Creating the Magic of Us

Chapter 1

With a flash of white smoke, the magician appears in the center ring. The roar of applause and sounds of delighted surprise cry out in a symphony to his ears. His long sweeping hair reaches the small of his back in a cavalcade of pearly-silver ringlets, but the long mane is nothing compared to the brilliant blue of Marvin the Magnificent's eyes.

His eyes were the afternoon sky and fresh mountain breeze. His laugh, the midnight stars. The way that the light danced in the shadows of his incredible smile could move mountains as well as the heart of one man watching from the shadows. The dark green eyes crinkle in delight at the way Marvin's cape trails behind him as he plays to the crowd. The familiar tightening in his hollow chest the only feeling he craves on yet another one of the magician's top billing nights.

He's dressed to kill in rich shades of lavender and cream, drawing the audience in with a few dramatic snaps of his cape. The man in the shadows watched along with the captivated crowd, his eyes never leaving Marvin's mask-covered face as he introduced the trick to the audience. He's seen this illusion more times than he could count, but Anti isn't paying any attention to the cheap parlor trick. His attention rests solely on the curve of Marvin's hips and the way his pink lips draw back to form that showman's smile.

Anti's heart fluttered when the magician glanced his way, unable to tell if he'd been spotted this time from his place behind the stage. Marvin's gaze lingered for a moment, but his attention was quickly diverted back to the volunteer from the audience that he was currently "sawing in half".

With a harsh snap, the conjoined boxes were separated and the trick seemed to be a smashing success by the stunned roar of the crowd.

"And there you have it, ladies and gentleman! A man once whole, now divided by the raw power that flows through my fingertips."

Anti sighed at the sound of his voice, fingers nervously playing with the hem of his black t-shirt as he watched Marvin complete the trick with a few Latin words and a swift maneuvering of the boxes. Marvin snapped his fingers, commanding the volunteer to rise from the box, showing the audience that he was once again whole. The crowd erupted with praise for the magician, clapping and cheering as he wrapped up the act with a theatrical bow.

Mentally, Anti was up there with the magician on stage, relishing his brilliant aura and the way his smile could shine brighter than the sea of stars above them all. This was Anti's favorite part of the night, just standing here behind the stage and watching the beauty of Mavin flow through the still night air.

"Let's all give a round of applause one more time for Marvin the Magnificent!" Called Mark's deep booming voice and the magician gave another dramatic bow.

Anti clapped hard as the crowd roared even louder than before, with a few of the bolder ones standing up. A few a coins were thrown onto the stage, which Mark was quick to collect as Marvin took his leave. He'd have to pass right by Anti on his way towards his trailer, and the green-eyed man bit his lip at the thought of holding a conversation with this gorgeous creature.

Mark introduced the next performer to take the stage, which was the start of the "freak show" portion of the evening, so to speak. A thin, yet muscular young man was quick to take the stage, dressed in a blue form-fitting leotard that left nothing up to the imagination. The brunette boy began his contortionist routine, and all eyes were on him as Ethan twisted his lithe frame into impossible shapes and odd positions.

But Anti could care less about any of that. Marvin was heading his way, and this time he was going to strike up a conversation with him whether it killed him or not. Marvin removed his cat mask and cape as he walked off stage, and Anti felt the air leave his lungs as he gazed upon the unfiltered beauty that was Marvin's features. He opened his mouth to say something but immediately closed it once he noticed that the ringleader, Mark, was rushing up to Marvin's side, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Wonderful performance, Darling," the ringmaster purred to the magician. "Astounding and captivating as always."

Marvin blushed at the compliment and sighed at the bundle of white roses. They were just as perfect and lovely as Marvin itself. Anti slid back into the shadows and away from the couple, shaming himself for even attempting to speak to someone like Marvin. What the fuck did he think would happen? He was in a lower class than the magician, both literally and figuratively. Marvin would never be seen associating with a freaking like him unless it was to ridicule Anti for his snake-like appearance. The green-eyed man was quite the spectacle, with dyed green hair, a forked tongue, and scale-like tattoos that covered his entire body. And if that wasn't enough to keep Marvin at a distance, the multiple piercings, sharp black fingernails, and his penchant for swallowing swords would have been the nail in Anti's metaphorical coffin when it came to the magician.

Marvin didn't belong in his world. He belonged in a cushy trailer that had every accommodation a rising star like him would ever need. Marvin belonged with Mark, and judging from the little glimpse of their private moment together, Marvin seemed to agree. He was happy with Mark, and never failed to show it, whether in public or in private. Anti should be content with the knowledge that Marvin was well taken care of, relishing the joys of his own relationship he held with Mark's twin, Damien, but he couldn't help but crave the very thing he couldn't have. And so, like always, he watched from the darkened corner as Mark placed a tender kiss on Marvin's willing lips, moving to whisper sweet notions of what was to come later that night into his ear. And all he could do was sigh, feeling his heart crack a little more as Marvin walked away in the strong arms of another.