It all started with a feeling of hopelessness.
He was alone before – that didn't bother him. His scales inched, his skin was scratched, but he was alive and he was never completely alone. He had friends. Little ones, long ones, ones that spoke to him in a tongue that only he could understand. He didn't have a name, but they didn't bother him because they called him 'Friend'. That was as close to a name as he'd ever get he figured.
Then they found him, stealing from them. He had to steal to survive. He had no choice. When they saw his skin, his body and how he could talk to the little ones, they locked him in a cage. That was worse than being alone. He told them – Emily and Keats and Wordsworth – that they could leave. He wished they had, but at the same time he was glad they didn't. Oscar stayed too. They stayed in the cage with him and hissed whenever someone disturbed him. They never bit anyone, he asked them not to.
"Why not?" Asked Emily, coiling around his naked arm. He was kept shirtless here. It made him cold. He was curled up at the moment in the corner of his cage. "Let us help you….let us help you escape. You know we want you to be safe and happy Friend"
The young man with golden eyes, sharp like a snake's, looked at the snake on his arm and he trembled as he sighed heavily. "Don't…" He hissed back, speaking to her in their tongue. He could. He didn't know how but he could. He never knew why he was like this. He couldn't remember a mother or father – he couldn't remember anything but being alone until he met his friends.
The bars rattled as the ringmaster brought him food, shoving it inside, snapping it shit CLICK before he could think of escaping. His will was broken for that. He had tried before but it had only ended up in a beating. He remembered the bruises, the man threatening to kill him and all his friends should they even try to come to close. He had to beg them to stay back. They had though, respect for him had kept them there, fear for his life too.
"Friend…you should eat" said Keats. He was at his feet. He looked at the snake and reached out to touch his head. He wasn't hungry. He had no interest in the food. Eyes down he returned to his curled up position.
It must have been a while later, he must have fallen asleep, but someone grabbing his leg and tugging violently made him startle awake.
"Get up! Our customers are coming soon and they want to see the snake-man! Sit up straight! Let them see your scales!" It was one of the meaner clowns. He hated that clown – Rings or something was his name. It was stupid. The broken young man did as he was told though and sat up. His stomach pinched with hunger and he moved towards the food. It was simple and gross looking but he ate it anyway. It was probably all he'd get for the day. He offered some to his friends, but they didn't want any. He couldn't decide if it was because he was hungry or if it just looked too gross to them.
It didn't take long before the 'customers' showed up. He sat there, his shaggy hair brushing against his shoulders as people stared at him and talked about him. He ignored most of it, but everyone once in a while he would hear something.
"…look at those scales…."
"….how ugly, how ugly…."
"…disturbing. How very, very disturbing…."
"…Mama, why does that man look like a snake?"
"That's because he's a circus freak, honey" Chattering laughter as they walked off. He had to clench his fists and close his eyes. He wanted to cry – that was how bad their words hurt. It made him want to cry. Every day he heard words like that, insulting words, bitter words.
He never spoke to the people though. He could, but he wouldn't. He never would. He couldn't, they'd just jump back in fear at the sudden realization that the freak could understand them and speak back to them. It was better to let them think him dumb.
Night came again, making his cold skin colder. He curled in the blankets that he had. His friends curled against him, as if they could keep him warm. He wished that he were anywhere but here. It was terrible here. He saw that one clown he hated coming closer, a bucket of water in his hands.
"The boss says you're not as entertaining as you could be" The bucket was sat on the ground. The young man stayed where he was, shivering. "Talk to your snakes tomorrow. Put on a real show, or else you're going to be hurting you hear me?"
The threat was not an idle one.
The young man nodded his head, his tangled hair bobbing with him.
"I don't think you do." He reached his thick arm in, grabbing the youth by the neck. "You will do better tomorrow!"
"Let our friend go!" Hissed all of the snakes at once. He glanced at the snakes and then looked at the young man.
"I bet you're not so tough without your snakes…Let's see" He let go of the youth and opened the cage before dragging him out and throwing him to the ground. "You'll preform tomorrow you hear me? We can do away with you if we want! You useless little cur!" The young man pulled himself up to glare at the clown. "Ah, feel tough do you? You little brat!" He lifted back his fist only to see that Oscar was attached to it, his fangs in his skin, the poision in his veins.
He grabbed the bucket and hit Oscar and then flung him off, swinging the bucket again and hitting the poor young man while he tried to rush to his friend's aid. He felt the bucket connect with his temple and send him to the ground. The clown who threatened him so hit the ground too, but he was dead – the young man just bleeding.
He panted and rose. He hurried to Oscar who was just dazed but he was fine. He heard others coming. He could crawl in the cage like a scared animal or else he could run off. He had Oscar and the others would follow. He ran, he ran as fast as he could, but he was caught and drug back, kicking and yelling.
He never felt so much pain by the time they threw him back in the cage.
He lay on his side for a day and a half, feeling pain every time he took a breath. Why?
Why was he still breathing? Why was he still alive? If he were a freak why didn't he just die? Stop breathing! Just stop! He wished he had the bravery to make sure he did stop but he didn't. He lay with his friends curled around him for that day and a half lamenting his life, but doing nothing to change it.
It changed a week later, without his help. It must have been destiny that she notice him. He could tell she was a girl even though she looked rather like a boy. His friends told him that she smelt like a girl.
She was eating a piece of chocolate on a stick, looking around and she looked at him, hair covering her one eye. She smiled at him, a friendly smiled and walked over. He moved a little to get a better look at her, she looked friendly.
"Rather nasty bruise ya got there mister" she said eyeing the one on his bare ribs. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around himself to hid it, feeling abashed. "Ah! Sorry. My name is Freckles, what's yours?"
He was silent.
"Do you have a name?"
Another long pause.
"It's okay" she didn't sound upset at all. "You see nice. Here have some candy" She pulled another piece out, much like her's except still in the wrapper. She held it out to him and he looked at it, confused. "C'mon, it won't hurt you. Take it. It tastes good!"
He reached out and took it. As he did he saw the ringmaster.
"You there!" he shouted at the girl. "What did you give him?"
"Just a piece of candy! What's it to ya!" She stuck her tongue out at him. He actually smiled at this childish action. "He looks half starved!"
"That's none of your business" And he shooed the nice girl away. While he did, the young man hid his candy, wanting it for himself. The ringmaster tried to get it from him, but there was no way he was giving it up. The ringmaster left after a few minutes, clearly angry.
It was then that he decided to take out the chocolate and eat it.
It was the best thing he had ever tasted.
Days passed and they seemed, better. Why? He couldn't say but he was happier. He was calmer though his outside persona didn't change much from usual. He was still silent as usual. He didn't see the need to talk, not when everything he said would just be used to fuel the whole freak show thing.
Another week had come and past. It was time for the customers to come again, almost time at least. He sat in his cage playing with the old stick from the chocolate, amused by it. He talked to his snakes in a soft voice, wondering what had happened to that nice little girl. Then he heard a shout and looked up. He saw her and….others. He scooted up to the edge of his horrid cage, grabbing the bars as he watched. A woman with a whip and a boy with daggers taunted and teased the ringmaster. Soon they had him tied up. Soon he was helpless to watch as his cage was opened.
He moved back, shocked and scared. What did these people want? The child was there but there were others. A large man with a tattoo on his face, a man with bright red hair and a skeleton hand. The girl held out her hand.
"It's okay. They're my friends. They want to save you"
"Save?" he whispered to her.
"Yeah, come with us. We'll give you a better life" She stretched his hand closer and looking shocked he took her hand, his own trembling. They helped him out of the cage and wrapped him in a jacket. His snakes followed after them as his bare feet touched the grass and the dirt and the ground instead of the hard metal cage.
Suddenly…he was free.
"Are you alright mister?" Asked the girl. She was walking next to him. He touched his face to see he was crying. "Oh, what's yer name anyway? You didn't tell me"
"I don't have one" he asked in a soft voice.
"Well, we'll give you one! I'm Joker by the way and that's…" he introduced everyone then he pointed at the now free young man. "And you're Snake!"
"Snake?"
"It's simple, you like it?"
He had to pause to think about it. They were walking outside of the old freak show he had called home. He saw the sun outside the tents for once, the trees were in reach and the sky had never been so clear! He smiled, more to himself.
"Yeah. I do"
Inspired by the one chapter of Black Butler / Kuroshitsuji. I forget what chapter and I'm too lazy to check. Snake is my favorite character so I made him a really short crappy backstory. You're welcome! Anyway, I have other things to do. Hope you enjoyed.