Kurt grimaced as the trapeze artist yelled in pain when the company doctor pressed her fingers into the injured ankle.  It wasn’t that bad.  It would heal up by Friday.  There was nothing to worry about.  He would be perfectly fine.  He would be fine, and the show would go on, and there was nothing to worry about.

“I know what you’re thinking kiddo,” Burt said, approaching behind Kurt and laying a hand on his son’s shoulder.  “But he’s not going to be able to perform on Friday.  No matter how much wishing you’re gonna do.”

“Who said anything about wishing?” Kurt snapped.  “We have some of the best medical staff on retainer for just this reason.  If anyone can get him back up and swinging, it’s -”

The second yelp cut Kurt’s argument off before it was verbalized.  

This wasn’t happening.  This wasn’t happening.  It was the start of the Fall season for the Hummel & Hudson Circus.  Friday was opening night for the season!  Kurt turned to look over at his father.  This was also the first performance that Kurt would be stepping into the center ring as ringmaster.  After Burt suffered his heart attack in the middle of last season, they’d had a rotating roster of visiting ringmasters to get them through to the end of the season.  For months, Kurt and Burt had argued back and forth about him stepping back into his role, and Kurt just wasn’t going to stand for Burt being thrust right back into the stressful positions of both public face and private manager.  Besides, Kurt had been training his whole life for this moment, and now was as good a time as any to take to the center ring.  

Some people were born to entertain, and some people were born to observe.

Kurt was born to entertain.  

But all of that was going to come crashing down if they didn’t have their trapeze act.  The trapeze act was the high flying finale to the show.  People as close to flying as they could get without wings.  Twists and flips and grabs.  The desperate gasp of breath as they let go of one bar and the release as they made it safely to the second bar.  It was the perfect way to end, and Kurt had spent a month perfecting the order of the show.  Now, with one artist down just a few days before the show, there wasn’t enough time to train a replacement into this act.  Their only choice now was to find an entirely new trapeze act who were able to fill in on short notice.  

“We need a new act, kid,” Burt murmured, once things quieted down under the tent.

“I know,” Kurt sighed.  “We couldn’t just, I don’t know, add a couple tigers to Sam’s lion cage to add some excitement?”

“Only if you want Busu cowering in a corner because he’s intimidated by a new cat,” Burt chuckled.  Busu had been raised since he was a cub by the Evans family, and had been in the show since he was a year old.  He was more housecat than skilled predator whenever they weren’t performing.  And the idea of 500 lbs of scaredy cat trying to hide behind Sam as he attempted to ‘tame’ the other cat was not the overall look Kurt was going for.  

No, they wouldn’t be able to add another cat.  The clown troop had already added two new segments due to the overwhelmingly positive response to their pop review unicycle dance party added at the last minute of the final show of last season.  Highwire was set, musical interludes were set, even Brittany’s human canon ball routine was set and ready to go.  

They needed a  trapeze act.   

Kurt closed his eyes and pressed a finger to each temple.  “Where are we going to get a trapeze act on such short notice?” he murmured.  

“I might be able to call in a favor,” Burt replied.

*** 

Burt’s favor came through, and within 24 hours Kurt received emailed specs for the group’s trapeze set up, and an offer to do an aerial silk routine.  They hadn’t had an aerial silk performer in a couple of years, not since Quinn had retired and Brittany and Santana had moved to the human cannonball routine (Booming Fierce Brittany Pierce! as the posters exclaimed), but they still had all the materials, so that was easy enough to set up.  

Girls on aerial silks were always a welcome addition - it was enough sex appeal to get the dads and husbands in the audience interested, with enough skill and acrobatics to excite the kids and interest their moms.  

With the offer now on the table, Kurt couldn’t remember why they hadn’t tried to get a new act right away.  

It was another 24 hours before the group was able to get to Ohio, which meant that it was Wednesday afternoon before Kurt was able to relax enough to consider that maybe, just maybe, Friday wouldn’t be a complete disaster, causing both the ruination of his budding circus career and the bankruptcy of his family’s business.

Kurt was standing in the ring, watching nervously as Finn practiced his knife throwing act on his new partner.  The new girl, Rachel, didn’t let her smile budge an inch, even as Finn’s knives landed just a bit too close to her waist for Kurt’s comfort.  She’d originally auditioned to be one of the musicians during the interludes, but the trade off for getting singing time was being Finn’s new partner for the season.  She’d agreed even before Kurt could explain to her what Finn’s act was.  He thought it was foolish, but she’d kept going on about this being ‘her big break’ and ‘her ticket to stardom’ so Kurt figured she was enthusiastic enough to pull off ‘damsel in not a bit of distress’.  Besides, Finn seemed to like her, so that was that.  

“Ladies and gents, we have arrived!” came a voice, booming through the tent.  Kurt turned and saw a man grinning from ear to ear, walking through the tent as if he owned the place, and followed by a second man around Kurt’s age.  “You must be Kurt Hummel, I can tell by the way you hold yourself that you, my friend, are the man in charge.”

“Technically my father’s still in charge,” Kurt answered, “but if you’re looking for a Hummel, you’ve come to the right place.  How can I help you?”

“Cooper Anderson’s the name,” he said, extending his hand to properly greet Kurt.  “We’re here about a trapeze problem.”

Kurt released a breath he’d apparently been holding for two days now.  “Oh, thank god,” he sighed.  “You have no idea how much we appreciate you filling in Friday.”

“My father owed your father a favor,” Cooper explained.  “So we are happy to provide assistance.  Never let it be said that the Anderson family doesn’t repay their debts.”   

So that was how Burt had been able to get a replacement so quickly.  Gregory Anderson and his wife Camille had been aerialists back when Burt had been working for the circus, long before he bought out the original owner.  The Andersons were legends on the circuit, and their sons had gone into the family business once Greg and Camille retired.  They performed mostly as their own act instead of as part of a circus, so it must have been one hell of a favor Burt had called in to get them under the Hummels’ big top.

“Well, Cooper, we’ve rigged up everything to the specifications you emailed us, so...” Kurt trailed off.  

“Perfect,” Cooper replied, rubbing his hands together gleefully.  “This is exciting.  Oh, sorry, where are my manners - we haven’t properly introduced ourselves.  May we present to you, the Flying Anderson Brothers!”  Cooper and his brother quickly fell into a perfectly practiced pairing, bowing deep, hands over hearts, before looking up and grinning at Kurt.  Kurt had at first been wooed by Cooper’s charm and icy blue eyes, but it was his brother that made Kurt’s knees go slightly weak.  He was shorter, with curly hair and whiskey gold eyes, but his smile... his smile was the same as Cooper’s.  Wide, earnest, and sincere.  

“We’re sorry that it’s just the two of us,” the brother answered as they stood from their bow.  “We had another engagement that had been booked far in advance, so the rest of the Warblers are doing the show without us.”  He extended his hand, his eyes never leaving Kurt’s.  “I’m Blaine.”

Kurt took the offered hand, feeling his breath hitch at the feel of Blaine’s skin against his.  “Kurt,” he replied, knowing that Blaine already knew it, but unable to come up with anything wittier.  This was just what he needed - a crush on their temporary aerialist.  Of course, maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.  The brothers were only here for a couple of days, so Kurt could watch and admire and dream about the attractive Blaine Anderson, and then the man would leave before Kurt could do something stupid like flirting with him before finding out that he, like the rest of Kurt’s crushes, was devastatingly straight.  And with a smile like that, there was no way that there wasn’t a beautiful woman waiting for him back at home.  “I hope that you enjoy your time here,” he added, trying to bring his thoughts back to the present.

“I’m sure we will,” Blaine replied, grinning.

***

It was late Thursday night, and Kurt was in the trailer that housed the Hummel business office going over lighting cues and musical interludes and checklists and everything he could possibly think of to ensure that tomorrow’s season opener would go smoothly.  It wasn’t just for the business, but it was for Burt.  Kurt wanted to make sure that his father could breathe easy knowing that the show was in capable hands.  Burt could manage the business side, and Kurt could be the face of the show.  He had to make it work.

But each time he lingered on a word or a picture or a note too long, his thoughts would wander back to the attractive aerialist brothers training all day on the trapeze bars and hanging silks.  Cooper was stunning - with bright blue eyes and an effervescent personality, he commanded every ounce of attention each time the spotlight was shining on him.  The last he’d heard, Cooper had gone into town after dinner to make sure they had a full house for tomorrow night’s opener.

A text message from their booking company thirty minutes ago suggested that they had so much interest, a second show on Saturday night would be advisable.  

He’d confirm in the morning, plenty of time to stick up a notice that they were adding a show before lunchtime, and if it was right, he’d offer Cooper a job as a booking agent then and there.  Even if he was sure there would be no deal sweet enough to get Cooper out of the rings, but it was the thought that counts, right?

But as much as Cooper demanded attention, Kurt’s thoughts kept going back to his brother, Blaine.  Blaine, who looked as comfortable in the air as on the ground.  Blaine, whose strong arms and muscular thighs wrapped and twisted in the hanging silks like it was the easiest thing in the world.  Blaine, whose eyes sparkled as he attempted to explain their routine to Kurt before just deciding on, ‘just watch it, you’ll see’.

And watch it is exactly what Kurt did.  Thank god the distance from the ground to the trapeze and the silks gave him enough of a buffer than it looked like Kurt was watching both of them, and not just letting his eyes linger on Blaine, as he grunted and flexed and flew through the air with the greatest of ease.  

“That daring young man on the flying trapeze,” Kurt murmured, sighing as he leaned back in his chair... and caught sight of the figure standing in his door.

“Hey,” Blaine said quietly, giving a small wave before walking into the office.  “Sorry.  I didn’t mean to interrupt.  But I was just dropping off the last pieces of our costumes at the apparel trailer before heading out and I saw the light on.  I thought I’d stop by and say hello.”

“Well... hello,” Kurt chuckled, trying to stop imagining Blaine in his costume.  The lycra, the sequins, the fact that both he and Cooper wore only the compression pants and not the full body suit... It was gaudy and attention grabbing in the best way, and it only highlighted the ebb and flow of their musculature as they performed.  “Sorry... I’m just... I was distracted.  You can come in, if you want,” he added, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

Blaine smiled, and made his way through the office, ignoring the offered chair and instead dropping down onto the stool just a foot away from Kurt’s chair.  It was the stool Kurt sat on while his dad was working at the desk so that he could get a good view of the papers without hovering.  It was the closest Blaine could sit without actually being on his lap.

Oh, god, and there was that mental image.  Pull yourself together, Hummel, he scolded himself.  The Andersons are only here for the weekend, and probably straight, and there is no harm in looking, but you don’t need him to know that you are.  It’s not like they could stand to lose another trapeze artist the day before the show if this one got spooked that the ringmaster wanted to do more than just... announce his program.  

“What are you working on?” Blaine asked.

“Oh... I... um...” Kurt stumbled, his mind suddenly going blank.  Up this close, he could really see the different colors of gold in Blaine’s eyes.  He could see just how dark his skin looked in comparison to his own light complexion.  He could see dark curls coming loose from the gel Blaine used to hold it in place.  He could smell Blaine’s cologne - woodsy, natural... masculine.  It wasn’t fair, they aren’t supposed to be devastatingly attractive and smell nice too.

“You really are distracted,” Blaine laughed.  “I’m sorry, I must have really come in at a bad time.  I can head out.”

“No!” Kurt said quickly.  “No, no... you don’t have to leave.  I’m... “  He shook his head, finally bringing himself back to the matter at hand enough to smile and look Blaine in the eye.  “I’m fine.  I’m just nervous about tomorrow.”

Blaine leaned against the desk.  “Really?” he asked.  “Because all of the practices I saw today looked amazing.  And you... you were amazing.”

Kurt’s eyes went wide.  “Me?  I was just running through the cues.”

“Yeah, but your voice,” Blaine said.  He reached a hand out to cover Kurt’s.  

Kurt didn’t pull away.

“Your voice,” Blaine continued, “was just so... clear.  I mean, I know I haven’t worked in actual circuses much since I was young, but you don’t sound like other ringmasters that I’ve heard.”

“Yeah, the booming voice didn’t quite pass from father to son,” Kurt chuckled.  It was something he was aware of.  The booming, fatherly, attention-grabbing voice that was used in the center ring was something that Burt had excelled at.  When he spoke, all eyes were on him, and they were eager to hear what he had to say.  He sounded in control.  Trustworthy.  When someone like Burt said something was ‘amazing’ or ‘death defying’ or ‘one of a kind’, you believed him.  Kurt’s voice was higher, but he’d worked hard at getting the volume needed, even with the microphone he’d have attached to his ear piece.  

Blaine tilted his head closer.  “It’s unique,” he said quietly, as if it was a secret being shared just between the two of them.  “It’s clear and sharp and... when you talk, I don’t want to look away.  I was so distracted that I almost missed Cooper’s hands on the first swing pass,” he chuckled.  “It was... you have an amazing voice, Kurt.  You’re going to have them eating out of your hand tomorrow.”

“That’s the general idea,” Kurt agreed, trying not to focus his gaze on Blaine’s full bottom lip, and the way that it moved when it formed the name ‘Kurt’.  “I want to make my dad proud.”

“Family is important,” Blaine agreed.  Kurt’s breath hitched with Blaine squeezed his hand, even if it was gentle, and subtle, and any other word Kurt could think of for ‘not very much, but more than enough for him to notice’.  He hadn’t dated much, not when there was so much work to be done with the circus, and he certainly hadn’t felt like this sitting next to any of the unfortunately straight boys he’d crushed on while working.  This was different.  He felt like he couldn’t breathe, but didn’t give a damn because when he did finally breath in, the air was full of Blaine’s cologne, and his skin prickled with Blaine’s touch.

“Tell me about your family,” Kurt tried, knowing that he sounded breathless.  He could feel the blush all the way up to his ears, and he was sure that Blaine noticed it.  Of course he’d notice it.  There’s no way he couldn’t.  And he probably was wondering why on earth the ringmaster of all people was getting nervous talking to one of his employees.  Because that’s all Blaine and his brother really were, if Kurt stopped to think about it.  They were employees of the circus.  He was running an errand, and he stopped by to say hello because the light was on.  That was all there was to it.  But, even so, Kurt could shut off the curious, hopefully little spark inside of him that tagged on, “Do you have someone special?  A girlfriend who’s coming?”

Blaine smiled and ducked his head, reaching up with his free hand to rub the back of his neck.  “No,” he said softly.  “No, no girlfriend.  I, um... wow... I must be doing this all wrong if you think I have a girlfriend,” he chuckled.

“You... oh, no, you’re not doing anything wrong,” Kurt stumbled.  Why would he think he was doing something...

Oh.

Oh.

“I’m glad you don’t have a girlfriend,” Kurt said after a long pause.  Because things like this didn’t happen.  Things like attractive, friendly, talented guys just waltzing into his circus to save the day, while being single and gay.  Things like that didn’t happen.  And Kurt was pretty sure that he’d just fallen asleep at his desk and any moment now, he would wake up after having drooled all over his tablet and only a minute away from electrocuting himself when it short circuited from the moisture.  This was a dream.  It had to be.  “I don’t either.  Have a girlfriend.  Or a boyfriend.  I’d prefer to have a boyfriend, but I don’t have one of those,” he said, stumbling over the words in an attempt to sound as calm as Blaine.  “You must...” he tried before laughing at himself.  “I’m much more articulate under the tent.”

“I know,” Blaine beamed.  “But... I kind of like it.  It makes you seem more approachable.  Honestly... I figured you were going to tell me to get lost as soon as I sat down.”

Kurt quirked an eyebrow at that little revelation.  “Tell the hot trapeze artist who swooped in to save my show to get lost?  I don’t think so.”

“You think I’m hot?” Blaine asked.  

“You’ve looked in a mirror, you know you are,” Kurt whispered.  

That got Blaine to blush, and for a moment, Kurt felt like he had the upper hand.  “So, saying that you were running an errand and saying that you stopped by ‘cause you saw the light was on?” he asked.

Blaine turned Kurt’s hand over and threaded their fingers together.  “It was just an excuse to spend more time with you,” he admitted.  “Away from everyone who’s always in the tent, and practicing, and needing you.  I just... I’m not very good at romance, so I thought I’d try Cooper’s route of direct and flirty.”  He looked over at Kurt through ridiculously thick eyelashes.  “Did it work?” he asked softly.  

Kurt reaching over to thread his fingers through Blaine’s hair and pull him into a kiss was answer enough.  It had been so long, too long, since Kurt had kissed someone, and it felt wonderful.  He half expected Blaine to pull away, to insist that this wasn’t what he had in mind, but instead Kurt felt a hand rest firmly on his thigh and Blaine leaned in closer, gently sucking on Kurt’s lower lip as he tried to remind himself to breathe.

Blaine was good at this, Kurt realized.  His lips demanded attention from Kurt, but never attempted to overpower.  They would be swollen when they finally parted, Kurt thought, as Blaine sighed and turned his head for a better angle.  The firm grip on his hand and his thigh meant that Kurt wasn’t leaving his chair any time soon, not that there was anywhere he’d rather be.  Blaine was here.  Blaine’s gorgeous, full, kissable lips were here.  That was where Kurt wanted to be - anywhere where Blaine’s lips were.  

And even though the kiss wasn’t particularly needy - Blaine’s touch didn’t demand, and it didn’t insist... it asked, and Kurt was eager to say yes - it still left Kurt sighing from loss as soon as Blaine pulled back.  It may have lasted a minute or it may have lasted an hour, Kurt couldn’t be sure, but watching Blaine settle back on the stool with kiss swollen lips meant that the only question Kurt gave a damn about the answer was ‘when can we do this again’.

“I...” Blaine murmured.  “I should probably let you get some rest.  Big day tomorrow.”

Kurt nodded in agreement.  He’d love it in the moment, but he’d hate himself if actions tonight impacted the show tomorrow.  “For both of us,” he finally got out.

“Yeah,” Blaine replied.  “So... ah...”  He stood up, finally letting go of Kurt’s hand, and circling back around the desk.  “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’ll be the one in the top hat,” Kurt added lightly.  His entire body was humming with energy, and Blaine’s smile at that statement was enough to make Kurt glad he was hidden behind a desk at the moment.  

“And I’ll bet no one looks more dashing in a top hat than you,” Blaine beamed.  “Goodnight, Kurt.”

“Goodnight, Blaine.”

And with that, Blaine was gone, and Kurt was left to wonder what the hell just happened, and when he’d finally wake up.

***

Five minutes.  Five minutes until the curtain in the side of the tent would open, and Kurt would walk through to the sounds of thunderous applause.  Five minutes until all eyes would be on him and the show, his show, would go on.  He tugged at the bright red riding jacket, fastening and unfastening buttons out of nerves.  The jacket and trousers were his own, cut and tailored meticulously for his slim frame, but the top hat resting on one of the boxes off to the side was his father’s.  He hadn’t wanted one of his own, and Burt hadn’t hesitated to share with him.  It was a piece of Hummel good luck, and a bit of his dad that he would take into the center ring with him.  The kindest thing you could say about the ringmaster’s costume was that it was gaudy.  It wasn’t a look he’d ever be seen on the street in, but it was a look that assured the crowd he was the Ringmaster, he was in control, this was his circus and they were going to be given every dollar they’d paid back in laughs, and thrills, and excitement.  This may be his first time running the show, but it wouldn’t be his last, and he’d leave them all clamoring for more.  

The booking agent’s text had been correct - Cooper had apparently drummed up so much extra interest that they’d already added a show for Saturday night in addition to a new Sunday matinee.  He could’ve kissed Cooper.

But that wasn’t the Anderson he wanted to kiss again.  

And speak of the devil, there was Blaine, in his white sequined lycra pants that would blaze with color when the lights hit him just right on the trapeze, walking through the gathered performers waiting on their turn in the ring to stand beside Kurt, and smile.  “Hey,” he said softly, not wanting anything to be picked up if Kurt’s mic had already gone hot.

Kurt checked the pack on his back - it was off.  “Hey,” he said.  “Break a leg out there.”

“My brother and I tend to tell each other to ‘fly true’,” Blaine chuckled.  “It sounds so much safer than ‘break a leg’.”

Kurt couldn’t help but laugh at that.  “Good point.  Well then... fly true.”

“Thanks,” Blaine murmured.  “So... about last night.”

Kurt smiled.  “I hope you’re not coming to say it was a mistake.”

Blaine shook his head.  “I was coming to say... I heard you’ve added two more shows this weekend.”

“We could use a good trapeze act for them,” Kurt offered.

“And look at that, Cooper and I have clear schedules,” Blaine murmured.  “How fortuitous.  What are you doing tonight?”

“Hopefully wowing a few hundred people and then grabbing a well deserved drink,” Kurt answered.  

Blaine leaned close enough to cause Kurt to shiver when he asked, “How about doing that with me?”

“And then?” Kurt whispered.

Blaine shrugged, leaning back.  “And then we see where the night takes us,” he replied, smiling that brilliant smile of his.  

As if Kurt was going to say no.  “We’ll see where the night takes us,” he agreed as the lights blinked and dimmed.  “That’s my cue.”

Blaine lifted the top hat that was sitting on the box next to Kurt and placed it carefully on his head.  “The show must go on,” he chuckled.

“Fly true, Blaine,” Kurt replied.  With one last grin, Kurt flipped the mic pack on and strolled out to the center ring.  It was dark, but he’d had the steps memorized since he was a child.  He climbed up onto the platform, took a deep breath, and gave the signal for the lights to flare on, slightly blinding him, but he didn’t need to see right away to know that every eye was on him, waiting for the show he was about to give them.

And it was going to be a great show.  The best show.

He lifted the hat from his head and called out towards the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages... welcome to the Hummel & Hudson Circus!”