Chapter Text
You slowly wake up to the sound of bells lightly jiggling. You sit up in bed and take in your surroundings. “You're finally awake. How does your head feel? I heard that Harlequin whacked you pretty hard” Jester said. As your surroundings come into focus you realize you're not at home. You look around frantically not remembering what all happened yesterday. Then it all came rushing back. The pink ticket, being knocked out and kidnapped, Jester, and.. the collar. You feel the collar around your neck and think back to how you could be so stupid to accept a ticket from a stranger. You hadn't even told anyone you were going! If anyone wondered where you were they wouldn't think of the circus because you're not fond of large crowds or going places alone.
Jester watched you absent-mindedly fidgeted with the collar around your neck with a far off look in your eyes. “Are you even listening?” Jester said with his eyes narrowed slightly at you. “W-what?” You said snapping out of it and looking at the jester. “I will not repeat myself again. I had asked how your head was doing because Harlequin hit you pretty hard” Jester said eyes still slightly narrowed. “Oh sorry. My head only slightly aches now and my headache is almost gone, but who's Harlequin?” You ask. “He's the one with green eyes,” Jester answered. You thought back to that dark tent with the five sets of eyes on you and remember the green eyed one agreeing with the yellow eyed one. “oh ok” you replied. You stare at the jester then think “why am I being so honest with someone I barely even know?” You then give the jester a suspicious glare and he chuckles “suspicious of me? What exactly is it you're suspicious about?” Jester says. “Im being weirdly honest with you even though I barely know you. Are you doing something to me?” You say then realize you did it again. You were just going to ask if he was doing something to you but that first part just came out too.
“That's nothing for you to be worried about. If I were you I'd be more worried about training” Jester said walking closer to you. His eyes held a mischievous look in them. You're still sitting in Jester's bed and the leash is still tied to the headboard. “Training? What do you mean?” You ask nervously and suspiciously. You move to the other side of the bed as far away from Jester as the leash would allow. Jester stands by the bed next to where the leash is tied. “A pet needs to be trained in order to be a good pet…” jester says as he unties the leash. You try to back away further but the jester just pulls you closer until you face to face with him “and if you disobey me.. you'll be punished”
He releases most of the leash giving you some slack. He stands up straight again and you move away even though you can't go that far. Any distance is better than nothing after that. You start thinking about how you need an escape plan or at least a chance to sprint out of here but you thought is cut short when the jester speaks again.
“Say. What's your favorite candy?” The jester asked casually. You were a bit surprised by the sudden change of subject and didn't immediately answer. “So?” Said the jester. “Oh uh Mambas I guess?” You reply still confused at why he's interested in your favorite candy. “Hm ill have Bill go fetch some” Jester says. You give the jester another suspicious stare. “Are you trying to bribe me or something?”. Jester chuckles “you can think of it that way but not exactly.”
AN: (Mambas are just a place holder, you can imagine its your actual fav candy but personally Mambas are so good and it works out well for what's going down in the plot)
“Well ill have some things to tend to. I would hope you at least have the common sense not to try running away. Not like you'd be able to get very far before one of us finds you.” he adds that last part more talking to himself. Jester drops the leash allowing it to fall to the floor. “Here's your next lesson.” He says, then walks out on you without clarifying. You stare after him stunned and confused but now is probably your best and only chance to get away without being caught.
You wait about 5 minutes before checking to see if the cost is clear. You poke your head out of Jester's bedroom and look around. You don't see or hear anyone so you cautiously head to the side of the stage checking each room to make sure that no one is there. You reach the storage room to the left of the stage and peek inside. You're a little startled by the sight of others in pink jester outfits and masks. They're just standing there and for a moment you just assume that they are mannequins but you realize that they're too realistic for mannequins. Through the masks you can see that all their eyes are purple. “Strang but they don't seem to be reacting so I should keep moving before it's too late” you whisper to yourself.
You quietly slip past the storage room while keeping an eye on the people motionlessly standing in there. You make your way to the front of the tent and peek outside. You look around and see that there are people wandering around the attractions and tents along with a few more people wearing pink jester outfits. You can also see a jester in a green outfit. “Is that the one Jester called Harlequin?” You silently thought to yourself. “I need to avoid him.” Harlequin started turning your way and you ducked back into the purple tent. “Going through the front is too dangerous. I'll be spotted by someone almost immediately.” You thought, then you realize that you didn't have a mask on and you knew that would make you stick out like a sore thumb.
You head back to the jesters bedroom and grab the mask from the ground. You notice that the tent isn't fully connected to the ground, it's just staked down. If you find a spot that isn't staked down well or that's large enough, you might be able to squeeze under and escape.
You check all of the rear end of the tent besides the storage room with the people standing there and find that in the jesters office room in the corner there's a loose stake. You pull it out from the ground and look under the tent wall. Looks like if you head right that, that way has the fewest people and you only see one of the pink jester. The gap under the tent almost looks big enough to fit but you might need to loosen another stake.
You decide to take the safer option and loosen another stake so as to not get stuck as you crawl under. You tug at the stake by the gap, loosening it some but you can't get it out. “Better than nothing” you mumble to yourself. You grab your mask and check again to see if the cost is clear and it's basically the same as last time you checked. You crawl through the gap as fast as you can because you're probably running out of time. You stand up and put the mask on. You then dust yourself off in hopes to blend in better though your hair and outfit is a bit disheveled. You quickly walk to the edge of the closed off area for the circus trying to look as normal as possible.
You make it to the edge and look around. You notice that the pink jester is staring at you. You don't know whether to wait to go under and escape till they look away or not but you don't want to waste any more of your precious time to escape now. You ducked under the chain and headed towards the city, you're almost free!
(Jester pov)
He was in the black tent with Ticket Taker discussing a situation with one of the people they've kidnapped. The person's bag had been dropped and they couldn't retrieve it in time before the police found it. “It's fine as long as you don't make the same mistake again.” Jester said. “Understood” replied Ticket Taker. “I've got to go. Pierrot has gotten injured again” Jester said, heading for the front of the tent. Jester pauses before he exits. “Also can you fetch me some f/c” he says before he leaves.
AN: (f/c = readers fav candy)
Jester can see through the eyes of those he has hypnotized. Jester heads towards one of Pierrot's smaller red tents where Pierrot is at. Pierrot really is hurt but Jester has also noticed you sneaky around his own tent and probably planning to sneak out.
AN: (I don't know how Jesters hypnosis works so take what I write with a grain of salt)
Jester entered Pierrot's tent and saw him sitting on a box to the side. “So what happened this time? Another fight with Harlequin?” Jester asked. Pierrot shook his head. “I was hanging out flyers..” he said. “And those people started bullying you again. It's not your fault” Jester said, kneeling down in front of Pierrot. Jester cupped Pierrot's face and said “for now let's get you cleaned up.” Pierrot nodded and Jester stood pleased. Jester grabbed a rag and water bottle and dampened the rag. He walked back over to Pierrot and started wiping the blood away.
“So what happened?” Jester asked. Pierrot looked down pouting slightly. “A drunk man was yelling at me then hit me on the head with the bottle of alcohol he was holding.” Jester frowned hearing what happened to Pierrot. He finishes cleaning the blood from Pierrot's head and stands up straight. “There. All cleaned up. Now go see Doctor for a bandage and we'll cancel your performance for tonight but I've got to go now. Someone thinks they can run away.” Jester says looking to the side as if someone's there.
Jester quickly exits leaving Pierrot to go see Doctor. You were heading towards the city but he won't let you get there. He swiftly and stealthily made his way to where you were. He quietly followed behind you for a moment before grabbing your collar. “Going for a walk? He said pulling you to a stop.
(General pov)
You feel the collar around your neck get tugged on making you tumble back some. You had been caught. You were so close to freedom. And now you're terrified. “N-NO! UH I-I I Mean YES! Yes! J-Just a walk! Hehe” you stammered, sweat dropping.
Jester was standing behind you so you couldn't see his expression or if he believed you. “He knows. He knows! That was the worst lie ever!” You thought to yourself panicking. The jester chuckled then leaned in closer to you. You could feel his breath against your ear. “Really? Then why didn't you tell me? We could have gone on a walk together.” Jester said. He knew you were trying to escape but he liked teasing you.
When he said that you turned bright red. The thought of him leading you around with a collar and leash humiliated you. At least you still had the mask on otherwise if Jester saw how red you were you probably would have died on the spot. Jester straightened up back to his full high. “Come on. Because you wanted to go on a walk so bad, why don't I put your leash back on and I can finish my errands.”
“NO!” You screamed in your head. “This is going to be so humiliating!” You begrudgingly followed Jester back to the purple tent though you probably would have bolted if he weren't still holding on to the collar you were forced to wear. You've tried getting it off but it was no use. You and Jester entered the tent and he led you to his bedroom. He found the leash you had left on the ground and hooked it back onto the collar.
For the next hour he practically dragged you everywhere he went. Leading you around like a dog. He also introduced you to the others. Pierrot, the one with yellow eyes, his outfit also resembles that of a jester. It was red and black with a little bit of yellow and he seemed to be the nicest of the five and he also seemed rather fond of you. Harlequin, the one with green eyes and that you saw when you were figuring out how to escape, his outfit also reminded you of a jester though not as much. His outfit was green and he wore a cape. You didn't really like him much, he kinda seems like a pervert. Ticket Taker, apparently the one with the blue and white eyes, you recognize as the person who told you to the pink tent. You didn't trust him after that but he seems pretty professional. And finally Doctor, when you met him he had teal eyes tho when you heard his voice recognized him as the silhouette with red eyes, he was very tall. His outfit was black with red and teal underlays (and very cool!). He kinda creeped you out but he seemed nice enough.
Extra note safe to say that you were bright red and very embarrassed the majority of the time being led around like that. And now you're waiting for Jester to return once again. He said he was getting something from Bill? You don't remember meeting anyone named Bill though they have mentioned him before. Jester also said that we'll be training? Today. “I am not looking forward to this”