Work Text:
“Zhu Li do the thing!”
“Yes dear.” The short woman walked towards the back of the auditorium and opened the door. One by one auditionees started to file inside and take a seat towards the front of the stage.
Zhu Li made her way back to the desk facing the front of the stage and took a seat next to Varrick. Well she had thought she had taken a seat next to Varrick, but, when she looked to her right she noticed he was no longer sitting there. Instead his voice echoed throughout the room and she found him up on stage with a megaphone in one hand.
“Welcome to the audition for Romea and Juliet, a VarrickGlobal adoption written by yours truly-” Zhu Li coughed loud enough for Varrick’s ear to pick it up. He gave a sheepish smile and continued to work the stage, “alongside my partner in crime and best assistant director, Zhu Li!”
Zhu took that opportunity to stand up from the desk, turn around to face the audience, and bow.
“We will call you up one by one to read a few lines. Those we like, we will call back. Those that we don’t like, you will never hear from us again.” He tossed the megaphone to Zhu Li and then added, “Do the thing!”
“Will the following numbers head to the stage please? Numbers 6, 42, 10, 8, and 3.”
Asami looked down at the number they assigned her at the door to confirm the number on her audition bib was indeed number 6. She started to make her way to the stage slowly. It was always a secret passion of hers to be in theater but now that she was actually attempting to pursue it, she could feel her stomach start to turn.
“The first time is always the hardest. It gets easier, trust me.”
Asami looked at the woman walking side by side up the aisle with her. The first thing that she noticed was the bright blue eyes. There was a determination behind them mixed with a drop of confidence. And she had a lot to be confident about. In addition to her obviously attractive body, her voice sounded like it was created to be projected on stage for millions to hear.
“Thanks. I’m more excited than nervous, if that makes sense.” Asami whispered back to the woman.
“Makes complete sense. I’ve been in a few plays and I still get butterflies in my stomach at each audition.” The other woman quietly laughed.
Asami noticed the smile on display from the other woman as she laughed. It looked like everything about this woman was bright and alluring.
As Asami walked up the steps to the stage platform a girl, possibly around 12 with two hair buns, handed her a piece of the script to read. Asami grabbed the piece of paper, thanked the small girl, and then proceeded to stand center stage. The other numbers called up, followed her path until they formed a single straight line. Unfortunately there were two people between her and her new friend. She would have to wait until after the audition to ask for her name. And number, she thought before dismissing the idea.
“Will number 3 and 8 please step forward? Number 3, you will be playing Juliet and Number 8, you will be reading for Romea.”
Asami recognized her new friend as Number 8. As the woman began to read her lines, Asami could tell that she was no amateur. This woman wasn’t merely saying the words, she was manifesting the character into reality right before everyone’s eyes so they could witness the love she had for Juliet.
When it was time for Juliet to speak, number 3 only read a couple lines before Varrick’s voice stopped the woman.
“Number 8, wonderful. With my help I see big things in your future.” Asami was thankful that the years of dealing with corporate know-nothing but say-everything execs came in handy. And she relied on that strength training to keep from rolling her eyes at Varrick’s statement. “But I want to see you read with number 6. Number 6, you will be reading the lines for Juliet. Now go ahead and do the thing!”
Asami noticed the smaller woman next to Varrick tug on his shirt and pull him down to whisper something in his ear. Varrick nodded to acknowledge something he told her and then stood up once again to rephrase his last sentence, “please start when you’re ready”.
Asami took a deep breath and moved closer to Number 3. Being this close to the other woman for a second time allowed her to pick up new things about her. This time it was the way she smelled. There was a subtle water lily scent that clung to the blue eyed woman and drew Asami closer. The park she frequently visited had a pond with water lilies and Asami always found that spot the most relaxing.
Asami cleared her throat and began to read the first line on the page. She was surprised at how easy it felt speaking the secret love words to the woman beside her. Asami had spent countless hours in front of her bathroom mirror rehearsing monologues, but never had the words flowed out of her as if they were her own.
She gave a convincing look of longing towards her reading partner after her lines were read. She was rewarded with a half smile as the other woman spoke the lines of Romea.
Asami felt herself being further transported into the role of Juliet as she looked into the sincere eyes of Romea and felt all of the things Juliet must feel for her Romea. As if in a trance she delivered her next line followed by Romea taking her hand before speaking her words. The other woman’s soft hold on her hand sent ripples of warmth up her arm. Asami had felt the hairs on her arm lift but didn’t risk breaking eye contact with the blue-eyed woman to confirm what she felt.
“And scene!”
Her scene partner released her hold at the sound of the director and turned to face him. Asami followed her lead and tried not to be disappointed at the loss of contact.
Varrick grabbed his megaphone from the table and turned around to face the hopefuls in the seats waiting to audition. “Everyone here auditioning for Romea and Juliet can exit the building. These roles have now been filled.”
The small woman beside Varrick grabbed the megaphone from him to add a few words. “We appreciate you all for your interest in this play. For those of you who may be interested in auditioning for other parts, please see me up front now. Thank you all again.”
“Right you are Zhu Li. Plenty of roles to fill still. But Number 6 and 8, you’re hired! Show up here tomorrow for the details! And now for the next readings. Let’s see…will numbers 9, 18, 37, 22, and 16 head to the stage?”
Asami had just walked down the steps of the stage when a voice spoke next to her. And not just any voice, the voice of her Romea.
“You didn’t tell me you were a natural,” the woman said to Asami while flashing her a cute side smile.
“Hardly. This is my first time doing anything like this.”
“Well, I think you did a really good job.”
Asami could feel the conversation coming to an end and she was determined to not let it happen.
“So I never got your number. I uh mean name. I never got your name?” She finished more strongly.
The other girl flashed her cute side smile before responding. “My number?”
“Sorry, what I meant to say was number.”
The other woman stared at her as if struggling to contain her laughter.
“Ah! I can’t believe I did it again.”
This time the other woman did start to chuckle.
Asami wanted to be embarrassed but instead she was feeling light and bold. She pulled from her corporate persona and decided to just go for it, “If you’re free right now, I would love to take you out to grab a coffee so we can get to know each other more.”
“I would like that. And the name is Korra, by the way.”