(Untitled)

[itwas_perfect]

She'd worked herself to the bone.

She needed to get herself into shape. She needed it. It didn't seem to matter that there wasn't any performance. There wasn't any opening. There was only Nina, and now there was Lily with her eyes smiles and dark eyes, and Thomas with all his concern that she didn't understand

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[dualites]

He'd been meaning to check out the studio ever since hearing that one existed at all. At any rate, everywhere else seemed less hospitable. The jukebox wouldn't stop playing Tchaikovsky, and the jungle was hardly his type of environment. He had yet to actually meet River, but the generally saccharine nature of most of the people on the island didn't lead him to think that she'd mind much if he logged a few hours without necessarily asking first

[itwas_perfect]

In the mirror, she saw the shape of him, a glimpse of his face over her shoulder, and her breath caught, her heart leaping in her chest. She wobbled, losing her momentum, but she didn't fall, didn't stumble, coming instead to a stop that seemed at least vaguely intentional.

Just behind her, someone was laughing.

"Thomas," she said, stretching her calf muscles and offering him a tentative smile in the mirror.

[dualites]

"Sorry," he offered, although the tone of his voice was only half apologetic. "I hope I didn't startle you." Smiling back, he kept his gaze on her a moment longer before leaning down to slip off the shoes he was wearing, not wishing to track dirt and mud into the studio.

He had to wonder if she'd kept practicing since arriving here; he wouldn't have put it past her despite there being no performance to prepare for anymore. Just as he'd eventually decided to come down and visit the studio, dance wasn't something anyone just let go.

It didn't even occur to him to ask if she minded that he stayed, the next words out of his mouth instead: "Working on the coda?"

[itwas_perfect]

Ducking her head in a slight nod, she admitted, "I don't even know why. It's... familiar."

She watched him out of the corner of her eye, her focus narrowed in on him and only him, while she tried to pretend she wasn't staring. After all the practicing, weeks and weeks of it, the last time they'd been alone in a room together, she'd humiliated herself.

Open your mouth... Open it...

"It's important I don't lose it." Of anyone, she knew Thomas would understand.

[pointzerothree]

There's a lot of the island Eduardo hasn't seen yet. It's been a month, but for the most part, he just goes between his hut off the beach and the Compound, the school on the days he has classes. The climate here doesn't bother him at all, but there's nothing else he really needs to be doing, and exploring in the jungle, it isn't exactly high on his list of ways to spend his time. There are other people to do that, and nothing he could really accomplish by it. In a way, it almost seems like it will drive home the sense of permanence that this place brings with it, even in knowing that no one's stayed here more than a few years

[itwas_perfect]

He's quiet, polite, but suddenly she isn't alone and the energy in the room shifts, her confidence wavering just enough that she stumbles out of step with a frustrated gasp.

Catching his eyes in the mirror, she offered him a thin smile as she pressed her weight down onto her left foot, stretching a kink out of her arch. "You startled me," she admitted, her voice soft over the quiet music filtering out from the CD player.

[pointzerothree]

"Shit, I'm sorry," Eduardo replies almost immediately, wincing as he speaks, a hand lifting to his forehead. It's the last thing he wants, to have been any sort of disruption, but at least she doesn't seem to be too upset for it, the smile she offers a slight reassurance. Walking a little farther into the room, he glances briefly at the CD player before looking at her again, nothing short of apologetic. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to interrupt."

[itwas_perfect]

"No, it's fine. I'm fine," she said with a reassuring smile, "I didn't think anyone would be coming in here so early."

With a curious tilt of her head, she asked, "You're not a dancer, are you?"

[crazyspacegirl]

It had taken what River considered to be an unforgivable length of time before she had figured out that Zoe was unhappy because her beloved stuffed parrot had been left behind at the studio. She felt awful that her baby was sad about something so easily fixed, and so it was much earlier in the day than usual that they went to the studio.

River never really expected to find anyone else there, because, outside of class times, she so rarely did. She had, however, suspected that someone had been, and had been wondering if there was someone new who liked dancing, and hoping to meet them if it was. Now that she'd found her in action, she didn't want to disturb her practice as she crossed the room to find what she'd come for.

Zoe, however, did not care about disturbing anyone. "Niao!" she squealed at the sight of her favorite toy sitting next to the CD player, and River felt a little twinge of guilt for leaving it there.

[itwas_perfect]

Nineteen... Twenty...

The girl in the mirror seemed a half second behind her, her expression increasingly smug while Nina herself became more and more frightened. Still, she was determined. Determined to prove herself, even if there was no one there to witness it.

There was a flutter, a brush of something soft and warm against her cheek -- Twenty-one... Twenty-two... -- then the moment was shattered, a shrill squeal practically echoing off the walls.

Nina gasped, stumbled and landed hard on her left foot, jamming her heel with a hiss of pain.

[crazyspacegirl]

"I'm sorry," said River, both to Zoe and to the girl whose dancing she had interrupted. Zoe seemed to accept the apology; now that she had Niao in her hands again, she was perfectly content. "She's a bit excitable. I think it's genetic. Are you all right?"

She was well aware that serious dancing had a high risk of injury, and she felt responsible for anyone using her studio, whether she (or Zoe) were the cause of the distraction or not.

[itwas_perfect]

With her heart hammering wildly in her chest, she managed a reedy smile as she leaned down to prod at her ankle, finding a little tenderness, but nothing too serious.

"It's all right. I'm fine," she promised, taking a deep breath and feeling silly for having startled so easily. Her eyes falling on the little girl, Nina smiled a little more warmly and said, "She's beautiful."

[notfaking_it]

Although she hadn't been on the island long, Lily had been to the studio a few times already, relishing in the strangeness of an actual dance studio in the middle of this place. This was the first time she'd run into Nina, though, and she closed the door carefully behind her, taking care not to make too much noise. For a moment, she simply stood near the door, watching Nina, watching the strength in her.

If she'd had the chance to finish, she would have been amazing. Lily knew that.

"Hey," she said quietly, knowing Nina would probably see her in the mirror before she heard her if she didn't speak up now.

[itwas_perfect]

In the mirror, she was suddenly doubled, a darker, shadowed version of herself watching from the doorway.

Her focus wavered and she came to an abrupt stop, whirling around just in time for Lily to take shape in front of her.

"Hey," she echoed, struggling to look unaffected and as calm as Lily always seemed to be, with no effort at all.

[notfaking_it]

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Lily told her, pushing away from the door and coming into the dance studio, skirting the floor until she could change her shoes. "You looked good."

She meant that, even if she wasn't sure whether or not Nina would believe her.

[itwas_perfect]

"Thank you," Nina murmured with a hint of confusion in her voice. Not at the compliment, but Lily had a way of knocking her off balance, just by being in the room.

"I haven't seen you here, before. In the studio." It wasn't a criticism. Not really. It just seemed peculiar that they hadn't run into each other... Struck by a sudden rush of deja vu she couldn't explain, Nina wondered if maybe they had. Maybe they'd been there before. Maybe they'd had this exact conversation.

[babyviper]

O-Ren had only been in the dance studio a few times-- when she wanted to be able to see her reflection as she practiced her kata. There was no one who knew the purest of the ways who could correct her, teach her form, but here she could watch herself, scour for mistakes.

She shouldn't have been surprised to see the ballerina, but she was.

Cradling her swords in her arms, O-Ren waited. Her geta would be too loud on the floor, and she didn't want to startle the dancer.

[itwas_perfect]

One turn and she was alone, only her own reflection staring back at her, then on the second, she wasn't. She caught only a quick glimpse, the shape of a slight young girl hovering near the door, but it was enough for her to loose her focus.

Breath catching on a sharp gasp, Nina stopped, stumbling only slightly as she fought against her own momentum.

[babyviper]

"Sumimasen," O-Ren murmured, stepping into the little studio. She set her swords down, hoping that she wouldn't further startle the woman-- on the other hand, perhaps she did. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

[itwas_perfect]

Regaining her balance and finding comfort that girl's face was an unfamiliar one, Nina said, "It's all right. I just didn't expect anyone else to be in here." Usually, she could practice without interruption. At least, that's how it had been for the last few weeks.

Her eyes fell to the swords and, more curious than wary, she asked, "Were you wanting to practice with those?"