Freak Show | Multiship [C]

Chapter 45 | Heart Cravings

It was just after noon on a bright Easter day. The casino was closed for the holiday, leaving the not so Christian freaks to get to play around the empty building. Angelo, Ricky, Ryan, and Kuza sat at the bar, but not a single one touched a drop of alcohol. They all had sodas or water and were simply enjoying each other's company.

"Hey pretty laaaddyyy!" Kuza sang as Ashley and Nikki walked up. Angelo giggled at his weirdness and he involuntarily smiled to see his angel beam. He jumped down from his chair and moved around the back of the bar, "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Coke." Ashley responded.

"Pepsi." Nikki said, giving Ash a teasing glare.

"I hate you." She joked.

He comically grinned, "Aww, I hate you tooooo."

Ashley rolled her eyes, then took a seat beside Ryan. Nikki sat on the other side of her and wrapped his arm around her waist. Kuza handed them their drinks. He then stole Angelo's bottle because there was barely anything left in it.

"I wasn't done with that." Angelo told him.

He put his mouth around the straw and sucked it dry. "Now you are." Kuza snickered and reached under the bar top. He handed Ange another cherry coke and even popped the top for him. "There."

"Thank you." He giggled.

Kuza lost himself in the sunshine in Angelo's eyes. When he smiled, it was like the entire world stopped. To the extent, he had tuned out Ryan talking to him. Finally, Angelo said something and he broke out of his trance.

"Huh?" He asked.

Ange snickered, "Ryan was asking you to hand him another coke."

"Sorry." Kuza muttered, then handed him his drink.

"What was that all about?" Ricky mumbled to his boyfriend.

Ryan earned a small smile, "Young love."

| | |

"Ange?" Chris called for him as he stepped outside of his hotel room.

Angelo, who was in the midst of walking back to his own room, turned around. "Yeah?"

"Can we, um... Can we please talk? If you have time, that is." He stumbled on his words.

Hesitantly, he nodded. Angelo would forever and always have a soft spot for Chris. He started to walk towards his hotel room, but much to his surprise, Chris stepped away from the door. Angelo went along with it and began to walk beside him as he talked.

"A lot has happened in my life that you were there for, and visa versa. We've known each other since pretty much the beginning of when our lives truly started. I still remember the night I met you..." He numbly laughed as he smiled, reflecting back, "Everyone thinks I love New Orleans because it's where freaks are most accepted. I've never told anyone, it's because that's where I met you."

Angelo got a pleasantly reminiscent look on his face, "Some days, it feels like that was just yesterday. Others, it feels like it was a lifetime ago..."

After another tiring night of making barely enough to eat, Angelo turned the shop sign to "closed". He pulled on his coat and walked out. The wear was on his face pretty heavily for a kid barely breaking seventeen. He locked the door of the small closet size store. Just as he turned around, he nearly dropped the key in his hand.

A six foot tall man in a coat almost as long stood in front of him. His eyes were menacing and his smile that of the Devil's. Behind him was a rather interesting being. Whether it was a boy or girl, that was questionable. Their hair was in every direction imaginable and green dress hung from a thin figure.

"I didn't mean to give you a fright." The taller said. He extended his hand, "My name is Marilyn Manson. I hear you're a man of spirits."

"Angelo," He shook the stranger's hand, "And, well, depends what kind of spirits you're after. From a bottle, or from a hole in the ground?"

Manson chuckled, "I am probably the only man that has come to your door for the beyond the grave type of spirits. I've been told you're a median."

"I used to be." He started to walk past, to get away from this questionable character.

"I know very well your abilities do not just go away." He said as he began to follow, "I'm looking to offer you a job. One that pays way more than this one, and it's legal."

At the mention of legality, he stopped dead in his tracks. Angelo turned around and stared him down, "You've got my attention, but only about two minutes of my time."

"I run a traveling Freak Show. We'll be joining the circus shortly, and in doing so, I'd like a few new acts. One of which being a fortune teller." Manson placed his hand on the small of Angelo's back, "Come, let me show you before you make any decisions."

At this point, he had nothing left to lose. He'd already been living paycheck to paycheck working at a storefront for a drug business. Anything would be an improvement, even a Freak Show. Manson led him about two blocks to where the current show was packing up to move cities.

"This is Ryan-Ashley, The Tattooed Woman." He gestured to her and she smiled warmly. Unfortunately as he moved towards Josh, he wasn't as welcoming. "And her boyfriend, Human Pincushion and not very welcoming. My apologies... Ah, here we are." Manson turned the corner around a trailer to where Chris was helping load crates. "This is Chris, AKA The Tallest Man in the World. And this, would be Angelo. A median."

Angelo looked up the giant's height. He gawked, but soon that gawk turned into bliss as they locked eyes. This giant was more handsome than he could ever imagine. Chris leaned on the top of the trailer and fought a smile, as he had found the spirit whisperer just as beautiful.

"It's a pleasure to meet someone so beautiful." He greeted, "Will you be joining the show?"

"Actually, I think I just might." Angelo mused.

Fast forward to present day, Angelo continued on his train of thought, "You were in my pants within a week of that night."

"Yeeeaaahh," Chris sighed, "I still had it, even back then." He smirked, then turned it into an actual smile, "I meant it that night when I called you beautiful. And I have meant it every single time I've said it. Every word out of my mouth, the good and the bad, I meant up until Ricky came around. It's not his fault. I was just a fucking idiot. I started saying anything to get into his pants, and carried on that tradition with everyone I was sleeping with. Especially you." He stopped walking and turned towards Angelo, gently setting his hand along his jawline, "I lied to you, I used you, and I betrayed you. My biggest regret in life was leaving you that night you went missing. I know nothing I can do will change the past, but I wanted you to know I am sorry. If I could change what I did, I would in a heartbeat."

"I know you didn't mean it." He softly replied, "Because I know you, all too well. I know you still love me just like I still love you, but I think we mistook what kind of love we share. We're meant to be close, Chris, but not lovers. I can see it in you, that you miss Devin. I'm rather happy with Mike right now, to be honest."

"I know, because I know you all too well. And, I've been trying to ignore the bullshit my heart has been telling me. I know I need to go back to my little vixen, but I needed to fix my past before I could fix my present."

"Thank you. I've missed you, the old you. I'm glad you're back." He replied, "How'd you feel about getting back in the show?"

Chris took a long breath, "We'll see."