Work Text:
The curtains rose on Odette in the fifth position. Violins. Under the gaze of a hundred admiring fans, she went into pointe. Music swelled. It told the story of Odette's character, the Snow Queen, cold from the betrayal of a past lover, having a chance encounter with a stranger who makes her heart stir for the first time in years.
She shifted through attitude, croisé, and écarté poses. Odette did a sauté, pirouette, and fouetté, spinning for nearly a full minute.
The number ended. Applause. Curtains. Scene transition: a courtyard. Once more, she danced across the stage like her mother once did—like Odette always dreamed of doing as a child. Watched by countless adoring eyes, she performed with everything: baring her whole soul into her character.
The number ended. It was time for bows. The cast gave their bows. She, of course, received a standing ovation. They all loved her. This was her calling, her purpose. And yet, she couldn't feel anything.
The morning done, she put away her dancing shoes, grabbed her sword, and went to her other job. Odette reported to her superior. They sent her on a mission to clear out some monsters.
She fought chimeras. Odette used the techniques Signora drilled into her soul. She expertly wove around enemy attacks; she cut down tundra chimeras with her icy sword; she took them all down with little effort. Anyone else would've been proud of their strength. A chimeric wingelephant shot an Anemo Blast that hit her in the chest. And still, she felt nothing.
Odette finished the mission and reported to her superior. They paid her. She went home.
Sitting in her bed, she stared at the ceiling. Odette closed her eyes and imagined Aether's face. She imagined kissing him.
Nothing.
Tubby's Notes:
Name: Odette Spessiva
Occupation: Ballerina/Fatui
Profile: Odette is the prima donna ballerina of the Korolevskiy Troupe. She's also a Fatui soldier, trained under Signora, who will likely inherit her title. Her third identity: a member of the Rokot. But that's another story.
Her father was a Fatui who died in combat. She became Signora's apprentice to help provide for her mother, whose injury forced her early retirement. It was harsh training. Odette became numb to the sensation of pain. And possibly a bit numb to joy, too.
Even so, she continued ballet, determined to prove to Signora that she wouldn't follow in her footsteps. Now, she's the most famous ballerina in Snezhnaya.
Odette is withdrawn, soft-spoken, and introspective. She is also dutiful, fulfilling the obligations of the troupe and the Fatui, while fighting for the common people as a Rokot. I admire her strength of will and dedication. Overall, I would classify her as a kuudere and a low-priority risk. Hopefully, being with Aether helps her find more joy in daily life.
Odette woke up to a lovely smell. She found Aether in her kitchen, cooking her breakfast. He looked around at her and grinned.
"Good morning," he said. Aether suddenly blushed. He quickly looked away and murmured, "Sorry."
It took her a moment to remember she went to sleep in her underwear. On the one hand, a little embarrassing. On the other hand, seeing Aether, the brave warrior who fought gods, blushing over her was a nice surprise. Certainly good for her self-esteem.
After straightening out her hair and getting dressed, she had a nice breakfast with him. They ate while making small talk. Aether wanted to hear all about her recent mission and performance, which he'd missed because of work.
"They both went fine," she reported curtly.
"You told me that the Snow Queen was a difficult character," he said. "How did you internalize her?"
"It wasn't hard. She's been betrayed by her former lover. I just related it to my frustration with Signora."
Aether frowned. "But she's not all disappointment, right? Isn't the story that she falls in love with the Spring Knight and believes in love again?"
"For that, I just do what the audience expects," she said. "Love isn't hard to portray."
"I'm not so sure it's just love," he said. "I think it's fear."
Odette blinked, confused.
Aether explained, "Love is scary. It can mean opening up your heart, saying to someone, 'I am willing to be vulnerable with you; I am opening myself to the possibility of being hurt.' At least, that's what I think."
They continued their conversation on the way to the theater. He wished her good luck today. Odette went to the wings and prepared herself.
After Vodyanista's solo aria, Odette went on stage. She prepared to go through the motions. The violins began. She looked out into the audience and spotted Aether in the front row. He smiled at her, encouraging, warm, and gentle.
She took the fifth position. The violins began to sing, telling the Snow Queen's story. As Odette went into pointe, her thoughts drifted to the Snow Queen. At this very moment, her character met the Spring Knight, a noble warrior who had impressed her by rescuing her retainer. It reminded her quite a bit of how she'd met Aether. She shifted from attitude, croisé, ecarté poses, imagining the Queen's growing respect for the Knight.
Her arms flared as she dance-stepped with grace befitting a queen. Slowly, the royal dance transformed. Forced to confront her feelings for the Knight, Odette jumped across the stage as if in joy. No, she reminded herself as she folded herself inward; you must not yield to these emotions. But she couldn't deny them. They battled against her inhibitions. The war of past trauma and growing affection unfolded in her brilliant pirouette, which lasted a whole minute.
Affection won, and she soared so high she felt like she might touch the stars. Then, she lightly touched down. When the audience applauded, Odette snapped back to the theater.
No words could describe the spell she'd been under. It had been the most wonderful dream, where nothing existed. She forgot about herself and the stage. In their place, only the Snow Queen remained. Along with a deep sense of warmth.
The ballet finally ended; Odette and the cast returned to the stage for bows. When she got that standing ovation (Aether being the first to stand, of course), it felt good.
Backstage, Odette wiped off her makeup and put away her costume. Soon, her dressing room door opened, and Aether came in, grinning from ear to ear. He clasped her hands.
"Odette, you were brilliant," he exclaimed. "That dance was…it took my breath away."
She smiled. "That makes me happy to hear."
Once she'd changed, the pair went off to her Fatui superior for her daily mission: clearing out more monsters near a village. Along the way, Aether heaped praise and gushed compliments. She felt happy—well and truly happy—almost tempted to reach over and take his hand.
But the nothing stopped her.
Sitting on the train with him, making small talk, the nothing kept looming in her head. If she dared to get closer, would the nothing be waiting for her?
They disembarked the train and made for the monsters. Working together, they cleared out the chimeras quickly. But then another horde of chimeras ambushed them. Aether shot her a grin.
"You ready to dance?"
"Always," she shot back.
They matched their movements together, whirling across the battlefield in a whirlwind of ice, elemental energy, and blades. Working alongside him like this felt nice.
But then she stumbled into a hornbear, which raised its claws to shred her apart. Aether pulled her away. The hornbear turned on him. He parried its ferocious blows. Aether lobbed Electro buzz saws, paralyzing the beast. Odette sprang up and unleashed her Cryo-infused blade, triggering a stellar conduct reaction that knocked out the hornbear.
They caught their breath. Odette took a quick look around. Once she confirmed the monsters were all down, she returned to Aether. As she began to speak, she noticed something. Aether's triceps had a jagged, bloody gash.
Odette rushed to his side and seized his arm.
"Oh, that?" he said. "I guess the hornbear got me."
"We should take you to a doctor. It could get infected."
"I'm sure it's fine, Odette."
She snapped, "No, it's not! We have to get this looked at immediately."
Odette raced him to the village doctor, who dabbed ointment on the wound and bandaged his arm. Though the doctor assured her that Aether would be fine, Odette couldn't squash her concern.
"I'm fine, Odette," he promised her on the train ride back. "Really. Don't feel bad about this, okay?"
She nodded. Aether could manage; he was strong. Logically, she knew that. Even so, just looking at Aether's injury sent a deep stab of pain in her heart. Seeing him hurt hurt her, more than the wingelephant's Anemo bullet ever could.
But she managed to calm down as they returned to her house. Once they cooked a meal and shared dinner, she felt a lot better. While washing plates with him, Odette finally realized this was the first time in years, since she was a child training under Signora, that she'd felt genuine pain.
So, Aether could bring back old sensations of pain and pleasure. He made her feel. Knowing that, she dared to hope. Perhaps, being with him could feel good after all. If they touched, what would await her: joy or that unbearable nothing?
The question frightened her more than anything. Because if intimacy with a man like him couldn't bring her joy, what was she? At best, a corpse.
"Odette? Is something wrong?"
His question caught her off guard. She averted her gaze and muttered some quick excuse. But Aether wasn't fooled. He leaned in close and gave her a patient look. She pressed her hands together nervously.
"I…I lost most of my senses training under Signora. And that makes me a little worried about…us."
Her tongue tied, choking on embarrassment. How did she begin to express this? Nothing prepared her for intimacy.
Aether nodded, as if he understood.
He asked, "Are you worried that you won't feel good when we're hanging out together?"
"No, being with you is nice. But," she paused, "I don't know if being with you will make me feel good."
His hand touched hers.
"It might not at first. But I'll keep trying so long as we're dating."
"Are you sure you can stick with that? Your kisses might not make me feel anything."
He just grinned. "Then we'll keep kissing until it does."
Aether cupped her chin. His face asked for permission. Hers answered. Slowly, he brought his lips in for a kiss.
Her heart actually fluttered. Those golden amber eyes gazing into hers with utter tenderness, the gentle warmth of his smile, and the closeness of his body…it made her feel something. Something strange but not at all unpleasant. It was nice.
Aether pulled away too soon.
"So? How was it?"
She managed a smile. "I'd like to savor it more."
So, he leaned in and kissed her once more. Odette touched his chest, dug her fingers through his golden hair, and breathed in his hot breath. There was joy: undeniable, warm joy.
But there was something else. Hunger for so much more.
Odette slipped her fingers under his shirt and caressed his nipples. Aether's hands drifted to her waist, sending a thrill through her body. Their mouths opened wide. Tongues danced as they ground against each other, savoring the other's body.
"Odette," he whispered. "Do you want to keep going?"
"Yes," she replied, reaching for his belt.
In minutes, she had his pants and shirt lying on her bedroom floor and him in her bed. Odette mounted his waist and leaned down, pressing her lips to his. With each kiss, more of her clothes fell off, and her heart raced faster.
This sensation—she could never go numb to something this wonderful. No. The taste of Aether's love would always fill her heart with joy.