Burn (Barlyle) (COMPLETE)

17

Barnum's eyes widened. "It's just a pen, Phil—"

"Give it to me!"

In his anger, Phillip didn't realize Barnum was, in fact, holding the pen out to him. In his eyes, Barnum was holding it out in front of him, taunting a dog with a treat, and he yanked the pen from the ringmaster's grasp.

The pen snapped. Dark ink leaked out onto Phillip's hand, on Barnum's sleeve. The ringmaster barely had time to react before—

"NO!"

Broken bits of the pen fell to the ground and Phillip fell to his knees to retrieve them. His shoulders shook and, to his horror, Barnum realized the younger man was crying.

"...'Lip?" Barnum whispered, bewildered. He knelt beside his partner, put his hand on the younger man's back.

Phillip recoiled. "Don't...Don't fucking touch me!"

With the pieces of pen in hand, Phillip stood up. He bolted - as fast as he could with his still-healing burns - for the backstage tent.

Still kneeling, Barnum watched him go.