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Be a clown
by Lilithangel
“No,” Spike said.
“You and Angel are the only two who could get away with it,” Wesley said.
“Don’t care,” Spike replied, “not going to do it.”
“Why?” Fred asked.
“Clowns are freaky shits and anyone who wants to be one is even freakier,” Spike said looking pointedly at Angel.
“What about acrobats then?” Wesley suggested.
“What about a knife throwing act?” Angel said.
“Like I’m going to let you anywhere near me with knives,” Spike said, “and don’t pretend that wasn’t the way you saw it going. I could be a magician and you could be my assistant,” he added, “not exactly beautiful but you’ll do in a skirt in a pinch.”
“I don’t think so,” Angel said.
“Come on you two,” Wesley said starting to lose patience, “it took us too long to make the connection to the circus, and while you’re bickering more people are dying.”
“Fine,” Spike said.
“Fine,” Angel said.
* * * * *
“So what sort of acrobatic act do you do?” the boss of the circus asked.
“Strength,” Angel said.
“Contortionism,” Spike said at the same time.
They glared at each other.
“Strength,” Angel repeated.
“And contortionism,” Spike said, “he’s the brawn and I’m the flexible one.”
“I just bet you are.” Sally, the circus boss was a woman of undeterminable age, she could have been forty or sixty or anywhere in between. The cigarette that seemed permanently welded to her lip and the tan of someone who spent most of their time outdoors the main contributors. Her hair was short and sensible and her hands were calloused. For all of that she was still a striking woman and Spike happily grinned back at her.
“Once we’re set up you can show me what you’ve got,” she continued, “take a look around but don’t get in anyone’s way.”
Spike looked around with enjoyment as they wandered around the encampment while Angel looked around for anything that could be responsible for the rash of desiccated bodies turning up. All the victims had turned out to be magic users, drained of their magic as well as all their bodily fluids.
The attacks had seemed completely random until Gunn had noticed they all happened in a town after the circus had left. The victims had not attended the circus and were never found anywhere near the campsite but it was too big a coincidence to ignore.
“Contortionist?” Angel whispered as they walked.
“Might as well make use of our vampiric skills,” Spike said. He smiled winsomely at a young man in form fitting tights and a spangly shirt.
“I think we should go back to our caravan and work something out to show Ms Marvel,” Angel said.
* * * * *
Wesley had come up with a background cover for them and Lorne had presented them with a wardrobe that neither had looked through yet and Angel was beginning to suspect they should have.
“No,” Spike said, dropping the tiny piece of Lycra, “not a chance in sodding hell.”
“Tights,” Angel said, “we can’t wear tights.”
“Well I can,” Spike said, suddenly warming up to the idea, “but I don’t know if your less than girlish figure can cope.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my figure,” Angel protested.
“Then put a leotard on then,” Spike challenged.
“You first,” Angel retaliated.
“You’re just chicken.”
“You scared you’ll be embarrassed are you?”
“I’m not scared.”
“Well neither am I.”
Five minutes later and they were both standing around trying not to look at each other. Angel pulled the wedgie out of his butt for the third time as Spike tried to unsuccessfully check out his own behind.
“We can’t go out in public like this,” Angel said. He searched through the costuming Lorne had provided for anything that would give him some dignity. The long vest was better than nothing Angel decided. Spike on the other hand had decided he looked damn fine in a leotard.
“So what’s our act going to be?” Spike said, lounging on a seat and demonstrating why he liked his leotard.
“I could just beat you up for five minutes,” Angel said, trying to ignore Spike’s groin.
“Not likely,” Spike said, “and not very entertaining. I was thinking you do the lifts and I do some one handed acrobatics. Remember those twins from Romania?”
“Titania and Natasha?” Angel smiled at the memory. “They were certainly flexible.”
“We let them live they were so flexible,” Spike remembered with his own smile.
“We can do that,” Angel said, “just don’t fuck it up.”
“You’re more likely to fuck it up,” Spike replied, “I seem to recall someone had stage fright last time we performed in public.”
“That was very different,” Angel said, grateful he couldn’t blush, “and I got it together.”
“Yeah you did,” Spike said, wriggling in his seat at the memory. “Right,” he added standing up, “let’s go do this.”
Angel tried not to pull his vest down as he walked no matter how much it felt like everyone was watching them.
“Everyone’s watching us,” Spike said with a smirk. They were heading for the newly erected Big Top and lots of circus folk were milling around in and out of costume. Large gaily painted backdrops were going up advertising the acts in the centre ring and the side shows. Spike amused himself by reading out the different acts. “Bearded lady, strong man, you could do that one if the acrobatic act doesn’t work out, exotic dancers, ooohh we need to check that out later, man who cannot die, what’s so special about that?”
“Can we just concentrate?” Angel said as they reached the Big Top.
“You getting stage fright?” Spike said, wrinkling his nose at the assault of smells under the tent.
“Of course I’m not,” Angel said as Sally wandered over to them.
“Looking good boys,” she said by way of greeting, “go show me what else you’ve got.” Her eyes travelled to their crotches and she smirked.
They walked into the centre of the ring and Spike held out his hands. Angel was startled for a moment and then nodded, placing his hands palms upward for Spike to grasp.
With a short run up Spike practically climbed Angel before flipping upside down and taking Angel’s hands. Angel grunted and spread his feet to take the strain, lifting his arms up as Spike went into a handstand.
Once Angel had lifted him as high as possible Spike bent in the middle and folded in half. Then he straightened and arched backwards until his feet touched the back of his head. Angel flexed and tossed Spike into the air and Spike landed again, this time feet first.
The watching crowd applauded politely and Spike took the challenge. He bent in half again and encouraged Angel to close stance. Then Spike placed one hand into Angel’s and completed a full one-handed handstand. Angel released one hand and walked in a circle with Spike balancing above him.
“Shoulders,” Angel said and bent his arm. Spike transferred both hands to Angel’s shoulders and Angel grabbed a hanging rope. Pulling himself up the rope Angel kept Spike balanced until they were halfway up.
Spike swung around to wrap his legs around Angel’s waist and then bent backwards to grab Angel’s ankles. Then he reversed the movement to end up sitting on Angel’s shoulders.
Angel climbed back down the rope and Spike somersaulted off his shoulders to land gracefully beside him. They completed showy bows to the now more enthusiastic applause.
“And that’s just a taste,” Spike said as Sally joined them.
“Well you are definitely hired. First show tomorrow night, get a good night sleep and come see me later tomorrow about pay,” Sally said, “after dark is fine with your condition.” Spike and Angel looked at her in surprise and she laughed. “Circus folk,” she added, “you can’t hide what you are with us but we don’t mind. So long as you leave the snacking to the willing.”
“This doesn’t seem to be a place to encourage demon serial killing,” Spike said when they got back to their caravan.
“They may not know it’s happening,” Angel said, “the killer is being very careful not to attract attention. We should probably check out the fortune tellers and magic acts first.”
“Bit of a cliché isn’t it?” Spike said.
“They’re the sort to get hooked on the real thing, but you’re right it could be anyone,” Angel said. He couldn’t keep his eyes off how Spike’s muscles moved under the leotard.
Spike was very much aware of Angel’s scrutiny but didn’t know exactly how to take it but decided to milk it anyway. He stretched and popped some kinks out of his back and hid a smirk when Angel’s gaze dropped to his groin. The old boy had it bad obviously. Of course he wasn’t too shabby himself, Spike had to admit.
Two days later and they’d been a big hit in the big top and not managed to find out anything except that the man who couldn’t die was pretty good looking, as was the bearded lady and all the acrobats. In fact most of the circus folk were attractive which didn’t distract either of them from how small the caravan really was.
The shower was too small for Angel to get any relief despite the very cold water it produced.
Angel had a tendency to turn up back at the caravan just before Spike could get a good rhythm going.
Finally, after returning from drinking with the lion tamer Spike couldn’t bear it any longer.
“Sick of this,” Spike said, shaking Angel awake.
“What?” Angel rolled over and stared at Spike blearily.
“Surrounded by attractive and willing, might I add, folk and I’m not getting any because of you,” Spike glared down at Angel.
“I’m not leaving the caravan just so you can have sex,” Angel said.
“Idiot,” Spike said, and kissed him.
Angel struggled for a moment until he realised what was happening and then he got into the action. He pulled Spike onto the narrow bunk on top of him. Spike let Angel pull him down because otherwise he’d have to stop the kiss and he was really enjoying the kiss.
Spike had intended to get maybe a quick fumble, maybe a bit of frottage, damn he liked that word. Any poetic musings were halted by Angel’s hands grabbing his buttocks and rubbing their groins together. He really did like the word.
Spike tasted of whiskey and beer and his body was hard against Angel’s. Angel couldn’t help but compare the more masculine feel against the feminine curves he was used to. It wasn’t that he hadn’t been with men, but it had been a long time and the few women there had been had just been easier. Spike was never easy (despite Angel’s words on the matter in the past), but Spike was also a really good kisser.
Angel was actually a really good kisser. Spike hadn’t really got so far as to imagine that but it was definitely better than he would have imagined. For the first time in a long time Spike was happy to let Angel take the lead. He’d made the first move after all, now it was Angel’s turn.
Angel had expected Spike to be more aggressive about things; instead the other vampire was completely relaxed above him. There really wasn’t a lot of room on the bunk but Angel really wanted to feel skin. He’d had his hands on a lot of Spike’s skin during their act but this was definitely better.
Angel’s fingers slipped under the waistband of Spike’s jeans as far as they could reach. Spike’s fingers were spread out on either side of Angel’s head, caressing his scalp as the kiss got deeper and more unrestrained.
Angel’s legs had spread so that Spike could settle between them, although he was trapped under the sheet since pulling Spike on top of him. Of course it wasn’t going to matter because any second…
“Fuck,” they both said and warmth spread out over the sheet.
“Well that was,” Angel began.
“Embarrassing?” Spike finished.
“I was going to say nice, but embarrassing works too,” Angel said.
“I can go with nice,” Spike said, extricating himself from Angel’s bunk. He made it as far as his own (being as it wasn’t that far away).
“Maybe next time we can get naked,” Angel said, mentally cursing himself for giving Spike an opening to mock him.
“Mmmm,” Spike said and by the time Angel looked over Spike was out cold.
* * * * * *
“You mean it had nothing to do with the circus at all?” Spike said.
“That’s what Wesley said,” Angel replied. “The cult responsible travel in a Combi van and just happened to be travelling the same direction as the circus.”
“What sort of self respecting cult travels in a Combi van?” Spike demanded.
“An ecologically aware one,” Angel said. “Seems like some of Buffy’s crew stumbled over them and dealt with it.”
“So I guess we’re done here then?” Spike said.
“I guess so,” Angel said.
Neither of them moved from the nest of mattresses and blankets they had placed on the floor of the caravan.
“Tomorrow?” Spike suggested.
“Tomorrow,” Angel agreed, leaning in to kiss Spike again.
END