The afternoon had been far more eventful then Audette would have liked, even if it had ended,gratefully, with finding safety at the hands of a man fate seemed determined to intersect with her usually more placid lifestyle. Her suggestion of coffee was for her own benefit as much as it was his. It was simply the Parisian way, to lounge with decadent pastries and coffee with curls of steam wafting from the tops of white porcelain cups. There was a comfort to be found in those quaint little cafes for the French girl, even if the cobblestone streets of Sacrosanct failed to produce the same sort of nostalgia within her. Nevertheless, Kit seemed to finally agree to the suggestion as he gestured down the street, indicating for her to lead the way. Audette, admittedly, had yet to find a cafe truly up to her impeccable standards. Visiting a new one every week had become a sort of ritual for her, a soft sound of consideration hummed on her lips as she reached for her phone, searching up the nearest place - one whose name she was entirely unfamiliar with. Fortunately, the cafe her phone had guided them to was entirely homely with plush sofas and oversized armchairs. The low lighting made each little nook almost...intimate as the pair found their way to a table with their warm treats.

Audette, admittedly, was hardly prepared for the easy flow of conversation. The man before her was far more willing to open himself to her, providing a plethora of details of his life from his brother to the unfortunate death of their mother. She listened astutely to every story he wove, hardly pestering for details he merely glazed over. How...eventful his world seemed compared to the picturesque quietness of the small town life she'd hailed from. Nevertheless, Audette spoke of the rolling hills of flowers that surrounded Riquewihr, of the winery's she'd run through as a child till ballet had called her away from the town that was far too small for her grand dreams of dancing. Eventually, the afternoon wanes into evening and Audette is forced to bid her farewells, entirely unaware of the way Kit's gaze lingered upon her as she meandered down the sidewalk and towards the Western apartment she called home.

The day, however, lingers upon her memory, tugging at her attention, no matter how briefly, each time she leaves her dance studio for at least another week before it too is forgotten under the weight of her demanding schedule. Day moves onto day and Audette continues to twist her body into each elegant pose, to stretch each lean muscle on the tips of her toes with the hopes that in the upcoming show she might prove herself worthy of the spotlight. It was her chance, after all, to step out amongst the corps, to show she had the capability of becoming a principal.

On the night of the show, Audette was surrounded by layers of pink tulle, providing her with the perfect tutu that hugged her hourglass hips. Her blonde hair was pulled back tight upon her head, those long locks circling in on themselves and pinned to perfection in a neat bun. Her eyelids sparkled with over exaggerated makeup, her lips painted a vibrant pink to make their sweetheart shape all the more visible beneath the overhead lights. Though the stage was not their usual glamorous one within White Swan Hall, the Pacific Northwest Ballet had a lesser auditorium perfect for tonight's far smaller show. She hardly expected it to be as full as it was, with none of the ballet's usual principal dancers on stage and yet, perhaps it was the excitement of new talent or the cheaper ticket fare that brought the crowd. Either way, Audette found herself trying to calm her nerves as she stood in the wing, waiting for her number as Don Quixote's ethereal Kitri within the depths of his dreams.

The music shifted into a soft lilting melody as Audette stepped out from the darkness and into the spotlight. Instantly, she could feel the eyes of the crowd upon her, following each swaying movement of her hands, each pointed step and long lift of her leg behind her. She shifted into a series of pirouettes across the stage, never once faltering in her step before she found that ending arabesque. It was a short routine, lasting no more then two minutes before Audette found her way off the stage as the lights shifted and the music changed - then again, that was the point, every member of the corps was given a single chance, tonight, to show what they were capable of to the director. The rest of the night was spent as just another member of the large ballet troupe, her face surely unrecognizable amongst the rest of the group in her matching outfit and yet, Audette still put her all in supporting each soloist and duet till the show came to its joyful ending.

Eventually, the lights raised, the crowd invited into one of the larger studios that had been turned into a reception area. As lovely as it was to meet the watchers of their performance, Audette was well aware of the ballet's true intent - its continual search for wealthy patrons to line its coffers. Ticket sales, after all, only went so far and the ballerinas themselves still provided the best source of enticement for the rich. Audette stepped into the reception room with several other ballerinas, her gaze scanning the crowd only to land on the face of an altogether familiar and wholly unexpected figure. A warm simper fluttered across her features as Audette made her way through the crowd, her tutu had been replaced with the same tulle skirt the corps at large had worn in their last number, her outfit alone denoting her role in the performance. "Ah, monsieur Kit, what are you doing here?"