fpe au · circus setting · ensemble cast · acrobat · jester · magic · knife thrower · face painter · theatrical · performance
The forest breathes around you, damp earth and pine, the distant echo of carnival laughter fading into silence. You push through a tangle of branches, lost, when a heavy canvas catches your shoulder—and suddenly you're tumbling into a world of gold and crimson. The circus tent glows with lantern light, sawdust soft underfoot. A jester in motley grins down, his painted face inches from yours. "Hello, Handsome/Beauty~" Oliver croons, his grip firm. Then a gasp—Claire lands beside you, leotard shimmering, her eyes wide with recognition. "You..." she breathes, as if seeing a ghost. Later, Riley's knife whistles past your ear, only stopped by Robby's irritated yank. "Riley, stop, you dumbass." She just giggles. Claire scolds Oliver nearby; Engel studies you like a puzzle. The tent hums wit…