Carlos hadn’t been to a circus in years – not since he was little. But there had been a raffle at work and Carlos had won a coupon for a free ticket. He kinda hoped that his brother and/or his dad were in town so he could invite them to go with him.
Carlos made his way to the ticket office that was set up, standing in the line with his coupon as he looked at everything around him. Some things were different than what he remembered or imagined a circus to be like, but not everything could be a dated cliche trope he supposed.
Once at the ticket office he smiled and offered the coupon. “Hey… this any good?” he asked in a joking manner.
“No,
they’re not as good as the other things I hunt. I prefer not to eat
anything that has hooves in fact,” He smiled and shrugged it off, “I
find little times in the day to do what I want, aside from practice and
college.. I prefer at night,”
He sipped at the bubbling drink in his hand, “Anyways, enough about
me… Tell me about yourself, surely you have to have something you love
doing too. Something that you just can’t help but love, no matter what people think of it.”
Okay… Carlos didn’t want to judge Skip for that, but here he was – silently judging. That was just such a waste of food… what even was the point if he wasn’t going to eat it?
“Well, uh, you know that I am a scientist. I love doing science,” Carlos said. He then smiled. “But I’m also a part-time band manager for the Literal Rock Band. We have an understanding between us since they need a manager and I want to study them.”
Carlos smiled. He felt unable to look into Hancock’s eyes, so he leaned in to nuzzle into his shoulder. “You’re too much,” he murmured softly, feeling slightly embarrassed but happy at the same time.
“You love it.” He purred, turning his head to nuzzle his hair and press a little kiss to the top of his head. “You’re the best thing in my life, y’know? I never thought I’d have anyone like you and now that I have you, I’m not sure what I’d do without ya.”
“Well,
you won’t have to think about that for a while yet,” Carlos told him,
turning his head up to look at him with a smile. “You’re one of the best
things that has every happened to me, and I’m not going to let you go
if I can help it.”
Carlos hadn’t been to a circus in years – not since he was little. But there had been a raffle at work and Carlos had won a coupon for a free ticket. He kinda hoped that his brother and/or his dad were in town so he could invite them to go with him.
Carlos made his way to the ticket office that was set up, standing in the line with his coupon as he looked at everything around him. Some things were different than what he remembered or imagined a circus to be like, but not everything could be a dated cliche trope he supposed.
Once at the ticket office he smiled and offered the coupon. “Hey… this any good?” he asked in a joking manner.
“Meat lovers for me,” Skip replied simply, eyes now half lidded and
even slightly narrowed, though his expression soured his hand failed to
retreat. He repeated his order to the winged waitress, who nodded with a
perky smile and scribbled it down on a pad in her claws. As Carlos
placed his order, Skip stared the scientist down like a prey in his
hands.
“Losing sure does suck doesn’t it? I meant you can really win or lose
in science, you can only learn.. But for me and my group, there is only
winning.” Pause. “It is hunt or be hunted, isn’t it?”
Carlos shrugged slightly. “Well, I don’t think so,” he said. “Sure, there are sometimes things in this world that will be after you, but it’s not always.” He looked over at Skip with a small confused frown. “What, uh… what brought up the whole ‘losing’ angle?” he asked. “I feel like I’ve missed something in our conversation to bring that up…”
“Nothing much,” He smiled, looking over Carlos’ physique and slowly coming to a rather opportune conclusion, as his friends chatted and allowed the aura in the room to have some kind of buzz, his mind was focused on the way Carlos moved and his breathing, he tuned in to his heart and listened carefully to each heavy thud.
“I guess just that now we can order things to be consumed, we used to hunt for everything and stalk it for days before being able to make a move,” Skip tapped his slender fingers along the table, curling them around a cold drink and sipping it briefly. “I still love to hunt though,”
This surprised Carlos. “You hunt?” he asked. “That’s pretty interesting! How do you find the time to do that with your work? It must be a bit difficult, traveling all over… What do you usually go after?”
People.
“Oh, you know. Deer, elk, caribou.. Those sorts of creatures.” He lied with a smile on his lips, leaning back in his seat as the dinner arrived. However he didn’t even touch his own order, instead allowing his peers to feast like ravenous wolves on it.
“I love the chase.” Skip added, glancing to the starving dancers before himself and smirking, “Though, I must admit it is quite enjoyable when I capture them and they don’t even know what hit them.”
Carlos started to frown very slightly. “Do you, uh… eat the deer?” Carlos asked. He hoped so. Yes, he was aware that the question sounded like he was hoping not, but in actuality he just wanted to know because he wasn’t a fan of game hunting at all. And the mention of caribou… that’s a bit out of the way for food hunting in his opinion.
Carlos hadn’t been to a circus in years – not since he was little. But there had been a raffle at work and Carlos had won a coupon for a free ticket. He kinda hoped that his brother and/or his dad were in town so he could invite them to go with him.
Carlos made his way to the ticket office that was set up, standing in the line with his coupon as he looked at everything around him. Some things were different than what he remembered or imagined a circus to be like, but not everything could be a dated cliche trope he supposed.
Once at the ticket office he smiled and offered the coupon. “Hey… this any good?” he asked in a joking manner.
“Meat lovers for me,” Skip replied simply, eyes now half lidded and
even slightly narrowed, though his expression soured his hand failed to
retreat. He repeated his order to the winged waitress, who nodded with a
perky smile and scribbled it down on a pad in her claws. As Carlos
placed his order, Skip stared the scientist down like a prey in his
hands.
“Losing sure does suck doesn’t it? I meant you can really win or lose
in science, you can only learn.. But for me and my group, there is only
winning.” Pause. “It is hunt or be hunted, isn’t it?”
Carlos shrugged slightly. “Well, I don’t think so,” he said. “Sure, there are sometimes things in this world that will be after you, but it’s not always.” He looked over at Skip with a small confused frown. “What, uh… what brought up the whole ‘losing’ angle?” he asked. “I feel like I’ve missed something in our conversation to bring that up…”
“Nothing much,” He smiled, looking over Carlos’ physique and slowly coming to a rather opportune conclusion, as his friends chatted and allowed the aura in the room to have some kind of buzz, his mind was focused on the way Carlos moved and his breathing, he tuned in to his heart and listened carefully to each heavy thud.
“I guess just that now we can order things to be consumed, we used to hunt for everything and stalk it for days before being able to make a move,” Skip tapped his slender fingers along the table, curling them around a cold drink and sipping it briefly. “I still love to hunt though,”
This surprised Carlos. “You hunt?” he asked. “That’s pretty interesting! How do you find the time to do that with your work? It must be a bit difficult, traveling all over… What do you usually go after?”
Carlos hadn’t been to a circus in years – not since he was little. But there had been a raffle at work and Carlos had won a coupon for a free ticket. He kinda hoped that his brother and/or his dad were in town so he could invite them to go with him.
Carlos made his way to the ticket office that was set up, standing in the line with his coupon as he looked at everything around him. Some things were different than what he remembered or imagined a circus to be like, but not everything could be a dated cliche trope he supposed.
Once at the ticket office he smiled and offered the coupon. “Hey… this any good?” he asked in a joking manner.
“Meat lovers for me,” Skip replied simply, eyes now half lidded and
even slightly narrowed, though his expression soured his hand failed to
retreat. He repeated his order to the winged waitress, who nodded with a
perky smile and scribbled it down on a pad in her claws. As Carlos
placed his order, Skip stared the scientist down like a prey in his
hands.
“Losing sure does suck doesn’t it? I meant you can really win or lose
in science, you can only learn.. But for me and my group, there is only
winning.” Pause. “It is hunt or be hunted, isn’t it?”
Carlos shrugged slightly. “Well, I don’t think so,” he said. “Sure, there are sometimes things in this world that will be after you, but it’s not always.” He looked over at Skip with a small confused frown. “What, uh… what brought up the whole ‘losing’ angle?” he asked. “I feel like I’ve missed something in our conversation to bring that up…”
Carlos just laughed. This was the most fun he’d ever had with a near-stranger already, and their trip was just starting.
“You know, not everyone I meet is as god a sport as you with jokes.”
“I just prefer to go with the flow, I guess.” Hancock shrugged, his smile widening at Carlos’ laughter, he really was cute. “I like keepin’ things light and fun, y’know? Ain’t gonna get mad at a little pokin’ fun when I know you’re not bein’ serious. Besides, you’re a pretty funny guy, why would I wanna squash that spirit?”
Carlos grinned at him. “Yeah? Well give it a while… I’m sure that soon you’re going to be groaning at my work. It’s okay – I”m used to it. Puns are just some of my favorites.”
Carlos hadn’t been to a circus in years – not since he was little. But there had been a raffle at work and Carlos had won a coupon for a free ticket. He kinda hoped that his brother and/or his dad were in town so he could invite them to go with him.
Carlos made his way to the ticket office that was set up, standing in the line with his coupon as he looked at everything around him. Some things were different than what he remembered or imagined a circus to be like, but not everything could be a dated cliche trope he supposed.
Once at the ticket office he smiled and offered the coupon. “Hey… this any good?” he asked in a joking manner.
The
acrobat huffed a tired and unforgiving huff from his taut chest and
impossible to breathe with lungs, letting his head fall into his hands
as he glared out the window. “Fine, lets get the pizza.”
“I just wanted to talk with you- about your science man things, don’t
you know? I want to know all about it,” His gentle voice cooed, leaning
into Carlos’ shoulder.
“Oh!” Carlos said. He perked up a bit at the mention of talking about science. “Well, certainly! We can still discuss all about that. You know, I’m working on so many projects and I would love to tell you about them!”
The leaning on his shoulder was kind of weird, and Carlos actually couldn’t allow it for long since he was still driving and needed to shift. When that point came he gently shook his shoulder to free his arm to work the gear shift.
Again, Skip rolled his eyes and sneered faintly at the scientist being so strange about some physical affection. Who doesn’t like to be touched?
When they arrived at Big Rico’s, they were welcomed with open arms from the other acrobats that had come in a cluster. They were all so dramatically different looking from each other, it was almost like some kind of zoo.
Carlos smiled politely as they entered the restaurant. He waited for Skip to introduce him. He was also thinking about what kind of pizza he wanted: did he want to spend the extra money on a gluten-free pizza, or just get a standard slice which sometimes consisted of a bowl of red sauce and toppings or a big greasy ball of cheese?
Skip carried himself like a god, and was quickly greeted by his peers who all wore beautiful and uninhibited smiles as he threw his arm over Carlos’ shoulders and tugged him in with a laugh. “Everyone- Carlos. Carlos..” He chuckled warmly, “Everyone.”
Next he shoved Carlos into a booth along with four choice friends of his own, leaving the runts to entertain themselves. The way the team acted was extremely similar to a high school setting, the cool kids and the rest.
Carlos was barely able to wave before he was ushered away to the booth. Carlos kept smiling as he was sat down. He wondered how young all these people were. He wasn’t exactly an old man, no, but the cliquish actions were pretty interesting to him. And by ‘interesting’ he meant a bit strange.
The young acrobats only seemed to range from fifteen to thirty, it wasn’t exactly much to base anything on as Skip hadn’t given his age yet but was quick to order a chocolate malt. He played with the curiy straw, placing it at his lips before moving it away and then staring up at Carlos’ lips hoping that Carlos would perk up.
Growl. A groan from his stomach, “You look so good tonight Carlos, I could just eat you!” He cheered, grabbing his arm and then his thigh.
Carlos blinked at Skip and laughed. “Well, let’s try some pizza instead,” he suggested. “I’m thinking of getting a simple cheese and red sauce pizza served in a bowl… what about you?”
“Yeah, sort of,” Carlos said. “But a lot of these things are built into the terminal, so it’s kind of like removing your appendix and gallbladder too. And one kidney.” Come to think of it, there was a lot of things that the human body could live without. Toes, hair… Okay, he forgot for a bit who he was hanging out with. Carlos decided to get off of that train of thought and turned his attention back to the terminal, making mental notes of which wires needed replacing and how he could do that.
“That…. makes a lot more sense when ya put it that way.” He nodded as he sat back again, giving Carlos a bit more space to work without crowding him. “I never really thought of a terminal as like a body, always figured technology and shit had to have all its bits and pieces in order to work.”
“Well, it’s not like when someone gets a broken leg,” Carlos started to explain. “A machine doesn’t usually have the capacity to think ‘hey, I’m broken, I should probably not be running’. If you turn it on, it will try to work. If the connections aren’t there, then there will be an error message, but it will still try to execute commands.”
The Perfect Scientist 