IN
IN
IN
Still in the elevator, she tiptoed up and kissed him.
Her hands were barely resting on his shoulders, but they felt like a sure weight as if she was clinging onto him. She stayed with her lips connected to his, waiting for something, anything that would indicate that he was real and she had not been wrong in wanting to stay.
He came alive with her kiss, his hands going around her waist.
Their kiss was slow, though it burned them, catching their bodies on fire with the familiar touch of many days ago, back before the festival, back when they were reconciled and not afraid of wanting each other.
Her hands, petite and partly calloused from the trapeze, felt like silk against his neck. He shuddered then; looking at her through lidded eyes as her nails lightly scratched his scalp and ran along the nape of his neck.
She wanted proof that he was still human and could still feel.
That the subconscious clenching of his hand whenever people were afraid to get on the elevator because of him, the coloring of desire in his eyes now as her fingers massaged his scalp and her body pressed into him and his hands lightly held her as he kissed her back…
This was the Leon Oswald she wanted, not the emotionless Boogeyman that people made him out to be.
She was aware that he was not blameless in the tales—she wouldn't deny that for she had seen him drop May during a production—and she wasn't anywhere close to understanding or coming to terms with his horrid behavior, but she just couldn't handle it anymore.
That mask of ice and indifference, as if nothing, no actions or words could affect you…
That was a lie.
He may not realize it himself; he may not be doing it intentionally for he claimed to hate lies, but that mask was a lie.
She allowed him to taste her for a few more seconds, his arms tightly around her waist and making her feet dangle in the air. She allowed herself to respond back for a few seconds more, her arms around his neck in a moment of sureness that he would not drop her.
With a heavy heart, she pulled away.
He looked at her, seeing the glossiness of her eyes.
When he set her on her feet, her arm loosened and her hand came forward to trace a silver brow. She looked at the mask still in place, the desire and confusion in his eyes so hard to see beyond the wall.
"I would like to stay…" she murmured in a low tone, the unspoken 'but…' hanging in the air between them, lingering there with regret and heartache as well as her uncertainty and frustration.
He could see it all in her eyes, even if her voice hadn't revealed it.
His forehead hovered a few centimeters from hers, almost touching, but not quite. His eyes closed, knowing that her hesitations were his fault, but not knowing how he could disperse them.
They stayed in a loose embrace until the elevator stopped on his floor.
He detached himself from her and exited. Numbly, he watched the metal doors close with her still inside. Before they closed all the way, she looked up at him from her despondent staring at the floor.
He wasn't sure if the longing on her face was painful or not.
IN
Four days passed, her friends having arrived already.
Sora and Yuri practiced while Mute and Alice helped them out. Ken stood off to the side as he watched in awe as Sora floated in the air for a bit and then fell back down for Yuri to catch her.
The rest of her friends were sightseeing, but Ken opted out in favor of watching Sora practice. The redhead hadn't known what to say to that without making it awkward, so she just allowed him to come inside.
"Alright, we can stop for today," Yuri said.
Sora nodded and then let go to drop on the net. When she got off, she smiled as Alice handed her a water bottle.
"Thanks," she chirruped.
"Not a problem," the young woman said with a smile.
Sora didn't see it, but Yuri frowned a little at the look on Mute's face over by the bags. The blonde quickly smoothed his face over when Mute walked over to Yuri with a bottle as well. He accepted the water with a small smile and a nod. When Mute turned around to grab one for himself, Yuri discretely looked over the bottle to make sure it hadn't been tampered with. Seeing nothing amiss, he broke the seal and drank.
They're up to something, he mused as he watched Sora and Alice talking, I just don't know what.
As long as they didn't outright sabotage them, Yuri saw no issue with them continuing to help.
IN
The day before the festival, Yuri stopped by Sora's room to drop off her costume.
The redhead took a look and smiled. "It looks good Yuri. Thanks for being able to get a set of matching outfits on such short notice."
"It helps being known in the circus world."
Sora laughed. "That's true."
Yuri smiled. "By the way, I wanted to congratulate you on improving your balance so fast. It really made a difference. What did you do, if you don't mind me asking?"
Her eyes dimmed a little. "Someone in the gym suggested something."
Yuri noted the feeling that she had a somewhat stiff smile on, but let it pass. "Well, I'm glad they were helpful."
Sora idly nodded, her eyes drifting back to the costume. "I've been wondering this for a while now," her fingers touched the feathers on the shoulder of the outfit and then turned her attention back to Yuri, "if you don't mind me asking, where did you find out about the Angel's Maneuver?"
It was his turn to have a stiff face. "Just around," he murmured, "Performers like to talk."
She blinked at the ambiguous response, but did not press for details.
After all, I wasn't all that forthcoming with my response.
"I'll see you tomorrow, then," Yuri said. "Meet me in the lobby and then we can walk over together."
"Alright. Good night, Yuri."
IN
IN
IN
AN: I will say that this one gave me some trouble with the emotions as well.
Circus Festival's coming up!