Iridescent, a Resplendent FanFiction (Multi-Shot)

One

The lights dimmed as Erart took his final bow. The curtains closed, and the muscles in his shoulder relaxed. His lungs released a deep breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. It was over. The music had ceased. It had been another successful show, another night where he poured his heart out into his craft. The second his ears had heard the music, all of his efforts went to ballet. All of his focus went into performing the musical and choreographic genius that was Swan Lake. Over the course of his life and his entire dancing career, this had been his favorite show to perform. And contrary to popular casting for the role, he had been cast as the swan. Other dancers that were envious of his casting told him that he was only awarded the role because of his beautiful naturally white hair, but as envy was one of the seven deadliest sins a human could commit as well as one of the easiest, he never took what they said to heart. He knew his hair wasn't the reason but rather it was his talent, skill, and dedication to the sport. Erart never proclaimed this to them, however, because he knew if he did, his pride would overcome him. Instead, he very humbly said that it couldn't possibly be something so trivial. He was just fortunate enough to have been selected.

Erart loved to dance. He had tried other sports before, but there were none that required such poise, precision, and dedication as ballet did. And each day that he practiced, each show that he performed in made him stronger, and stronger was what he wanted to be. He needed to be. Dance was such a competitive sport. In order to succeed, he had to be better than everyone else. It was hard to develop friendships within your circle of fellow dancers because backstabbing was common, too. He had tried his hardest to avoid the drama and to keep the friendships he managed to make, but that was no easy feat especially when he had become the prima ballerina of a show that was designed to have a woman as the lead role. He now walked with a target on his back. Sin was so easy to succumb to, and he wouldn't put it past some to force him out of the way.

Erart left the stage and made his way back to his dressing room. He was tired. His muscles were on fire. Sweat ran down from his brow and coated his pale skin in a shiny slickness. Tonight was another night in which he had poured his heart and soul into his art. He had danced his very hardest, and at the end of the night when the applause from the crowd rang through his ears, he found it was worth it. It always was.

Once he was in the confines of his private dressing room, he stripped out of his costume and padded over to the ensuite bathroom. He turned on the shower and stood under the water as it warmed up. It was cold as all hell, and it made him shiver, but the cold also helped his tired muscles relax. He stood there for a long while, until the water got hot and then cold again. He didn't bother getting out sooner. He didn't want to be swarmed in the lobby. He didn't want to be around his fellow dancers. He just wanted to relax and breathe for a few minutes. When he got out of the shower, he towel-dried his hair and got dressed before leaving out the back alley door of the theatre in sweatpants and a hoodie, his pointe shoes draped around his neck by the ribbon.

The cool winter air bit at him as he walked down the alley. He kind of wished he had blow-dried his hair completely before leaving, but he at least had the tall buildings around him to protect him from the majority of the wind. Just as he got closer to the end of the alley, Erart noticed someone leaning against the brick wall of the theatre, smoking a cigarette. His steps faltered slightly. He was really hoping this was someone just attempting to smoke without the bite of the wind and not someone who wanted to mug him. He was half tempted to turn back and take the long way around, and he would have had the person not started talking to him.

"Honestly, you're a lot ruder than I thought you would be," his milky voice said as he snubbed out his cigarette on the brick wall of the building.

"I beg your pardon?" Erart asked, his brows raised in shock.

"The rest of the cast came to meet the crowd over an hour ago, and here you are slipping out the back. My employer is very disappointed," he said.