On the Run Together

Chapter 15: Back to the Daily Grind

As the winter came to a close, it was clear that Barney was actually having a hard time at the thought of going back to the circus after spending so long with K and Clint — hiking and playing with Sicem and practicing archery and throwing knives...

Not that he would say anything. He had decided to join the circus, and he wanted to stick to that. It was the first time he had decided anything for himself, and he was doing it for himself. It was a big deal, and he really wanted to stick to it, even if he did really, really like being with Clint and his mom.

But as it got closer to springtime, K had called up the ringmaster to make sure that they had the dates and location right, and Barney ended up getting to talk to him too.

By the time the conversation was over, he was grinning as he caught back up with K. "The ringmaster said if I got tired of Jacques, he'd show me how to work a crowd if I wanted," he said. "He says I got a future," he added, his eyes sparkling.

"Of course you do," she said, scrunching her nose up. "What made you think otherwise?"

Barney shrugged both shoulders up, looking a bit self-conscious all of a sudden with the clear challenge to explain his thinking when he knew it wasn't what K wanted to hear. "I dunno," he said. "I've never had one before."

"I"m gonna act like I didn't hear that," K said.

"It's just the truth," Barney said. "Nobody thinks a runaway's got a future..."

"I'm sorry, I've gone deaf ... I don't know ... what?"

"K... I know you didn't go deaf. You can hear better than me anyway."

"No ... No I can't hear things like that coming out of your mouth..."

"I didn't say I don't got a future now," Barney said, shaking his head at her. "You're weird."

"I just feel like, regardless, you would make something of yourself," K said. "To hell with anyone that says otherwise."

Barney smiled up at her with one shoulder shrugged up. "That's a lot of people going to hell," he said, going for a little smirk.

"They can keep each other warm," she deadpanned.

He grinned at that and shook his head again. "Okay, well, anyway... ringmaster said he'll be looking out for us when we get to Chicago."

"Excellent," she said with a nod. "I know exactly where we're going, so ... pack up the clothes that fit best — and we can head out first thing."

Barney grinned at her and dashed off to go collect his bag and start loading up — tossing shirts and pants in and getting more excited the more he thought about it.

By the time they did get to the circus, a week ahead of the first show, Barney was in high spirits, and he even made sure to give K an actual, honest-to-goodness bear hug once they got out of the Jeep.

"You do know I'm not just ditching you, right?" K said as she hugged him back. "I need to be there to gloat when you ace the snooty one's pop quiz — which I am sure is coming."

Barney nodded. "Yeah... yeah, I know," he said. "I just... thanks for everything."

"We'll see you before you know it," she said.

Barney nodded at that and drew himself up, almost like he was preparing for something, before he darted off, tossing a "bye, Aunt K!" over his shoulder so quickly that it would be hard to respond.

"Your brother is something else," K said to Clint as they headed into the maze of gathering trailers.

"Yeah, he's something," Clint said, grinning after Barney. "You don't mind if he calls you that, right? It's just he remembers our mom more than me..."