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Myles
He stood infront of me, short hair styled meticulously, a small blue beret placed delicately on top of the hazelnut locks. Small beads of sweat had formed on his skin, making his face shine in the mid-day sun. He smiled at me, and my heart could have skipped a beat. His emerald eyes shone beneath the peacock mask which was so cruelly covering up his chiselled cheekbones. He took my hand in his, bowing slightly, before addressing the audience infront of us.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand," he recited, perfectly punctuating every vowel of the love poem. "This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this." He turned towards me, and I felt my heart flutter. "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." Those lines were my cue, and I took a deep breath, quelling my fears.
"Good pilgrim," I began, my voice as sweet as sugar, higher than was normal for boys my age, but an advantage for my role. "You do wrong your hands too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss." I grinned behind my own mask, a delicate peice resembling a swan, proud to have remembered my lines, despite how few there may have been.
"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" He focused on my face, the navy blue of his suit eccentuating the soft pink of his lips. "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." He stepped closer to me, wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling our hips together.
"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." I swallowed, he made me understand what I was supposed to be feeling, and I loved it.
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake." I put my hand on his shoulder. So close, soon.
"Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take." Our hands disconnected as he curled his fingers around my chin. I shut my eyes, feeling his breath on my face, and his lips crashed into mine. It was the first time, we had usually practiced this scene with him kissing my forehead, and I felt the breath catch in my throat. I was tilted back slightly as he leant into the kiss more, and I stuck out one of my legs for a more balanced platform. He tasted nice, and I wished to continue the kiss for as long as time itself lasted, however I knew that simply could not happen. We broke apart, and although we were both fustered, we continued to perform to the crowd in front of us.
"Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged." He continued.
"Then have my lips the sin that they have took." I went on. He cradled my head in his hand slightly.
" Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." We kissed again, it was shorter, but still as desperate, and when we broke apart I had even more remorse at the loss of his presence.
"You kiss by th’ book." I said breathily. Unfortunately, our loving exchange was ruined when the nurse arrived.
"Madam, your mother craves a word with you." I nodded, letting another peck fall on my hand before walking off.
Standing in a wooden frame by the side of the stage was Walter, my best companion of four years. He grinned cheekily and swung his arm over my shoulder as I walked off.
"Well Myles, how was it? Did you like kissing the one and only Tobias Clark?" I buried my face in my hands.
"He's honestly too handsome for his own good. Whenever I see him I feel as if my heart were to leap out of my chest. I wish our first kiss had been out of love, not the duty to which our roles hold us by." Walter laughed, punching my arm playfully.
"The script really rubbed off on you huh? You still have the voice too. Would you like a cup of water to clear your throat?" I nodded, taking the water gratefully. Clearing my throat, I began to speak again.
"I mean, how could you not see it?" My voice was deeper now, and we watched Tobias, my eyes filled with awe, Walter's filled with confusion. "Just the way he speaks fills me with love, if I was certain the action would be reciprocated, I would kiss him right here, and I wouldn't be Juliet, I would be his Romeo!"
He nodded, "Well that's all lovely but I'm afraid that you're on in one line, get off with you." I finished off my water in one swift chug, handing him the wooden tankard and stepping back onstage.
I sighed as I walked off once more, although it had been a short conclusion to the scene, my dress was crafted from rather thick materials, and the sun blared down on us with unrelenting hatred.
"Where is my costume for the second act?" I asked a stage help. He pointed me in the direction of a small room, and I thanked him kindly, stepping in through the wooden door. Suddenly, there was a small yelp, and I turned around to see a red-faced Tobias.
"What are you doing here Myles? Do you not know the meaning of a knock?" I felt my face turn bright red as my eyes met first the discarded costume on the floor, and next the unmistakable sight of the brown haired boy, dressed in nothing but his undergarments.
"Oh! My apologies Toby - Tobias - I mean, I did not know you were in here. I need to collect my new dress for act two. I belive it is just over there." I pointed at a small pile of clothes, green in colour, which I knew to be my new dress. "Ahh, okay, I'm sorry for being shocked, it's just that I am practically naked, I should get changed aswell."
"But it is not uncommon for us men to see eachother in this state. We are performers, we have narry the time to worry about modesty." I added, picking up the dress.
"Well, um, I find you to be slightly different company that the other actors here." His words made my cheeks filling with warmth, and disguised it by turning around and fiddling with the strings of my corset.
"And why would that be?" I managed to ask. A warm feeling started to spread over my hands, and I felt someone pull them away from the strings I was struggling to undo.
"Let me, and as a reply to your question, well, I can't be too sure. I suppose I idolise you in a way, though I have no idea why. You're younger than me by a year, yet you seem to be rather important to me." My corset came loose, and he pulled it over my head, letting the long brown wig adorning my head loosen slightly in its place. I adjusted it slightly as he turned away, busying himself with his own clothes.
"Thank you Toby, I greatly appreciate the help." He made a grunt that I took as a 'you're welcome', and I pulled off my skirt, swiftly switching it from the long red one to the dazzling green which matched so well with the eyes of my Romeo. The silence in the room felt odd, and I wondered if I had said something wrong to annoy him. Then he spoke.
"Great job by the way, with the kiss, I mean. You really are an amazing actor, I- you seemed to really enjoy it, although how could you enjoy kissing a man, being one yourself. I know it may not be your favourite scene, but it is one of your best, so thank you, I think you've earned it." I felt myself growing both bashful and slightly flustered. Did he not enjoy it? Were my feeling just that, mine? I quelled my fears and anxieties however, and smiled.
"Thank you, Tobias, and I hate to be a bother, but would it be possible if you could help me with my corset again? These things shall be the bane of my existence." He laughed light-heartedly, and agreed, tightening it up until I could barely breath. I turned around once he had finished, and gasped, for he was wearing a suit that must be envied by royals and noblemen.
"Does it look okay? I don't like the colour all too much, but it could be alright with a bit of makeup."
"You look like a Prince," I grinned. "And I would be open to doing your makeup if you wish." His cheeks turned a light shade of pink, and he sat down in a wooden chair in the middle of the room. I leaned in close, dabbing on the makeup with care, ensuring that it wasn't too much nor too little. He swung his legs back and forth, occasionally kicking me lightly and apologising furiously. I didn't mind, however, and was instead trying very hard to hold back the compulsion to sit on his lap and wrap my legs around his waist, holding him close.
"Are you finished?" He asked, and I nodded, showing him the mirror. It was really not a lot, all I had done was add a small tint to his cheeks, and put a light dust around his eyes that would make them shine when the sun hit them, but he gasped. "Wow! I adore it! Thank you Myles!" He wrapped his arms around my neck, pulling me in for a hug, and I obliged, wrapping my own arms around his neck too.
"Oi! Myles! Oh, is that Tobias? Hello, Toby! You're on in fifteen minutes, Myles, and I belive William wants to talk to you. Wrap up whatever this is and get on stage." Walter was standing in the doorway, staring at the both of us. I pulled away from Toby, and smiled, waving goodbye as I picked up my headband, walking out of the room.
"Walter! Do you not know the meaning of a knock? I scowled, turning to face him. He shrugged, grinning, and pointed vaguely towards a large open area where most of the cast was gathered.
"Old Will is in there, he needs to talk to you." I nodded, heading towards the open area.
Tobias
I stood on the stage, listening to Myles' relaxing voice leading the crowd through a confession of Juliet's love for Romeo. His voice was magical, and I believed every word he said.
"My Romeo," he spoke, and I took in all his features at once. His button nose, tall soft frame, draped in the long green dress. His mouth was turned up at the corners, an expression I wished I could replicate. I was filled with a strong want to embrace him there and then, to relive the kiss we had shared before. I wanted to be his Romeo. I froze up. What was I thinking? Then I realised that it was my line. I tried to shake off all feelings of discontent, and began to speak, however, I couldn't help but notice that the words were distant, as if I was saying them for the first time, with no instruction. I cleared my throat and began again, trying to ignore the shouts from the groundlings below. Try as I could, the words seemed to come a second too late, and they would disappear when I needed them. I tried to continue, but it felt as if I was in an oven. The world seemed to be spinning, and I stumbled, my voice faltering, the noise of the crowd overriding it. What was happening? Why was I hurting so? My legs shook, my head throbbed. I felt like I was inside a fire. My stomach churned, and all I could think was that this was it. I was going to die. My hands shook, my throat was sandpaper. I couldn't do anything. I was going to die. Instinctively, I began to speak Romeo's final lines.
"O' true apothecary, thy drugs are quick." I felt my legs buckle, the world turning black as my eyes rolled into my skull, and I felt a pain in my head as it hit the floor.
Walter
Myles screamed. Tobias fell to the floor with a strangled cry. He ran down, curling his fingers in the boy's sandy brown hair. I thought he would break character, call for help, but instead, he began to speak.
"My love! Will our bond be fractured so soon, before I am permitted to let thy lips upon mine once more? Forever have I wanted to tell you, but now I fear I will never. O, you Montauge, though we may be from different lives, I wish to let you know now how much I love thee! I longed to live with you forever, but now we shall be united in death alone." He pulled the dagger from Toby's belt, holding it aloft.
"For you! May the cosmos shine with thousands of stars, but none shall shine brighter that the one we shall become. O, happy dagger, bring me death!" He made the practiced movement of stabbing his chest, collapsing to the floor. I didn't know what was happening. Something bad, clearly, but I ran on-stage, placing on my crown, and began to speak in my poshest voice. I couldn't let the audience realise this was unscripted.
"What misadventure is so early up that calls our person from our morning rest?" I shot a look at our Lady Montague and Lord Capulet, and they understood that I was continuing with the play. Lord Capulet entered, followed by Lady Capulet, both of them looking as if they were full of genuine worry.
"What should it be that is so shrieked abroad?" Lord Capulet asked.
"O, the people in the street cry 'Romeo,' some 'Juliet,' and all run with open outcry towards our monument." Lady Capulet added.
"What fear is this which startles in our ears?" I asked in my overly posh voice. A distressed Benvolio entered, playing the part of the first watch.
"Sovereign, here lies Romeo, dead, and Juliet, dead before, warm and new killed. Search, seek, and know how this foul murder comes," I demanded.
"O heavens!" cried Lord Capulet. "O wife, look how our daughter bleeds! This dagger hath mistaken, for, lo, his house is empty on the back of Montague, and it mis-sheathèd in my daughter’s bosom." I decided that we needed to get Tobias somewhere safe, and knew that the theatrics would continue for a while.
"Someone get a priest, a friar, a man of God who will bless the dead! O won't anyone arrive?" Friar Lawrence came in, gasping at the sight.
"Romeo, Juliet! I must take them away at once. They shall be to the burial chamber!" He picked up Toby in his arms, running him off-stage before doing the same with Myles. We continued our acting, but I couldn't help but let my eyes stray backstage.
Myles
I thanked Timothy as he put me down, and rushed into the room Tobias had been put to rest, coincidentally the same room we had been in before. I put my hand on his forehead, pushing away his sweaty hair from his closed eyes.
"Toby." I whispered into his ear. He groaned quietly, turning his head towards my voice.
"What? Where am I?" He mumbled. Good. He was alive.
"You're safe, don't worry. You collapsed in the middle of the scene. We got you off without disrupting the performance all too much, although it may end earlier that expected." He groaned, holding his head in his hands.
"I'm so sorry about that Myles. I was just anxious."
"How could you ever be anxious? You're perfect." The words came before I could mull over them, and he smiled, red tinting his cheeks.
"I think you're better. You outshine any light that is cast. You're a presence I couldn't exist without. I admire your courage and bravery every day, your willingness to abscond your manners or dignity for the sake of theatre. I think that's why, I, um." He swallowed, and I was suddenly very interested in a peice of hair that was stuck to his forehead. His eyes followed my hand, and he wrapped his hand around my wrist.
"Yes?" I looked down at him. He looked away, then met my gaze once again.
"Would you kiss me?" He asked shyly, not meeting my gaze. "And not because we're acting, but out of a true passion. I really want to. Although it is sinful, I can't help but feel so much love for you." I nodded, heart pounding in my chest.
"i have been wanting that since the day we first met. If you would allow me to."
His breath hitched, and I watched him. "Perhaps a small one." I lifted up his face, slowly pressing a kiss to his cheek. He gasped, watching me.
"Would you kiss me again?"
I nodded shyly, before bringing his lips to mine slowly.
He gasped, pulling away as they brushed. "NOT LIKE THAT!" I gave him a confused look. "I JUST MEAN- I- WELL- I'M NOT- I'M NOT TOO CERTAIN AT THE MOMENT." He put his head back in his hands. "I'm sorry. I'm just confused. This goes against my principles as a Christian, it was amazing, but I might need more time."
I smiled, rubbing the top of his head. "Don't be scared, we will go at your pace, I won't be impatient. I understand." He looked up at me, tears dancing across his eyelashes, and pulled me into a tight hug. I obliged, taking in his smell, his presence, his everything. His body relaxed underneath me, a gentle snore came from his lips. I moved away, careful not to wake him. Soon, perhaps. I would get my kiss soon.