𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄 ❃ coraline au

008: rapture

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CHAPTER EIGHT OF TWENTY

❝ RAPTURE ❞

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EROS EAGERLY LED (NAME) UP THE WINDING, METAL STAIRCASE THAT LED TO MR BOBINSKY'S APARTMENT. She grinned in anticipation, arm looped with Eros'. He couldn't have been more pleased with how things were going. The small blue blimp flew elegantly through an opening in the window above the door. Eros pushed the door open, guiding (Name) inside.

She gasped in amazement. Instead of the shambled mess that was Mr Bobinsky's apartment in her world, the Other Mr Bobinsky's apartment contained twelve, lined-up cannons that shot out candyfloss when you stamped on the firing button. There was also a Ferris wheel with a mechanical chicken, that ate dried corn on the cob, which was fired up in its belly and dispensed the popcorn into paper bags.

Eros and (Names)'s looped arms fell apart, but they held hands. (Name) approached one of the candyfloss cannons, stamping on the firing button and a stick of candyfloss flew into her palm. Eros smiled, guiding his beloved over to the popcorn machine, grabbing a bag of buttered and salted popcorn. "We can share that in the tent," (Name) said, gesturing to the tent where the main event would be taking place.

"Really?" Eros asked, almost stunned.

(Name) nodded quickly. "Of course!" (Name) smiled.

The duo approached the big top, which had spotlights lighting up. The front opened up and Mr Bobinsky's voice droned out of a loudspeaker. "Lady and gentleman!" Mr Bobinsky's familiar Russian accent echoed, "For to tickle your eyes and ears and making your hearts thump, I Sergei Alexander Bobinsky, am introducing...".

Eros and (Name) raced into the tent, which was much bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Much like Doctor Who's TARDIS. "...my as-tound-ing, stu-pend-ulous...AH-MAZING Jumping Mouse Circus!" Mr Bobinsky's voice proclaimed. Eros and (Name) sat between the miniature stands as the familiar blue blimp, which was bathed in spotlights, floated into the big top.

It circled around the tent before rising to the top of the tent and nose-diving to the ground. (Name) held Eros' hand in anticipation, swallowing some chewed-up popcorn. The blimp crashed in the centre of the circus ring and blossomed like a flower, from which fifty Jumping Mice appear like Chinese acrobats, jumping into spell out (NAME) in a series of intricate and complicated acrobatic poses.

(Name)'s eyes lit up in amazement, "My name!" she squealed, in delight, "That's incredible!". Eros pressed a kiss to her temple.

The jumping mice leapt to the ground in formation, each of them brandishing tiny instruments like weapons. The drummer mice begin to pound the skin of their drums with their wooden drumsticks. The ringleader mouse parachuted down from the ceiling, holding a baton. At his command, the band began to play a wild Russian circus march.

(Name) smiled. "This is wonderful, Eros!" she proclaimed softly.

Eros smiled at her in return. "I'm glad you're enjoying this my darling~" he crooned softly into her ear, breath fanning against her ear. He pressed another kiss to her temple, cold lips pressing against her warm skin. The chills from his kiss were sent rapidly down her spine.

The beat of the bass drums begins as the hopping band marches in and out of the ever-changing formations. The formations vary from pinwheels to the shape of Xs and circles within circles. It was magical. The hopper began to spiral towards the middle of the circus ring when the floor rose up to form a 6'5" Tower of Babel. The mice hopped to the top with the Drum Major balancing on the tip top of the tower, balanced on a colourful circus ball.

"Yowzah!" (Name) exclaimed, finishing off her candyfloss.

The Drum Major ran the circus ball down and around the spiralled tower, as the other forty-nine mice hop off the tower. When the Drum Major hits the ground, the tower materialised away, dropping to the floor, revealing a much-cleaner-looking Other Mr Bobinsky. He sported a black Circus master's outfit, with a full-length cape, including some badges sporting his chest. He, like Eros, wore black buttons for his eyes.

However, his skin looked a brighter shade of blue and his moustache looked more groomed and kept. It didn't look like the whiskery bush that rested above the original Mr Bobinsky's top lip, but rather a dark blue colour that was styled. The Other Mr Bobinsky cracked a whip, as Eros and (Name) began to applaud. He graciously applauded, taking in their praise.

The duo stood up and applauded. "Yeah! Whoo! That was great!" (Name) cheered enthusiastically.

The Other Mr Bobinsky smiled graciously, towering over both Eros and (Name). "Very, very thank you, lady and gentleman!" The blue-skinned man smiled.

As if almost on cue, the entire ballad of the Jumping Mice began to roll up and disappear up the Other Mr Bobinsky's sleeves. The Drum Major rolled up the Other Mr Bobinsky's arm, on the colourful circus ball, along his shoulder and on top of the Other Mr Bobinsky's head, who placed a long, sleek top hat on his head, quickly hiding the Drum Major.

"We loved it, Mr B!" (Name) exclaimed, still holding Eros' hand, "It was so...so...".

"Eh?" the Other Mr Bobinsky said, coaching the young woman to finish her sentence.

"Amazing!" (Name) blurted, smiling furiously. The happiness and excitement were almost overwhelming. What with Eros' handiwork on the fantastic garden and an amazing debut performance by the Other Mr Bobinsky's Jumping Mouse Circus? It felt magical.

"You are very velcome, any time," the Other Mr Bobinsky insisted, "You and also your lovely husband there,".

(Name) turned to Eros, beaming with joy. "Dasvidanya, (Name)," the Other Mr Bobinsky said, bidding the couple goodbye for the evening as they returned to their sector of the house.

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EROS ADJUSTED THE WHITE SILK COVERS OVER HIS DARLING WIFE, as she felt her eyelids becoming heavy and on the verge of fluttering shut. The button-eyed man slipped his shoes off, neatly placing them near the bed before climbing into bed alongside his darling wife. She turned onto her side, facing him.

There wasn't too much of a gap between the pair, no more than an arm's length separated them. His hand graced her hip, pulling her towards his chest. She froze, tensing up a little before relaxing into his touch. He pressed a loving kiss to her forehead and then to her hairline.

He smiled lovingly at his darling wife. She looked up at him, doe-eyed, as his index finger tilted her chin upwards. His eyes wandered to her lips. She nervously looked at him, like a teenager about to have their first kiss. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, his eyes closing. The kiss was soft. Yet so full of passion.

It was their first time. Technically. They'd never kissed on the lips. She cupped his cheek with her hand before they both pulled away. He smiled at her. Her eyes fluttered shut. He held her sleeping body close to his chest, pressing kisses on her forehead. "See you soon, darling~" he cooed, before she faded from view, returning to her world.

It was all working out. For the better. Or for the worse?