jester x ticket taker -TFC

The Freak Circus was unusually quiet that afternoon.

The lights around the tents were already glowing, even though the main show wouldn't begin for several hours. At the main entrance, Ticket Taker stood behind his booth, perfectly composed in his navy-blue tailcoat and top hat.

Every ticket was neatly organized.

Every coin was in its proper place.

And most importantly, everyone entering the circus needed a ticket.

“Remember, sweetheart,” Ticket Taker said as he gently adjusted {{user}}’s collar. “It doesn't matter who they are. If they want to enter, they need a ticket.”

{{user}} nodded.

“Yes, Daddy.”

Ticket Taker's visible eye softened beneath his mask.

“Good girl.”

He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before adjusting the little hat he had prepared for her.

A few feet away, Jester watched them.

His long violet hair fell all the way to his waist as he leaned against one of the entrance posts, his sharp-toothed smile displayed across his white mask.

“You spoil her too much.”

Ticket Taker turned toward him.

“She’s our daughter.”

“Exactly.”

Jester crossed his arms.

“She needs to learn how to defend herself against humans.”

Ticket Taker chuckled softly.

“She needs to learn how to sell tickets, not conquer the world.”

Jester went silent for a moment.

“She could do both.”

“Jester.”

“What?”

Ticket Taker walked over and carefully adjusted one of the bells on Jester’s hat.

“Behave.”

Jester tilted his head.

“Only because you asked me to.”

{{user}} smiled.

This was fairly normal for her parents.

Ticket Taker was affectionate with her almost constantly. He fixed her clothes, straightened her hair, made sure she had eaten, and always found an excuse to hug her.

Jester, on the other hand...

Jester could be terrifying.

Especially whenever someone got too close to his daughter.

But that day, Ticket Taker had decided to give {{user}} a responsibility.

The entrance.

“Alright,” Ticket Taker said. “Daddy will be inside for a while. You’ll stay here.”

“By myself?”

“Not completely.”

Jester raised a hand.

“I’ll be watching.”

Ticket Taker sighed.

“From a distance.”

“Of course.”

Jester disappeared behind one of the circus tents.

Or so Ticket Taker thought.

---

About an hour passed.

{{user}} was doing perfectly.

She checked the tickets.

Gave directions.

She had even learned how to recognize fake tickets.

Until a woman approached the entrance with a small group of people.

The woman smiled.

“Hello, sweetheart. Can we come inside?”

{{user}} looked at their hands.

No tickets.

“You need to buy one.”

“Oh... we don't have any money.”

{{user}} hesitated.

She looked toward the entrance.

Then back at the woman.

“But... you can come in for a little while.”

The woman smiled.

“Really?”

{{user}} nodded.

“Yes.”

And that was how the problem began.

One person entered.

Then another.

Then another.

Some simply seemed nice.

Others told her sad stories.

One even gave her a piece of candy.

And {{user}}, with a heart far too kind for the job, started letting people into the circus for free.

When Ticket Taker returned, something immediately felt wrong.

Very wrong.

He looked at the cash box.

Empty.

Then at the crowd.

Full.

Then at his daughter.

Smiling innocently.

His visible eye narrowed.

“{{user}}...”

She froze.

“Yes, Daddy?”

Ticket Taker looked around.

“Where are the tickets?”

Silence.

“Well...”

“How many people did you let inside?”

{{user}} lowered her head.

“I don't know.”

Ticket Taker started counting.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five...

Eventually, he dropped his arms in disbelief.

“Why did you let seventeen people inside without tickets?”

{{user}} answered with complete sincerity.

“Because I felt bad for them.”

Silence.

Ticket Taker slowly covered his face with one gloved hand.

“Oh, sweetheart...”

From behind one of the tents came a quiet laugh.

“That’s my baby.”

Ticket Taker slowly turned his head.

“Jester.”

Jester casually stepped into view.

His tall figure cast a long shadow over the entrance, the bells on his hat softly jingling with every step.

“What?”

“Don't encourage her.”

“Why not?”

Jester walked over and gently patted {{user}} on the head.

“You have a good heart.”

Ticket Taker pointed toward the empty cash box.

“She gave away seventeen tickets!”

“And she made seventeen people happy.”

“Jester!”

Jester laughed.

“Alright, alright.”

He crouched in front of {{user}}.

His sharp-toothed smile remained on his mask, but his voice became noticeably softer.

“There's something you need to learn, little one.”

{{user}} looked at him.

“What?”

“Not everyone who seems nice is good.”

Ticket Taker stepped closer and placed a hand gently on his daughter's shoulder.

“Exactly.”

Jester continued.

“Some humans will try to take advantage of your kindness.”

“But they seemed nice...”

“I know.”

Jester gently ruffled her hair.

“And you didn't do anything wrong by wanting to help.”

Ticket Taker crouched beside them.

“But helping someone doesn't mean giving them everything you have.”

{{user}} slowly nodded.

“So... am I grounded?”

Ticket Taker immediately shook his head.

“No.”

Jester answered at the exact same time.

“Yes.”

They both looked at each other.

“Jester.”

“What?”

“She isn't grounded.”

“Seventeen tickets.”

“She’s a child.”

“Our child.”

“Exactly.”

Jester sighed dramatically.

“Fine.”

He turned toward {{user}}.

“You're not grounded.”

A brief pause.

“But tomorrow, you're going to learn how to identify scammers with me.”

Ticket Taker raised an eyebrow.

“And who decided that?”

“I did.”

“You're not the one teaching her the job.”

Jester smiled.

“Then you teach her about tickets.”

He pointed toward himself.

“I'll teach her not to trust humans.”

Ticket Taker shook his head, although a small smile appeared beneath his mask.

{{user}} suddenly wrapped her arms around both of them.

Ticket Taker immediately hugged her back.

Jester hesitated for a few seconds.

Then he finally wrapped one arm around both of them.

“I suppose we'll have to replace those tickets,” Ticket Taker murmured.

Jester remained silent.

“Jester.”

“Yes?”

“You watched all of this happen, didn't you?”

Silence.

The bells on his hat jingled softly.

“Perhaps.”

Ticket Taker stared at him.

“And you didn't do anything?”

Jester shrugged.

“I wanted to see what she'd do.”

“Jester!”

{{user}} started laughing.

Jester laughed too.

And eventually, Ticket Taker found himself laughing as well, holding his daughter close.

Because even though their family was completely chaotic...

Jester's performance was taking longer than expected.

Meanwhile, backstage, {{user}} had decided to entertain herself by playing with Ticket Taker. As always, he kept a close eye on her, making sure she didn't touch anything that might disrupt the circus's carefully organized backstage area.

"Careful, little one," Ticket Taker murmured as he neatly rearranged one of the objects {{user}} had moved. "Your father will notice if I leave this place in a mess."

{{user}} giggled.

Ticket Taker tilted his head.

"What?"

The answer came when {{user}} suddenly appeared in front of him, holding a huge princess dress in her hands.

Ticket Taker froze completely.

"...No."

{{user}} smiled.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

{{user}} was already laughing as she tried to convince him.

Ticket Taker let out a deep sigh. His professionalism seemed to be fighting a losing battle.

"This is humiliating."

Five minutes later, Ticket Taker was wearing the enormous princess dress.

The contrast was absolutely ridiculous.

His impeccable top hat was still sitting proudly on his head, now perched above a man wearing a huge, elaborate princess gown. His white clawed gloves remained perfectly in place, and somehow, he had managed to maintain his usual dignified and elegant posture.

{{user}} was practically doubled over with laughter in front of him.

Ticket Taker stared at her in silence.

"I hope you're enjoying this."

{{user}} nodded between fits of laughter.

He sighed.

"At least the dress is clean."

That only made {{user}} laugh harder.

Ticket Taker eventually sat down with as much dignity as possible while {{user}} tried placing a tiny crown on top of his hat.

"Princess Ticket Taker?" she asked.

He remained silent for a few seconds.

"...Princess Ticket Taker."

{{user}} burst into another fit of laughter.

And then they heard footsteps approaching.

The bells on Jester's hat jingled softly as the circus leader returned from his performance.

"Darling, I'm fi—"

Jester stopped.

Silence.

His bright purple eyes slowly fixed themselves on Ticket Taker.

Ticket Taker, sitting in the middle of the dressing room wearing a princess dress, stared right back at him.

{{user}} stood behind him, desperately trying to contain her laughter.

Jester said nothing.

One second.

Two.

Three.

The sharp smile on his mask seemed to widen slightly.

"...What am I looking at?"

Ticket Taker cleared his throat.

"A situation that was completely out of my control."

Jester slowly turned his head toward {{user}}.

She innocently pointed at Ticket Taker.

"I put the dress on him!"

Jester looked back at his boyfriend.

"I see."

Ticket Taker raised one gloved hand.

"Before you say anything, I would like to clarify that I did attempt to refuse."

"And why did you give in?"

Ticket Taker looked at {{user}}.

"Because she asked me to."

Jester remained perfectly still.

Then he let out a quiet laugh.

"You're far too easy to convince."

"She's our daughter."

"I know."

Jester walked over and crouched in front of {{user}}, gently fixing her hair.

"Did you have fun?"

{{user}} enthusiastically nodded.

Jester looked back at Ticket Taker.

"Good."

Ticket Taker seemed to relax.

Until Jester added:

"But tomorrow, you're cleaning the entire dressing room."

Ticket Taker looked horrified.

"Why?"

Jester gestured toward the dress.

"If you had enough time to become a princess, then surely you have enough time to clean."

{{user}} burst into laughter again.

Ticket Taker's shoulders slumped.

"This is a family conspiracy."

Jester wrapped an arm around {{user}}, pulling her protectively against his side.

"Don't worry, little one. I'll make sure nobody ever forces you to wear a ridiculous dress."

{{user}} nearly fell over laughing.

Ticket Taker simply sighed in resignation.

"...I love you both far too much to abandon you."

Jester's sharp smile widened behind his mask as he leaned closer and pressed a small kiss to Ticket Taker's forehead.

"And we love you too, princess."

Ticket Taker froze completely.

"Don't ever call me that again."

{{user}} started laughing all over again.

Jester, of course, looked like he was enjoying every second of it.