Chapter Text
Part 1: Love at first performance.
I can see someone; it’s someone so radiant as to make my heart and myself shudder - my heart is no longer part of me, it's beating out of my chest. It is romance and longing. Is this love? Love of the trick and not the magician, that’s perhaps why they’re so entranced by me. That glossy pure look in their eyes.
I can’t stop myself. I invite them on the stage, rather than a random participant. They stumble up, so I offer my hand. No objection and with little hesitation we meet.
“Mind the step!” What a tremendously foolish thing for me to say, as they are already at the last step. Their eyes do not break from mine. To avoid cliche, I make any thoughts of how beautiful they are, the warmth and colour in them, disappear.
The show must go on.
Noticing we are still holding hands, I take the opportunity to thank them for joining me on stage. I saw no reluctance - usually, I accidentally choose someone with little interest in participation, and that they only want to watch, not engage in the magic of it. But they seem just as entranced as I was the first time I saw them.
They seem scared. I flash them a smile and usher them straight into the trick, there’s no time to waste.
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I watch as the colour is brought back into their eyes, disoriented yet smiling. As usual, the crowd is swept up in a desire to applaud, showing Lynette and I with flowers of all variations, all chosen with meaning found in Fontaine - too many for me to analyse each reason. Most, however, are roses; roses symbolise sincerity and love. I know most of my fans are here for the show, but there’s quite a few I’ve heard that ‘fancy’ me.
“Thank you very much for our audience participant!”
I throw them a wink and offer them the stage for their time in the spotlight. The curtains fall for the second half.
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Part 2: Wishes.
“I wish to see another of Lyney’s shows, please.”
I pace slowly around the fountain - tempted to brush my hands against the smooth falling water - and through the distortion of the water’s path, I see them, about to drop a coin. The opportunity of one last trick arises and as they close their eyes to talk to fate, I sneak in and claim the coin.
The dots connect and the familiar stranger follows my hand to my face.
“Your wish is my command.”
“Lyney?”
“Yes. It is I, the extraordinaire, Lyney!”
I try to be as ‘cool’ as I can, but it’s difficult, magic is my forte, not seduction (contrary to what my fans think).
“You heard me? That’s so embarrassing…”
It’s cute - that’s what it is.
“Nothing of the sort, do not fret. So, you’d like to see another of my shows?”
“Um, well, yes. I really enjoyed the performance tonight and…”
I should return the coin, I don’t want to end up in court for theft, that will do mine and Lynette's image no good.
“You can’t help but want to see more of me?”
I find myself hoping that this is the case.
“Yes.”
My fated heartstrings are tugged a little tighter.
“I can arrange that. Now…what exactly is the name of my beautiful fan?”
Magician’s do not lie, they use truth and sculpt it into belief of the not so true. That’s the beauty of my performances.
“[R/N.]”
“Ah yes. A lovely name, at that.”
Isn’t it strange that everyone compliments a name? However, I was being genuine. Arrest me for being an honest man.
“Is Lyney your stage name?”
“I am a man of many names, yet also a man of secrecy.”
I feel so flustered I can’t help but wink a hundred times in one sentence - I have a tendency to do that.
“Doesn’t your eye get tired from all the winking?”
I’m so embarrassed.
“It’s my trademark, it’s what makes me more alluring,” they laugh, “Something funny? Or is my presence just so flustering that you can't help but laugh out of flusteredness.”
“Sure.”
They may have caught on to the reverse…
“Oh! I never did tell you when my next performance is. Oh, would you look at the time! I have to go so…bye! Check your bag!”
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Part 3: Phone calls and curtain calls.
“Hello! I see you just called me, were you hanging on to the edge of your seat for a response?”
Can’t help a pun, can I?
“...this is Lyney, right?”
“Yes, it is. This is…pretty-named, pretty-faced, [R/N], right?”
I hate the way I phrased that. If only my words were as magical as my shows.
“Um… yeah.”
“So, are you calling to find out when you’ll see me next?,” In reality, it was I who called out of impatience, “Why so silent? You do want to see me again, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Good~ Well, lucky you, you must be rubbing a magic lamp right now, because my next show happens to be next week! With a whole new fresh set of tricks. How about that, lovely fan of mine?”
“What day?”
“Thursday.”
“I’ll be there.”
“The ticket is on the house, of course. Your wish has now come true!”
“Thank you so much, Lyney.”
“Ah, but here’s the thing! I would like you to make my wish come true.”
“What is-”
My wish.
I have no clue what I meant. Time will tell, I suppose.
♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥
Part 4: The curtains draw open.
The same music is playing, but not to the sound of my heartbeat. It is not nerves. Not anxiety, nor the usual impatience.
Are they here?
I can feel my hands clamming up, cramping, itching to pull open the curtain a fraction of a second too early, just to see if they are there.
“Welcome, one and all, to my extraordinary, show-stopping spectacular! This is my sister, and loyal assistant Lynette. Enjoy the show!”
I can’t focus. Scanning the crowd. I can still perform the tricks, sure, but to the level of professionalism? No. I almost trip.
Everything's a blur. I finally found them. And our eyes meet and for a moment, just a moment, I find my own magic in their eyes.
I’ve found my target, now. I send a dove to them, they dip and I use the altered ground beneath me to travel quickly below the audience, to the gap next to their seat. I love the look on their face when they realise my move.
The audience cheer but their faces do not match theirs - the audience’s is of joy and confusion, while theirs is of utter adoration.
“You have a sparkle in your eye, [R/N].”
“How did you-“
The lights of the opera house turn off.
A true magician doesn’t give away the nature of their tricks - that’s a given. But I'd give anything to R/N, but they don’t have to know that yet, do they?
♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥♣♦♠♥
Part 5: Falling. Into a fountain or for love?
“My marvellous individuals! Please, calm down! There’s not enough of me to handle all of your requests at once!”
I feel suffocated. Loved, yet suffocated.
“Everyone, please calm down.”
“Um! Everyone!”
A distant calling of a recognisable voice.
“Lyney!”
“[R/N]?”
I’m not shocked that they turned up, but I am disoriented for a moment. I trip on my heel. I’m falling.
Until they catch me, that is. I can’t help but sigh, my breath has been taken away.
“Woah, the charming [R/N] swept in and caught me as I fell!”
Not expecting the applause but I still welcome it.
“Are you going to let me go now?”
“Oh! Yeah.”
“When I said I was giving away things for fans, I didn’t say I would give away my heart! Thief! I’ll have to put you in court.”
If I wanted to - I could.
The crowd murmurs, ‘really?’, ‘not another trial this week…’
“What?!”
“No, no, no, everyone, it was a joke! And now you’ve all quietened down a little please form a line. I won't miss a single one of you. And, you, [R/N], you’re at the back.”
“What?!”
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“Here, some tea.”
It had rained, so I invited them inside.
“Ahem. Nice weather we’re having huh?” My heart is not the only thing that’s tense right now - the atmosphere could still a waterfall.
“Yeah.”
“I quite like rain,” Lynette finds the opportunity to break the silence, “it helps me sleep better.”
“[R/N], what do you think?”
I can’t seem to move my focus from them.
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“I’ve had a great time but I think I've overstayed my welcome.”
“Not at all. You’re welcome to keep in touch! You have my number.”
“And you know where to find us,” Lynette pipes in, “we’re always at a theatre somewhere, just keep an eye out for performances.”
“Thank you for the tea and chat. It was fun.”
“Of course! You’re welcome to keep in toucー I already said that. Basically, please stay in contact. I’ve taken quite the liking to my biggest fan.”
“Hey, about that. I don’t really like…you calling me that. It’s not really true. I mean, sorry to disappoint but I'm not even close to being your biggest fan. I’m just someone who's seen two of your shows and finds you attractive. Wait. No. Wait.”
“Wait, no, wait?”
“I’ll leave.” Lynette makes a swift exit. As siblings, I feel as though she can sense my desperation for her departure in this awkward moment.
“I didn’t mean much by that…”
“Oh, yes you did.”
It has to be…please…
“I’ll be off now.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Where’s Lynette? Huh, the weather was lovely today wasn’t it? Oh, what time is it?”
Them frantically trying to change the subject is cute.
“You find me attractive?”
“Not in that way. Wait. Yes. No. Wait.”
“The show waits for no one.”
Why did I say that?!
“Huh?”
“The show must go on.”
“I’m not a ‘show’?”
“Fine, maybe that didn’t make sense. My brain is just as frazzled as yours. No, I don’t know the time, and I have no clue where Lynette went off to, and I have many questions I’d like to ask too.”
“That made no sense, either.”
“See?”
“I really should go.”
“ Please ,” he reaches out but doesn’t grab your hand “ do keep in contact. I assure you that magic isn’t the only trick up my sleeve. You never know, it might be a rose.”
“A rose?”
“Flowers have symbolism in Fontaine.”
“And the rose means…?”
“It means that you’re not really just a fan in my eyes.”
“What else could I be?”
“You’re someone I’ve taken a liking to. And someone I’d like to take out.”
“You want to beat me up?”
I didn’t know they had a sense of humour. Perhaps the heart falls before the mind. I now want to uncover more of them.
“On a date.”
“On a date?”
“So, how does that hidden rose of mine sound?,” my heartbeat becomes a rhythm, “do you accept?”
“I-“
“Come on, don’t leave me hanging. The last time that happened was during rehearsal once when I was literally left hanging.”
“Yes.”
“Ah, my wish has been granted!”
That was my wish all along.