There's an open window we can fly through (Ella)

[Deleted]

Late May, 2026

Ella was without a doubt one of the most interesting people that Gus had ever met. Apart from that she was also incredibly intimidating in all the best ways. From their first meeting it was clear that he lacked multiple things around her. Self control was one of them, although more in the department that he couldn't help but stare and feel like he was drooling. He didn't lose his confidence so much as utterly failed to act on it and where words normally had come very easy he found himself stumbling over them a little. She'd made quite the impression. And after that Charlotta had. He did not care to repeat that part of the day.

They'd kept in touch after their first encounter, texting mostly. Gus was not good at it. He was generally bad with technology but didn't understand half the emoji style of any sort of texting, never shortened words and had absolutely no awareness of text based language. Three dots were just excessive, right? What was the point of the other two when you already had one? He was a confused old man when it came to technology. Bless her for having the patience to deal with that.

They'd met up once or twice before he'd gotten admitted in the hospital and after that.. well he hadn't really gotten in touch. In the end he hadn't replaced his broken phone just yet and had been extremely oldfashioned with sending an owl to meet up. While hanging out the two had come to the conclusion that if he was dating again, there was no point in not going on a date with her. The mutual agreement had confused him a little as he wasn't sure if that meant he was supposed to plan it or go big but in the end he'd opted to treat it like any other date, except he hated doing everything the same. So since she was an artist of sorts he figured they could see a different group perform. He'd found a musical playing on what was essentially magical broadway and well, it had seemed like a fairly good idea. He'd gotten a day and time and ticket and was now waiting outside the circus to pick Ella up and drive her to the theatre. They wouldn't have much of an opportunity to talk during the show but he figured that afterwards they could possibly have a drink somewhere to talk the events of the night over. Or something.

Either way, he arrived by car and waited a little awkwardly and nervously for her to show up. He didn't really want to intrude in the circus and wonder around aimlessly in hopes of figuring out where her tent was parked this time. He usually depended on her guidance either way whenever they ended up under her canvas roof. He hadn't really considered flowers as he wasn't sure she had a place to put them. All in all, she was quite a lot harder for him to figure out in terms of how to impress her.

@donatella

[Deleted]

Ella was an intense girl. She was sure to be herself at all times. There was nothing, or no one that would change that. Sure, at times, she came off as intense. She was confident in her body, personality, and her skills. Why shouldn't she be? Their fist meeting, Gus had been a little flustered, which she thought was cute, but that didn't stop him from performing. It was nice to keep in touch, and they had even bumped into each other, on purpose or not, while she was out exploring the area that the circus had landed for the time. Their texts were great, but slow. It seemed that Gus wasn't the best with technology, and Ella was often busy with routines, stretching, performances, or one of the many other responsibilities that she had. It also became quite clear that the man didn't understand any texting lingo, emoji's or anything that every muggle gets. It was cute. And once she figured that he didn't understand things, she'd try to explain it, but also try to limit confusion.

Their meetings, past the first one were nice, and many were spontaneous. Ella loved spontaneity, but after a few, she started looking around for him if she was out exploring. Whether or not they met up, they still had texting. Until recently, when it seemed to go radio silent for a time. She had stopped texting him after a few missed messages. She wasn't the type to appear desperate or needy. But after some time, she received an owl. With some discussion, they decided that, as long as he was dating, why not them go out? She wouldn't push it, but she did suggest it. They had picked a day and a time, and she didn't have a lot "date" cloths, but she did have a nice flowy black dress. Borrowing some black heals from another performer, she set off to the entrance of the circus. She got plenty of cat calls and "get 'um" comments as she did.

She made it to the front, and smiled as she saw him. Her smile instantly grew as they locked eyes. She moved to greet him, giving him a nice kiss and a "Good to see you again."

@auguste

[Deleted]

She arrived and she looked nothing short of stunning the flowy black dress with high heels. He was fairly certain he'd never seen her looking quite this interesting before. He openly gazed and admired as she approached and ignored some of the background noise of her coworkers. He smiled as she moved to him and gave him a small kiss and told him it was good to see him again. "Yeah welcome. Hope you're ready for a casual date. I'm sorry I didn't bring flowers but I had no idea if that works in your tent or if you even have a vase to begin with so I owe you a bouquet if you have space to put it." He said isntantly as he held the door to his car open to her. He was very glad his car had some sort of thing that kept the temperature comfortable in it as he could already feel himself overheating with the rush of excitement.

He walked to his own side and got in the car, starting the enging and smiling as it purred to life. "Sorry I've been out of touch. I sort of threw my phone out the window and didn't bother to get it replaced." He admitted with a bit of a cheeky grin on his face. "It irritated me." He said as if that explained everything and phones were not relatively expensive, especially since he wasn't exactly the type to purchase cheaper things. He bought one of the most luxurious models with the most possible features and proceeded to use absolutely none of them. It cost more so it had to be better quality than the cheaper ones, right? That was about as far as his mind went in terms of considering if he actually needed a new phone. "I'm planning to buy a new one next week or something." He said with a bit of a careless shrug. Phones were... irritating.

He motioned to the glove compartment of his car almost off handedly. "If you want some music you can put one of them on. It's not a super long drive though so it shouldn't take too long, especially since we can cheat traffic." He said as he drove off, glad the car was well isolated so the roar of the engine was more of a faint purr in the background so that neither of them would have to concern themselves too much with putting power behind their voice in order to be heard. As a singer, Gus absolutely hated having to do so. His voice was what earned himself and the people around him a living so he couldn't compromise it too lightly. "I hope you're excited. It'll be kind of nice to see others perform for a change, to me at least. I figured you might feel the same." He said, glancing to the side with a smile. Now all he had to do was make sure he glanced briefly so his eyes didn't linger too long. He didn't really want to start off with a traffic accident after all.

@donatella

[Deleted]

Ella didn't normally dress like this, that much was clear from her friends whom she worked with. But that didn't matter. She hadn't been on an official date in quite some time. Sure she spent time, sometimes even romantically, with people, but she hadn't been on a date. All the effort and fuss her female friends gave her all seemed worth it once she locked eyes with the man. He mentioned flowers and instantly she was flattered at the thought. A moment she thought back to performances where family brought their loved ones flowers. Sure she had received some from fans, but not often. She chuckled. "I'm sure I could scrounge up something to put them in." She winked at him. Most of her living quarters were used for sleeping and changing cloths, and the occasional lover. For the most part, she spent her time outside of her tent.

The man was such a gentleman, Ella would admit that she blushed a bit at his chivalry. Opening her door for her, she felt spoiled. She smiled, thanking him as she got in, ensuring the end of her dress also made it into the impressive vehicle. She had a moment inside the car It was nice, but she couldn't help but draw her eyes to the man that was moving around to the drivers seat. He mentioned what happened to her phone and she couldn't help but laugh. "Why does that sound so, you?" she asked rhetorically. "But really, it's alright." While she embraced technology, some in their world struggled. She was very used to owls as well, when she actually got them. He did mention getting a new phone. "Same number or different? Do you know? If it's different, you'll need to send it to me." She said, softly touching his arm, as a friendly gesture. She definitely wanted to keep in contact with Gus.

He mentioned putting on some music, and out of sheer curiosity, the girl reached forward and opened the glove compartment to see what he had for options. "One should never doubt the music collection of a musician." She laughed. Not that she was worried about his music collection. Ella smiled as she noted some albums, artists and songs that held passionate memories, or the thought of past routines. It didn't take long for Ella's attention to move from the music she was looking at to the scenery moving past. Being in the car wasn't something that she did often. The plan of the date was to go an watch a performance. As both parties were performers it was a fun idea to watch someone for a change. "You know the last time that I watched a performance? It was a few years ago, I had dislocated my shoulder, and had to watch someone else perform my part that I choreographed or practiced profusely." She laughed a bit. Though she did, low key, admit that she hadn't seen any performances outside of "It'll be nice to watch a show, and just enjoy it, rather than pick out mistakes that I know they should have done. I'm sure you know what I mean." she smiled wide back at him, though she knew that he was driving, and may not have seen it.

@auguste

[Deleted]

The moment that she said that she was sure she could scrunch something up he instantly smiled and bowed something as he conjured a nice bouquet out of thin air for her. "Milady." He said with a grin as he offered it to her. Yes, he was a dramatic kind of guy, but he was also deeply romantic at heart and loved showing that side of him off a little whenver the situation called for it. He never wanted to give somebody the wrong idea, so he made sure to not take people on extravagant dates if he had no plans to actually even consider what his future might be like with them as a part of it. It was one of the things that showed that he was interested in somebody as more than just a fling. Although he hadn't unpacked as much for Sienna, that was mostly because their bond had been so different and she'd never been quite the same in terms of the spotlight. Now he considered it a negative implication if somebody didn't like his very excessive way of doing things. It didn't bode well for the future if they couldn't handle being at the absolute center of attention when it came from him, because more than just his eyes would land on anybody he dated for a longer period of time.

He'd mentioned the unfortunate fate of his phone and for some reason it had just made her chuckle and realise just how him it was. He felt no judgement and for a moment he felt an odd sense of relief. She wouldn't be asking him to learn to deal with technology? Even if it might make her life easier? It wasn't that he wasn't willing, but it would be the quite the relief not to have to mess around with those phone things. He shrugged. "I guess I'm oldfashioned like that." He said almost thoughtfully as he considered it. Well, he didn't get a lot of time for that as she ended up asking if he'd be keeping the same number or getting a new one. If it was new he'd have to send it to her. It felt a little odd to send somebody an owl for changing a phone number but well, his brain didn't actually get to the point he could use his new phone with a new number to contact people. Then again, he'd have none of the numbers so it left him back at square one anyway. It was easier to just owl the people he wanted to give his number to. "I have no idea. I barely managed to figure out texting, how am I supposed to know if my number changes." He said, horrified with the idea that he'd need to figure that out now. Bugger this new technology!

She claimed one should never doubt the music collection of a musician and he grinned a bit. "Maybe you should add successful to that. I've met a few aspiring artists with a very questionable collection of music. Needless to say it was obvious why they never got anywhere if they couldn't tell the good stuff from the bad stuff." He said, which was perhaps a bit cruel but so was the industry. If you weren't good you just didn't actually get anywhere. Still, he quite enjoyed the music she picked from his collection and tapped the steering wheel of his car along with the beat. Cars were one of the few kind of muggle technology he could get behind a lot easier. They'd been around longer and on top of that this one could fly. Getting a license had been a total nightmare but he did want to learn to drive properly and not actually cheat his way through. Too many horror stories about bad drivers and he'd seen a fair few on the road as well. He was very pleased with all the protective charms on his car. No doubt it had saved him from quite a few people that didn't manage to keep their eyes open or on the road. Obsessed with those phones that they couldn't put them down to enjoy the ride.

She admitted the last time she'd actually watched a performance was years ago due to an injury. He pulled a bit of a face at the idea of her getting injured and nodded slightly. "Yeah I went to a concert not too long ago. Camila had one and I figured I'd stop by and support her. It was fun to see her on the stage." He said with a bit of a smile. For him it was a little different, he guessed, since it wasn't like somebody else was going to sing in his place. Then again, there was such a thing as covers..... He cringed a little at the idea. "Oh I do. I've seen a fair share of covers that people wanted me to see. Some hit all the notes perfectly but their rendition has absolutely no soul to it. I hate those so much more than the ones that sound terrible but manage to convey the thoughts and emotions behind the song. Like, that matters a lot more to me, you know?" He told her, feeling that it was important to him that people appreciated the emotions and message behind the song far more than the supposedly impressive compositions and vocal range. He liked the fact people really loved and appreciated those of course, but in the end the music was about the feelings that he wanted to transfer to his audience. If that was picked up on and noticed he felt like he'd done a far better job than if all they ended up being was impressed but not moved. "Do you think I picked the right one? I wasn't sure what kind of show might be most interesting but you know... this one had good reviews and seemed to be within our ballpark of interests." He said with a bit of a smile.

@donatella

[Deleted]

Ella mentioned that she was sure she could find somewhere to put flowers, but didn't think much of it. Just the thought of the action was enough for her. But without missing a beat, he bowed and conjured up a bouquet and handed them to her. She laughed at the action, and blushed, flattered by the spectacle and show. She accepted the flowers, breathing in their fragrance. "Thank you." She felt so flattered. She gazed from the man to the flowers, moving to give him a appreciative kiss. Before pulling out her own wand and spelling the flowers into her room, conveniently sitting in a pot that had been there. She could still feel the blush gracing her cheeks. "If your not too careful, I may fall for you." She winked at him, as if she was slightly teasing him. She hadn't been romanced in such a way before. He made her feel so special, special in a way that no one else really had. Though she wasn't so easily to get swept off her feet, she would always be confidently her, and no one else. She was amazingly flattered by his actions. That is to say, that she hadn't thought of a possible outlook. She also wasn't going to jump the gun. The girl understood that he was famous, and going out with him, brought her more into the limelight. But she was a performer at the magical circus. She did many shows, where the hot white light was showed her ever move. Many would never know her name, but will remember her actions and how she defied gravity and gave them an amazing show.

She understood what happened to his phone was bound to happen. She understood from their interactions that he and technology didn't exactly get along all the time. Their was no problem with that, and when she was with him, perhaps she could help him out a bit. It wasn't the problem after all, there were plenty of wizards that struggled. She knew some that chose to ignore the existence of muggle tech all together. He mentioned that he was oldfashioned, and she glanced at him, with a smile. The car was great, but she kept finding her gaze moving to the man. "Their is absolutely nothing wrong with 'oldfashioned'." She did ask if the number would be changing, mostly for her own benefit. She didn't mind owls, but she would like more ways to contact him if possible. She liked talking with him, and texting and phone calls were far more instant than parchment delivered by bird. She gave a friendly chuckle when he clearly wasn't sure, and seemed a little unnerved at the thought. She placed a hand on his upper arm, to give some comfort. "No worries. I'd be happy to help you out with any of that. That is, if you want."

Looking over the mans music collection, she complimented. He mentioned "successful" being necessary. She nodded. "Yes, well, I guess I cant argue with that. You aren't just successful, but amazing at your work. And your collection is quite impressive." She stated, flattering his ego as well as continuing to compliment his music. She did like what he had available. She chose a disk and inserted it, setting it to play. He instinctively tapped to the beat as he drove.

When it came to the topic of watching others perform, he mentioned that he had gone to another singers show, for support. Ella hated to admit it, but she practically lived in that circus. True, she took times off to explore wherever they were for the time. But her nights and most of her time was spent performing, working on performing, helping others with their performance, or helping set things up. She lived and breathed the circus. She didn't necessarily have the time or money to go to a concert. Maybe that was one reason she was so excited to go with Gus to see one. He mentioned the countless covers of his songs that were out there, and how some did well, some did bad, and some simply missed the point. "Yea, it's like they hit everything with clinical perfection, but lack the sole that a true artist conveys." She understood him so well. She thought of it in different terms, but it was still the same. He then asked if he had picked right and she looked at endearingly at him. Was he feeling self conscious about something again? He had such confidence, and grace, but there were little times when he doubted himself, it was cute. Her smile grew. "I'm excited to see it. And you know it's the company that one shares that makes going to a show and experience."

@auguste

[Deleted]

How cute the blush that graced her cheeks as he conjured those flowers for her. He hadn't really expected that a girl like her would ever blush, as she'd always very much in control during their interactions. Then again, he'd most certainly been on her territory. He'd felt like a young boy, interested in his very first crush with no certainty that she'd appreciated his interest. He'd been so intrigued by her appearance that he admitted he'd lost most, if not all, his charm and cool. Now that this was an official date it seemed the tables had turned somewhat, as she was blushing and he felt plenty confident. He was a romantic at heart and loved showing off, a combination that made dates the prime example of his skillset. She grinned mischievously as she told him to be careful or she'd fall for him. He kept the smile as he leaned in a little closer to whisper in her ear. "Let me tell you a little secret... I might just want you to fall for me." He moved back and winked playfully at her, as he helped her into his car before taking his own seat.

Luckily she didn't mind that he was pretty much a technophobe. It wasn't so much that he hated technology as a concept but he just didn't understand it. It kind of felt more like he was some sort of technology repellant and even with his best efforts it wasn't something that came easily to him. It probably didn't help that his interest in the subject matter was severely lacking. Try though he might, he couldn't bring himself to care much about the ease of communication that a telephone gave. He liked it being a little harder, as that went hand it hand with it being a lot harder for people he didn't want reaching out to actually get to him. Most of his mail went through specific channels to ensure his fanmail would be separated from his more important mail. He didn't want his bills to get stuck between the fanmail, or letters from friends and family. It happened on a rare occasion but most of the time it all went well. Most of his friends had owls that knew his adress, meaning they delivered to him as a person rather than a figure. It was rather helpful. He smiled and shrugged slightly as she offered to help out. "It's fine really. I've been bugging my manager with so many things lately that I don't think she'd mind helping me out with getting a new phone. Wouldn't be surprised if she sees it as a relief so I'm easier to contact." he admitted with a bit of a chuckle.

She managed to put to words the concerns about some of his covered songs so perfectly as she mentioned they lacked soul. That was exactly right, for despite all his failings he did put his entire heart and soul into every song and tried to maintain it through every single performance. It was exhausting at times, especially when a set list had some of the more heavy emotional songs for him in it. He knew he couldn't opt out of playing most of them live, ever, but the one exception was still requested more than anything. He just knew that putting that on a set list would break him, having to go through that emotional mess every single time he performed. It wasn't worth it. So he simply refused to perform it live and it wasn't like he didn't have any other music to fill the setlist up with. It made things easier for him if he didn't have to worry about all of that too much. Yet now that he was working on his mental health a lot more and actually attempting to process the grief of his past, he saw it as a faint possibility that he'd perform the song live at some point. Just not any time soon. "If they don't feel the words they sing down in their very bones it always feels so utterly flat. Like they cover it because other people like it, or to show they can do it. Or maybe more because they think it will get them attention and fame and fortune. People can feel the difference though, within the delivery. That is where they make their miscalculations, not counting on people being able to recogise sincerity." It was something that was near and dear to him, as his own music was all so deeply personal that he'd never actually intended to share it. Even if he had ended up doing so, he never changed the way he wrote songs.

She seemed to at least appreciate his wanting to make sure he'd chosen the right thing for them. Besides, she was quick to remind him that it was the company that mattered above all. As a performer he knew that was true for a lot of people. They rarely went for his sake, unless they showed up alone. But for many it was in sharing the music with other people that loved it, just like he imagined her shows were very much put on so people could watching something fantastic to talk about later. So often the point of a performance wasn't in the person on the stage but in the shared experience. "Well in that case I suppose that we'll at least have something to talk about after, regardless of the quality of the production." He was fairly certain they both had worked enough with light and sound technicians that some of the magic of the stage was nothing but clever technical choices to them. A well place spotlight or a subtle setting within a sound system could make such a huge difference to any production. He just hoped that the show would be well worth it.

It wasn't much longer until they arrived. He made sure to make his approach from the actual road rather than the sky, as he felt it a lot more fun to show off his car rather than just park at the spots reserved for the magical folk that came with plenty of spells of their own to ensure them not being noticed by the muggle population. Invisibility and other spells really did help to make cars a lot more accessible to the wizarding world and it was one piece of technology that Gus found himself to be very suited to. As he stopped in front of the the theatre he got out and tossed his keys at one of the valets, who seemed to light up like this was the night of his life. Gus understood that. Then he opened the door for Ella and held out his hand so she could get out effortlessly. He was a gentleman, after all, even if he didn't always act like it.

@donatella

[Deleted]

Well, this man checked all the boxes. Not only was he good in bed, and fun to talk to, he was also adorable when flustered, and a romantic to boot. That wasn't a combination she had seen quite often. IT was no secret that Ella had a strong personality. She had the ability to overwhelm someone just by her presence. She didn't lose her balance easily. Conjuring flowers instantly had hit the mark. Was it really his action? or was it the flowers? Maybe a strange combination of both. This man was definitely something special. Ella wouldn't lie, she liked having the upper hand, but now that things seemed to have flipped on them, she was still willing to see where this lead. She had seen Gus acting like a curious little boy following her wherever she wanted to go. It was time to see his smooth and romantic side. That didn't mean that the girl would lose her self, quite the contrary, they had broken through the surface, and it it was time to see what was under the surface. Going on a date proved, to Ella, that there was a chance this leading to more. What did "more" mean? She wasn't sure. The girl had never gotten far enough to find out. She teased him, telling him to be careful, or she would start falling. With a single swoop, their body's were comfortably close, as this seducer whispered into her ear. Telling her that he might actually want that. Her blush intensified as her smile sweetened. No one had ever told her something like that before. Well, sure, she had heard things like it, some would say anything to get her in bed. But nothing like this. The sweet sincerity of something more real than a moment of passion. He helped her in her car, and she took a moment to breath and gain her footing again. Dang that man was smooth. Just like she had knocked him off his feet the first time they met, he had proven to be quite capable of doing the same to her.

Everyone had gaps in their knowledge. Ella wasn't much of a "home maker" type, and Gus wasn't good with technology. But that didn't make either of them any less. The way he struggled was endearing. It was like an advanced toy that he just couldn't figure out. She offered his help, and he siad that he would just have his manager help him. Well that made sense. It must have been nice to have a personal manager to help him with anything he needed. She chuckled as he mentioned it. "Well, the offer still stands." Though why would he get help from a random girl, when he could have his manager, or the manager could get some form of technology tutor.

As a professional performer, Ella knew that knowing the movements and having emotion and soul within the act were equally important. If someone wanted to watch something clinically perfect, they could go see a class of experts. Going to the circus, was a fun thing, people wanted to see amazing feet's, and yes, they had to be well executed, but the audience usually was looking for death defying feats and something fun and unique to watch. Most full shows had some underlining story behind it, and while most acts didn't speak, they still had a story to tell. Most just enjoyed watching the individual acts, and that was alright too. Having a story or message helped keep things interesting for the cast.

Hearing the man talk about music and the art of creating it was great. She felt the same about being an areal acrobat and choreographing performances. There were certainly many differences between the two, but they could also understand the artistic whims of the other. She gave a little chuckle. "One should perform because they love it. And if fame and fortune follow, that's great. But, at least to me, it feels more like an aftereffect, rather than the purpose for doing it." She was, in no way, rich. But she performed because it was something she loved. Many could tell if they were doing it for the money, rather then the passion. If it was for the money, greed and avarice sat where hart and soul should.

Most of the guests that Ella saw that visited their circus where family's, friends, or those on dates. True, many of their smiles came from what they saw, but it also came from who they were with. Add in a great show, and real magic was made. It was rare they she noticed someone going alone. Sure, it happened, but it was quite rare. The man mentioned having something to talk about after the show, regardless of if it was good or not. She chuckled. "Cause we are hare totally running out of things to talk about." She joked. It did never hurt to have more to talk about. Though, it seemed like they hadn't run out yet. With both of them in the performing arts, they would most likely have more to talk about than others. From the lighting, the the placement of the actors, and even the way they transitioned. While neither of them were actors, they both performed, following the flow of the performances. It was important to ensure the audience had a good show, ensuring that if anything went wrong, the audience was completely unaware of it. That was the goal of any performance.

Arriving at the theater was an experience in and of itself. Gus pulled up to the valet parking, fancy! As if it was nothing, the man got out of the car and simply tossed over his keys. The worker seemed thrilled, and awestruck. He made his way around and opened her car door. Feeling a bit bashful, this clearly wasn't her scene, she took his hand with a smile. It didn't matter if she hadn't grown up in the world of glitz and glamor, it also didn't matter that she was a poor circus performer with a stage name that no one remembered. Taking his hand, she was transported into the role of an heiress or a princess. She took a step out and gracefully rose from the seat. "Thank you." She smiled at him, taking his arm and gazed towards the entrance. Their were clearly a number of onlookers who were fascinated by the scene. Was it the man? The eye catching car? Her? Or maybe the entire spectacle.

@auguste

[Deleted]

He appreciated her offer for help with technology, of course he did! The main problem was that he wanted to enjoy the time he spent with her and trying to figure out how this technology worked only ever seemed to get on his nerves. He got impatient and irritated and that often enough made him rather grouchy. He didn't like not understanding things and this was definitly one of the things he couldn't quite manage to wrap his head around. He was terrible at keeping a household running as well but that was why he hired people. He'd gotten at least a cleaning crew in both of his places and a man he paid extensively to always be on call as a personal chef. Well, at normal hours. Then there were the gardners and pool cleaners and various other small tasks that he'd simply given to a company. They usually sent the same people over so he'd gotten to know them and got along with at least most of them very well. He knew he could be difficult, but he saw no reason to make the life of other people more difficult for him.

Gus nodded as she mentioned that things such as fame and fortune ought not to be the goal. "I initially never planned to share my music, but by now I'm glad I did. It's something special, even if there are some very negative consequences to it." He mostly meant the press and the occassional fan that got a little too obsesssed. All in all he still loved being a performer and knew that he found a place he felt at ease within fame and fortune. Naturally he'd have liked it better if people didn't try to dig into his private life as much, but knowing that it was unavoidable had changed his perspective on the future somewhat. He now knew that if he wanted a future with somebody it meant they had to be willing to be in the spotlight with him. No matter how much he loved Sienna, he couldn't drag her into the spotlight, nor step out of it. Not that it would stop them from being there for each other, but it meant they needed a different dynamic. That was okay. After intense therapy he'd realised that his goals and dreams were not impossible to achieve as long as he was willing to adapt. He knew he was now.

He chuckled as Ella suggestingly joked they were totally running out of things to talk about. "We could also say that we're keeping some things for next time so our topics don't run dry on the first date." He said easily, not expecting to run out of topics for conversation on the first date to begin with, but an opportunity to suggest a second was never a bad thing. Least of all when he already knew he enjoyed her company. It seemed unlikely to him that she'd behave in such a way that he could take the option of a second date off the menu during the first. That was exceptionally rare, as it usually meant some fairly bad behaviour. Either that or they'd discover parts of their future to be utterly incompatible. The second seemed more likely, although he certainly hoped that it wasn't true. She was so fierce and powerful that he couldn't help but be drawn to her.

If it were up to him, he'd treat every single one of his more serious dates like a star. That meant that people would stop and stare at them and they had a world of glitz and glam open up to them. So of course he was a gentleman and opened up her door, holding out his hand so he could help her out of the car while the valet got ready to put his car somewhere in a parking lot until he was ready to pick it up again and drive home. Despite his various antics Gus really was a gentleman when he saw reason to be one. He had charm and wealth, meaning he could treat a lady like a total princess, regardless of where she was from. Right now she looked every bit the star that he already thought she was. Her movements were as graceful and fluid as ever and he smiled, both proud to have her as his date and mesmerised by just how easily she seemed to adapt to his life so far. He guided her into the theatre, clearly barely even noticing the attention they got at this point. As they arrived he walked over to the wardrobe instantly to hand over his coat (which he wore for the express purpose of delivering it here). Although naturally, he first moved to help her out of any coat or jacket she might want to store for during the show. It wasn't like they'd need them in the warm theatre. "Would you like anything to drink during the show? I got us the best possible seats and they were so kind as to give us privacy and a little table." He said with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. He did quite like showing off a little bit for his date.

@donatella

[Deleted]

It didn't matter what they did, Ella just enjoyed spending time with Gus. She didn't care that he was a celebrity, though that obviously came with some perks. Ella couldn't even imagine what it would be like to have his life, his money, his opportunities. Though, she assumed that everyone had their problems. His life seemed so glamerous, but she was possitive that there was a dark side too. The car was deffinitely nice enough of a perk. She had never bothered learning how to drive the muggle contraption. She didn't have the money, or the chance to learn. Not that she actually wanted to. She was happy with her broom, and simple transportations. The closest she had gotten for muggle transportation was that of the public veriety. Sometimes that was the best way to get to those fun tourist scites that she loved to go and see.

Even while at school, Ella never cared much for being popular or famous. Sure, she would do acrobatic tricks on her broom when the professors weren't looking. It wasn't for those watching her, but it was rather for her own self. After graduation, she had followed her father's wishes and joined a quidditch team. And again, she didn't care if her name got out there. Now, at the circus, she went by a stage name, and she felt like she was the furthest from fame as possible. She loved it nonetheless. She didn't care if people ever rememebered her name, she'd be surpised. She was more likely to be recognized as the chick who dated that celebrity, rather than the aireal acrobat from the wizarding circus. She was surpised when he said that originally he didn't plan on sharing his music. She looked at him, mouth agape. She realy couldn't believe it. "Well, I'm glad you did to. Your stuff is great." She smiled, complimenting the celebrity. "I'm sure you hear that a lot." He had mentioned a down side, but there was a dark side to everything. Being a performer, but not recognized, was easy enough, though sometimes she wished someone would see her. But that did happen occasionally to her, and it felt good. For a superstar like this man was, she was sure that there were some superfans who weren't as chill in their approach as she had been.

She understood that after seeing a show, one of the joys was having the chance to talk with those you went with about it. She joked about that, and he laughed, which, in tern, made her smile. She chuckled "We could say that. But, I really dont think we'll run out. And if we do. There are other ways to communicate." She said, giving him a sly wink. "Though, I do like the sound of a next time." The girl did enjoy her time with Gus, and liked the idea of spending more time together.

They arrived at theater, and the man moved around and opened the door for her. She felt so special. He offered her his hand, such a gentleman, and she obviously took it. Being treated like a lady, or even a pricess, wasn't something Ella was used to. But she'd be lying if she said she didn't like it. Leaving the car, Ella did her best to muster up all of her confidence. She was was a confident, and strong woman, it wasn't hard to step into the role of a celebrity. Being a dancer, and an acrobet, made it easy to move fluidly from the car to standing beside him. She took his arm, and followed his guid into the theater. Wow, being a patron was a very different experience. Something that seemed so simple was a unique and different experience for Ella. She hadn't gone to see a show that she hadn't worked on in what felt like forever. Due to the lateness of the time, Ella did have a shawl to cover her while outside. Once inside the building, they moved to the coat check, and Gus helped her wit her piece of fabric and then gave over his coat as well. She whispered him her thanks, enjoying the simple, yet intimate touch. After he had given the employee the clothing items, he turned back to Ella. She moved closer to him, enjoying the experience. He offered a drink and she thought, giggling a bit as he mentioned the privacy. "I'd love a drink." She leaned into him a little as they moved through the theater.

@auguste

[Deleted]

It was quite something, how many people ended up so utterly surprised that his intentions with his music had never been to gain fame with them. It was just a thing that happened to transpire. His darling sister and insistent father had not taken no for an answer when it seemed that he planned to drink himself into oblivion inside his appartment after graduation. Maybe it had been because they knew his music was good from having heard him play with his mother all those years ago. Maybe they'd heard his later songs he'd written in the privacy of his bedroom when he thought they were not listening. His music had always been his way to connect to his mother, even after they'd lost her. Still, he chuckled and shrugged a little. "I'd be lying if I said you were the first." He admitted humbly. His head wasn't quite as big as a lot of people undoubted presumed it to be.

Gus was thoroughly convinced that he'd want to go on a date with Ella again. It wasn't just the fact that they already knew each other somewhat and had never had any problems interacting before but also the fact that talking to her in a more formal setting was easy. She seemed to like his tendency to show off and he appreciated that. It meant he got to feel free to be himself without having to worry that she'd end up leaving because she couldn't handle parts of his life. While it had never been something he'd considered in the past his new experiences meant that it was certainly a lot more on the forefront of his mind when he went on a date these days. Not that he did so excessively but well, he'd been seeing a few people to see if there was anybody he wanted to have a longer term commitment to. He certainly enjoyed his time with Ella more than enough to want to take her on countless dates. She was fascinating and certainly kept him on his toes in a good way. "We'll make sure to have a next time arranged in that case." He promised her with an easy smile. "Although I'll put the other type of communication on the shelf for when we get back to either the car or one of our homes." He said with a cheeky little wink and a smile.

He led her in and honestly, it felt like a typical type of red carpet experience. He just wanted to give her a bit of an idea of what she was getting herself into. It was a quiet night in that sense and the staff wasn't quite the same as on most premier nights as he was fairly certain he'd seen one of them staring but all in all, it wasn't something he was unfamiliar with. It was nice to see her enjoy being a princess for a change rather than be very much in charge. It was kind of adorable. It made her look ridiculously cute, which was quite uncommon with her powerful appearance, and he loved it. He liked this side of her. He lead her towards the bar, feeling like a million galleons and as they arrived he managed to get the attention of the bartender and then looked to her so she could order a drink before he did. It was only polite to do so after all. "I'd like whatever the specialty is, if any. Otherwise something light, surprise me." He said cheerfully after she'd put her order in. Then he smiled happily at her. "Excited for the show? Quite something else from this side, isn't it?" He asked with a twinkle to his eyes.

@donatella

[Deleted]

Fame wasn't Ella's purpose for performing, not that she thought she'd ever reach fame as an aerial acrobat. On top of that, and maybe because of her work, Ella didn't date a lot. She had her fair share of one night stands, and late night interactions with strangers, and plenty with friends, if she could call them that. But the idea of dating Gus wasn't a bad one.

Being with a celebrity, or getting any amount of the VIP treatment was foreign to Ella, but being with Gus made it easier somehow. Maybe it was because he was so comfortable with it. Being one's true self was something that the girl had fought for. She had lost her parents because of her choice, and couldn't be happier. Sure she missed her siblings, but they could keep in touch. And the idea of a next time really wasn't something that happened too often. If the two of them had enough "next times" She would have to actually think about telling her brothers that she was dating Gus. Though this being their first official date, she wouldn't need to worry about that for some time. She beamed as he mentioned making plans. "Sounds like a plan." She mentioned, not wanting to spoil the here and now with talk of the future. Now was the time to enjoy the date they were currently on.

They went into the theater, and everything seemed so new to her. Ella was raised to be the next star of the quidditch world, working hard to train day and night even at a young age. Sure, at first she wanted it. She wanted the attention. But as she grew, her rebellious side became more daring. Having the royal treatment was something she never thought possible. Ella would be sure to enjoy it. It did leave her more in his power. Ella had been described as being a bit intense when it came ot her romantic interactions, this was a nice change. While their first meeting had been fast and she had been knocked off his feet by her, now was quite a difference. It was good to see that he could do the same to her. She happily clung to his arm. The two made their way towards the bar, and she could see the gaze of other's looking their way. Sure they were easily focusing on the man that she was attached to. She was simply his arm candy. A wicked grin crossed her lips as they walked. There were millions of men and women who wished they were right were she was. This could be more fun than she had originally thought.

Before their date, she had known he was a celebrity, but their times together were more casual, and often times behind closed doors. Gus got the attention of the bartender, and let Ella order first. "I'll take a Dark and Stormy." She winked. While she wasn't one to regularly visit a pub or bar, she still knew how to order alcohol. As he ordered, Ella leaned her head on Gus' shoulder, smiling as he mentioned something light. In ways, they were like their drink orders. Opposite but still alcoholic. She looked up, still holding his arm close, pressing into her chest as she turned to smile back at him. "I am." She answered, leaning forward to softly peck his lips. "Thanks for bringing me." She softly said. She liked this side of him just as much, if not more than the awkward little duckling she had first slept with.

@auguste