North had been nothing but kind to him his whole life. Never treating him badly. To say the Russian didn't treat him different would be somewhat of a lie. Of course he wasn't treated like a normal person, but at least North was never mean to him. It's hard to say you're being treated 'normal' when you're being walked on a fucking leash.
North unlocked the box in Jack's enclosure kept in the corner permanently glued to the floor. Jack cursed that wretched box. It held 'his things' which were used to restrain him or punish him. That blasted box also held his chain leash for his cursed collar. The teen growled quietly hearing the click of the opening box.
Guilty eyes belonging to the man opening the box looked at Jack with sympathy. Along with being care taker, North also designed things. His welding and designing skills were truly masterful, but were sometimes used in the worse possible way. He was the one responsible for the cold teen's collar, leash and other items. Did he need to mention the fact that North could also enchant what he wielded?
North's mother and father were gypsies. He inherited his mother's magic of enchantment and his father's healing abilities. North was basically born into the circus because his mother was already traveling with it. His father passed before he was born. Some accident involving equipment falling if Jack recalled correctly.
"I'm sorry Jack. You know I have to." North said quietly walking to the teen.
Jack said nothing but made a displeased face. No matter how long he's been kept like this, he still loathed it just the same if not more. North clicked the chain leash to the ring in front of the metal collar. To anyone else the click would have been barely noticeable, but to Jack it was as loud as thunder. The sound of what little freedom he had being stolen. It made the trapped feeling worse. North opened the cage door to lead the way not worried nor afraid to turn his back to the teen.
Walking through the opening to his cage Jack looked to his left to finally see who it was placed by his cage. His lips spread out into a wide smile upon seeing who it was, but quickly dropped his gaze down to his feet. He didn't want to draw attention to his happiness. Before he realized it they were already at North's trailer and North was closing the door behind him.
North sat Jack down on a chair and pulled out first aid kit beginning to clean and treat the teen's head wound. Jack kept his face straight trying to not appear giddy, but he couldn't help but have a small smile.
"Pleased by neighbor, yes?" North asked knowing and chuckling when the youth's cheeks gained a light blush.
"I am." The teen admitted sheepishly and North chuckled again. "How?" Jack inquired.
The teen didn't have to expand on it, because everyone knew about how Ringmaster Gordo went out of his way to keep them separated. No one really knew the extent of the situation, but enough to know to not talk about it least an 'accident' happen to them. That is why Jack was either ignored or treated cruelly. If you are being punished or snubbed by the Ringmaster, you are punished and snubbed by everyone working for him, too.
Few people were different towards Jack, and he could count them on one hand. Three fingers to be exact, and only one actually did it all times unabashed by what the consequences could be. The truth of the situation was that the Ringmaster wanted Jack. He wanted him to be his pet; his sexual pleasure. The forever teen had no intention of being either one. As long as the teen refused to be the Ringmaster's lap dog he served as a whipping dog instead.
North was one of course who was kind to him. Second was an aerial dancer and bird trainer named Toothianna. Most people called her Ti, and she was very kind to everyone. Though she had a feistiness about her if you upset her. The clothes she wore were always bight and colorful, and her short hair was almost always dyed bright green and yellow. Her skin was an olive tan, and she always held a bright white smile.
Ti was obsessed with dental hygiene and always reminded people the importance of good health. Most people thought she wore contacts, but her eyes were a natural bright purple. Ti's parents worked in a chemical plant, and it caused her to have defects. All the females working the circus were envious of Ti's beauty and talent. She joined the circus when she was six years old, and now was a young woman of twenty. She was short, even compared to Jack. Her body was slim and dainty, but she had more muscle power than you'd expect. Usually when she saw Jack she was kind and would speak, but if there were too many people she would just simply avoid him.
Third was another creature like himself called Nightlight. He had bright green eyes, crystal white skin, and shining white hair. Literally; the other boy's hair shined white like stars, and his skin sparkled like diamonds. It was easy to figure out how he got the name Nightlight. He glowed like one. Whenever it was dark he glowed like a light in the darkness. Jack quickly became friends with the young boy being so close in age. Jack was two years older than him.
Nightlight was caught and held captive by the Ringmaster when Jack was thirteen, so Nightlight was eleven. The preteen had gotten separated from his family while traveling during a storm. He was searching for his parents when the Ringmaster spotted him. After all these years Nightlight still hasn't given up hope that they will find him one day. His eyes were always searching the sky. The younger teen always tried to explain where he was from to Jack. The place he described really sounded like another world. Jack often wondered if they were from the same place.
It didn't take long to figure out his new acquired friend stopped aging after turning sixteen. Jack felt somewhat guilty about being happy about it, but he couldn't make himself feel any other way. It meant he would have a lifelong friend be it if neither of them died. Gordo was jealous of their relationship.
"Took few conversations. Tis nothing." North answered placing his heavy hand on the teen's shoulder. "But try to not draw attention. It may not last." He warned.
Jack looked up to North and nodded with a bigger smile. "Thanks North." The teen wanted to give the man a hug he was so happy, but he figured it would be best to leave it to his simple meek thanks.
The interactions between the icy teen and the big Russian man were complicated at times. There were moments when North was somewhat fatherly being that he took care of Jack daily. There were the days that the man "trained" him, and the teen hated that. It made him feel like an animal. Then of course Jack would have no one at all to protect him from the wrath of Gordo. It shocked the cold teen the first few times North did nothing to help him, but after it happened repeatedly Jack knew to expect it.
After a bandage was applied to Jack's head he was taken back to his enclosure. To the teen it seemed unnecessary to bandage small wounds like this, because it would heal completely going away in an hour or two. If he had blood to drink it would heal almost instantly.
Jack heard the click of his box being closed and something soft hit his chest. Blinking a few times he looked down and saw that it was his favorite blue hoodie. Jack pulled the worn tan shirt off and pulled the hoodie on reveling in the softness. Frost formed on the shoulders and neck of the hoodie making intricate snowflake designs. North picked up the dirty shirt and left locking his cage door with that terrible clicking sound ringing in the teen's ears. Closing his eyes Jack concentrated on his only goal for now.
'Nightlight? Are you there?' The icy teen called through his thoughts and waited.
Nightlight could speak telepathically if you were close enough to him, though his voice could only speak in hushed whispered tones. Jack was the only one that knew Nightlight could talk at all. Everyone else thought that he was simply mute and couldn't speak unless he made hand gestures or used his form of sign language.
Peacefulness filled Jack's body and he knew then that Nightlight was on the side closer to his part of the cage. That was another reason Jack loved being by glowing teen. Nightlight had a magical calming effect on anyone close by who needed to be calmed. The shinning boy was a living breathing blanket of comfort.
'Yes.' A young male's voice answered softly. 'I am happy to be near you. I can feel your sadness.'
Jack looked down at his feet. He could never hide his loneliness and sadness from Nightlight. The cold teen felt relieved hearing his voice already feeling the warmth of the green eyed boy's magic.
'It feels good to hear your voice. How long has it been since we spoke last?' Jack furrowed his eyebrows in thought.
'Too long. Four months.' Nightlight answered sadly.
Jack blushed thinking about the last time he and the glowing boy were together. Having grown so close their friendship starting developing into more than just friendship. Teenage hormones and curiosity pushed them into experimentation furthering their attraction to each other. Not to say that Jack was only attracted to males or anything. He was just simply open as a person and was more concerned with the soul than the body's plumbing. However, he did admit to himself that you had to have some physical attraction to a partner as well.
'Will you be out tonight?' Jack asked hopeful.
'I don't know. Shh, he's coming.' Nightlight answered softer to not sound snappy.
Jack laid down on his mat facing the open field of flowers with his head on his hands. The teen hoped it would look like he was asleep or daydreaming and that he would be left alone. The last thing he wanted was to be taunted into doing something to be punished. Looking happy was enough to be punished and Jack wanted to stay near his only real friend.
"Are you ready to be in the spot light tonight?" Jack could hear the Ringmaster ask.
'I'm ready to kick you in the nuts you old perv.' Nightlight said telepathically causing the frosted teen to have to stifle his laughter.
The fact that Nightlight could project his telepathic ability to certain people was priceless. Though the glowing teenager had said nothing Jack assumed he answered in sign language or by nodding.
"Good." Gordo walked up to the bars around Nightlight's cage. "If you behave maybe I'll be extra gentle the next time we are alone to talk." His voice was morbidly lustful and made the cold teen's stomach curl.
This time Nightlight said nothing. The only response was his total disgust for the man and the bile rising up in his throat. Jack gritted his teeth together trying to hold back making any responses to the situation. He knew Gordo was being that bold to get a rise out of him.
The Ringmaster smirked feeling smug about himself. He was liked to view himself as the king, and these were his slaves. The workers were his loyal people and if they weren't.. well, he'd do like any king would. He'd punish their treason. He loved it. He loved feeling like he owned their souls.
"What about you, Jack?" The Ringmaster asked walking up to Jack's enclosure.
Jack twitched hearing his name and sat up acting like he just noticed him. The teen stretched his arms above his head before standing and walking to the bars where Gordo stood.
"What now?" Jack asked gazing right into the Ringmaster's wicked dark brown eyes.
Gordo's lips formed an evil smile.
"I asked if you were ready. A new town to see you." He lifted one hand to the sky pointing at the paled moon. "It'll be a full moon in a few days. Aren't you excited?" He asked tauntingly.
Jack narrowed his eyes. "Ecstatic." He answered flatly.
The Ringmaster laughed haughtily knowing that the cold teen hated when he showed himself on full moons. He loved Jack's pain and misery.
"Good." Gordo remarked turning to leave.
Jack's top lip curled into a snarl. 'Sadistic bastard. You deserve to rot in hell when you die.' Jack thought to himself angrily.
Metal creaking brought the cold teen's attention to where Nightlight's cage sat. Morris walked up into the glowing teen's cage with a chain leash. Jack felt himself go lightheaded. The short grumpy man wasn't normally allowed to take the creatures out. What was going on? Alarmed he mentally called for his shining friend.
'Nightlight, what's going on?' Jack questioned. No response came so the teen asked again. 'Nightlight! What's happening?!'
Morris jerked on the leash causing the younger teen to stumble from his cage to the ground. Nightlight's normally gold colored collar was a black color. From under the collar a bright purple blue bruise feathered out on his skin. Jack's jaw slacked surprised.
'What happened to you?' Jack's voice sorrowful.
Finally the glowing teen answered him.
'Last night the Ringmaster and I had a long talk. I'm alright. Please don't worry about me.' Nightlight answered quietly; Jack could hear the younger teen's anguish.