Till a Century

He runs the scissors at the seam in the wall. He cannot break it down or else he will fall.

Tricks

Percival: Four

Corvo: six months

Corvo is healthy; he's beautiful. Simply stunning. His azure eyes clash against striking, fine crimson tresses, skin as white as ivory. He's strong enough to start sitting up on his own. He's curious enough to grab at fabrics and hair and just about anything that catches his fancy. But he's so – quiet. So unlike Percival when she was his age. While Percival screamed, cried, and laughed; Corvo is meek, silent, and very much observant. Corvo does cry, but it is a rare case. Perhaps, Alice is just being paranoid, but maybe she's not. Maybe it's a phase. Not all babies are the same, and he is much too young for her to determine the issue.

Alice sat cross-legged on the hard concrete ground. Corvo sat upon her lap, his eyes dozing off to White Joker whom sat adjacent from Alice. Percival lazily laid out on her father's lap, arms tucked underneath her head, her legs dangling off the side of his lap. Percival is humming Alice's Parting Song. Faintly, the Outsider smiles when she listens to the chime in her daughter's small voice.

"Watch this, Corvo." The Harlequin, lined in his warden attire, held his hand above his face. Percival also glanced up to watch whatever her father was attempting to do; not entirely paying attention, but she's interested enough to look up. He slid his hand over his face, and the smile that once decorated his handsome features has dissolved into a striking frown. And dare they believe – a different persona. The lap Persival was laying on was not her father's from the circus, but the father that lived in the lower birth of the Prisons.

Persival shot up, quickly to cupping the sides of the Warden's face. "Huh?!" The little girl gasped, her eyes are wide and shaken from her sleepy outlook. "How did you do that, Daddy?! Where did Papa go?" In which, of course, she meant the White Joker. This trick wouldn't faze the norm, considering that both Jokers looked the same – even down to the fine detail. But with Percival and Alice, they could decipher the two clearly.

Percival looked over her father's shoulder, but she found no trace of another being lurking. No signs of life crept within the halls of the Prison. Just the Warden, Corvo, and her mother whom looked mildly amused by the look on Black's face when Percival squished his face on equal sides. "Tch. What would be the point of doing a trick when you know someone else knows it?" He grumbled; the sides of his face sore by Percival pinching the muscles.

"But you can tell me!" Percival was now standing, her tiny stature only reaching his face as she stood on his crossed knees. Her forehead pressed against her father's for the moment, dragging out, "Tell meeee –" The man shot his daughter a cocky grin, arms crossing over his chest.

"Better luck next time, kid." Percival pulled back, a pout made clear. The Warden is given enough room to swipe his hand over his face again, dawning back to the silver-tongued Ringmaster with the wide grin.

Percival's mouth opens, then quickly closes in disbelief, "No fair!" Her hands are still placed firm against his face, tiny thumbs pulling against the grain of his face. White's laugh mixed with a subtle grunt as his daughter squeezed the sides of his face.

Still, Corvo is not fazed by the change of face, laying back lazily against his mother's stomach. Wide eyes of sky blinking up at the man, not entirely interested in whatever he has to offer. "It seems Percival is more intrigued by your fancy parlor tricks than Corvo is," said Alice, humbly grinning.

"Fancy parlor tricks?!" Both Percival and Alice jumped at the sound of the voice that echoed down the halls of the prison. Black Joker finally rounding around the corner, scoffing and mildly offended by the cheap remark from the woman who bore him children. "I'd like to see you try, bloody woman." His shoes clicked dangerously down the halls, coming closer and closer to the small group that lazily sat about.

"Hi, Daddy!" Percival perked up, hanging off the side of White Joker's shoulder. The Ringmaster has to grab the sides of his daughter to sit her back down on his lap. Percival halts, and puts up a struggle with her father by playfully wrapping her arms around his neck; her face buried against the side of his neck. This leaves White to faintly sigh as Percival moved back up to flush the side of her cheek against his face, both of them staring off towards Alice who had to endure with Black's bickering.

Black knelt to Alice's level, frowning with immense annoyance. Alice shrugged, rolling her eyes over the undertones he used with her. He was always dramatic.

"The baby doesn't see you as entertaining either." Black noted.

"I don't have to be. I'm his mother. I just assumed you'd be able to take part in entertaining him." Alice drolly went on, her thin arms cradling Corvo closer.

"Maybe if Daddy smiled more Corvo wouldn't be so afraid to laugh." Percival slyly whispered against the Ringmaster's face. But it was loud enough for Alice to begin snickering, and for Black to snap his head back at his daughter. The little girl innocently grinned, hugging closer to White when she felt all eyes on her, nuzzling her face against the side of his. White's laughter was louder than Alice's, looping his arm securely around his daughter when his counterpart narrowed that single, baleful eye.

"Daddy does frown a lot…"

White

Ever since Percival was born White has always kept a low, openmouthed, rocking wicker basket tucked away within his personal tent that's located near the outskirts of the circus. He'd fill it with blankets, and added enough support within the basket to safely situate Percival in while she slept, or while the man did whatever within his tent; organizing, chattering about upcoming circus events with his subordinates, or dealing his hand in a game of cards with Alice. He just enjoyed having Percival close while she slept in the tiny basket.

Percival has outgrown the basket, but White never got rid of it; he seemed oddly attached to the piece of cheap furniture. And good thing he didn't throw it away. The basket is now occupied by Corvo who looked rather content within the bedding, tucked away and mindlessly suckling on his pacifier.

Percival leaned forward on her knees, arms resting on the rim of the rocking-basket as her head peered over the side to watch her little brother with great curiosity. Red eyes clashed with blue, and Percival hummed happily when Corvo acknowledged her presence; she would smile down, hands unfolding so she could run her fingers carefully down the side of his face. Carelessly, tugging at Corvo's blanket to pull it up higher. "Hello, Corvo," Percival brimmed, "Are you cold?"

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Percival perked up from the voice overhead. She quickly pulled from her brother's basket, stumbling once her eyes caught up with a single, familiar one. "Hm. And you woke your brother?" Percival didn't even hear her father enter the tent, it startled her enough that she almost tumbled into her brother's basket. Even if he was still scolding her he was still amused by his daughter's dabbling, her quick wit to understanding. It seemed too innocent and that's what intrigued him; it reminded him of Alice greatly.

"No, Papa, Corvo was awake when I came over to his basket." The child rocked back, hands nervously bunching at the hem of her nightgown.

"Still doesn't explain why you're skipping on your nap," White knelt to one knee to match her level, brightly smilingly while his daughter fidgeted. "You promised me that if I brought you with me to my tent that you'd fall asleep on the foldable cot for your nap. Love –"Percival quickly wrapped her arms around her father's neck, cutting him off. He'd respond by lightly patting her back.

"I tried. Truly. I just –"

"Hm?" The Ringmaster pulled his daughter back, tilting his head slightly to her fumbling. A smile was faintly painted, and he waited patiently for her to string together a sentence.

"I don't want to sleep alone. So I tried to play with Corvo in his basket while waiting for you," Percival took in a deep sigh, puffing out her cheeks, "Will you lay down with me? Please, Papa?"

This was a running problem. Percival had trouble with sleeping by herself. They've tried many a time to tuck her back into her bed once she's snuck into the Jokers and Alice's bed. But Percival would always return, always stumbling up the covers to cradle next to Alice or to one of the Jokers. And it's come to a point where they'd just let it be, and if she came in then they'd let her stay. It was too tiring to keep going back and forth during a night-cycle. This placed a damper on intimacy. Alice was always afraid that Percival would walk in at the wrong moment. It was actually a miracle they had time to conceive Corvo.

"You really do need to learn to start sleeping by yourself, love." Percival frowned, and White merely hung his head for the moment. "But – I guess I can lay down for a moment." Percival then nodded and quickly trotted off back to the foldable cot on the adjacent end of the tent. She climbed into her bedding, moving to the side to wait for her father to join her side.

White removed his hat and placed the item upon his dealing table that sat within the middle of the tent. Walking over, he picked up the wicker basket that held Corvo and moved it closer to the cot, that if Corvo was to stir he could just simply lean over and console the infant.

Percival hurried her father to lay down, snuggling close to his chest once he actually leaned back. Her fingers dug securely into his uniform and he wrapped an arm around her tiny frame to hold her. His fingers ran idly through her hair, lulling her into a sleep.

He didn't sleep. He simply waited; listening to the shallow intake of breathing.

"I love you, Papa."

"And I love you, too."

Black

"You're looking so pretty, Daddy," Percival squeaked. She made busy bunching up stray crimson strands, bundling them in a tight, pink elastic band. She separated the Warden's hair into two pigtails. It was challenging to maneuver with the way that his hair was cut, but acceptable once she grabbed hold of the two longer strands of his hair near the front, off to the sides of his face.

Black Joker said nothing, he grumbled, but settled. He sat cross-legged with Corvo on his lap, letting his daughter brush his hair out and add snapped, heart-shaped, purple and pink clippies in his hair. "Ow. Careful runt." One hair pulled wrong, tugging at his root. Percival merely smiled and continued on with styling his hair.

"Sorry, Daddy." The Warden felt instant relief from his scalp once his daughter began to twiddle and pull away at the bands in his hair, but was quick to tense up again when she ran the toothy comb against his skull, pulling at the tangles she created.

Percival leaned over, eyeing over her father's shoulder who slouched, giving into movement of lulling, rocking slowly to keep the youngest asleep. "Can you hand me the yellow clip? It's in the box in front of you."

Hotly, Black leaned forward, careful not to wake his son. He plunged his hand into the tacky pink box, rummaging through the mess of twisted ribbons and clips. He's grumbling curses under his breath, mortified that his daughter was manipulative enough to talk him into sitting down and letting her play with his hair. He kept quiet. But in the back of his mind he could feel that his counterpart or Alice could round the corner at any moment to witness him in this – unfit state.

"Here." It felt like pulling some abnormal, abomination from Hell. The man kept his temper, he's kept his cool. His low voice seemed to crack, but he covered his displeasure with a gruff cough, clearing his throat. He'd straighten his posture again, folding his arms in to regain support for his son.

"Thank you!" Percival tried her best to braid the strands, tried to remember how her mother taught her. But Black's hair frayed, coming out of the simple knot. Percival would quickly clip it, holding the braid together as best she could. "It really is coming out nice." Percival hummed, pulling up the rest of his short hair that didn't touch the back of his neck.

"I can only imagine," Black mumbled. There was a hint of sarcasm, but it never reached Percival; she only gushed, leaning against her father's back as she supplied the last bow.

"Done!" Percival rounded around her father, quickly pulling her hand mirror from her box of beauty supplies. The child held the mirror up to her father, and he could only cringe to the reflection on the other end.

"Very…nice?" Just lie. Just lie. Maybe she'll go away.

"Really?" Percival's smile doubled, bouncing with excitement that caused the curls on her head to ruffle. "I like it too!" Impulse sunk in and Percival wrapped her arms around the Warden's neck, nuzzling securely against the dangerous man.

Corvo stirred, a faint whimper flooding the infant's lungs threatened. "Careful –"

"– I love you, Daddy." Percival's voice pinched, a giggle bubbled out, and she refused to unlatch her arms from the man.

Black balanced out with wrapping a single arm around his daughter's torso while trying to console his son's rising frustration. Huffing out, "You, too, kid. You, too."

Though for the moment, the only thing he cared about was removing the excess of clips that tangled his hair.

Bed

"Will you calm down," Black Joker muttered against the elegant curve of Alice's neck. "I put Percival to bed an hour ago and the door's locked. No one is getting in." He nipped eagerly against her delicate skin, and she squirmed against both of the men that held her down to the bed.

"I told you, I've put this off long enough, there is something that I must –"Her speech was limited and taken from her when the White Joker leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. Alice was overwhelmed. She tries to brush their hands away, but that only leaves them to try a little harder. Both of these wicked men found humor in Alice's frustration.

Once the Ringmaster moved his lips away, Alice could only pry out, "Dogs. You both act like dogs." She was furious about the interruption, tasting a sour note upon her tongue. White simply ignored her venomous tone, trailing the tip of his tongue against the bottom of her lip.

"Does this mean you're going to let me bury my bone in you tonight?" The Warden mused, darkly chuckling. He bit the side of her neck a little harder, pushing down her shoulders when she yelped. Alice flailed, purposely nudging her knee against one of the Jokers.

"Careful, Alice." White nuzzled his forehead against hers, lightly pecking her lips. The Ringmaster indulged against the subtle touch of her lips, his spider-like fingers twiddling with the straps of her nightgown, waiting for his counterpart to ease up so he could pull the upper section of her gown down. Black complied, and helped remove the single article. The nightgown slid off the side of the bed, and was quickly forgotten. Alice's bare form was put to ease once both of the Jokers surrounded her frame, lightly being brushed against their sleepwear.

The position changes and Alice's back presses to White's chest, Black settles between her thighs. He grips the sides of her hips, pulling the lower portion of her body closer to his. His long fingers curl against the outer sides of her thighs, having her thighs rest on top of his. Black hovers over her, not entirely liking the frown that plagued her lips. He leans in to connect contact with her lips, deepening the kiss when he knows that she is not going to respond.

White is holding both of her wrist, caging her close to his body. He's pressed securely against the lower dip of her back, tilting his head so he could leave some sort of mark against the porcelain of her neck. He maps out a trail of wet kisses up the curve of her neck, and becomes slightly peeved when she does not react like she usually does. He bites her against the most sensitive area of her neck, she tenses but slowly settles. This action mocks him, and his fingers around her wrist tighten.

"Are you two going to listen to me now?" Alice huffed against Black's lips, and he grunted when he pulled away to only look down at her.

"Depends if it's something worth listening to," Black scoffed.

"I can promise you, it is." Alice's tone died, her voice becoming shaky. Knowing now, that she's obtained both of men's attention.

"Then go ahead and tell us." White edged on, wanting to get on with the night; silently praying that Percival didn't knock on the door, or for Corvo to begin crying.

Alice is hesitant for the moment, her mouth is dry, and she loses that rush of confidence she was feeling five minutes earlier. White's hands loosened on her wrist and she found that she could safely pull her hands back down to her sides. "I – well, I don't actually know if this is good news or not."

"Then how do you feel about this news that you're about to tell us?" White's gentler voice caught her, and the Foreigner swallowed the lump in her throat.

"It can differ. Right now? Well – I'd say that I'm happy about this particular thing."

"Then what is it?" Black rushed her, not entirely fond of this situation and his unbecoming excitement.

She better just say it. No use holding back something.

"I'm pregnant. I know we talked about not having more, but it happened." Alice practically could hear the blood rush through her veins, her heart pounding against her ears, and the rise of heat flooding the sides of her face. She wanted to cry over the silence that followed. Both of the Jokers' expression failed to show emotion, they just sat there in the same posture, looking down at her.

"I see." White finally added.

"More?" Black simply stated, as if he was running the bit of information through his mind.

"It happens." Alice choked, and her lungs flooded with grief. She was rather excited by her own news, even if she just had Corvo six months ago. She didn't want to cry, not in this predicament.

Before Alice has the time to explain herself of how this simply came, she felt warmth. White wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. And Black leaned in to softly kiss the sides of her cheeks and lick away the tears that have already stained her face.

"Will you quit your bitching? Was that all you wanted to tell us?" Black hummed, his voice laced in smothering humor, leaning in again to kiss her lips. This time Alice responded and returned the sentimental gesture.

"She does blow things out of proportion." White chimed, chuckling sweetly. He waited for Alice to tilt her head to him so he could also seize a kiss.

They carried on for the rest of the night.

A/N: Yep. Alice is pregnant again. And for the last time. This was a filler chapter, so I made it a little sweet. If you guys think that's a lot of kids well - I have four other sisters and two older brothers. Yea..