3nanashi | (no subject)

X almost smiles, but not quite.

"I know."

Then they are in accord!

(Trowa's not smiling either, as such. But he's pretty relaxed; it maybe almost counts.)

He doesn't say okay, because there's no need. Just lapses back into silence, and lets X continue to explore the tightrope.

Either she's been on one before, or she's got excellent balance. Trowa didn't learn this fast, and he had Catherine assuming from day one that he'd learned the basics before.

Excellent balance comes with the territory. That and ruthless training.

It makes her adaptable. (And she's run across similarly narrow things before, if ones with a bit less give. It helps.)

She crosses over to Trowa's side of things, stepping carefully off the wire and onto the platform. Then she tilts her head a bit, looking up at him.

He would like to show her some things now?

Sure.

He sets the phone down again on the platform -- X can be trusted not to step on it, and there's no particular reason to hang onto it for this -- and steps out onto the wire.

There's always a certain amount of care involved in crossing a wire. But this has been Trowa's day job for the past seven years, and it's always come naturally to him; there's none of the caution X employed.

Trowa's never particularly cared about showing off. He's not opposed, but he feels no drive to do so for its own sake. Doing acts for an audience is different; that's a performance and a job, not personal.

However, he's fine with providing an example for X of what can be done on a low wire, and what his job entails.

Accordingly, when he reaches the middle of the wire, he sets himself briefly (very briefly) and does a simple flip.

Less simple ones will follow.

X studies Trowa's movements with a gimlet eye, making note of his technique as well as his timing.

And the amount of force he exerts on the wire.

And how he determines where his feet will land.

It is interesting.

And when he is done --

Maybe she will see her way to trying a simple flip.

Just because.

That may have been part of Trowa's intention in starting with a simple move.

Learning, and teaching, through observation has always been the most intuitive to him.

He follows it with a couple of variations -- a one-footed start, a layout, a roll along the wire into a double flip. He keeps the pace deliberate for X, although to be honest the tightrope necessitates a certain amount of that anyway.

X labels the roll into the double flip as a bit advanced for her current abilities. But maybe, if the simple flip goes well, she will try the layout.

It is not very different from some of what she has done in actual combat.

This always helps.

A few more tricks, and then five tidy steps backward take him to the far platform. He doesn't need to look back to step onto it with assurance; he got a look before he landed the last one, and in any case he could cross this wire blindfolded by now. (And has.) He's still breathing easily. This is much easier than a full routine, and between shows and practice sessions he does those multiple times a day.

X gets a glance. Does she want to try some more?

X meets Trowa's look, then steps back out onto the wire.

Nodding would be superfluous.

A few steps takes her away from the platform -- and she mimics the initial distance Trowa maintained before starting his series of maneuvers.

It seems like a sensible precaution.

She holds herself very still for one breath, two, and then launches the flip.

Her landing is wobbly, and she holds her arms out sharply (and awkwardly) for balance, brow furrowing.

It stays that way through the next flip, and the next --

But not the one after that.

Huh.

Trowa gives her time to work through it.

It takes some trial and error to get the feel for it. And she doesn't need any help.

(Plus, he's a sucky teacher. Although X is the kind of student he does best with: already good at the subject.)

X works through a few more, until she has the feeling down.

There's something significantly more relaxed about her shoulders afterward -- and the set of the rest of her body, as well.

Even if she is not smiling.

It is comfortable to do the things you are good at.

Especially when it does not involve killing anyone.

Yeah.

It is.

(Maybe some other time she can try the high wire, if she wants. And if the ringmaster okays it.

Or if the ringmaster isn't looking. Whatever.)

With most people he wouldn't do this, but X has the right kind of experimental mindset, and has the basics down. He sets a foot lightly on the wire, gives her a moment to adjust to the feel, and then steps onto it.

There's a flicker of startlement in her expression, but it doesn't last.

She gets focused, instead. And she does not bother to hide it.

The slight tilt of her head, once her balance has been regained, asks 'what next?'

It's a genuine question.

Trowa doesn't shrug, mostly because he doesn't need to.

It's a different challenge to maintain your balance with another variable added. That's all.

If she wants to try a flip again, or to stay on the wire while he does, they can do that. (This is communicated by infinitesimal shifts of the head and eyes. Friendship with Cass and X has not helped Trowa's tendency to neglect to use his words.) Otherwise, it's pretty much more of the same until she wants to move on.

He figures that there's no real reason to branch out into double tricks. Especially since that's harder to teach solo, and there's no performance goal for it.

There's a momentary flicker in the set of X's body as she thinks over the offer.

Then she tilts her chin at Trowa. Fractionally.

He can go first. So she will know what to compensate for.

Better than she does now, anyway.

He can do that.

He keeps it simple -- just one flip, not too high, and the landing as light as he can make it -- and sets himself more deliberately than usual before he jumps, to telegraph it clearly.

It's still going to shake the tightrope some, of course.

X wobbles left, wobbles right --

And fails to fall off the line.

The slight frown line between her brows shows up again, lingers, and then vanishes.

She meets Trowa's eye and nods. Once.

And then -- careful, methodical, and frighteningly efficient -- X executes a matching flip of her own.

Trowa bends his knees, sinking into the wobbling wire. He's got enough practice to make this look effortless, or as effortless as anything involving such a narrow balance point can be, but he exaggerates his technique just the slightest bit for X. If she's got attention to spare for watching him, it might be of use.

Not that she isn't well on her way already.

When she lands and looks up, Trowa returns the nod.

Well done, X. (She doesn't need his assessment. But it's there.)

X was paying as much attention as someone who does aerial acrobatics for a living (in combat) can. Which means she can spare more attention once she lands.

And when Trowa nods --

She doesn't smile.

But then, with him, she probably doesn't need to.

Not really. No.

Case in point: he isn't smiling either. (But it's already worth it to have invited her over.)

He tilts his head at her in question, letting the direction of his glance carry the details. More of this, or move on?

She gives it a moment of consideration, then flicks her own gaze outward -- away from the wire. A second later she starts making her way back to the platform.

Moving on it is, then.

Works for him.

Assuming the mats and the knife-targets don't interest her, they'll move on in a wide circle through the collection of trailers. Off to their right, between the circus's 'backstage' grounds and the parking lot, looms the big top with its stripes and awnings, and its collection of currently-empty vending stands.

They'll get there eventually. In the meantime, Trowa's heading slightly circuitously towards the animal cages, and idly keeping an eye out for a couple of people. But mostly, he's letting X look over the entire area, scenic and less so.

Mats and knife-targets -- more brightly painted than the ones she knows, but still -- are old hat.

The animal cages are much less so.

And X has recently come to believe in the value of curiosity.

Trowa does not think overmuch on curiosity. (That doesn't mean it's not a frequent factor in his life. Trowa's curiosity is patient, unhurried, and pretty comprehensive.)

The tent containing the cages is in sight, but still several yards away, when a grey-haired woman emerges from her trailer. She has a slight stoop to her shoulders (the only thing marring the upright carriage of an ex-acrobat), and the sort of face that tends to look stern no matter how the person is feeling.

Trowa pauses, waiting for her to spot him in turn.

He doesn't glance at X, because he doesn't need to.

X's attention is focused unerringly on the woman -- not that anyone could tell just by checking the direction of her gaze. Not at first, anyway.

But after a few moments she flicks a look between Trowa and the woman. And back again.

There are questions someone else might ask here.

X does not need to. The slight tilt to her head makes them very clear.