight's crowd will surely be more satisfied! Okay! No more half-acting for me!" He jumped out of his chair and spun around to face his lover. "How do I look?"
Rody sighed in admiration. "Gorgeous, as usual."
"I can do this...can't I?"
"You can, Percival."
"Rody?"
"Yes?"
"Kiss me."
"...Your makeup--!"
"I have to remember this kiss for when I have to kiss Nei." Percival still didn't look happy with the prospect.
"Well, okay then." Rody stepped closer, taking a now-familiar place in the knight's tender hold. Percival didn't kiss him right away, however. First, he cupped Rody's hand with one of his, while his arm slipped around the boy's slender waist. He stroked the soft cheek gently, brushing the perfect mouth, while gazing deeply into Rody's eyes. "Percival--!" Rody gasped, feeling his knees go weak under such a look.
The strong Zexen knight caught Rody in his arms as the boy nearly fell, then gave him the longest, deepest, most romantic kiss ever.
Rody murmured incoherently with the desire he suddenly felt. His lips parted just enough for Percival's tongue to slip past his teeth to deepen the kiss. Rody's thighs trembled with a sudden, intense new hunger and he clung to the knight with desperation.
But then Percival released him with a tight squeeze. "I... Rody... Rody--I love you."
"...That's the signal that someone is coming! What, with a torch! Hide me!"
The magician struggled to stand as Percival turned to the stage door. "--!!!"
"That's my cue, darling. I'll see you tonight?"
Rody held two fingers to his lips, nodding mutely, gripping the dressing table with his other hand as he watched Percival walk across the room. Before the knight walked out onto the stage, he gave Rody a loving smile.
Nei looked down at Percival's lifeless form with something akin to disbelief on her lovely elvish face. "Romeo, what has happened? Why do you not awake? Was this poison that you held in this bottle? Alas! The bottle is empty... I will drink the poison from your lips, and pray I will join you in peace."
Think about Rody...think about Rody...think about Rody...
Rody was watching from just beyond the stage. Juliet knew it, though the knowledge confused her, but Romeo was dead to the world.
As Nei bent over Percival's body, sprawled on the simulated sepulcher floor, she thought she heard someone yawn.
Dammit! she thought angrily. What's wrong here? The first act of the play was perfect! Everyone loved me! Now, since I've come back, all I hear is, 'Where's that cute kid, Rody?' I'm sick of it! And in that instant, Nei made up her mind to do something dramatic. I'm an actress! she thought. I'll save this play by doing the only thing I can--I'll improvise!
Two weeks passed. It was the final performance, the end of the play, and Percival was more nervous than ever about being on stage. In fact, he couldn't recall ever having had stage fright before; he was a fine actor, and was confident with his ability to perform. But things had altered since this time last week. Not only could he not pretend to be in love with Nei, now he was truly in love with someone else, and this past week spent with Rody was the most wonderful time of his life. If he kissed Nei in front of people, the way he wanted to kiss Rody in front of people...wasn't that betrayal?
"You're being silly," Rody sighed, but he was actually flattered that Percival felt so obligated to him already. He hung his arms around Percival's neck from behind as the actor prepared for his next scene.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" he asked worriedly. "I won't kiss Nei if it's going to bother you..."
"Percival, I trust you!" Rody insisted. "I know it's just for pretend."
"...It feels real."
"Well, you know what I mean. Hey, if it helps, just pretend you're kissing me." Rody blushed very lightly. It seemed so strange to say something like that to Sir Percival! Even though they had kissed several times this past week, mostly they had talked and held hands as they walked through the gardens of Lake Castle.
Percival's reflection in the mirror brightened.
"...Pretend...I'm kissing...you... Rody, that's brilliant! If I think about you, I'll kiss Nei so romantically, tonight's crowd will surely be more satisfied! Okay! No more half-acting for me!" He jumped out of his chair and spun around to face his lover. "How do I look?"
Rody sighed in admiration. "Gorgeous, as usual."
"I can do this...can't I?"
"You can, Percival."
"Rody?"
"Yes?"
"Kiss me."
"...Your makeup--!"
"I have to remember this kiss for when I have to kiss Nei." Percival still didn't look happy with the prospect.
"Well, okay then." Rody stepped closer, taking a now-familiar place in the knight's tender hold. Percival didn't kiss him right away, however. First, he cupped Rody's hand with one of his, while his arm slipped around the boy's slender waist. He stroked the soft cheek gently, brushing the perfect mouth, while gazing deeply into Rody's eyes. "Percival--!" Rody gasped, feeling his knees go weak under such a look.
The strong Zexen knight caught Rody in his arms as the boy nearly fell, then gave him the longest, deepest, most romantic kiss ever.
Rody murmured incoherently with the desire he suddenly felt. His lips parted just enough for Percival's tongue to slip past his teeth to deepen the kiss. Rody's thighs trembled with a sudden, intense new hunger and he clung to the knight with desperation.
But then Percival released him with a tight squeeze. "I... Rody... Rody--I love you."
"...That's the signal that someone is coming! What, with a torch! Hide me!"
The magician struggled to stand as Percival turned to the stage door. "--!!!"
"That's my cue, darling. I'll see you tonight?"
Rody held two fingers to his lips, nodding mutely, gripping the dressing table with his other hand as he watched Percival walk across the room. Before the knight walked out onto the stage, he gave Rody a loving smile.
Nei looked down at Percival's lifeless form with something akin to disbelief on her lovely elvish face. "Romeo, what has happened? Why do you not awake? Was this poison that you held in this bottle? Alas! The bottle is empty... I will drink the poison from your lips, and pray I will join you in peace."
Think about Rody...think about Rody...think about Rody...
Rody was watching from just beyond the stage. Juliet knew it, though the knowledge confused her, but Romeo was dead to the world.
As Nei bent over Percival's body, sprawled on the simulated sepulcher floor, she thought she heard someone yawn.
Dammit! she thought angrily. What's wrong here? The first act of the play was perfect! Everyone loved me! Now, since I've come back, all I hear is, 'Where's that cute kid, Rody?' I'm sick of it! And in that instant, Nei made up her mind to do something dramatic. I'm an actress! she thought. I'll save this play by doing the only thing I can--I'll improvise!