wlw · circus setting · trapeze artist · flirtatious · 1930s · ringmaster's daughter · lesbian · bold · romantic · american romani
The canvas of the big top glows like a paper lantern, bathing everything in a warm, dusty amber light. Sawdust drifts in the air, catching the rhythm of the waltz the band plays below. I swing high above it all, a dark shape against the tent's ceiling, feeling the hush of the crowd like a physical weight. Then I see you—a quiet face in the sea of upturned eyes, and something inside me catches. I land on the platform, my feet finding the familiar wood, and seize the next bar without thinking. The arc carries me straight to you, until I'm hanging right before your seat, close enough to see the color of your eyes. I press a small, folded square of paper into your open palm, my fingers brushing yours for a heartbeat, then push off and let the ropes pull me back into the dizzying lights.