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Beautiful Music Together (Candira x Musashi)

Despite the others leaving the stage, Jessica was in no rush. It was difficult to get used to watching an audience of this size make the exodus from the concert hall to the lobby and parking lot. She was a fairly popular performer, but she had never really had this kind of draw before. Watching the crowd dissipate left her with a surreal sense of satisfaction. Still, as Leon took his leave, so did she.

The jazz singer realized as she followed their front man that she was still holding his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze as he asked her to the green room.

“Sounds good to me. I could use a little break,” she grinned, keeping stride with him.
 
Upon feeling the squeeze from Jessica's satin glove, Leon gave a gentle squeeze back and kept holding her hand for the walk backstage. The grand music spectacle had ended for the night, but Leon seemed just as excited now as he was just before the start of the show. His heart felt a little lighter than usual and the way it fluttered a little faster that night could be felt up through his shoulders.

Inside the green room, several well padded chairs and sofas formed a pair of circles, each with capacity for about 9. The band of princesses had already sat down in one of them, which still had one couch with room for 2 guests. A few were making some small talk, including murmurs about how much fun was had and how they couldn't wait for the next show. Leon guided Jessica to the open spots on the comfortable sofa and rested down slowly. On Jessica's left, Elena praised, "Jessica I am so happy to have you on this tour! You were amazing tonight!" Meanwhile, Cinderella, who had noticed the 2 performers hands holding, looked briefly to notice Leon's bright eyes seeming to carry a glow whenever the sexy starlet was in his view. Reminded of a similar effect in her husband's eyes when they met and any they gazed at each other, she silently fawned, "How nice!"
 
Since she was partially behind Leon as they made their way backstage due to the cramped hallways, Jessica couldn’t see the light in the dark-haired hero’s eyes. One thing she did notice, though, was that he hadn’t let go of her hand. She smiled, blushing just a little as her own heart fluttered. He was a very handsome man, after all, and the two of them had gotten quite close. When they entered the green room, the redhead forgot the two of them were holding hands as Elena praised her.

“Aw, thank you, Elena. I’m so glad I said yes. This tour has been so much fun with all of you, and you’re all so talented!”

She sat with Leon, careful with her dress.
 
On arriving at the couch, Leon briefly let go of Jessica's hand so she could handle her dress's long skirt as needed. Once seated, he, almost as a natural reaction, rested a hand upon hers, his fingers seemingly asking to interlock with hers.

While her final 2 bandmates entered Tiana also noticed their hands, prompting her to think about some of the previous shows from the tour. She had been noticing that Leon and Jessica had played around on stage a little before, but not quite as intensely as tonight. She also remembered seeing them hug a little more frequently compared to when the tour began, had been sitting together more frequently, and seemed to confide in one another in something, but she wasn't quite sure what. It had her momentarily thinking of her wild adventure where she and her now husband sought out and eventually found a way to reclaim their human bodies. On hearing Jessica humbly accept Elena's compliments, the Lady of Louisiana returned, "As are you, friend! If it isn't too much trouble after the tour I'd love to have you at my restaurant for a show! We could give 'em a night of smooth jazz and hot cajun spices they'll never forget!"

From across the circle, Anna beamed, "We all love to sing, but with you it's like a super-power! I got so excited every time I whacked that crash cymbal to kick off your next verse!"
 
Jessica smoothed out her dress, covering her legs appropriately before relaxing on the couch. Leon’s warm hand on hers felt natural, so she allowed his fingers to interlock with his as she cooled down from the stage, reclining with Leon. The bombshell herself would never make A big deal of it, but holding his hand felt so right, and as the two of them had become closer, so had their physical intimacy increased.

“Well, thank you, Anna. I’m not so sure about having a super power, but I’m glad you all think so highly of it. I work really hard at it. And, Tiana, I would love to come perform for you sometime. I think it would be great! Plus, I’ve always wanted to visit your place. Every time you’ve cooked anything in a real kitchen for us, it’s been delicious.”

The redhead leaned against Leon just a little, the positioning likely unnoticeable to those who weren’t paying attention.
 
Leon emitted a little smile as his hand properly wrapped into Jessica's. From where their hands rested his fingertips could very slightly touch her bright beautiful dress, and the sparkling satin felt quite nice. He then noticed her shoulder touching his very gently. Enjoying the closeness, he moved his free hand to affectionately rub her shoulder for a brief moment. All the while, he found himself thinking that he hadn't had feelings like these in several years. Not since the last date he went on with Rinoa before her tragic sacrifice.

Tiana humbly accepted, "Thank you I do try. They're family recipes; I'm glad I paid close attention to my father's cooking lessons, and that he let me practice almost every time we cooked, even if we had to make do with my..misfires the first few times."

Belle added, "All that practice paid off though!" To which Tiana thanked, "So did those cookbooks from your library!" After a smile and nod, Belle turned to Jessica and recalled, "I do love that song 'Smooth Operator', and seeing you take on the role of the erstwhile lover and cast Leon into the lead role made me think one of my favorite storybooks had come to life!"
 
Jessica enjoyed the positivity of these young women. She wasn’t exactly old by comparison, but her marriage and Roger’s untimely demise had left her with a world-weariness that made her feel a bit more seasoned than she was. Being with these bright young women who held each other in such high esteem was a pleasure.

While she listened, she felt Leon rub her shoulder before putting his hand down. While she was pleased with the affection, she Wondered where it was coming from. Her green eyes turned to his handsome face for a moment, curious as to where all of this affection was coming from.

And then Belle hit the nail on the head.

“Ah. Well, a song with heart is really just a story. I always try to inject a little drama on stage. But Leon did a really good job with it tonight. I must have just been feeding off of his performance.”
 
While Leon was keeping up with the conversation, his thoughts dwelled on what was happening with their bombshell beauty of a guest star. Seemed every little show of affection he gave or received felt even better than the previous. He then saw her gorgeous green eyes gazing into his own. He looked into them deeply with a sweet smile of appreciation, enjoyment, and even a drop of desire.

Not too lost in thought to participate, Leon discussed, "Back at the Garden where I trained, they taught us a lot of different things including stage acting. It was in case we ever had to infiltrate an enemy compound disguised as one of their soldiers."

Band manager Aerith knocked on the door before walking a few steps in. She advised, "We're almost ready to go. We'll have a few hours on the road before we're at the next hotel."
 
Were his eyes always so blue? They just seemed so electric tonight. It was almost unreal. And unless she was flying high on the endorphins from her performance, those beautiful blue eyes were full of desire and affection. Her own gaze carried a bit of heat, but she always sort of smoldered a bit when gazing at him. His mention of Garden reminded her that they were very different, but they were also very similar in the way they had both turned to music when they had lost their loved ones.

And then Aerith arrived to announce their schedule. “Thanks for the update Aerith. Well, I am going to visit the little girls’ room before we take off. Back in a flash,” she said with a wink.

And then she let go of Leon’s hand and got up to do as she said. She smiled at the manager on her way out and then hurried toward the nearest restroom. Always best to go before getting on the bus. Of course, there was nothing stopping anyone from following suit or snagging her on her way back to the green room.
 
Leon briefly squeezed Jessica's gloved hand before opening his so she could step away for her bathroom break. It then occurred to him that between the upcoming bus ride and all the water he drank between songs he could probably use a little break himself, so he told all the pretty ladies, "I'll catch up in just a few minutes." and stepped aside to the mens' restrooms.

Seeing it was time to get going, some of the princesses also took quick breaks, and in the cases of Belle, Cindy, and Tiana, also changed out of their poofy stage gowns in favor of sleeker dresses easier to climb stairs in or possibly sleep in if weariness overtook them on the bus ride.

Now ready to travel, Leon saw Elena and Anna board the limousine-esque tour bus and told them, "I'll hop in a just a minute." He waited just inside from the porte-cochère, intent on waiting for Jessica before boarding.
 
Jessica was quick, freshening up and seeing the other girls as they took their breaks. Her dress was the slinkiest and least restrictive of them all, but it wasn’t particularly comfortable to lounge in for full trips. That said, her spare clothes were on the bus, so she would just change in back while the others chatted out front.

At least, that was her plan. She exited the bathroom before some of the other girls and found herself walking straight toward the former mercenary.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite bassist. Waiting for someone?” she asked with a grin.
 
Seeing the crimson-dressed beauty make her triumphant return, Leon showed a calm inviting smile reflecting a fulfillment of an anticipated meeting. Looking deeply into her bright green eyes, he sweetly confirmed her question, "Why, yes indeed; I was waiting for my favorite superstar singer, Jessica!" He appreciated having a moment to see her without needing to keep up a live show and getting a minute to admire how beautifully her form-fitting evening gown suited her and brought out her intense womanly beauty. Especially eye catching was the sexy dress's long slit that revealed the starlet's long strong legs, which inspired thoughts of being hugged by them. Not wanting to hold up the travel plans, Leon once again offered his hand to her and asked, "And I'd like to escort my favorite superstar singer to her ride. May I, Jessica?"
 
She chuckled at the repeated use of “super star” and hooked her arm into his.

“Sure thing. Laying it on just a little thick, there, handsome. No need to butter me up. You’re already my favorite escort.”

With that, the buxom beauty leaned over to kiss him on the cheek and then started walking toward the bus. The casual way she gave him affection was a reflection of her personality, but also her strong bond with the handsome front man. It was a sign of their trust and her comfort level. For the first time in a long time, the singer felt ready to open her heart to someone new again, and it seemed Leon was the one who had unlocked it.
 
Glad to have the sultry singer at his side, Leon emitted a little laugh of his own, returned her affectionate gesture with a little kiss to her cheek, then started the walk to the long tall vehicle. Within there were a few padded seats affixed to the floor and arranged along the sides so riders could face another. Further in, there were a pair of table-booths along with a few kitchen appliances where food and drinks were stored and cooking could be done, plus a pair of flat screens. The musically gifted princesses were all present and accounted for as well as a few others including band manager Aerith, stage manager Yuffie, and sound board operator Cloud.

After looking around, Leon located an open space on the near side seating fixture and invited Jessica to sit with him. He thought about her little kiss, still feeling the tiny wet mark it made. It made him curious: was that consent to flirt with her a little more? Such was his hope: everything he had done with her in recent weeks: rehearsing for concerts, singing on stage, dancing as wild theatrical characters, holding hands and hugging; it all felt fantastic!
 
The redhead followed him onto the bus, findinf her seat with him quickly enough. She smiled at Aerith, Cloud, and Yuffie, telling them they had done a great job tonight before leaning back in her chair, dress carefully positioned so that it wouldn’t be in the way of anyone walking to the back of the bus, and it would still cover her. She would wait until they were all under way before going back to change. In the meantime, she would just enjoy spending time with Leon.

“It’s nice to relax after a good show,” she said, turning to her blue-eyed friend.
 
"Especially after such a wild one like that!" Leon concurred as he saw the radiant redhead's green eyes. "That was a great show, and I bet the next one will be too. Glad we got a couple days to recover first though," he rested. Then, much like in the green room, he reached for Jessica's hand desiring to hold it again.

Sitting between Cloud and Yuffie, Elena gently touched each of their shoulders and approved, "Having such a great team supporting us is what makes these shows possible."

Carrying a pair of chilled water bottles, Anna asked, "Anyone need water?"
 
“Oh, I’ll take some. Thanks, Anna.”

The redhead reached out and opened the bottle’s flip cap before giving her free hand back to Leon. The cool water was refreshing, and Leon’s hand was comforting. As the other girls slowly returned to the bus, Jessica stretched a bit until everyone was back on board and they were on their way to the next venue. All the while, the singer stayed close to Leon, never completely out of reach.
 
Also grateful for cold refresher, Leon accepted, "Oh yes thanks!" and briefly parted hands with Jessica to claim a bottle and drink from it. After downing about a third of it, he rested the bottle in a cup holder behind them and welcoming his beautiful neighbor's hand in his again.

The big coach started to work its way into the busy city streets. Cloud shared his plans, "I'll give Tifa a few minutes to focus on driving out of the city, but once we're on the highway I'll head up to the front to keep her company and be ready to take the wheel if she needs a rest."

Having passed water around to everyone, Anna declared, "I'm gonna help Tiana fix up a little midnight snack!" Belle requested, "Let me know if you need anything," before opening a novel with a colorful cover. Cinderella yawned for a moment, then, seeing as she had room, rested her head on the seating. Elena volunteered, "I'll be up for a while, so if Cloud needs a co-pilot later I can join him." Finally, Yuffie declared, "I'll have some that dessert later, but for now I'm gonna watch a movie!" She put on a set of wireless headphones and cued up a film on the TV screen with the remote.

Leon looked happy that everyone was doing something they seemed to enjoy. He turned his attention back to Jessica and revealed, "Sounds like we'll have a few minutes of stop and go before we make the highways." He affectionately rubbed her shoulder with his free hand, then reached across and hugged her far side, taking a moment to enjoy her slinky dress's fabric texture in his hand.
 
Jessica finished her water, setting the bottle in a cup holder nearby. Leon seemed intent on staying as close to her as possible, so Jessica leaned in. The affection was warm and welcome. They had become close friends—maybe even more than that—over the past few weeks. Everyone seemed content to either sleep or occupy themselves with something they could lose themselves in for awhile, so there was no real reason to shy away from him.

“Seems like it. What do you want to do with your time?”
 
Noticing the lovely lady leaning in a little closer, Leon gave her shoulder another affectionate palming with his right hand, then moved it to her slender stomach while squeezing her hand with his left. He noticed their friends seemed intent to engage in their various activities. Almost as if they could see the sparkles in his eyes and wanted to avoid interrupting what was happening. He thought about it for a moment. Clearly he and Jessica had become close enough to consent to friendly exchanges of affection. So much so that he wanted to ask if it was deeper than that. Still, they had hours to drive so he felt no pressure to rush the matter.

"I could relax with you for a while, Jessica," he answered, looking into her eyes as he spoke her name again. Noticing he was flirtatiously touching her bright red gown, he asked, "Where did you get this wonderful dress? It's beautiful like you!"
 
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