Porcelain

29

The mere thought of Charles made Fleurette jolt in the chair and look around. She had to admit, she had completely forgotten about him. None of her thoughts had been spared on him. Did she feel guilty for this? No.

"What about you then?" The old woman pottered past and stood near her. "What are we going to dress you in?"

"...Something comfortable?" Fleurette muttered, the old woman's smile faded and she looked at her.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm fine."

"No you're not, come now you can tell me."

"You're a complete stranger, sorry I mean no offence. I would just rather confess all my troubles to someone I know."

"But talking to someone impartial helps too." The old woman just wasn't dropping it. Fleurette looked at her blankly and slowly stood up. She couldn't be bothered to waste her time in conversing with this woman about all her worldly problems. No, instead she hunted out her sister who was surrounded by at least five different dresses which she liked the look of.

Each one Eleanor tried to get her opinion on. Most of the time Fleurette just repeated herself. They all looked the same, relatively the same. They were all white and had some sort of minor detail on them, so yes. In Fleurette's eyes, they were all the same.

The day ended much like it begun, with Fleurette rolling on her bed. "Are you in pain?"

"Mentally yes, I am suffering."

"Are you going mad?"

"Do I look mad?" She sat up slowly, Erik seemed to deliberate whether she was being sarcastic or not. After all her tone was a hard one so it was hard to pin down. She made a noise and practically collapsed against his shoulder.

Being a little taken back he slowly reached up and put an arm around her. "What is wrong?"

"I don't even want to go there."

"It was that bad?"

"Yes." Fleurette's eyes widened and she stared straight ahead. Erik smiled lightly at her dramatic moment yet didn't voice any opinion on it. "I'm just glad to be home." She yawned quietly, "I can't put up with much more of this."

"It's been one day."

"Oh, Lord you think tomorrow will be the same?!" She exclaimed and jumped away from him.

Erik shook his head and put his hands on her cheeks. "No," he said, she looked relieved. "Because you have rehearsals all day tomorrow." Her relieved expression turned to an exhausted one. "You seem to be so very busy at the moment."

"And you don't! Never took you for being lazy, Erik." Fleurette laughed, he smiled again happy to see that she'd cheered up a bit and wasn't being so mopey.

"I take it you haven't asked your sister about why she kept it all a secret around you?" Erik asked, Fleurette slowly shook her head and looked up at him. "Maybe she'll tell you."

"You think?"

"No."

Fleurette sighed and hung her head in her hands. "You're meant to say the opposite, Erik."

"And give you false hope? All right, yes, Fleurette I believe she is going to tell you."

"We really need to work on your conversation skills, Erik. Honestly we must."

"Maybe another time, my dear. Because you have to go and I'm not meant to be here."

"I'm going somewhere?" Fleurette asked confused just as her name got called out from the end of the stairs which led up into the dancer's quarters. She looked up at Erik, who stood with a rather pleased smile. "All right, wise guy." She stood up and quickly tiptoed to kiss his cheek. "Goodbye, Erik. Talk to you later," Fleurette smiled and walked quickly around her bed and through the door.

——

The next few days was a mixture of hard work and dress shopping. Then more hard work with rehearsals, then more wedding related things. By the end of the week, Fleurette was knackered. She didn't have long however to be tired because yet again she found herself wearing a slightly badly planned out costume. Instead of feathers and netting skirts, this time it was a normal leotard but with ribbons forming a skirt around her legs.

These ribbons, Fleurette had quickly found out during dress rehearsals, were extremely annoying. They'd wrap around her legs and almost trip her up. She wasn't the only one who was struggling with them, but she seemed to be the only person who didn't complain about them. Fleurette honestly didn't see the point of complaining about one costume. She'd be in it for a matter of minutes then she'd be free to change into her own clothes again and watch the end of the show from the wings.

The routine in itself was simple, considering the dancers were so used to getting tricky and awkward moves thrown at them that they'd have to perfect in a matter of days. Fleurette frowned lightly as she ran onto the stage behind Meg. It seemed like the dancing routines were slowly dwindling and the standards of them were slipping. It was very strange admittedly. Gliding around the stage with Meg, Fleurette and her were partners in the routine. They'd join in with the other people on stage before leaping from their space in the corner and twirling in the centre of the stage with the other dancers.

Being two of the youngest in the group their whole part was to try and get the other people to join in with the dance. Whereas the other dancers would just stand idly watching them. In all honesty it was one of the first times where Fleurette had been a main dancer, although alongside her friend, which didn't wholly matter. Gripping hands with each other they danced together and then off of the stage.

Turning in the wings, the two of them watched the dancers finish off their routine before soon following suit and appearing in front of them. Fleurette walked forward to greet her sister but Eleanor grinned sheepishly before rushing in saying she had to meet with Felix. Now looking rather disheartened, she shuffled off to change, not really caring about watching the rest of the show. Meg didn't even realise she had gone, which she thought was good or else she'd stop her from leaving.

"We were always together." Erik looked at Fleurette who had spoken, she was having another silent moment. These were the first words he had heard her say since seeing her after the show. The show had ended a little over three hours ago. Right now they were standing on the rooftop looking over the dimly lit city beyond them. "It's like...I see her...but," Fleurette stopped her sentence and shook her head. "I don't know." Fleurette leaned her arm against the wall and then her head against her hand. "I'm alone."

"No you're not, you are just being dramatic." Erik rolled his eyes, it was clear that Fleurette was having another moping moment. She wasn't alone because she was surrounded by people, unlike himself, he was alone. He was alone apart from having Fleurette as company.

"My only family is going to get married and leave me behind. How is that me being dramatic?" Fleurette shot at him and narrowed her eyes towards a random building.

"You live in the same house, you work in the same place. There is no way in the world that Eleanor would leave you behind."

"She's practically left me behind for a week." At this Erik sighed, it was the truth. Every time he had previously spied the sisters they were always together, laughing and smiling. But over the past week when he had seen them Eleanor had had a rushed conversation with Fleurette before having to run off. He was a little surprised to see how ignorant Eleanor was to how much her disappearing was effecting her little sister.

Looking quickly at Fleurette, a plan formulated in his mind, a plan which he knew full well that Fleurette wouldn't agree with. But the more he pondered over it, the more it seemed to make sense and the more it seemed like he would be helping make Fleurette feel better. "Come," he put an arm around her shoulders. She jumped and looked up at him. "You are shivering, it is cold. Let's go inside," he smiled lightly, Fleurette nodded slowly and walked alongside him back into the building. Letting out a quiet yawn she leaned her head against his shoulder.

——

Reedited: 14/Jan/2022