A Most Grotesque Display (jobros x fem!reader circus au)

1- line without a hook

everyone watched with mortified expressions as the magician swallowed a sword three feet long, the blade sinking all the way into her stomach before she stopped to show her most grotesque display with a smile.

the audience cheered wildly, clapping and screaming with surprise when the magician took the sword out of their body once more and bowed, allowing the many clowns to take over the show for her before exiting the main tent.

"you did great, (y/n)..." bucciarati mumbled with a smile, eyes following the magician when she continued to pass him without stopping. it was clear the hostility in her had yet to leave.

"shut up."

"yeah, you did great today!" someone cheered from afar, cleaning their weights. 

a bashful grin formed on (y/n)s face, head turning to greet her friend and fellow performer, okuyasu. "aww, thank you! i had to give it my all since this is our last time here for a while!"

the strongman didnt have an eye-catching, bedazzled suit like everyone else, opting to go with a simple tank top and shorts instead that were often stained with sweat. it never seemed to bother him much, so no one bothered to asked if he wanted a change of clothing for performances.

bucciarati, the ringleader, sighed at (y/n)s response to okuyasu, wishing that she'd just treat him with the same humanity she did everyone else. though, he knew he deserved such distaste for what he did. it only bothered him since he never even received a decent greeting anymore.

hermes ran up to (y/n) next, flashy green and black leather one-piece shining under the dim light the circus provided. "yo, (y/n)! are you still down for a drink at the bar tonight?"

"for sure, you paying?"

"you know its always on me, miss magic~" hermes laughed, hand coming to rest on (y/n)s shoulder.

avdol was seen coming around the corner (y/n) and hermes were walking around, the performer mindlessly tying up his hair while he walked. he was supposed to perform next with caesar on the trapeze, so it was nothing out of the ordinary to find him dressed in only a fiery, red skin-tight leotard with a few golden accessories hanging off of him here and there. 

"oh, hey, have you guys seen caesar? we're on in twenty minutes, and i cant find him anywhere." avdol asked the two through the rubber band pinched between his teeth.

(y/n) pondered for a moment, thinking back to the last time she saw caesar until she realized that she hadn't seen him all day. "funny... have you tried checking his tent?"

"it was the first place i looked."

"what about the bathroom?" hermes suggested. 

"he isnt there either, already checked." avdol replied with a huff, clearly growing concerned.

for a single, brief moment, (y/n) wondered if maybe caesar went into the town for something and lost track of time, though that wasnt plausible since she always knew when someone came and left the tent. after all, her stand was the circus tent itself, so of course she could keep track of everyone.

"well, i wouldve known if someone left, and all that i know is that people have only come in." (y/n) murmured to herself, fingers drumming against her head as if it would help her think better.

"perhaps he left when the crowd came in? im sure it would be difficult for you to keep track of who is who, let alone notice that anyone is missing." hermes thought aloud, causing concern to grow between the three.

"well, that's gotta be what happened, since i cant feel him anywhere near or inside any of the tents... but that begs the question, what's he leaving for?"