Chapter Text
Danny’s explanation of her relationship with Elle soothed Laura’s nerves somewhat - the tension between them whenever they did scenes as Helena and Hermia had been palpable before, and without that knowledge, the strange energy had made Laura anxious. She could hear it, now, in Danny’s voice, when she said “and though she be but little, she is fierce-” the slightest waver. Laura wondered if anyone else heard it, too. If Elle heard it.
Elle certainly yelled back convincingly - “‘Little’ again! Nothing but ‘low’ and ‘little!’” - and as Laura watched her from backstage, transfixed, she thought that Elle’s clenched fists and wide eyes seemed past acting, too.
When the director called for a ten minute break, this time, Danny and Elle stood facing each other, silent for a short moment that seemed to stretch between them and then snap. They broke into nervous laughter. Elle looked down at the toes of her black leather boots.
“Are you okay?” Laura barely heard Danny ask.
Other voices were rising in chatter around them, but Laura watched closely. She saw Elle’s eyes flick back up to Danny’s face, her chin tilting up - even in her heels, there was a lot of distance between them. “Um, yeah, it’s fine. Thanks.”
With some annoyance, Laura noticed that this slight show of vulnerability made Elle even prettier. Her eyes were wide, her fingers with their maroon-painted nails fidgeting with a silver cuff she wore on her forearm.
Carmilla’s voice cut into the moment, calling from the opposite wing. “Hey, Elle! Would you come help me with something?”
The moment was broken, and with one last quick glance Laura couldn’t quite identify - was it confusion? Thoughtfulness? Hope? - Elle looked up at Danny, and then without another word, turned and followed the sound of Carmilla’s voice.
Laura pushed herself up and walked over to Danny, who was standing still, looking after Elle. Her eyebrows had the slightest furrow.
“Hey, are you doing okay?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I dunno, Hollis. Thanks.”
Laura beckoned her down, and Danny lowered her head. Laura got up on her toes to whisper, “Do you like her?”
Danny didn’t seem surprised that she had asked, and laughed a little bit. “I did, for a really long time, but I never told her. I assume someone has by now, but I guess there’s no way to be sure. Anyway, it’s in the past now. I don’t feel any of that, just, you know, weirdness.” She glanced into the wings, where Elle was holding a garment up while Carmilla fussed with what looked like a hook and eye. “But maybe we’re getting over that now.”
Laura watched as Elle gave Carmilla a kiss on the cheek, and her stomach gave a confusing pitch and drop. She looked away quickly, back up to Danny, who also looked a little sick.
“I just don’t get it,” she said quietly. “I can get over a lot, you know? But I’m not sure about that.”
Laura hadn’t spoken to her costumer since their encounter in the dressing room. She shrugged. “I don’t get it either.”
“She’s coming back over here,” Danny said, whipping her head away and looking at Laura. “Act like we’re talking!”
“You’re amazing,” Laura said, just slightly louder than she probably should have. “The only thing this play is missing is a place to show off how athletic you are.”
Danny, completely taken aback, started laughing.
“I told Ms. Parker we should do the ballet version of this show,” Elle said, walking up to them and smiling at Laura. “Would that have been athletic enough for you, Puck?”
“Um, yeah, but I’d never have gotten this part.”
Elle arched a perfect eyebrow. “No ballet in your background?”
“No dance at all,” Laura said, uncomfortable with where this conversation was going. “So how-”
“Oh my god,” Elle interrupted. “Are you serious?”
Laura gave Danny a panicked look. Danny returned it.
“Uh, yeah.”
“Oh, no. C’mere c’mere c’mere-” Elle reached out for Laura, placing one hand on her waist and taking Laura’s hand with the other. “Look, it’s easy, okay? Is this okay?”
“Yeah,” Laura said, her voice tight. She could feel Elle’s hand in hers, the weight of her rings, the smooth edges of her nails. She looked up cautiously into Elle’s smiling face, and found herself relaxing a bit in spite of herself. Maybe this could be fun.
“Okay. I’ll lead. So step backwards with your right foot - yes, that’s it - now follow that with your left foot, but put it out to the side a bit more - just a little more, do you see how I’m stepping? Good. Now close your feet with your right foot. Yeah, see? Easy?”
Laura was looking hard at Elle’s feet, thinking that Elle couldn’t be much taller than her, really, not without the heels on.
“Now the opposite. Follow me. Left foot forward.”
She relaxed into Elle’s guiding hand.
Elle was giggling. “Okay, now I’ll move us around the stage a bit. Just follow me and do the same steps over and over.”
Elle counted out the measures aloud and Laura followed her, matching her step for step, the smell of her perfume enveloping them - she smelled light and sweet, like pomegranates and the full, rich flowers of summer, and as Laura took a deep breath, she looked up into her face. Her brown eyes were friendly, and she smiled encouragingly. Without thinking, Laura said, “How do you get your eyebrows to look like that?”
“Anastasia dipbrow gel. Here, let me twirl you - perfect, and back with your right foot. Do you want to borrow some? I think we wear the same color.”
“Wow, um, maybe.” Laura looked over Elle’s shoulder and felt a chill in her stomach as she saw Carmilla in the shadows, backstage, glaring daggers at them both. “I don’t mean to pry-” she absolutely meant to pry- “but is Carmilla okay?”
“Just another one of her moods,” Elle said, but Laura saw the briefest scowl rush across her face. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“You’re so nice,” Laura said, as Elle gently guided them to a stop in front of Danny, who was clapping for them and laughing.
“I try,” Elle said. “You know, people like people who can dance. Boys… girls… either...” she looked at Laura expectantly.
“Girls,” Laura said.
“Mhmm.” Elle looked up at Danny, then away again. “Girls like people who can dance. Anyway, come get me if you want to try…” her voice trailed off, and Laura followed her gaze to Carmilla, who turned away with what looked like a huff and stormed off. “The brow stuff,” she finished quietly. “Great.”
She hurried off at a clip, her heels clattering on the floor.
* * * *
“Anyway, this Carmilla stuff gets more confusing by the moment, journal. But Elle’s nice, and maybe next time I dance, it can be with Danny.” Laura sighed. “You know what? It’s not enough. It’s not going to be enough. I can’t figure out why someone who seems so sweet would be with someone like that, and I don’t think I can figure it out on my own - not with her seeming to hate me the way she does. I’m sick of this. I’m going to text Laf, and get them to tell me everything they know about Carmilla.”
Laura closed her webcam with a decisive click.