Septiplier One-Shots

A Shattered Performance

  Inspired by Shatter Me by Lzzy Hale and Lindsey Stirling
In which Jack is a tightrope walker/dancer

Jack takes a peek through the curtains. There was a big crowd today. He sighs and heads to the dressing room. Jack pulls on his skin tight suit, patterned with bright and dark green diamonds, and thoughts pour into his head. The thoughts were of his first memory of coming to this circus 14 years ago and how he became a part of it.

~Flash Back~
Jack was six. He had come to the circus with his parents and they went to watch the show. Jack being a dancer himself was very impressed with the tightrope performer. The small boy had enjoyed watching the show and left the big top when the show was over. But sadly, as he was making his way through the crowd with his parents, he got separated and was soon lost. After hours upon hours of searching, Jack had given up. It had also appeared that either his parents didn't seem to care or they had given up on trying to locate him. His bright blue eyes become dull as they started to well up with tears. Tired and upset, he took a seat at a table, only to pass out moments later. When he woke up, his blue eyes met a pair of light brown ones belonging to a woman with brown hair with purple streaks.
"Hello little one. What's your name?" the woman asks with a smile.
"S-Sean... But people call me Jack.." Jack answers shyly.
"Jack... What a nice name," the woman smiles. "I'm Michelle, more so known as Minx. I'm the Ring Leader here. Now why were you alone?"
"I got separated from my parents after the show," Jack says, tearing up again. He sniffles as he becomes says. "But how did I get here..?" he asks. Another woman with a dark complexion, black hair and one red eye walked in.
"Oh good you're awake! I found you and brought you to my wife Michelle. I'm Kristen, better known as Krism," Krism replies.
"And since it seems your parents couldn't find you, why don't you stay with us? You can get to know the rest of the crew," Minx says with a smile. Jack sniffles again but nods. He takes Minx's and Krism's hands as they lead him to where the other performers were. Everyone else were males. Minx introduced the other males to be Ken, Cry, Felix and Yami. She also goes to explain everyone's part. Krism was the magician, Yami the tightrope walker, Cry was the flame dancer, Ken the beast tamer and Felix the contortionist. Krism and Minx had asked if Jack was good with anything in particular and were delighted to find out that jack could dance.
"Wonderful! We'll have you work with Yami! How old are you?" Krism says.
"Six!" jack says proudly.
"Oh good. Yami's ten. Yami, come over here dear," Minx says. The light brown haired male walked over and looks at Jack.
"Yes Miss Minx?" Yami asks.
"Jack here will be your new partner! Teach him well and treat him like your little brother," Minx says. Jack and Yami look at each other and smile.
~Flash Back End~
Jack was startled out of his thoughts by Yami who was telling him to hurry up. Jack nodded and put the stage make-up on so that people could see his face. Once ready, him and Yami wait behind the curtain as Cry finished his flame dance. They walk out when Minx introduced them and they head up to their respective ends of the tight rope. As Shatter Me starts playing, the two men start their dance on the tight rope, spinning, flipping all along the rope.
In the audience, a group of three young adults were chilling and watching. One of them had a bright red poof of hair. This man was named Mark. It was his first time seeing this circus where as his friends Bob and Wade had already seen this show but loved it none the less. Mark looks up at the two tightrope dancers and his eyes were attached to the man dressed in green. Mark had met the performer before the show and was heads over heels for the man, despite having just met him a few hours before him.
Jack's eyes scan the crowd as he dances, spotting Mark standing out like a beacon among the wave of people. Jack snaps back to what he was doing before he got too lost. After they had finished that particular song, they received a break and Jack thought about Mark and what he was feeling for him. His heart aches to be free of the circus and yearns to be with Mark. Sure, he loved Minx, Krism and the guys but he longed for the days of freedom. After their little break, Jack stands up and steps onto the tightrope to start the dance with a flip. As he flips, Jack gets light headed and doesn't land it, causing him to fall into the net below him, passing out.
Mark stands up as does the rest of the crowd, everyone shocked. He notices as Minx tells everyone to remain calm and that the show would go on, just no more performances from Jack. Krism darts out to where Jack was and carried him off. Mark bit his lip, worried. However, he sits back down and watches the show. Afterwards, Mark had decided to linger behind so he could talk to Minx. Minx noticed that Mark was still there and she walks over to him.
"Can I help you sir?" Minx asks.
"Uh yeah. I was wondering if I could see Jack? I was one of the people he met and was hanging out with earlier today.." Mark says.
"You must be Mark then. Jack wants to see you. He seems rather fond of you as he would only talk about you before the show," Minx says. She leads Mark to where their little family stayed and then to where Jack was. "I have Mark for you Jack."
"Mark?" Jack says. He perks up a bit seeing Mark. He smiles and tries to get up, only for Krism to push him back down.
"I'll let you too have some privacy, but don't let him stand up," Krism tells Mark before leaving and joining her wife. Mark walks over and sits on the edge of Jack's bed.
"You feeling alright? You had me worried when you fell.." Mark says.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Minx and Krism know I yearn for my freedom and I think they've figured out that I passed out the way I did because I couldn't handle the stress of the constant performances any more.." Jack says with a sigh. He sits up.
"Understandable. You had a shattered performance if you will," Mark says. "Do you think they'll cut back on the frequency of the shows and give you and the rest more spare time?"
"Hopefully... But I also want to experience life outside the circus.." Jack says.
"Well.. You could do that with me.." Mark says. Jack looks at him.
"Did you just ask me to be your boyfriend?!" Jack asks.
"Maybe~" Mark grins.
"Well if that's the case, then I'll gladly be your boyfriend," Jack says. Mark grins even more and kisses Jack. Sure it was cheesy how two strangers feel in love at first glance, but sometimes it just happens. Minx and Krism smile at each other, having heard Mark and Jack They knew that all Jack really needed was some love other than the love they gave.