FreckersFrog

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan's concentration was not broken so much by Aurel's question, as he had only heard half of it and didn't understand the German bit anyway, but by Lucien's reaction to it. It was not like the Frenchman to stumble, fumble, or otherwise be discombobulated. Faolan glanced over at him, adjusting the new glasses he had been given by Lucien and Aurel for his birthday. It hadn't been anything he'd asked for exactly, but after wearing them for reading, driving, and working, he admitted that they were a big help and had drastically reduced the strain on his vision that he used to experience daily. The birthday itself had been quite enjoyable, especially for Aurel, who had loved Lucien's beignets almost more than Faolan. Finally, he saw that the boy could actually eat.

He raised his eyebrow at the Nephilim, who was clearly put off by the child's question. Faolan knew that "fruend" in German simply meant friend, but he had to have missed something for Lucien to be acting this way...

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

The rest of the troupe and the carnies watching had completely melted away for the pair as Geralt glided about the small space. As the song neared its end, The Magician leaned forward to dip Cora as low as he could go. The girl had folded into him, holding him firmly by the shoulders but otherwise as light and limp as a damp cloth. As she went down, Cora made a small half-yelp half-laugh, and Geralt could not help but smile down at her elation. It seemed that the mermaid's happiness was far more infectious than he had anticipated. For the first time in a while, he felt truly free.

Cora mirrored this feeling, it was akin to swimming in the lake earlier today. Though she knew that this party had been for Geralt, she felt more like the day had been for her.

Once the song had ended, Geralt gently lifted Cora once more and held her bridal style, intending to make his way back to her chair to set her down. He paused, however, when he saw Akane approaching them with a determined expression on her delicate features. He raised an eyebrow at the girl, but stayed quiet to allow her to speak first.

Cora, still smiling, allowed Geralt to hold her, but turned her attention back to the rest of the troupe once she remembered that they were still watching them. She turned away and saw Akane approaching, and for some reason felt her heart leap into her throat. Though Akane's expression was firm, there was a hint of the whimsical smile that the Kistune usually carried, and Cora felt slightly uneasy with the girl's eyes on the two of them. Something about it felt...off to her, being this close to Geralt with Akane watching. It was almost like the roles should be reversed.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan chuckled lightly at this exchange as he continued eating. "Maybe if you're lucky," he said, "Aurel will draw it for you."

-----------------------------------

The next five weeks passed and the trio remained intact. Lucien finished the dictation job he had taken in town, and after a couple days to be sure of Aurel's strength, the three of them set off once more. No one ever came looking for Aurel, and after this time had passed Lucien and Faolan considered their heist of him successful. Though, the ever vigilant Irishman took the same precautions everywhere they went, regardless, it was in his nature.

They moved on to the next town, and over time Aurel slowly began to regain strength in his body and his legs. After about a week and a half had passed since they'd found the boy, the symptoms of his withdrawal had slowed and finally ceased completely. By the time a month had passed, he was almost entirely independent and even enjoyed spending some time on his own coloring and drawing, working on his reading and writing, and even taking short walks within line of sight of his protectors. They were all happy together, for the most part, and all fear of being alone with the child had left the Irishman as well. Overall, they made all the trappings of a happy family.

Faolan made off on his monthly "errand" and allowed Lucien to explain. The Nephilim told Aurel that Faolan had something that he had to take care of and that it was very dangerous, which was why he went away to do it. He promised the boy, who was worried about the Irishman, that everything would be explained when he was a little older. Aurel accepted this for now, and felt that much better when Faolan returned unharmed.

They were all sitting together inside the trailer one evening parked in a lot behind the house in which both Lucien and Faolan had taken jobs. The former had been hired as a tutor for the family's young son, and had convinced them that Aurel was his nephew so that he could bring the boy for lessons. Faolan had been taken on as a handyman who was in the process of doing several small but essential repairs around the property. The house itself was a little ways out of town, but they had taken Aurel in for a couple days once they arrived to show him around. Faolan had finished his work for the evening and was sitting in the bed with Lucien. Both were reading, the Irishman with a newspaper and the Frenchman with a book. Absently, Lucien had let himself lean against the warm and sturdy shoulder of his lover as they read. The three had grown quite comfortable together, and while the two men were still careful not to reveal the full extent of their relationship in front of their charge, small looks and light touches had been too easy for them to let slip, especially in the comfort of their own bed. Faolan was still sleeping in the passenger seat, and it had been hard for both of them to be so close and not be able to show their affection. Still, the Irishman was worried about the child's reaction and what he could say to other adults, so he cautioned Lucien against explaining it to him just yet. In this moment, however, Faolan had almost forgotten that Aurel, who was quiet and courteous, was even present.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Cora never took her eyes from the Magician as he lead her out onto the dance floor, and he maintained her gaze in kind. Of course, she had "danced" before, but she had remained seated and was simply turned about by Akane in the past. This had been fun, but then again, she had never known that anything else was possible. With Geralt's powers, he could do almost anything...maybe that was what he intended to do.

The Magician waited a beat, still holding the mermaid's hand as the music slowly increased in volume. Once he was satisfied with the timing, he pulled Cora toward him rapidly, with some strength, but not so hard as to hurt her. She did not resist, and she was far lighter than he had anticipated. He had prepared for the fact that she had absolutely no strength in her legs, and so was not able to help him as he hoisted her into his arms. She collided with his chest and he wrapped an arm around her waist. The proximity was very close, and he knew that everyone was watching them, but it was not like Geralt to care about something like that. He held her to him tightly, but did use a bit of his ability to take some of the weight off of him. He didn't need to, but it would certainly help him to be more graceful, and he would accept nothing less.

He took a moment to position the girl so that her delicate pale feet were resting on the tops of his wingtips, as if someone would dance with a child. He waited a moment, smiling down into Cora's face as the flush in her cheeks increased in intensity.

She did not fight the Magician at all as he lifted her, and even when he held her. Normally, she would be mortified by this contact, and especially the proximity of their bodies...but something about Geralt set her at ease. She sensed no ill will in him, and even when she looked into his eyes...though there was something eerie about them, no alarm bells rang. She felt her face grow extremely hot as he looked down at her, the alcohol taking it's full effects. She could not help but smile back at him as he held her and positioned her feet on top of his, partially out of embarrassment. When he held her this way, she felt like liquid...and that was a nice thought to have.

Geralt waited for the right moment, then began to dance around with Cora, keeping a perfect time with the music. Despite the fact that his partner was essentially infirm, she had strong arms and was holding tightly to his hand and shoulder. He felt lighter as he danced with the girl, and though memories of a happier time for him threatened to spill over into his consciousness, he kept them at bay enough so that he would fully enjoy the moment. Part of him even forgot for a moment that Lucien and the others were watching, judging his every move, guarding Cora protectively. Even his parasitic companion was silent for the time being.

Illyana immediately tensed as she watched this scene unfold. When Geralt lifted Cora, she let out a small gasp, but quickly covered her mouth. She looked around the space to see if anyone was reacting the same way, but found Lucien to be calm along with everyone else. She thought that someone may step up to intervene, for the urge was very strong in her, but she caught none of that from anyone else. She couldn't be the one, not when Cora was smiling so widely, giggling with delight as the magician swung her about. The longer she looked, the more she noticed the mermaid's aura that was bursting with light and happiness. She was totally relaxed in the man's arms, despite what she had experienced...Illyana could not bring herself to make this a dark moment for the girl who had been through so much. Slowly, she forced herself to relax, but kept a weathered eye on the pair as they twirled around the dance floor.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan served himself, letting the grin stay on his features through it all. Each of them had ended up with three filets, and Faolan had added a piece of grilled bread of each of them, along with a small pile of fresh vegetables. He had been focused on making sure all of them were eating balanced meals. Though he had Lucien, given their respective "conditions" could eat just about anything they wanted without it effecting their bodies too drastically, he wanted to be sure that they both set a good example for Aurel, who by all accounts had a very slow metabolism.

The Irishman chuckled as he took his first bite of fish, pleased with the flavor he had produced by using only a few simple seasonings. "I'm sure you would," he said in answer, "but I suppose you'll just have to wait to hear Aurel's report." He winked at the boy as he tore a piece of bread from the loaf and ate it.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan watched the exchange between Lucien and Aurel with a light smile. It made his heart happy to see the boy smile with such genuine surprise and contentment, and especially as he watched him pull the book and utensils close into a hug. Leave it to Lucien to brighten the boy's day so considerably.

The Irishman finished with the fish and began to dishing them onto plates, passing one to Lucien. He nodded in answer, "He took to it quickly, I'd say we both had fun. Eh, Aurel?" he asked, smiling over at the boy as he extended a plate toward him as well. In truth, the day had passed by rather quickly. This was unusual, as days when Faolan was alone seemed to drag on, as he was always waiting until he would lay eyes on his lover once more. But today he did not feel Lucien's absence as harshly, perhaps he had been too distracted by his anxiety over being alone with Aurel...either way, he'd found the child to be a welcome presence.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Cora remained mesmerized as Akane walked over and gently fanned herself. It was not just the dance that was so alluring, the kitsune herself maintained the pull that the dancing had placed over the mermaid's mind. She had been so engaged by it that she'd forgotten to clap along with everyone else. She followed Akane with her entire head, turning it with the girl as she made her way over and sat down. "Warm..." Cora said, as if her mind was far away. After a moment of staring in awe, her full lips slightly parted, she seemed to catch herself. A smile appeared once more on her face and she took note of the flush in pale Akane's cheeks. "It was indescribable...just...gorgeous," she said, meaning every word. As the last word left her mouth, she looked down at her hands which grasped the drink in her lap, almost as if she were embarrassed. Without her notice, her smile slowly started to fade as well as the realization struck her that she could only ever watch Akane dance...that she would never be able to join her. Slowly, she lifted the glass to her lips and downed the remainder of her beverage, making a face as the acidic and herbal taste of gin enveloped her tongue.

Illyana also joined in the applause as Akane finished her performance, offering a smile to Ivory as she did so. "Oh, stop it. Even I know it takes more than that," she answered, playfully. She watched as Akane made her way back to Cora and took a seat next to her, and caught some of Cora's expression as well. The girl looked like she had seen a ghost, then in a flash, she was smiling again. That was just like Cora, to brush things off so easily. Illyana envied her that ability. That was until she saw Cora's face fall as she looked down at her hands. As the girl downed her drink, Illy frowned slightly and thought about going over to her. Maybe the alcohol had not been a good idea after all...

Geralt had kept his eyes on Cora the entire time after Akane had returned. He offered the kitsune a bit of light applause, but was almost completely uninterested as soon as she finished. He found what was going on with Cora to be much more intriguing. He watched the girl's face intently and saw the awe, the love in her eyes, the confusion, and the sadness. She had realized something, something horrible, something that could make her cry. His eyes followed the glass as she tilted and emptied it, this action confirming his suspicions. Normally, the Magician would simply watch this from afar to see how it would develop, with little, if any, true concern for the participants. Something must have tugged at his heartstrings, though, for he could not sit by and watch idly this time. Maybe it was his proximity to Lucien, maybe it was sentimentality, but he decided to go with his impulse, regardless of the outcome.

He too downed his drink with barely a twitch of the eyelid, set his glass down and said, "Excuse me a moment," to Lucien before stepping away and striding toward Cora.

He smiled down at the mermaid, and she looked up at him with big, confused eyes. He extended a hand to her, leaning down slightly, with the other behind his back. "May I have this dance?"

Cora had almost been startled to see Geralt approaching her, but once he was in her field of vision his presence appeared to block everyone else out. She blinked once, confused by his question. Silence hung between them for a second, but he remained smiling, with his hand extended. "Me? But I...I can't." She smiled up at him apologetically, as if the reason hadn't been obvious.

Geralt never let his smile fade and simply tilted his head. "Oh, come now, honey," he said, taking the glass from her lap and placing it on the table. He leaned down towards her once more and lowered his voice, "You can do anything...with a little help." He winked, then extended his hand once more.

Cora felt the urge to look around to see the faces of the others that surrounded them, but Geralt was filling her vision entirely. It was like the two of them were alone in a dark room, with a spotlight in the center of the dance floor, beckoning them. Before she really knew what she was doing, she placed her hand into Geralt's.

Geralt's smile widened as his long fingers folded around her delicate and cool hand. He backed into the center of the space that had been cleared for dancing, pulling the mermaid with him. As he got closer to the center, he snapped his fingers, and the song that had been playing was replaced by something a little slower, less lively, but still deep and rich.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Cora's eyes danced along with her friend as she watched her move to the center of the area and begin her dance. She slowly ate another sandwich as she watched, gripping the drink in her free hand as she did, completely mesmerized. She was so beautiful, so talented, like a living flame. Fire had been one of the things that had fascinated Cora most when coming above water. She'd seen it early on in her...residency on land, but had not come to understand anything about it until she had come to live with Lucien and the others. They taught her about how it gave off heat, cooked food, shed light, and could even hurt or destroy. She was always careful not to get too close, but when she watched Akane dance, she always felt herself pulled in by some strange magnetism. Lucien had lit a candle for her once, and she had mistakenly touched it, burning the tip of her finger. She had felt pain before, but a different sort, not the same raw feeling that touching the flame had produced. Now, as that memory touched her mind, she thought that she would gladly endure that again if she could be close to Akane.

Geralt watched as well, though his body still remained turned toward Lucien. He wanted the man to know that he was still on his mind, even if the Kitsune was dancing. It was entertaining, and he was glad to have supplied the music if it produced this result. Watching the troupe perform was something he could endure for a time without getting bored. Hopefully the girls would help to liven things up a bit. He eyed Cora for a moment as she watched, slowly bringing the dregs of a sandwich to her lips over and over as if she were one of his hypnotized audience-members. He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, noting the way she looked at Akane. Whether she knew it or not, whether with the dance or the dancer, the girl was head over heels. He sincerely hoped that it was the girl, that could make for some interesting...propositions.

Illyana's thoughts had also been pierced by the sound of Cora's energetic call to arms for Akane. Seeing that the Kitsune had taken up her offer, the would-be mystic turned her chair a little so she could see better as Akane danced. Illy found that Akane's performances had the same mesmerizing power of Cora's singing, but without the mind-numbing effects. It was pleasurable to watch, and a good distraction as well.

At Ivory's comment, Illy turned her attention to the dhampir. A small smile touched her face as she listened, seeing that Ivory herself was also caught up in watching Akane's dance. It was true what she said, and very mature for her to admit her respect. Illyana was reminded of one of the many reasons she admired the white-haired maiden, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind, to say how she felt. Given her upbringing, Illyana was glad that she felt powerful and comfortable enough to let this part of her personality shine. It was something that Illyana herself had not yet been able to master.

"I agree," Illyana chimed in, smiling to both of them, "There's no need to compare any of your dances to each other. Their difference is what makes them yours, what makes them...beautiful." She glanced around again, looking to the enraptured mermaid, the energetic fire-dancer, their charismatic and unerringly kind leader, to their reserved but observant snake charmer, and back to their powerfully honest, always herself knife-thrower. After a moment, her eyes then fell to Geralt, who smiled as he watched the spectacle as well. He was different too, and that was what scared her. She was reminded in this moment that everyone had a past...maybe his deserved some consideration as well.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan nodded again, focusing as he pulled the line toward the fish he was aiming for. So, it seemed the boy's vision was like a snake's as well, based on heat. He had read that in a nature book once, and now Aurel was proving this to be true. It seemed the child was quite the little hunter, Faolan looked forward to seeing what he was capable of once his strength returned.

The two passed the rest of the afternoon like this, sitting on rocks, enjoying the sound of the wind as it swayed through the trees. Aurel ended up catching another fish, slightly larger than the first and Faolan had to help him keep hold of it as it was liable to pull the rod right out of his hands. Faolan caught three in total, all rather large for a lake of this size.

Once they were done, they packed up and walked the few hundred feet back to camp. Aurel had built up enough strength to walk short distances, and Faolan wanted to get him walking as much as possible as soon as possible. The child still needed some help, so he sometimes gripped Faolan's pants or sleeve as they walked about for balance and support. The Irishman prepared the fish for cooking and eating, showing Aurel how to clean and de-bone it. He learned that the child mostly had eaten his food raw, but had never seen the act of actual cooking before, so he showed him that too.

About halfway through, Lucien returned from work just as Faolan was finishing dinner. He looked up as he heard a rustling in the trees, but smelled the sweet scent of Lucien's skin and immediately relaxed. He smiled over at the Frenchman as he approached, as always, happy to see him home. "Punctual, as always," he said, turning his attention back to the task at hand. He wanted to get up and hug his lover, but held back for the sake of Aurel's presence.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt looked over his shoulder fondly at the machine as Lucien complimented it, then turned back to him with a nostalgic smile. "Good eye. It is custom, I had it made as a gift," he paused a moment, looked into his glass and swirled the liquor around in it, before looking back up at Lucien. "Thank you, the only thing more beautiful than how it looks is the sound it makes." He glanced over at Cora as he said this, but did not let his eyes linger.

Cora giggled, her cheeks turning red, and nodded. "Yeah, I got confused for a minute," she continued to eat the sandwich in her hand at Akane's suggestion. Now that she was focusing on it, she was starting to feel a bit of lightness in her limbs, something she had never experienced before. It was probably best that she take her friend's advice, especially since she had never had anything to drink before.

As the sound of the music drifted around the tent, the Mermaid glanced about to see all of the different groups. Illy, Aurel, and Ivy were all gathered at a table, glancing around but not looking too happy. She wondered what could be bothering them...She saw that some of the workers had broken off into groups and were drinking, eating, and talking amongst themselves a little way off. They usually didn't mix too much with the troupe unless it was for work, Lucien said it was because they "respected their privacy". Geralt and Lucien were talking, and seemed to be having a rather good time, although Geralt was always smiling, there was something a little bit different about his expression when he looked at Lucien. Normally, the Magician reminded her of a shark...always smiling, cunning, handsome, and powerful. But when he looked at Lucien, he reminded her more of a dolphin, soft, sleek, and playful. He looked almost gentle when he smiled at their Ringleader.

Her attention was torn away from the two men as she felt her own fingers in her mouth. It seemed she had finished the sandwich, but had been so absorbed by looking around that she had not realized it. She reached for another, and smiled at Akane as she began to eat another morsel. She caught sight of Akane's tails swaying gently to the music, it seemed the Kitsune liked what she heard.

Cora wanted to unite the groups, to her, it would make it seem more like a party, and she had just found the way to do it. "Akane!" she shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear over the music and chatter. After some conversations died down a bit, she asked enthusiastically, "Will you do a dance for us?" Her eyes sparkled up at the girl with anticipation and excitement.