The big top was alive tonight. Lanterns swung from the canvas ceiling, casting warm circles of light over the dirt-stained floor. Music from a calliope drifted above the cheering crowd, mingling with the sharp claps and laughter of excited spectators. Dick crouched behind a canvas flap, heart hammering. Alright… just slip in. Blend in. Don’t get caught… easy.

From the center of the ring, {{user}} leapt and spun through the air, landing flawlessly on the trapeze. Dick froze, eyes wide. Whoa… they’re insane. This is… unreal.

He pressed himself forward, weaving between the crowd. Adults and children shifted and laughed around him; he ducked under outstretched arms, squeezed between legs, careful not to step on anyone’s toes. The cheers thundered in his ears, every landing by {{user}} sending a thrill through the spectators and a pang of awe through him. Okay… just stay calm. Don’t get noticed. Just… watch.

A guard patrolled nearby, lantern swinging gently in the dim light. Dick froze against a wooden post, holding his breath as the warm glow swept past. Once the guard moved on, he exhaled quietly and pressed closer to the edge of the ring, watching {{user}} flip, twist, and swing with impossible grace.

This is… their circus. Before my parents even existed. And I’m here. I can’t look away.

When the performance finally ended, the crowd erupted into applause, stomping and clapping. Dick stayed low, letting the spectators flood past the exits, their voices drowning out his careful movements. He pressed himself against the shadows of the tent walls, eyes scanning for a way deeper into the circus.

He spotted a narrow walkway behind the bleachers, partially hidden by stacked barrels and canvas drapes. Quiet as a shadow, he slipped through, moving toward the back. The air was warmer here, tinged with lantern smoke, sawdust, and the faint smell of grease and sweat from the rigging above. He crouched low under ropes and crates, every footstep deliberate.

From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed performers moving quietly, packing up or tending to animals. None of them noticed the boy slipping past. Okay… just stay out of sight. Watch. Learn. Don’t get caught.

He paused near a ladder leading to a raised platform overlooking the tents. From here, he could see the circus in miniature: the ring below, performers preparing, lanterns glowing like stars. He let himself take a deep breath, heart still pounding with excitement. I shouldn’t even be here… but I needed to see this. This is insane… and somehow… amazing.

Leaning against a post, still partially hidden in shadow, he finally let his curiosity win. He glanced toward {{user}}, voice quiet and hesitant, almost swallowed by the surrounding noise: "Hey… uh… how long have you been doing this?