Who: Marguerite St. Just and Percy Blakeney What: Rescheduled not-date. Adorableness. When: 14 -October Where: Tea shoppe Warnings: Adorableness to high proportions? Status: Log | Complete
The run of Oliver! had been so well received that they had been given a third weekend and Marguerite was excited for that. As much as she tried to avoid dwelling too much about the Dreams, sometimes it was hard. Especially when they dealt with Chauvelin and his obsessive nature. All things considered, life was okay. Well, her paranoia aside. One of these days she’d be able to not feel wary, but it had only been a month and she wasn’t sure. Not yet.
But that didn’t matter. Not here and now. No. She and Percy had agreed to meet up for tea to talk. Which...okay that could get complicated because of the Dreams as well. At least on her end as she did not know if he had gotten far enough into them to have met her yet. Even so, she enjoyed his company and not just because of the Dreams. Really it was an in spite of the Dreams situation for her.
The day was agreed upon as was the time and part of Marguerite hoped that this would become a regular occurrence. So for now, she waited and flipped through audition notices. Part of her regretted that she had to turn down the chance to audition on Broadway, but with everything that had happened, she wasn’t really convinced it was safe to. No, she would hopefully have another chance later on. And it wasn’t as if she was lacking in shows here.
Even though the circumstances had been well out of his control, Percy was still disappointed that he had missed Marguerite’s opening weekend, and one of their strange ‘not dates.’ Of course, they had talked about what had happened, and she understood which he was grateful for. However, Percy felt he was disappointed for more personal and selfish reasons. Breaking his promise to be there was hard, but Percy felt like maybe those strange feelings around her that he noticed on their first ‘not date’ were becoming something harder to ignore than he had anticipated.
The fact that this morning, just prior to waking up and getting ready to meet Marguerite, Percy dreamed about proposing to her.
It had taken him by surprise, but his dreams about her, having met her after a show, attending some of her productions, all through the veil of another time, he wasn’t surprised that he had proposed. His dream self was just as much enchanted by her as his waking self was. Percy called her a faery and a faery he believed she was.
Arriving at their typical meeting place, Percy smiled upon seeing her. “You look lovely today. No flower crown?”
Looking up as Percy showed up, Marguerite smiled then laughed softly at the comment about her lack of flower crown this time.
“Well, sometimes it is best not to reveal too much of one’s self in public. Safety, you understand. If everyone were to know I were a faery queen, well then. That might get complicated.”
Marguerite was learning with each not-date they went on, that regardless of her concerns and worries, she relaxed in Percy’s presence, and after the paranoia and fear she had felt when he hadn’t shown, it was a relief. And troublesome. Because she didn’t want to follow the route of the dreams, where suddenly he would be distant and everything felt like a lie. Not to mention being in prison in her Dreams because she had gone to save her brother but had been found out. So much for that plan.
“So, how have you been following the craziness of being stuck to a doctor?”
“I see,” he replied, mock seriousness in his tone with a smile on his face. He took his seat with a small shake of his head. “I’m afraid I’m still learning the etiquette of your land.”
It never failed to surprise Percy how easy it was to fall into conversation with Marguerite, as if they had known each other for years. He had learned a little about her from her brother and his dreams about her added small details about her personality, but there was something else, something outside both of those things, that made him feel so comfortable in her presence. Percy had yet to put words to that feeling, yet at the same time, he believed that somehow the magic and foreignness of it added to its charm and shouldn’t be defined so concretely.
“I’ve been trying to catch up with the cases I had left hanging. Of course, no damage was done, but I was under pressure to get through them with careful haste.” The entire tethering event had been a test on his nerves, even though the woman, Martha had been pleasant enough. “How have you been? And the show is going well I’ve heard.” Percy had gone the other day, though he hadn’t announced he was going. In fully intended to go again. “I intend to see it soon. I have already arranged for my ticket.”
“Yes, it can be quite dangerous. But that is more than fine as I am willing to teach you.”
As it were, it would seem the faery queen mantle would remain Marguerite’s for the foreseeable future. Not that she was complaining. It always managed to bring a smile to her no matter how stressed she was about something. Though that was Percy as well in general. She had known it when they had run into one another when she was hallucinating, that she was in too deep, and she continued to find herself falling deeper and deeper, and she liked it. It transcended words and time and dreams and just… was. And for someone who did her best to live in the here and now and take each moment, well, it was tantalizing.
“I am relieved to hear no damage was done.” Marguerite had no knowledge of Percy’s attendance to a performance already, but she smiled as he mentioned it seeming to be going well. “I’ve been busy. But yes, it has been going well. Lucky for you, we have been extended through the 19th, so there’s still time for you to see it. After that though, I do not know. It depends on if any auditions come up.” Ones she could take in good conscience without worry like the one in New York.
“It is good that I am willing to learn,” Percy responded with a smile.
Once he had settled in to his seat, it was almost as if the rest of the world fell away. No doubt it was because of Marguerite, but the sensation was so foreign to him — losing sight of the rest of world to just see one piece of it. Percy couldn’t argue with the piece he could see, but he had always been so observant that losing that consciousness of his surroundings was off-putting.
“I’m thankful it was nothing more serious, and however frustrating, we had some measurement of distance. We weren’t walking as if tied together for a relay, and I greatly appreciate that leniency on the part of whatever power oversees Orange County.” Marguerite’s smile was just as enchanting as he remembered, and if he hadn’t already been lost, he assumed it would have pulled him further in. “Good busy, I hope. And that is quite fortunate. It seems I did not endure that tether without some good luck to redeem it. Are there any rumours of auditions coming up?” Percy had never been too fond of theatre, but where she was concerned, he had more than enough interest to sustain his curiosity. Perhaps he was growing to like theatre in general through her. Time would tell.
“Well that is certainly good that there was leniency.” The situation itself was complicated enough no doubt for those who had been affected. Leniency to give them room to have some space was certainly better than what had happened the month previous with the nightmares and sleep issues. “Ah, if only we knew what powers those may be.”
And really, it would be nice. Nice to understand the purpose of the Dreams and what they meant. To understand the things that happened. Not that she didn’t like a good mystery, but with the way things worked in Orange County….
There was a flicker, however faint, at the mention of auditions. She didn’t blame Armand, and she would do anything to protect him. Which meant that he could never know about the audition she had to give up in order to ensure his well being. But it was gone and she shrugged.
“Nothing concrete, but rumours, yes. There is a show opening on Broadway in April, they had a very well received run in Boston at the American Repertory Theatre. Either way, I’ve heard some things about a potential limited run here. I do not know if anything has been solidified but I have been informed that I was being considered for a role, as has been our Oliver.”
Percy nodded. “It made an otherwise unbearable situation somewhat tolerable.” He was deeply curious about whatever powers lorded over them here in Orange County. Not once until he set foot here did he have strange dreams about an old life that was painfully familiar, nor did he come across people suddenly suffering from nightmares and hallucinations, and still never still had he found himself tied by an unseen force to a stranger. Percy believed without a doubt that he was not the only one curious by all of this, though it seemed everyone was in the dark like he was. “If only,” he echoed. Though Percy wanted to know more about these dreams, about why they felt so familiar, why they felt like memories, he had always preferred to tackle problems he had confidence he could solve first. The strangeness surrounding Orange County would hover in the back of his mind, but until he had more information on it, he didn’t want to waste his time trying to figure it out.
The flicker that came over Marguerite’s expression wasn’t lost on him. Even though whatever this relationship they have is still young, there was something about it that reached deeper than he thought it could, that he could read her expression with familiarity like he did.
“It would not surprise me to learn they offered you a role,” Percy stated with a soft smile. “What surprises me is that you haven’t been stolen away by Broadway by now.” He wondered how she would respond to that leading question, though he hoped she would not react terribly to it. At the heart of it, Percy was almost positive that if she ever had been approached by them, she would have refused to watch over her brother. It was clear that the siblings had a strong bond, strong enough that they would give up what they wanted for the other. It wouldn’t have been a shock to learn she had given up Broadway to stay here for Armand if it was indeed true.
There wasn’t much that could be said about the strangeness of Orange County. It usually only lasted a few days and it seemed there had been enough room to make it not terribly awkward. Oh it undoubtedly must have still been awkward, but it could always have been worse. Thankfully it wasn’t and hopefully those who had been affected were not having lasting repercussions from jobs or personal affairs because of it.
Then the leading question. The mention of Broadway caused her to look down at the table to get her thoughts together. There had of course been the initial chance before her foster mother had gotten ill, which had brought her back to Orange County in the first place. And then, Chauvelin. It was brief, enough time for the server to bring tea and then Marguerite sighed.
“I’ve had a couple of opportunities. I had been on tour with A Little Night Music before doing a run of a show in Atlanta. When it ended, I learned that our foster mother was ill and so I came back out here to help her and then settle her affairs after she died…” That was something else of itself, “Then there was a call about a chance to audition in New York for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, but that was right before I got the call from the hospital about Matthew…” And that was pretty much self explanatory. The lengths Chauvelin had gone made it impossible in that moment to accept it. The fact that there was no way to know where he was now just made it worse.
Shrugging it off, Marguerite took a sip of her tea.
“Either way, there have been plenty of opportunities for me here, and if they do decide to do the limited run of Finding Neverland, I hope to be apart of it.”
Percy waited in silence as Marguerite seemed to think over the pointed statement he had made. It wasn’t an issue he intended to press if she ultimately didn’t acknowledge it, but he was at once curious as to whether his assumptions were correct and deeply interested in the woman who would without question throw aside other things in her life that she desired for the sake of others. He, himself, was not naturally so good at heart and had worked to overcome the selfishness he had in him to do the good he does now. But for Armand and Marguerite, those things seemed to come as if there was no other way to act. It inspired him and he was almost a little jealous for it.
“Circumstance has not treated you well,” he commented, remembering back on the incident with Matthew and Chauvelin. In his home office, Percy still had files on the man that were collecting dust, but with his disappearance, there is not much Percy can do, especially with no one pressing charges. “But that’s not the only thing that’s holding you back.” Taking a sip of his own tea with those words hanging in the air, he regarded Marguerite, how she shrugged off losing such great opportunities as if they were nothing. “Though you have the strength to see past all of it, which is inspiring.” He could only hope that one day, she would be rewarded for the good she has done and what’s she’s given on for the sake of others.
“I would not be surprised to hear them doing the run if only for the honour of casting you in it.” It was almost too much of a compliment, and if it had been paid to anyone else, Percy would have cringed at his own words. But seeing her perform, how natural she was with it, made him believe in each word wholeheartedly.
“Until I know where Chauvelin actually is, until I know he is not a threat, I don’t feel comfortable leaving. His training from the army and working for the CIA..” He could be underground for all they knew. “But Armand can’t know. He feels bad enough, if he realized I passed up the chance to audition for Broadway because of that, because I want to ensure his safety…. he’d never forgive himself.” And for that reason alone, she couldn’t let Armand know. He was seeming to be doing better since all of that had happened, no need to make him feel guilt over the actions of an obsessive man.
“I try to. It’s not always easy, but we have one shot at our lives, why waste it regretting things that have or have not happened?” Dreams aside. Marguerite wasn’t exactly sure what they meant in the long run, but they only had one life so she was going to embrace it, the things that went well and the things that took time to get over. “No, I would much rather live my life as it happens.”
Which admittedly could also lead to poor decisions, case in point Chauvelin. It bothered her that he had turned out to be like his Dream self, seemingly worse in some regards, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. He wasn’t there as far as she knew, but she also knew better than to let her guard down. She could make a life here, it didn’t have to be horrible. She did smile at the comment about how they would undoubtedly do the performance just to cast her. Anyone else and it would seem off, yet from Percy…
“Why thank you. I do hope to be able to.”
Chauvelin was a heavy dark cloud that hung over them, and though Percy was new and somewhat detached from the situation, he could feel the shadow hang over him just the same. He still remembered how genuinely concerned and honestly, afraid he felt when Armand had texted him. Even though his friend was intoxicated, Percy had no reason to believe he was over-exaggerating. In the same breath, Percy had a connection with Armand and his sister that learning they were in danger motivated him to become involved, even at the threat of risk coming to himself.
“Until he resurfaces, unfortunately there isn’t anything any of us can do.” Just admitting that out loud was frustrating to him, but it was the truth. They had to live with that cloud over on the horizon, and Percy only wished he could do more to give her some sense of safety. “You’re right however - there’s no reason to stop living. I’m certain that is something that kind of person would have wanted to happen to you and Armand.” What Percy was able to read about Chauvelin, he had started to get a better idea of who the man was, but he had only spoken to him once when he had first utilised the network. Percy almost regretted that, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
Even now, Marguerite was worrying over her brother. “You can trust I won’t say anything to him,” he stated. Things like this were better discussed between them and not instigated by a third party. Percy never made it a habit to start trouble, and it wasn’t his place to pass this information back and forth. He also didn’t want to sacrifice the trust he had with her by talking about this behind her back.
Percy bought his teacup up to his lips as a smile finally came back to Marguerite’s face. Like always, it was infectious and a smile returned to his own. “I would hope to be in attendance at those performances.”
“I know.” And she did. It was frustrating, but that was what it was. She wasn’t blind to that fact and to pretend that there was nothing to worry about would undoubtedly lead to more problems. No. Best she just accept it, figure out how to live her life despite it and not let it control her. One thing she was good at was living her own life despite what was thrown at her, this was no different. Just as the Dreams were not different. “Someone with that much need for control? It most certainly is. And simply put, I refuse to be controlled like that. I am my own person, we all are.”
At least it seemed Percy understood why she didn’t want Armand to know. That was a relief, though not terribly surprising. “Thank you.” She probably hadn’t needed to worry about that, but it was better to have it said and agreed upon as opposed to it somehow coming up and then Armand feeling unnecessary guilt.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” It was strange and exhilarating how easy conversations continued to remain between them. How they could flow from the darkness Chauvelin brought to the theatre and performing and just normal talk. “If you’re lucky, Armand may even let you take part of his opening night ritual. Assuming he is in a sharing mood, of course.”
She was thankful that her brother had moved on from his trying to sabotage relationships from when they were younger, though if he would be willing to share that even with someone he trusted like Percy, that was something she wasn’t completely sure about. But she felt that it would be fine.