Burn (Barlyle) (COMPLETE)

28

"You kissed me," Barnum whispered. They sat on the floor, Barnum's arms around Phillip's waist. The younger man had gone into a silent sort of shock. "The fire - do you remember that?"

"I thought I was going to die," Phillip whimpered. "I thought I was going to die so I - I—" He broke off with a sob and covered his mouth with a hand.

Barnum kissed Phillip's temple and the younger stiffened.

"It's all right," Barnum murmured. "I'm here."

"But, Barnum," Phillip gasped, "what about Charity?"

The older man's sigh was long, heavy. His arms tightened around Phillip's waist.

"We're...figuring things out."

"I'm sorry," Phillip moaned. "I didn't mean to—"

"It's all right. She's...well, I wouldn't say she's okay with it, but she took it well when I...told her." The ringmaster cringed.

Phillip noticed.

"What's wrong?" he murmured.

"Well, I, uh..." Barnum paused. "Let's just...say my confession was not one of my finest moments."

A beat of silence.

"I hurt you."

"No. Don't beat yourself up over it. I was not the most civilized toward you after the fire either, Phillip, and I...I sincerely apologize for that."

Phillip closed his eyes. He nestled closer to Barnum, wincing at the flare of pain that shot up his side. Barnum's arms loosened a tad and he kissed Phillip's cheek.

"I never meant those things I said about you, Barnum," Phillip's voice cracked. "I'm sorry. My father—"

"Shh. He can't hurt you."

"...Phin?" Phillip was half-asleep from emotional and physical exhaustion, content to simply sit there in Barnum's arms for the rest of time, and his voice was simply a murmur against the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Can I come back to the circus?"

"Of course, Phillip."

Phillip laid his head on Barnum's shoulder.

"I wanna come home."

Just a word of warning since most of y'all are new to my fics - this fic is nowhere near over :'D