Larry Stylinson One Shots Collection

Like The Wings Of Butterflies (part I)

(sweetly_disposed(ao3))

Summary:

"Tell you what, why don't you come by sometime, when there's no practise on? I'll teach you how to fly."

The circus was in town.

Every summer for as long as Louis could remember, Madame Viola's circus had pitched up in the field behind his house and stayed there for two weeks. Under the giant red and white striped Big Top tent there were would be jugglers, acrobats, contortionists, clowns, fire eaters, and the ringmaster all dressed in the most elaborate costumes, ready to impress the city with their talents. People flocked from all over the city and from neighbouring towns, queuing for hours just to get a glimpse of the artists.

Louis loved the circus. When it was in town it was tradition that he went with his family, sitting for hours inside the tent just watching the performers work, bending themselves into ridiculous positions or swallowing fire. His family didn't really understand his obsession with the circus, they probably never would, but for two weeks they indulged him, allowing him to jump over the fence at the bottom of their garden and go off by himself each night of the two weeks it was in town.

His favourite by act far were the trapeze artists. He tried to go to every show they did over the fortnight even though they performed the same routine every night. That never mattered to Louis. Every time he saw them perform he was in awe of them. The sheer amount of skill the artists had, and the trust they had in each other to be able fling themselves from one rope to another and just know their partner would catch them continually amazed him. Louis thought it was like ballet in the air; they moved with perfect ease, straight legs and pointed toes, all perfectly timed. It was enough to give him goosebumps.

Posters advertising the circus had been stuck all over the city for months, fixed to lampposts and tacked up in shop windows, a burst of clashing colours and bold titles enticing people in. This year, the posters had said, there was a new trapeze troupe travelling with the circus, and they were going to open the show. Naturally, Louis was buzzing to see them, so on opening night there he was, one of the first in line at the entrance to the Big Top. His family let him choose their seats, and he picked his way carefully through the stands until they were right in the middle, around halfway up. He eyeballed anyone tall who came close to sitting in front of him until they scurried away, watching him warily over their shoulders. His evil eye kept most people at bay, and when the lights went down and the music started, Louis had a clear, unobstructed view of the performance. He settled back in his seat, satisfied.

A spotlight shone down onto the middle of the floor. The audience fell silent. A man in vivid blue coat tails and a top hat strutted into the light, holding his arms out wide.

"Ladies, Gentlemen and children!" He boomed. "Welcome to Madame Viola's Circus Show, the greatest show on earth! Sit back, open your eyes, your ears and your minds, and prepare to be amazed!" He bowed low and slunk away out of light. The crowd applauded. Everyone sat up straighter, peering at the floor. Louis was on the edge of his seat.

The ringmasters' spotlight faded. Then, out of the darkness, a single light appeared at the top left hand corner of the tent. Louis strained his eyes, trying to make out the performer. It was a man, dressed in sparkling white Lycra, one arm raised proudly in the air. Louis' stomach clenched in anticipation. A second light shone on the right side, revealing a woman, dressed the same way. Turning his attention quickly back to the man, Louis watched as he gripped the bar of his swing, and flung himself from the platform. Back and forth he swung, using powerful legs to get a higher swing, his biceps bulging out with the strain of holding all his body weight by one thin bar. Then he flipped upside down, hooking his knees over the bar and holding his arms out straight. On his back swing, the woman took off, letting go of her bar when she reached the middle of the tent. Louis held his breath. The woman let go, somersaulted once, and fell perfectly in time with the man, catching onto his arms and letting him swing her back to his platform. Louis let his breath out noisily and applauded along with everybody else, eyes wide.