Acrobatics <Lashton>

21 - Able

If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live. ~Martin Luther King Jr. 

Luke's POV

I finished my stunt, Ashton was sitting and watching. When I saw him and I thought of that famous acrobatic, I understood why he wanted to be here. He may not have the talent of his mother or the amount of shame of his father, but he loved the circus. He loved the acts, the colors, and he learned to love all of the animals. Maybe he would be a performer someday too. 

I just wanted to impress him. 

He would clap for us, but eventually I looked and he was gone. "Focus Luke, you've been doing really good today." CiCi commented. I nodded my head and continued, I definately wanted tonight to be a good show. After all, nothing could go wrong. Considering our next stop was almost a make or break situation. We were going to perform in New York City. I was more excited than anything to leave the west. 

I turned to CiCi and smiled. "You know, my darling sister, I don't think I've ever told you that I really appreciate being able to get to be with you everyday." 

"Okay you can stop joking." CiCi rolled her eyes.

"I'm not joking, I'm serious. I don't think I've learned to be grateful for what you've done for me." I gave a small smile and she returned it to me. 

"Well, I'm glad I get to keep you around, being on the road without you was kind of weird to me." CiCi laughed as she took off on the pole, I went second and we swung around, flips and tricks as we spun through the air. It was so exhilarating to feel so free. 

"That was a really good run, the both of you." Calum smiled as he walked in with Ashton and Michael. Following behind them was Silver, the panther that still had not liked me. We climbed down and I now noticed that she was pretty much at adult size. At least big enough to kill me.

So when she snarled at the sight of me, I was scared to say the least. "What's she doing?" Calum asked as I backed up. Ashton and Michael cautiously got a steel cable around her neck, just in case. We were all standing with the hairs on our neck up. She took a few steps towards me. 

"No, Silver." Ashton said, a firm tone to his voice. "Stop that." She then turned on Ashton, but he showed no fear to her. He did not even jump back when she let a roar out at him. So, she stopped. No fear meant that there was no way that she would win against him. 

Ashton pulled Silver out of the room and everyone was curious. "Why doesn't she like you?" Michael asked as he turned to me.

"She never did when she was a kitten, I tried to but she would always scratch me." I shrugged. "That cat makes me uneasy. I think we should give her back to whomever she came from." 

"As long as Ashton's around you should be fine." Michael said. "She listens to him." 

"Michael, I don't want anything happening to Luke." Calum said, a chilling tone to his voice. "I will put that cat down without hesitation." 

"Nothing will happen Calum, I promise." Michael smiled. "There's no need to put my animals down. Now if you will excuse me. Fancy is ready for her manicure." Fancy being Michael's cheetah. 

I shook my head slowly as I leaned against a post in the ground. Calum had turned and left without a word. I was uneasy about the whole thing, but we went for lunch despite my fears of that feline. 

I sat down at a table across from CiCi and we ate in silence. "So, how's it going with Ashton?" She finally spoke.

"Did you know his mother was Darling Daylight?" I asked and CiCi choked on her drink as she went wide eyed. "His parents were part of the The Circus of Blaze." 

"I had no idea he has the most talented mother ever!" CiCi gasped, but then her gaze softened. "Wait a second..Isn't Darling Daylight dead?" 

"She is." I nodded my head. "During that big accident that shut them down, she had fallen and died. Ashton said he saw it happen. There were riots that broke out but I never really knew what happened." 

"I remembered when people told me about that circus dying off due to an extreme accident. I was so sad when I realized she had passed. What bothers me the most is that, well, Ashton's mother was this incredible woman and he was just abandoned by the circus. How does that make him feel about you being an acrobat?" CiCi asked. 

"He always seems to love it." I shrugged. "Maybe deep down he's worried but - "

"No, that's not what I meant." CiCi said as she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Maybe he was only so appalled to you in the first place because you had the same profession as his mother." 

"That's a gross fetish." I shook my head. 

"That's not what I meant!" CiCi hissed at me. "I mean, you remind him of home. Maybe that's why he cares so much, you make him feel like his place exists again." 

"I doubt it." I shrugged, picking at my food. I looked out to see the sun beating down, seeing the workers dirty and sweaty. Eventually Ashton came out, and I swear I could have melted like a popsicle in the sun. He sat next to me and kissed my cheek. 

"Are you alright?" He asked as he put a hand to my forehead. "Your face is really red." 

"No he's just admiring your physical structure." CiCi chuckled from across the table, before Ashton could say anything CiCi spoke up. "I had no idea your mother was Darling Daylight!" 

"Hm? Oh yeah. She is." Ashton said, and then I noticed something. Ashton spoke as if his mother was still here, and made extra emphasis on it. It hit me like a bullet, but I understood he was not over it, and why should he be? But he can't accept death. 

"She really was a magnificent acrobat." CiCi continued with a smile.

"Yeah, she is." Ashton flashed a smile at CiCi, but he almost seemed annoyed. Cici immediately caught it and took it easy.

"Well did you inherit any of her talent?" CiCi smiled. 

"Ah, not really." Ashton shook his head. "Plus it's been a really long time since I've gone near one of those things."

"You used to do acrobatics?" I gasped. "No way, I want to see." 

"I'm not breaking my neck to show you a useless talent." Ashton rolled his eyes. "However, I'm still really good at gymnastics." CiCi and I exchanged glances and Ashton stood up as he easily went into a handstand..On one hand. 

"I hate my life." I muttered. Eventually he did a backbend before cartwheeling and rounding it off with a fancy looking flip. He walked back to the table and there were a few claps. "I literally know nothing about you." 

"Well, you learn something new every day. This way, you'll always have something to learn about me." Ashton smiled wide.

"Aw that was so gross." CiCi smiled. "I think that you should ask Calum to let you perform with the horse riders, I think you could get a really cool act with Alexandria." 

"Who is that?" Ashton asked. 

"She's does these amazing acts with the horses." CiCi gushed. "I think you would like her if you knew who she was." I felt myself shaking with anger, if anything the last person I wanted Ashton talking to was that girl. "Oh! Over there!" 

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION; Ariana

Look at that sly double update. You can fight me. 

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX