Cirque du Tromperie -- Bunny & Tokkii

Within seconds, the atmosphere was tense. Elias watched Ambrose carefully, his grin wiped away in less than a second. This was what he was there for. He noticed the silver-haired male's body change, taking on a more cautious stance. Because of it, the investigator furrowed his brow and glanced around the trailer before locking his gaze back on the other.

"Yeah, okay..." Elias spoke softly before Ambrose went into his explanation. He had had a feeling that the tips being sent in weren't totally bogus, and based on what the man in front of him was saying, most of the people at the circus might feel the same way. Even though he was there to investigate, the way that Ambrose was speaking made chills roll down his spine. Slowly nodding, the blonde male lifted a hand to rub at his neck, keeping his gaze on the other.

When Ambrose stepped closer, Elias slowly took a few steps forward as well, taking note of the serious concern on the short male. His final statement more or less stuck the most to his mind. Slight confusion washed over his face before he pressed his fist against his mouth.

"So... I understand what you're saying, but what strange things are you talking about? Since we're going to be partners, I should know what look out for." Elias asked genuinely, though his detective side started to kick into gear. His eyes searched Ambrose as he tapped his fist against his lips. "Jonas... is he one of the people you were worried about?"
 
When the taller also moved forward his breath got caught in his throat. Well, he told his new partner that he was suspicious of this place - now what? He barely had any evidence. This was only based off of what he saw that one night. He only sent in a few tips and it wasn't easy to go snooping around.

"How would you know I'm worried about someone?" he asked curiously. Was he that obvious? "Well, I'm not sure what happened to him. We only recently started that traveling crew. Jonas also isn't the type to just quit..." he pondered as he paused in thought. "I just don't trust that new traveling business - I'm worried about my partner. She'll be joining them."

Ambrose arched his brow a bit at Elias. It's odd that he was already so willing to listen to him. He still didn't know who or what this man was before his interest in joining.

"Have you heard about us from the outside? I still don't really know what it is you do?" Ambrose noted. Elias was a bit too...determined in stance. "I need to know if I can trust you."
 
At the cautious look that Ambrose was giving him, Elias blinked and took a step back, feeling uncomfortable under the look. It was to be expected, however, since he did just ask a question like a detective. Cursing himself internally at the slip, the investigator instead copied his new partner's look, crossing his arms over her chest.

"You need to know if you can trust me? I pretty much just walked into the lion's den by what you're telling me, so I think it should be the other way around." Elias spun the topic onto the silver-haired man in front of him, a small knowing look crossing his features. "I mean, I know you're telling me to watch out for all of this suspicious stuff, but at this point, it's difficult for me to figure out who to trust in this place. I got the chills the second I came here, too."

Although he was being Devil's Advocate, Elias found it could be a way to be sure of Ambrose's stance in the circus nightmare. Though his small bit of investigating told him the other male was okay to trust, it was better to be safe than sorry. Elias had had enough of manipulation in the past, so it was just an extra security for him.

"I'll tell you about me when I know I can trust you. Otherwise, things would look bad for me." Elias let on a bit of his identity. Just enough to get the air of mystery going and to hopefully get Ambrose to open up more about the situation. By the way the other was behaving just a few minutes ago, the investigator had a feeling things were a lot deeper and darker than the surface let on. Especially since Ambrose did say he only saw a few things, nothing major. So, what that told Elias was that he was dealing with a layered investigation. A dangerous one. Then, deciding to brighten the tone a bit, Elias commented a bit further with a practiced grin:

"Ah, and I was recently brought to Arizona for job purposes. Most of the people here know about the circus, so of course I got wind of it eventually. Didn't take long at all."
 
Ambrose only scoffed a bit at the other's comment. He's avoiding the question. He moved away from the other and folded his arms. "Hm, whatever you say.." he mumbled to himself. Elias was making it hard for Ambrose to believe him. Despite his uneasiness he still decided to join this circus.

"Fine. We'll help each other out." Ambrose stated, heading for the door. The taller may not tell him who he is now, but something in his gut told him that he could trust Elias - he just wouldn't tell him that. He would amuse the other until he felt comfortable enough to tell him who he was.

Ambrose paused momentarily to look at the other and gave a grin out of amusement. "Well, I won't hold it against you if you don't want to reveal your identity. We'll be partner though since I've told this much so far. So partner , I'll see you in the morning for your first drills. Hopefully you are as good as you use to be.~" he left at that note before exiting the other's trailer to retreat to his own.
 
For the time being, the confrontation was put to the side. Elias kept his watchful gaze on Ambrose nonetheless and watched the other head toward the door. At being told that they'd help each other out, the investigator shifted his weight on his feet and lifted an eyebrow. Was he trying to do something? Make him lower his guard?

"Alright. We'll help each other." Elias repeated what Ambrose said and dropped his arms from across his chest. He wouldn't be lying if he said he was feeling more relaxed. It wasn't as if he enjoyed the part of his job that included lying to everyone... sometimes it was just mandatory. Then, he saw the grin on Ambrose's face and felt a smirk pull at his mouth at the challenge. Of course though, before he could make a retort, the smaller man had left the trailer, leaving Elias alone in the now-quiet space.

"I'll be a hundred times better than I used to be. Just watch, partner." Elias muttered under his breath as he took his small bag from his back. It was a few pairs of clothes for him to cycle through, and he was sure he would be given performance clothing for actual shows. So, after putting his things away and changing into comfortable clothes, the blonde man pulled himself into bed, sure of the long day he had in the morning. It had been a while, but he wasn't afraid to admit that he was excited. Bring it on.
 
Ambrose mentally cursed himself at how little information he knew. Maybe if he had more on his belt then would Elias had been more willing? Perhaps not. They barely knew each other. The other looked too sharp if he was considering lowering his guard. Well, they somewhat agreed to work together - that's what important right now.

He retreated to his own trailer, but on his way he noticed the new tour bus about to take off. He really hoped that Emily and the rest of the crew were going to be alright. The police may not be willing to help out, but he was determined to do this all on his own at least.

--

Mornings weren't exactly Ambrose thing, but it came with working in the real world. Plus, today he had a new partner. Time for a new routine unfortunately. Elias was very much taller and had a better physique than Ambrose. He wouldn't be the one lifting anyone anymore. It was going to be a bit awkward changing roles, and as of right now the taller annoyed him just a bit, but they were partners now sohe would make sure that nothing happens to the other.

Groggily, Ambrose gave himself the energy to get ready. He wanted to at least get the other's uniform ready for him and show him around just a bit. If Elias looked the slightest bit out of tune then that would just but the ringleader in a sour mood. He already knew the other expected Ambrose to have Elias prepared and ready.

With clothes set to go and hair up, Ambrose made his way out to fetch the other some training attire. He figured the other was some form of large in size? If anything, Elias could have done this himself. He suppose this was his nice side.

Back at the other's trailer, he knocked at the man's door at a decent volume. "Are you awake yet? Gotta start your first day early." the silver haired announced, helping himself to sit on the man's stairs to wait for him.
 
Being an investigator, there was one thing that became habit for Elias. Waking up at five in the morning on a daily. Elias had gotten into this habit in order to do research on cases before having to start his day. However, for this particular morning, he had woken up early because of a bit of excitement as well. Spending at least an hour on stretches while drinking plenty of water, he felt his body finally start to move like it used to. He wouldn't be lying if he said it felt great.

As he waited for Ambrose, his mind went back to their conversation the night before. It was still strange how the smaller man had agreed to work with him so easily when it came to being partners. He had obviously said some things that made him a bit sketchy to the other, he was sure of it. But, as he was thinking those thoughts, a few hefty knocks met his trailer door, pulling his attention. A small grin pulled his mouth at hearing Ambrose's comment, and with one last stretch of his left bicep, he walked over to the door.

Upon opening it, he looked down to see Ambrose sitting on the stairs, his hair tied back with what looked like a bundle of clothes in his hands. Lifting an eyebrow at the other, Elias stepped back so that he could walk in as well. "Ah, are those for me? How kind of you." the investigator spoke a bit teasingly as he smiled. With it being a long day ahead, he figured starting it off with a bit of playfulness couldn't hurt. Especially with what was said the night before.
 
At the teasing sound of Elias voice, Ambrose turned to see the other's smug look which only rewarded the other a look of annoyance. "Don't get use it," he stood to his feet and handed the other's clothes in a lazy manner. He helped himself to enter the other's trailer. "I guess you're a morning person.." he added.

"I have to show you around a bit so I don't have to take you everywhere. It'll just be a short tour." he informed the other and helped himself to sit on the other's bed as he waited for Elias. The silver haired studied the other's physique and it didn't seem like he was lying about doing work like this. The ringleader couldn't look through clothes, but he probably took note of the other's body. Maybe the more intimidating Elias looked, he wouldn't be subjected to any physical abuse. Ah, it's not like Ambrose really cared that much...

However, Elias physique and height was something he could take advantage of. When it came down to looking for more evidence or whatnot.
 
"More or less." Elias spoke with a shrug as he took the clothes from what seemed to be a slightly irritated Ambrose. A laugh left the investigator's mouth as he watched the silver-haired male sit on his bed. Then, when told about his little tour he'd be going on, Elias raised both eyebrows and nodded his head.

"Sounds good to me. Then afterward, I'm guessing it's my little trial for the leader or something?" as he spoke, Elias pulled his night shirt free from his body and reached for the new shirt he was given. It was a stretchy thin material, which was no surprise to the investigator. Thankfully, the other had picked the right size. It hugged his chest but was loose against his stomach and waist. Great for movement. ELias tested the movability by rolling his arms, not feeling any resistance.

"I hope you aren't shy. I promise I have boxers on." Elias warned with a hearty laugh before slipping his sweat pants off, revealing his checkered green and black boxers. Standing there with his calves revealed for a moment, their muscles were on the pronounced side, still there from years of cardio and dance. Then, they were covered once more by the stretchy tight-like pants. Kicking each foot in front of him, he grinned at Ambrose in acceptance.

"Nice, nice. You've got an eye for sizes. Should we go now?" the investigator asked as he ran a hand through his butterscotch colored hair, moving to head toward the trailer door.
 
Ambrose sighed, even though he chose to ignore the other's remark as he turned his head slightly - allowing the other to change. The shorter was never shy about his sexuality, however; he would pretend to not be interested. He came to realize that he wasn't one for short-term relationships as, admittedly, due to his 'affectionate' side to cling. In his field of work and childhood years, it was difficult to trust. In this sense, they were partners helping each other out - that was it.

"Mm, you can consider this your tryout." he answered. Ambrose was actually curious himself as to what the other could do. He deemed pretty confident in himself, hopefully he would do his best to prove himself.

He stood to his feet and followed to head towards the door. Elias was right that it fit him just right and he only gave a small smile in response. "Just follow me then."
 
Elias gave a smile at the challenge. Though he was a rather confident person, he only acted in such a way because of all the practice he had gone through. The investigator made sure, though, to never be the cocky type. Being someone who really disliked others who behaved in such a way, Elias was always headstrong about being a personable and friendly person, no matter what the situation; competition, debates, etc. Skill and practice was what made a person great, not their bragging.

"After you." Elias stood the the side and gestured to the door, waiting for Ambrose to walk out before following suit. Being sure to lock the trailer door, he then exhaled and felt the sun start to hit against his back. With in inward groan, the man knew that in a matter of minutes he would be sweating. He was okay with that, as he would be sweating soon anyway, but he had always hated wearing sweaty clothes throughout the idea. Anything for the job, I guess.

"So, where are we headed to first? I've never really seen the behind-the-scenes of a circus before. I'm pretty excited." Elias grinned as he turned his sky blue gaze over the other tents. Workers and performers of the like milled around, gathering supplies and costumes for the long day ahead. "Seems like everyone's always on the grind around here. I had no idea that people worked this hard outside of performing here." the investigator spoke his thoughts out loud before quickly looking to Ambrose and holding his hands up, realizing what he had said. "No offense, I didn't mean you guys don't work hard or anything! It's just... different to see after just being an audience member." Elias corrected himself before giving a small laugh, rubbing at his face with his hands. While he was a nice guy, he really did say things sometimes without thinking. It was a habit that he had been working hard to break, but of course, he wasn't tight-lipped. Most of the things on his mind, he would say.
 
Ambrose had intended to avoid the heat, but the tour shouldn't be that long. He only looked up at the clear morning sky and this was something he often missed out on. Not a morning person what so ever, but he supposed that the morning sky did look very blue and lively.

Ambrose only arched a brow and laughed a bit. "You're an odd one. I'm only going to show you our rest area - our 'cafeteria' is also around there too." he answered. He listened carefully to the other speak and only shook his head. Elias was like a child coming to the circus for the first time. "Well now you're behind the scenes. I don't understand your excitement - it's only the circus." he said.

Perhaps it made sense that the other would be excited. It's almost every kid's dream to work at the circus. It almost made Ambrose feel guilty that he joined on a whim. He never made any plans for a dream job. He got good at this only by chance.
 
Elias laughed a bit at Ambrose's comments. Maybe he was being a bit too excitable about the whole circus thing, but in his mind, it worked to keep his mind off of the real reason he was even working there. He figured it wouldn't take too long for him to witness one of the things that Ambrose had told him about, but in that moment, he took in the summer air and for once tried not to focus on the dark things around them.

"I've never been to a circus before. My mother was more into distinguished arts like ballet and pretty much anything elegant." Elias explained, remembering back to his teen years. He had remembered sitting in his small home and seeing an ad for a nationally known circus. Being in Chicago at the time, it was all the rage among everyone Elias knew and when he had brought it up to his mother, she had declined. Something about it being 'dirty' and 'unprofessional'.

Pulling back from his memory, Elias smiled to himself before looking to Ambrose. He was sure that it would take them a while before they got to their first area of their tour, so the investigator allowed himself to ask a small leading question. "So, what about you? What brought you to the circus life?"
 
It became a little bit more clear as to why he had such an interest. Elias was still an odd one to him. "Why didn't you join in the first place?" he asked curiously. The circus was colorful enough to peak the interest of kids and even their parents, but maybe Ambrose never really paid attention. Lately, he's been so on edge that one could easily just see surpassed a child's laughter and joy. If Elias only knew this particular circus had no interest in the culture.

Ambrose snapped out of his thoughts when Elias asked him a question. "Mm well..." he started, looking up the sky with arms folded. "When my mom passed I had no reason to stay in France. I didn't want to go back to Italy so I decided to save money to come to America. I ran into this place on a whim - the ringleader offered me a place to stay and to work here." he explained briefly. Ambrose wasn't so sure why he told the other his backstory since only the ringleader knew of his past. Apparently he trusted the other a bit more than what he thought. "I guess through all my training, I made myself interested in this place and my job." the shorter shrugged and gave the taller a small grin.

"Anyway - this open area is our rest area. We typically call it the 'hangout'. The cafeteria is under that big tent. They offer breakfast and lunch. We're free to leave for dinner unless for special occasions. Most of these little tents are practice areas for the other performers or the animals are in there relaxing or training." Ambrose introduced the large open area. A few people were chatting and eating while a few were moving objects arounds.

"So, no questions before your little try outs?" he asked.
 
At Ambrose's story, Elias watched the said male carefully, his blue gaze understanding and thoughtful. He supposed that, of course, everyone was different, had different paths, but the investigator always found it interesting to learn about other people. Like they were stories that just weren't on paper. Perhaps it was a strange way to look at it, but the blonde had always been personable in that understanding.

"I didn't join because when I was 18, I followed a different path that I felt life wanted to take me on. That, and I wanted to take a break from all of the forceful practice and auditions my mother used to make me do. I found passion elsewhere, I guess." Elias explained as he finally pondered over Ambrose's question. It was a just a snippet of the reality that the man had to face. There was no doubt that the current mission posed a few obstacles. Thankfully though, as Elias caught a glance of the shorter man's grin, he knew that working alongside Ambrose wouldn't be one of them.

Placing his hands on his hips, the investigator glanced around the 'hangout', which in itself sounded sketchier than it probably was. His gaze followed Ambrose's words, his eyes falling on each tent that was pointed out to him. There were a lot more than he had originally suspected and he was sure that that wasn't a good thing. It meant that if anybody went missing, it was highly unlikely that the rest of the crew would notice; unless it was a well-known performer. A layout began to form in Elias' brain when his partner asked about any questions.

"Well, maybe, but nothing that I can think of right now. I'm sure I'll think of something later on though." the investigator spoke with a light laugh, crossing his arms before turning to look at Ambrose. "So, how do these 'little try outs' go? Anything I should know before I make a fool out of myself?" he added as he grinned, showing a bit of his teeth in the process. A genuine smile to cover his slight nerves.
 
Ambrose listened and it seemed to all make sense now. Elias did have a background in dance - not that he didn't believe, but he wanted that extra proof. Still, he had his speculations.

Thankfully there were no other questions and he went to approach the other to stand in front of him as he gazed up. "Upper body strength and maybe flexibility. You're going to be my new partner. If you can lift me and lift yourself up onto the ribbons you'll pass." he stated and lightly patted the others arm as he walked past the other.

"You'll be fine, you have a lot of confidence in you." Ambrose somewhat gave Elias words of encouragement. He still had no opinions on the taller being his partner, but he was still doing his own personal investigation on the other. However, he still felt obligated to keep the other safe from the weird things that's been going on.
 
Elias stopped in his tracks as Ambrose was suddenly in front of him, gazing up at him as he spoke. Giving a small nod, he had had a feeling that he would be tested on those things, but it always helped to be sure. From the sound of it, the tests sounded like a typical dance audition, plus silks. At feeling the pat on his arm, Elias blinked and watched the other continue walking past him, offering some mild encouragement. Despite the situation, the investigator felt a bit more relaxed in that moment, surprisingly.

"I have the confidence, but there's no saying how far confidence is gonna take me. I'm just hoping I have the right skill set for aerials." Elias chimed in as he jogged up to Ambrose, walking beside him once more. For a second, it was like his plan on investigating the circus was pushed to the side, and he had to force himself to stay in that mindset. However, there didn't seem to be anything happening so far, at least in his perspective, so he decided to just move with the flow. "I'll have to trouble you with helping me a bit in the beginning, so I hope you don't mind. After all, aerial silks are pretty much alien to me, physically."

As Elias spoke, he turned his gaze to see a few workers working desperately. Such a peculiar thing to encounter, especially since the circus didn't really open until a few hours. The investigator narrowed his eyes slightly as he took in one worker in particular; he had his sleeves rolled up, and angry red welts seemed to be scattered around his bicep. Elias knew that it couldn't be a mishap... he knew that perhaps there was a meaning to the welts on the man's arm. Though he saw, the blonde turned to Ambrose to see if he had caught the image as well before following inside the tent. Unlike the usually lit setting, the inside was a bit dark, save for a few spotlights lighting the main floor.
 
"Hm, that's what partners are for I suppose.." Ambrose inquired, agreeing to help the other out. As they approached the tent a bit closer, he noticed a familiar face and just from a glance he noticed a vicious scar on his bicep. Ambrose chose not to dwell on it too long, so he wouldn't make it obvious that he saw what happened. He may have told Elias that he had a feeling weird things were happening, but right now it was try outs for him. "Ah! You guys made it in time!" The ringleader announced from the stand. "You've been a good 'mentor' Ambrose." he announced, as he sat back to get comfortable.

"So, show me what you got. There are props on the ground and show me your strength." he ordered.

Even though it was a bit odd to Ambrose that he was interested in the man's strength, but he shook his head and looked to the other. "I'll be assisting him...just a bit." he answered with confidence and once he saw the other nod in approval, he felt a bit of tension lifted off.

"Well, wow the audience. I'll have your back." Ambrose stated under his breath. "Don't break a leg.."
 
Elias watched the ringleader carefully, is gaze cautious despite the polite smile on his face. There was no turning back, and the investigator knew that. Especially when he watched the said man adjust himself in order to be more comfortable. At being directed to the props, the blonde looked over each thing carefully, giving a slow nod absentmindedly.

"I'll try my best, sir."

Elias then turned to look at Ambrose upon hearing the shorter male speaking of helping him. A flash of relief moved through the investigator's veins, but he continued to smile confidently to match the other's statement. "I'm sure from what you told me, a broken leg is the least of my worries." Elias spoke, his grin growing slightly as he whispered back in a not-so-serious way. "But, I'll need you for the second part of the aerial silks, all jokes aside. I'm sure he wants to see how I'd do with you anyway." Elias continued to smile and made his way to the props. From what he could see, there was a hanging ring, silks, and a raised platform. It seemed that he would go to the platform first, as it seemed to be there to test his flexibility.

The tent was quiet, save for his feet padding up onto the platform. His nerves were gone in that moment, and he felt like he did during his teen years. Excited and focused. Like he never stopped performing. Slowly, Elias did a few easy moves, like pulling one of his legs up into a vertical standing split, and falling back into a graceful back bend. Being sure to keep a sharp arch, the investigator took in a breath and released it, swinging himself back up into a standing position. Though it wasn't as graceful as he used to be, the fact that he could still do it blew his mind. For the next few moves, the blonde demonstrated his skill in handsprings as well as aerial cartwheels and walkovers. Next, he went to the hanging ring. Pulling on it to test to hold, held onto the bottom of the circle, feeling as he was pulled from the ground.

Using his strength, Elias pulled his legs upward from his hanging position, his grip on the ring strong. Then, he pulled himself into the ring and hooked his knees, letting his torso fall toward the ground, holding his arms wide, eyes closed. Then, carefully, he lifted one leg, pulling it away from the ring so that he was only holding on with one leg. Holding the pose for a few moments, the investigator felt his sweat begin to gather at his brow. It really had been a while. Soon, he was placed back on the ground and moved straight to the silks.

The silk was the prop that Elias really wanted to try. He had never done it before, and as he wrapped one hand in each silk, he felt his excitement grow. Then, he took off. Going into a graceful run, picking up momentum, Elias soon felt his feet leave the floor, the silks pulling him up into the air. Like in the videos he watched, the investigator held his clothed palms out, his legs straight in an elegant flowing pose, like his was being lifted by nothing. The feeling sent a rush of adrenaline through the blonde's spine and a grin broke out onto his features. Upon meeting the ground once more, the male jumped backward, wrapping his arms as he did so, so that was was climbing the length of the silks. Then, once he was at the top, he slowly started to descend by doing forward flips, using his abdomen to make them look effortless. Elias could feel the strain on his abdomen and his arms, but nonetheless, he was experimenting. Once back on the floor, the investigator unwrapped his arms and held out a hand toward Ambrose, a smile on his face as his chest rose and fell in light pants. Small beads of sweat dripped down his temple and his back, but as he looked at his silver haired partner, he was simply focused on the performance at hand.
 
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Ambrose only nodded in agreement before stepping aside a few inches to give the other his space. Once Elias gave his stance to begin, the ring leader motioned his hand to start. Ambrose awaited the other's performance as he was a bit fearful for the other to mess up his audition. He wasn't so certain what happened to those that failed, but it probably wasn't drastic. The shorter just knew that the ringleader hated wasting his own time though. They stood in silence for a moment until Elias soon began to move his feet.

There was silence as both shock and surprise appeared on the faces of the few that were in the tent. Ambrose barely knew the other and he knew the other was hiding a few things from him, but he actually was talented in dance. He most definitely moved like a dancer and he had to admit that he was admirable in his skills - possibly better than his last partner. Just watching him perform made him forget that this was an audition.

The ring leader also stood in silence as he took in awe but impressed with the man before. He grinned as he knew this man would most likely be of use to him. Originally, the plan was too keep a low profile and not hiring any more performers. The ringleader decided he could make one exception. He only sat back and watched the other intently.

The silver haired boy what it was, but the last time he had felt so passionate and impressed to dance was around the time he first joined. Elias made the shorter feel inspired, it almost felt like his breath was trapped in his chest. He watched every step to his movements that he almost didn't realize when the other had paused to reach out to him. He glanced at the other's extended hand to his sweat drenched face - that usual smile of his. Finally coming back to reality, he didn't want to mess up Elias performance. He only smiled back slightly and reached to take the other's hand.

"Lead the way,"
 
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