Acrobatics <Lashton>

6 - Move

Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town. ~George Carlin

Ashton's POV

"Ashton, wake up." I felt myself being shaken by Luke. When I opened my eyes I noticed he was already dressed by very dirty. His hair was matted to his forehead and he himself was covered in mud. "It's down pouring out there and you need to help Michael get the animals onto the train. Careful, it's slippery and muddy. You can borrow this." Luke threw a jacket on me and disappeared out of the train. I slipped on the jacket and walked outside. Hurrying over to help with the animals.

"Down!" I heard Michael snap and I saw him having a stand off with a lion. "Down girl!" I could see his hand was on the holster that he hid under his jacket. "Dawna don't make me ask again!" The cat continued to snarl at him. Showing all of her sharpened white teeth. She was ready to prance. I knew that Michael did not want to take that shot, but I knew he would.

"Oh god.." I heard Ali mumbled next to me. "These animals are always a mess in the rain. I told those no good workers not to take down the tent until all the animals were taken care of!"

"What's he waiting for?" I asked. "Michael should just take the shot!"

"No he shouldn't because she'll pounce, then the dart would miss and he would have to shoot the black gun." Ali said. "Michael is not about to kill that lion." I looked from Ali to Michael. I noticed now that his hand was on the black gun - not the blue gun.

He was ready to shoot her.

I began to walk towards Michael like a fool though. I stood next to him and Michael said nothing. Instead I looked from him to the lion.

"Easy Dawna." I said gently as I walked towards the lion. She snarled at me. "I know you don't like the rain, but we're getting out of it. You need to stop and go with Michael though." She continued to hiss at me as I walked closer. Eventually she let out a roar that made me stop walking.

"Ashton what are you doing!?" I heard Cirri yell. But I continued to walk towards this huge cat. I eventually got to a point where I was only a few feet away from her.

"I'm not going to shoot." I said as I put my hands up. I then put up one hand to Dawna. She had to know I was not going to hurt her. "C'mon. We can go sit in the dry and warm train car. Or you can sit out in the rain."

At this point Dawna began to look over me with less..Threat. She could clearly see I meant no harm. And she was no idiot.

"Just come with me, okay?" I spoke and the cat sat down on her rear end before ducking her large head into my hand. I gently rubbed over the top of her head and ears. "Now, come with me?" Dawna stood up and followed me out of the tent as I continued to pet her ears. We eventually made it to her car where I sent her to her pen, and she looked fairly pleased to be there.

"That was the scariest moment of my life." I let out a sigh of relief. I had no idea what I was thinking when I was approaching her, but all I knew that it was probably an idea I should not have again.

I worked my way back to the animals where I watched Michael tending to several zebras.

"How did you do that?" Ali asked as she reached me. "I swear, the only person I've ever seen be able to do that is Michael. But weren't you scared?"

"Petrified."

"I bet. Will you take Kayla to the train?" Ali asked as she pointed at her elephant. I nodded my head and lead Kayla back over towards the train. When I passed Michael again he tipped his hat in appreciation. I then would spend the rest of the day cleaning up.

I had just finished loading the last bit of lumber onto the train before I heard someone yell for everyone to get on the train. I hurried over to Luke's train car and pulled myself inside.

"Luke?" I spoke and went wide eyed when I realized that the train had started moving and Luke was not there. "Luke!?" I poked my head out the door. I then saw Luke's head drop down from the top. Letting out a scream I fell backwards as he swung down from the top of the train and into the room. "Acrobats.."

"We're show offs, I know." Luke smiled as he began to change his muddy clothes. I turned my head off to the right as he changed but then turned back when he cleared his throat. He handed me a change of clothes. Only difference between me changing and him changing was that he did not turn away when I changed.

"You've got a nice torso, Ash." Luke smirked as he patted my stomach and walked over to the other side of the train car. He stood against a small table as we listened to the rain outside.

"I heard about what you did with Dawna." Luke said, I gave a shrug. Luke walked over to me, pulling on the collar of my shirt so our faces were inches apart. "Don't you ever do that again." He snarled. "Understand me?" I nodded my head and swallowed hard. "That's dangerous, don't be an idiot. You don't approach the lions."

"Okay.." I mumbled. Luke let go of my shirt and turned back to where he was originally standing. I saw him twisting the top off of a bottle and then he turned to me. "Wine?"

"I don't - "

"Too bad." Luke smiled as he poured a glass for me and one for him. (A/N: Wine is sooo gross.)

Luke passed me a glass and then took a book, sitting on his bed as he read and took small sips out of the glass in his hands. "I usually like to have a glass of wine after a performance, lets just pretend there was one."

I smiled down at the glass. "Alright."

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION

I wrote this while listening to Circus by Britney Spears, hoping it would give me some inspiration..It only inspired naughty writing xD

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX