IN
IN
IN
The next day, Leon was at the backstage early.
He didn't get much sleep, but he had been expecting it. He sighed and adjusted the cape of his Dracula costume. Last night, he had wanted to ask Sora to stay with him again, impulsively and foolishly. He scoffed at himself.
She's not comfortable around me.
It would have been a very selfish thing for him to have asked her. Sadly, he was aware that it would probably be quite a while before she would be willing to spent time with him again outside of the stage.
Possibly never.
He excelled at burning bridges, whether intentional or not. His once blossoming relationship with the spirited performer was definitely a connection he would rather not lose, but the festival was an interest of this stage's future and he was a part of it at the moment.
Kalos could nullify his contract if he was reluctant to participate.
And that would not be agreeable to Leon.
Not for the first time, Leon cursed himself for forgetting about the festival earlier on. If I had recalled, I undoubtedly wouldn't have pursued her. The impending heartache was to come and he couldn't stop it. It was already starting as of yesterday.
As he felt something twinge inside of him, he wondered whose heartache he was thinking about…
"…partner for the festival?"
Leon snapped out of it as more performers came to the backstage.
"Sora's got the guts, I'm voting for her!"
"But May's closer to Leon!"
"…dating her? I mean, they're partners already; why would he choose another?"
"…that one time, remember? May even confirmed that they were dating!"
More performers came in, the voices blurring and words indistinguishable, but Leon had heard enough. His hands were tightly clenched at what he heard.
This gossip…is this what made Sora think I didn't want her after New York?
"Leon!" May called out to him and stood incredibly close to him like she had the right to be. "You'll choose me as a partner for the festival, right? I mean, we've had so much experience together, it would be pointless to try to train someone less experienced, you know what I mean?"
His blood boiled at her audacity.
"…understand if you have to 'test' me for appearances' sake. I mean, a certain someone might say that you're just picking favorites and I don't really need that kind of aggravation, so if you could just give me a chance to clear the air and just show off sometime that'll be great."
He slowly blinked the angry haze in his head. A chance? Yes…
"Alright," he lowly murmured, "I'll give you a chance at this show."
May clasped her hands in excitement. "You won't regret it!"
IN
In the dressing room area, chaos had erupted after the show.
Sora ran, still not quite believing what she had seen. Leon had caught May after the special spin and he was holding her up by the arms, getting ready to bite her when May's body just began to fall…
She shivered. He purposefully let go of her.
And then he grabbed May's arm so suddenly, causing the acrobat's face to distort in pain…His grip must have torn ligaments…
Is this what Layla meant when she said he ended so many careers?
Sora heard May cry out in pain from her dressing room up ahead. She picked up her pace, running over to see if the girl needed some ice or something.
Annoying or not, no one deserved that kind of pain.
"May! Are you alright?"
The girl was sitting down with her teeth gritted. She tightly clutched her shoulder. "Do I look alright?!"
Sarah came in with a cold compress. "Here, this should ease it until we take you to Dr. Kate."
May took in and hissed as she placed it on her shoulder.
"That's what happens," came Layla's voice from the doorway, "when you're not prepared."
Sora and May looked at the blonde with wide eyes.
"You're out of the competition, May," Layla turned her head preparing to leave, "focus on healing that shoulder for now. Sora, you'd best be prepared for your own test."
With that, Layla walked away. May stood up with a wince and was about to call out to Layla to tell her that she could still compete when Leon finally came to the door.
Sora's friends backed away from the man as if he had the plague.
"I can't believe you couldn't handle such a simple ab-lib," he drawled, "especially since you proclaimed to be more experienced."
The dark satisfaction coming from him greatly upset Sora.
May was devastated and the rare sight of tears in her eyes showed it. "So…you did that on purpose?" She had not been certain, had not wanted to think that Leon would let go of her so suddenly without any warning.
"You wanted a chance," he emotionlessly said, "and I gave it to you, only for you to fumble."
The word chance struck dread into Sora's system. She had asked him for a chance? I…before New York, so did I…
If she had played Mina instead of May, would Leon have dropped her too?
Only Mia and Leon understood the conflicting emotions flitting about Sora's face.
"You," Sora listlessly started as she looked at Leon, not finding the words to say what she felt. "You," she restarted, her voice having the slightest of quivers, "You're…"
"Cruel," he filled in for her.
"You're terrible," she half whispered to him, but she might as well have shouted it out loud.
Her words made him withdraw into himself, his eyes filming over with a blank expression. "Your test will be tomorrow," he murmured and then walked off, her friends quickly moving away from him once more.
May yelled at Sora to get out, tears threatening to fall. Sarah was allowed to stay, seeing as she was going to be her ride for the doctor.
Sora closed May's door.
Rosetta broke the silence. "Sora, I talked to my mom last night about the Circus Festival." The younger girl gripped Sora's arm. "She said Leon's infamous. He's known as 'The God of Death'."
A few exclamations sounded from her friends at the news.
"You shouldn't go tomorrow, Sora!"
"This is too dangerous, I'm talking to Kalos!"
"You shouldn't tangle with Leon."
The last comment from Mia made Sora want to laugh. Tangle with him?
It was too late for that warning.
IN
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AN: I know some of this seems kind of less intriguing, but I'll try to get to the main parts of what I need.