FreckersFrog

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan had found himself completely absorbed in the project that Aurel had laid on him and Lucien. How would they make this work...a separate trailer for the young lad, big enough to accommodate him but light enough that they could pull it along with their own horsepower. He could certainly look into it, make some modifications to something that already existed, perhaps...

Lucien's voice snapped him out of his thoughts for a moment. "Hm?" he hummed, glancing up at the Nephilim. "Oh, ehm...I can go. You're needed here, I think, and I can go early and work through the afternoon if need be." The town was small, so he doubted that they would have anything here, but it was possible there had been something he'd overlooked on his initial sweep.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Illyana watched everything unfolding before her, not bothering to hide her confused expression. She watched as Geralt took Ivory's hand and pulled her close and a shudder ran up her spine. She couldn't imagine being that close to the man, allowing him to touch her like that...but if she knew anything about Ivory, it was that she would not have accepted without a good reason. Slowly, she made her way back to the table and seated herself once more, but did not take her eyes off of Ivory and her over-confident partner.

Geralt noticed how hard Ivory was trying to keep her expression from showing her true feelings. Something about her personality struck him as easy to read, but she was trying to be as vague as possible here. He respected her attempt and noted that even he could not make a guess as to what was running through her mind. She was either fighting disgust or elation, or maybe a mixture of both.

He tilted his head slightly as he span her around, waiting for a crescendo in the song to quiet before he chuckled deeply and responded, "Oh, I wasn't talking about the dress." He let his statement hang between them for a moment before shrugging slightly, "Although I must admit Akane does have exceptional taste. Black fabric does wonders for your skin and hair...it reminds me of moonlight." While this was something he could hear himself saying to any woman, truth not being a factor at all, he caught himself actually meaning this statement. He wondered off hand if it was something in the drink, although his tolerance was exceptional, or something about the night air itself that was having this effect on him...either way, he did not feel the need in this moment to impress or manipulate. He felt strangely truthful, open...and while he would normally fight this feeling, he did not want to ruin the moment by doing so and decided to let it ride. There were worse things to seem than honest, anyway.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Aurel really was such a sweet and innocent boy...Faolan found himself touched by his honesty and his compassion. He had been born with this heart, and even the things that he had been through had not been enough to stamp it out of him. For this, Faolan admired the child, and hoped that he could help to preserve that goodness into his adulthood.

"Thank you, Aurel," was all Faolan needed to say after Lucien had finished speaking. The Irishman had been forced to hide himself for so long that it had once been difficult for him to remember what it was like to be free. He felt a little more of that freedom now that he would be able to express his feelings for Lucien, to an extent, without having to worry about Aurel's reaction. Though Faolan had quite a sexual appetite, what he had missed most was the ability to touch Lucien when he wanted, whether it be hold hands or a kiss on his forehead. Small ways to remind the Frenchman how much he cared for him...it was this that he had been longing for since they had rescued Aurel from his tormentors.

He raised his eyebrows upon hearing Aurel's request in genuine surprise. He had not been expecting the boy to ask for this...though, come to think of it, Faolan had wanted the same at his age. Living in a one-room house with his parents and sister had been hard on him, and them as well...he supposed he could see where the boy was coming from.

He looked over at Lucien and shrugged slightly, "If that's what you want..." he looked back at the boy, "I'm sure we can make it happen." For the time being, the three of them had been living in the trailer together. Sometimes they would camp outside, but to keep all three of them close it was best to keep the proximity for now. Maybe there was a way they could get an attachment for their trailer...something small that could give Aurel a separate space. The wheels began to turn in Faolan's head as he thought out the possibilities and logistics of this request.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Cora enjoyed the last few moments she had in the kitsune's embrace. If whatever it was hadn't made her feel so self-conscious, she may have allowed herself to be lost in the moment, but because she was so hyper-aware of everything, she could sense the song ending. The mermaid was beginning to feel a weakness in her arms and legs as the night progressed, one like she had never felt before. If she could put a word to it, it may be fatigue or numbness, but it was a hard sensation to explain and most likely an effect of the alcohol in her system. She didn't want Akane to put her down, but part of her recognized that it was time, so she let it happen without protest. As the kistune set her back into her chair, she let her fingers lay against the woman's warm skin and slid off as she pulled away, almost desperate for any contact that she could get.

"That was lovely..." she said, smiling up at Akane with less of her usual brightness.

Illyana couldn't get off of the dance floor fast enough. Of course it had nothing at all to do with her partner and everything to do with the activity itself. Besides, she was tired, and much preferred to watch everyone else have fun than really partake herself. She lived through them in a way, and she was content with that for the time being.

"That's good to hear, but I hope you learned your...lesson..." her voice trailed off into silence as Aurel stopped and turned toward the sound of Geralt's voice. Illy couldn't help but follow his gaze as her lips parted slightly in shock. Knowing how Ivory felt about him, he still had the gall to ask something so blatantly...in front of everyone? Arrogant didn't even begin to describe the magician.

Despite his sole reason for accepting Lucien's initial invitation to join Cirque D'étoiles, in this moment, The Magician only had eyes for Ivory. The Frenchman was quite right, it was not his decision to make, and although her refusal would have been almost as satisfying as the answer he got, he found himself completely drawn in by the power of her gaze. Deep blue eyes that seemed to stretch on for miles, almost the same as the other pair of eyes he had coveted, but also...different; Ivory's stare was intense and powerful, and while it may act to others as a deterrent, to Geralt it was a magnet. He had always liked a woman who showed her conviction, no matter the circumstances. If the two of them had been alone, he may have even allowed himself to fall into the intricately erotic sensation that was coursing across his skin, but alas, there was quite the audience here. All eyes were on them as the woman slipped her delicate but strong fingers into his hand.

Geralt said nothing at her acceptance and simply positioned himself as Lucien had been, though he couldn't help but get a little closer to the woman. He let his hand slid down to the small of her back and pulled her in until they were just barely touching. Though Geralt felt her subtle readjustment so there was a thin sheet of air between them, he did not resist it. He smiled down at her, contradicting the forced neutrality in her face. He studied her mouth, her nose, her eyelashes, her perfectly pale skin...she really was something to behold, especially close up.

Vaguely, he heard Lucien and Akane converse, but he did not hear the words. He assumed they would be joining himself and Ivory on the dance floor so as not to make them the lone pair. No matter, their presence was nothing to him right now.

With the hand that cupped hers, he flicked his index finger and another song began. This one was darker, almost gothic, and called to mind that of a twisted and tormented romance. One of his personal favorites. He began to lead Ivory and was pleased when she relinquished control. He hoped to feel this same compliance with Lucien one day, perhaps in more private quarters.

"Smile or no, you look absolutely radiant this evening." He said, watching her face as his body guided the two of them around the floor. She was exceptionally skilled, he could feel the muscles in her body reacting to his every movement. Oh, the nights they could have spent together...if she wasn't so opposed to his existence.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

The moment that Cora stopped focusing on how embarrassed she was, the feeling began to dissipate, though it did never fully dissipate. She and Akane had been close since they met, "kindred spirits", as Lucien had said. But she had never before been so aware of the kistune's physical presence...

Her eyes widened slightly at Akane's explanation. "He's a good dancer...but it wasn't, well...it isn't the same a--as this." She struggled with the words, not because of her understanding of the language, but because her tongue suddenly felt like it had swelled to twice its normal size. "Oh stop!" she said, her voice a little higher and a little louder than she would have wanted. Her eyes rolled away from the girl's face and if the redness in her cheeks could have intensified, it would have. After a beat, she added, "If that's true for you, then I have the perfect mirror..."

The more Illyana relaxed, the easier it was for her to avoid stepping all over Aurel's feet, although she could not stop entirely. She just wasn't coordinated. The longer they danced, they easier it got, but just as she felt like she was getting the hang of the steps, the song ended. She looked up at Aurel, her hands still in place on his shoulders and said, "I hope I wasn't too embarrassing..." as she slowly let go and stepped away.

Geralt had been contemplating his next move, knowing that this particular song was soon coming to an end. In a perfect world, he would have strode up to Lucien, asked him to dance and ended the night with a kiss, possibly more, but he knew that was not in the cards. Lucien, of anyone, respected the long game and Geralt knew that he could not jump the gun to woo him. He also knew though, that the way to his heart was through his troupe...

He had gotten through more than half of his drink by the time he'd decided what to do. As he only had thirty seconds left, he decided to return the favor and quickly made another drink for Lucien. He'd decided on a German Sidecar made with Brandy instead of Cognac, and simple syrup as he had not Cointreau at the ready. He placed the glass in the cold water, and walked out onto the dance floor just as Ivory was disengaging herself from Lucien.

Instead of tapping the girl on the shoulder, he tapped Lucien, keeping his other hand in his pocket until Cora was safely and securely back in her chair. "Would you mind terribly if I cut in, sir?" he said, then let his eyes roll to the vampiress, "Your partner is wickedly talented..." a smile curled across his lips as he noticed his intended's eyebrows raised in surprise. Even annoyed, she was simply stunning.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan heart beat a little faster as he felt Lucien return his grip. Even after all these years, the Frenchman knew exactly how to make his heart race and his skin flush. He watched Lucien as he spoke, his eyes roving over the man's face, his eyes his lips, his nose, his hair, the pulse of blood in his neck...he loved every bit of him, and he doubted that even death could stop this feeling.

Hearing what Aurel had been through, while not exactly surprising, did explain a bit to Faolan. He had seemed reserved around other children, which the Irishman had originally attributed to his time in the circus. Now he knew that he had experienced human interaction before that and it seemed that it had never been positive. Though Faolan had seen a lot of hardship and tragedy in his life, he had seen many good things as well, and experienced happiness that was far greater than any sadness he had ever felt. He hoped that now he was in a position to offer that to another person, Aurel, with Lucien's help of course. He knew he wouldn't be able to do it alone.

He nodded after Lucien had completed his explanation and Aurel asked his question, then spoke up, "The best way to protect us is by keeping our secret. I would never ask anyone to lie about something unless it was very important and this," he squeezed Lucien's hand as he uttered the last word, "Is very, very important to me." Her paused for a beat, meeting Aurel's gaze, and added, "And Lucien is right. Life in a cage...that's no life at all. We only want you to be happy, so if there is anything we can do to make that happen, you just ask us, okay?"

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Despite her question, Cora found that suddenly she had a hard time meeting her friend's gaze. Maybe it was the drink that had caused this sudden shyness, but there was no way for her to really know the effect it had on her since she had never partaken before. She gripped the kitsune's shoulders tightly, wrapping her arms around the girl's neck to help support herself, which brought them even closer. The smell of Akane's fiery hair wafted into her nose; it was delicious, spicy and sweet smelling. Her dancer's muscles tensed beneath her soft and supple skin as she held the mermaid close...everything about her was intoxicating.

At Akane's question, Cora couldn't help but giggle and shrug, "I'm not sure, but I do feel kind of lightheaded...maybe its the alcohol Geralt made me." She would have loved to believe that this was the only cause, but knew it wasn't entirely true.

At the kitsune's second inquiry, she forced herself to meet her gaze, knowing that the redness in her cheeks was incriminating. That was a word she had heard Illyana use a long time ago, and for some reason it popped into her head now. "Oh, of course this is okay!" She found herself riddled with anxiety now, hoping that Akane knew that she hadn't done anything wrong. In fact, she had done everything right...including this. "You're the most beautiful dancer I've ever seen.I'm glad that--well, I'm having a lovely time, promise!" She smiled brightly, closing her eyes as she did show to flash her long black eyelashes.

Illyana, though she had accepted Aurel's offer, was still reluctant to enter the dancing area. One thing that made the girl uncomfortable over many other things was being looked at by others. She was glad, at least, that two other pairs occupied the space so that the attention wouldn't be focused solely on herself and Aurel.

As they took their positions, she couldn't help but stare down at her feet. Of course, only moments into the song she did step on Aurel and cringed as she saw the action take place but had no will to stop it. "Ah, sorry!" she managed to exclaim in a whisper, a trait that few possessed but that Illy was a master of. She looked up at Aurel then, smiling apologetically, "At least my lack of muscle mass makes me light?" Normally, she would be more nervous...but something about the energy of the evening was causing her to feel comfortable and happy. Smiling came easier, and she found herself not as beaten up by her mistakes. Overall, she supposed that she was actually having a good time.

Geralt, meanwhile, had made his way directly to the drink station. He was reaching for a bottle of whiskey with his unoccupied hand but stopped short as he noticed that another Old Fashioned was already waiting for him in the bowl of cold water he had prepared. A small smile spread across his face as he picked that up instead, and turned back to the dance-floor as he took a small sip. It was perfect, but that was to be expected of the hands that made it. His eyes found Lucien on the dance floor accompanying Ivory as they swayed and turned to the music. His "free" hand twitched inside of his pocket every now and again to maintain the float he had put on the mermaid, but right now he only had eyes for the Nephilim and his dance partner.

The two of them made a nice pair, in all honestly. Both were incredibly attractive, delicately pale, with large luminous eyes. Lucien had slightly sharper features than Ivory, but she was a true beauty in her own right. He found himself torn between watching both of them...they were so talented and graceful, and wrapped in each other's arms they formed a perfectly balanced binary; the white and the black, the gold and the blue, the light and the dark...The only thing he'd want to see more was this same scene horizontal, but from what he knew about both of them he doubted this would ever happen. Oh well, he had his own fantasies to keep himself occupied in times of need.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan could feel his entire body tensing up as Lucien and Aurel conversed. It was one thing for someone to know something private about him, it was another thing entirely for him to have to listen to the ensuing conversation. Despite his unease, he trusted Lucien to explain everything in a way that would be easy for the boy to understand. Lucien had a way with all people, and especially with Aurel, and Faolan knew he would pick the right words and the right tone.

He was surprised, however, with how difficult this seemed to be for Lucien. He was clearly struggling a bit with his words, choosing them carefully, but still unsure. Although the Irishman was relieved that the child had not caught them himself doing anything...private, it was still unfortunate that he had to find out this way.

However, the more the boy talked, the more Faolan felt himself relaxing. It was clear by his reaction, his lack of outrage or confusion, that he knew very little about human relationships and so his perceptions of love had not been steered or tainted in any way by popular opinion. This was the best case scenario that any of them could ask for, but Faolan was still not fully convinced. Lucien had chosen the word "partners" correctly, for as long as Aurel said that and not anything else by accident in front of strangers, they may not think twice about it. Disregarding their sexual relationship, the word "partner" described the two men's relationship quite well.

He did feel a little squeeze in his chest when Aurel asked if they could procreate, It was not something he had ever really wanted or thought about...at least, not until they had found Aurel.

Faolan felt a surge of anger when Lucien explained that not everyone was understanding about them. Remembering that boy from town and what had happened to him...and Faolan's own struggles with his feelings as a youth...he knew all too well how cruel others could be when it came to people's private affairs.

Aurel's question was a simple one, but not easily answered. Normally, Faolan would have kept quiet and allowed Lucien to continue his explanation, but he knew that this was not something Lucien had really experienced. The Frenchman had not awakened to his sexuality until he'd discovered his feelings for Faolan, and his secret was more easily kept as an intelligent and well-traveled adult. Faolan had fought with himself for years, trying to hide the truth even from his own heart, until he couldn't take it any more...

"Because they're afraid," he said, noticing Lucien's glance in his direction. His voice was stern but not angry.

Aurel's mouth and eyebrows twisted in confusion at this. "Why would they be afraid?"

Faolan sighed, then leaned forward slightly and removed his glasses before speaking. "Because freedom isn't as easy for some people as it is for others. Some people look at things they don't understand and they hate that thing because it makes them feel weak or stupid...it takes someone special to look at that same thing and see something beautiful," he looked at Lucien as he said this, then reached across the space to grasp the man's hand in his own. "That's why we have to hide," he turned his eyes back to Aurel but did not let go of his lover's hand, "Because our freedom and our beauty scares them, makes them hate us. That's why we have to protect each other, no matter what, because each other is all we have."

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt was certainly impressed by the initiative Akane was showing by this gesture, and her determination was nothing to sneeze at. Maybe seeing Cora in the arms of someone else had truly sparked something in the girl. Geralt could turn his nose up at many things, but he would not deny true love's cry. He looked down at Cora, pleased to see a positive reaction in her as well.

Brighter than they had ever been before, Cora's cheeks flushed with much more fervor as Akane asked her question with a flourish. It was as if she had been waiting to hear her ask for a very long time, without even knowing that it was what she wanted to hear. Coquettishly, the mermaid reached out her hand and laid it against the kitsune's warm fingers, then nodded, casting her eyes down as a sudden shyness gripped her.

As neither of the girls were speaking, Geralt decided to cut himself in. "A lovely idea, after all of those buckets earlier I'm a dead man walking," he paused a moment, then shifted his stance while making sure not to pull them any farther apart. "Here, let me help." Gently, he placed Cora into Akane's arms, showed them how to hold each other, and positioned the mermaid's feet on top of Akane's as he had done for his turn on the floor. He even lent a little of his power to the mix, twitching his fingers to keep Cora light as he let go and left the two of them alone to dance.

As Cora let herself fall into Akane's arms, she was hyper aware of how hot her skin felt, how hard her heart was pounding against her ribs, and the proximity of her body to the kistune's. For whatever reason she was having a hard time meeting the girl's gaze. In looking at her feet, however, she noticed something rather crucial. She glanced up at Akane, and said "Are you...taller..?"

Illyana fought hard not to roll her eyes at Geralt's chosen finish for the dance. Of course, she was glad to see Cora enjoying herself, and although even the diviner could see the youthful and genuine smile that touched Geralt's eyes, her protective instincts rallied against the urge to believe him. When he handed her off to Akane, she finally felt relief wash over her.

Immediately she was distracted by Lucien, who had approached and asked for Ivory's hand. Her mouth dropped open slightly and she looked at the dhampir upon hearing her answer, the betrayal clear on her face. She was glad when Lucien steered the conversation away from her, but equally taken aback when he suggested that Aurel be her partner. Aside from being not the biggest eater, Illyana never exercised. Even when Faolan was around, it was the one activity she had always managed to avoid. Of course, she was sure she could dance...but she knew that it would be to the detriment of her partner's feet if she tried.

Still, Aurel asked. She was about to turn him down, politely of course, when she heard Akane's voice call from across the space, "Are you guys coming?"

Illyana's face fell as she glanced at the kistune and then back at Aurel. She sighed, shrugged, and was unable to come up with an excuse to refuse. At least Geralt wasn't asking her. "I suppose. But don't blame me if I trample you..." she said before taking the young man's hand and standing, now fighting the smile that threatened to show itself on her lips. She really was uncoordinated, being that her job required her to sit in a chair for hours at a time.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan's eyes widened slowly as realization struck him about exactly what Aurel was asking. Normally, his first thought would not be an accusation against Lucien, but in this case it was where his thoughts went immediately. Lucien and the boy had been alone for an entire week while Faolan took care of his errand and the Irishman had no way of knowing what had been discussed. Also, Faolan had asked Lucien to explain his situation, although vaguely, before he left. Lucien had reassured him that he would "explain everything"...now, the Irishman was wondering exactly what the "everything" had included.

However, he knew that Lucien understood why they should keep the secret. There was no telling what Aurel's reaction would be, and what he may let slip in his interactions with strangers.

His next sentence, however, explained everything that Faolan needed to know. He clenched his jaw instinctively as he eyes locked onto the snake at Aurel's side. There was something curious about the way it was looking at them...Faolan had known that they were more intelligent than your average garden snake, but was not sure of the extent of their knowledge or understanding of what went on around them. Now he was sure that they were more than met the eye...he would have to watch them a little more closely from now on.

Unsure of how to proceed, or what to say, the Irishman laid the paper down in his lap and looked at Lucien. He was simply at a loss for words...this kind of thing was certainly not his forte.