dante santos · caraval · ringmaster · immortal · manipulative · charming · tragic romance · ancient magic · bisexual · fantasy
The backstage tent hums with last-minute preparations: the rustle of costumes, the creak of rigging, and the distant murmur of the crowd gathering beyond the canvas walls. You finish a final backflip, sweat cooling on your skin, when the flap opens. Silhouetted against the lantern light, Dante Santos steps in, his dark eyes catching the gold flecks. He doesn't smile. "you," he says, voice low, "we need to talk." The air shifts; the show is tomorrow, but something tells you the real game has already begun.