ℋℯℓℓℴ　ℒℴงℯℓყ ♥

Fuck, is that…? Did Jester bite you so hard it left a mark?

What a…!

Pierrot circles your shoulders, leaning forward to look at each other through the mirror.

"Who?" He asks again, his tone slightly less innocent.

More impatient.

More on edge.

"No one we need to worry about." You sigh to yourself.

When you said you'd like to be claimed by Jester's bite, you did not think he'd bite so hard it would leave scars behind. What are you looking like now? You can't wear that cute top for your shift at the cafe now!

"It's not important." You grouse, mad again at the purple clown.

"I beg to differ. This is…" He starts before pausing, "Do you know what those marks mean?" He asks with a raised eyebrow like he had a doubt.

"A spoiled night of fun with a cunt. That's all." You almost slam your comb on your dressing table," What else do you want it to mean?"

Pierrot considers you in silence for a moment, gauging your reaction, licking his teeth behind his closed lips.

"Do those scars have a meaning?" You ask, suspicious now, "Should I be worried?"

Did Jester pulled a trick on you?

Pierrot finally smiles with amorous eyes.

"It simply means I need to have a discussion with the 'cunt' in question." He coos.

Huh ho.

For the first time you realize you made a mistake for more than yourself. That stupid night could have more consequences than a broken heart and shattered hopes. You don't think Jester would fight for you, obviously, but he would be forced to protect himself if Pierrot came after him…

But would Pierrot go after Jester? His Leader? His big brother?

You're not sure you want to take that risk, to be honest.

"Was it Harlequin?" He asks lowly, his golden gaze veiled with anger through the mirror.

"…Yes. It was Harlequin." You lie, but quickly had, "But it is Harlequin's style you know? To hit it and flee right after." You bitterly laugh, "I knew what I was going into with him. I just didn't like how he shooed me out, you know?"

"Do I?"

"He pushed me out without any care, like an idiot. It's Harlequin like we all know and love. I'm over it now, it's in the past."

"Sure." He hums, "I'll just discuss with him about certain… Boundaries." He parts from you to head to your balcony, opening the bay window

"Pierrot." You call him back sternly, "You won't do that. It's done, it's over. It was a one night stand, that's all. Don't waste your breath for that." You order, before relaxing your expression, "Okay, Pierrot?" You smile at him.

He looks at you, half turned toward you and half turned toward the window, irritation and contradiction on his expression. He is clearly questioning if he should listen to you.

"Pierrot." You insist, "It's not worth it."

Pierrot and Harlequin fighting and bickering is far less suspicious than Pierrot and Jester, but you can't have the red clown go after the green one for a lie. That would blew out your cover.

And Harlequin doesn't deserve to bare your mistake with the Jester. That's unfair.

You'll tell the truth to Pierrot, eventually.

Eventually…

Later. You will tell him later.

You see emotions fly on his face before it settles for mild-annoyance. If his Lady's orders him, what can he do?

"Fine." He grumbles, before turning his heels fully toward you to come back to you.

He leans forward again, kisses you cheek gently and flees the scene blushing.

You fixate the bay window where he just went trough, before facing yourself in your mirror.

You're a bitch, girl. A real one…

You sigh, resting your head on the cold wood.

"What am I even doing…?"

You'll need to speak to Ticket Taker too…

______

You arrive at the circus after your shift at the cafe tired out and tense. You actually have no clue what you will do if you cross paths with Jester. He, he would probably regally ignore you, but will you be able to give him the same attitude? Or will you explode in tears and anger at his face?

You sigh, holding on to your purse. You're in a mess. A real, deep mess.

You almost hit into a man but you snap out of it just in time.

"Oh…! Bil…"

"It is Ticket Taker to you, visitor. Do you have a ticket?"

You refrain from giving him an attitude, he must be disappointed enough in Jester and you for the other night.

Good question, do you have a ticket? Pierrot must have left one in your purse, for sure.

Yes. He did.

"A red one again? Interesting." The topper monster looks at it without moving, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Why?" You frown at him, stressing bullet.

"I expected a different color." He contemptibly answers.

Wonderful… You have to deal with Jester, Pierrot and Ticket Taker then.

"Yeah, about that, plea-"

"I do not intend to say anything, visitor." He cuts you, stamping your ticket.

"Why?" You can't help but ask.

"I do not want to embarrass Jester more than he already feels."

Yeah… Logical answer for them. You're not surprised, and too weary to be mad at this response.

"I see…" You readjust your purse on your shoulder, "Thank you… For whatever my gratitude is worth to you."

"I do not do it for you, visitor." He straightens his posture, looking down on you from his height, "Keep your distance with the Jester, or I will feel forced to act in his best interest."

You gulp, your hand gripping the strap of your bag tight.

"Dutifully noted… Can I pass?"

He theatrically steps aside, gesturing to the wide entrance with a false plastic smile.

"Welcome, Visitor. May your stay be a wonderful illusion."

You nod weakly, walking away quickly. You never thought too much about Ticket Taker, but when he wants it, he can give you real creeps. You sigh, head low despite the bright lights, the confectioneries stalls and the joyous music. You are clearly a stain on that happy canvas, surrounded by those wide smiles and the happy families.

And the couples…

You sit down in one of the dining area and take out your phone, pretending to be busy while observing others. You see a gay couple sitting on the other table, sharing some fries, laughing together. One has a stain of sauce on his cheek and his man gently wipes it with his thumb and a cheeky gaze, tilting his lover's head to share a kiss.

You look away before their lips meet, feeling like you should not spy on that moment.

Or is it just that it hurts you inside…?

You catch a woman in a vivid red pullover running into the arms of a man, bracing himself for the impact, spinning with her in his arms. They squeeze each other tight, almost bumping into other people, but nothing seems to matter more than their happiness right now.

You lower your gaze on your screen, your head resting on your palm.

You are pathetic. Simply pathetic.

What did you hope would happen with the Jester exactly? You sleep together once, then, magic, you discover you are meant for each other? You become inseparable and official? He presents your formally to his circus family as his girlfriend and you live in his tent from now on? Or he comes living with you in your apartment, leaving the circus life behind and moving on with you onto new life goals as a fresh new couple? Find a stable 9-to-5, get engaged, a kid and a dog?

Seriously? You are that deluded about yourself that you imagined, for just a second, that Jester would put his hate for human aside for you? That he would see this night as anything else than a mistake on his part?

Wow. Really?

You slouch on the wooden table with the longest exhale you had for months.

"Wake up, girl. That is not a thing…"

A notification makes you rise your head again. It's your period tracker, informing you that your period are estimated for next week.

Oh Great! So you are mourning a fantasized relationship, have to suffer through the most terrible humiliation you ever had to endure yet, and you are hormonal?

Just great!

Terrific, even.

You slam your head back onto the table with an agonizing rale.

You almost jump out of your skin when a hand grabs your shoulder gently.

"My Lady?"

"Ah…! Pierrot! You scared me…" You readjust your posture immediately, caressing a strand of hair behind your ear in embarrassment.

"Is everything alright?" He asks, concerned, lowering himself on one knee.

"Yes! Yes, everything is alright." Your laugh is too high to be genuine.

"Are you sure?" He insists softly, his thumb caressing your shoulder, "You can tell me anything."

Oh Pierrot.

Sweet, sweet Pierrot…

Why couldn't you fall for him instead?

"Nah, it's not worth your time. I'm just tired after work, you know how it is." You smile, praying for it to also reach your eyes.

He contemplates you silently, blinking once, before his mouth stretches in an affable smile.

"Do not exert yourself, my Lady."

"I won't, pinky promise."

"Did you come for a reason?" He tilts his head, sitting next to you.

Good question.

Why did you even came here for? TT and Doctor merely tolerate you, Harlequin gives you the creeps when he has ideas behind his eyes, and Jester… You don't want to see him.

The alternative was wallowing in self-pity and eating ice cream until you gain 5kg and a lot of pimples to perfect your disgraced image. What a perspective… Yet it was what you were going for until you realized your feet brought you to the Circus instinctively.

"I… Came for you, of course." You keep your smile despite your weariness, "For who else would I be here?"

He seems to tense up, fidgeting his fingers as the white of his face gets a deep shade of red.

"R-really, my Lady?" He asks with a wide grin, "If I knew, I would have organized my best act for tonight."

"Ah ah. All your acts are great, Pierrot, worry not." You tell him, without feeling the need to lie.

He squeals on his sit.

"Really? You think so, my Lady?"

"Yes. At least the one or two I saw where entertaining." An image of the woman, chained to the plank, a knife prop at her head with the false blood flashes into your mind, disturbing you for a second "At least I… I think they were?"

He hops up and down on his seat, blushing madly.

At least he likes you.

At least…

"Do you want to eat something? It's on me, we didn't spik- I mean, it is our specialties tonight!" He asks.

"Oh… Why not? You don't have another act tonight?" You worry.

You can' have Pierrot cancel his show for you, or Jester or Bil will definitely come for you…

"This is my shortest night. My last performance just ended, worry not! I have all the night for you!" He explains, elated.

This is wrong.

This is bad. Very bad. But… But you could use a pick me up, tonight.

"Thank you, Pierrot. It would be with great pleasure."

His smiles widens and he grabs your hand, escorting you the nearest stall for you to pick a snack.

________________

"And then, I smashed his face into the pie!" He finish his retelling with great bravado.

You hold your rib, laughing.

You spent the entire night together, eating snacks, talking, joking, laughing. You sneaked out of the circus to watch the stars on a rooftop, soaked your feet in the sea nearby, lost your breath with stupid games. You just returned before his absence becomes suspicious, sharing a soft-serve each on an outside stage.

It was a pleasant evening. Relaxing and relieving.

You needed a night or simple fun and bounding, and Pierrot proved himself pretty… Laid back, comparing to his usual self. He was smiling madly, giggling, but kept himself in check, like he couldn't believe it was true.

Or that's what you assume, at last. You know he is besotted with you or something, but its crazy for you to think that you have this type of effect on other.

Especially after last night, if that's not proof enough.

But for now, you are willing to take what you can.

"Jesus, you are awful to each other!" You wipe a tear off the corner of your eye.

"This how we are…" Pierrot licks his ice cream, his feet dangling in the void of the stage, "It's… Complicated. Harlequin and I, we… Have history together. Things that neither of us can took back. Things that are here to stay…" He sighs, his smile diminishing.

Your laugh dies down.

"You regret?"

"I regret a lot of things. Things that could have gone better. Or could have been." He admits, "Words where thrown, and mistakes where made and now... Now we have to learn to live together again, with our regrets."

You look at him silently, how he gazes up at the moon. His expression is saddened, but also strangely… Peaceful.

"I… am sorry, Pierrot."

"What for?" He turns to you with a hint of pain in the eyes, mixed with tenderness, "None of this is your fault."

Your mouth stretches in a thin line, embarrassed and out of place.

You're disgusting, using him like that. To ease your own pain. To forget your own crushed hopes.

"I am just sorry, that's all." You look away to the ground, "What you must have gone through must not have been fun, and yet… Yet you keep hope. You try to go forward, not like some I won't name."

Not like you.

Not like Jester…

"Thank you, (M/C). I appreciate the thought." He grins.

He grins softly. Not like one of those mad grin he used to give you at the beginning, this is so much more… Genuine and gentle.

Too genuine…

"Woawoawow! Hold on! You use my name, now?" You playfully mock, "We are official or something?"

His smiles stretches ever so slightly.

"No. But maybe we are heading to that, slowly." He whispers with surprising little teasing or eagerness like he usually do.

He is calm and at peace, under the star with his soft-serve and you. His hand barely brushes yours, his pinky sneakily coming to lock with yours.

Like a little secret.

You gulp, trying to appear focused on your melting ice cream to not let appear your turmoil on your face.

Because you were absolutely correct earlier. Why did you not fall for Pierrot, instead of Jester?

Pierrot is here and willing, he helped you when you needed, and even if you think he was a bit suffocating in his advances, at least he cares for you. Since the beginning.

Not like the Jester.

Your relationship start with Pierrot was… Well, it was shaky at best, but it is build on genuine interest on his part, and contempt on yours.

Contempt for something you did not realize the true value of. Instead you focused on the ring leader. The puppeteer of the show. The brain-washer who in turns, only showed contempt to you in return.

And you could not help but run after him like a mad dog after a car.

You huff out a chuckle.

"I'm really a pushover…" You finally admit out loud, "And I am blind to what matters."

"Maybe we are more alike than we first imagined, my Lady." He muses, unhooking his pinky to sneakily cover your hand with his.

So slowly and gently, you can't refuse him.

Do you even want to?

"Maybe you are more correct than what I wanted to admit, Pierrot…" You raise your gaze to the moon.

You both remain silent, sitting next to each other, eyes on the star, hand in hand, shoulders brushing.

It is time to be more like Pierrot, mourn what could have been, but was never true, and focus on what is real. So you lay your head on his shoulder. He gasps, tensing up, but leaves you be.

"My-my Lady?" He asks with a trembling voice, full of contradicting emotion.

"Shhhhhhh… Let's enjoy the night. Together." You murmur back.

He intertwine your fingers together, making sure his claws don't slash your skin and keep you close to him. Soon enough, a low purr starts, rumbling all the way up his throat.

"I am happy, my Lady." He says, "Like I wasn't for a long time."

"Good. I am too." You realize as you say it.

Maybe this is the start of something sweet. Of something healthy, at last… And not you idolizing your partner like a psycho and a maso. Maybe with sweet Pierrot, things will be better for everyone.

He has quite a lot of things you usually likes in a man.

Why not, after all?

You hear him gulp.

"Could I… Bite you too?" He asks out of the blue.

"What?" You frown at him.

"I want to cover the bite you received… If you allow me, my Lady."

You look at him without blinking.

And snort.

What is it with this circus and biting?

"Is that foreplay for monsters?" You tease.

He flushes deeply.

"It's, huh… Is it not foreplay for humans too?" He counters.

"Touché." You shrug admittedly, "Maybe. It's still a bit painful."

Your laugh dies as he growl out loud.

"Pierrot?"

He raises his hands up in panic.

"It was not directed at…! I didn't mean to…!" He apologizes profusely, fidgeting his hands in the air, before sighing, defeated, "I'm sorry, my Lady, I did not want to scare you… It was not against you."

You grin, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you do that in bed too?" You ask.

He chokes on his breath.

"My Lady?!" He panics, not knowing where to stand with you.

You chuckle.

"Sorry. I'm teasing."Or not, "I'll let you bite me when that one is healed. I can't serve in the cafe with bite marks on both shoulders at the same time, what the patrons would say?" You snort.

He gulps, pursing his lips like he words were burning his tongue but he silences them.

"You are right, my Lady. That would be inappropriate to wear the love marks of both males at the same time." He nods, grinning with his sharp teeth, "Let's wait for the true one to take its place and shine."

"Yeah.Let's be civilized people, for fuck sakes. Who are we? Freaks?" You both laugh, your hands finding each other again.

You wouldn't have guessed that biting was a kink shared between the cold Jester and the sweet Pierrot.

"My Lady?" He coos, "May I… Kiss you?"

You pretend to think about it, but you feel fire on your cheek exploding at his question.

You look up at him.

You consider his face as a whole. You let your gaze caress his bangs, meeting his golden eyes melting with fire, traces the line of his absent nose before landing on his lips. You let your gaze lingers purposefully, licking your lips teasingly, making him skip a breath.

And decide you tortured him enough. You close you eyes, leaning closer but you wait from him to cross the gap.

You feel his breath on your lips, guessing his own a mere inch away, ready to claim your mouth and-A growl resonates behind you.

You yelp when Pierrot violently pivots his bust throwing a blade in the dark, his expression so terrible your heart almost skips a beat.

"Leave, Harlequin!" He orders. "Or God helps me…!"

You look behind you. You can't see a thing, yet you did hear a growl. You perk up your ear, and can hear a hitched breath and then steps walking away.

"Was that..?"

"Harlequin, for sure." Pierrot keeps his eyes fixed on the shadows, "He turned around you for so long, and now he can't accept he lost."

"It's … Not a competition, Pierrot. My affection is not a prize to be won." You grab his sleeve gently, inviting the red clown to calm down.

He squints at the blackness before facing you again.

"I am sorry, my Lady. I will make sure he will not bother you ever again."

Sorry, Harlequin, for dragging you into that mess...

"Leave him be, Pierrot." You ease his nerves, "He learned his lesson, I am sure."

He winces, unconvinced. You look at each other, not knowing what to do with yourself anymore.

"It killed the mood, no?" He drops, a hand on the back of his neck.

"Lets just look at the stars together. We will have plenty of occasion to kiss later." You decide, replacing your head on his shoulder.

His purr resumes as he lays his head on yours.

____________________

Ticket Taker makes his round, finding the last lost visitors and indicating them the exit politely, but sternly, before stopping dead in his tracks.

He silently looks at you heading toward the back entrance, at Pierrot's arm, a blissful smile on both of your faces, fingers intertwined.

Without boasting himself, Ticket Taker thinks of himself as a respectful gentleman toward womankind, especially the monstrous one, but also the human kind when the circumstances allows it.

But.

Being naked on Jester's lap one night and leaving hand in hand with Pierrot, 24h hours apart down to the second? He doesn't know if it is impressive or wildly inappropriate.

Either way, he doesn't like that. He doesn't like you.

He invites you to not mingle with one and he founds you with another 5 hours later. This is a whole new type of insolence he might need to work out of you, or you will bring disarray into their close circle.

Seducing 2 of them is too much of a risk for them, even if it was a laps of judgment on Jester's part.

Jester needs to know about that development. They must come up with a plan to get rid of you, before it is too late.

Ticket Taker remains in the shadows, hands clasped in his back, fixated on you both, strolling away.

Isn't it so adorable?

Isn't it absolutely revolting?

Like you could feel his burning gaze on the back of your neck, you stop to look around you, unsure. Pierrot releases your hand to circle your shoulders, kissing your hair softly, inviting you to keep going.

You walk away without noticing the blue clown.

He sniffs with disdain and spins on his heels, direction Jester's tent.

This is the most sensitive case he has to deal with yet. They can't survive another Columbina situation, especially not a human one, and certainly not between Pierrot and Jester.

He walks swiftly, orientating himself in the dark like he was born here. And in a minute, he is at his destination. Anyone else would knock on a iron pole nearby to announce their presence, but him and Jester are far past those courtesies, and he enters immediately. He heads toward the bedroom space of the large tent, behind the office space, hidden behind a large curtain when he stops to smell the air, a familiar scent alerting him.

Blood.

Jester's blood.

Moans of pain.

He hurries to the bedroom space, slamming the curtain out of his way with a shout.

"Jester, are you alright?"

He discovers books ravaged on the ground, sheets torn apart, pillows gutted, furniture clawed…

And the corpses of two fools, laying there, inert.

Bil snaps his head toward another whimper and discovers the Jester, slouching on the ground, bare chested and panting, holding his bloody arm.

"Jester…" He hurries to his friend's bedside, kneeling to exanimate the damages, "Did the fools…?"

He looks at his friend, he is panting, sweating heavily and obviously in pain. His breath is short and whistling, and his eyes are veiled like he was running a fever.

"No." Jester winces, "Worse."

And he throws one of Pierrot's blades to the ground with a hiss.

Bil looks at the shining blade soiled with blood like it was taunting him, flabbergasted.

And then it downs on him. The prior sexual encounter, the aggressive behaviors, the destructive urges, the territorial instincts, the need to hunt… And the signs of degrading health.

"You claimed her…" He lets escape, astonished, facing his leader once more, "You claimed her, and she tries to move on from you."

Jester sniggers painfully.

"Say that with more enthusiasm, would you, Bil? I do not feel humiliated enough yet."

"Jester, this is no joking matter." He berates him harshly, "Do you know what that means? This is incredibly dangerous!"

"I am keenly aware, thank you very much." the purple monster hisses again, "I regretted my foolery when my teeth released her flesh. I should have broke her neck, instead."

"Maybe you should have, yes." Ticket Taker agrees reluctantly, "Yet here we are…"

Jester finally turns to his lifelong friend, and if his face is stern, even cold, only his purple eyes communicates his true distress.

"You look at me like waste on the side of the road." He grouses, combing his purple mane of his back with a sweaty hand.

"I look at you like a friend in need of assistance. Get up, I will stitch your arm, and then…" He pauses, like he is regretting everything that led to that instant, before helping his friend stand up, "Then we will need to discuss our options."