tears of mercury | beastars

chapter 14. THE SCENT OF THE HOLY GRAIL

𖤣𖥧.𖤣𖥧𓆏𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
━━━━━━━━━━━

(Name) stood by the door to the dressing room, her fingers lightly tapping against her clipboard as she waited for Louis. The tension in the air was palpable, as it always was before a big performance.

Louis, the ever-poised leader of the Drama Club, has entered the dressing room to speak with Bill. She had planned to stay back and wait for him when her headset crackled to life.

"(Name), we need assistance backstage." came the familiar voice of Kibi on her headset.

With a sigh, she adjusted the headset and responded, "On my way." Glancing once more at the dressing room door, she turned and briskly made her way to the backstage area, where the chaos of the stage crew buzzed.

Kibi greeted her with a smile, his striped tail flicking behind him as he handed her a stack of costume pieces. "Thanks for coming. We've got an hour left till the performance, and we're still finalizing the actors' costumes. Can you double-check these?"

"Of course." she said, already scanning the costumes for any missing details.

As she worked, the stage crew hurried around her, ensuring that props and set pieces were in their proper places. Kibi moved efficiently, his small hands deftly organizing costume accessories and checking equipment. Despite the rush, there was a rhythm to the chaos that (Name) had grown accustomed to.

"30 minutes left till the performance!" Kibi reminded everyone once more, his voice cutting through the headsets.

Satisfied with the adjustments, (Name) handed off a few pieces to another crew member and turned her attention to the actors milling around. Her eyes caught an odd moment-Legoshi was sniffing at Bill in a way that made her pause. She tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly.

"W-What? What?" Bill stammered, startled. His striped tail flicked nervously behind him. "This is weird, even for you. . ." he added, sweat forming on his brow.

Legoshi's gaze was intense as he began, "Bill, what-"

Before the conversation could continue, Bill suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! Wait, wait, wait! 30 minutes till the performance?! I'm gonna go to the bathroom then!" He darted off, calling to Kibi as he passed.

"Legoshi?" (Name) muttered under her breath as she watched the gray wolf follow closely behind the tiger.

"Going to the bathrooms together? Well, aren't they carefree." Dom commented from nearby.

"Nah, it looked like Legoshi was chasing him." Kibi observed, his tone curious.

"Wait, what was that, really?" an anteater asked, glancing at Kibi.

Unable to ignore the odd interaction, (Name) joined the conversation. "If that's true. . . didn't it feel kind of scary?" Her gaze lingered on the door they had disappeared through, a sense of curiosity settling in her chest.

Kibi's voice brought her back to the present. "When those two come back, make sure they're ready for their places on stage. We'll need all hands on deck to keep things smooth."

"Got it." she replied, nodding as she moved to the designated waiting area by the door.

A few minutes later, Legoshi was the first to return. His expression was unreadable, though his body language seemed tense. (Name) stepped forward to meet him.

"Are you ready?" she asked, her tone professional but gentle.

He nodded curtly but then hesitated. "Can you adjust my costume?" he asked, his voice low.

"Of course." she said, motioning for him to follow her to the dressing room. Inside, racks of costumes lined the walls, the faint scent of fabric and stage makeup filling the air. Legoshi stopped by a mirror and turned to her.

"I want to look like a villain," he said, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of something darker. "Something that makes an impression."

She studied him for a moment, noting the tension in his shoulders and the way his ears twitched slightly. Without a word, she began selecting pieces from the racks, her hands moving with purpose. She chose a black tailored coat that emphasized his broad shoulders, bandages that littered across his form, and dark shorts that contrasted sharply with his fur.

The outfit accentuated his predatory features, giving him an air of quiet intimidation.

As she adjusted the collar, she couldn't help but notice the subtle clenching of his jaw. He was upset, but not at her.

"There," she said, stepping back to admire her work. "This should do it."

He glanced at himself in the mirror and gave a small nod. "Thank you, senpai." he said, his tone softening slightly.

"No problem." she replied, leading him back to his position backstage.

As soon as Legoshi was settled, Bill approached her. The tiger's usual swagger seemed muted, his steps hesitant. (Name) immediately picked up on the shift.

"Are you ready?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm ready. . ." he said, though his tone lacked its usual confidence. She raised an eyebrow but didn't press him. Instead, she began adjusting his costume, making sure the fit was perfect. She handed him Adler's signature hat and stepped back as Kibi placed the prosthetic mask over his face.

"Don't sweat it too much," she said quietly, offering him a reassuring smile. "Relax, and you'll do fine."

Bill's lips twitched into a small grin, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Thanks, Miya-senpai."

━━━━━━━━━━━

With everyone in place, the play began.

The lights dimmed, and the opening notes of the score echoed through the theater. Bill stepped onto the stage as Adler, his voice starting small with a touch of nervousness as he delivered his lines.

Backstage, (Name) watched closely, her heart pounding with a mix of nerves. This was the moment they had all worked so hard for, and she was determined to ensure that everything went as flawlessly as possible.

As the play progressed, the audience became increasingly confused and disappointed. (Name) can't do anything about it, so she moved swiftly from one part of the backstage area to another, ensuring that every transition went smoothly instead.

She adjusted costumes, handed off props, and offered quiet encouragement to the actors.

When Legoshi's scene arrived, the atmosphere backstage shifted. He stepped onto the stage, his presence commanding. The costume she had chosen for him amplified his natural intensity, and as he delivered his lines, the audience was visibly captivated.

Even from her position backstage, (Name) could feel the weight of his performance.

✅ EDITED