Work Text:
Robin could faintly hear the fall winds whip around outside her dressing room window. She almost shivered thinking about it. How cold she would've been were it not for the brick walls of the Waning Hour Bar. The vanity lights provided more warmth than non-performers realize, never sweat-inducing but warm enough to make the singer feel at peace for the moments she had alone.
She knew it selfish to say, hypocritical even, but only the dust in the air got to know how tiring it was to keep on playing her role. To keep on spinning, keep on dancing, keep on singing. There were people out there who needed a light to turn to. She's given hers out for so long, why risk dimming it now? So long as no one notices the tire in her eyes or moments where she spaced out for a second too long, she was in the clear to keep pushing. She could enjoy the quiet of her dressing room as she perfected her lipstick, listen to the wind whirling outside, let her halo rest, and let her shoulders slump.
Until she heard the doorknob turn.
Just like that, her moment of rest was over. Faster than a strike of lightning was Robin able to put on her softest smile, a technique mastered over years. She turned before the door was even fully opened with practiced elegance. Head wings tucked neatly, halo floating higher, and eyes full of life again.
Yet, she realized her practice and grace was for not when the door fully open. When those familiar eyes met hers, Robin's shoulders relaxed again, practiced smile becoming real.
There in the doorframe stood Aventurine. His peacock-feather adorned hat, golden sunglasses, and dark overcoat. His classic smile, cool demeanor, and eyes glinted with mischief.
"What, did you think I wasn't gonna make it?" He started, shutting and locking the door behind him, "I wouldn't miss one of Miss Robin's performances for the world."
Robin couldn't help the happy clapping of her hands and giggling. Yes, she was a grown woman giggling over a man like a schoolgirl. She beckoned him over, Aventurine only able to smile a tad wider at Robin's excitement.
"Mister Aventurine! You've made it!" Robin chirped.
"Work stuff dragged on and on, things were in a tistz, but I wrapped it up just in time," He explained, coming to lean on a table next to the vanity.
"I was hoping to see you, always nice to see a familiar face in the seats," she said.
"Is that the only reason you were hoping to see?" He asked with a smirk.
"I was also wondering if I'd see you turn up at all," She stated, ignoring his question, "You're always oh-so busy, after all. There must be something more important then catching some singer's show."
She meant her words as a joke, mostly, but she swore she caught the smallest falter in Aventurine's smile. The tiniest quirk of the corner of his lips, the slightest narrowing of his eyes.
"Hey now, none of that. You are much more than just some singer." He nudged her cheek as he gently scolded her.
"I'm just joking, Avenie, promise!"
"Nuh-uh, not even as a joke," he interjected, "No one's allowed to insult the woman I love."
Aventurine sauntered over from his spot leaning against the table, coming to tower over Robin where she sat. She had many a people tower over her, from interviewers to hosts to fans to paparazzi, yet none elicit the feeling Aventurine did. It wasn't fear nor discomfort, not pressure or exception. Simply a contentment. A peace from his shadow, not a feeling of being suppressed. Never squashed, but guarded. Safe.
"Not even the woman I love." He leaned in, removing his sunglasses.
Robin quickly realized his course of action and, despite her desire to let him continue, she knew she had to stop him. She stifled a giggle as Aventurine's eyes blinked open in surprise upon realizing Robin's hand was covering his mouth. He was almost fully leaned in, denied as the prize was right there.
"You can't ruin my lipstick before a show," Robin spoke, failing to keep the giggle out her voice.
"You can't be serious, doll," Aventurine whined against her hand.
"Deathly! No, no, Mister Aventurine, you can get your kisses later. I go on in five minutes!"
"One peck cannot possibly ruin your makeup. You would sentence me to the audience without a singular kiss?"
"I give you one kiss, you'd wager the odds and take seven," Robin huffed, wings fluttering with something not quite annoyance.
"That sounds like a bet, how about double or nothing?" Aventurine pushed forward, only a centimeter or two, signature grin returning.
"I'll double the amount of time you go without a kiss! I promise, you can kiss off my lipstick as much as you want later, but spare me the pain of fixing my makeup right now," Robin pleaded.
Aventurine paused, eyes widening ever so slightly, like he was considering something. That look that means he's calculating something in his head, a thousand gears turning, numbers running, and seconds ticking.
"You said you go on in five minutes?"
Robin nodded, sensing a plot forming in his head.
"And I can't kiss you on the lips because it'd ruin your lipstick. You never said about anything about anywhere else," Aventurine attested.
"Aventurine…" Robin cautioned.
"I think I have a solution." He smiled.
In a moment, Aventurine's hand wrapped around Robin's thin wrist, moving her hand out the way. His grip was gentle but firm, holding Robin's hand against the vanity. She attempted to bring up her other hand to no avail. Aventurine was far too fast to grab and immobilize it with a quick "nope."
Once Robin was fully defenseless, thus started the attack.
First was at least three kisses to her rosy right cheek, second was double to the left. Robin squealed, head wings fluttering, mouth breaking into a smile against her will. Aventurine replied with a smiling kiss against her forehead with two to the temples to match. Her pitiful escape attempt via pulling her arms away was met with Aventurine fixing his grip on her arms, grabbing them from the underside. He pulled her closer, wrists behind his head as he continued on.
"That's cute," Aventurine cooed, almost mockingly.
Without Robin even meaning to, her head wing came up and ever-so-gently smacked Aventurine in his cheek. He merely giggled, clearly undeterred in any sense of the meaning. He simply started up again. One kiss between her eyebrows, one to the bridge of her nose, one on the upturned tip. Next was five to her left eyelid and five to her right eyelid. Even Robin's chin wasn't safe from three pecks! She couldn't help but laugh as she received the world's kindest attack, which spurred on Aventurine even more. Anything to hear that ever so melodic sound that was Robin's voice. Each little note, like the ringing of church bells, pulled at his heartstrings like nothing he had ever felt before.
Every glance at the vanity mirror revealed to him her smile so warm, so bright, so genuine.
He couldn't help envying it. The way she could just be in this moment with him. No worries, no acting, no personas. Just Robin.
It took all of Aventurine's willpower to not kiss her round lips. Every ounce of it. He'd be scolded half to death, thrown in the kiss jug, and be in a tristz all over again. How worth it it'd be.
Yet, he'd play nice this time.
No upsetting the dame before a show. So, he'd only continue his attack on every other inch on her face, naturally. He had counted down two minutes in his head, three left on the clock, which meant someone would likely come for her any—
"Miss Robin, are you ready in there?" They heard a knock at the door.
Speak of the devil.
Robin jumped, clearly haven forgotten her prior obligation. This time Aventurine let her pull her wrists away, backing away to let her stand with a fright, and letting her grab his own wrist. He wore the world's laziest smile as Robin dragged him off to a wardrobe, cheerfully calling back about how she was ready, just needed a second. He stepped inside the wardrobe, holding back a snicker at Robin's obvious flustered-ness.
"Be care—"
"I'll be as careful as a cat. Promise, a clean sneak," Aventurine whispered, cutting her off.
Robin smiled in response, moving to close the wardrobe door just barely.
"I'll see you…?" She trailed off.
"Tonight, if you can. I hear the Parlor downtown will be pretty dead tonight," He answered with that familiar glint of mischief.
"The Parlor? Dead on a Friday night? I wonder how that ended up happening." Her voice was just barely an accusation.
"No idea, doll, but will you join me?" Aventurine asked, his voice softening without him even meaning to.
"We'll see, Mister Aventurine," Robin said, a smile growing on her face.
"Now, don't make me beg, songbird," he only half-joked.
"Well, I'd hate to make you do anything so uncharacteristic for the ever imposing Aventurine," she giggled, "So… I suppose I'll have to agree."
Another knock at the door. They managed to waste an entire minute. Robin nearly managed to turn to the door, finding herself stop by Aventurine's hand cupping her chin. He pulled her back just enough for him to lean in and plant one last kiss on her cheek.
"One for the road," he said.
He watched as Robin instinctively went to kiss him back, stopping her halfway with a pout as she remembered. Instead of returning, she backed away and, with a twirl and all, blew him a kiss on her way out.
Robin unlocked the door and slipped out just like that, Aventurine watching through the crack in the wardrobe door.
He leaned back against the wood, his head resting to look upwards, lazy smile melting into something purer than he was used to by now. He removed his peacock feather-adorned hat and held it against his chest.
Like it'd do anything to slow his racing heart.