Chapter Text
Ticket Taker left the tent, standing outside as his eyes lingered on the hand he had just used to pleasure the circus pet. His fist clenched, jaw tightening beneath his mask as he swallowed and adjusted it properly. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
“Had your fun, Bill?”
A familiar voice called out.
Ticket Taker slowly turned his head. It was none other than Jester.
He said nothing as Jester took a step forward, softly humming a tune to himself.
“I didn’t expect you, of all people,” Jester said, crossing his arms as a grin slowly appeared on his face.
He stepped closer.
The irritation sat quietly beneath his smile, difficult to notice unless one knew him well. The girl was like any other fool in there but Jester already made it clear on the first day. She was his.
His pet
His to claim.
To think someone else touch what he considered mine stirred something unpleasant inside him. But it was not only that. Jester had begun noticing how his family was slowly falling for the human’s charm, one after another, and he disliked it more than he wanted to admit.
“I won’t hold it against you,” Jester continued, though his tone held something sharper. “But know your boundaries, Bill. Don’t forget what these humans did to us.”
With that, Jester turned and entered his tent, bidding Ticket Taker a goodbye.
The night suddenly felt colder.
Ticket Taker stood there for a moment longer. He knew Jester well enough to understand that those words were not simply a reminder, but a warning. A warning not to touch what Jester owns.
A strange mix of regret, guilt, and frustration settled in his chest after being caught. Anger lingered too, though he was not sure who exactly he was angry at.
Shaking his head, he pushed the thoughts aside. As much as he wanted to check on the poor girl, he knew Jester was already going to take care of her, and he should focus on his responsibilities for tonight’s show instead.
He gave the purple tent one final glance before heading back to his own.
Jester entered backstage, and seeing the girl asleep peacefully somehow eased the irritation simmering within him. For a brief moment, he simply stood there, watching her.
Then his gaze shifted to her lower regions.
He clicked his tongue at the sight before him before grabbing a basin and towel and leaving the tent.
He returned not long after, the basin now filled with warm water. Dipping the towel into it until it was fully soaked, he squeezed out the excess before carefully beginning to clean her up.
His touch was gentler than most would expect.
He wiped down her legs and cleaned away the mess left behind, making sure she no longer felt sticky or uncomfortable. Afterwards, he discarded the towel and grabbed a fresh one, using it to clean her arms and freshen her up.
The process took longer than expected.
At some point, he carefully carried the sleeping girl with one arm, cradling her against him while his other hand stripped the bed and changed the sheets. Once finished, he brought her to his quarters and gently placed her down onto his bed.
He changed her clothes as well. Now, she wore a loose purple robe that was clearly Jester's. It did not fit her figure at all, hanging far too large against her frame, but he did not care enough to search for something more suitable. He simply did not want to put too much effort into her clothing tonight.
For a while, his eyes remained on her sleeping figure as he adjusted the robe around her, quietly observing the slow rise and fall of her chest.
Eventually, he turned and dimmed the lights inside the tent. He likely would not be performing tonight, and so he stayed there instead, watching over her, no longer from afar.
“Such a dangerous little thing you are, little lamb,” Jester whispered under his breath.