Royal Flesh (Barou x M!Reader)

Ring Leader

[Published: 7/11/23

Edited: 4/4/24]
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The theme for this book is the Circus, and while writing the mcs personality did a whole 180 as my weakness of writing sadistic readers /mfs who don't gaf bled through.

Sorry not sorry🥱💀✨

Smiling, one could do it because they're happy, but that leads to another question, the meaning of happiness.

Not everyone who smiled was truly happy, and not everyone who cried were actually sad. That was something M/n knew from experience.

Sometimes looking happy avoided questions, expanded your friend group, or made it to where people blindly protected you as 'someone who was friendly and did no harm.'

It was like setting up a barrier you could laze next to. 

For M/n, it was a way to guard his true self.

Living a life of always being watched made stuff like this second nature. For example, right now.

"S/n, here." M/n placed a crown on his sister's head. The base color was a platinum silver with a jewlish pink rounding it. A grin rose on his face as he stepped back to get a better look.

"It looks great on you, the color matches your dress perfectly." She turned to the mirror on her left and nodded in agreement.

"I see what you mean, thank you." S/n picked up the bottom of her dress, switching her shoes for a pair of magenta high heels. Despite the dry worded response, the light in her eyes gleamed brighter.

The two were finally ready as they passed the cameras on their way out. "Finally, the stars of the show arrive! M/n and S/n L/n!" A wave of cheers erupted as they stepped on the stage waving to them below.

"Thank you all for coming to my connection party! It means the world to me seeing you all so excited as I am!"

She spoke into the microphone, earning a bunch of different answers from the fans.

M/n stood to the side, sometimes mimicking the actions she does as a way to make some of the people who watched him giggle.

Eventually, S/n caught him in the act causing him to freeze before reviewing his stage notes as if that was what he was doing the whole time. "M/n."

"Yes?.." He looked up with fake confusion. They had a small staring contest before she sighed and continued finishing her speech. Once she was done, the lights shifted color signaling that the party finally started.

Music blared from the speakers as the smell of food and drinks filled the air from the chefs who brought it in. When reaching a mostly free place the smile on his face dropped.

He stared at the juice in his cup with an unbothered expression as the sound dyed down from his noise canceling earbuds.

His body was shifted to where if a news reporter took a photo they wouldn't catch his face which was done on purpose.

"Um, excuse me, M/n?" Like a switch, his persona shifted making the light in his eyes grow brighter. The girl seemed around his age, maybe 1 year younger than him.

"Yes, dear?"

"Could we take a picture together?.." His facade cracked a bit but he hid it quickly by looking down at the camera in her hands.

"Sure, do you want me to sign it after?" She nodded quickly standing a bit closer to him, with a quick camera snap the photo came out hazily as he took a sharpie signing the back before handing it back. "Thank you," She whispered, scurrying quickly back to her friend group.

Damn, how long is this party? As a way to cure his boredom, he went poking his head around at the game tables putting down light bets.

"5 dollars the player in green will win." A voice spoke next to him as he lifted his head. The guy next to him didn't even blink an eye in his direction and lightly tapped his fingers on the rim of the table.

"10 dollars the player in blue will win." He specifically voted on the other team causing a silent disagreement.

"15 dollars the player in green will win." The guy raised the price, now turning a bit to look at him.

"20."

"30."

"50."

"100."

"250."

"Um..The two stopped playing a minute ago."

"Who won?" They both spoke at the same time.

"It was a draw, the controllers died midway." the area went silent as they both stared at each other before moving to the next betting table. "Think you can win everything? 19 dollars on red."

"Oh your on, 25 on yellow!" And with that, most of the others betters backed up slightly, scared they'd end up in debt with how high the bets easily raised. "2500!"

"My entire black card!" M/n slid his card over, as the guy rolled his eyes.

"My entire football career!" The onlookers paused, staring at him with confusion, can you even bet that?

M/n 'easily distracted' L/n shifted his attention and stared at him. "You play football? On what team?"

"Weretigers, for Laden Middle School."

"That's my middle school, how come I haven't seen you there?"

"Hm, you look like a 6th grader, I'm in 8th." M/n stared at him with an offended look as he pulled out his phone.

"I'm an 7th grader, would a 11 year old have a phone so early?"

"Yeah, my 6th year cousin has the same brand. Just with a child safety mode."

"What about a skateboard?"

"Mhm, I bought one for the kid I babysit's
birthday."

"....."  M/n could feel his eye twitching as his innersona leaked out, making the urge to hurt this man stronger. "Would an 11 year old punch someone they don't even know the name of?"

"Definitely, kids these days have terrible anger issues." He could feel a warm substance rolling down his hand and relaxed his fingers subconsciously, "we'll continue this later." M/n shoved his drink in the guy's hand before heading to the nearest bathroom.

It didn't take long to wash the blood off or find band-aids as the staff there were pretty reliable.

When he headed back to the spot where they were betting an empty glass stood neatly pinning down a note.

'Only a 11-year old would stupidly leave a drink with a stranger they didn't know the name of, how childish.

XXX-XXX-XXXX
Barou Shoei'

But leaving a phone number isn't?-

Hope you enjoyed! Any chapter ideas are free to be commented if you feel like it!

1111 words :)