Chapter 4: The After-School Rehearsal

"No, no, no, Kinomoto-san!" The teacher cried. "You have to say it with passion, with emotion, with love. You're in love with this person, and you're talking about her beauty!"

It had been a week since rehearsal had started, and Yukito couldn't understand how Touya could do so badly on stage but so well at home when they were practicing together. Touya really inspired him in the way he spoke at home, but he was so very… how to say… blah at class rehearsals.

Touya sighed in frustration while Nakuru giggled. She was doing a splendid job in her roll as Juliet, though she seemed to have trouble memorizing anything.

"Can I take five?" Touya asked.

"You may," The teacher responded rather flatly.

"See you in five minutes!" Nakuru sang, waving him off the stage.

"I meant decades," He mumbled under his breath as Yukito joined his side.

"To-ya…"

They both marched into the Men's Room, Touya first and Yukito following like a lost puppy.

"To-ya, what's the matter with you?"

"What do you mean?" Touya asked, going to the nearest urinal and unzipping his pants. "I'm fine."

"You act so much better at home, but your skill and talent is missing on the stage. Do you have stage fright or something? Is that the problem?"

"It's my dislike for Nakuru," Touya replied blandly. "She really annoys me, and I can't ever concentrate I guess. How can I pretend to even like, much less love, someone who I really don't?"

"You do just fine with me," Yukito said innocently.

Touya's cheeks heated a bit as he zipped his pants back up and proceeded to washing his hands. "You're different. I actually like you." A lot…

"Well, To-ya… it's called acting for a reason, isn't it? Up on that stage, you're not To-ya, thou art Romeo."

"I didn't even want to be in the play," Touya sighed. "You should be Romeo, not me. I don't like acting much. I've got other plans in my future."

"I told you… I get shy up on the stage…" Yukito muttered sheepishly, looking at his hands. "I would have tried out, but I just didn't feel I would do a very good job…"

"You do great when you rehearse with me. I guess you and I have got good excuses for why we can't act, ne?"

"Problem is… you've got to get your act together, or you'll be humiliated in front of the entire school."

Touya went deathly quiet.

"Oh…" He started stammering out curse words, and Yukito shrank into the corner, smiling nervously.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Yukito chimed, beaming.

Touya looked at him blankly.

-

After-school rehearsal at the Kinomoto household…

Sakura walked along next to Eriol, giggling out a line, "I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire: The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, and, if we meet, we shall not escape a brawl; for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring."

"Sakura plays such a good Benvolio," Tomoyo said, starry eyed with her camera practically plastered to her face. "Of course, Sakura is good at everything."

"Except Math," Touya coughed.

"HEY!" Sakura yelled.

Eriol made an 'ahem' noise to keep them from arguing and spoke on Mercutio's behalf. "Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says, 'God send me no need of thee!' and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need."

"How do you have that memorized?" Sakura asked, amazed.

Eriol merely smiled.

"Sakura, it's your line," Touya said irritably. This was Yukito's brilliant plan? Make it fun by adding the little kiddies into the mix? Oy.

"Err-right!" She yelped, fumbling with the script (one of Yukito's own personal copies that he typed up for them in his spare time). "Am I like such a fellow?"

"Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved," Eriol responded with freakishly precise lines and emotion. Touya and Yukito had to exchange glances to see if either of them was working with the boy behind the scenes.

"A-and what to?"

"Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou! why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more, or a hair less, in his beard, than thou hast: thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes: what eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as fun of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling: thou hast quarreled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun: didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing
his new doublet before Easter? with another, for tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling!"

Sakura stared at him blankly, probably trying to comprehend just exactly what he had said.

"Um… Sakura…" Yukito said kindly. "It's your line, dear."

"Oh! Oh, yeah," She nodded her head vigorously and looked back down at the script. "And I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter."

"The fee-simple! O simple!"

"You'd almost think the kid was Shakespeare," Touya whispered to Yukito.

"Maybe he was in a past life," Yukito joked.

"By my head, here come the Capulets!" Sakura cried, a bit over-dramatically.

Syaoran stomped up with Tomoyo following with her camera. Syaoran was reading for Tybalt, a role Touya had chosen for him.

"By my heel, I care not," Eriol replied to Sakura's statement.

"Follow me close, for I will speak to them. Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you."

They continued with the play, and Touya rubbed his eyes. "Why are we doing this scene? I'm not a part of it."

"Are too!" Yukito said, flipping through the pages. "See? You come in right here."

"Then, why didn't we start there?" Touya asked.

"Because it's better to start from the beginning of the scene, To-ya," Yukito replied matter-of-factly. "Every good actor should know that."

"Could you not take some occasion without giving?" Eriol recited, looking rather bitterly at Syaoran.

"Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,--"

"Consort! What, dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you dance. 'Zounds, consort!" Eriol drew his sword which was actually one of Sakura's batons.

Sakura recited, "We talk here in the public haunt of men: Either withdraw unto some private place, and reason coldly of your grievances, or else depart; here all eyes gaze upon us."

"That was good, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo pointed out.

"Thanks," She chimed, proud of herself.

"A-HEM," Touya coughed rather loudly.

"Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I…" Eriol growled.

Finally, it was Touya's line. He walked around so he was behind Sakura and Eriol.

"Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man," Syaoran said.

"But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery: Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower; Your worship in that sense may call him 'man'," Eriol said. Syaoran stared at him blankly, the words flying right over his head.

"Ah… Oh, yeah," Syaoran said, catching himself. "Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford no better terms than this,-- thou art a villain… but I thought Romeo was the good guy!"

"STICK TO THE SCRIPT!" Touya yelled, agitated. Why did Yukito think it'd be a GOOD idea to have a group of eleven year olds help him in the Shakespearean arts.

"Fine, jeez," Syaoran replied, glaring at him.

Touya cleared his throat and then spoke, "Tybalt, the reason I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting: villain am I none; Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not."

"Not bad, To-ya, but a bit more passion next time," Yukito pointed out.

"Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw," Syaoran smirked, enjoying Touya's annoyed look.

"I do protest, I never injured thee…yet…"

"To-ya," Yukito warned.

He sighed. "I do protest, I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise, till thou shalt know the reason of my love: and so, good Capulet, -- which name I tender as dearly as my own, --be satisfied."

"I thought Romeo loved Juliet," Syaoran complained, looking over at Yukito.

Touya smacked his forehead. "Stupid kid. Romeo loves Tybalt like family, not like a date. He's married to Juliet, and Tybalt is her cousin, so that means they are now related."

Yukito nodded. "That's right."

"Oh," Syaoran said.

"O, calm, dishonorable, vile submission!" Eriol cried. "Alla stoccata carries it away." He drew his baton… err sword once more. "Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?"

"I am for you," Syaoran replied, drawing his own 'sword'.

"Good Mercutio, put thy rapier up," Touya spoke to Eriol. He was getting comfortable in his role now, speaking correctly, loudly, and clearly.

"Come, sir, your passado."

Syaoran and Eriol began to 'swordfight' with Sakura's batons. Eriol seemed to be a master, actually knowing how to fence. Syaoran actually was struggling to block his movements; it wasn't acting.

"Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!" Touya shouted, completely in character by this point. "Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath forbidden bandying in Verona streets: Hold, Tybalt!" He grabbed Eriol's shoulders and stared into his eyes, as if desperate to make them stop fighting. "Good Mercutio!"

Syaoran, following what the script said, moved his baton/sword under Touya's arm and 'stabbed' Eriol.

Eriol stumbled back, coughing and holding Syaoran's baton under his arm, dropping his own. "I am hurt…" He choked, stumbling around. "A plague o' both your houses!" He cried dramatically. "I am sped. Is he gone, and hath nothing?"

"What, art thou hurt?" Sakura asked fearfully.

Ay, ay…" Eriol responded in a pained, weak voice. "a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough. Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon…" Eriol fell, 'dead' in a very dramatic way.

They all stared at Eriol, amazed at his acting skills.

Eriol opened one eye. "What?" He asked.

A/N: Bet that chapter was a little hard to read. I know it was a bit pointless, but I thought it'd make a fun image. ;)