Archive of Our Own ^beta

She didn't trust him.

Scanlan did, but she didn't really trust him either. Oh, she knew he meant the best for them, but she didn't trust him to always know what that was. Hells, she didn't trust her brother, whom she loved more than life, not to do something stupid if he thought she was in trouble.

Actually, she basically didn't trust anyone, not completely.

But this guy, this Percy, she really didn't trust him.

First reason, they met him outside a county lock-up where they were bailing out Grog and Vax. OK, she could trust Grog to do something stupid at least once on any given day, and she wasn't the only reason her brother did stupid things. And OK, maybe this made her a bit of a hypocrite, but he'd been in jail and they didn't know why.

And there was the money. She didn't work the books for Shorthalt's Shining Show, but she had for others. She knew how much the crew made, she patched every plot and haggled every transaction herself, and she could read a tent like it was written in neon, so she knew how much they put out and how much they took in and sometimes the wrong number was bigger. When that happened Scanlan laughed louder, gestured bigger and was generally more flamboyant and grandiose, but anyone who cared enough to look could see he was worried.

But even haggled feed prices had been insane the last three towns, and the hospital bills for the tests Pike had insisted on after Cordell's unfortunate encounter with a hostile townie had been both insane and unhagglable. Summer storms had cut their attendence to practically nil, but Scanlan remained unstressed.

She'd tried to talk to him. She'd even suggested she could work the books if he wanted. After clearing up the misunderstanding (she actually did mean 'work', not 'cook'), he gave her that smarmy Scanlan smirk, and said that everything was fine, that the show had found an angel.

Not that she felt any better about that. The twins had been in other shows that had acquired an angel's funding. They'd all ended in the shows closing following arrests for smuggling, aiding and abetting fugitives, and/or money laundering. One quite memorable closing had included a body under the big top.

The whole thing started when the new guy showed up, almost to the day, so she didn't feel that assuming the two were connected was a total stretch. This 'Percy Smith' took too long to answer when called, which wasn't exactly unusual in a First of May; many, herself and her brother included, took traveling names when starting on the road. The fact he knew practically nothing about circus life was also not abnormal for a new guy, but he had no act and apparently no interest in making one. He'd fill in if someone needed a hand, but only if he could wear a mask or greasepaint or anything that hid his face. Who joined a circus and didn't and didn't crave the center ring? Everyone who joined a circus needed something, and if it wasn't an audience's approval, then it was something that lead to those unexpected closings.

Keyleth liked him. Of course she did. If you didn't kick puppies or abuse children or the elderly you were OK in Keyleth's book. Grog got along with him fairly well, as long as the big man didn't think Percy was talking down to him. After a rocky start Vax was warming up to him but, as had been previously established, her brother was an idiot.

The fact that Pike was friendly towards him wasn't very strange, as she was a friendly sort, but that she, like the rest of them, considered him part of the show's inner circle was. Pike was usually an excellent judge of character. They had never disagreed so fundamentally before.

Even more troubling than Pike was Trinket. Her bear absolutely doted on the man. Whenever she lost track of her here-to-fore constant companion, all she had to do was find a certain white haired, bespectacled bane of her existence, and there would be her own giant furry turncoat. He'd even taken to bringing Percy his grooming brush on days when she slept later than he was happy with.

A knock sounded on her door. Her mind still wrapped around the betrayal of her staunchest defender, she absently gave entry permission to... of course, who else?

“Percival.” He'd never said that was his full first name, but he'd never corrected her either.

“Vex'ahlia.” Her name, on the other hand, was blazoned on banners throughout the circus. “I'm told you're the person to see if I need to purchase something.”

“Anything legal, darling. Scanlan's a better bet for items of a more illicit nature.”

His cheeks took on a pinkish hue. “I'd never ask... No, this is a legitimate request.

“We're running low on replacement cable for rigging the tops and aerial gear.” He took a piece of paper from his vest pocket and gave it to her. Her eyes stayed focused on his long-fingered, graceful hands as he continued speaking. “This is a little more expensive than what we've been using, but it's better quality and should last at least twice as long.”

“Should? As one of the aerialists who'll be depending on that rigging, the word makes me nervous.”

“Please, don't let it.” The sincerity in his voice drew her gaze to his face. His eyes were more gray than blue that afternoon. She hadn't yet been able to figure out what conditions changed their color. “I'd never risk you. Never.”

“Good to know.” She was still looking into his eyes, so she noticed when they dropped to... her mouth? Yes, her mouth. They weren't focused low enough to be checking out the usual suspects.

Testing, she touched just the tip of her tongue to her upper lip. His returning flush was gratifying and the hitch in his breathing started a warmth simmering low in her belly. The feeling surprised her, triggering a blush of her own.

Oh, no, this would not do. She hadn't blushed unintentionally since she and her brother left their father's home. She was not going to start again now, not over some untrustworthy First of May, no matter what happened when he looked at her.

Before she could do more than raise her chin he continued speaking. “We have enough cable to last the rest of the season; it's almost over anyway, so you can just have it sent down to winter quarters, if that will suit.”

Without waiting for her response, he turned and strode to the door.

Vex took a deep breath, then another, to calm her heartbeat and probably her blood pressure. She imagined the bright, sharp taste of lemons to moisten her dry mouth. She recalled her brother's annoying crush on their star equestrian to block thoughts of nimble fingers, a mobile mouth, and eyes that seemed to reach deep into her and see things that she didn't want seen.

How could she trust anyone who could do that to her?