Hey all! This was written after Cal reflector suggested that I write them in an unconventional setting, and this popped into my head. Somehow it ended up being different then what I had originally planned, a little less on the romantic side, but I think it turned out all right in the end. And yes, I know Hughes is dead. Do I care? Nope. Thanks a bunch for beta-ing this, celebistar! I owe you!

---------------------------

Ringmaster

---------------------------

"Alright, now hand me the hat."

"This one?"

"Yeah. Okay, now the nose."

"Hughes, you must really love your daughter to do something like this." Hughes just laughed, and stuck on the cherry-red nose.

"Ta-da! What do you think? Not a bad clown, if I do say so myself!" Havoc just sighed. Hughes' devotion to his family could be scary at times.

He had called up Havoc and Hawkeye a week earlier, inviting them to Elicia's fifth birthday party.

"My little girl's going to turn five next week!" Hughes had gushed into the phone. Hawkeye had to hold it a foot away from her ear. "Of course, you two are invited! Elicia will be so glad to see you guys! Well, gotta go! My little pudding wants to play horsie with me again! Bye!"

"...he didn't even wait for our answer," Hawkeye said, sliding the phone back onto its hook. Havoc grinned ruefully.

"Well, he knows we can't say no to him, much less Elicia. I'm just hoping he doesn't rope us into being 'entertainment' again. The last time we were invited, we ended up being the main act!" Both of them fell silent as images of Elicia's fourth birthday party came flooding in. Havoc had pictures of rabbits and doves and top hats, while Hawkeye saw images of saws and giant wooden boxes.

"And those brats seemed to think it was funny watching my cape catch on fire." Havoc grumbled. Hawkeye tried to stifle a small laugh, but it came out like a forced cough.

"Ahem. Well, why don't we go shopping for her present then?" Havoc shook his head.

----------------------

They arrived at the Hughes residence, where Elicia had opened the door.

"Uncle Jean! Aunt Riza!" she shouted happily.

"Happy Birthday Elicia," the two answered, and she gave each of them a hug.

"I'm so glad you're here! Daddy says he's got a great show planned with you guys. I can't wait to see it!"

Havoc froze at that comment.

"...he said what!"

Just at that moment, Hughes came breezing through the door.

"Ah, Havoc, Hawkeye, you're here. Great, great. Now, hurry up, we have a lot to prepare for," he greeted them, talking fast and avoiding their looks. "Now Elicia, why don' t you go play with your friends? Daddy needs to talk with Uncle Jean and Auntie Hawkeye."

"Okay Daddy!" Elicia smiled and ran off into the backyard. Meanwhile, Hughes turned his attention back to the other two.

"Now, as for you guys..."

And that was how he and Hawkeye had been tricked into being a part of Hughes' circus, and why Havoc was now helping Hughes into his clown suit.

"All right! All ready! Now, don't forget Havoc, here's your outfit. Be ready to go in ten minutes!" Havoc resisted the urge to punch Hughes in the face as he disappeared out of the room. He looked down at what Hughes wanted him to wear. It wasn't too bad. a black top hat and a black tailcoat, along with a white dress shirt and black pants. He was supposed to be the ringmaster of Hughes' "circus". Havoc wondered what Hawkeye was doing. Hughes had asked her as well. Putting on his hat, he opened the door, only to be greeted by a screaming gaggle of kids.

"Gyah! Hughes!" Havoc yelled as he tried to wade through them.

"Kids, into the backyard. The show's about to start!" Gracia's motherly voice rang out into the hall, guiding the children away from Havoc.

"Whew, thanks Gracia," he said as he made his way to the living room.

"You're welcome. But you'd better hurry. They look like they're about to start," she smiled, and nodded toward the yard.

Upon noticing his arrival, Hughes picked up the mic and shouted, "And now, may I present, our Ringmaster, Mr. Jean Havoc!" the children screamed and clapped happily, and Hughes handed the mic over to Havoc, who nervously took it.

"Um, well, I guess first up will be the clown act, staring the one and only, Maes Hughes!" Hughes came back onstage, telling corny jokes and making the children laugh with his antics. Meanwhile, Havoc was checking out the program that Hughes had written out for him. He frowned a bit at the next one, which simply said, "talent act". What did that mean? Hughes better not be planning something else again.

Havoc looked up as Hughes rushed behind the makeshift backstage.

"Alright, hurry up and announce the next act!" he whispered hurriedly.

"W-wait! But who's doing it?"

"Just go!" Hughes pushed him out without answering.

The kids burst into applause the second Havoc stepped back on stage, and he cleared his throat nervously.

"Ahem, well, next up we have a wonderful talent show for you all, featuring..." he trailed off, looking toward the curtains, where a certain figure was coming out. "R-RIZA!" Havoc shouted into his mic. Hawkeye stepped out onstage with her pistol, and Havoc noticed that several targets had been set up around the stage. Hawkeye obviously had talked to Hughes, for she started off a round of target shooting, and showed off her sharp-shooting skills by shooting various tiny objects. The kids were thrilled at the show, and clapped and shouted.

"And now, for our final act, Miss Riza Hawkeye will now shoot this apple off of Mr. Jean Havoc's head, blindfolded!" Hughes came bounding back onstage, holding an apple and a blindfold. Havoc's jaw dropped. How come he hadn't been informed of this!

"Now now, be a good sport," Hughes said cheerfully and moved Havoc to the side of the stage, carefully placing an apple on his head, "now don't move." Hughes said and moved on to blindfold Hawkeye, who had her gun at the ready. Havoc gulped. As well as he knew Hawkeye's abilities, having a gun pointed at him wasn't exactly a comforting experience.

"Alright! Now, on the count of three! One, two, three!"

-----------------

"Ugh, what a day," Havoc groaned as he opened the door to the apartment.

"Elicia was happy though," Hawkeye commented. Black Hayate ran to greet his owner, his tail wagging happily.

"That's true," Havoc said, "I guess it was worth it." He followed Hawkeye into the bedroom and let himself fall into the soft mattress.

"Change your clothes first," Hawkeye chided softly, but Havoc didn't stir.

"Nhg, too tired," he mumbled. Reaching out an arm, he pulled her down to the bed with him. "Mm, much better," he said,wrapping his body around Hawkeye.

"You were great today," she said softly, gently stroking his hair.

"You think so?"

"Mm."

"Well, you have to admit that I was pretty good onstage."

Hawkeye chuckled softly, "Yes, you were." Closing her eyes, she leaned into his embrace. Havoc shifted a bit and drew the covers over them.

"Good night, 'eye."

"Good night...ringmaster."