Silence

Innocence

[Pt. 1. 1150 words]

"Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for."

The entire crowd went silent aside from their stomping and clapping along to the classic opening to the performance.

"Been searchin' in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor."

Barnum stepped out from behind a wall of fog emitting all around the showroom. His black cane in hand, a brand new one in fact, since the old one had gotten a little beaten up from being thrown around constantly.

"Buried in your bones there's an ache that you can't ignore."

He took a step forward, becoming more visible to everybody in the bleachers.

"Taking your breath,"

P. T.'s slow strides evolved into a jog into the middle of the large tent, he'd done this so many times before but it never got old to him or the audience.

"Stealing your mind, and all that was real is left behind."

--+--

The show carried on just as he had planned it out to be, every act different and more exciting than the last. Nobody ever wasted a dime on a ticket to the circus, Barnum always made sure it was worth every penny spent, even if it meant staying up until dawn on blueprints of new and exciting props or planning the latest acts for his performers. 

"Hey, P.T.!" 

It was right after the full night had ended, everybody had gone home, including Anne and Lettie and everyone else. Barnum had thought that, anyway, being proven wrong by the voice calling him from behind. He spun around on the soles of his feet.

"Yes?"

It was Carlyle. Of course it was, nobody else ever stays this late besides himself.

"You did really great tonight. I think it was one of my favourites so far." The shorter man smiled with the tip of his maroon hat. The same one he wore the night they compromised in the bar downtown, actually. Barnum could never forget that.
"Why thank you Phillip, but a lot of the work that was put in was you this time. So I should probably be thanking you." P. T. reminded him as he walked past without forgetting to mess up Phillip's hair when he did. He had begun to do this quite a lot as of late. He knew it annoyed the other, which was probably why he did it.

Phillip groaned as he fixed his former slicked back hair, which had more of a curl to the ends now that Barnum rubbed out some of the gel keeping it nice. "Well, you're welcome Phin. I don't really contribute much anymore to anything on-stage, so I thought it'd be a nice change of pace."

"Well you did a great job of it, Phil. But I think you should be headed home soon, hm? It's getting late y'know." Phineas exclaimed as he began to walk off towards his office. Their office. Phillip followed. "Oh, c'mon, It's barely 10, Barnum! Since when do you want me out of here so early?" He whined, plopping down in P. T.'s office chair before he could get to it. He loved staying late with him honestly, even if it just meant them silently working on each other's parts for the show. Barnum's presence alone made him feel all bubbly and safe. No one ever made him feel that way before, which is why he savoured the sensation so much.

"Since Charity is starting to get suspicious." The older man's tone of voice dropped to a serious, grave one. His usual resting grin disappearing from his pink cheeks. Phillip frowned. "But I thought you guys were in the middle of the divorce..?" He wasn't wrong, but they'd barely just filed the papers for it, so at this rate it could be a couple months until it was finalized. He wished it could go by faster just as much as Phillip did, though he clearly didn't have a way of controlling that. "Yes, but it might take awhile. I'll take care of it, Phillip, okay? Why don't you pack up and start on your way, hm? I could walk you home if you'd like, that's the most I could do."

'He'll take care of it? What does he mean by that?'
 A few questions formed in Phillip's head that he wanted to ask the answers to, but the stern look in Barnum's gaze told him otherwise. P. T.'s voice returned to it's usual, cheery nature once he'd spoken, but his expression was the complete opposite of that. It sent a short chill down the back of Phillip's spine. "Er-... yeah, okay. That sounds good." With a silent nod, Barnum left the room. Phil watched him walk away until he was out of view, he seemed to be headed to the exit. 'Probably going to wait for me there..' He reasoned with himself in his head, shrugging away his partner's peculiar behaviour.

Phillip didn't have much to gather so it only took him a minute or two to walk out and lock up the office. He threw his overcoat atop his shoulder whilst he approached P. T. who was leaning up against the entrance of the building. He seemed to be deep in thought, not noticing Phil approaching him. "Hey, I'm ready-" Barnum spun around quickly, almost a jump when he heard his apprentice speak.

"Oh good! Did you lock everything up?" The ringmaster questioned quite enthusiastically, back to his normal self. Phillip nodded. "Alright, then let's be on our way."

The short stroll to Phillip's current apartment he was renting, since his parents had kicked him out for associating himself with Barnum and the circus, was almost dead silent. The only sound around them was the muted noises of their footsteps along the worn-out pavement. It was enough to fully worry Phillip, now. It was so unlike Phineas. "Uh.. Phin?" Phillip reluctantly broke the silence between the two.

"Yes, Carlyle?" P. T. didn't often call him by his last name, but when he did he was usually thinking about something or other. "Are you alright? You're almost never this quiet." With the tilt of his head, Barnum let off a soft laugh. "Of course, everything is fine Phil. No need to worry about me." He gave a reassuring smile. "But it looks like we're here, so I'll be going now." Phillip looked up and sure enough, they were at the doorstep of his flat. Somehow he'd not even noticed. "If you say so, Phin." Phillip climbed up the two steps in front of the doorway, then leaned down to plant a soft kiss on Barnum's cheek. "You know you can tell me anything though, right?"

With a sigh, Barnum nodded. "Of course I do. Now go get some sleep, okay? I'll see you tomorrow morning." Then with that, P. T. left Phillip standing there all alone, and quite confused at that.