mochi bun
𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 ✩
The sun had set well over the horizon when the big top began to accept its audience into its chambers. Mothers smiled fondly at their excited children, happy to have paid to make their children smile excitedly in the way only a circus performance could. The bitter cold did nothing to expel the excitement in the air, only causing the audience members to surge forward to get out of the freezing winter breeze. The ticket collectors smiled easily at the masses, doing their jobs with the same gusto as they had done for as long as they had worked among the ranks of the circus.
Behind the scenes, the members of the show felt nothing but uncertainty. All the crew was assembled behind the stage, their gaze locked on their ringleader expectantly. The man they called their leader resembled more of a bear than a man with his burly shoulders and his long brown locks that ended at the ends of his shoulders. His uniform was impeccable, showcasing how much pride he took in his appearance. His slow, deliberate steps did nothing but ensure the members of the show were weary of whatever their ringleader had to say.
Tugging his hat from atop his head with a sigh, Phoenix Lauwers regarded his crew with weary eyes. They had been out-of-sync all morning due to the opening night party that had ran until dawn the night before. Without being able to sleep due to practice, the members of the performance had been cranky and snappy at one another. No one had dared to snap at Phoenix, but the older man had been frustrated over the whole situation anyways.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight is another show night. I expect you to put your heart and soul into the performance- just like you do every night. Remember, you are entertainers. You are meant to please your audience and leave them wanting more." His tone was serious, although a teasing grin came to his lips. "How else are we to sale tickets if you are unable to intrigue humans with your powers?" The small chuckles that rose up from his light jest caused some on the tension to ease.
"Now, I just wanted to let you know something." The collected breath caused the shapeshifter to chuckle, shaking his heads at their expectant looks. "It is nothing serious. Just wanted to tell you that I'm expecting the same levels of excitement you had last night. Although we're all tired, we should push ourselves to be the best we can be." Nodding his head, Phoenix sent a content grin towards his employees.
"Dismissed." He spoke, watching as the crew easily moved away from the line they had assembled themselves in.
Everyone once more returned to their before show ritual, focusing solely on bettering themselves for the performance. Members of the show moved back to their selected dressing rooms. Sighing heavily, Ulysses moved towards his own office, maneuvering the halls easily. He had a little over twenty minutes before he was expected to go onstage, something he was thankful for. Despite all his bravado, he always needed a few moments of peace before he felt good enough to perform. Entering his office, the shapeshifter moved to collapse in the chair behind his desk. It was only a moment later that he sensed a presence in the room. Snapping his head up, Phoenix sat up straighter, peering into the dark corner of his office, unsure.
Stepping forward, Emberly Heisenburg regarded her boss with affection. Her laughter easily rang through the air. Brushing her platinum blonde hair behind her ears, she moved to sit on the edge of his desk. Phoenix quickly relaxed, offering her an embarrassed smile. "Sorry. You surprised me, that's all." The older male sighed, shutting his eyes as he eased back into his seat.
Emberly bit her lip, looking over his relaxed features with fondness. Although she had been in love with the shapeshifter for years, she had yet to confess to the handsome man how she truly felt. Threading their fingers together, the succubus hid her chuckle as Phoenix jumped at the unexpected touch. When he turned his gaze back to her, he was met with beautiful cerulean eyes that regarded him merrily, her full lips pursed in a mock pout. "Bad day?" The woman sighed, moving herself closer to his side.
A small commotion down the hall caught the attention of the duo who sent a look to one another. "Your cousin has no control of his temper." She sighed, shaking her head as she allowed her hand to fall once more back to her side. Phoenix couldn't hide his chuckle, moving away from his office to down the hall. He was quick to find where the voices were coming from, moving to step into one of the dressing rooms. Several members of the performance were sitting in the chairs, but all their eyes were locked on two males in the center of the room. One was at shoulder height to the other, pitch black curls messily braided. He was peering up at a larger male, one who carried the same broadness of his shoulders as Phoenix did. Fierce brown eyes were narrowed down in annoyance at the shorter male, brown hair swept up in an unfinished style.
Bringing his hand up, Cypress Lauwers pushed the curly-haired creature back a step, leaning down closer as he harshly bit out his retort. "Get lost, fang boy." The hiss of indignation that rose from the raven-haired male caused several members of the show to flinch, knowing well of the vampire's fierce temper.
"Watch your mouth around me, pup." Nesryn De Loughley snarled to the taller male, poking one of his fingers into his burly chest. The low growl that emanated from Cypress immediately caused Phoenix to move forward, separating the two males by physically putting himself between the two.
"Come on, gentlemen. We can have this little lover's quarrel after the show, yes?" The words spoken by Phoenix caused laughter to ring out amongst the crew members, all except his cousin and the astonished male vampire. Two identical hisses rose from the offended individuals. Phoenix chuckled before he turned to regard his cousin with a somber expression. His sudden shift to seriousness was alarming to the younger shapeshifter who grimaced at the unwavering stare he was receiving from his boss and older relative.
"I'm being kind by not kicking both of your asses. We only have a few minutes before the show begins. I will not have several of my best performers injure the other because of something stupid." The words were sharp. Cypress easily deflated, his gaze flickering away from his cousin as he nodded uneasily.
"He insulted me! I can't defend myself?" Nesryn cried, only to be met with several deadpan stares. Muttering to himself, the bloodsucker turned his head away, ignoring the shamed flush that came to his cheeks. Phoenix regarded the other creature, shaking his head.
"Do well tonight, Nesryn. You are an excellent performer." After complimenting the vampire, Phoenix turned on his heel to exit the dressing room, ignoring the vampire's sputtering attempts to respond. He could care less what the other creature had to say as long as he just did his job well.
Phoenix had barely stepped into the hall when he nearly collided with a small, feminine form. Almond shaped eyes blinked up widely, her black curls swaying as she sidestepped him easily. Kennedy Hwang shot a quick grin to Phoenix, her manicured fingers wiggling brightly. "Hey, sir!" She chirped, her grin infectious.
Although Kennedy was one of the newer members to the show, she had managed to work her way into good graces with nearly every creature of the circus- including Nesryn, a fact that mystified all of the crew.
"Babe!" Kennedy called, turning on her heel to dash towards a white-haired male down the hall, currently engaging in conversation with another male. Turning back, Anselm Normandeau caught his girlfriend's gaze from across the room. Excusing himself, he surged forward until he stopped before the young woman. He brought his brightly decorated arms around the dark-haired girl's petite form, chuckling merrily at her squeal of delight. He had been in the middle of stretching and bantering with his brother, Atticus, who continued his movements with ease. The older male glanced down the hall, brow quirked in amusement as he easily lifted his leg well over his head. "You are distracting my brother, Kennedy." He sighed, only to have his brother stick his tongue out towards his sibling teasingly.
"Don't be mean to her. She's the love of my life." The kiss he placed on the younger female's lips was sweet and way too sappy for anyone's liking. A collective groan rang throughout the room, everyone been privy to the couples' displays of affection too many times to count.
"Get a room!" Phoenix rolled his eyes as he walked past the duo, several crew members breaking into laughter at the unexpected teasing. The older shapeshifter moved from his position in the hall to walk towards the entrance of the stage. He was not surprised to find Emberly standing there, awaiting her que as the first act on stage. Standing just behind the curtain, Phoenix sent her a fond smile. "Break a leg, yeah?" He spoke, his accent coming through heavily. Emberly held back her giggle, nodding her head easily. Tucking one of her curls back, she straightened her posture as the booming sounds of drums could be heard- a signal that they were about to begin.
"You too, Phoenix." Emberly murmured, her smile gentle as she watched him push the curtains back to step onto stage. With one last smile, Phoenix was before the crowd and introducing himself before inviting the first act out on stage. The show was a success, flowing easily between acts. The audience grew intrigued with each new performer, mesmerized by the movements and sometimes death-defying stunts.
By the time the show had ended, the crowd was giddy with their applause. As the final bows were once more completed, Phoenix turned towards his crew with a content grin. "Excellent jobs, everyone! I'm very proud of all of you." The smiles he received for his praise filled Phoenix with content, happy to see his crew members all so proud of their work. Emberly was quick to join his side, a warm grin spreading across her face as she discussed her act with her beloved friend.
Behind the scenes, the members of the show felt nothing but uncertainty. All the crew was assembled behind the stage, their gaze locked on their ringleader expectantly. The man they called their leader resembled more of a bear than a man with his burly shoulders and his long brown locks that ended at the ends of his shoulders. His uniform was impeccable, showcasing how much pride he took in his appearance. His slow, deliberate steps did nothing but ensure the members of the show were weary of whatever their ringleader had to say.
Tugging his hat from atop his head with a sigh, Phoenix Lauwers regarded his crew with weary eyes. They had been out-of-sync all morning due to the opening night party that had ran until dawn the night before. Without being able to sleep due to practice, the members of the performance had been cranky and snappy at one another. No one had dared to snap at Phoenix, but the older man had been frustrated over the whole situation anyways.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight is another show night. I expect you to put your heart and soul into the performance- just like you do every night. Remember, you are entertainers. You are meant to please your audience and leave them wanting more." His tone was serious, although a teasing grin came to his lips. "How else are we to sale tickets if you are unable to intrigue humans with your powers?" The small chuckles that rose up from his light jest caused some on the tension to ease.
"Now, I just wanted to let you know something." The collected breath caused the shapeshifter to chuckle, shaking his heads at their expectant looks. "It is nothing serious. Just wanted to tell you that I'm expecting the same levels of excitement you had last night. Although we're all tired, we should push ourselves to be the best we can be." Nodding his head, Phoenix sent a content grin towards his employees.
"Dismissed." He spoke, watching as the crew easily moved away from the line they had assembled themselves in.
Everyone once more returned to their before show ritual, focusing solely on bettering themselves for the performance. Members of the show moved back to their selected dressing rooms. Sighing heavily, Ulysses moved towards his own office, maneuvering the halls easily. He had a little over twenty minutes before he was expected to go onstage, something he was thankful for. Despite all his bravado, he always needed a few moments of peace before he felt good enough to perform. Entering his office, the shapeshifter moved to collapse in the chair behind his desk. It was only a moment later that he sensed a presence in the room. Snapping his head up, Phoenix sat up straighter, peering into the dark corner of his office, unsure.
Stepping forward, Emberly Heisenburg regarded her boss with affection. Her laughter easily rang through the air. Brushing her platinum blonde hair behind her ears, she moved to sit on the edge of his desk. Phoenix quickly relaxed, offering her an embarrassed smile. "Sorry. You surprised me, that's all." The older male sighed, shutting his eyes as he eased back into his seat.
Emberly bit her lip, looking over his relaxed features with fondness. Although she had been in love with the shapeshifter for years, she had yet to confess to the handsome man how she truly felt. Threading their fingers together, the succubus hid her chuckle as Phoenix jumped at the unexpected touch. When he turned his gaze back to her, he was met with beautiful cerulean eyes that regarded him merrily, her full lips pursed in a mock pout. "Bad day?" The woman sighed, moving herself closer to his side.
A small commotion down the hall caught the attention of the duo who sent a look to one another. "Your cousin has no control of his temper." She sighed, shaking her head as she allowed her hand to fall once more back to her side. Phoenix couldn't hide his chuckle, moving away from his office to down the hall. He was quick to find where the voices were coming from, moving to step into one of the dressing rooms. Several members of the performance were sitting in the chairs, but all their eyes were locked on two males in the center of the room. One was at shoulder height to the other, pitch black curls messily braided. He was peering up at a larger male, one who carried the same broadness of his shoulders as Phoenix did. Fierce brown eyes were narrowed down in annoyance at the shorter male, brown hair swept up in an unfinished style.
Bringing his hand up, Cypress Lauwers pushed the curly-haired creature back a step, leaning down closer as he harshly bit out his retort. "Get lost, fang boy." The hiss of indignation that rose from the raven-haired male caused several members of the show to flinch, knowing well of the vampire's fierce temper.
"Watch your mouth around me, pup." Nesryn De Loughley snarled to the taller male, poking one of his fingers into his burly chest. The low growl that emanated from Cypress immediately caused Phoenix to move forward, separating the two males by physically putting himself between the two.
"Come on, gentlemen. We can have this little lover's quarrel after the show, yes?" The words spoken by Phoenix caused laughter to ring out amongst the crew members, all except his cousin and the astonished male vampire. Two identical hisses rose from the offended individuals. Phoenix chuckled before he turned to regard his cousin with a somber expression. His sudden shift to seriousness was alarming to the younger shapeshifter who grimaced at the unwavering stare he was receiving from his boss and older relative.
"I'm being kind by not kicking both of your asses. We only have a few minutes before the show begins. I will not have several of my best performers injure the other because of something stupid." The words were sharp. Cypress easily deflated, his gaze flickering away from his cousin as he nodded uneasily.
"He insulted me! I can't defend myself?" Nesryn cried, only to be met with several deadpan stares. Muttering to himself, the bloodsucker turned his head away, ignoring the shamed flush that came to his cheeks. Phoenix regarded the other creature, shaking his head.
"Do well tonight, Nesryn. You are an excellent performer." After complimenting the vampire, Phoenix turned on his heel to exit the dressing room, ignoring the vampire's sputtering attempts to respond. He could care less what the other creature had to say as long as he just did his job well.
Phoenix had barely stepped into the hall when he nearly collided with a small, feminine form. Almond shaped eyes blinked up widely, her black curls swaying as she sidestepped him easily. Kennedy Hwang shot a quick grin to Phoenix, her manicured fingers wiggling brightly. "Hey, sir!" She chirped, her grin infectious.
Although Kennedy was one of the newer members to the show, she had managed to work her way into good graces with nearly every creature of the circus- including Nesryn, a fact that mystified all of the crew.
"Babe!" Kennedy called, turning on her heel to dash towards a white-haired male down the hall, currently engaging in conversation with another male. Turning back, Anselm Normandeau caught his girlfriend's gaze from across the room. Excusing himself, he surged forward until he stopped before the young woman. He brought his brightly decorated arms around the dark-haired girl's petite form, chuckling merrily at her squeal of delight. He had been in the middle of stretching and bantering with his brother, Atticus, who continued his movements with ease. The older male glanced down the hall, brow quirked in amusement as he easily lifted his leg well over his head. "You are distracting my brother, Kennedy." He sighed, only to have his brother stick his tongue out towards his sibling teasingly.
"Don't be mean to her. She's the love of my life." The kiss he placed on the younger female's lips was sweet and way too sappy for anyone's liking. A collective groan rang throughout the room, everyone been privy to the couples' displays of affection too many times to count.
"Get a room!" Phoenix rolled his eyes as he walked past the duo, several crew members breaking into laughter at the unexpected teasing. The older shapeshifter moved from his position in the hall to walk towards the entrance of the stage. He was not surprised to find Emberly standing there, awaiting her que as the first act on stage. Standing just behind the curtain, Phoenix sent her a fond smile. "Break a leg, yeah?" He spoke, his accent coming through heavily. Emberly held back her giggle, nodding her head easily. Tucking one of her curls back, she straightened her posture as the booming sounds of drums could be heard- a signal that they were about to begin.
"You too, Phoenix." Emberly murmured, her smile gentle as she watched him push the curtains back to step onto stage. With one last smile, Phoenix was before the crowd and introducing himself before inviting the first act out on stage. The show was a success, flowing easily between acts. The audience grew intrigued with each new performer, mesmerized by the movements and sometimes death-defying stunts.
By the time the show had ended, the crowd was giddy with their applause. As the final bows were once more completed, Phoenix turned towards his crew with a content grin. "Excellent jobs, everyone! I'm very proud of all of you." The smiles he received for his praise filled Phoenix with content, happy to see his crew members all so proud of their work. Emberly was quick to join his side, a warm grin spreading across her face as she discussed her act with her beloved friend.
