A/N: So I was pretty much dying to create a circus AU so here we are. yup. So yeah, enjoy!~
My poor little summary couldn't fit so, here's the full one. Sorry ~
- A young man finds himself spending his evening-until-morning hours of darkness at a circus that is only open at night. Attractions with mystical amazement to be shown, and acts that are certainly not of mortal whims, the man soon finds himself in the presence of a strange member of the circus. His aura is enchanting and he reveals none, prompting the other to be left with wanting more. What will befall the man each night he returns to Cirque de L'obscurité? -
(Also, heavily inspired by The Night Circus.) (Tags I have on AO3: Fortune-Teller Eren, Curious Levi, so as to not throw you off any.)
Without further adieu, here's the fic. Enjoy!
It was a circus that only opens at night, full of wild imagination and extravagant adventure; beholding the eye of countless curious minds with the bewonderment of magic that was performed. The black-and-white striped canvas tents drew the attention of many, ongoers interested and ongoers that would have normally never spared another glance. The circus not only left without warning, but arrived with no prior notice as well. Its name is Cirque de L'obscurité.
A young man found himself standing outside a metal gate, its gothic beauty bewitching him into lingering within a crowd of individuals that had their eyes fixated on a circus that surely wasn't there the day before. He was curious as to what name this mysterious gate belonged to, so he looked up to the lettering engraved into the entrance. Cirque de L'obscurité. What an odd name, he thought.
Before he could dwell on it anymore, he heard several gasps from all around. The gate to this strange circus was opening, creaking as it slowly unlatched, shrilling its way through the pressured silence.
Hearing footsteps walking towards the group of eager onlookers, the man looked up to the center of the gate only to see a rather young woman. She was of short stature and her bodice was covered by a deep red corset, buttons covering the sides with gold chains swingingly low but never reaching past her waist, with a black hoop skirt adorning her legs. She had a small umbrella accompanying her with her journey towards us, as if it were her cane, while her ginger hair bounced with every step she took. She stopped abruptly and beamed a bright smile while she spoke in a singsong voice.
"Ladies and Gentleman! Welcome, to Cirque de L'obscurité.This is a circus like no other, so please, enjoy your time with our magical festivities." She bowed and started walking to her right, seamlessly disappearing.
The man quickly forgot about the girl dressed in odd fashion as he took in his sights around him.
He began to walk on the dirt road that was somehow made overnight and aimlessly wandered through all the aisles and booths. Everything had an aspect of the black-and-white striped embellishment that the circus seemed to rigorously promote, but with an exception of a color representing each amazement held within the small opening for each display.
He stopped at a supposed potion vendor and gazed at each liquid concoction that surely couldn't be some type of antidote or recipe for something important. He peered through a vial of suspicious purple liquid and grimaced. It read Amortentia. He shook his head as he had no idea what it could possibly be or even do.
"How nice of you to stop by! And oh? Do I see you eyeing that Amortentia? Well, for you handsome young man, I could set a deal!" Said an overly ecstatic merchant from the other side of the stand and the man looked up. She had golden goggles strapped on loosely to her wild brunette hair.
"... No, I think I'd rather not. Just browsing… " He flicked his raven hair out of his eyes and clasped his dark trench coat closer to his body once a chilly breeze wafted by.
"If you change your mind, let me know." She winked and went on to talk about deals happening only tonight to a couple to the left of the man.
He nodded in return once he seen her intent eyes flash back to his when he turned back around to follow the dirt path. As he began perambulating throughout the circus, he became engrossed within his own thoughts.
Really, what a strange carnival… or was it circus? There are so many things I've never seen before. Books that look so archaic but seriously way too expensive, potions that would make anyone be skeptical but still people had bought anyways because they were somehow transfixed on getting that very own vial. Not to mention those staffs - who would even buy a staff in this day and age anyways? He shook his head.
Reaching the end of his dazement, he realized that he had wandered off of the dry-soiled road and was now in a clearing of short grass. He looked back and all around him and he could not find the road he was once on. He sighed as he registered that he had in fact gotten himself lost. At least there are still tents around him, he thought bitterly.
"You look lost, need a hand?"
The man choked back a gasp and put a hand to his chest to calm himself down. That voice really came out of nowhere. He turned his head to make eye contact with bright blue decorated with light blonde hair framing a seemingly young boys' petite face. He would guess he is no older than seventeen as he was wearing a similar costume as all the other workers of this circus were.
"Haa, a bit. If you wouldn't mind." He gave the boy a weak smile, not quite reaching his eyes.
"That's quite alright, I know someone who helps all who is lost. Come with me." The boy swiftly turned around and started walking to a new destination.
"Someone? But I just went off track… " He said while following the blonde.
The blonde ignored his side comment and kept trekking on a path to who knows where. After several twists and turns throughout back alleys through a number of tents, he stopped in front of a few short stair-steps that led into a flap adorned with blue that signaled the entrance of a mystical-type tent.
"The Meister helps all who is lost, for nothing in return but your patience. Please, step right up and enjoy your visit into Pronouncement." The blonde beamed and strode off into another tent opposite the one the man was 'supposed' to enter.
He supposes he will just talk to this 'Meister' and ask him how to get back onto the main road.
He took the first step up the small stairs and reluctantly made his way to the top near the flap. He took a deep breath and lifted the light material and made his way into the tent. Inside of the tent was a whole different story than the outside. It was as if it had an endless hallway, like one who entered would not know when they would reach their destination, if they did at all. It was black as night inside, the only light guiding his way coming from small shimmering shards etched onto the fabric to the left and right of him. It was a pretty enclosed atmosphere, but despite that, it emanated a puzzling comfort for the man.
Making his way through the corridor of the tent, he couldn't help but wonder how they made it look so small on the outside, but so large on the inside. Not large as in wide, but large when you considered the length of the marquee. Walking through it was like walking through myriads.
He reached the end sooner than he thought he would, dragging him from his thoughts.
What lay in front of him was a short table, the size of a low coffee table, draped with a dark green fabric that had weird markings printed throughout the piece of the textile. Resting on top of the marked cloth was a deck of cards and two dark colored pillows were sitting on each side of the table. From the extra shards on each side of the enclosed room, it gave off an eerie color of blue, making the man even more nervous than he already was. He felt a presence from behind him.
"Welcome, no need to be so nervous." A firm hand was placed on the man's shoulders and he nearly jumped right out of his socks. What's with these workers and their sneaking-up-on-people habits?!
Before he could turn around to make a single protest, he heard the unknown male let out a few hearty laughs and seen him enter his line of vision once he let go of his shoulder.
He couldn't see the new mans face yet, but he silently took observation of what he could see. The man was wearing a, what he thinks is black, top hat; the edges of the hat curling up ever so slightly to seemingly add a victorian-esque feel to it. Whether he chose it for that purpose or not, it seemed like it suited him well, judging from how well he held his posture. He had broad shoulders, he noted, and it squared off his dark gray, almost black tail suit. It fit the man like it was made for him, and knowing where he worked, it probably was. Underneath lay a black vest with a pocket watch barely hanging from a side-pocket. His pants were also a dark gray and black, but they were lined with small stripes, giving off the circus feel.
Shaking himself out of observing the man, he realized he had been staring and the male seems like he knew as well, as he was now watching him from where he stood at the other side of the table.
"I take it you are… the Meister?" The man asked hesitantly.
"I certainly am. You are the one who is lost, I presume?" He asked with a warm, friendly smile.
"... Yes."
"Really, no need to be frightened." He let out a small laugh. "I am here to help. If it makes you feel any more comfortable, you may stop calling me Meister. I can understand it can be a bit intimidating."
"Oh no, there is no need for that. I just want to find my way back to the main road." He finished with a look that said What can you do? and eyed the doorway.
Meister sat down on the pillow nearest to where he was standing and placed his elbows upon the table, crossing his fingers together and resting his chin on his hands and placed a crooked grin in the man's direction.
"And I will. But please, for now, take a seat. Relax." Meister removed one of his hands from his chin to gesture to the other pillow across the table.
"Ah-uhm… I really shouldn't…" He sat down anyways, making the Meisters' grin even wider.
"Now please, mister, tell me your name." Meister tilted his head and kept the grin on his face.
That smile is really starting to get smothering. Why should I even tell him something so personal? He could be a total weirdo, it is a circus after all. But he looks so… nice. Like he honestly just wants to help me.
Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he turned his direction back to the Meister and answered, albeit reluctantly.
"It's Levi."
"Hello Levi, my name is Eren. Meister is the name I go by when dealing with people who need my guidance. You are welcome to call me either, but please no harsh nicknames." He ended his sentence with a breathy laugh and his eyes squinted from the small amusement he had from his request.
"Alright then, Meister, will you please help me?" the man called Levi asked innocently, his eyes showing an earnest expression.
"Give me your hands." The Meister, Eren, entreated.
"Pardon?" Levi asked astonishly, looking up into the Meister's eyes.
What a mistake that was because if he wasn't flustered before, then he was now. With Eren's attention on him, his eyes were wide and full upon Levi's form. Levi could see almost every speck of green in his eyes, the blue contrast of the room making his orbs almost gleam in the pale light.
"Rest your palms within my hands." He said this soothingly and soft, making Levi gulp silently. The Meister held out his hands for him and he gingerly placed his own within them.
This man, Eren, closed his hands around the enraptured mans and gently started to rub around the knuckles and made circle-like rotations on the palms, then closed his eyes. He lowered his head.
"W-what are you doing, stop that… " Levi tried to take his hands away but the Meister only held on tighter.
"I am a fortune-teller, dear Levi. Calm down." This time the Meister showed no amusement and kept his eyes firmly shut. Levi collapsed his weight slightly and leaned into the table, the same way Eren was doing.
So fortune-teller, huh? Help me find my way… interesting way to put it. Anybody would have come off as shady in this situation and really, he should have just told me from the start - Well this certainly explains the mystical aura he gives off.
"You are indeed lost, my friend. You have suffered many challenges and hindrances in your life. Which has caused you to become bitter, and rather untrustworthy of strangers. But that is to be expected, right?" The Meister opened one eye and cocked a smile. He continued, face contorting back into the serious position it was in before. "Your mother was the brightness of your day and your father was the one to change that. You have let that feeling of revenge empower every goal, but now is the time to stop. It it wearing you thin, Levi. Take a look around you and realize all the things you have now, or else you will have nothing left." He said the last words with loaded with compassion, but Levi was too in shock to care.
"What are you saying?! How do you even know all that?!" Levi ripped his hands away from the Meister and backed away from the table.
"Levi, I told you, I am a fortune-teller. I am not saying this to cause you pain, I am saying this to help you." Eren explained in a calm matter, trying to soothe the man who was started to pull at his hair. He realized it was futile and went over to the man's side, and held a hand out to him.
"Come, let us walk. I will take you back to the main path." He offered a solemn smile to Levi, and he eyed the hand wearily. After a few moments, Levi decided to take the offered hand.
Once the Meister and Levi made their way outside, hand in hand, Levi noted that it had gotten dark. There were lights stationed every few meters that he swore were not there earlier, but he was tired from the day's events and all he felt was glad since he could easily see where they were going. After about five minutes of walking between tents, they reached the main road and there were now people bustling about, coming and going each way.
"I am sorry for scaring you earlier, but all I know and can give is honesty. I do not tell the things I do to relish the pain it gives others - I know the limit." Eren gazed down at Levi, displaying the truth within his eyes, his words emitting a sensitive warmth.
"It's alright, I just wasn't expecting you to say those of all things." He muttered and timidly scratched the back of his neck.
What a weird guy. He was completely dead-on about earlier though, maybe he's a real deal fortune-teller. Strangely enough, I actually wouldn't mind seeing him again…
Suddenly, he was struck with a thought.
"Will you be here tomorrow night?" He inquired, wanting to smack himself in the forehead after asking the sudden, ridiculous question. Of course he would be here, what amazing circus like this can come and go in just one night? The idea is just ludicrous.
"... Perhaps. Perhaps not." The Meister lifted his eyes off of Levi and looked up to the moon that was shining brightly. What did he mean by that?
"What do you mean?" He had to ask out loud to the man because the impassive answer to his question wasn't sitting well within his mind.
"Who knows." Eren slipped his hands into his trouser pockets and looked down at the shorter man and beamed a bright smile at him.
Before Levi had even noticed, they had reached the gothic entrance of the circus. It wasn't enough time for him - he had to know at least what the mystic man meant with his short retorts to his inquiries.
It was a long shot, but he had to say it.
"... Until tomorrow?" He looked back at the man that was now walking away.
"...Until tomorrow, Levi." Said the Meister, tipping his hat ever so slightly. Levi watched him wander off into the shadows, until he was completely enveloped and his outline was no longer able to be seen.