12. Eavesdropping

Summary: Zael and Ariela decide to go to the practice tent and see how the new Knife Thrower is, with adjusting to his new role and all, as well as to call him over for lunch. What they see in there is...interesting to see.

Characters: Knife Thrower Ace/Arganan, Strongman Dagran, Clown Zael, Ticket Keeper Ariela

Ariela looked up as she and Zael approached the practice tent.

"He did know that lunch was supposed to start ten minutes ago, right?" She spoke up, running a hand through her red hair. It was greasy again; she'd have to wash it sometime soon. The sun beat them down, their skin dripping with sweat.

Zael nodded. "Yeah, he did. I told him this morning." The Clown winced. He wasn't wearing his makeup because of all the sweat. "Then again, he was half-asleep, so maybe it didn't quite get to him."

She shrugged. "I guess so."

That was when they heard voices coming from the tent.

"How is it all going? You know...the whole Knife Thrower Ace thing?"

That voice was unmistakably Dagran. Zael blinked, rushing to the tent flap and standing by it, listening. Ariela followed, just as Arganan could be heard speaking this time.

"It's fine, I suppose." Arganan muttered. "I'm still working on hitting the center of the target while blindfolded. But once I get that mastered, I'll move on to actual human targets."

Dagran chuckled at that as Zael and Ariela slowly listened in on the conversation a bit more. The two could see Arganan and Dagran sitting beside each other, the two both smoking cigars (which were probably created by the Gurak brothers, since there was orange smoke coming out of them). "Well, just be careful. I mean, I don't doubt your ability because of age or anything, but, you know. Just in case."

"Right." There was silence between them for a moment, before Dagran spoke again. "Is everyone getting along with you any better yet?"

"Well..." Arganan exhaled more orange smoke before speaking more, "It's...better. Somewhat, that is. I get along decently with you, of course, as well as the Ringmaster. The Gurak brothers still show hostility towards me, though not as much, and Zoran and Ariela I don't mind. Syrenne scares me, though—she has a fiery temper when drunk. Thankfully she takes it out on Lowell."

Dagran chuckled slightly at this. "At least she doesn't take it out on you."

The older man laughed. "True."

Both of them smoked their cigars again, just before Dagran spoke up. "Hey, Ace?"

Arganan closed a fist around his cigar, dispelling the flames and smoke. He winced slightly, pained, but otherwise seemed fine as he looked to Dagran. "Yes?"

There was no response, as Dagran simply tossed his own dead cigar aside before he grabbed the Knife Thrower by the back of his head, leaning forwards to kiss him. The Knife Thrower gasped, but kissed him in return, the two full-out snogging each other, holding onto each other as close as they could.

Zael and Ariela just stared, and they were sure their eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

Arganan pulled back to breathe. "Why the—" He panted, looking up at the Strongman. "What the hell was that for?"

Dagran seemed to merely grin at that.

"Because I love you, Ace."

Arganan frowned. "You...love me?" He seemed worried. "Dagran, we only just met...what? A week ago or something like that? And you're saying something like that?"

Dagran only nodded, looking into his eyes. "Hey, I get it. It's...it's only about a week in that we've had you. But when I first saw you, I just...felt something. That it could work between us. I don't know, maybe it's all just crap or lust or whatever the hell it is. But it's not like it's going to hurt us if we try it out for a little bit, right? The whole relationship thing?"

Arganan paused, a breath escaping him. "I suppose so." He finally managed. "But until we figure out what exactly this thing we have between us really is, we ought to keep it secret. I'm not sure how my niece would react. Or Zael, either."

Dagran nodded. "Yeah..."

Zael and Ariela, meanwhile, silently agreed to each other to simply run away and leave the two alone. They could probably figure out by themselves that lunch was already happening, anyway.