Freak acts

My mind is a mess today, isn't it?

Not long after the awkward silence with Othello, the twins woke up, almost at the same exact time. It was like they shared a brain. They quickly started making a fuss over who could sit on the mattress with me and who couldn't so Linda and Lucius dragged Bee and Dino out of the room I was in. It was now that I finally started to notice I was in one of the backstage rooms. The mattress was softer than the thin one I have in my caravan. Despite that, it smells super bad. Othello was still here, on the floor. What an idiot.

"Get your ass on this mattress, Othello." I spoke, trying to sound stern but just coming over as pathetic or desperate. I tried sitting up again, this time slowly so I wouldn't be in pain again. Once I was fully seated up, Othello had taken his spot next to me.

I don't know what I was thinking but I ended up leaning my head on his shoulder. To my surprise, he didn't do anything, he didn't say anything, he just sat still.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Othello." I said.

Of course, I got a weird look from Othello because I am not usually the type of person to apologize, and for sure not over something so stupid.

"You're so stupid for confronting that old man." Othello said back to me, which kind of caught me off guard. He wasn't one to be so, how do I say it? Cold... He wasn't the type of person to be so cold. It confused me. No, it concerned me. I almost felt slightly ashamed. What am I saying? I want to break down and cry right now, this is shameful.

I didn't say anything anymore. Everything kind of stopped in my head. No words anymore. No thoughts. I felt ashamed. I haven't felt ashamed in years. Not since the beginning years of my stay in the circus. I'd often feel ashamed after failing an act.

"Don't ever get yourself in such trouble ever again or I will literally and figuratively kill him." Othello said silently. Geez that look sent goosebumps all over my body and shivers down my spine. It was like looking in the eyes of a psychopath. A damned pretty psychopath to say the least. "I'm sorry" I said again.

I have now found myself trapped in this pretty guy's arms. What's with him today? Before I even knew it, he'd picked me up and was carrying me outside.

"Hey, put me down!" I shouted, but I was laughing. "Make me, you little princess" Othello replied. How dare he call me a princess. I mean, aside from having feminine features and having very long hair, I'm still a male. "At least call me a prince then?" I said in annoyance. Othello had brought me to my caravan, opened it, and very gently put me on my mattress. It was surprising that it was dark outside already. Othello made sure I was okay for the twentieth time and then turned to leave. I was going to stop him but I let him go. I started to enjoy his company the last few days. I got off of my mattress and went over to my mirror, confused by the bandages on my face. I took them off to reveal the horror of a wound that Fred had managed to make with his cane. I then remembered the circus would be open again tomorrow. Isn't that just perfect timing? Hopefully, I have enough makeup to cover that up, it looks horrible. It's a now crusty wound with blue around it. Not red, full-on blue. Not to sound weird, but the wound kind of matched my dark blue hair. It's gotten very long. I'm just an overflexible Italian boy with way too long and thick, curly dark blue hair. It doesn't fit. It doesn't even fit my skin. I have vitiligo, so I kind of look stupid honestly. I get laughed at a lot, but that's what you get for being in a freak circus.

I search my drawer for any makeup I have left. I find a small container with some thick makeup that matches my skin color. It's good enough. I toss away the bandages that were previously on my face. It has been quite some time since Fred has genuinely hurt me. Most of the time, he'd just hit his cane against my shins, it doesn't hurt much.

I put the makeup on the small table in the caravan and sat on my mattress. It's boring in here all alone. Nothing is interesting in my caravan. I have nothing to do either. I wasn't able to train today because of Fred. Perhaps some training won't hurt me.

I walked over to the circus tent where I'd practice most of the time. I untied my trapeze from the place it was put aside and began performing the act I usually do to entertain those stinking rich people. I've been doing this act since I was 14. The act is already 10 years old. The time really flies, doesn't it? The act is something I've been wanting to change since it's getting old and too easy, but Frederic won't allow me, saying it's a "tradition" and a "most loved act". I'm not sure what could possibly be so lovable about watching a young adult hang on a trapeze and do dumb little tricks that could risk his life.

Even if I were to be allowed to change the act, I wouldn't know what I would do instead of it.

"Shit!"

I fell. I slipped off of the wooden bar of the trapeze when I saw someone in the corner of my eye when I was stuck in my thoughts. I hit the ground with a hard thud in the silent circus tent. Oh was I lucky I hadn't put the trapeze at its original performing height or I would have broken my neck or my back.

I lie on my back in the sand under my trapeze as I process what just happened. I turned my head to see who was there. Take one single guess who's there. Of course, it's Othello. He helped me off the ground.

"Everything alright there, Lunas? I didn't mean to startle you, I just saw light from in the tent and got curious." Othello spoke in a worried tone. I looked at him, wrapping my thoughts around everything. "I'm alright...just couldn't sleep." I replied to Othello.

"Come sleep with me then. I won't accept you staying up so late." He said to me sternly. Before I could even reply, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me over to his caravan, and then I found myself being cuddled to sleep in Othello's arms, in Othello's caravan. In his caravan that completely smelled like him. I'm completely at peace.

I don't think I've ever fallen asleep this quickly.