Manipulation and Deceit

[symphonicmelancholy-blog]

The Aftermath || Levi & Arisu

Silence.

The quiet that enveloped the tent came as a relief to the cellist who had endured the presence of the diluted trapeze artist – Arisu no longer had to wear a mask of indifference toward the loss of her cello, but instead she could approach her stage to survey the damage herself. Her relief was short-lived as soon as she made her way to her instrument, staring at the carnage for a few beats before sinking to her knees to grab the bow that had been so mercilessly tossed to the side.

Her concern didn’t lie with the bow of the instrument, though she was rather distraught about the loss of the finely-crafted material. The bow itself had been a gift from the tutor who finally gave in and allowed Arisu to tour around London with her cello – the bow was a symbol of the beginning of some indescribable journey and it was one that she cherished greatly, but her worry for the actual instrument outweighed the concern for a gift.

The cello would require repairs – it would need to be re-strung and pieces would have to be re-crafted – but looking at the once-immaculate woodwork caused a deep frown to crease the corners of Arisu’s lips. Her heart seized as she lifted a single hand to brush her fingertips across the broken bridge of the instrument, strumming gently while her breathing hitched in her lungs.

One might have thought she was being dramatic, but Arisu felt as if she had lost the only real friend she had. The cello had been with her since childhood and she had allowed it to be thoughtlessly ruined; she had betrayed it and the guilt she felt for that was incomparable, even more bitter than the sorrow she had endured upon learning that her father had died and her mother hadn’t cared to contact her. That was a sorrow that had abated in time, but the sensation she now felt was something more… something akin to an emptiness as tears stung her eyes and her jaw clenched reflexively.

Her lamentations were cut short when she heard the tell-tale rustle of the flap of her tent. Though she gave herself a moment to collect her thoughts, Arisu stood and sucked in a breath before offering her condolences, “I-I’m sorry… I won’t… be having another performance today. Forgive me for the inconvenience.”

She blinked back her tears and turned then, swallowing hard as she expected to be greeted with a confused visitor; what she actually saw was, in some ways, both worse and better. The face of a performer caught her eye and took her aback for a moment, causing her to furrow her brows as she watched him and searched her mind for a name. Nothing cropped up, only a silence in the back of her mind that raged onward until she finally had to speak again.

“I – … Is there something I could do for you, sir?”

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

It was three days into the week at their current stop and the circus was in full swing. From the piquant scents that rode on gentle breezes and into the nostrils of desirous guests to the gentle music not quite drowned out by the effervescent laughter and conversation of eager visitors as they made their way from attraction to attraction, the liveliness never once lulled. Levi enjoyed nights such as these as it was late enough in the week that world of the circus had spread throughout the towns, giving him ample opportunity to show off what he could do yet early enough that he had yet to grow tired of staying in a single location for too long. The acrobat stood off to the side of one of the resting areas, fully costumed and donning a black velvet leotard over black and white vertically striped tights with taped feet covered by flexible black shoes that made it easy to move in. He kept light conversation with anyone who gave him even the smallest bit of their time, and occasionally even with those who believed that they did not wish to speak with him, twisting the situation into his favor and sending the guest off feeling as though they simply had to come and watch his performance, all the while keeping a wide grin spread across his features.

This went on for a large stretch of time, just as it did every night in the time before his performance, but then out of the corner of his eye Levi saw something that was not a very often occurrence: the ever so cheerful Sarah Elizabeth storming her way out of a tent in a huff, rudely pushing through patrons in a way that made even Levi feel pity for those around her. With raised eyebrows and genuine surprise buried beneath sadistic excitement in his eyes the acrobat was tempted to follow behind his aerialist associate, to rub her face in whatever it was that seemed to anger her as much as it did; however, there was something that caused his feet to move in the opposite direction instead… an overwhelming curiosity as to what exactly that thing was. A handful of steps later and Levi was standing outside a tent he felt he’d never entered before. Though, with the tents of the cirque constantly moving and almost all of them looking eerily similar it was very difficult to be positive. His eyes scanned the outside for the small sign posted in order to state who it was that should be inside and upon finding it he followed the flowing loops of the letters that made up the word Cellist. Levi’s eyebrows knit together in confusion—he was not sure who or what he was expecting, but a musician certainly was not it; nevertheless, he approached the entrance to the tent and slowly pushed aside its flap as quietly as possible in hopes of going unnoticed.

It felt as though Levi found himself in a completely different place as soon as he fully stepped inside the tent and let the flap fall back down behind him, the excitement from the crowds immediately dissipating to be replaced by an unpleasant silence between himself and who he assumed to be the cellist that the sign implied. She was a small woman and was currently turned away from him as if there was something that she absolutely did not want him to see. Levi cocked his head to the side, opening his mouth to say something when he was interrupted.

“I-I’m sorry… I won’t… be having another performance today. Forgive me for the inconvenience.”

Was she… crying?

Levi was taken aback by the entire situation and something told him that he should excuse himself and be on his way, but there was something about this woman… not to mention he simply could not quell the burning curiosity that bubbled somewhere deep inside of him, threatening to overflow at any given time. She turned to face him and Levi noticed that she was just as surprised to see him as he was to see her; however, his eyes soon found the obviously broken cello cradled in the woman’s hands and the pieces began to fall into place for him. At being asked if there was something that he needed, Levi replied quietly, “I, uh..” He paused and took a step forward, a sympathetic look now gracing his eyes, “Are you alright?”

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Companionship | Levi and Richard

[r-cullen-deactivated20130525]

The offer of a free drink seemed to have startled the man back to reality.  It was awkward at first, the man sitting on his stool seemed small compared to the 6’3” knife thrower. Richard watched as he slowly turned and looked up, it was quite amusing. This man obviously wasn’t from around here, he was dressed differently, had slicked back hair and seemed to understand what he was saying. As the man turned, Richard realized who it was and a smile came over his face. Of all the places they could have met, it was funny that it would be outside of the circus. This man before the knife thrower was the circus acrobat, a death defying man with an even more death defying act. Richard had attended the show several times already, as he loved the adrenaline rush he received watching the acrobat on the tightrope.

He poured the two of them new drinks and set the bottle down as he took a seat. Then he took his glass and lifted it to his lips, letting the amber liquid trickle into his mouth. The last drop of scotch hit his lips and he lowered the glass onto the bar with a refreshing sigh. He noticed a change in the man sitting next to him. There was a spark in his eyes and his posture seemed to get more relaxed as he stared at the bottles behind the bar. Richard chuckled when the man spoke and replied, “No, and neither are you.” He grabbed the bottle in his hand and poured himself another drink. “Care to help me finish this bottle? I usually drink alone, but it’s nice to have company once a while.” he asked, glass in hand. He offered a toast and took a sip from his glass. “The names Richard, and you are?”

Time passed by as they sat there, the bottle slowly diminishing over time, and Richard getting more and more loose. It took a lot to get him drunk, and half a bottle of scotch was quite a bit. He decided to slow down and grabbed a nearby bowl of pretzels, or at least what he assumed were pretzels. Taking one in his hand, he was thoroughly surprised to find that it was soft. Against his better judgement, he popped the piece of whatever it was into his mouth. It confused the knife thrower at first and his face showed it. It tasted slightly salty at first, but had an overwhelmingly sweet aftertaste with a crunchy outside and soft inside. He grabbed another piece and passed the bowl to the acrobat, “Hey, give these a try.”

Richard thought about things he could talk to the acrobat about. It seemed strange that they had so little to talk about considering they were both involved with the circus. He thought of anything, from the mundane topic of weather to the less mundane topic of how they both got involved in the circus, but that subject was too heavy for a first time conversation and he started thinking of something else. As he played through the many scenarios in his head, it dawned on him to ask about the acrobats act. There were so many questions he wanted answers to when he was there watching it, and now he could ask them. He turned and asked, “How do you stay up on that rope without falling? What’s the trick?” He thought for a moment and added, “And why don’t you have a safety net? I thought that was common practice.”

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Levi nodded as he took his glass between his fingers once more, clinking its rim to that of Richard’s glass before saying, “It is nice to finally put a name to the face of the man who has no fear of putting others’ lives at risk on a daily basis.” The grin the acrobat gave him then showed the slightest hint of sadism, “I’m Levi and I walk the tightrope, but I’m sure you’re already aware of that fact.”

He watched as the bottle of alcohol slowly dwindled until there was no longer enough to even have a full glass. Even after asking for help with it, the larger of the men seemed to down most of the bottle and regardless of his size Levi was still genuinely surprised that Richard was not passed out on the floor yet. The acrobat never had had much of a tolerance to the stuff—two or three drinks, maybe four, and he was usually done—and watching as the man tossed back glass after glass, it was an understatement to say that he was fascinated by him. The two held light conversation about nothing in particular—mostly small talk on those in the circus—and after passing on the offer of some sort of bar snack from Richard with the wave of his hand, a heavy silence fell between the two of them.

Levi’s eyes found the bottles and glasses behind the bar once more in a poor attempt at making the situation less awkward than it was steadily becoming. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, buying time as he could think of something—anything—to say that would make the silence disappear. It wasn’t him that put the uncomfortable situation to rest, however, and upon registering the questions he was now asked, the acrobat couldn’t help but smirk. He got those questions a lot from awestruck visitors: how he was able to do what he does and why it was that he did it the way he did, and on most occasions Levi dismissed it with an exaggerated wave of his hand as he simply said the words ‘It is all about balance’, but there was something about the man next to him that made Levi want to give him an honest answer. He couldn’t put his finger on why, but he felt as though Richard would understand the real reasons he did not use the net. Turning back to face him, Levi’s eyes once more had a seriousness set deep within his sea colored irises.

“What I do is only possible after many months of blood, sweat, tears, and practice. While I may pick things up easily, I’ve worked hard to be able to do what I do. And as to why I do not use the net,” Levi paused, taking a breath as his eyes grew hard, “I would rather die than to face the failure and humiliation I’d experience from falling.” 

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

TNC Challenge: Prompt 2

Physiological Needs : you appear to have everything you need to survive physically. Maslow speculates that without satisfying basic needs (food, shelter, health) one cannot achieve higher levels of development. This generally makes sense, but the history of starving artists and successful artists who tanked after they became wealthy is important to note.

Safety Needs: you appear to have a very safe environment. Maslow speculates that without enviromental stability (security, safety, consistency), you can't progress to higher levels of development. Neuroscience research would appear to support this, as higher stress contributes to higher cortisol levels, which impair memory and thinking functions. However, low stress can also lead to obesity and cardiac degeneration. The lazier and weaker you become, the more stressful the most minimal tasks and stimuli become.

Love Needs: you appear to be unhappy with the quality of your social connections. Maslow speculates that discontentment in your connections with others stalls development. Whether the resolution of love needs comes with good relationships and/or learning to be more internally fulfilled is a question Maslow does not answer. But history would suggest many advanced minds had few relationships so this stage would seem to be more about resolving internal perceptions than as a call for measuring/achieving happiness by quality of external relationships.

Esteem Needs: you appear to have a high level of skill competence. Maslow speculates that until you develop a good skill set (talent, trade, expertise that you excel at) you will be unable to develop further as an individual (much less reliably support yourself financially). This could mean being a good musician, painter, doctor, carpenter, etc.. On some level this stage also requires getting over the need to be appreciated for that skill, internally and/or externally. Even if you develop a skill, you still might be hung up on the need to have other people validate you or you might internally doubt yourself. Then again, you might not be appreciated, or appreciate yourself because your skills are still too undeveloped.

Self-Actualization: you appear to have a low level of individual development. Maslow speculates that individual development is the pinnacle of existence, this means pursuing a career/life that really fits who you are and want to be internally (not based on external and societal expectations). The self actualized person is free from superficial concerns and is internally honest.

Enneagram: Type 3 (The Achiever)

[eleanorarden-deactivated2013052]

Clever meets Clever → Levi & Eleanor

“Ooh!” The crowd sang out in unison followed soon after by an even louder, “Aah!” Bright spotlight was focused and still on the taught tightrope that went from one high end of the acrobats’ tent to the other. Dangerously too far up from the ground below it. The tension was not limited to the rope that held the weight of the performers because it filled the room itself. All eyes on the slim figure that moved with grace as he took his fearless walk across the cord that looked more like thread to those watching. Head tilted up and mouth agape in a perfect ‘O’, this image was repeated at least a hundred times over within the sea of viewers. 

“Simply spectacular!” The old man beside her whispered into her small ear with a big smile his dusty fat mustache tickling her ear while he spoke. A forced smile spread across bow shaped strawberry lips revealing a flash of pearly white as she nodded in agreement before looking back up as the crowd gasped. Wide eyes filled with whiskey irises watched unwavering as the flashy and inciting male performer ‘recovered’ from his fake risk of falling. She had seen this act before, quite a few times in her first few months of following the circus but it had yet to grow boring to her. How could anything be boring here? With the razzle dazzle that seemed to seep from every pore of the quite possibly, magical place. Forever moving, vanishing and reappearing hiding dreams and secrets within every shadow. It was awe inspiring even when she seeing the sights and sounds time and time again. 

The man upon his tight string came to the end of his performance standing safely on the platform he had been heading towards. A round of applause from the crowd with smiles and murmurs spreading like a sort of wildfire among the faces of the visitors. The acrobats made their way into center ring standing tall and stunning in their monochrome costumes. They bowed and the crowd stood with an even louder applause. The clapping of hands and shouts of approval filled the cold night air of Iceland, warming it with excitement. Eleanor Arden turned with a smile that used her entire moonbeam face. She caught the eye of the old man beside her again clapping with him and nodding her approval of the spectacular sight pinned chestnut curls bounced about kissing the top of the nape of her neck with each dip of her head.

Standing she pulled the dark charcoal coat she wore tight around her lithe build. It covered the vertical black and white stripped satan dress she wore making the tulle material of her bustle crunch with each step. She rubbed ebony colored gloved hands together to warm herself up even further as the warmth of the crowd slipped into the cold night. Her nose and cheeks the color of strawberry milk from the chill on her face. Stunning ruby and diamond necklace hung on her delicate short neck with matching bracelet upon tiny wrist. She still managed to come across as unassuming even with onyx fascinator hat covered in sequins and feathers that sat upon the side of her head with birdcage veil that came over her face right down past her button nose. 

She followed the the pair she had accompanied into the tent out of it. “What a wonderful evening.” Her older companion chirped with delight. “Yes, I’ve seen it before but it never gets boring. It’s almost like magic the way they manage to stay up there and the last one without a net! Can you imagine Mr. Harper?” His snide blonde daughter covered in a dress of emerald but with a face that carried a constant scowl replied for her father. “I feel as if the circus of Paris was better in acrobatics what do you think Father?” Eleanor held back a grimace. The girl had been a thorn in her side all evening. She had been working this man for a piece of his wealth for the past few weeks and everything had gone well thus far enough so to earn the jewels that adorned her petite frame. 

His daughter had just recently joined the man for his last week enjoying the circus and Eleanor had no intentions of allowing the young woman to disrupt her plans. “Georgina, you are too severe! We don’t have to compare performers to those who came before constantly. I believe tonight Le Cirque des Rêves acrobats were just wonderful. They work very hard their efforts should not be so easily discarded.”  Mr. Harper in his funny top hat agreed with a smile. “Yes, Georgina  I do believe Eleanor is correct in this matter. I was so entertained this evening I had forgotten that I have seen performances the likes of such before. This has been a wonderful experience Ms. Arden. Thank you for encouraging me to come.” A sly smile of victory and Eleanor took hold of the man’s offered elbow. 

The night had been a trying one for Eleanor, being forced to keep the two entertained while his daughter pouted and demanded to go back to the hotel they were staying at any chance she got. As if this place weren’t the enchanting, sparkling, and mysterious fairytale that it was. The notion that someone could be over Le Cirque des Rêves within their first night’s visit was a preposterous one and told her one thing and one thing alone that his daughter did not enjoy her company. That needed to be amended, especially since as long as his daughter was determined to distrust her she would not have another moment alone with the man which Eleanor needed if she had any hopes of making real money off of this pawn. She needed a distraction. 

The clever woman looked among the winding tents and people to find one she was about to suggest an interactive act but was stopped by Georgina’s shrill voice. “Father, I am ready to go home. These acts do not capture my interest and it is cold let us go.” The man sighed heavily clearly enjoying himself but the redness of his daughter’s face paired with her expression told him it was time to leave. “Ms. Eleanor, Thank you for guiding us through this magnificent evening but sadly…” She cut him off with her thought as she looked around the tents desperately looking for distraction, something the woman would be hard pressed to resist. Then she saw him the handsome man who had dazzled the crowd with his dangerous show of bravery and balance, slipping away into one of the smaller cast tents to change. Eyes lit up with an idea. Her company needed a behind the scenes sort of experience. She looked up to the man as he tried to explain away his guilt for retiring early. “Oh please, allow me to show you one last sight. Something very few get to see. You won’t be disappointed then I can allow you both to leave in good conscious.” The man was easily swayed by her smile and tender touch of his arm.

“Lead the way!” He encouraged. Eleanor did just that leading her pair of marks to the smaller tent out of the way of the others. A slender woman already in normal clothing, to blend in, emerged from the tent. Eleanor having spoken to the small acrobat knew the girl well enough to not be an unusual sight as she approached her in front of her guest. “Good Evening. I was wondering if I could ask a favor, I know you’re off the clock so to speak but I was hoping since I helped in procuring that lovely costume you were wearing this evening for you that you would be willing to assist me.” She began with that smile still twinkling. “Whatever with?” The nimble woman asked with a tilt of her head. “My friends would love to meet some of the performers and get a glimpse of what goes on after the show so they may deduce what happens before it. I was hoping if you didn’t mind you could take us through your preparation tent for a little tour?” Ms. Arden was not one to avoid direct questions when in need.

The acrobat thought for a moment before glancing into the tent to make sure everyone was dressed out from behind their changing screens and they were. The performers remaining all finishing packing up their costumes and equipment now. She turned back around to Eleanor and nodded. The clever girl turned to coax Mr. Harper and Georgina to follow her as she was led into the tent. “I’m bringing a few guest in for a tour.” The performer announced to the small group of people remaining as they all filled into the tent. The woman introduced Eleanor and company to a few of her cast mates while explaining parts of the show and pointing out interesting sights. 

The group finally came upon a man who had inspired this trip with his back to them all he seemed to be packing something away. The woman turned back to them. “This is Mr. Levi Black. He was the one performing without a net and the last stop on our little tour because I have late dinner plans so I will leave the wrapping up to you Eleanor. Have you met Mr. Black before?” Eleanor shook her head with a look of disinterest over her face. The acrobat looked surprised but she smiled and as Levi turned she looked between the two. “Mr. Levi Black,  this is Ms. Eleanor Arden. Ms. Arden, this is Mr. Levi Black. It’s a pleasure to introduce the two of you. I will leave Eleanor to introduce her guest since I have not had the pleasure myself which is a shame but I am running late. Forgive my imprudence.” The busy woman was then gone just as quickly as she had announced her departure. Eleanor standing offered the new man before her, her hand. 

He was more attractive now standing close in person than he was further away. A good thing for most men, and particularly good for Eleanor because he would be perfect. There was nothing more distracting to a young girl than an attractive man. A polite smile was given. “It’s a pleasure.” She quipped with a voice that was light and airy but sweet like honey. She heard a soft cough from Georgina as if she were taking to long with her own introduction. The girl was showing her cards, this would be easier than she had anticipated. Eyes flashed for the briefest of moments as she glanced back at the girl to see her flushed face and bright eyes. Yes, he would be a perfection distraction for the girl while she was here. And here she had been worrying that she would not find a way to get what she wanted. Eleanor always got what she wanted. 

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

There was something about wrapping up a performance that gave off an overexcitement and feeling of achievement. Everyone had an accomplished air surrounding them—whether their performances went well or not—and it was overall a good feeling to be surrounded by; that is to say, everyone except a certain acrobat. Levi sat in front of a small vanity inside one of the many private tents scattered throughout the circus, clearing off his last bit of make up with a damp cloth. A scowl engulfed his face as he sat there, staring at himself in the mirror before him; his performance had had its hiccups that night—the slightest of errors unnoticeable or criticized by anyone but himself—and while he successfully got across his rope, it was not good enough in the eyes of the man who always expected the best out of himself and others. He had already changed out of his costume, feeling that it choked him with failure, and it now lay neatly across a chair beside him ready to be put away whenever the time came. Levi was thankful that the circus would most likely change locations within the next handful of days, and as he wore down the last stubborn bit of eyeliner from the corner of his eye he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief at the mere thought of leaving behind a place he’d experienced such travesty.

I’m bringing a few guest in for a tour.

Levi’s eyes shot to the now opening flap of the tent, a genuine confusion settling itself inside his sea colored irises. Quickly scanning the visitors—starting with the rather large man, then to the blonde, and finally the brunette—the acrobat took in not only their appearances but also their body language and how they carried themselves; such things could tell a person so much, and even in the quick glances that he gave them, he’d felt deduced enough to converse with them should the need arise.

 It was a rare occurrence to have any visitors in the private tents after the performances. With the circus performing promptly at sundown, it was only normal for both performers and visitors alike to grow tired as time stretched on; therefore, tours and meetings were held before or during, rarely ever after. In the back of his mind Levi knew that the people that Victoria was leading most likely had paid the Cirque in one way or another, and that he should at least greet them with kind words before he excused himself, but no matter how much they paid to be there, the acrobat couldn’t help but feel no obligation to them—his day was finished and he no longer had to keep up his optimistic façade if he did not want to. He turned his back to the group in a poor attempt to become invisible to them as he continued to move his things into his box to take back with him to his sleeping quarters when the time was right but even then that didn’t seem to be enough, for as soon as Victoria was finished with her personal group of tumbling artists, he could sense her slowly approaching behind him.

This is Mr. Levi Black…

Levi’s eyebrows knit together in frustration at the mention of his name and he cursed inaudibly under his breath. He took a mental note to have a chat with Victoria on who it was appropriate to bother after a show and who it was not; Sarah Elizabeth was not even ten feet away and he knew for a fact that she would want speak to the curious patrons far more than he would when it came down to it being their last few days in a certain place. Nevertheless, it was not in Levi’s character to deny company when it presented itself and as they stepped closer to him, he turned to greet them with a smile just as Victoria finished her spiel, ending with a question to the brunette before him.

As she shook her head from side to side in reply, indifference of him spreading across her features, Levi couldn’t help but be taken aback and feel almost offended. However, as he looked closer into the eyes of the young woman, he began to wonder if it was indifference after all. There was something hiding behind the woman’s eyes. Levi was not able to put his finger on it right then and there, but he had a sense that this Ms. Arden character was certainly planning something, and that he was simply a stepping stone in her master plan. The acrobat instinctively raised a brow as Victoria continued on, keeping his eyes on Eleanor throughout its entirety. At the offering of her hand he dipped his head down and brought it to his lips, not once breaking eye contact with her. Perhaps Victoria was not in the wrong bringing this trio to him after all; this was sure to be interesting if his suspicions were indeed confirmed.

With a keen smile he said, “Believe me Ms. Arden, the pleasure is all mine. I take it you were in my audience this evening? Please, tell me how my performance panned out. Did you enjoy it?”

She did not get a chance to answer, however, as the other female of the group seemed to be growing weary of not getting the attention she felt she deserved. Levi played along, turning toward her and widening his grin, “And who might this be? Certainly a beautiful girl such as yourself deserves her own introduction.“ He offered her a small bow in apology of his negligence as he waited for an answer.  

[badbitchizimyaleader-blog-deact]

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die too." The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown, but has just enough time to gasp "Why?" Replies the scorpion: "It's my nature..."

[sinnett]

Bruising Serenade | Levi & Sybil.

[sinnett]

Sybil was still speaking slowly trying to utter her last few words when his hand moved forward and cupped her chin. She was paralyzed instantly, the shaking of her body stopped and her eyes widened; like a deer in the headlights. It had been a long while since Sybil had been embarrassed of actions that involved others but for some reason his words made her embarrassed that she was acting so afraid towards a man whom had just agreed to aid her in finding her grandfather’s necklace. Part of her begged to relax more, to breathe but she couldn’t help but be guarded. There was also the fact that the man sitting before her quite reminded her of the young man that had been courting her before her parents announced she should marry some wealthy Lord. 

“I have lost a necklace. It has a gold chain and a young girl carved in porcelain at the center of a golden portrait. It’s quite important otherwise I would not…I would not..ask.” She realized her lips were beginning to quiver again so she stopped herself from saying all that she wanted to say about the necklace. The sole thought of never seeing the thing again brought tears to her eyes. If Sybil were to lose that necklace it’d much like losing the last tie she had with her family. While many people she had met before finding the Circus had told her that it was best to let go of her family and move on to better things, she was still only a young girl, she didn’t know how to let go of her dear family. 

“Sybil.” She said, “Miss Sybil.” She knew that it was improper for ladies to be spoken to by their first name but she didn’t want to use her last name. The more she could hide “Sinnett” from everyone, the better off she’d be. If someone were to know her family, then the questions would quickly spring up. Why was she here? Why wasn’t her family here? Had she done something wrong? All those questions were her very nightmares. A parade of torment that Sybil had to dodge each and every day. Her gaze finally broke away from his dark piercing eyes as she gazed around, noting that everyone was almost ready for the Circus to open up to it’s viewers. She moved a few feet away, looking around the floor surrounding her, but to no avail. If someone else had grabbed the necklace, it’d be gone forever. 

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Levi was taken aback when not only were the woman’s words caught in her throat, but tears also began to form in her eyes, threatening to flow over no matter how hard she tried to calm herself down. He felt pity for her now more than anything and even if she hadn’t piqued his interest moments before, he felt that it wouldn’t have been able to turn her away even if he wanted to.  “Now, now… there’s no need for these,” he reached down to cup her face once more and wipe her cheek with his thumb but stopped himself upon realizing the possibility that his touch could be part of the problem.

Taking a step back he clasped his hands in front of him and said, “Well Miss Sybil, the necklace you’re describing sounds as though it is beautiful, and it sure is a pity that you have misplaced it. I have around an hour before I must be back for my performance and I will happily give you that time as aid in your search.” Levi flashed her another smile, “Now… where to begin?” The acrobat began to stroke his chin in thought as his eyes finally released hers from his gaze and looked upward at the overcast sky—in all honesty he had as much clue on where to start looking for this lost trinket as the woman before him did; though, admitting that fact would be a sign of weakness that Levi simply could not afford to show. An idea then sparked in the back of his mind and even though it seemed like an obvious and simple answer, it was certainly a place to start; however, when he turned back to face the Reveur she was no longer in front of him, causing Levi to scan the nearby crowds in order to find her once more.

He put his hand on her shoulder to get her attention, “Sybil, I don’t think that blindly looking is going to do us any good, the grounds of the circus are rather large and we would need many more people to assist before that would be of any help.” Before she could be too discouraged by his comment, Levi offered a different solution to the problem at hand, “Perhaps the simple approach of following your footsteps from that last time you remember it around your neck up until you realized you had lost the necklace would be better? Come in here with me for a moment; let’s get out of the pre-event crowds as we talk.”

With that, Levi turned toward an empty tent that she’d stumbled across in her search, holding his hand out behind his back for her to take if she wished as he stepped inside. He wanted nothing more than to make her feel calm around him and hoped that being away from the hustle and bustle of those surrounding them would help ease her nerves in the slightest.

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Companionship | Levi and Richard

[r-cullen-deactivated20130525]

The sun shined down on the knife thrower as he walked into town. It was uncommon for him to have any free time, but he had finished preparing for the later performances early and decided to explore the new city in which the cirque sprung up. Shops lined the streets on either side, selling all types of goods. It was obvious to everyone there that this rugged, six foot three man was not from the area; so they did their best to keep a distance and for the most part tried not to stare. There was an aura of danger around this man that told people to stay away. In reality though, keeping a distance was just as dangerous if not worse than getting close to him. This was a common occurrence, even in Wales, and Richard had gotten used to it. At first it was bothersome, but eventually there were perks to everyone thinking that he would kill them for looking at him the wrong way.

Richard stopped as he passed by a local hunting shop. There was a box sitting in the window with a set of daggers laid out on display in front of it. The blades reflected the noon sun, catching his eyes with their hypnotic dance. It looked as though the handles were made of hickory with strips of leather bound around it and gold inlay at the hilt in the shape of a wolf’s head. The eyes of the wolf were made of two small black opal gemstones, polished until they were mirror-like. As he stood there looking at the fine craftsmanship the shop keeper came out and welcomed him into the store. He was an older gentleman with white hair and looking a bit frail, but with hands rougher than sandpaper. He spoke surprisingly good english for a person from Iceland, but still had a heavy accent that resembled the native Gaelic tongue. After a while of negotiation and Richard demonstrating some of his talents, the shop keeper sold him the set of knives for a small cost. After he paid, Richard asked if there was anywhere to grab a drink in town. It had been a while since he went out and bought some alcohol, and his personal store was running low. The store keeper told him of the local tavern, but warned him that there would probably be no one there at this time of the day. That didn’t bother the knife thrower though, he preferred to be alone and headed straight for the tavern.

Two large, wooden doors stood watch at the entrance to the tavern, inviting him into the warmth. He walked in and was greeted by the sounds of idle laughter, the faint smell of cigars, and an inviting seat at the bar. Another man was already sitting there, he seemed familiar, but Richard just couldn’t remember. He asked the bartender for a scotch, to which he received a blank stare. Realizing that there was an obvious language barrier between them, he pointed to a bottle on the shelf half filled with a light amber liquid. The bartender gave a nod and poured it into a glass of ice. Richard grabbed the glass and took a sip. A smile came over his face and he signaled the bartender for the bottle. The barkeep set it on the table in front of the knife thrower and carried on with his own business. Then Richard’s attention went to that of the man sitting at the bar, staring at his drink. He seemed to be deep in thought about something, deep enough in thought that he let the ice in his drink melt. Without thinking, Richard walked over and sat the bottle down next to the man and reached for a fresh glass under the bar. He poured a fresh glass and slid it to the stranger. “Here, have a fresh one.” he said, “Unless you prefer to drink watered down whiskey?”

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Words continued to echo between his ears as Levi sat there in silence, taunting him. Malicious words laced with venom overlapping with those of a more amicable and persuasive nature, words that were meant to push other people down in order for the one that spoke them to step on their backs and be lifted up, words that have escaped Levi’s lips on more than one occasion. He let his eyes droop shut and watched as a scene began to play behind his now closed lids. Many with troubled childhoods would yearn to forget those sadder times, but not Levi; Levi used the memories of his past as compensation when the guilt of using people started to overflow and seep into his mind. He deserved the companionship of everyone that fell victim to his sharp tongue and remembering was the only way to remind himself of that fact.

Levi wasn’t sure how much time had passed while he kept his gaze glued to the intricate swirls that made up the oak bar before him. In fact, he was so lost in his own mind that he didn’t notice the rather large man join him at the bar; that is, until he offered him a fresh drink. Suddenly being jerked back into reality, Levi jumped at the man’s words before slowly turning to face him—at least.. part of him, the man was a giant. From his sitting position the acrobat was greeted by the man’s chest, and it wasn’t until he averted his gaze upward that he was able to see a face. The face of the man was friendly with the slightest bit of sympathy and pity sitting there in his hard set eyes, and Levi could have sworn he’d seen those eyes somewhere before and recently; a visitor that decided to follow the circus to its next location, perhaps?

 Levi accepted the drink, wrapping his hand around the glass before pulling it toward him, offering the man a small nod in thanks. He lifted the glass to his lips, but before he could take a drink realization washed over him as to exactly where he had seen the man before now. He smirked and set the glass back down on the bar,

Keeping his now lively eyes on the bottles and glasses behind the bar as he spoke, he said as a passing comment, “You’re not here for the sights, are you?”

[pictures-of--you-blog]

[sinnett]

Bruising Serenade | Levi & Sybil.

[sinnett]

Despite herself, Sybil could feel that her lip was quivering. Every muscle in her small body was beginning to tense at the single sentence that she had spoken. Her already fair skin fell to an even paler shade and the night seemed to continue to grow colder and colder. Finally, the dark brooding figure that was the man sitting before her turned to face her. For some strange reason that Sybil couldn’t quite figure out, his coy smile brought back a memory. She was another person, fourteen years old at some master ball. The air was chilly as it was in this night but Sybil knew nothing of the world. She was young and naive and the man who was with her without her parents knowledge was quick to take advantage of her delicate self. It wasn’t so much that Sybil had not been willing to go with him because she had. But that was the man that had ruined her life. At least, that’s how she saw things. The moment that Sybil became pregnant was the moment her life took a toll for the worse. That smile, was the same smile. 

She quietly told herself that this was nothing to worry about, she always had memories such as this one at the strangest of times. Whenever she met someone knew, they’d somehow remind her of her past. It’d never been as intense as in this moment but the memories constantly came crashing back towards her. “I have lost something.” She forced herself to blurt out. The stutters were still there and she couldn’t help but not return his gaze but she was still proud of the fact that she’d been able to speak in the first place. “I-I was w-wondering if you would…p-please assist me in..in seeking it before..the show starts.” The last three words came out in almost a whisper, the air catching them and taking them away from her but not before he could hear them. Her hair blew around in the wind, the faint sent of the strawberries she’d had earlier hit her hard and she had a time bringing herself back to this place, this time. 

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Levi cocked his head to the side as he listened to the young woman before him speak, subconsciously moving his face closer to hers in attempts to hear her more clearly. She was so quiet, so fragile; like a mouse in the presence of a lion, even the slightest of noises would scare her away. The feeling of intrigue washed over the acrobat once more without warning, and Levi couldn’t help but long for a sort of reliance that would soon bud between them; a catalyst that would make him feel even more authoritative and in control.

Once she’d gotten through the first sentence, Levi then focused more on her features than her words. The way her eyes darted to the side in order to avoid his gaze at all cost, the way her lips trembled with each syllable that fought to escape her lips, the way her shoulders shook in what he assumed to be anxiety. Without thinking of the consequences that may come forth from his actions, Levi cupped her chin into the palm of his hand and gently tilted her head upward to finally meet his gaze, slowly tracing the outline of her jaw with his thumb as he did so. He meant for the action to be calming and encouraging, letting the Reveur know that it was alright to trust him with anything that she could possibly be hiding. As the final word made its way from her lips and floated toward him, he gave her another warm smile, dropping his hand back to his side.

“I can assure you,” he said, keeping his eyes on hers, “that while I may have teeth, I hardly ever bite. There’s no need for you to be nervous, I will help you with whatever it is that you need, all you have to do is ask.” Levi spoke with delicacy, his words coiling around the situation, ready to squeeze whenever the time was right in order to get the reaction he wanted. “Now, what is it that you have misplaced, Miss…?”  

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Companionship | Levi and Richard

A gentle wind pawed at his face as Levi walked the streets of the city the cirque had made home for the next handful weeks, one particular destination in mind as he did so.  It wasn’t often that Levi allowed himself to dive into his own thoughts and become lost in his mind, as it more often than not caused him to come to realizations that there were serious problems in his life that needed to be worked through and it was so much easier to simply blame them on someone else; however, every now and then he couldn’t help but take some time to be alone and allow alcohol to do its job and make him forget once more.

The sun hung high in the sky, causing shadows to dance across any given surface that made itself known in the acrobat’s peripherals, and the performers had free time to do as they pleased for at least another handful of hours. Many were probably on their way out to explore the new place that they’d never experienced before, but Levi had no intention of doing so. Not this time.  

The stop in London had really taken its toll on him, more so than he originally thought. Becoming a part of the circus allowed for Levi to run away from his problems instead of facing them head on and challenging those who got in the way of his goals in life just as he always did. He never let anyone stop him before, he’d even been known for making certain people’s lives a living hell when they’d stood up to him, so why was it that facing his father was something that Levi simply could not bring himself to do?

It wasn’t until he reached two large, wooden doors that seemed to invite him to step through into the building they were guarding that Levi’s expression changed from stoic to relieved. He was greeted with a pleasant burst of warmth as he entered the tavern; it was a quaint and quiet place, the only things to be heard being the clinks of glasses and what Levi could only assume to be idle chatter among the limited number of patrons that currently resided there.  It was to be expected of a bar open while there was still daylight that its numbers would indeed be limited, and Levi certainly did not mind. He needed time to clear his head of the ridiculous thoughts that being in London once more had brought forth.

The acrobat made his way to the bar and took a seat on a stool near the door. Making eye contact with the barkeep, he simply pointed in the direction of what he assumed to be hard liquor. With Levi being obviously foreign, the man behind the bar let out a small chuckle and nodded in understanding, pulling a glass out from underneath the bar and—after placing one large ice cube in the bottom of the glass—filled it with an amber liquid he’d picked out from behind him. The man then sat the glass in front of Levi and went back to minding his own business.

Levi didn’t bother drinking quite yet, instead only watched as the drink made small ripples around the ice, hoping in the back of his mind that something or someone would come and distract him. 

[sinnett]

Bruising Serenade | Levi & Sybil.

The word slipped her mouth before Sybil was aware that she had even been thinking it. It was a nasty one that any lady was probably shunned from saying. Luckily for her, there was no one around to hear her swear. She sat down on the ground, too panic stricken to be able to figure out what she was supposed to do from this point on. She liked to believe that there were no thieves in the circus but despite how naive she might be, there was still no way to explain what had happened to her necklace. It had to be over seventy years old, with a golden crown in the middle. It was simple and most people would dismiss it as nothing of value but to Sybil it was more than just another gold necklace. It was the last trace of home that she had left. It had been given to her by her grandfather when she was born. She hadn’t taken it off since that day. Now, it was gone, just like that. 

Her grandfather. The man who sat her down on his lap every evening after dinner to tell her one of his many tales. It had broken her heart in two when she found out that he had passed away. It was because of the bitter cold, that’s what her parents said. But Sybil knew better than that. Her grandfather had a bigger problem, what kind, she didn’t know, but she knew that the cold had not killed her favorite person. She leaned her head on both her hands, sighing in frustration. It didn’t make sense that something which had clung to her neck for the sixteen years she’d been alive could have just disappeared. It was one hour before the next show was to start and Sybil knew that she would have to find it before that time otherwise it would be lost in the crowd. 

“I-I can do this.” She uttered the words but she was not certain that that was true. Finally, she managed to get up and out of the tiny room she’d rented at their current stop. She looked around outside but she didn’t even know where to start. Everyone was running about trying to get ready for the show. Each show seemed to be different, every person had some hidden secret, and the nights were all magical. Sybil would normally be excited to go sit amongst the audience and take in their excitement. Those were the few moments that she didn’t spend pitying herself. There was, however, one person who didn’t seem to be at all that busy. A tall man with dark hair that fell almost down to his shoulders. He wasn’t paying her any mind but also looking around at the people getting ready. Sybil didn’t want to, but she knew the only way she’d even have a chance of finding her necklace would be to ask for help.

Her hands immediately fell to her side and were bundled up into fists. It was her reaction whenever she had to do something that involved other people. She was a guarded person and anything that was change scared her. Sybil shied away from everything and anyone. The few times that she had contact with other people it was because they came up to her instead of the other way around. “Umh..excuse me?” Sybil’s voice was barely audible but she hoped that the man had been able to hear her small voice. Otherwise, she was not certain that she could muster up the courage to talk to him again. 

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

The costume and make-up tent was abuzz in preparation for the night’s show with performers changing, stretching, and chatting. Levi sat at one of the handful of vanities, applying the final touches to his face while keeping up light conversation with those on either side of him. With graceful movements he drew accenting lines beneath his eyes and around his lips, leaving no room for error as he did so.

A few more minutes passed and once he’d sealed his make-up with powder, Levi was finished. He stood and took a few steps back from the counter, eyeing every aspect of himself in search of any smudges or mistakes. Upon seeing none, he exited the tent with a determined look as he took the time before he had to perform to people watch and persuade potential visitors to come to his tent and watch him.

A flash of red caught the eye of the acrobat as he let the flap of the tent fall to back to the ground behind him. It was not often that Levi took notice of the Reveurs as more often than not they got lost in the crowd or simply mistaken for a performer because of the attire they donned—and even when he did notice them, it was uncommon for Levi to pay them any mind because in reality, the group of them were just as much a part of the circus as the performers were, and he was much more interested in the opinions and companionship of a visitor whom he’d likely never see again than that of a regular who may catch on to his personality.

However, be that as it may, there was something noticeably different about this young woman. She had an air about her that seemed guarded and meek on top of the more noticeable confusion as she looked around as if she didn’t know where she was or what was going on. He couldn’t put his finger as to why, but this intrigued Levi and made him curious as to why it was she looked that way.

Levi would have continued watching her, maybe even approached her, if it hadn’t been for the older couple that were making a beeline toward him. He decided that they were more important to entertain at that moment than the Reveur and he averted his gaze to them, flashing smiles and answering any questions they could throw out at him. However, they soon grew tired and moved on to the next person, Levi sending them off with an invitation to visit him again. He turned to give his attention back to the woman from before, but she was no longer there.

“Umh… excuse me?”

Her voice was almost silent compared to the ever increasing hustle and bustle of visitors talking over one another in excitement, and if it weren’t for the fact that Levi had been watching her out of the corner of his eye even while talking to the patrons, he would not have known that she was even addressing him. He stood over the young woman, adjusting his gaze to meet hers, her eyes full of emotion that resembled fear. Knowing that he came off as aloof, Levi softened his features and offered her a broad smile in attempts of letting her know that he did not, in fact, bite. He took pride in the fact that he was able to read situations and those around him and adapt to them in a way that drew more people toward him. It was something that took time to perfect, but once he did, he never had to worry about the loneliness he’d felt in his childhood ever again.

There was time before his performance and Levi decided that he would give her a bit of his time; what’s the worst that could happen?

With a quirk of his brow and a coy smile he said, “Yes? May I be of assistance?”

[gasphard-blog]

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Flooding Memories | Self

Once more being in a place that is all too familiar was certainly refreshing to say that least, yet being in London also meant that in the back of his mind Levi could not completely dismiss the nagging feeling of contempt for certain people that resided there, reminding him exactly of the reason he escaped it in the first place. That was no matter, however, as being back meant a time of celebration for many of the individuals that surrounded him, and while Levi left this place behind on darker terms it did not mean that everyone did.  He had a reputation to uphold among those he now accompanied, and he refused to allow the foul stench of his past ruin the things he’d spent the last handful of months building with these people.

Levi now walked slowly through the vast halls of the proprietor’s estate. He has just finished his meal as well as brief conversation with those who’d approached him, and upon witnessing the first person excuse themselves, he quickly followed suit. The acrobat’s usual black and white attire was cast off to be replaced by a more earthy brown jacket over pale blue, checked trousers, a starched white shirt, and a blue vest. In fact, everyone’s monochrome was shed for this event, as it was a dress code requirement; instead replaced by brighter reds and greens and blues, giving the pretense of optimism and joy. Adjusting his shirt cuffs to sit more comfortably on his wrists, Levi walked through a large set of wooden door that were opened for him by those that Chandresh had hired.

With a sly smile and the smallest nod of thanks, Levi made his way into the large study outside the dining area of the mansion, set aside for light conversation as the guests finished their meals one by one. Even after eating quickly and excusing himself as to not be pulled into conversations of the accomplishments of others and not himself, Levi was not the only person to occupy the room. The acrobat quickly scanned the premises before settling his eyes on the grandiose grandfather clock that made its home in the far corner of the room; an hour had passed since the beginning of the meal when Levi was forced to cast aside any lingering thoughts of his father and pull together a convincing façade that would once more fool the simple minded guests around him. However, now that he was alone once more, the thoughts the man who abandoned him began to creep back into his mind. Should he pay him a visit? Let him know that he is still alive regardless the fact he pushed him aside and left him to die?

Levi shook his head.

Upon deciding that none of the guests at that moment that accompanied him in the room were even worth his time, Levi approached one of the many empty seats and sat, crossing his legs at the knee as he waited for time to tick by, allowing his mind wander for a short period of time. 

[highflyingliz]

After Hours || Sarah Elizabeth and Levi

[highflyingliz]

Sarah, no matter how much she mentally prepared herself from Levi’s attitude, couldn’t seem to spot herself from getting hurt each time he made a comment about her. She especially hated it when he called her Miss Joplin. They had been working together for quiet a while now, why Was he so set on bothering her. Once again she put up her walls and smiled at him acting as though him comments had no affect on her. “Now I don’t suppose that your make up smudging is my fault” she said while huffing and tilting her head to the side, “If it is I suppose that it being uneven is also my fault, because I put it on you remember?” she asked sarcastically. Wrinkling her nose at him, she pondered his previous statement. “Quiet frankly Levi. If I’d like to touch you, I’d like to see you stop me.” To prove her point she reached on an poked him hard in the chest. 

Liz ran her hands through her hair and tried to figure out what on earth had gotten into everyone. It seemed as though everyone besides her was on edge. It was times like this that she knew she shouldn’t be tying to push Levi’s buttons. He wasn’t someone you wanted angry at you, then again, she wasn’t going to let him best her. Sighing, she pinned her mini hat back on the side of her head and tosses him a bright smile. The next words that came out of Levi’s mouth made her whole body stop functioning for a moment. Was he apologizing? That was something she had never expected to hear come tumbling from his mouth. In fact the words seemed to pain him. There were a lot of times she had wanted and deserved an apology from him, but she had never gotten one and she certainly hadn’t been expecting on now. Here it was though, the sweet words she had wanted to hear were falling from his mouth. The best part was that they were directed towards her! Once she recovered from shock and regained control of herself a wide grin settled on her face. “Well well well. An apology from the heartless and cruel Levi, I can’t say I’m not a little surprised. I never expected this from you.” she grinned for a few more second before she relaxed and fell back into her normal sweet and kind self. “It’s fine” she said softly, “I should have just said something instead of touching you.” Her eyes were soft as she took in his expression. He still seemed pained from apologizing. “As long as you want too, I’d love to go over routines with you.” she smiled at him gently and without thinking took his hand and pulled him toward the tent. Once she got inside she ran toward the ladder no longer caring about if he was following her or not. The natural rush of climbing the last few steps hit her and she rocked on her toes while she grabbed her things. With a grin she held on tightly and leapt from the ladder. When she was in the middle of the net below she let go and flipped over twice before elegantly falling into the net. If you asked another person, they would saying falling was their least favorite part of the whole thing. When Liz was asked her favorite part falling was and always will be the answer. She loved the feeling of complete freedom as she tumbled through the air. Nothing held we back, no ropes or nets. Until she hit the net of course. Then the feeling was gone and she was ice again grounded. With being groused brought back the horrible feeling of reality. When her feet were once again on the ground. Sarah Elizabeth was once again jerked into the crazy thing called reality.

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Sarah Elizabeth seemed to be enjoying the humiliation Levi went through by apologizing a little too much for his liking; he watched as her face went from shock and awe to a wicked grin planting itself on her lips. Levi didn’t think it such a big deal in the moment, shrugging it off as Liz simply being Liz, but as the minutes stretched on and the grin refused to dissipate completely he soon came to the conclusion that apologizing to the very woman he’d antagonized for so long without even so much of a second thought was not the best idea he’d had. There was something deep down that told him that it would be a long time before she let him forget about it.

Even still, he—regretfully—let her have it, giving her a forced smile.

When Sarah Elizabeth grabbed Levi’s hand his face contorted into a look of detestation—again with the touching…what was it about her and physical contact? With a disgusted groan, Levi swatted her hand away once more and stopped in his tracks. “I agreed to do this with you,” he said with a sneer, “but I have one condition, and that is do not touch me without my permission again.”

Levi’s fuse was already cut short simply by it being the end of the night on top of things not going the way he wished, and it wouldn’t be a lie to say that he’d thought more than once about turning and walking away from her company without another word; however, he truly was in need of going over the routine he’d prepared for the following evening, and if Sarah Elizabeth was with him it may give him a chance at finally getting a reaction out of her as he continued to find something wrong with everything she did.  

He followed behind her slowly as she hurried toward the Acrobats’ tent with an animated expression. Once inside, he noticed that she was already climbing the ladder in a sort of overexcitement. Sucking his teeth, Levi watched her every move, all the while removing his coat and hat, and rolling up his sleeves to his elbows. It was true that his current attire was not meant to be used while performing, but he didn’t care all the same; there was no use changing, and Levi was confident in the fact that he could walk his rope no matter what he was wearing.

As Sarah Elizabeth intentionally fell to the net below, Levi smirked as he called to her, “You know, if that were my act I’m almost positive that you would be dead right now.” A sadistic expression manifested across his features, “Have you ever performed without the net?”

[malesofstyle]

[disneysqueen]

A Day Trapped Is A Day Wasted || Amon & Levi

It was day two in the mansion, trapped inside due to the snow.  Despite the scandalous events Amon had to endure the night previous, it had been exciting, really it had, he couldn’t deny he was bored beyond words.  On a normal day, he’d be sleeping at the moment - perhaps he’d be exploring if the city had some attractions worth seeing.  Alas, they were not only stuck but especially after the events of last night, there was no way he was going to be getting sleep until much later.  He didn’t trust the people of the Relicte - he daresay the circus members did either.

Amon had been particular to avoid as many men and women of the Relicte he could.  It was insanely difficult - they appeared to be everywhere!  Sometimes it was if there more members entering the mansion by the second.  It, of course, was impossible.  Except every hallway, behind every door, there was just more and more of them!  He had come to learn that not all were terrible, but he didn’t want to take his chances.  Worst of all?  Some people of the circus were too jumpy around them to make enjoyable conversation.  Amon was wary of the Relicte’s presence, but not scared.  It took much more then chilling glares and hard faced people to scare him.

Sighing, he found himself in a common room.  He had no idea how he ended up there, nor did he know how he’d find his place back to his room.   The room was full of more of those unsettling members, but in the center he managed to spot someone dressed in the familiar colors of black and white.  Finally, a member of the circus!  Hopefully it would be someone he knew.  If not, they were about to know him because beside the two of them, there was no one in the area from the circus.  He was not going to be alone in a pool full of sharks.  

Thankfully, the face was familiar.  All too familiar, actually.  It was Levi - and judging by the expression he had come to recognize, he might have been carrying a charming conversation, but he was utterly annoyed by the people speaking to him.  Cutting through the people around him, he interjected a word in there, causing some people to silence.  ”Hello.” He gave his friend a simple nod of the head.  He hoped his eyes were enough to ask if he minded ditching the place.  Surely Levi didn’t want to continue entertaining these people, but that was purely his choice.  

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Remaining in one place for too long would eventually force even the most sane of people into a fit of anxiety. It was nearing 48 hours since the master of the mansion had announced that no one was allowed to leave and Levi already seemed to be battling his own apprehension that the blizzards outside would never let up. It wasn’t that Levi was bothered by being there, as there was plenty to do taking into account the vastness of the mansion and the sheer number of people forced to reside there; however the faint murmurs among performers that the reputation of those they were surrounded by was disagreeable were not false in the slightest. With strong jaws and tight lips, the presence of those in the Relicte alone was enough to cause a person to listen to whatever they had to say, and adding the fact that they would not take no for an answer, it reminded Levi too much of himself to be able to enjoy their company.

Nonetheless, it was not in his character to deny company when it presented itself to him, and Levi now found himself in a large and ornate common room. He sat atop a black velvet seat, his legs crossed at the knee, across from three individuals—two men and a woman. They had found him wandering the corridors of the estate in a state of passive curiosity and immediately recognized him by his attire. It wasn’t a common occurrence for Levi to wear the trademark black and white that so many others in Cirque seemed to flaunt, for he’d found over his course as a performer that being unrecognizable to those who’d seen his act eventually always seemed to lead to the more candid reactions; however, there were times, such as now, where he was not able to rely on his performances to raise reactions from those around him, and on those instances standing out was much more effective than blending into the crowd.

Hours had passed since Levi had begun his conversations with the trio before him, the drinks they’d offered as enticement now long gone. He had thought that a bit of alcohol would take his mind off of the fact that the circus was stuck in a place they no longer had any reason to be; however, all it really seemed to accomplish was giving the Russians even more reasons to continue their talking. After a while the topic changed from Levi to varying other affairs in an occasional language that he could not understand, and it didn’t take long for the acrobat to grow weary. It soon reached the point that he’d begun to shift his gaze every handful of seconds between polite nods and coy smiles, attempting to find any sort of justification to be relinquished from the topics at hand.

Another handful of minutes went by, and Levi was finally given a way out. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed an all too familiar head of blonde curls, and upon Amon’s greeting, Levi could already feel the heaviness that seemed to settle on his chest begin to fade away.

“Oh! Amon, what a pleasure, please come and sit. This is Anastasiya, Lenka, and Andrei,” he gestured to them individually as he stated each of their names, “They have been my company for… quite a while now.” As the words escaped his lips, Levi met the gaze of his companion and pleaded with his eyes for him to pull him away. The two had been friends long enough that he was sure Amon would realize that the only reason he was even still speaking with the three of them was to keep up appearances, and he felt as though he had no more reason to feel burdened.

“Did you need me for something?”

[highflyingliz]

After Hours || Sarah Elizabeth and Levi

[highflyingliz]

Sarah closed her eyes and tired to remind herself not to lose her patients with him. After she counted to three she opened her eyes again and gave Levi her natural sparkling smile. “Hey Levi, it’s great to see you. I caught the end of your performance earlier, you did wonderful.” Lizzy knew that the praise would only enlarge his already enormous head,but she gave it none the less.

“Perhaps you can walk in a straight line and watch where you are going some days, but in case you hadn’t noticed, you were on the ground as well. On your face too, which I was not. Clearly the fact that you were unable to either stop me from falling, or stop yourself proves that maybe you are not as good of a walker either.” Sarah Elizabeth quickly smoothed out her skirt and fixed the hat upon her head. “Where are you headed now?” She asked gently. “It’s still arely in the night and I’d love some company if you have no plans” Liz knew for a fact that he had no plans, she was just curious as to what he would say to her. He had never been one to be friendly, especially towards her. In fact he seemed to just enjoy trying to find ways to bother her. He constantly told her that she did something wrong or that she was off. As much as this bothered her, she would never let him see that. She was far too proud. She lifted her head up to look at him more closely, he had changed into regular clothes which meant he wasn’t intending on being seen. That was also most likely why she had run into him. The odd thing was that while he had changed his clothes the make up on his face remained. Lizzy giggled when she saw this, but tried to hide it behind her hand. Her own make up was still on her face, but she hadn’t bothered to change out of her clothes yet.  When she stopped giggling, she turned back to him and noticed he he smudged some of his make up under his right eye.

Her next move was clearly not thought out. Her hand seemed to move without her brain telling it too. Carefully she reached out and used her thumb to wipe the smudged part away. When she realized what she was doing she quickly jerked her hand back and smiled at him again. “You had smudged a bit…” She fumbled with her hands nervously and gave another helpless shrug.

[thecunningacrobat-blog]

Levi scowled.

“Oh don’t give me that, Liz, I was standing perfectly still when you ran into me—there was no me running into you—but, again, you would know that if you were paying any attention at all.” He gave the girl a look of scorn; even after all this time, still she attempted to twist situations back on him.

His eyes flicked to the small confections box she held tightly in her hand before settling back on her eyes, “Although, while I genuinely adore a well thought out argument, it seems as though you had prior commitments before you ran into me, and to be honest I would rather not waste my time on you and your less than mediocre retorts. Now, I do believe I will take my leave if you don’t mind…”

Levi turned on his heel with a satisfied smirk; having the final word always seemed to give him more gratification than one would know. He did not, however, have a chance to begin walking, for the forever garrulous Sarah Elizabeth always seemed to have one more thing to say, one more question to ask, one more blasted comment... With a sharp intake of breath and an almost silent groan, Levi turned back toward his aerialist colleague.

“Excuse me?” He started, taking small steps closer to her in order to close the gap between them. He even let out a soft chuckle as his next words left his lips, “Out of everyone here in and out of the cirque, visitors and performers alike, you choose me to request companionship.” His chuckles soon erupted into full blown guffaws, “I must say that if nothing else, you certainly have a sense of humor.”

There was a stretch of silence between the two as Levi gained his composure once more, and as it began to balance between awkward and uncomfortable, he decided it was time to find a way to break it; he just didn’t know how. Should he honestly answer her question—tell her that while he had no plans, he also did not want to spend his time with her—or perhaps he could simply excuse himself once more and this time she would let him go.

It turned out that he didn’t have to break the silence at all, as the air suddenly filled with the sound of a stifled laugh coming from the girl before him. He stood there silently until she finished, confusion gracing his features; she clearly was not laughing at the same things he was, for that would mean laughing at herself… so why?

It didn’t take long for his question to be answered.

Levi moved to grab her wrist as her fingers came in contact with his face, but it seemed as though he didn’t move fast enough, as she quickly jerked away without a second thought. Clearing his throat, he said, “I hardly think we have that sort of a relationship, Miss Joplin, and it would do you well not to touch me without my explicit permission beforehand from now on.” But even with his threatening words, once she gave him her reason as to why she believed it to be alright to touch his face (of all things), Levi’s hand instinctively shot to his cheek in embarrassment. The raven-haired boy’s eyes narrowed further into a glare, “And whose fault that?!” He spat back at her, venom lacing his voice.

Levi wasn’t quite sure why he was being so especially aggressive toward her, and somewhere deep inside it really did bother him that his fuse had been so short since they’d arrived in Vologda. He wasn’t alone in that feeling either; he’d overheard conversations from that of a handful of other performers, claiming an unexplainable unease that seemed to persist no matter what they did to rid themselves of it.

Realizing what he was doing, Levi released Sarah from his clutches and took a step back.

“I…” he paused, his expression changing as if his next words were physically painful to say, “…apologize. That was unnecessary.” He offered her a small bow, removing his hat before lowering his head as a way of atonement. “And,” he continued with a sigh, “If you still wish for my company, it couldn’t hurt to go over routines for our next performance if you so wish.”