SquidgeWorld Archive

First of all, there's no such thing as magic. Oh, sure, there's illusion, smoke and mirrors, misdirection, and just plain, utter bull. But that's all it is, creative and amusing visual lies. Harmless, meaningless things your brain interprets as something otherworldly. Some talent and a schtick, a guy can make a pretty good living, but it's not *real*.

Still, 'magic' is the only word I can use to describe it...

Okay, backing up here-- 'it' would be when he kissed me. And to be honest, that wasn't real, either-- It was a quick and theatric Bugs Bunny smooch-- all show, no-- you know, actual... thing. I don't even remember why. To make someone laugh... but who knows where or when.

Well, okay, on stage, about twenty minutes ago. I just don't remember what I'd just done, or what-- aside from laying one on me-- he'd just done. I just know one minute I'm happily heterosexual, and the next, I'm wondering what a real kiss would be like.

There was a knock on the dressing room door. Oh, please not him, not now... Most of the time, he'd be the person I'd be happiest to see after a show-- we'd get drinks or food or something and it'd be his turn to talk, and I'd listen and laugh and it is him, oh no, what am I going to do, because I still feel half-crazy from the half-kiss I got...

Preliminary knock out of the way, he just strode in-- not like I said 'wait 'till I'm decent'-- in fact, I haven't done anything but untie my tie. He threw his jacket over the back of a chair before sitting down, white fabric against the black of the chair, and he leaned back and had to swing a buckle out of the way.

"So. What's up with you?"

"Me?"

"You look nervous. We had a good crowd."

"Always pretty good."

"Oh-- you're not upset, are you?"

"Upset? Me? Why--"

"The kiss thing."

"Not as upset I was the time you shook water off all over me." Not upset at all, really, but I'd have to be an idiot to say it out loud. I have to be an idiot to be contemplating kissing him again now, when I've got a wife and daughter at home.

"I should've brought it up during rehearsal instead of springing it on you, but I wanted the surprise to be genuine."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's-- yeah."

"I didn't think it'd bother you."

"It didn't."

"We've been doing this for, what, twenty-five years?"

"Yeah. It didn't bother me."

"Sure. That's good."

"It didn't."

He looked at me for a while. Just looked at me. He's got an expressive face, with dark eyes that have a way of boring into me sometimes.

"You look a little bothered." He said after a while.

"No, just--"

"If you didn't like it, I just won't do it again." He shrugged. "No problem." he faced the opposite wall, gathering the jacket back up, winding up one trailing sleeve.

"I did, actually."

His head whipped back around to look at me again. "Huh?"

"Huh is your idea of literacy?" I teased.

"Most people would say 'huh' is plenty coming from me."

"They don't know you like I do. Huh. You speak Latin! Huh."

"Why are we talking about my 'huh'?" A dangerous spark lit his expression, the too-smart little bastard.

"I just thought it was--"

"That's a load of--"

"Well, I never--"

"Misdirection."

I stared at him.

"You knew the 'huh' meant 'what' and you didn't want to answer me. You know me well enough to debate my 'huh', I know you well enough to know when you're misdirecting. I've seen enough of it."

"I like it."

"Misdirecting?"

"The kiss. I mean, it was pretty Bugs Bunny, but you've got nice lips."

"I'm less hairy."

"And a lot taller."

"Which is a good thing." He leaned against me, shoulder to-- well, mid-arm. "Because you're six foot six."

"Also, I don't do rabbits."

"That's not," He grabbed the hat off my makeup table. "What Mopsy said."

"Bastard." I shoved him gently.

"Back at you." And this time when he kissed me, I was willing to believe that just about anything could be magic.

So, if you know who it is, claim your prize!