Ballad of Blue, Aqua and Black
Grayson sighed heavily, his long legs propped up on the table in front of him, head resting back on his chair as he listened to the umpteenth bimbo belting her heart out to a song, hitting sour notes and making him cringe a little more each time until eventually he plugged his ears and groaned, making him receive a smack on the back of his head from his employer to his right.
"Show a little composure and act your age, remember boy, we have an image to uphold." The older man's posh accent made Grayson open his grey eyes and look up at the stage as the blonde woman bowed less than gracefully. The lights brightened a bit, revealing more of the theater. Grayson blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light as he glanced around, the old theater was empty save for a few people there to audition for an upcoming musical. While Grayson himself was not there to audition, his charge Melodi was, and where she had to be--Grayson had to follow. Their Employer, Giovanni, was a good friend of the director and had often supplied him with singers or actors.
Grayson pulled on the collar of his shirt, sighing heavily as people inside the theater started talking, idle chat would delay the time even further that it would take for Melodi to get on stage and do her act. The longer he would have to sit there and listen to other acts.
"How many do we have left to sit through?" Grayson grumbled like a child stuck with a parent on an unpleasant errand.
"It is almost her turn." Giovanni sighed, "Although I will admit it has been a rather long time." He glanced down at his pocket watch in his hand and sucked his teeth. "I didn't expect he would want to see her last of all, or we would have arrived fashionably late."
"She was the lead in his last musical." Grayson grumbled, thinking back to that audition and cringed again-to 'sweet' for his taste. "Why didn't he just let her go first?"
"Because it is unprofessional." Giovanni scolded tensely as the woman left the stage and a man/woman couple took the stage, signing a love duet with as much love as a paper bag in a rainstorm. "No one woman is made for every role, so he must see them all." He closed his pocket watch and tucked it into his breast pocket. "However, with the song she will be singing, it's almost a guarantee she will be lead." He smirked, watching as the man tripped on stage, the music stopping suddenly.
"Please tell me it's not Far Longer Than Forever," Grayson started to groan.
"Of course not, you can't simply wow with a repeat performance for a lead. This one is much different than that song." Giovanni sighed and pinched the skin between his eyes. "However, it is for naught if he makes the wrong choice before she gets on stage."
"I thought you said no one woman is perfect for every role?" Grayson smirked, pulling his legs down and snickering as the man and woman left the stage, his nose busted from the fall. "How can you be so sure she will cinch it?"
"There isn't one, but you just need to sell it right." Giovanni smirked and looked sideways at Grayson who put one arm on the back of his chair and pursed his lips in thought. "Melodi's talented, she's already made a name for herself at such a young age, she's beautiful..."
"She also loud-mouthed, short and a ticking time bomb. A diva in every sense of the word." Grayson rolled his eyes, digging in his pocket for his lighter and removing his cigarette from the top of his ear. "Ain't this set in the past?"
"A period piece yes, set in the time of war." Giovanni watched as Grayson lit the small cigarette and took a few draws silently. "What was your point?"
"Ladies back then were a lot softer. Less loud and angry..." He held the cigarette between his fingers, tapping it on an ashtray to rid it of the used end, "Think she can cover up her true nature without seeming as fake as them?"
"Giovanni?" a soft voice called from the stage, both men turned to see a woman dressed in an old style Victorian dress of burgundy, gold, and black. Her long thick black locks where done up in long ringlet curls and her makeup was subtle and soft, making her look like a doll. "Alexander never showed."
A few moments of silence past before the words sank in to the older man who jumped to his feet angrily.
"What do you mean he never showed!"
"I'm saying we have no Alexander." Melodi sighed, Grayson rolled his eyes-he hated how dramatic every aspect of this woman's life was. From the overseas 'Mr. Perfect' boyfriend, to how she acted at home when confronted with Grayson's different living style. "What do we do? Should I sing something else?"
"What's going on?" an overly flamboyant voice called from further up in the audience seats. The director of the upcoming play stood and crossed his arms, looking highly annoyed. "Melodi baby talk to me!"
"Her duet partner didn't show!" Giovanni called, getting up from the table and going to stand near the stage. "Can you do your part without his?" He put one hand to his mouth and the other on his hip. "He only has.... what..." he started counting on his fingers, mind racing. "Five lines? And four of them are 'Angelica'." He turned as Melodi crossed her arms.
"It won't be the same feeling I believe," She sighed. "Singing a duet and removing a part, it feels half done, can we recruit a male duet singer from one of the groups?"
Giovanni started shaking his head when he looked over at Grayson who was putting out his cigarette, blowing out the grey smoke skillfully from the side of his mouth. Giovanni grinned and snapped his fingers, getting both Melodi's attention and Grayson's immediately.
"You'll do it. You'll be Alexander." Giovanni pointed at Grayson whose face radiated fear. "Its five lines, you'll basically just be up there as a prop." he snapped his fingers again and Grayson stood, groaning in protest.
"I don't know what song she's singing or when to say the parts..." He hissed as he walked over to his boss, pulling on his tie in nervousness. "I'm hired muscle, not a performer. I hate musicals, they're so boring!"
"You can read, can't you?" Giovanni scoffed, brushing past the younger man and snatching up a briefcase from the floor beside the table they had been seated at.
"Well I mean.... yeah.... but..." Grayson stammered as Giovanni opened the case and grabbed a paper, holding it out to him. Grayson scanned the paper quickly in the dim light of the theater, lines in small print where labeled 'Angelica' and bigger, bold type was 5 lines beside the name 'Alexander'.
"Just say those lines, you don't even have to sing it, just talk and stand there, let her do her thing." Giovanni gave him a look over his shoulder that told him that he shouldn't argue. As Grayson looked over the lines, Giovanni looked up to Melodi on stage. "Can you work with that?"
"Absolutely!" Melodi smiled politely, nodding her head in a graceful bow. She turned as Grayson looked up at the stage, giving him a smirk that annoyed him. He clenched the paper in his hand and went to the stairs at the far side of the stage. There was a flurry of feet as stagehands set up a scene with a door and a desk, complete with papers and a chair.
"Go stand by the desk." Giovanni ordered, walking over to the stage again as Grayson quickly crossed the wooden floor, brushing past Melodi who was taking deep breaths and smoothing out a section of her dress. "Melodi, playing the part of Angelica, is going to knock. Start with the first line, then just play off her energy." Grayson cocked one of his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest. "You'll understand once she gets started."
"If you say so Boss." Grayson unrumpled the paper and read over the short script quickly, turning his back to the door as it was open.
"If you do it right," The loud director in the audience seats called out, "You and everyone in the place will be covered in goosebumps!"
"Goosebumps?" Grayson asked, looking up at where the voice had come from, unable to see the man because of the light shining down on him, blinding him. "I've never gotten goosebumps from music before." He shook his head, feeling like this was the biggest waste of time.
"Melodi dear, don't disappoint me!" The voice called out, Grayson glanced over to Melodi who bowed gracefully, lifting part of her dress, looking the part of a true lady. A stagehand closed the door, blocking Grayson's sight of Melodi as the lights softened down a bit. Grayson turned his back to the door and quickly looked at the words once more, trying to associate his lines with the key ending words of Melodi's lyrics.
A piano and violin started up softly from speakers somewhere, and a knock startled Grayson into turning around, seeing Melodi step through the door. Her face was...different. Normally her face was so reserved and cool, almost cold toward him. But her eyes, they held this warmth and kindness as she laid them on his, her body soft instead of rigid and stiff as she glided into the fake room and smiled sweetly.
"Angelica?" Grayson stuttered, tripping up over his own words, nearly saying her real name instead of the part she was playing.
"Alexander!" Melodi's voice was ethereal, soft and calling as if she was close with this imaginary man that Grayson was pretending to be. She came forward and embraced him as she held the note, her hands flat on his back and pulling him against her for just a moment. Her head resting against his chest, before her voice turned icy and familiar, her hands gripping his suit--nails digging into his back. "Congratulations..."
Grayson pulled her back away from him and looked down at her with confusion, what could possibly warrant such a change in a person from the embrace of a lover to the coldness of an enemy? Her look was annoyed now, her soft nude colored lips pursed for just a moment in an angry pout before putting her hands on her hips and snapping at him.
"You have invented a new kind of stupid," She put arm under her breast, pressed up by the shape of the dress, her other hand up to her face as if she was annoyed with him. "A 'damage you can never undo" She flicked her hand out away from her, her bangs moving with the motion, "kind of stupid," She turned and held out her hands as if she was showing him something cupped in them. "An 'open all the cages in the zoo" She reached up and slapped him on the side of the head gently, "kind of stupid." She poked his chest near his tie as he started to snap at her, but she continued, keeping him silent, mouth slightly open--brow furrowed.
"'Truly, you didn't think this through?'" she flicked the end of his nose with her nail, "kind of stupid." She turned from him and took a quick breath, her shoulders rigid now but seemingly with anger and distrust, rather than the poise Grayson was used to. "Let's review," she held out her hands and they moved as she talked, Grayson barely able to keep up and remember what was going on. "You took a rumor a few," She held her hands to the left and then shifted them to the right, "maybe two," she held up one hand, her index and pinkie finger up like she was oddly counting, "people knew and refuted it by sharing an affair," She turned and the look in her eyes sent Grayson stumbling backwards against the desk as she got in his face, "of which no one has accused you!" She threw out her hands as if this was obvious to him and that he had done something purposefully to annoy her.
Grayson dropped his eyes, looking to the wooden floor, he hadn't done anything but somehow, he felt like he was really getting chewed out by her. That he honestly had a reason to feel bad, for whatever this guy had done.
"I begged you to take a break," Her voice made him look up, only to be greeted with a death glare. "You refused to!" she backed away, the burgundy dress swaying with her movements, over exaggerating the size of her hips. "So, scared of what your enemies will do to you," her voice was quick as a whip but clear as a bell, her hands were clenched into fists on her sides, her back straight as a board.
She whirled around on him and pointed at him with one of her long fingers. "You're the only enemy you ever seem to lose to!" Grayson pushed himself off the desk, taking a few steps closer to her, "You know why Jefferson can do what he wants?" She asked, gesturing out into the crowd to an imaginary man. "He doesn't dignify school-yard taunts with a response!" She shoved him hard on the word 'response', making him stumble back a step, "So yeah," She curtseyed to him, a look of mocking anger on her face. "Congratulations!"
"Angelica." Grayson stammered, almost a whisper as he tried to remember what came next, but she whirled around away from him as if she was disgusted by him.
"You've redefined your legacy...." Her dark head whirled around, one narrowed eye staring him down from over her shoulder, "Congratulations." Grayson looked down at the paper still clenched in his hands, seeing the bold type it jogged his memory and he shouted louder than he meant to.
"It was an act of political sacrifice!" he covered his mouth with his free hand, realizing how loud he had gotten and how defensive he sounded. There was only a second of silence, but it felt like an eternity, Melodi turned to look at Grayson, her face fell from the angry mask she had painted on, into one soft reflection and her eyes filled with sadness.
"Sacrifice?" She sounded as if she didn't believe him, she turned to face the audience seats and looked at her left hand, holding it up to look at a set of rings on her wedding finger. "I languished in a loveless marriage in London," She turned and put her hand near her chest, her eyes lingering on Grayson's tie, "I lived only to read your letters..." her voice sounded thick with emotion as if she could cry.
"I look at you," her eyes flick up and lock with his and he sees them, tears forming along her lashes, "and think 'God, what have we done with our lives," she covered her eyes with her hand and turned toward Grayson, "and what did it get us?" Her hand fell as she kept singing, very slowly moving toward Grayson as he let his hand fall from his mouth, hand clenching the paper with the lyrics as Melodi came within touching distance. "That doesn't wipe the tears or the years away," She placed her hands on the front of her dress and pulled her shoulders back, trying to regain the composure of a woman with duty. "But I'm back in the city and I'm here to stay..." She was in front of him now, the tears stuck in her lashes as she smiled gently at him. "And you know what I'm here to do?"
"Angelica," Grayson reached up and tried to brush the back of his hand against her cheek, wondering if her skin was cool as ice or warm like fire. He felt a trembling in his gut, his entire body tense. But Melodi smacked his hand away before he could make contact and made him blink in shock.
"I'm not here for you..." Her voice carried but it was soft and low, a confession. "I know my sister like I know my own mind," her voice was climaxing at the I in mind, her head dipping away as Grayson tried to get her to look at him again. "You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind," she was walking to the door now and Grayson followed, determined to stop her.
"And a million years ago she said to me," she whirled around and touched his lips with one finger, "this one's mine...." Grayson felt a slight chill from her words, and her eyes did nothing to stop him from being hypnotized. "So, I stood by..."
She pulled her hand away from his mouth as he stood motionless. "Do you know why?" The tears were welling up again as she gripped the vest on his chest and pulled him closer. "I love my sister more than anything in this life!" She was shouting but her voice was lyrical still, filled with brimming emotion of love and sadness. She shoved him away and clenched her hands, still yelling ferociously. "I will choose her happiness over mine," One hand came up to clamp her dress near her chest, "Every time!" Her other hand clamped onto her hand before both slid up by her hair, practically screaming. "Eliza~!"
Grayson felt a rush of cold air and felt every hair on his arms and neck stand with her note, she threw down her hands, tears flowing freely from her eyes as she shook with rage.
"Is the best thing in our lives!" She was stalking to him, looking as if she was intent on striking him. "So never lose sight of the fact that you have been blessed with the best wife!" She reached down and took the paper from his hands, slamming it into his chest hard. "Congratulations!" She turned to leave, quickly walking to the door. Grayson was in auto pilot, reaching out and grabbing one of her wrists to stop her.
"For the rest of your life!" She snapped, whirling around, "Every sacrifice you make is for my sister--" She reached up and slapped him hard across the cheek, making him let go of her wrist and stumble back a step, eyes going wide as he heard some gasps from those watching as she yelled. "Give her the best life!" Melodi stepped through the door and grabbing the knob. "Congratulations!" Then she slammed the door hard, the lights going out as Grayson held his cheek where she had slapped him.
There was an intense silence, Grayson could feel the knot in his stomach trembling, the chill still racking him as he put his hand down, feeling the sting in his cheek fade with the lights coming back on.
"OH, COULD YOU FEEL IT!" The director shouted, snapping Grayson from his trance. He clenched his fists and walked to the edge of the stage before jumping down beside Giovanni who was smirking with his 'I know everything' look that made Grayson want to punch him in the mouth. "Melodi! Mon Cheri! Cetait a couper le souffle!"
"My darling, it was breathtaking." Giovanni translated as the director came running to the stage as Melodi walked to the edge, curtseying fluidly. "She's in." Giovanni looked over to Grayson's cheek and turned his head with a finger, shocking him. "She hit you pretty hard, and you didn't break anything in response..." He grabbed Grayson's arm and lifted it, looking at the raised hairs. "Well, well..." He chuckled as Grayson yanked his arm from the older man's grip. "Go help her down." His boss laughed, going to stand by the director as he fawned over the singer.
Grayson grumbled to himself and his brows knit together to put on his grumpy face, though he had no malice. He walked over to the part of the stage where she was standing and held up his hands to her, she pretended to ignore him and started to head for the stairs when he reached out and grabbed her ankle under the hem of her dress, making her hold still. She looked down at him wordlessly as the other two men spoke--one much more jubilant than the other. He was giving her a hard look and nodded to the floor with his head, other hand coming up and laying open for hers.
"Et vous, mon garcon!" (And you, my boy!) The director gasped as he laid his eyes on Grayson, Melodi walking closer to the edge of the stage and kneeled so Grayson could put his hands on her hips and brought her down, shifting her so he held her bridal style. "My Alexander! Puh-lease tell me you'd be willing to star opposite mon petit oiseau chanteur!" (my little songbird!) Grayson turned, still holding Melodi against him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"My name is Grayson. And also, no way." He shook his head. "I'm a hired bodyguard. I don't sing, I don't dance." he stepped a little way away from the stage. "I'm not an actor and I'm not a punching bag!" He snapped, glaring down hatefully at Melodi who smirked and averted her eyes quickly. "I'm also not a gentleman." He tossed Melodi from his arms, aiming her away from the seats so she landed on her behind without hitting anything.
"Grayson!" Giovanni snapped as he watched his singer fall to the ground, a shocked look on her face as she landed hard.
"OW!" Melodi snapped as she landed, a bright blush lighting up her cheeks as she glared up at Grayson who crossed his arms over his chest and smirked down at her. "Ok..." She laughed, making him blink in confusion. "I had that coming." She held out a hand and Grayson took it, helping her stand in the awkward dress. "I'm sorry," She apologized, chuckling softly and hiding her grin behind her hand. "I shouldn't have slapped you so hard, I just get so emotional listening to that song, Angelica's anger, and heartache just seep through me." Grayson rubbed the spot where she had hit with the back of his hand.
"Yeah well, whoever does get stuck working with you better get used to being abused." He scoffed and turned his back to her, ignoring the look in her eyes--almost a mirror image of the look she had given her imaginary Alexander at the beginning of the song.
"C'est terrible, qu'il y tant d'amour entre ces jeunes gens, mais ils refusent d'admettre à elle." (It's terrible, that there is so much love between these young people, but they refuse to admit to it.) The director sighed, putting a hand to his chest and the other on his hip, closing his eyes and shaking his head.
" Il est juste en herbe, lui donner le temps de grandir et de regarder le fleurir." (It is just budding, give it time to grow and watch it blossom.) Giovanni chuckled as Grayson and Melodi cast confused looks at him, they didn't speak French and would often rely on him as a translator when working with Chante, the play director.
"What do you think that was?" Grayson asked, half turning to Melodi who crossed her arms, mirroring his questioning look without meaning to.
"Something about gardening? I only recognized 'blossom'." Her eyes narrowed questioningly at the older man who chuckled darkly, shaking his head.
"Well if you two are done swapping flower power secrets, we..." he turned Melodi with one hand and pushed her toward the stairs. "Are going home. I'm beyond tired." He pushed her forward with one shove, making her stumble forward in her heeled shoes. "Move it, princess."
"I will print up the cast list immediately!" Chante beamed as Melodi protested, standing her ground as Grayson tried to shove her again, "And your absolutely sure I can't tempt you to come to theater Mister Grayson?"
"Not on your life, her life or mine." Grayson said, wrapping an arm around Melodi's back and hauling her off the ground far enough that he held her like a sack of goods. "Seriously though, goin home, gotta sleep." He started to yawn when Melodi swung her elbow over and caught Grayson in the balls, making him drop her. She yelped as he grabbed hold of a chair beside him to hold himself up.
"But I'm not ready to go home yet!" she protested, standing as Grayson brought himself to full height, a whole head taller than her. Snarling as he adjusted himself and caught his breath.
"Tough shit princess!" He snapped, bending down to rest his forehead against her threateningly, but she reacted by pressing her lips together in a hard line, not afraid at all.
"Do you know how long it took me to look like this?" She snapped, gesturing to herself before crossing her arms under the bust of her dress, making Grayson glance down at her cleavage before standing straight and looking away, his face a bright pink. "I am not going home right now and undoing all this!" She turned around from him and huffed. "I want to go out in town!"
"Yeah well have fun!" Grayson yelled, starting up the steps taking them two at a time.
"You can't leave me asshole!" Melodi shouted at him, gathering her dress in her hands. "You’re supposed to be with me to protect me!"
"Yeah!" He snapped as he stopped, letting her catch up to him, Giovanni and Chante glancing at once another slyly. "You can't go anywhere without me," he jerked a thumb at himself before pointing at her and poking her nose as she stood on the same step as him. "And I say no!"
"You're insufferable!" Melodi shouted, stomping a foot as Grayson smirked evilly at her.
"I wish Riley was here! My knight wouldn't do me like this." She huffed, starting to go up the steps as Grayson's fists clenched and his anger flared. She had reached the door and was putting her hands on it when Grayson caught up to her.
"Yeah well, your precious lil knight ain't here! You're stuck with me!" He grabbed her arm and made her stop, "So you better get used to it, and stop comparing me to him!"
"Hard not to when you're used to being treated by the best and then get treated by the worst!" She snapped angrily. "On second thought, I AM ready to go home." She yanked her hand free and pushed the door open and walked through it, leaving Grayson glaring angrily at the space she had occupied before slamming his fist into the wall beside him and stalking outside to follow her.
"Will she be ok alone with him?" Chante asked, suddenly fearing for her safety from her protection.
"Trust me, she's got him under her thumb." Giovanni laughed, "Just as easily as he has her under his. This is just a spat, you'd know if they were really fighting."
