#tdott

"May I have this dance?"

...

The words rung loudly in his mind as he stared at the body that was below him. A dance. He asked for a final dance. The day before he died. Rui looked over at the troupe that was left behind. They all had the same look of abstract horror on their faces. Then he looked at Saki and Akito who were standing right next to each other, hands intertwined.

The girl was crying into the ginger's shirt as the scent of the day old body wafted through the room. Her sobs were the only thing they could hear over the static in their brains. In the dressing room of all places.

He was shot in the dressing room. His dressing room. The one he brought the troupe into to discuss their summer plans. The one he practiced restlessly in for their newest shows. The one he got a concussion in after slipping on a banana peel.

...

Why did the world have to forsake him.

...

"Rui-kun! Come dance with me!" The jester spoke, laughing maniacally. It swung from some sort of trapeze before jumping down right in front of the other. He put out his hand, grinning from ear to ear. His smile looked faker than the backdrop they were on. But Rui still took his hand. Rui still trusted him. He looked just like the love of his life so why wouldn't he?

The jester wrapped one of his hands around the cusp of Rui's waist and interlocked his hand with Rui's own. Their palms pressed together as they stepped to the middle of the circus tent. It smiled at Rui, one last time before starting to step. He just had to keep up with it. They waltzed for what seemed like hours and even gained a bit of an audience, made up of the vocal synths. They all looked so murder hungry, as if once they stopped dancing, it would be off with Rui's head.

But they kept going. The jester,, not only did he look like who Rui was infatuated with, he felt like it too. The same warmth that the purple haired man had felt when dancing with Tsukasa, he feels it here too. Almost like he's not fully gone.

Almost like he was there, dancing in spirit.

Just the thought alone was able to make him tear up.

"Wah!? Rui-kun, why are you crying? What's up with that?!" It spoke, haulting itself as it held Rui in the air, mid spin. He only shook his head, wiping away his tears, which smudged a bit of the makeup on his face. He wanted to be put down. He didn't like the air.

"I don't understand you when you don't use words, Rui-kun. Speak to me."

He promised he wouldn't, he can't use them he just can't. He covered his ears in a panic, tears still steadily flowing out of him. "I'm still here with you, so why don't you just talk?" It put him down. He wanted to run, he wanted to get away. He didn't like this thing, and he didn't want to.

"Pl...e."

He couldn't hear the other over the sounds of his sobs now. His ears ringing with sorrow.

"..ui"

No more, no more no more no more no more-

"..."

Silence. It was too much. Too overwhelming. He wanted something to happen, for someone to talk again and tell him it's all fine. He wanted to be held, to be comforted.

"Rui?" The pink haired girl spoke, walking up to him and tapping him on the back. There was glass shattered all around him. He.. oh. They were in a hall of mirrors. "Are you okay, Rui?" Emu crouched next to him, tilting her head, trying to sign as well, but failed.

He simply stood up and smiled at her. She smiled back and grabbed his hand to lead him out of the maze.

The jester watched from afar.

"They're so kind to each other, Tsukasa. They must've been friends for a while now.. hehe.." it spoke, staring at the spirit that sat in the corner. "I'm sorry you're caught in the middle of this conflict. I needed a body of some kind. You were just the closest host."

It smiled. Wide.

"Have fun watching the show now.." The jester laughed before running away, the bells on its hat jingling with every step.