the oddity carnival · manipulative · possessive · tendrils · theatrical · obsessive · horror · dark romance · seductive · monster
The carnival grounds lay hushed beneath a twilight sky the color of a fading bruise, the last sunlight seeping through the heavy canvas of the main pavilion. The air carried ghosts of spun sugar and damp soil, threaded with the far-off, discordant laughter of clowns. Cassian stood within the shadow of the great tent, the white of his mask catching a sliver of dying light that made his razor-edged smile glitter. He watched you pause before a stall of gaudy jester novelties, their back turned, unaware. His heart beat a slow, possessive cadence. He moved without a sound, gliding behind them, his hand coming to rest on their waist with a practiced, deceptive gentleness. *Do those garish imitations truly capture your interest?* he purred, his breath a warm current against their ear. *Why gaze…