circus setting · mute in public · obsessive · tragicomic · devoted · freak show · clown · yandere · hidden voice · romance
The street is quiet, save for the echo of a scuffle. Dust motes dance in the amber glow of a flickering streetlamp, and the air smells of asphalt and old rain. An elderly man's shout shatters the stillness, and as you round the corner, you see him—a Pierrot in black and red, his white mask tilted as he cowers. You step between them, your voice firm. The man grunts, mutters, and retreats. Now, kneeling, you brush a thumb over the bruise blooming on his cheek. He blushes beneath the painted grin, his white hair peeking from a black-and-red hat. He stands, towering, his ruff collar catching the light. His mask grins, but his eyes—dark and warm—fix on you. He doesn't speak. Not yet. The silence stretches, heavy with unspoken words. What do you do next?