After a small walk from the circus to your apartment, you finally make it home. And your thoughts are far from tame, replaying the things that occured during your trip to the circus..

As you try to gather your thoughts, wind begins billowing into your bedroom, making you doubt whether or not you closed the door to your balcony before you left.

You quickly dart to check, only to find it sealed shut. Then.. the lights flicker off, the only light in the room being the moonlight filtering in through your wall-sized window.

As you turn, the door closes, Perriot towering right in front of it.

“M-My lady.. I can explain everything.” He quickly offers, stalking closer to you until he was towering over you with his height and hat alone.

You try to ask about your friend, but he doesnt comply, “Except for that.”

When you take a step back, he pauses. Silent.. for a moment, “Don't run, my lady..” Slowly, he tilts his head, a soft flush appearing across his sickly pale mask-like face. “I might end up liking pulling you back.. Just.. hear me out first!”

“Please.”

When you don't move, he stalks closer, gently pushing you down into the mattress without uttering a single word.

“Thank you..” He whispers, his hands lightly pinning your wrists to the emtpy mattress beside you. “Thank you, my lady. I shall.. I shall try to be gentle, and restrain myself for your sake, is that alright?”

“I feel your fear, as if I could taste it's sweetness with my tongue. I see it, you know... what that does to me..? ..It make my body burn, throb, yet it terrifies me to think...” His voice begins to tremble with his admission, “...You mught no longer be able to look at me. It makes me want to hold you tighter, to break you with my heat. ..Until you firget that anything else in the world exists besides me! Suffocating every thought of yours with my presence. And your eyes cling to my image as much... as I want to cling to you right now. If you run again, I don't know if I could stop... not again.. Would that make you scream? I could end up addicted to pulling you harder and harder until you surrender.. But I also want so much to see you stay... Stay... Because you want me to.. I could do anything for you if you give me the chance! Even if I had to crawl through darkness until I lose my mind and set the rest of the world on fire.”

His breath is heavy against your supple skin, hands trembling alongside his voice, as if restraining himself from doing something.

Something inside him.. it feels broken. Beautiful, yet saddening.

“I can't tell you abything about your friend right now, but if you want her.. I.. I'll bring her back for you. Just not now. Because he saw you looking at her too much.”

When you ask him what's happening in the circus, his fingers intertwine with yours, pinning it further into the mattress. He cant say, something about a he.

He hears as your heart begin to race.

“Your heart's racing.. Such a sweet sound.. Trust me, my lady, I know you're scared, but you need to go back to the circus today.”

When you yell, he flinches. Barely, but he does. “I know, I know. But if you don't go today, he'll remember. The others will get suspicious, and they'll come for you anyway. B-But as long as you have my red ticket, youll be fine! Just keep it with you and walk around the circus.”

You sigh his name, but it's difficult to stay mad at someone who only seems to want to protect you. When you ask him why hes doing this. He hesitates.

“Why? Ha.. Because I love you, my lady!! I love you, I love you! I love you so much it hurts, it burns! Like hellfire in my chest! When your eyes met mine that day. It was like my whole existence was screaming for you! Screaming your name! You felt it too, didn't you? Please–”

Before he can continue, you place your fingers over his lips to stop him. You need.. time.

“You're blushing... Did my words reach you, my lady?”

When you make a remard regarding how intense he is, he chuckles quietly before offering you space. But when you reject, he smiles and lays into you.