Circus - Namjin

5th performance

Day 2 (Part 2/3)

The boy walked around the tent to the backside and towards a big truck with the logo of the circus. He opened the trunk and stepped inside, the lion jumping up the stairs in one go and slipping in behind the human. Cautiously, Namjoon followed V, and when he walked through the entrance his heart skipped a beat. Behind thick metal bars strolled four giant cats: a tiger, a male lion and another two female lions. The soft growls that sounded through the echoing container made his chest vibrate.

When he finally could take his eyes off the animals, he realized that the ceiling was open, and a soft wind brushed through the trunk. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the cooling tickle on his hot skin. He could do this! He would not give up on the first day! The lion-boy was a hard first job, but he would calm down and get this done. The animals were behind bars, so there was nothing to worry, right? V would not free all of them at the same time?

"Bear-boy! Come over here!" he heard the deep voice and opened his eyes. He could barely make out the other's shape, but when he did, he again saw those reflecting eyes. How was that possible?

"Can you see in the dark?" he asked the other to at least try and make conversation and not appear rude and give him a reason to hate him and feed him to the lions. And to maybe get an answer on how he got thoses eyes.

"Yeah, I'd turn on the light, but apparently there is none inside of here," lion-boy answered. Namjoon could hear the cheeky tone the answer held and gave up all hopes on the situation getting better. Carefully to not come too close to the cages, he made his way through the dark container.

Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the dim light and he could take in his surroundings better. But there was not much more to see than cages and some equipment in boxes. The air was stinky and sticky, no matter the ceiling was open, and the unpleasant scent of excrements lingered in the room. God, he hated it. This was awful.

"You'll clean the cages while I'm going out with them. I already did Ammit's cage. We'll proceed with Pachet or she'll become impatient." V opened the last cage and led the lion inside. He closed it and walked over to the next to free another of the female lions.

Would they have to pass him?

Slightly panicking, Namjoon slipped through the gap between the opened cage door and the container wall to prevent coming close to one of them again. He watched the boy kneeling in front of the animal and ruffling its fur while whispering soft words.

"What are you waiting for," the blonde asked without turning towards him, "The shovel and bucket are in the very back. Make yourself useful."

Confused, he turned to where the equipment must be. Shovel and bucket? What would he do with that? When he turned around to ask the other, the face with the creepy eyes was just inches away from his. An unmanly scream slipped from his lips and he cursed himself.

"Damn it!" he growled and stepped back to get some space between them.

"What are you waiting for? The poop won't move itself," V said and tilted his head.

Poop? Oh, hell no! Did he expect him to shovel off the excrements? Seriously?

His face must have given his thoughts out, because the other made an annoyed face. He shoved him into the wall and passed by to get said tools. Then, he went into the cage and told Namjoon to look attentively, so he could copy his act. The lion-boy simply shoveled the excrements into the big black bucket, pretending Namjoon was not clever enough to know how a shovel worked.

"Now it's your turn," V said and held out the tool.

"Can't you leave first?" Namjoon asked quietly with a look at the lion lady which strolled around the artist. The evil grin on the boy's face told him that it might have not been a smart move to ask this. The other just kept staring at him with those damn lion-eyes and pretended he did not hear him.

Taking one deep breath (and regretting it instantly because of the bad air), he stepped inside the cage and took the shovel. While looking around for a dark heap on the sand- and straw-covered floor, he tried to ignore the giant cat with razor claws and long teeth in his back, but he felt the first drops of sweat run down his back and temple. God, when had been the last time he had sweated buckets? Most likely, he never had. The only scary cat he knew so far was his professor for economy law, and that woman never had made him sweat.

He pushed the shovel under the heap he had made out as far from the animal as possible, and moved it to the bucket. A satisfying thud sounded through the container.

"See, it's not that difficult," the deep voice mocked him, and finally V left the cage with his lion lady.

Relieved, Namjoon let out his breath. Why was he going through this? Was the answer to his question really worth it? Shoveling lion poop in a dark container dressed in an embarrassing bear-costume. He did not know if he wanted to laugh or to cry. It was so hilarious, yet so torturous.

With his yellow sleeve he wiped away the tear that threatened to leave the corner of his eye and started shoveling off his rage. He hated the lion-kid. The boy was insane and unfair. He treated him like shit, like he was not even worth a penny. Thud after thud echoed through the room and before he knew it, he was done with the cage and the bucket's ground was covered. Frustrated, he threw down the shovel and stepped to the other side of the bars again, crossing his arms and waiting. How long would it take to walk a lion? Was it like walking a dog or longer? He had not taken a walk with his own dog RapMon in forever. Unfortunately, there was not much time while studying. Was his mother still going out with him, or was it only the Park-housemaids? He should really do that again.

Becalmed by the thoughts of his white fluff-ball RapMon, he strayed through the container and read the nametags on the cage doors. The one in the back with the female lion he had met first read 'Ammit', the currently empty one 'Pachet', the third lion lady's name was 'Sachmet' and the lion was called 'Ruti'. The names sounded strange, so he pulled out his phone from the hidden pocket of the bear costume and started a google search.

Two minutes later, he sighed and put it back. Egyptian gods of violence and death, how fitting. Not for the animals, but rather for the boy. He read the last name and all his hope died. 'Kali' was the tiger lady's name. Here we go with the violence...

A moment later he heard the door open further and a breathless V accompanied by his lion came back inside. Without a comment, he brought Pachet back to her cage and left with Sachmet. At least no harsh words this time.

After more than one hour and poop-ruined shoes and clothes, as well as several almost-heart-attacks because he had hit the bars with the shovel and made the lions roar, they were done, and V dismissed him into the night.

"I'll show you the bathroom," the soft, husky voice of the magician startled him, when said man suddenly appeared next to him, carrying the familiar sweet scent. The pink smoke was a blessing for his tortured nose, and he relaxed with every step he brought between him and the lions. Hopefully, he would not have to do another round of poop-shoveling. He could not stand it once more. His shoulders hurt, and his hands were sore, not to talk of his back and feet. And of course, his Gucci sandals were ruined.

The so-called bathroom was a cabinet as big as his changing room that only had a shower, a sink and a toilet. His mood sank when he saw the sparse interior. But everything was better than stinking like shit and as long as the water was warm, he would not complain.

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