eat your young (earinor & marquis)

Arthur was inclined to believe Josiah, why wouldn't he? So he just nodded in agreement. "Hm okay... are you sure I can read all the books? I-I'm fine if you tell me wh-which one I can take." Sometimes things weren't for children to touch and Arthur knew that, so he rather asked than take the wrong thing he would lose the privilege of coming here for. He wasn't picky either, any book was fine, he just liked reading and spending time alone, but alone just sitting around was no good. "Th-they all wanted to visit you. Some were saying Louis might have hurt you... but Louis isn't that bad I think." Just misunderstood maybe. He was quiet, Arthur understood it and he had little friends because he was the same. It was fine, but once someone didn't find a pack like some animals, they were soon picked on. That was just how life worked. "But he is a bit scary...", he added mumbling.

Arthur pulled his legs back up front, failing with the split. He was still young so he wasn't super stiff, but this was hard and he never moved much either. He looked up to Josiah and listened to the next explanation and so he leaned forward as far as he could. He could touch his toes, even though he couldn't make himself as flat as Josiah. "Can I... uhm... be part of the show anyway...? M-maybe I can hold something or..." But then Louis already made up a plan and it would only be a hustle to write Arthur in as well. He could help behind the curtains like he did for the first show he was here for. Grab stuff for people and handing it to them when they needed to change for example. That wasn't too bad.

Arthur had to learn a lot, but that was all of them, and it wouldn't be any different anyway - kids were often so optimistic about this, they didn't consider how hard the labor would be in the end, but some of them, if they found something they genuinely liked, at least could make amends with themselves and just saw it as another game to play. If Arthur would do the same, he didn't know, but they could at least see and try if he was even suited for that kind of stuff in the first place. "Hmmm, I don't see why not. I don't have anything too gruesome, or not suited for your eyes, if that's why you're asking. I think some stuff might be a bit kitschy, or a bit too ... hm. Some of them are basically research notes? I don't mind if you read them, but they might be a bit much. Not mine anyway.", Jo explained away, but even now, he wore a smile - and he even laughed about the off-hand comment made on Louis. "I know, and don't worry, Louis actually helped patch me up ... hm, do you know what's so scary about him? I don't think he's scary at all, but I also never ask the kids why they find him scary."

Jo watched his attempt at emulating him and found it to be fine, it wasn't anything outstanding, just the best he could do. All of this wasn't easy, it never had been, never needed to be in fact and that was fine in itself. Why, now, would they argue about that? There was no need to. "I'm sure Louis can find you a spot, I don't see why not. We can ask him tomorrow, hm?", Josiah suggested. It wasn't like Arthur had to stay behind the curtains anyway, instead, it was as if he could come forth from between them at any time. Surely, they'd figure something out, in the long run they had to get Arthur up there and working anyway - he had to earn his keep. "It's fine if you try that a few times to get comfortable in the position, just keep doing it, you'll fold completely eventually. Hmm, what else ... let's see ... let's try ... what about a handstand? I'll hold you up by your ankles, you just focus on balancing and we'll go from there."

"Research notes?", Arthur asked interested. Not that he wanted to be nosy, but he wanted to know. What could he read research on? Arthur didn't really mind what contents the books he read had, if he read books at all. It was just a nice way to pass the time. He didn't have that much time here, he was going to have to work and train, but still. When he bended around he could probably also read a book in the meantime. When he was asked why Louis was scary Arthut thought about it for a bit. Well he looked scary, but that was rude to say, so he didn't. "Well he... is very strict and n-never says anything nice...? A-And the other children just tell spooky stories at night... not only about him though." There were others too, but at day the children didn't seem to take those seriously, because they flocked around them anyway and got on their nerves or played with them.

Arthur stretched a bit more until Josiah looked content with him. He sat back up and looked at him for his next task. "O-okay, but I don't want to bother anyone..." And he wasn't even sure if he could go on that stage with so many people looking at him. At least he wouldn't be the main focus, not next to Josiah or anyone else. "Handstand...?", he asked. Arthur was small enough to do it in here, but it was still cramped. "How... do I do that...?", he asked still on the floor. He put his head down, his hands next to it and tried to ust stand up as if he would on his legs, but he had absolutely no idea how to manage a feat like that.

"Yes, nothing too bad! Just something about acid, and the likes?", he explained to Arthur. This poor little guy was going to find out the hard way what other books where in Josiahs approximate vicinity and what the contortionist had poured over for many nights in a row if the scribbles on some pages were anything to go by. Never would he describe himself as knowledgable, or good at something like this, but even if his personal opinion of himself wasn't high, someone else would probably spend too much time telling him that he should stop undermining his own efforts. As Arthur told him about Lou, he wondered as if he seemed to be the same sometimes - there could be nice words that came out of Louis mouth, if one did everything right, or just talked to him under the sheen of the illuminated circus tent on a working night, but ... that was that, wasn't it? Nothing of that explained his odd behavior. "Hah? I mean, he is strict, but spooky stories? What kind?" Now, that was something. What was that supposed to be about, and why not just Louis? Jo had a hunch, though, why else would they be collectively afraid of one guy?

"You're not bothering me, that's for sure." As timid and nervous as Arthur was, he'd grow out of it eventually, he had to, that's what the circus demanded of him in a way - would he stay the same if it didn't? Maybe. Or perhaps he wasn't meant to do any of that; sending him back where he came from, back home, but that didn't work, either. "Good question! See, if you're doing it on your own, I'd recommend you do it close to a wall and put your legs on it, but for the lack of better space in here, I'll just hold you for now so you can get a feeling for it." For someone as young as Arthur, none of this should exactly be a problem anyway. Instead, Josiah was the one that grabbed his ankles. "Alright." With that, he pulled him up and held him there, too. Thankfully, Arthur was still lithe enough for something like that; teaching this to an adult was gonna be harder. "Now, try putting all your strength into your arms, will you? I'll let go of one of your legs so you'll get a feeling for it, try keeping it stretched and upright, okay?" And then, Jo did just that.

"Acid?" That didn't sound like a normal topic to Arthur, but he already learned that everybody here was very different to anybody else that lived somewhere else. "Mh... they say that he snatches kids and then they vanish. Not just... go home or somewhere else I guess." Arthur wasn't here for long enough to judge any of this. Louis didn't seem too bad, albeit strict. What would he even do with the children? Eat them? That didn't make much sense to him. "The other tell plenty of stories... about shadows outside and the wind and about others snatching them if they didn't go to sleep... I think the older ones are just trying to scare us..." So they had some quiet in that small trailer they were drammed into. It made sense and spooky stories were funny to some. Not to Arthur, but he didn't believe them either. Sure Louis and some others looked a bit scary, but that didn't mean anything.

Arthur meanwhile struggled to get on his hands until Josiah just pulled him up. "Ah...!", he yelped when he was suddenly grabbed and upside down. He struggled to stay like this and even though he was able to hold his own weight with his arms, he wasn't as good as balancing, especially when he was let go. In fact he panicked a bit, even though Josiah still held him, but he didn't want to fall and overdid it with steering his body in the other direction. This was hard and nothing he'd ever done before.

"Yes! I'm not using it for anything nefarious, don't worry.", he chuckled. There were some things that acidic based substances could do, and not a single other one. Jo was supposed to not do anything with them, sure, but who was going to stop him? Nobody had ever said he simply couldn't indulge himself and the fun colors always drew people in - too bad that that they were as dangerous as they were, but he was working on that, for his own reasons. "Hm, now that's not nice ... but hilarious at the same time. I don't think Louis does that, I'll be honest, and besides, nobodies ever vanished!", he tried to reassure Arthur. There was something interesting about the notion; Josiah wouldn't call it "vanishing", rather going home, but truth be told, he knew nothing about any of this himself and it showed. Where were they going, really? "They definitely are, I wouldn't put it past them. Besides, better to find a common enemy, you know? I guess Louis is an easy target, since he tells you guys what to do, and everyone's quite lenient and friendly with you otherwise.", Jo snorted. It was true.

"Do they scare you?" Naturally, that was none of his business, but if Arthur wanted to open up, he could - and Jo would simply listen to him, every step of the way. Did he need to be comforted? Well, in the position they were in, that seemed rather unlikely, or maybe downright impossible, and Josiah wasn't going to deny that one way or the other, they all should grow up sooner than later. "No need to be scared! I won't drop you!", he assured Arthur, still. It had to be said, didn't it? "Don't worry, you're fine!" Josiah grabbed the stray leg thereafter again, to prevent Arthur from tipping and straigthened him out. This was the gist of that, and Jo couldn't help him much more there, after all, they were going to reach a limit at some point. Well, when wouldn't they anyway. Gently, he put Arthur back down again. "Anything else you want to try to get a feel for it?"

"Oh! I... I didn't mean to suggest that!", Arthur quickly answered. Josiah was very nice, he wouldn't do anything weird. "I think the others are just sad maybe, that people leave." Louis seemed alright and Josiah trusted him, but that didn't seem to be enough for the others. Well Arthur wasn't one to convince others of his opinions and in the end these were just stories and a lot of them had fun sitting in a circle and telling spooky stories in the dark. "Yeah... I... I don't think they are scared of him more... worried to disappoint him? But I don't know him that well." Did he yell? Punish them? Arthur was not yelled at or punished. Sure he was forced up the ropes, but he didn't believe Louis did that to be mean to him. Not after what Leila told him anyway. She seemed very nice too!

"The others...? No... maybe if I uh... was alone at night. But we are so many in there, I'm not afraid." Arthur answered. He struggled with gravity a bit while Josiah tried to calm him down. Gladly he was let down eventually and then he kneeled there on the ground trying to process what happened and the fact that the world was upright again. "Uhm... I can practice all this. You... uhm... you didn't touch your food yet. It is probably cold by now... I'm sorry to have kept you. Should I get you a new plate? Maybe the fire is still burning. It's no trouble!" He'd been here long enough. Josiah was supposed to rest after all and eat. Louis would be mad if Josiah didn't eat... maybe. Arthur didn't actually know.

In the end, Arthur was just like the other kids - all of them were not willing to trust immediately and most of them found the first person that didn't welcome them with open arms incredibly scary. Sure, that was one way to go about it, but there was also no reason to find out why they did in the first place; kids were quite stubborn, much like Josiah himself, and it made him chuckle just to think about it. Now, why would Louis be so hated by them if he didn't fit the bill for their scary stories? "Mh, I get it, don't worry. It's just the way you are, it's not like me or Lou didn't have anyone that we weren't scared of when we were younger, you know? There's always someone or something you pick out, in away." And with that, it also meant that no matter what, this would repeat itself when Arthur was an adult and there were different kids here - if he stayed with the circus for that long, and didn't get whisked away by someone like Louis in the first place. Right. They vanished, that's what he said, didn't he? But Louis ... no, that wasn't right."

"Oh, no, I don't mean the other kids. I mean the other adults." There was definitely a divide between all of them, but that didn't mean that most of them had any ill feelings for one another. Sure, it wasn't always easy for them to get along, they had their own idea of how the world worked anyway. "Don't overdo it, you hear? You should also stop before it starts hurting, and if it starts hurting, give it a rest immediately. Also, try to not hurt yourself, okay? And if you need help, I'm here - you can ask me anything you want, and you can come here anytime you want, if I'm not too busy." Arthur was supposed to do the things Josiah couldn't do right now, so he better put work into it, yet, it was no use if he worked himself to the bone instead and burnt out immediately. Then, Jo sighed. "No, don't worry. I don't mind. I'll eat it sooner or later, I haven't done much all day so I'm not hungry. And you need sleep, okay?" Josiah felt sick, if anything. "Need anything else?"

Arthur sat on the floor with a straight back and looked at Josiah. "The others...? I... a little bit, but... I also haven't talked to any of them..." So he didn't want to assume they were bad people. They wouldn't be here if they were, right? He listened to Josiah and nodded. Train hard, but not too hard, he could manage that hopefully and maybe the other children could help. Some of them could do flips and other cool tricks, they could surely teach him how to do a handstand. "O-Okay. I will try my best!", he said with conviction in his voice. He wanted to prove himself. Then he got up and nodded again. "Okay. I will go to bed then. I'm good. Thank you for teaching me. Have a good night.", he smiled at him and then left the trailer to run over to the one he was supposed to sleep in. Everyone else was already there, Lily already told a story and he was quick to join and lay down on his little spot.

Louis had had an eye on Lucas for the rest of the day. Nothing much happened at first seemingly, maybe some clumsy mistakes, more than usual, but situations had been created that felt a bit unnatural. He kept him from dangerous spots and maybe he'd been a bit harsh telling him he should stop climbing on the trailers. Usually they were all good climbers, given their profession, but Louis didn't want to take any chances. Once the children were in bed he sought out Alice, but she was nowhere to be found, not even in her trailer, so eventually Louis went to bed. The next day would be a long one anyway.

After breakfast the next morning they all came together to build up their giant tent, accommodate for the animals and decorate the area for their guests. They set up their other little booths, places for food and drinks and of course also some games. Some people were sent off to the city, not Josiah this time, to buy supplies for opening hours and after. They also put up flyers in the next town to alert customers to the circus. Louis tried to keep an eye on Lucas, but was also kept busy with all the preparations. Eventually the big tent stood, most things were finished and inside everything was ready as well. People were either still working or they started to warm up and train their performances. The children were wrangled by Lily again and Josiah crawled out of his trailer too, but definitely needed help with the children today. Lucas was notorious today for being loud, running and climbing and Louis told him off plenty times, but he didn't want to listen. Even now when people were training he kept being silly. Louis just caught him again unfocused on his surroundings, just wandering this time. The tent was full of people training. Some on the ground, Arthur for example who was close to Josiah and did some stretching, asking him multiple times if he did alright. James was doing some push ups, training his muscles, Roy played with his knives, doing some trick shots and some like Cornelia and Leia were up in the ropes testing their routine. And Lucas, he was about to run right into Roys line of fire and Roy wasn't the most attentive anyway. At this point almost furious, Louis got up from where he was sitting and stormed over, yelling his name so he'd stop and grabbing him by his arm, but just as his name left his lips a scream echoed through the tent. There was something flying past Louis and probably Lucas eyes and there was a terrible crunching noise when that something landed right were Lucas stood a second ago. As Louis looked down he saw that it hadn't been some weight, a sand of sack that dropped for unknown reason, no, it was a person. Cornelias words from up there barely reached him as he screamed "Oh my god I dropped her" over and over again. Meanwhile Louis was occupied with his own thoughts. First Josiah now... Leila was barely recognizable. Her limbs stood in directions they shouldn't be in and there was blood oozing out of her head. The thought of this being his fault immediately launched into his brain and he was paralyzed for the moment. He didn't even notice he still had a firm grip on Lucas arm, who's cried sounded far away. He pulled free and next someone yelled: "She's still alive!" Louis looked down and it was true. Leila gurgled and it seemed like he wanted to say something, but clearly she was hurt so badly, all that she tried to say was unrecognizable. She didn't scream or cry, it was honestly even worse seeing her like this. Cornelia had climbed down and kept saying she was sorry, some people tried to calm her down and also kept her from going near, so she wouldn't look at Leilas state. Next someone shoved Louis. "Do something!" Him? Right. He had to fix this. But how?

Being dragged out of the trailer would've been a chore, so he just went out of his own volition - there was no need for him to stay occupied with all that damn book the entire day, but he'd read it. At this point, he'd even slipped it somewhere Louis wouldn't find it if he went sniffing into his trailer, but what did it matter? There was nothing else to do; the book had been gutted for the story it tried to tell, or the lack thereof and Jo wasn't sure he understood - it was almost too convinient, as if the trees were growing eyes as part of a larger organism that had to be out of this world. Where, if not here, would that happen, then? Surely, that was just another delusion his restless mind mocked his waking dreams with, unfairly aware of the neverending advantage that it possessed over him in times like these, of no satisfaction and ailing desperation, in the grasp of something familiar yet unloving, in a world that he found himself to be utterly lacking understanding in. None of these, however, were slights at him - he just wanted food, for he had shirked yesterdays dinner.

With due time, all was ample. Jo dragged himself, shambling or not, to the tent at some point and even when the kids had been a handful earlier, hard to manage on his own, he just tried to endure it - he was glad for the help he received, happy for it even, and he wouldn't want it any other way. Louis, Leila, Cornelia - the likes of them were important to him, a comforting face in what seemed to be dire times, but even when Lou wanted to shirk his responsibility of their shared, unspoken friendship in that group and pull away, Jo was glad to see that he stayed, for reasons only known to either of them, or maybe even just for the sake of it. Again, nothing was easy. Not for him, not for any of them, and not for Arthur, who wanted to know even more today while everyone was bustling around them like bees, always too busy for the grander scheme to actually appreciate the smaller things of the big picture they were painting. Right. Jo spaced out here and there, unfocused as always, with his eyes set on but a single goal in his mind, yet he was shackled to the waking world that didn't stop and had no mercy for him, either. "If you want to I ca-", Josiah was about to tell Arthur, had opened his mouth and it stood agape as he heard that thud. It was ... disgusting, a harrowing sound. What ... One quick glimpse was enough for him to grab Arthur and turn him around, to the entrance of the tent. "Don't look. Just ... go out.", he told the kid and shoved him out of the tent - his own stomach was sinking deeper than ever, but Jo swallowed the bile that rose in the back of his throat all the way back down again. A deep breath. Then he walked over himself, but the panic was clear and all Josiah could do, in a moment like that, was look on as Lucas picked him, of all people, to latch onto. He couldn't even ... fuck. "It's okay. It's alright. Everything's fine ...", he assured the kid, who's face he turned away from Leila, or what she'd become anyway. "Let's ... get you somewhere else." Josiah grabbed him, but he felt like throwing up at that point - he was a coward. Where to? What to do? "Looks gnarly.", Roy murmured after he leaned over Louis shoulder. Indeed it did. "Christ's sake, that thing's barely alive. Do you wanna torture her any more?", he sighed, disappointed, and then handed Louis one of his knives. "You best put her out of her misery." That surely was a suggestion, but it was the only option they had, wasn't it? "It's the only thing you can do." And there the gurgling was again. "That ... or you could always ask him, you know."

Louis felt a weight on his shoulder, then in his hand. As he looked down he saw one of Roys knives. What? No, he couldn't do that and while he asked himself why it was his responsibility in the first place, he reminded himself in the same thought that he'd been the one insisting on Lucas staying. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy and he should have known not to question the ringmaster. He could have just told Louis no, but instead he was taught a lesson. Not only was the the reason Josiah got hurt, he also was the reason Leila was... well she wasn't dead quite yet. No matter what Cornelia cried, this was somehow not her fault, no matter how these things happened. Louis hands were shaking and he shoved the knive back into Roys hands who barely existed to him at the moment. Then finally he crouched down next to Leila. He wasn't sure if she could even see him, so for a small moment he grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry...", he whispered. He wasn't asking for forgiveness, instead he picked her almost lifeless body up from the floor. "What are you doing with her?!", Cornelia asked still held back and crying, but Louis didn't even listen.

With Leila in his arms he hurried outside, passing the rest of the children and Josiah who left the tent. He went straight for the ringmasters trailer which stood at the outskirts of the camp. He wasn't sure if anyone was following and he didn't care either, once he was at the trailer, he didn't even knock, he simply opened the door and let himself in. The trailer was dark as always and inside it felt so much bigger than from the outside, but it wasn't surprising to Louis anymore that something unreal went on here. He looked at tall and thin man who turned to him as if he'd awaited him. For a moment Louis didn't know what to say. "Please. I... I've understood. I won't ask for anybody elses life again. I'll bring Lucas here if you still want him, but please help her.", Louis pleaded. Throwing one kid to the wolves like this for a friend, it seemed wrong, but Louis had learnt this lesson. If he'd brought Lucas here right away, none of this would have happened. "You've helped me too. She's a great asset to the circus." Maybe being logical made more sense, but what Louis didn't know was that he had been beyond saving on that day of the fire as well and even the ringmaster didn't know why he couldn't take ahold of all of his soul. He wasn't a healer or miracle worker, he was quite the opposite. For once he wished an answer of this man who was silent most of the time.

Lucys hard jumped when he heard the thump and while Josiah was already protecting Arthur, Lucy jumped up and placed herself between the scene and the rest of the children. "Okay all of you, out, come on, out out out.", she quickly told them and shooed them outside of the tent, grabbing as many of them as she could, especially the younger ones. The children talked amongst themelsevs, some of them started crying, some of them were comforted by their friends. Josiah followed outside with Lucas, both pale as could be. "Calm down everybody, it's all going to be okay.", she told them, then put her hand on Josiahs shoulder. "You alright?", she asked. She didn't quite know what to do either. Maybe a game or something, to take their minds off? She could only hope most of them didn't see anything. Lucas hang on Josiah with an iron grip, crying. Arthur stood a bit further away all on his own. As Louis came out too, Lucy shielded who she could from the sight, others turned away on their own. Everybody fell quiet for a moment and only Cornelias cries could be heard. Lucy needed a moment to come up with something herself. "Okay off to the trailer all of you, come one.", she told them gently pushing a few in the right direction. It was probably easier to keep an eye on them there and they wouldn't be in the way of anyone either. "Are you coming Jo?"

Was this all there was? Jo wasn't sure if he wanted this, wasn't sure if this meant something - in the blink of an eye, it all was gone, seemingly, but even when Louis shambled past him and he warded those childish eyes off of the horror they'd already witnessed, he wondered if he was simply spitting nonsense or living for the end of days that he grappled with often enough. What was happening here, and more importantly, why was it happening in the first place? His heart rose in his chest, back into his throat, and while he was supposed to be there for someone, do something, he felt the sweat up to his neck, his entire existence to be unbearable in that very moment; even Lucas' cries weren't really there for him, they just happened to exist in a similar plane as him, and his hand ruffled through his hair and over his back all the same. Why, one would ask, was that important? Why, one would dare ask, did any of this happen in the first place? His own hands were shaking, they shouldn't, but they did - it ate away at him, one way or the other, it ate him from the inside out immediately. This wasn't right, it never had been, but it also just so happened to be how things were.

Jo swallowed his fears, for they were but fathomless thoughts, capable of greater disasters conjured within his mind. He blinked, confused, as he was being called upon by a familiar voice. Nothing would ever change. They were supposed to be together, in happiness or health, until the end of time, were they not? "I ... yes. Sorry, I'm fine." And yet, the shambling image of a distorted body wouldn't leave his mind, even as Lucas seemingly wanted him to pick him up. Josiah couldn't, or rather he shouldn't, but this was different and he indulged the little guy all the while. Lucy brought all of the kids to the trailer, back inside, back to where they wouldn't see. "I'm here, I'm here.", he sighed, unconvinced of it all in the end. There was no two ways about it, but at least him and Lucy could keep the kids distracted from the happenings around them, just for a moment. What else would they be doing? His own nerves were blank as he tried - in vain - to put Lucas down, so he plopped himself on his bed with him instead, and he wasn't the only one that sought comfort with Jo, or Lucy; they both knew that this would be a long afternoon, spent simply mending what they could, but it would hardly be enough.

Some of the children cried probably because of what they saw, some because the others cried. Some were just confused and sat there anxious and afraid because they didn't know what was going on. Once in the trailer a bunch of them ambushed Josiah, but Lucy couldn't get herself to tell them to be careful right now. Some others cuddled up with Lucy who sat on the floor by now. They huddled around her and he put her arms around as many as she could. "I-Is Leila going to be alright...?", one of them asked sniffling. "I uh..." Lucy looked at Josiah for help. What was she supposed to say about that? "What happened?", another one asked crying. "Is Conny gonna be in trouble?" "I don't want to get up there anymore!" The children started to all just share their thoughts and ask question and Lucy had no answers. Lucas hid his face in Josiahs chest and got his clothes wet with his tears. He rubbed his arm on the spot Louis held him at, it hurt.

Louis wanted an answer, any answer, but all he got was a shake of the ringmasters head. He almost looked apologetic. Louis didn't dare to ask if this was some sort of punishment, if this was something the ringmaster actively decided to do, or if this world that was contained in the circus just worked like this. Did it demand sacrifices? Why would the ringmaster save Louis but not Leila? She had one of the star acts after all. Thoughts were running rampant in his head, but he didn't dare ask any of his questions. The ringmaster took it upon himself to break the silence. "Put her down over there.", he told him. Louis froze for a moment, but there was no point in refusing, he'd only make it worse. He didn't even think about it, he just was lost in his own thoughts. He did as he was asked. Leila was still alive. Was she looking at him? "I'm sorry...", he mumbled to her before he stepped away. Right as he wanted to leave again, the ringmaster stopped him. "Bring Lucas here too. Now." His voice wasn't threatening or angry, but it was also not comforting. Louis froze in place. "But..." Wasn't this enough? Either way, he couldn't let this happen to anyone else... to Jo, or Cornelia, or the others... He nodded, pressing his lips together and then left the trailer.

Outside he was almost run over by Cornelia. "Where is she?! What did you do with her?!", she asked, while some others were already pulling her back. Louis didn't bare looking at her. He shook his head. "She's... gone..." Cornelia broke out into more tears and in the next moment tried to get past Louis. "You can't go in there!" "I want to see her!" Her friends helped pulling her back. "Connie please..." "We have to burry her! We'll burry her right?!", she wanted to know of Louis. There wouldn't be a burial and even he didn't know what happened to those he brought to him. He could guess from his own experience, but that was it. For now Louis deemed it easier to lie. "Sure." Cornelia collapsed to his knees, her friends comforting her still and Louis, well he took the opportunity to leave this scene, knowing that he'd enter another soon enough. He heard the children from their trailer when he looked for Lucas and he opened the door without knocking. He spotted them all in there, Josiah and Lucy included. Some looked afraid, some looked like they had answers, but Louis didn't want to waste any time. "I need Lucas to come with me." He already grabbed his little arm.

Solace was all that a dingy trailer like this could offer in these trying times, and if one weren't atop their own issues, it wouldn't even be that. There was, however, at least an attempt at making everything work out. Josiah ran his hand over Lucas' head and hair absentmindedly as he lay there, swarmed by the confused and afraid, looking for comfort in his broken vestige, ignoring all of his pains and aches as they figured Jo would be the one to hold an answer, a shred of laughter, reassurance or even just a shred of happiness for them - he was drained instead, and his smile, so dry and shaken, didn't appease anyone, not even himself. "Shhh.", he quelled the cries of those who he softly petted, pulled close, tried to make it easier on them - this wasn't supposed to happen, he wasn't supposed to be right here, right now. Lucy was exhausted and stressed too, it was fine, they both would probably be here all day long if that went on, but they couldn't really afford it, could they now? "It's alright. Leila will be fine, there's nothing to worry about, okay?" Not that he was convinced himself, but he had to put on an act, for everyones sake. "It'll be alright ... Conny is going to be fine too. Everyone's going to be alright, okay? Just trust me - there's nothing to worry about." Louis would fix it, somehow.

As they lay there, he could hear the hysterics in parts, even above the childrens own cries, in vain to comfort themselves - they tried, but to no avail, no? There was an attempt, there always would be, but there was only so much that they could do - there was no way they could all figure it out, even when they were shaking like this. "Now, now. There's nothing to be scared of. Like I said, Leila is perfectly fine. These things happen, but we have to get up and put them behind us at some point. For now, it's okay to just be here, though." How else would one go about this? Josiah knew that she was either going to be put out of her misery, or something else would happen - something, anything, whatever it was, something was off anyway. Was this were it happened, the unspoken magic that he found himself entagled by? The thing Louis warned him about in all those cryptic words? Josiah couldn't parse his confusion for long, not that he wanted to either way, but it just so happened that he had a visitor soon enough. There was no solace, no moment of respite - there was nothing, there was no way out of here, this was a cage, and the person that owned the cage had its whims. Was this why Louis wanted him to leave so terribly? Lou foisted himself into their pile and grabbed the one closest to Josiah - no. This wasn't going to happen, not here, not now. "No.", he flatly told Louis and grabbed onto his arm, glaring the other man down. "We're not doing this. What do you even want of him?" Jo didn't think this was a good idea - he yanked Lucas from Lou's grasp, put the kid behind him. "You come in here, without a shred of humility and start demanding things. You can't have him, or anyone, for that matter - get out of here. Why do you think this is a good idea in the first place?!" Only for the kids, he kept his tone in check. They didn't like Louis, or whatever they saw in him, and now, right here, he was definitely not welcome. "You're not taking him, and if you think you are, you're going through me first." Which didn't mean anything, but some of the kids probably were more than happy to find more reasons to hate Louis, and right now was a perfect opportunity for that.

Louis wasn't in the mood to fight, or even talk. He was exhausted, he felt guilty and he was worried about what he'd cause next by trying to be nice and trying to accommodate to everyones needs. Maybe Roy had been right, maybe he should just drop the act, as he called it, and demand things more often. What the ringmaster wished, he got. Louis wasn't sure why he had to be the one to do this, but there was no arguing with this man, never. He asked for Lucas life and this was what became of it. Instead of some just missing a little boy, Josiah was badly hurt, Leila was dead and everyone in the circus, except a certain group of course, was traumatized and on edge. He wasn't even sure if they could do a show tomorrow, but they wouldn't be allowed not to either probably. As he grabbed him, he was met with resistance. Not from Lucas, not really, it was Josiah who yanked him out of his hand and grabbed him as well. He stood there all protective and it wasn't like Louis didn't understand, but he also didn't have a choice.

"It's not my idea, the ringmaster wants to see him.", he explained, trying to be calm, but he very well knew that Josiah seldomly saw reason. He could fight him, especially in his state, but a bunch of other children too? He wasn't here to hurt anyone, well not anyone else at least. "Josiah please, for once, don't make everything so difficult.", Louis grumbled impatient. Maybe it was fine to get him in an hour or two, but maybe it wasn't, maybe Lucy was the next to die, or all of the children in here because whatever it was that tried to kill Lucas, whether it was the ringmaster himself or some other force, it didn't shirk from hurting others. There might just start a fire in here and for some reason the doors would be locked, or some other terrible thing. It made him wonder if something similar happened five years ago, but he had no time thinking about it right now. "I'm just following orders, so please, hand him over.", Louis sighed. Maybe a little lie would help, even though it would probably fall back on him later. "He might be able to help Leila."

Louis even showing up here and then demanding something, like he always did because of course he did, was pissing him off. There was nothing they could do, nothing they should be doing - Leila was dead and gone, he shouldn't delude himself; she died, and even if she hadn't yet, she might as well in a few minutes time. Her continued existence was a miracle, yet a cruel one, but there was so much that he found to be wrong about just thinking of it. Indeed, Louis had let him read that book for his own sake, but maybe it had been the wrong choice - Josiah still didn't want to parse it, yet, foul magic was definitely not something that he could deny in this case, even if it was just for a moments notice. This was ... no. "No.", he again told Louis, especially not if the ringmaster wanted to see him, then. Wasn't that man the root of their problems in the first place? Every waking moment they spent clammoring about being within his grasp, it seemed more and more like Louis wanted him to understand that it was wrong - that he shouldn't be here, and that none of this was going to end well if he hadn't left. Perhaps he should've; but that was done and dusted now, was it not?

"I don't see why I'm being difficult right now. You waltz in here, when you damn well know what is going on, and you demand I hand over someone that doesn't want to be with you in the first place." Calling him names wouldn't suffice, no, not even once in that very career of his had it done that, but he was fairly certain that, no matter what it was he did, he'd not get Lou off of his back. He seemed almost desperate, for reasons unknown to Jo. It sickened him, that very display. This wasn't about that, was it now? "I'm not handing him over." There was no reason for Lucas to go anywhere - Josiahs eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Louis' very being, almost as if he wasn't sure if he could trust him in the first place. Something was off; it had been since he'd had that fight with Lou about letting Lucas go, sending him elsewhere, and perhaps, it still was the case now. "What would a little kid be able to do for her in the first place? And why are you bringing that up to begin with?" To him, Leila was already dead the moment she hit the ground - one wouldn't survive that, and if they did, nobody would want them to live through it, for their own sake, lest they were only bound to suffer. "If you're taking him, I'm coming with you, and if I can't, then you're not taking him. Easy as that. And if you don't like that, then you have to go through me."

Josiah wouldn't let up, Louis knew it, but he had no time for this and it was unnecessary to fight in front of everyone like this. "And why is this my fault when I'm being told to do that, huh? Why do you always blame me for doing what I am asked to do, for having to train hard, for moving to another city, for having to perform?!" This wasn't even meant specifically for Josiah. Louis had enough of this, enough of being blamed for every inconvenience, for every ill liked decision he didn't even make, or made with the goal in mind to protect as many of them as he could. He never got a thank you and while people like Josiah and Lucy claimed to have his back, they jumped at him like this at the first chance they got. Louis wasn't here to argue, he was here to take Lucas to the ringmaster, before anything else bad happened. It could only get worse from here on out and if Louis pissed them off even more, well he was the bad guy anyway.

"Lucas, come here!", he demanded of the boy, ignoring Josiah, hoping he'd be able to just decide over his head. "I don't know. The ringmaster has his reasons and I haven't asked.", he replied. Coming with him he said? Fine, Louis could work with that. "Fine, come on then.", he immediately said, jumping on the opportunity and he got out so Josiah could follow with Lucas. Things would already be easier with them out of the trailer and without a dozen children around that were only getting more scared and anxious by the minute. Would he take him to the ringmaster? Probably not, even if it was easy for him to wrangle Lucas out of Josiahs grasp, but he'd bother him and who knew what that would lead to. He had other ideas and he was determined. This was important, way more important than his friendships he tried to break down in the first place.

"Who even said that!? I'm just ... good grief, stop yelling.", he sighed. Someone had to be the bigger person here and if Louis was tired of the role he was almost always forced to play, Josiah wouldn't thrust it onto him. He knew something was off, something was wrong and that everyones nerves had to be running high - Lou wasn't exempt from that, even if he never acted like it included him in the first place. This was too much, especially for the kids, but definitely for the two of them as well. Right now was a good moment to stop it all, and that's why he didn't even try to fight Louis, at least not verbally if he could avoid it. Yelling and anger got them nowhere. Naturally, Lucas wouldn't listen to someone like Louis, not when he'd hurt him before, not when he was actually scary to him for his own reasons and Jo welcomed the fact that he was simply able to decide something like that - he was smart enough not to trust Louis, not to actually do what he was being asked because he knew that there was no way, in any capacity, he was going to do something Lucas liked.

Josiah gave Louis a face - he wasn't sure if he was simply losing it, or if this was something that had to happen along the way, but he knew something about this was stinking, not right, perhaps even fucked up. "Fine?", he repeated, almost confused the front had worked in the first place. Finally, some way, Louis relented and Jo wasn't sure if he'd made the right call - he grabbed Lucas, gently this time, and got out of the trailer with him. Sure, the kid clung to him, more scared than perhaps before, but Jo assured him it would be alright. Hopefully. There was no two ways about it now - to the ringmaster, that was where Louis wanted to go in the first place, so Josiah simply turned around to look at him once they were out. "What's gotten into you anyway?", he sighed, not accusatory, more worried than anything. "I get that this ... traumatic but look, I don't see how Lucas could help with any of that, and I'm sorry, but you're acting erratic, Lou. This isn't like you at all." Jo was deflated at this point, but if he could come with him and see for himself, maybe it was the right call.

Josiah seemed taken aback by Louis relenting, but he came outside anyway. Louis closed the door behind them and was faced by his so called friend. Yes Louis didn't have ti together today, how could he? But he couldn't tell Josiah anything either and he wouldn't try to. No excuses, he was the bad guy, fine. "As I said, I didn't ask what he wants.", he simply responded. There was not way he would let Josiah try and talk to the ringmaster. He'd make it worse for himself and others. Hell, Louis didn't even know how that man would react, maybe both of them would ever leave the trailer again. If he just shoved Josiah aside, he'd try and do something anyway and Louis would have to keep him away for a long time. He could probably lock him in somewhere, but he doubted he would just go into his own trailer now and it was hard to wrangle Josiah and Lucas at the same time. This situation was shit and he didn't want to be in it, but he was and there was only one person he felt he could turn to.

"Come on.", he told Josiah. There was no room for his personal feelings. He didn't want to yell at Josiah, nor did he want to betray him like that, but what choice did he have? Instead of going the direct way to the ringmasters trailers, Louis went towards the big tent. It was kind of on the way, but also not really, either way he went there and every now and then looked over his shoulder to make sure Josiah was still following. That was where he last saw Roy and the others and he couldn't believe he had to ask them for help. Roy did say he was part of them, didn't he? And they were in theory also employed by the ringmaster. They needed him. This was his order, so it was only right for them to help Louis. He approached them and told Josiah to wait for just a moment before they could leave. Roy was really the only one he could ask without having to fear to be laughed at, well maybe it happened anyway. A few meters apart from Josiah and Lucas, Louis simply walked up to him, ignoring the grin on his face. "I need to get Lucas to the ringmaster - orders - and I need Josiah not to interfere. You can help... right?" Louis felt terrible, as if he just threw his friend into a pit of hungry hyenas. They wouldn't hurt him, he was sure. Well, he could have been surer. Louis betrayal was probably funny enough for them and he had no other idea. Urgently he looked at Roy.

Louis was being difficult, still, and Josiah wasn't sure what he hated more - the fact that he was being difficult in the first place or the lack of any answer for any question he could have had at that point. Was he supposed to ask them? No, there was something he couldn't do in a moment like this and that was, without a doubt, something that Louis himself probably banked on - not being asked any more stupid questions while tension was running high. There was, clearly, nothing wrong with that but at the same time, why was there something that he was afraid of in the first place? "No, I get it.", he sighed. That was all he could get out of himself, even while he held onto Lucas for the time being. Why was Lou being this difficult all of a sudden anyway? Josiah didn't enjoy it, that nagging and the underlying sense of urgengy that somehow made no sense to him at all - something was fishy, even now, even when Lou was trying his utmost to be sincere.

"Fine, fine." As he followed Louis, he figured they'd go to the ringmasters trailer immediately, but instead, they went back to the tent for some godforsaken reason. What was that for? His brows furrowed and his interest piqued, he trailer after Louis with Lucas in tow; this was turning out to be somehow, some way, more dangerous than he could think. As they stopped, he was raising an eyebrow at Lou and idling by with Lucas, who now had questions of his own - Jo was the one that had to answer them, without knowing the answer himself. It would be fine, he told the kid. Nothing bad was going to happen, he made sure to interject. His eyes wandered, but all that Louis did was talk to ... Roy? And that lot? What the fuck was wrong with him? Jo could only guess what it meant, he'd maybe have an answer soon enough. "Hm? Oh, help?", Roy snickered. "I can help, alright. Need me to keep him busy, then? I'll do it. You just go do yer thing." Roy brushed past Louis immediately, and up to Josiah and Lucas, before the two of them could even fathom why this guy approached them in the first place - Lucas didn't seem to like Roy at all, not with that look on his face. "What do you want?", Jo scrutinized him. "Yer help, now. I can't ask anyone else either.", Roy told him, and Jo looked at him as if he'd ask the impossible. "There's plenty of people that can he-" "Look, yer the only one I can ask, right? Someone's gotta figure it out for ye, and we oughta do it now." This was stupid. This was ... Josiah balled his hand to a fist - he wanted to punch this fucker. "I am busy." "Nah yer ain't. Yer friend can handle the pipsqueak, aye? I could ask good ol' Conny instead, ya know." Josiah looked at him like he'd said something so grotesque, he deserved to be put on the guillotine. "Fine. What is it?" "I'll show ya, c'mere. Won't take long." "Lucas, I'll be back in a second, okay? ... Louis, can you handle him on your own?", Jo asked his friend - was he even a friend? Who knew.