Showtime (A Sanscest Story)

The Wire Walker

Lust hummed quietly. He hadn't done this in quite a long time. He was in the Big Top, a few days after Cross and Nightmare had been beneath it. Ink was below him with Error. Lust was on one of the high platforms that had the thin wire between them. He had just finished ascending the ladder. He looked down at them. Ink was worried sick, he could tell. Even Error was giving uncertain glitching.

Error had his strings between his fingers already. Ink had wanted him to catch Lust if he slipped. There was no net beneath him. It was only practice, but the stakes were already high. Lust took a deep breath, staring across the rope to the other platform. He had to focus. He closed his eyes.

Last time he'd done this, he'd still been able to feel the wire under his toes. Not this time. He felt nothing but his own weight on the metal. He opened his eyes, approached the rope and paused at the edge. He stretched out one leg and gently tapped the wire a couple of times. One. Two. Three. Four. He pulled that foot back and did the same with the other. One. Two. Three. Four.

He inhaled quietly as he pulled that foot back before stepping forward with the other once more and fully balancing his weight on the rope. It startled him at first and he wobbled slightly before steadying himself. A long time ago, he would've danced across this rope and maybe even would've done a flip or two. Not anymore. At least, not yet.

Another step and he was fully off the platform. He was completely still on the wire, several meters above the ground. He had no doubt that Ink was absolutely freaking out beneath him. Lust took another step forward. The wire trembled under his weight.

He took another step and the resulting weight distributed made him wobble. He heard Ink gasp beneath him, but kept himself focused. He had to do this. The Ringmaster had made it clear. Since it had already been advertised in the show, they needed someone to be a tightrope walker. The one they usually had wouldn't do it.

Nightmare had terminated them accordingly. It was either Lust or Asy who could take their place. There would be no net at the show. There would be no one to catch them. If Asy did it, he would surely die. Lust had volunteered instead. He'd done it before. Surely... surely he could do it again.

He let out a low, rumbling hum, taking a couple more slow, cautious steps. He was in the center of the wire now. His body suddenly locked up and he felt himself freeze. He couldn't turn back now. He would have to keep going forward. If he went too fast, he would surely slip. Lust tipped his head upwards.

His eyes met the rack of lights that was going to be his during the show. They would flicker between shades of blue and white. Other lights would mix with them to mimic snowfall. Nightmare had told him he would have to do something more than just walk across. Even if he just did a spin. He needed to keep the audience's attention.

All their eyes would be on him. The thought made the edge of his mouth pull upwards. He definitely showed it some days more than others, but Lust had always liked being the center of attention. He took another step, the next one following smoothly. A few more steps and he'd made it across.

He blinked as he heard soft talking and looked down to see Error calming Ink, who'd practically began to hyperventilate. Lust glanced back at the wire. He knew that Ink would practically have a heart attack, but he needed to go back.

Besides, the ladder was on the other side. The tightrope platforms were the highest ones in the Big Top. The trapeze platforms were the second highest. Lust straightened himself up and reached out with his foot, tapping the wire four times. He pulled that leg back and did it with the other.

That leg was also pulled back and without a second thought, Lust was back on the wire, suspended dozens of feet above the hard ground. He heard Ink shriek before heard Error comforting him. Lust paid them no attention and kept his eyes locked on the other side. He tipped his head to the side and paused, becoming acutely aware of how the small motion affected his balance.

He tipped his head back up and let out that slow, rumbling hum once again. He raised his eyes, focusing back on the lights. He slid his foot forward along the wire, slowly, but surely reaching the center of the rope once again. Oh, he was itching to try a spin.

He pulled both of his feet back so they were perched one in front of the other. He was focusing hard. He could hear Ink desperately begging him not to try anything fancy and Lust definitely had no intention of listening. Lust closed his eyes and lifted one foot off the wire completely, moving his leg around so that foot was now behind him.

He heard Ink shriek again. Lust hummed and went for it. He pushed himself up onto the ball of his foot and spun, carefully setting his foot back down to stop himself. His foot did not land on the wire. There was a thump from below as he wobbled. He steadied himself. He took a chance and move it slightly to the left, finding the wire beneath his foot once again.

His SOUL was pounding. He hadn't realized it at first, but now he was absolutely aware. His SOUL always pounded when he did this, but it was never out of fear. Oh no, Lust was excited. He loved the adrenaline he got from it. He grinned to himself and made his way back to the other platform. He was able to move a little quicker.

Despite having not performed in years, it was like he'd just been on that tightrope yesterday. It felt comfortable and familiar. Dangerous, but familiar. He let out a sigh and finally brought himself out of his hyper-focused state. He peered over the side of the platform to see what the thump had been.

Ink had passed out. Error was setting him in a chair, trying to shake him awake. Lust grinned to himself. Error was heard sighing before he turned and looked up at Lust. He seemed very stressed as he spoke. "C-C-C-Can you just c-c-c-come down n-n-n-now? I feel l-l-l-like he'll actually d-d-d-die if he wakes up and y-y-you-you're still up there."

Lust gave a weak chuckle and nodded. He made his way over to the ladder and began to climb down. He hummed as he descended. It was good to know he could still do it. Now, he would have to figure out how to do it in a show outfit. He just had to make a few modifications to his old one.

He reached the bottom and hopped off the ladder, moving in strides down to Ink and Error. "P-P-Please don't spin and miss the rope a-a-a-again..." Error said flatly, fixing him with an unamused look. Lust gave a sheepish grin and nodded. "O-O-On second thought, n-n-n-n-next time, if h-h-h-he asks you not to, d-d-d-don't spin at all." He gestured to the still unconscious Ink.

"I know, I know! But it's different when I'm up there! I really wanted to try it, so I did. And I'm not dead, right?" He said, giving a satisfied shrug. Error still seemed unamused as he gave him a flat look.

"YET." He muttered, turning away, gently shaking Ink again. Ink slowly began to stir. He opened his eyes a little, the shapes seen changing rapidly. Lust hummed to himself as he hopped from one foot to the other.

"Now that I know I can do it, I just need to see if I can do it in a show outfit! AND I'll need to see if I can do it while knives are being thrown at me!" He said cheerfully. Error stared at him before sighing and holding his own head in his hand.

"Why c-c-c-c-couldn't you j-j-j-just let Asy do it?" He asked in a grumbling tone. Lust crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. "H-H-He's the b-b-b-backup, ain't he?"

"A stunt double. Not a backup performer. And he would fall the second he gets both feet on that wire and you know it. He barely had any balance as it is." Lust sighed. "I don't want him to get hurt doing a job that I could've easily done." He nodded and turned away. "I'm going to go tweak my old outfit. When he wakes up, let him know I'm okay, okay?"

He didn't even wait for a response as he turned and began to make his way down through the seats.