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Tweak says, "Pete. Do you love me?"

Thomas McKinnon (forthedefense) wrote in oceancove,
@ 2011-07-31 02:49:00

Entry tags:

c: althea, c: thomas mckinnon

Who: Thomas McKinnon and Althea
What: Following the Swan Lake closing night
Where: The Cove's Performing Arts Center
When: Evening
Rating: TBD

It was no secret that the Talbot Memorial Theater had been named after the principal character in the Wolf Man movie franchise. That is, according to the guide books, which attracted visitors to the Cove annually, many of whom where turned away owing to the Supernaturals Protection Act of 1998 -- a piece of legislation which Thomas McKinnon was intimately acquainted. As it turned out, the fine arts center was not named for a werewolf at all, but after a local businessman who had profited in the post-crash market of the 1940s. As the economy in America grew following the Great Depression, so too did the fine arts scene, resulting in a number of opulent cinematic palaces up and down the Western seaboard.

Thomas arrived late, well after closing hours, when the ushers and patrons had retired for the evening. The success of Swan Lake had entered into a kind of infamy in the Cove and he could remember precisely his actions that night: stealing the bright, young ingénue away from her adoring fans and proposing instead that they share a couple of coney dogs. He'd been surprised that Althea had agreed. Even more surprised by the warmth he'd felt in the center of his chest when speaking to her, as if someone had lit a furnace behind his ribcage.

His actions that night were almost as inexplicable were his whereabouts this evening: standing on the velvet steps in the theater's main foyer, his tie slightly askew from a day's work, wondering what he was doing and why his mind was constantly returning to a blonde with a penchant for walking on her toes.

He migrated back to the dressing rooms, knocking on a particular door with a signature silver star.

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lightshimmers
2011-07-31 07:14 am UTC (link)

It was still puzzling to some (specifically those without as much talent as they believed) that the ability to dance could be acquired through little instruction and so much time spent alone. But a good while back it had been decided by director, producer and choreographer alike that it didn't matter how talent was displayed, only that it was shown forth on an illuminated stage and accompanied by thunderous applause. So when Althea requested unlimited access to the performing arts center without question or hesitation, it was granted to her. And it was consequently not an uncommon feat for the lights to be on in a rehearsal room late into the night and early into the morning. The night maintenance crew were known to her by name (of course they knew her, but she took care to know them, too) and it was one of the more quietly kept secrets through the company.

Such would be the case tonight, for the dressing room was vacant. Althea had returned, out of obligation, to the world of camera flashes and interview after interview, but she had lingered well after the last reporter had rushed off to meet their deadline. There had been exchanged words of gratitude and congratulations on another show well done, and then Althea had been alone in the darkening arts center.

Ten minutes after that, she had changed into the simple attire of leotard and tights, the sound of her steps almost silent against the tiled floors. Now she was alone in the larger of the practice rooms, the lights flickered into brightness and the stereo system playing music for her accompaniment. She of course preferred the orchestra or the pianist, but the hour was too late to request the presence of anyone else. Althea would never want for anyone's inconvenience on her behalf.

A simple routine of stretches at the barre came and went, and then Althea gave herself over to the music - and to the dance.

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forthedefense
2011-07-31 07:22 am UTC (link)

The drone of his knock echoed deep, and Thomas leaned his ear to the door by instinct, wanting to know how deep and dark was the room beyond. Three seconds and he had not heard an answer so he tried the knob, which gave easily under his touch. He heard a faint orchestral sound -- not a full fifty piece conglomerate -- and knew by sound that it had to be a recording, perhaps a CD, used for training.

The strings reached into the heights of the practice studio, booming over the hollow spaces between carved cherubs, and Thomas was greeted by the presence of plaster angels before he saw the interior of the practice studio -- complete with a mirror stretching the entirety of the far right wall.

He saw a shadow spinning across the reflection and his breath caught in his throat.

He dared not speak; she moved like she was a part of the air, a component of the atmosphere itself.

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lightshimmers
2011-07-31 07:30 am UTC (link)

Where there was dance, there was the chance to be whatever one chose. It wouldn't be unlikely to believe one could fly, at that, though flight might be limited to the tour jeté in reality's eyes. But the lines between fantasy and reality could blur when the lights had dimmed and the music was playing, and Althea liked that notion of in between.

Here, if she wanted to fly, she could.

The music changed tracks, giving way to something slower, gentle, and Althea moved with it. Her steps were light, carrying her across the wooden floor in a series of twirls, each giving way into the other without warning. The music built upon itself, and so too did the steps she took, the story she told.

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forthedefense
2011-08-02 03:24 am UTC (link)

She danced as naturally and fluidly as some people walked -- even more gracefully, if possible. She danced as if she had been doing it forever and, in some ways, Thomas supposed that wasn't far from the truth. He had spent an afternoon at the Cove City library, buried in the stacks between Fey and Folklore, trying to read her history. What he had come up with was mostly conjecture with a few yellowed facts; he had stepped out of the dark cave of the library and into the sunlight with little more information than when he'd gone in.

Watching her dance now, he knew that there were things about her that couldn't be found in any book.

He stepped between the bars of light, watching.

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lightshimmers
2011-08-02 03:34 am UTC (link)

As much as it might be frowned upon, Althea frequently moved with her eyes closed, letting dance and music carry her to a place no words would be able to. It was said that a dancer shutting their eyes cut off a window to the core of their being - and to their heart - but Althea lost herself when the music began to play. That was enough for her, and it was the story she tried to tell through movement.

Now, though, the music was gentle and so too were her movements. One leg extended with the other on pointe, reaching towards something that existed higher in the heavens than she could reach, but tried for all the same. A slow pirouette and then a trio of faster ones still brought her to a careful stop, facing the shadowed angles and lines the room gave off.

And slowly, a smile moved across her lips to reach her eyes. Because now, she wasn't alone.

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	forthedefense 2011-08-05 04:18 pm UTC (link)
	She had turned and stopped and that graceful neck had come up, attentive. She looked his way and Thomas was sure that she'd seen him; surer still that he was turning eight shades of red because of it. Hands in his pockets, he stepped out of the dark. His expression was sheepish, open. "Hi," he said, "I hope I'm not interrupting." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lightshimmers 2011-08-06 12:37 am UTC (link)
	Her eyes lit up, and there was an unchecked delight in her gaze. She hadn't known he was there, but the surprise was one she was welcoming. How he'd found her, she didn't know. But that didn't matter. "Not at all." Her smile is soft. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

forthedefense
2011-08-06 01:31 pm UTC (link)

"I ah, was in the neighborhood and thought that I'd drop by." The wall of mirrors caught his awkward gesticulation and he brought his hand up to the back of his neck, trying to hide the fact that he had very much not been in the neighborhood, but had taken two taxis to get here. The tug of a smile at the corner of her mouth was worth it, though. She didn't seem displeased to see him.

"You dance beautifully."

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lightshimmers
2011-08-06 10:29 pm UTC (link)

She was far from displeased. Althea was thrilled he'd come to see her, whether he was in the neighborhood or had ventured far out of his usual path. She wouldn't judge him for either one, but neither was displeasing because regardless, the result would bring him to her.

"I am glad you chose to come," she said, leaving her standing place towards the floor's center to come a few steps nearer to him. "And you are very kind. Thank you." A second of a pause came as she looked back over her shoulder to her reflection in the mirror, and then back to his face again.

"Since I began here, I requested the freedom to use the studios past their usual operating hours. It is a luxury I afford myself whenever I am able."

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forthedefense
2011-08-08 06:43 pm UTC (link)

Thomas didn't see it so much as a luxury as, well, a benefit. Althea was the theater's principal ballerina and her performance in Swan Lake had stirred up a lot of renewed interest in the performing arts. He figured that the Powers That Be would want to keep their star very happy; it seemed the least that they could do would be to offer her time to practice on her own.

"How long do you usually practice?" he asked. "I thought maybe we could get a bite to eat. If you're hungry, I mean." He didn't know how rigorously she stuck to a training schedule, or if she restricted her diet before a performance. She had tucked into the coney dogs with gusto, though, as he remembered.

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lightshimmers
2011-08-09 12:30 am UTC (link)

She was hungry, whether she admitted it to herself before now or not. Althea tended to ignore the insistence of her own body when she was lost in dance. It wasn't an intentional thing the way other dancers did, but rather that the dance and music were so encompassing, she forgot anything else around her.

"I would like that." Her smile was real, genuine. "I have one final thing I would like to try, before I go." A pause. "You could help me, if you like."

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	forthedefense 2011-08-09 05:58 pm UTC (link)
	"Sure," he agreed, "but I'm not sure how much help I can be." He raised his arms halfway from his sides. "I passed the Bar, but I'm not sure I'd make a good one." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lightshimmers 2011-08-10 12:15 am UTC (link)
	Althea giggled and shook her head once. "Oh, you will not be a barre," she said, stepping closer and into his immediate area of space. "For this, you will have to move." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	forthedefense 2011-08-11 12:38 am UTC (link)
	"Then where do you want me?" he asked, taking a neat step backward, adopting (what he thought) was a reasonable impression of a ballet dancer's stance. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lightshimmers 2011-08-11 01:41 am UTC (link)
	He looked so awkward and uncomfortable that all Althea could do for another moment was giggle once more. Her smile reached her eyes, and then she stepped to close the space between them. "The first thing you should do," she said, "is relax. Really, I mean this. Relax. For a few moments, do not think of anything that is outside of this room." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

forthedefense
2011-08-11 12:13 pm UTC (link)

"That's not difficult," he said, his heart taking the bit by the teeth to make a run for it. He smiled, looking down into her upturned face, doing his best to obey. A moment, consideration, and he shrugged out of his blazer, slinging it over the barre. His dress shirt was the color of a ripe plum. He pushed his sleeves up to the elbows and settled on the balls of his feet. He tried channeling calm through the top of his head to the bottoms of his feet, imagining the blue ohm that all the meditative types used.

"You remember the last time we danced," he added, embarrassment mingled with mirth, "I'm not making any promises that this time will be any kind of improvement." But his smile communicated that he was willing to try.

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lightshimmers
2011-08-11 12:31 pm UTC (link)

"I do remember. " There was no hint of a condescending tone or any indication of displeasure, only a bright note that colored the edges of her voice and smile. Althea remembered very well their first dance. She didn't think she would ever forget it - because she didn't want to. It was a memory she preferred to keep.

Althea shifted from the ball of one foot to the other, a little stretching motion, then closed the remaining distance between them. Her hands lifted to his shoulders, palms resting there, light and warm.

"Which is why I have asked you again."

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	forthedefense 2011-08-11 07:46 pm UTC (link)
	Thomas's eyebrows went up in silent volley. The pressure of her hands was slight, but direct. He was aware of the coolness of her fingertips through the fabric of his shirt. This close, she smelled faintly of talcum powder and flowers. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lightshimmers 2011-08-11 08:06 pm UTC (link)
	She smiled and lingered that way a moment before her hand joined his. Her grasp was soft and sure. "The first step is to be close," she said. "Like this. You will have to extend your arm while I move outwards, then pull me back in. " (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	forthedefense 2011-08-12 12:50 am UTC (link)
	"I think I can manage that." He slid his thumb into the center of her palm, the rest of his long fingers fanned out across the back of her hand. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lightshimmers 2011-08-12 02:14 am UTC (link)
	A smile crept at the corners of her lips. "I think you can, too." Althea stepped back a half pace, to balance herself on the ball of one foot. It was effortless now, something she had done for years. "Ready?" She gave him the benefit of her smile again, and then began to twirl. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	forthedefense 2011-08-13 04:14 pm UTC (link)
	Thomas pushed the ball of his foot to the floor and reeled out his arm, watching as she spun away like a top. Her fingertips jumped in his palm each time she did a revolution, and each touch was like a crack of electricity. After a few moments he pulled gently, syncing her back into his orbit. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lightshimmers
2011-08-13 06:18 pm UTC (link)

It was an easy enough step if she were to be honest with herself, but Althea never gave herself any kind of chance to become too confident. She wanted to consistently improve.

His touch was warm, careful, and she didn't mind either. At the pressure of his arm she moved, spinning back in and towards him. Her arm found a resting place across his shoulders and her leg bent at the knee, just enough to move against the outside of his own.

"See? I do not believe you to be as poor a dancer as you think."

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	forthedefense 2011-08-15 09:12 pm UTC (link)
	The touch registered in his eyes. "You're doing all the work," he said, "I just stand here." He squeezed her fingers. Smiled. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lightshimmers 2011-08-16 12:18 am UTC (link)
	"We can change that." Her eyes danced with mischief, her thumb tucked into his palm. "Easily. Are you up for the task?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)