Torn

Mirela came around him from behind and slowly ran her hand down his strong, muscly arm, already feeling the tension. The anticipation. Her hand slowly reached his and she clasped it into her own. Gregory looked at her, and their eyes locked. They stood there a while, lost in one another's eyes as the deep and meaningful gaze continued until Gregory looked away, down at their hands as he let go of hers, then down at the ground as he stepped backwards.

He slipped his arms into the material, allowing it to settle on his wrists. He glanced briefly at Mirela, who was watching him intently, then looked at the sky above.  Almost immediately, he felt his feet leave the ground as he spun slowly, up toward the sky. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of the wind as it swept past his eyelids and he soon became caught up in another world.

He opened his eyes, curling himself into a ball as he began to slowly descend, back toward the ground. Almost as soon as his feet hit land again, Mirela ran for him and he felt her wrap herself around him. He was about to shrug her off, but he'd been too late. They were up in the air again. But just as soon as they'd gone up, they were on the ground again and he felt the weight lift as she released him.

He breathed deep and began to run, slowly but surely rising into the air. He closed his eyes again, unaware of Mirela running after him, reaching up for him from the ground below as his mind raced. He couldn't have both, could he? He flipped, swirled and turned easily as he flew around, still lost completely in his thoughts. He loved her. But he loved this, too. This feeling of flying was unbeatable. He felt free, lost, and he loved that.

Gregory shook his head lightly as he felt himself falling slowly back to Earth. The first thing he saw as his eyes opened was Mirela, a happy smile on her face as she ran to him once again. Smiling back at her, he scooped her up into his arms as they rose again. She dipped her head back in pleasure, feeling the wind run across her face before wrapping her arms around his neck and looking deep into her eyes.
"I love you, Gregory." She whispered into his ear.
"I love you too." He murmured back. Their eyes locked and their gaze never broke once as he let her go and she hung loosely from his neck and they danced in the sky. Carefully, he wrapped his legs around her body and she let him go, reaching now to grab hold of his legs, and then his feet. Abruptly she dropped until she was again hanging loosely from him. They spun slowly as they descended and dropped to the ground beneath them.

She danced around him as he rose alone again, flipping and turning as he rose higher in the air. He looked down to see her sitting on the ground, her eyes never leaving him as she reached toward him. He landed and as she always did, Mirela ran to him, dancing circles around him once more. She sat back, watching as he swung, with increasing speed, back and forth through the air.

She smiled as he returned and let go of a strap, holding the other tight in his grip as they took turns playfully jumping from it's anchor. She spun around, letting the strap go and he ran from one edge of the stage to the other, getting faster as he went until he was carried up again. She ran after him from the ground, reaching out as if she could catch him. She settled on the ground, watching him contentedly as he came lower than rose, spinning in a blur into the air again and came spinning back down.

As he knelt down to loosen the strap around one of his wrists, she approached him from behind, touching his back and slowly lacing her hand around as she came to his front. She looked at him, unable to hide the fear from her eyes any longer. Relieved when he took her hand in his, a small smile escaped her lips and the undying affection she felt for him returned to her eyes. Gently, he guided her wrist into the strap and linked their free arms together, smiling at her as they were lifted, spinning slowly into the air. They were forever connected as they danced around, changing grip from hands to feet and spinning, flying, freely.

Their heads touched at the back as his arm slipped around her waist and she rested her own, free arm atop his, smiling in relief. He still loved her. She still mattered. She closed her eyes, enjoying their closeness as they began to spin around, slowly getting faster and faster until they were a blurb, impossible to follow. The spinning slowed down once again as they descended one final time, and still holding each other, looked up toward the sky theatrically.

They slowly brought their hands down, synchronized and Gregory gently released their arms from the straps. He tightened his grip on the rope, using it to pull himself up again as he helped Mirela to her feet. He took her other hand in his own free one, and she looked down at their hand, clasped together, then back at him, fear evident in her eyes. Reluctantly, he slowly withdrew is grip and looked ahead. Startled as he felt something on his shoulder, he looked back to see his beloved Mirela, running her hand gently, tenderly down his arm and interlacing her fingers with his befrore letting him go again and walking away. Worry now evident in his own eyes, Gregory reluctantly turned away from the straps that allowed him to fly and followed her away.

Clasping his hand once more, Mirela looked at him, her eyes demanding her gaze be returned. Unsure, his eyes rose and he slowly met his gaze.
"Will you leave me?" She asked. "I know how much you love to fly, Gregory, but please, do not leave me."
There was silence for a long, agonizing moment as he turned away, thinking hard, before he looked back at her. "We do it in our spare time." He said finally. "I see no reason I cannot have both."
"Both?"
"You and flying. I see no reason you cannot perform with me. If you wanted to, that is."
Eagerly, Mirela nodded as a smile spread across her lips, reaching her eyes and making them sparkle with happiness in the dim light.
"Then, I can have both my loves at once, and keep them both."
"I'd love to."
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Inspired by the act 'Libertard' from Cavalia