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"How do you know if someone is courting you?"
The question came out of nowhere for Vodyanitsa. She had been sitting on the couch in the green room, peacefully reading fan letters when Alyosha played with Tugarin in a corner. The letters were thrown somewhere after his question. She blinked. "What?"
He rubbed the dog's belly tenderly. "How do you k-"
The girl closed her eyes and put her hand in front of her. "I heard you the first time."
"So?"
Vodyanitsa smiled. "Come here," she said, patting the space next to her on the couch. Alyosha complied; he sat next to her with Tugarin getting on too and resting on his lap. "Tell me all about it."
He ran his fingers gently through his dog's fur. Tugarin sighed as if the weight of the whole world was lifted off his back. She giggled at the cute image. Alyosha hummed and said, "There isn't much to tell."
"There's a lot to tell if you think someone's courting you!" Vodyanitsa pouted. He tilted his head, and she sighed. "Why don't you start telling me who it is?"
Silence reigned for a few seconds between them. Still petting Tugarin, Alyosha stared blankly at her. She gave him an encouraging smile. "Well?"
"I don't think it's a good idea to tell you."
"Excuse me?! What do you mean?!"
"If I tell you, the whole Korolevskiy Troupe will know in a few days."
"That's not true!" Vodyanitsa exclaimed, offended.
He hummed again. "Weren't you the one who told everyone that Dymov has a crush on Rampana?"
"I w-wasn-"
"And weren't you also the one who found out that Balkonov and Yadova don't even like each other?"
"That's… m-maybe…"
"Weren't you-"
She shrieked, "I get it!" Another pout appeared on her face. "Fine! Don't tell me who it is! But at least tell me why you think they're courting you."
"It's… I…" Suddenly, Alyosha became shy and averted his eyes from hers. His cheeks blushed a pretty pink, making his freckles stand out. Vodyanitsa squeaked internally. Usually, her friend carried himself with a calm demeanor, so seeing him like that melted her heart. Too cute!
"I felt someone watching me a few weeks ago, but it wasn't like that… It was more like someone was analyzing me," he continued. She nodded, enraptured in his story. "I pretended not to notice, but they continued and even went as far as to follow me around. It was getting annoying, so I confronted them."
Vodyanitsa mentally snorted. Who in their right mind would follow a hunter? Even more so a hunter like Alyosha?
"And then?"
"They said they wanted to be friends, though I think they were initially lying. We kept meeting, and now they even invite me for lunch when we see each other. Doesn't let me pay, which is a hassle. I still found them staring at me, but it's… different."
"Different how?"
His blush flared up. "I don't know. When I catch them staring, they smile and wave, and… I don't know."
Oh my! Alyosha really was too cute! She felt the cuteness aggression possessing her soul before stopping herself. Calm yourself, Vodyanitsa; your friend needs you, she thought. Alyosha didn't seem to realize what face he was making, all flushed and pretty. It was pretty obvious he liked this person too.
"Do you remember when I had that scratch on my cheek?" He asked.
"Yes." Her sweet smile twitched a bit from the memory. Scratch? Yeah right. It had been a damn deep gash. Thankfully, it hadn't left a scar on Alyosha's charming face.
"They were really angry when they saw me, and then it was… tender? They bought me ice cream after that even though I said that it wasn't necessary."
Crossing her arms over her chest and closing her eyes, Vodyanitsa nodded. "Makes sense. This person was angry that you got hurt and then wished to protect you and make you feel better."
As if thinking over his next words, Alyosha stared at Tugarin, who was now calmly sleeping on his lap. "You know, the other day Zyryanov joked and said that we are a happy couple. I was about to correct him, but they agreed and called me their spouse." His whole face was tinted pink all the way to his ears. Of course someone would be interested when he was that cute.
"Oh! This person is so into you!" She squeaked, clearly excited about her friend's love life.
He hummed, trying to appear calm, though the blush on his face said otherwise. "Is that so?"
"Yes! I'm never wrong about these things!" Vodyanitsa stated proudly. It was true. Since she was young, she had always had a gift for understanding love-related matters when it came to her fellow water imps. Leave it to her to listen to someone singing to know exactly what their feelings were. Humans were different, of course, but she was still confident in her instincts.
"What should I do?" Alyosha asked.
"You should let things flow and see where that takes you. Do you like this person too?"
"I… don't know if it's a good idea."
She stared, piercing gaze burning holes through him. "That's not what I asked. Do you like them or not?"
It seemed impossible, but his face became even redder. Ugh, so much cuteness was definitely bad for her heart. "I-"
The door suddenly opened. "Sorry for interrupting, but we're closing the theater for the day," Dymov said with an apologetic smile.
"Of course." Even though she was smiling, Vodyanitsa internally cursed him for thwarting their conversation. She had been so close to an answer!
As they left, neither spoke about the secret suitor again.
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Tidesong cavern was the perfect place to practice her singing. Doing so in the theater felt suffocating, and getting some fresh air always put her in a better mood. The acoustics inside the cavern were incredible too, with long reverberations and strong echo reflections. All in all, it was a nice place where she could enjoy herself.
Once she finished her practice, Vodyanitsa let her body relax. She floated mindlessly in the water. Her gaze was fixed on the cavern's ceiling while her mind repeated her last conversation with Alyosha.
"Who could it be?" She wondered out loud.
She thought back to the first time they met. Tugarin had been the one who recognized her, ending that encounter with them becoming friends. Vodyanitsa could still remember how his eyes, carrying bloodshed, shone with wonder the first time he saw her perform; too pure and tainted at the same time. As her friend, she was worried about this suitor of his. Alyosha was too kind to the point of throwing aside his own needs as if he didn't matter, as well as constantly getting in dangerous situations. So, she hoped it was someone who knew how to take care of him. He had already gone through many things, and he deserved someone who truly loved him.
Who, indeed?
Someone who analyses people…
Vodyanitsa was in the theater practising the Queen of the Night aria. She thought she was alone, only to feel a heavy gaze over her figure. A shiver ran through her body. Her eyes wandered around the place, finding Odette in the back, quietly analyzing her performance. The shivers disappeared, giving rise to a warm feeling in her chest. When she finished, the water imp smiled brightly. Odette smiled softly and clapped.
Someone who makes others feel better when they're hurt…
"Odette!" Vodyanitsa cried, her voice raspy.
The other girl became visibly upset upon hearing the roughness in her throat. "What's wrong?"
"My throat is a bit sore," she cried, latching to her side.
"You should probably get some medici-"
"I don't want a shot; those are scary! I also don't want bitter medicine."
Odette sighed. The singer got confused when the other girl moved away from her grasp, got up, and left. She came back a few minutes later with a warm cup of tea in her hands. "Here," she said, handing out the cup to Vodyanitsa. Ginger tea with honey and lemon to ease the irritation… It had never tasted as good as that time.
Someone who goes to Kvasnik…
She watched Odette sipping some weird green beverage. "What is that?" Vodyanitsa asked with curiosity.
"Vegetable juice I got from Kvasnik. It's good quality."
Wait…
Her eyes widened in shock.
Was the person courting him, Odette?!
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It was early in the afternoon when Vodyanitsa entered the theater. The first thing she saw was Alyosha running around the place like a headless chicken monster before, cleaning and helping with prompts before the show. Tugarin wasn't with him, which meant he planned to leave as soon as he finished.
"Good afternoon, Miss Vodyanitsa," Rampana greeted politely.
She smiled, "Good afternoon. You're all very early."
"Yes! We wanted to make sure everything is perfect for today's show. Not every day we have the prima donna of the troupe performing Song to the Moon."
"You're too kind."
Vodyanitsa's eyes followed Alyosha. Rampana blinked, following the water imp's gaze; she smiled when her eyes caught him, too. "He's been a big help today."
The singer didn't say anything. She kept analyzing her friend like a telescopefish. He seemed to be in a good mood, despite the usual calm look on his face. There was a softness in his cute little face that wasn't always there. She squinted her eyes.
"He looks…"
"Happy, right?"
Wait a damn minute… Rampana definitely knew something. It was time for an interrogation.
She smiled brightly. "Yeah. Did something good happen to him?"
The other woman hummed. "Well, I don't know for sure, but he arrived with a bouquet. That's probably why he's in a good mood. Said he would leave them in the green room."
Excusing herself, she ran to the green room as elegantly as she could. Sure enough, she found a beautiful bouquet, placed carefully on the table to avoid damage. Frostfairy flowers and snowball flowers were wrapped in red paper. Accustomed to receiving flowers, Vodyanitsa knew that his bouquet was different from the ones fans send her way. The way it was arranged and wrapped made it feel more special. The person who sent them truly wanted it to be a lovely and meaningful gift for someone they cherished.
"Boris is asking what kind of light do you wan-" Alyosha stopped mid-sentence when he found her staring at the flowers. He remained unmoving under the door frame.
With a cheeky smile on her lips, Vodyanitsa said in a sing-song tone, "A little fishy told me someone gave you flowers."
He blushed. "Well… yeah…"
"It's so pretty and meaningful!"
"Meaningful?"
"Yeah. Frostfairy flowers bloom no matter how harsh the weather; they signify hope that never fades. Snowball flowers, on the other hand, mean the arrival of happiness and good fortune." Carefully, she grabbed the bouquet and placed it in his hands. There, he looked way prettier like that. "Your suitor is basically saying they want you to be happy, and that they admire your enduring spirit."
Alyosha stared at the flowers, analyzing them for a few seconds before a small smile bloomed on his lips. "I see…"
"Snowball flowers have another meaning." He tilted his head with curiosity, gesturing for her to continue. "There was a romantic ballet about two lovers from feuding families. The male lead hid flower petals inside a snowball and gently tossed it towards the woman he loved. For people acquainted with the arts, that flower is basically a love confession." Vodyanitsa giggled and winked. "This person is really head over heels for you!"
She saw her friend’s face fully turning red. His expression changed from nervousness to pure embarrassment in slow-motion. He hid a bit behind the ruff of his jacket, but still hugged his flowers close to his chest. "I-I have t-things to do," Alyosha stuttered before running away, yet she caught him smiling softly with a cute blush on his cheeks.
She nodded to herself. Being in love made him way too cute. Because he was in love; that much was obvious. She wasn't known among the water imps as a love expert for nothing.
"I didn't tell you what lighting I wanted for today's show!" Vodyanitsa exclaimed, clearly teasing her friend. She chuckled when he had to do the walk of shame back to hear her answer.
That night, after their show ended, she sat in the green room with Odette, keeping an eye on her like an archerfish preparing itself to shoot. She watched as the ballerina brushed her hair and cleaned her face, getting ready to go home.
Was it really her?
It made sense, but maybe she needed more clues to be sure that she really w-
"You've been staring for quite a while. Do I have something on my face?"
Taken aback for being caught, the water imp blinked. Recovering quickly, she smiled, playing dumb. "Beauty!" she uttered. Odette raised an accusatory eyebrow at her, clearly doubting her answer, but let the topic go.
Vodyanitsa went back into her own delusions, too engrossed that she didn't notice the soft blush on Odette's cheeks.
The singer's eyes fell on the flowers placed carefully over the vanity where Odette sat. Her eyes shone with trickery for a second when an idea got inside her head. She got up from the couch and walked all the way to Odette's side, who remained doing her own stuff, without acknowledging her presence. "Are those rainbow roses?!" Vodyanitsa asked, pretending she didn't already know; after all, she had gotten thousands of those before. A cute smile plastered on her face as she touched the petals with care.
Odette hummed. "You can have them."
She scoffed and puffed her cheeks. "These are yours! Geez, you should take more care of the things your fans gift you!" Her eyes landed on the stack of envelopes on the side. "You should also read their letters for once!"
The other girl only hummed again. Vodyanitsa sighed, then she regained her composure. After all, she was a woman on a mission. "Say, Odette, what flower would you gift to someone special?"
The dancer finally took her eyes away from the mirror to look at her. "What's with that question?"
"I was merely wondering."
"Snowball flowers," Odette deadpanned before going back to brushing her hair.
Unbeknownst to her, the water imp grinned proudly. It was her! Vodyanitsa knew it!
She patted herself on the back. Another triumph for the queen of matchmaking between water imps. Damn, she still got it!
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"Oh my, look at you! Such a cute boy!" Vodyanitsa cooed.
Tugarin barked. Wagging his tail, he proudly puffed his chest, showing off his new cute blue sweater with a snowflake pattern. His tail wagged faster, leaning into the girl's caresses.
"What a handsome boy you are!" Her cute aura then turned menacing, despite the smile on her face. "Even though your dad refused to accept when I offered to buy you a cute little coat."
Alyosha sighed. "I told you that-"
"If he has a coat on, he'll be easier to spot. I know… Why the sudden change of heart then?"
He blushed. "That's… It was a gift." Still petting Tugarin, she raised an eyebrow, silently asking whose gift it was, ready to hold a grudge. Her friend averted his eyes nervously. "From that person."
Oh!
Well, that changed things!
Throwing her bitterness out the window, Vodyanitsa perked up. She squeaked, "They got your son a cute sweater!"
"It's not that serious."
She stopped petting Tugarin and got on her feet. Grabbing his hands between hers, she exclaimed, "It is!" Before she could say anything else, recollections of the many times Odette tried to get closer to small animals and failed came to her mind. Oh no! She asked seriously, "Tell me, what did Tugarin think of them? He doesn't like being petted by just anyone."
"He was surprisingly docile. Even let them rub his belly." Vodyanitsa blinked. That was a big display of trust. Damn, Odette was doing a good job!
Tugarin barked and whined to get their attention. He usually didn't do that, unless he wanted to be pampered by the water imp. She immediately dropped to her knees and complied. "Such a good boy! You felt they really like your dad."
Alyosha blushed again. "I guess…"
Suddenly, her brain got a revelation: a new way to tease her friend. The singer blamed it on cuteness aggression. "Oh my, this person wants to marry you!" She teased with a smirk.
As he always did with her teasing, the hunter's whole face turned red. This time, though, he smiled softly. Improvement! Too bad she didn't have a kamera to capture this wonderful moment. She looked at how cute Tugarin looked and how happy Alyosha was, and smiled gently.
Also, Odette really had good taste; the sweater was way too cute. Her curse was definitely gone now that Tugarin approved of her.
One could guess the shock on Vodyanitsa's whole being when the stray cats around the theater hissed and tried to scratch her face.
"I told you it wasn't a great idea."
Maybe it was just cats?
Nope. No, it wasn't. When they walked back home together after a hard day of great performances, they came across a terrifying threat. A woman walking past them had to hold the leash on her cute Pomeranian because it kept growling and snarling at Odette.
Vodyanita was really confused.
She mentally shrugged. Well, as long as Tugarin liked her, she guessed it was fine.
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The prima donna of the Korolevskiy Troupe confidently walked inside the theater with a hand wrapped around Alyosha's arm.
For the last few days, she had looked at Alyosha and Odette like a frogfish ready to strike, but nothing happened. So, she decided to take matters into her hands and help them a bit. Nobody asked her, and Odette seemed to be doing great by herself, but a little push couldn't hurt, right?
That day was opening day for their troupe's newest ballet production. Vodyanitsa had seen Odette practising hard for her role and knew this was a special moment for her. What could be better than bringing the person she liked to see her perform? So, on their last mission together, she asked Alyosha to come with her and took no as an answer, even though he tried to find an excuse to say no. He probably felt shy about seeing Odette on the stage, but couldn't refuse when the water imp showed him the first row tickets in her hand. Especially not after knowing she bought them with her own mora.
She mentally patted herself on the shoulder. Another win for love expert Vodyanitsa.
Thus she proudly walked all the way to the front, feeling joyful about her good deed.
Her joy lasted two seconds. It disappeared when her gaze fell on Mitya also sitting in the front row with his stupid notebook and pen on his lap. Vodyanitsa mentally clicked her tongue after remembering that the guy had been writing during her last performance; the sheer audacity of not even sparing her a glance.
Mitya's soft purple eyes found them, and he smiled. Too busy cursing him in her mind, she didn't notice Alyosha blushing. "Miss Vodyanitsa and Alyosha! It's always nice to see you," he greeted.
Despite her inner bloodthirst, she gave her best smile. "Is it? Because it didn't feel like that yesterday," Vodyanitsa asked sweetly but with a tint of venom in her voice. Clearly feeling her displeasure, Mitya laughed nervously and said nothing else. Good, she may be cute, but she could be as fierce as a shark.
She dragged Alyosha away only to frown when she realized their seats were next to Mitya. Still displeased, she forced the hunter to sit between them.
Her anger washed away once the show started. The best part was definitely Odette's variation. Pink tinting her cheeks from wonder, Vodyanitsa was enchanted. Odette was really born to perform.
Her role was a street performer, earning coins through her charisma and enchanting steps. Through her dance, she celebrated; full of the joy that high society never allowed. It was amazing how much Odette could express when she danced. The choreography required joyous energy and theatricality, rather than rigid academic coldness. Despite her serious nature, Odette looked lively on the stage. She ate the role of a woman entertaining a crowd on the streets, dancing for both income and joy, moving around with the confidence to challenge the world.
A vision of mesmerizing grace, raw energy, happiness, and freedom.
Vodyanitsa blushed. Starlight danced in her eyes at the gorgeous image that Odette made. Freedom; that definitely suited Odette.
She peeked at Alyosha on her side, and found him hyperfocused on the stage. He looked nervous, face flushed cutely.
The romance expert smiled to herself. Proudly, she mentally patted herself on the shoulder again.
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"So? What do you need help with?" Vodyanitsa asked happily. She had been reading her fans' letters in the green room when Alyosha entered, asking for help with something. He was blushing and fidgeting, so she immediately knew it was about his suitor.
Alyosha went back home to Sretomorozsk for a few weeks. Now he was back, face flushed, and asking for her assistance. "How do you know if a letter is…?" He didn't finish. It looked like he was searching for the correct words to ask what he wanted.
Thankfully, being the romance expert that she was, the water imp was able to put the strings together. Her eyes widened with excitement. "You got a love letter?!"
He sighed. "I'm not sure if it's a love letter."
"They sent you a love letter all the way to Sretomorozsk?!"
"Yes," Alyosha answered quietly. His blush deepened. Pfft! Odette was doing a good job.
He took the letter out of his leg pouch and handed it to her. Vodyanitsa grabbed it, but didn't open it. She stared at Alyosha, asking for permission to invade his privacy. She might be a romance expert, but she still had her boundaries. "It's fine. You can read it. They didn't put their name."
That said, the singer let out a giddy squeak while opening the paper. The first thing she noticed was the pretty handwriting. Then, her eyes scanned the words.
The tendrils of my soul are twined
With thine, though many a mile apart.
And thine in close coiled circuits wind
Around the needle of my heart.
Constant as Daniell, strong as Grove.
Ebullient throughout its depths like Smee,
My heart puts forth its tide of love,
And all its circuits close in thee.
O tell me, when along the line
From my full heart the message flows,
What currents are induced in thine?
One click from thee will end my woes.
Through many an Ohm the Weber flew,
And clicked this answer back to me;
I am thy Farad staunch and true,
Charged to a Volt with love for thee
Vodyanitsa squinted, trying to make sense of the words on the paper. She blinked, moved the paper far from her face, then closer… blinked again. Then she flipped it around and read it again… Nope, still didn't make sense.
What the heck was this?!
Odette, what the heck?!
Well, whatever, she said she would help even if it meant pretending. She kicked her feet and giggled despite understanding nothing. "This is so romantic."
"Is it?"
Her smile faltered a bit, but she quickly regained her composure. "Of course. The part about the… smee?" Vodyanitsa looked at the paper again. "Yes, the smee! That part is clearly describing how charming you are!"
What the heck was even a smee?
Alyosha squinted, not believing her words. The water imp fake coughed. "So are you two finally … a thing?" Her eyes shone as she expectantly waited for his answer.
"What do you mean?" He asked, voice a bit confused.
"Aren't you two dating?"
His whole face turned red with shame. Poor guy died from mortification. "No. We aren't."
Her face fell flat. What were they doing, then?! What were they waiting for?!
Oh, she was so going to get a school of fish to blow bubbles on Odette's face. Maybe that way she would get her mulm together.
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The best way to help those two was to take action herself. For weeks she had seen Odette sweep Alyosha off his feet only to do nothing. That needed to stop! If she didn't intervene, they would be circling each other without confessing their feelings for all eternity.
That said, she took Odette to Podvorye Restaurant for tea. They sat at a table outside, overlooking the main square. After a nice little chat that ended in a comfortable silence, Vodyanitsa cleared her throat dramatically. Odette raised an eyebrow at her antics, but she ignored it and asked, "So… Did you know that Dymov has a crush on Rampana?"
"Yes. You told everyone."
"I didn-" She cleared her throat again. This was not about her; it was about Alyosha. Hinting wouldn't work. It was now or never, Vodyanitsa!
She sipped her tea all elegant and mature. "I was wondering if you have someone you like."
The ballerina hummed before answering, "I do." There! She had been right! Of course she was; she was a love expert! She was the best when it comes to- "They don't seem to get my advances, though," Odette finished. An exhausted sigh left her lips.
Vodyanitsa froze. Her mouth opened like a whale shark.
What?!
Of course not! Alyosha always acted all cute when talking about the courting! There was no way! He clearly reciprocated her feelings!
The singer opened her mouth to say something but got interrupted. "They keep thinking I like Alyosha," Odette deadpanned. Her piercing gaze cut through Vodyanitsa like a knife.
Dumbfounded, the latter blinked. Then, she tilted her head. "Eh?"
"That should be my line."
"You're not the one courting him?!" She slammed her hands on the table. People around them started whispering among each other, but she didn't care.
"No."
Had… had she been… w-wrong?!
Her whole face flushed from embarrassment. As the good, humiliated person she was, denial took over. "What about the flowers he got? You said you would give snowball flowers to a special someone!" Vodyanitsa exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at the other girl.
"A lot of people get snowball flowers for their special someone. Didn't I get some for you on your last performance?"
"Well, that's… true…" Her mind worked at a hundred percent capacity, thinking about another clue. "Kvasnik?!"
"A lot of people go there daily."
"What about Tugarin, then?!"
Odette sipped her tea and answered, "He hates me. Every time I get close, he snarls at me. I can't even greet Alyosha without him wanting to rip my face off."
"You didn't buy the sweater?" The more Vodyanitsa asked, the more defeated her voice sounded. The wonderful love expert was deflating.
"No." The ballerina shrugged. "It's cute, though."
While Vodyanitsa blabbered and had a mental breakdown, Odette calmly sipped from her teacup again. Something on the plaza caught her eye, and she chuckled softly. "Well, look at that."
The water imp stopped her mortification to look at what the other girl meant. Right there, in the middle of the plaza, Mitya and Alyosha were kissing… freaking kissing…
She screeched in a hypersonic dolphin voice. Her whole face felt hot, and she could even feel her own heartbeat in her head. How embarrassing! How was she going to recover from this shame?!
Vodyanitsa finally realized that she got everything wrong. So, so wrong.
It was freaking Mitya!
Mitya!
"But Alyosha was blushing during the opening night while staring at you. I saw that!"
"Yeah, cause that guy," Odette pointed at Mitya, still very busy kissing Alyosha, "kept staring at him and making him nervous." She scoffed, "He didn't even bother to look at the performance." Then, she sighed, "A certain fishy was too into her own ideas that she didn't realize she sat them next to each other."
"Eh?"
"They were holding hands through the whole show, by the way."
She was flabbergasted. Shame ran through her whole body, and Vodyanitsa decided the best course of action was throwing herself over the table, face down in humiliation. What the heck, Vodyanitsa?
The other girl patted her head softly. "There, there," she said.
"And the love letter?" The water imp asked. She sounded all defeated, voice muffled against the table.
Odette snorted. "Do I look like the type of person who writes cringey love letters?"
"It was… romantic… I think…"
"Does he look like he writes cringey love letters?"
Vodyanitsa stood back up. Looking again at the plaza, she found Mitya kneeling while he grabbed Alyosha's hand. Her pure and cute friend had his whole face flushed and seemed to be dying from embarrassment, just like she was. Defeated, she sighed.
"…Yes"
"I would go for something better," Odette said. Deep in thought, she squinted. A few seconds later, she placed her hand over Vodyanitsa's, gently caressing her knuckles. "What a cold little hand; let me warm it for you."
The singer blushed, not from embarrassment but from the mixed emotions running wild in her heart. La Bohème was her favorite opera. The emotional score and the depiction of tragic young love always moved her to tears. Rodolfo and Mimì's love was passionate, blossoming at first sight, and ending bittersweetly due to poverty and illness.
Vodyanitsa had always loved the moment when Mimì knocks on his door, asking for help because her candle had blown out, and she had no matches to light it again. She leaves only to return to Rodolfo's home when she realizes she had lost her key. As they look for it, both of their candles run out, and they stumble in the dark. Moved by love at first sight, he finds the key, pockets it, and feigns ignorance, just to spend more time with her. While looking, their hands brush. That's when he takes her hand in his and says: What a cold little hand; let me warm it for you.
She had once told Odette that she liked that part. That she found the intimacy and connection fascinating. Two human beings who deserved warmth and love finding it in each other. And Odette had just told her those same words that moved her heart deeply every time she heard that aria.
Wait… was Odette confessing to her?! And she thought she liked Alyosha?!
Poor girl collapsed again. She turned to the plaza to avoid her shame, but it was worse. Her eyes fell on the two boys passionately kissing. Both had their eyes closed. Alyosha sank his fingers in Mitya’s hair, while the latter pulled him closer from the waist, deepening the-
Vodyanitsa squeaked, covering her face with her hands, absolutely mortified. "This is so embarrassing! Why am I so embarrassing?! I got it all wrong!"
"You did."
Minutes passed. Neither girl spoke.
The self-proclaimed love expert peeked through her fingers and found Odette smiling softly at her. Her pretty eyes were full of adoration. Vodyanitsa's heart raced, and she blushed at how beautiful the other looked.
Right… Odette had confessed in her own way.
The water imp put her hands in her lap and stared at the table. Her face was hot, and her heart thumped loudly against her ribcage as she said, "I've so many things to tell you… or rather only one. But that one is as huge as the ocean, as deep and infinite as the sea. You are my love and my whole life."
She raised her eyes to meet Odette's. The latter's eyes widened for a second before shining as she understood her words. She grabbed Vodyanitsa's hand tenderly. "Oh Mimì, my beautiful Mimì!"
Feeling more confident, she continued, "Am I still beautiful?"
"Beautiful as the dawn."
Well, maybe she had gotten everything wrong, but this was way better. She liked the way Odette made her feel.
Vodyanitsa smiled. "You meant: beautiful as the sunset."
The ballerina brought her hand to her lips, brushing a kiss against the back. Vodyanitsa died from embarrassment again.
Maybe she wasn't the love expert she thought she was.