Dawnstar94 - Mercutio's my favourite character! I was worried I'd butcher the Queen Mab speech, so I'm glad you like it.
iluvshinjimina - I based the it on the 1996 version! I've kind of mashed the two separate parties together, and added some of my version to them. And anyway, in the last chapter, I meant Juliet thinking Tybalt was cool, sorry if I wasn't clear enough.
It's the party! As a note, the song Gabriel sings is one of my favourites. It's called 'Deeper and Deeper' and it's by my favourite singer, Madonna (of course) Feel fre to look it up on YouTube, because it really suits the party and the story.
"I feel like a twat" said Benvolio "Everyone is looking at us!"
"They're jealous of how sexy we are" replied Mercutio.
"Oh no, there's Rosaline and Tybalt, having their own little party in that chair over there" muttered Romeo.
"Oh my God, I hope he doesn't knock her up. The thought of another Tybalt!" exclaimed Mercutio.
"There's Gabriel. What the fuck is he wearing?" asked Romeo.
"I don't know, but he looks awful" stated Benvolio "Oh...there's Rose. Come on, let's move along. Maybe we could find Hermia, or should I say, Ginger Spice, and we could show her our costumes, and then just get the hell out of here!"
"No! I haven't seen whether or not they really have a golden toilet!" protested Romeo. They boys looked around at the Manor. Mercutio had been before, since he was part of the royal family. Romeo and Benvolio had never even dared to step one foot in the Capulet Manor estate before. It was different to the Montague Ranch, in that it had higher ceilings, large echoing walls, older classical decorations.
But currently, the place was lit up like a Christmas tree. They found Hermia, had a few drinks, and then she begged them to sing 'Wannabe' with her so they did. No one recognised them, apart from maybe Mercutio, as he took the lead vocals and took his top off.
"Hey, Tybalt, if you wannabe my lover, you have to understand, these tits are made of rubber, I'm actually a man!" sang Mercutio, throwing it to the crowd.
The crowd roared with laughter. Tybalt and Rosaline looked like they were going to throw up as Mercutio flexed his body.
"That is not how it's done!" declared Gabriel "I'll show you how to sing"
He'd obviously had a drink, as he was staggering in his heels. He handed the DJ an iPod, and muttered something, before confidently taking the microphone and strutting to middle of the stage. The boys retreated with Hermia and Beatrix to go and get some drinks. Romeo took off the itchy wig and wiped away the make-up. Unfortunately, it was cheap and wouldn't come off, so he left to go and scrub at it in the bathroom.
Gabriel flipped back his hair "Deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper" he sang "Sweeter and sweeter and sweeter"
Juliet finally left Paris laughing at Gabriel and went to go and find some place to hide from him, or Rosaline to yell at for inviting him, or better, Hermia to get rid of him for her.
"I can't help falling in love. I fall deeper and deeper the further I go. Kisses sent from heaven above. They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know"
Tybalt pulled Rosaline up to dance with him. Even as they laughed and danced together, he was watching over his shoulder at Mercutio and the boys in drag. He hated them already, and he had a sneaking suspicion of who they were.
"When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything. That's what my mama told me. Round and round and round you go. When you find love you'll always know. I let my father mould me"
Romeo entered the room in time to see Gabriel start to dance. The crowd cheered him. Gabriel glowed with rapture. His cousin Beatrix appeared to have met up with her crush, David. Tybalt and Rosaline were dancing together, even though Tybalt was glaring at someone. He wanted someone to love like that. If someone could love someone as disgusting and unhygienic as Tybalt, then they could love him too.
"Daddy couldn't be all wrong? (Not gonna let you slip away, I'm gonna be there) And my mama made me learn this song (You're gonna bring your love to me, I'm gonna get you) That's why..."
Finally, Juliet rested behind a pillar. Paris couldn't see her, but she could keep everyone and everything in sight. Her eyes flickered over the crowd, and soon they nestled on a tanned boy with soulful chocolate brown eyes and floppy chocolate brown hair falling into those eyes. He was one of the boys who'd sang 'Wannabe' since he'd been wearing a dress. But that didn't put Juliet off at all. He looked...cute.
"I can't help falling in love. I fall deeper and deeper the further I go. Kisses sent from heaven above. They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know"
Romeo's eyes scanned the room, looking for his friends. At first, he spotted a girl who looked like Hermia, but not quite. She was taller, elegant, and a lot more feminine. Her long ginger hair cascaded down her back like a fiery waterfall, and her eyes were a sky blue, not a sparkly green. She was dressed in an amazing sparkly white gown, floor length and with one sleeve. Immediately, Romeo was smitten. He had no idea who she was or why she looked like Hermia, but she was stunning, simply beautiful, and he knew that once again he was in love.
"Have I ever loved before?" he whispered, starting to creep forwards in wonder.
"The deeper I go" Gabriel sang dramatically, reaching a lower note "'All is fair in love,' she said, 'Think with your heart, not with your head' That's what my mama told me 'All the little things you do, will end up coming back to you' I let my father mould me"
Romeo walked on, in a trance, past Tybalt, whispering to himself about the beautiful girl. Tybalt did a double take, scowled, and then turned to hiss at Rosaline "That's Romeo Montague, isn't it? Did you hear his voice? It was that same whiny little moan"
Rosaline turned to look, and then she grabbed him "So it is. Tibby, don't start anything, you heard the prince this morning. I don't want you to get in anymore trouble, I want you safe!"
"Shut up! I'll fight who I want! I'm telling my Uncle Egues. Hey! Petruchio! Go and get my baseball bat!"
"Daddy couldn't be all wrong? (Not gonna let you slip away, I'm gonna be there) And my mama made me learn this song (You're gonna bring your love to me, I'm gonna get you) That's why..."
Finally, Romeo was paces away from the girl. He circled around, he didn't want her to see him, not yet. She seemed to have caught his eye as well, and Romeo's heart pounded with excitement. Standing behind her, he reached for her hand...
"I can't help falling in love. I fall deeper and deeper the further I go. Kisses sent from heaven above. They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know"
Juliet froze, and turned as she felt her hand become wrapped in another. It was the boy she'd seen earlier. He was watching her with a kind of sweet, anticipating smile.
She smiled back "Hello"
"I can't help falling in love. I fall deeper and deeper the further I go. Kisses sent from heaven above. They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know"
"Sorry" Romeo managed to stutter out "I just wanted to hold your hand. I saw you across the room. You look beautiful in that dress"
"And so do you" Juliet replied, with a mischievous smile. She liked him. He seemed cute, maybe even a little naive. She wanted to get to know him. Maybe she'd finally found the one. Maybe this was true love!
"Someone said that romance was dead. And I believed it instead of remembering. What my mama told me. Let my father mould me. Then you tried to hold me. You remind me what they said. This feeling inside, I can't explain. But my love is alive. And I'm never gonna hide it again!"
Tybalt was filled with a burning rage. His face turned purple. A vein in his forehead beat faster, and sweat dripped off his body. He let go of Rosaline, amidst her shrieks of 'Tibby!' and stormed over to his Uncle.
"Uncle Egues!" hissed Tybalt "Quick!"
Lord Capulet turned around, a glass in hand. He clasped an arm around Tybalt's shoulders in a fatherly fashion "What are you so angry about? Aren't you enjoying yourself?"
"There. Is. A. Montague. In. Our. House!" breathed Tybalt, barely containing his fury.
"Daddy couldn't be all wrong? (Not gonna let you slip away, I'm gonna be there) And my mama made me learn this song (You're gonna bring your love to me, I'm gonna get you) That's why..."
"Which one? Mercutio? Oh, he's not a Montague. I know he's here" dismissed Lord Capulet, waving the hand that held the glass of wine carelessly.
"No!" Tybalt almost roared, but contained himself as he was talking to his favourite uncle "It's Romeo. The one who used to sexually harass Rosaline! I bet he's here to spy on us. This time, I'm going to punch his face in. He won't get away with this, fucking arsehole!"
"I can't help falling in love. I fall deeper and deeper the further I go. Kisses sent from heaven above. They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know"
"Pack it in, Tybalt!" hissed Lord Capulet, letting go of him "I know he's a gobby little shit, but you heard what Escalus said. I don't want you getting in any trouble. And look, he's wearing a dress. If he starts acting up, who's going to take him seriously? You can laugh about it tomorrow"
"That isn't fair! Dress or no dress, he's a Montague, and Montague's get away with fucking murder! He made my mother have a mental breakdown. If he touches either my mum or Rosaline, I'll smash his skull in!" snarled Tybalt, stomping his feet as he did so.
"Be quiet!" snapped Lord Capulet "Or I'll make you quiet! Shall I send you to your bed like a little boy?"
"I'm not a little boy!" hissed Tybalt.
Lord Capulet glared at him "Go upstairs, and calm down. Now"
Tybalt seethed with rage, and stormed off. Romeo might be having fun now, but by God would he regret it in the morning. Rosaline watched him storm away, and then quickly ran after him to try and pacify him.
"Deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper. Never gonna hide it again. Sweeter and sweeter and sweeter and sweeter. Never gonna have to pretend!"
"Come on, Benvolio!" Mercutio yelled "Do a twirl, you sexy beast!"
Benvolio self-consciously swirled around, and then laughed along as Mercutio twirled Hermia under his other arm. People turned and watched, but Mercutio pulled them closer and shook his 'booty'
"Looks like Gabriel's the new Madonna!" Hermia shouted as the crowds cheered him for the final verse.
"You got to just, let your body, move to the music. You got to just, let your body, go with the flow. Falling in love, falling in love, falling in love. I can't, keep, from falling in love with you. You know there's nothing better that I'd like to do" finished Gabriel, panting for breath.
The applause thundered. He smiled, emerging from the trance that always took over him as he performed. This was where he belonged. On stage, making people happy.
"Thank you" beamed Gabriel "Thank you. That was for my girlfriend, Rose, as a thank you for her support and encouragement over the past couple of months"
But meanwhile, Romeo and Juliet broke apart from the kiss they had been sharing.
"Juliet!" yelled the nurse "Juliet, your mother wants to talk to you!"
Juliet felt herself being pulled forwards by her nurse. She turned and smiled at the mysterious boy as she left.
"Nurse, who was that?" she asked, as they passed through the crowds.
"Who?"
"The boy in the dress"
"That's Gabriel Fulgencio"
"Yes, I know him" sighed Juliet irritated, watching as Gabriel signed a piece of paper and handed it to a girl "I meant the one with brown hair and the cute butt..."
"Over there?"
"Yes"
The nurse sighed reluctantly "His name is Romeo. Lord Montague's son!"
"Oh shit!" muttered Juliet "I've fallen in love with someone I'm supposed to hate!"
Meanwhile, Romeo turned and tapped one of Tybalt's mates on the shoulder. He wasn't a close mate, otherwise he wouldn't have dared.
"Who's that girl over there, with the frumpy old lady?"
The chav belched "That's Tybalt's cousin, Juliet, innit"