CREATURE

・chapter 12・

Julian dropped to his knees and grabbed the hem of her nightdress, looking up at his lover pleadingly. Asya crossed her arms over her chest and thwacked him over the head before marching off stage, clearly not buying her lover's apology for coming home late with lipstick on his cheek.

With one last dramatic eye roll to the audience as if to say 'Men!', she disappeared into the wings. Julian set off after her, pulling a face to the audience as if to say 'Women!' and joined her backstage.

Asya had hardly tossed her arms over her best friend's neck to say congratulations when the applause started bursting out of the audience, clapping and bravos ringing in her ears.

They nailed it.

Everything, the choreography, the comedic timing, partnering, everything, it all just worked. She let out a shaky laugh as Julian lifted her off the floor and cracked a joke about Harold and Brittany. She laughed again and tightened her grip on him, unable to form any coherent sentence that could do the moment justice.

On stage the master of ceremonies was handed the microphone and jokingly added that Harold has learnt his lesson about staying out too late and that he thought they'll work things out eventually. As much as both of them wanted to relish in the glory of stepping off stage after a successful performance, Julian had to make a quick change into his tap costume and Asya had to get ready for her own solo.

Still smiling ecstatically they dashed to the bathrooms opposite the lounge where they'd left their costumes, and Asya wished her friend good luck in case she didn't get to see him before he went on stage again. She shut the bathroom door behind herself and let out a shallow sigh, resting her head against the oak for a few moments. One down, two to go.

She had the bathroom to herself since Katherine was on stage performing her pas de deux with James, although Asya wouldn't have minded the company while she got changed. She unhooked a clear plastic sheet from one of the stall doors and changed into her solo costume. It was a long-sleeved black velvet leotard that had been tailored specifically for her by the Opera House's wardrobe department, and with her exact measurements at their disposal they'd managed to make the inky garment cling perfectly to her small frame.

She fastened the clips in the back of her neck and did a quick half-turn in the mirror above the sink, rising onto her tippy-toes to check the leotard's fit over her upper body. With an excited pirouette on the balls of her feet she sat down on the checkered floor and changed out her satin-finish pointe shoes for a matte pair. She wasn't wearing tights under the black leotard, and needed her shoes to elongate her legs. She braced herself on her hands and kneeled into the shoes to check their fit, happily noting that the shank hit the arch of her feet just right.

Before she slipped out of the bathroom she touched up her lipstick and pulled on some loose grey tracksuit pants to keep her bare legs warm. She made her way back to the stage to see if she could catch any of Julian's tap solo, breathing a sigh of relief when she heard the violin music still playing.

Bastian had commissioned the foxy solo for him from an old friend, knowing that Julian had kept up his tap training while he was at the Royal Ballet School. He had so much natural showmanship and musicality and it was a smart move on Bastian's part to rope him in for the tour as a more dynamic component to the program. 

While Julian wrapped up his solo she changed out of her sweatpants and checked her shoes one last time, bending over to test the tension in the shanks. As straightened back up her head started spinning, black dots springing up across her vision before she swayed slightly on her feet.

She quickly regained her balance, and shook out her legs and hands to get her blood flowing to her limbs. Eating would have been a waste. She liked feeling empty when she performed, all she had to do was watch herself in any sudden movements and she'd be fine. Nothing to worry about.