Hearing quiet humming, Erik's eyes slowly opened. Looking to the candles which were flickering lowly, almost dying in their holders, he slowly looked away and lifted his head up from the pillow. Pushing himself fully up in bed, he looked to where Fleurette was busying around. He didn't know what she was doing, but it looked like she had been up for a while. Rolling the sleeves of her white shirt down, she wiped her hands over her navy skirt which was only just levitated off of the ground thanks to her small boot heels. Leaning down, she picked up a small basket, keeping the basket tucked under one arm, she used her spare hand to sweep her hair out of her face and over her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Erik asked curiously. He had been sitting in silence observing her potter around. She jumped and put a hand over her chest. He smiled apologetically at her, putting the basket down she slowly walked over.
Sweeping her skirt underneath herself as she sat, she looked to him. "I believe you meant to say, good morning, Fleurette, what are you up to over there?" She smiled.
Erik rolled his eyes and leaned back against the headboard, crossing his arms loosely, he sighed. "Good morning, Fleurette, what were you up to?" He corrected considering she was no longer pottering around.
"Good morning, Erik, I was getting ready because I'm going out." She replied while flicking imaginary dust off of her skirt.
"Out?" Erik questioned that piqued his interest as he looked at curiously.
Fleurette's eyes lifted slowly and looked to him. "Yes, out."
"That's rather ominous."
"I'm off out with Meg." Fleurette rolled her eyes. "We need to restock the kitchen, and drop into the post office to see if there's any post for us."
Erik moved away from the headboard when hearing her plans, "You're expecting a letter." He stated while Fleurette straightened up and looked at him. "That's the only real reason you're going out. Though yes, food is essential." He paused to run a hand through his hair. "But you'd put food to one side for the sake of hearing from Eleanor."
"And?" Fleurette said impatiently. "What's your point?"
"Nothing, I'm merely stating that if you were not expecting a letter, you'd let Meg freely go out on her lonesome."
"Hm," Fleurette let out a huffing sigh and looked across the dark space of their home. "I'll have you know that I'd still go. Meg and I have not spent time together for a while." She gave a sure nod and looked to him.
"Have fun," he commented while slowly standing from the bed. He didn't mean for his tone to sound so dry, and sarcastic, maybe even cynical; but that's what happened as he rubbed the final remnants of sleep from his eyes.
Fleurette looked up at him, she narrowed her eyes and reached out and hit him lightly on the back. "Quit being sarcastic, Erik!" She laughed.
"I thought I was being witty," he turned and looked down at her. "Not sarcastic." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "Regardless, have fun."
"You do know that I'd rather stay here with you, right?"
"Shock horror, am I the only person who could deter you from receiving and reading a letter from Eleanor?" Erik asked while Fleurette's eyes narrowed up at him playfully. "I guess someone has to have the skill to distract you from letter writing."
"Erik, how rude of you to get in between sisterly letters."
Erik tilted his head to the side and tucked some of her hair behind her ears. "I apologise." He looked at her oddly when she let out a quiet laugh. Putting her hands on his cheeks, she pulled him close to rest her forehead against his. Nudging gently against him, she sighed quietly and shut her eyes.
"Apology accepted," she beamed.
"What time are you and Meg going?"
"Oh!" Fleurette exclaimed and jumped up. She ran past him and towards the desk where her frock coat sat thrown over the chair. Pulling it on, she quickly did up the white buttons on it. Straightening it out, she twirled on the spot to make sure nothing was tucked in where it shouldn't be. Reaching down she picked up the basket and placed the handle over her forearm. Running forward, she tiptoed and pressed her lips against his.
Quietly sighing as Erik's hand interlaced with her hair, he kept her in place for as long as possible. His obvious want to not let her go caused her to smile and giggle quietly. "Erik," she whispered managing to get the minimum amount of space between them. "I have to go."
"Be safe." He said quietly while gently kissing her one more time before letting her go.
"I shall." Fleurette smiled and readjusted her hair before stepping back from him. Starting to walk away, she stomped a foot and turned and walked back to him. Erik wrapped his arms around her tightly when she jumped slightly to wrap her arms around his neck. Humming, she tightened her grip around him. "I'll try and not be long." Stepping back she kissed him on the cheek and moved away, again.
—
"Oh!" Meg exclaimed for like the millionth time, Fleurette put down the apple she was turning in her hand. Looking over to Meg, she laughed. Her friend had found what seemed to be a silken scarf of a turquoise colour with flecks of darker blues and green.
"We're here for food, remember?" Fleurette reminded her, this didn't deter Meg from twirling with the scarf around her neck. She fluttered her eyelashes and continued to pose with it until the stall owner asked if she was going to buy it.
This caused Meg to look disheartened, "No." She gave the scarf back and shuffled over to Fleurette's side. "We barely have money for food. How on earth can we afford new clothes?" Meg looked down at her rather tatty looking dress.
It was true, by now both of them had been living, then reliving in the same dresses and shirts and coats since coming here. Cleaning their clothes involved dunking them in one of the baths which were in the theatre. What little soap they had, they tried to use to freshen the smell of the items of clothing. There was a fifty-fifty chance it this succeeding. More often than not they were left with soaking wet clothes which wouldn't dry for about two days.
Fleurette sighed and swung the basket from one hand to the other. "I know." She perked up and smiled at Meg. "But...at least once the first show is over and done with, we'll have money."
"That's true," Meg chimed and linked her arm with Fleurette's. "And then we can go and buy as many new dresses as we desire!" She sung and threw her other arm in the air gleefully.
Fleurette laughed. "Meg, I am not sure we'll have that much money. But I'm sure we could find something small to buy...like that scarf?" She laughed, Meg's eyes narrowed playfully, she even gave her a playful nudge which caused Fleurette to go teetering into a small girl and her mother. "I am so sorry!" She exclaimed and suffered narrowed eyed looks from the mother who hurriedly walked off.
Turning back to Meg, Fleurette narrowed her eyes. Five seconds later, Meg burst out laughing. "I am so sorry!" She mimicked while laughing and placing her hands over her stomach. "Oh, Fleur, you are too kind."
"Oh, be quiet, you!" Fleurette countered while nudging Meg on the shoulder, she went stumbling into a group of chatting men, Meg giggled childishly and looked them all over before side stepping beside Fleurette again. She looked confused over Meg's behaviour towards the four strangers.
"So!" Meg exclaimed, Fleurette blinked slowly and looked up at her. "Food? What's our budget?"
This caused Fleurette's shoulders to sag. "I wish we had a budget."
"So," Meg said quieter so no one could hear. Leaning in close she rested her chin against Fleurette's shoulder. "We're back to stealing?"
"Indeed." Fleurette sighed, she really didn't like stealing, even if it meant putting food on the table. She still felt horribly guilty over it.
—
Sitting huddled in the middle of the bed, Fleurette's hand gripped onto the paper that was in her grasp. Her eyes quickly flicked over the writing, the all too familiar handwriting of her sister. Feeling the bed dip didn't even register in her mind because she was so engrossed in Eleanor's letter. She turned it over quickly and continued reading. She only stopped when arms wrapped around her waist and she got gently pulled backwards.
Looking over her shoulder she smiled up at Erik. "Yes?" She smiled.
"Sitting hunched over will cause you to ache."
"So, you are here to make me comfortable?"
"Somewhat." Erik said while leaning his head back against the headboard. Fleurette gave a small fidget in his arms yet rested her head against his shoulder. Lifting the paper up she continued to read. He didn't interrupt her again. He only came over because he was worriedly watching Fleurette's ever hunching position. It oddly appeared that each time she finished a line, she'd hunch more over the paper.
She turned slightly and rolled onto her side, yet still she read. Erik looked down at her and her concentrating expression. Reaching up, he smoothed down some of her hair, she quickly looked up at him when he did so. She smiled and put the pieces of paper to one side. Rolling onto her stomach, she crossed her arms over his chest and leaned her chin against them.
"Are you trying to stick to your earlier words?"
"I'm not distracting you, am I?"
"Maybe just a little." Fleurette held up a hand with the thumb and forefinger barely touching.
Rolling his eyes, he looked to the letter. "I apologise." He paused, "You've finished it, haven't you?"
"Yes, I finished it a while ago, I was just rereading it." She admitted.
He shook his head slowly. "Is she well?"
"Mmhmm," she hummed and nodded, she laid her head against his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat.
"There's something wrong. What is it?"
Fleurette slowly lifted her head. "Claudia, she is unwell and Geoffrey is running ragged trying to get a doctor to look at her." Erik leaned his chin on top of her head and ran his hand down her back. "If she...well, you know...I shall have to return to say goodbye to her." Fleurette looked up at him.
Erik's eyes saddened. "You can't."
"What?!" Fleurette exclaimed and moved away from him with such speed it was like she had got a huge shock that it ricocheted her away.
Erik sat up and put his hands on her shoulders. "Fleurette, you do not have a passport or papers to travel. We came into this county illegally, remember?"
Fleurette's eyes dimmed in the already dark area. She looked to the side, clearly not enjoying the simple obvious truth which Erik had stated to her. Reaching over, she stuffed the letter back into the envelope. Jumping up and off of the bed, she shuffled over to the trunk at the end of the bed. Flinging the lid up, she stuffed the letter inside before slamming the lid shut again. "How can I not return if the worst happens?!" Fleurette turned and frowned at him. "Claudia...she's..." hanging her head she shook it slowly. "Forget it, you're right. I couldn't go back, getting here was hard enough." She smiled, a painful mask to cover how she was truly feeling while she clapped her hands together. "Hungry?" She asked off-handedly completely changing the topic. From his position, still resting against the headboard, Erik shook his head. "Oh, well, I'll be right back." She swung her arms by her sides and turned to the passageway which led back up to the theatre.
"You know the worst may not happen, right?" He slowly looked over to her.
Fleurette turned and looked at him. "I know." She paused, "But when things happen like this, one can't help but let the mind wander to the worst. I don't want to. But I can't help it." She smiled lightly one last time before disappearing back into the theatre.
Patting the bed gently, Erik stood and slowly walked to the trunk. Privacy was something which he more often than not ignored and overstepped. He didn't make it a habit of reading Eleanor's letters, but considering how evasive Fleurette had been with the details, he wanted to see for himself. Retrieving the letter and sitting down on the trunk he stretched his legs out and pulled the smooth paper out of the envelope. Opening it slowly, he wasn't surprised to see that one sheet of paper actually turned into three. Eleanor was definitely a prolific penpal.
Running a hand quickly through his hair, he skimmed over the mundane formalities of the weather, what Felix was currently up to, what she was up to. As much as these details would amuse and keep Fleurette content, Erik wanted to go to the root of her current out of kilter emotions. Turning the paper he continued to flick through the, in his eyes, pointless mundane everyday topics. Really Eleanor did seem to like going through everything. Claudia only seemed to come up near the end of the letter, and even that was a small paragraph. Trust Eleanor to gleam over the details and try and make whatever was ailing her to not sound as bad as she obviously hoped. Running a hand down his face, Erik sighed. There was really no point in sugar coating over this. Claudia was ill, and Eleanor had given the loosest details of what was wrong with her, this, Erik guessed, was what worried Fleurette more; the lack of proper in-depth details.
Hearing whistling he quickly and calmly placed the letter back within the envelope which he then place back within in the trunk. Fleurette came whistling out of the darkness carrying a plate in one hand and a tray in the other. "I know you said you weren't hungry, but I managed to get enough food for the both of us in case you changed your mind by the time I got back." Fleurette explained. "I also know that if I hadn't bought anything down, you wouldn't have ate at all." At this she rolled her eyes and placed the plate on the bed. With her hand free she took one glass off of the tray and put it on the bedside table, the other she picked up and handed to him.
"Managed?" Erik questioned curiously.
Fleurette stopped drinking and hesitantly placed the glass back down. "We don't have much food."
"But-"
"We went shopping today, yes I know but there's only so much food Meg and I can seemingly steal from stalls without others noticing, or the vendors noticing and either chase us off, or call the police on us." Fleurette sighed and picked up the slice of bread which was folded over to make a simple sandwich.
Sitting down slowly, Erik looked over the measly scraps which Fleurette had apparently managed to bring down. It really wasn't much, not at all. "Can't call it shopping when you steal." Erik said quietly.
Fleurette shuffled against the pillows and looked at him. "Well, regardless," she said awkwardly not really knowing what else to say. "We have no money," she added in after moments of silence. "And we need to eat." She said quietly and thoughtfully. Erik just looked at her simply, "What? Don't look at me like that! I don't like stealing, you know I don't, but if we didn't then we wouldn't eat." She said hurriedly while biting into her sandwich and taking to eating in silence.
—
(Edited: 11/Oct/2023)