flattery - LYNEY.

scene iii. - the illusion.

the mademoiselle stood at the fountain for hours, thoughts invading her mind, asking her to jump in and drown herself. but another side of her thoughts told her it'd only embarrass her further if she attempted to and didn't succeed.

the gardes surveillance system was infallible, and she also didn't have the heart to initiate something like that in public.

she stood at the edge of the fountain until the rain stopped and she took off her hat, leaving it in the sun beside her to dry.

it wasn't smart of her to choose to go outside without her umbrella, but she also couldn't bear to leave the fountain for a minute to fetch one.

oh, what grief can do to someone's motivation.

she didn't anticipate the magician to come back with a warm coat and a towel under his arm. "aren't you cold? you're all wet, mademoiselle..."

oh, archons. that was even more embarrassing. "no need, i'm returning home," she replied quickly.

"you were standing in the rain this whole time, i wouldn't want you to catch a cold," lyney whispered, his voice laced with concern. he held out the towel, worry reflecting in his violet eyes. "take this."

the magician glowed so brightly under the sun's rays that reflected off the fountain, like he was an angel fallen from heaven. like he was an illusion from the pool of water. it was so blinding... but so beautiful.

the mademoiselle took the towel from his arm and gently began to dry herself, her face heating up under her drenched sleeves and stinging her eyes with sudden tears.

crying so openly was a bad look for her career, and it would drown the media with rumoured concerns, and she was afraid of being looked down upon for being so weak in the face of public...

lyney didn't ridicule her, however. he waited patiently for her to finish, and she felt her stress slowly turn into relief— because he wouldn't let slip a single harmful comment, if he carried any. at least he could preserve her dignity...

"i can take it back from you now, if you'd—"

"oh, no, it's all soggy, I'll take it home and wash it out for you first." the mademoiselle appreciated the kind gesture, but the thought of leaving this towel with him just felt odd to her if she was perfectly capable of washing it clean herself. "... however, i can't thank you enough. is there—"

the magician shook his head quickly, a light chuckle leaving his lips while he smiled. "don't think about returning the favour, mademoiselle, you taking part in my show the other day was the pleasure of a lifetime to me." he took a playful bow, eliciting a small smile from the dancer.

i must look so stupid, the mademoiselle thought to herself, hugging the towel to her chest. ruining my image like this.

"but could i perhaps..." she thought it to be rather vain from a perspective, as if asking to spend time with the magician for fame. but she wasn't after fame, she just felt incredibly lonely.

there was much more waiting for her in her current life, right? meeting the magician could possibly be a new chapter to end her miserable solitary days.

"... if it isn't any trouble, could i perhaps meet with you again? under casual circumstances... nothing fancy."

a simple, odd request from a celebrity to a celebrity.

no cameras, no reservations placed months beforehand, just a simple ... one could call it a date.

——

they both set aside a time for about two hours, just as the sun began to set. the mademoiselle recalled that the moment he arrived seemed very dreamy, in a way. the magician had broken through the evening fog, a harsh tangerine sunlight reflecting off the cloudy haze resting by his shoulders.

they strolled just on the outskirts of the city, talking about all sorts of things. lyney was quick to strike a conversation about hobbies outside of performing life, the topic soon branching into childhood memories...

lyney reminisced his childhood— and it was fairly dark. he left out many of those details, not wanting to plague the conversation further with negative topics.

the ethereal luminance of a rare genuine smile reflecting off the rays of moonlight would forever be engraved into his heart.

his heart yearned for this bliss to last forever, but the moon was already a warning to return home.

"it was a pleasure to spend time with you," lyney told the mademoiselle when they stood in front of their meeting place, the fountain.

a delighted smile spread across her face when he complimented her, and she nudged his hand slightly, "and it was a pleasure to finally meet you."

lyney's heart was pounding hard inside his chest as she brushed her gloved fingers against his. he wasn't supposed to be so drawn to her, as what lynette would tell him. but it was nearly impossible to refuse a warmhearted lady who was beautiful inside and out.

he denied this feeling in front of lynette later that night when he returned home. "i shouldn't, anyway."

he was afraid that... father wouldn't be happy.

but he would set out for her again another day.

—♠