This one shot was requested by RachelNataniaNithiar. Thank you!
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Evelyn pulls the brush through her brown curls, the teen girl in the vanity mirror echoing her every move. Underneath her breath, Evelyn hums an all to familiar tune that is often heard in the Carlyle household ("The Greatest Show"). Setting down the brush on the white vanity, Evelyn wanders over to her open window. The springtime breeze blows into the room, causing her purple curtains to flutter outward. Kneeling down, Evelyn rests her chin in her hand propped up on the windowsill. Silently observing the street below, Evelyn sighs contently.
Suddenly, a voice from downstairs cuts through the peaceful silence."Ev! Please come out here and help your father set the table." Anne yells, catching the attention of her fourteen year old daughter. "Coming Mom!" Evelyn yells back as she scrambles to her feet, almost falling in the process. Skipping every other step on the stairs, Evelyn appears in the dinning room in a matter of seconds. "Whoa there!" Phillip exclaims with an over exaggerated, surprised expression on his face. Evelyn giggles, grabbing the plates from her father's hands.
"So . . ." Evelyn starts slowly after setting the table and sitting down in her respective chair. "So what?" Anne says, a smirk playing across her lips. She is fully aware of what her daughter is asking about. The circus. Evelyn can't see her mother's telling expression because Anne's back is turned, preparing the food for dinner with the help of her husband. Evelyn sighs in disappointment as she messes with the frayed table cloth. "Well . . . Remember how I was asking last year about joining the circus with you guys?" Evelyn pauses, waiting for one of her parents to reply. Silence.
"Remember that last year you said that when I turned 14 I could join?" She presses onward. She looks up expectantly at her parents who had turned around to look at her. Phillip has his arm wrapped around his wife's waist and Anne is leaning into him. Both of their faces hold sympathetic looks. A sad look covers their daughter's face in response. The couple stand and look at their daughter for a split second before breaking into wide smiles. Evelyn jumps up excitedly, her words failing her. Anne and Phillip laugh at their daughter's wide eyes and gaping mouth.
"Y . . you . . . REALLY!!" Evelyn finally exclaims. She runs and wraps her arms around her parents, tears in her eyes. She pulls back out of the hug, shaking with excitement. "Yes Ev. Your father talked to Mr. Barnum and they agreed to let you join. Although, your father needed quite a bit of persuasion from your truly." Anne laughs, elbowing her husband softly in the ribs. Phillip chuckles, responding with. "There is just so much danger involved in trapeze work. I just don't want to see you hurt Ev." Phillip looks at his daughter. Despite the excitement for her shinning in his eyes, Evelyn picks up a hint of worry as well.
"I promise I'll stay safe Father." Evelyn says, coming back in for another hug. "Thank you so, so, so much!" The Carlyle family then sits down, ready to enjoy another one of Anne's signature home cooked meals.
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Walking briskly next to her parents, Evelyn chatters excitedly as the family walk down to circus tent. "I can't wait!! Do you think Lettie will be excited to have me apart of the dance routine? I already know all the dances from Nathan so I don't need to worry about learning them." Hand intertwined in Phillip's, Anne catches her daughter's attention. "Calm down there honey. I am more than positive that Lettie is going to ecstatic, just as you are." Phillip nods in agreement and adds onto the girls' conversation. "She loves you as much as we do."
"Am I going to have my own solo act or am I going to be your and Uncle W.D's act Mother? Am I going to have an act with someone else?" Evelyn inquires, now walking backward in front of her parents. "We will figure out something when we get there. Now turn around and watch where you are going young lady." Anne scolds softly and Evelyn spins around, nearly running into another family. The father throws a sharp look at Evelyn as they pass.
Although Evelyn doesn't notice, Anne and Phillip do. They exchange worried glances and Anne's grip on Phillip's hand becomes tighter. Both of them know that now that their daughter is in the circus, she will be exposed to the harshness of reality. She is going to be shamed for the color of her skin, just as Anne had and still is. Shaking the very thought from her mind, Anne starts up another conversation with her daughter as the family approach the tent. "What color of wig and uniform do you want?"
"Turquoise wig, of course! Maybe a pink outfit, like the color of your wig." Evelyn exclaims. Anne nods, making a mental note to head to the seamstress soon. The group finally arrive at the tent to see it bustling with activity. Lettie is directing a group of dancers in the final performance routine, stopping ever so often to correct a newcomer's posture. Evelyn's uncle, W.D, is swinging in the air from his trapeze, catching another trapeze artist by the wrists. Tom is conversing back and forth with Chang and Eng, also known to the circus as 'The Siamese Twins.'
"Evelyn! Did they finally let you join?" Someone yells from one of the trapeze bars . "Yeah! They did Nath! Come down here real quick" Evelyn yells back to her best friend. The two met about 8 years back when Lettie found Nathan orphaned on the street near her house. Ever since that night, the pale skinned, black haired boy had been apart of Evelyn's life. Nathan climbs down from the trapeze bar by way of the nearby ladder and engulfs Evelyn in a hug. Evelyn excitedly returns the hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
Nathan pulls out of the hug and turns to Evelyn's parents. "So, have you told her who she will be working with?" A smile appears on his face as he speaks. Anne and Phillip shake their heads, smiles playing across their faces as well. Nathan faces Evelyn, whose face holds a confused expression. "Are you going to guess?" Nathan inquires. "Mother?" she guesses. Nathan shakes his head 'no'. "Uncle W.D?" Nathan laughs and shakes his head. "Here is a hint. He is standing in front of you." Phillip speaks up. Evelyn quickly puts all of the facts together and she is once again speechless.
"REALLY! I get to work with Nathan?!" Evelyn yells out, looking at her parents in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me Nath?!" Nathan chuckles, shrugs his shoulders and responds with, "I couldn't ruin the surprise for you!" Evelyn punches Nathan's arm playfully, a broad smile on her face. Nathan jokingly yelps, resulting in Evelyn rolling her eyes. She then turns and hugs her two parents before running off, Nathan on her heels. Evelyn quickly runs over to the ladder leading up to the trapeze platform. "Hold up Ev." Nathan yells out as she starts to scamper up the ladder.
She stops, breathing heavily. "Why?! I already know how to do the tricks." Evelyn responds to her new partner. He nods knowingly, his wavy black hair falling in his face. Brushing his hair away, he speaks up saying, "I know but that was on the lower rig. It is different when you are 15 feet higher." In spite of her excitement, Evelyn shrugs off his warning and climbs higher. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." Nathan groans in protest but none the less follows her upwards. Once Evelyn reaches the top, she grabs the nearest trapeze bar, eager to start soaring through the air. To feel the rush of adrenaline throughout her body.
"Ev, stop!" Nathan yells, almost to the top of the ladder. But before his words reach her, she pushes off the platform with the trapeze bar in her two hands. The air presses at her face as she swings outwards. The tent around her is a swirling mix of colors. Evelyn tucks her legs towards her chest and slips them over the bar. She lets go with her hands, swinging upside down by her legs. After many tries, Nathan finally catches Evelyn's attention. "EVELYN!! Please come back over here! You might get hurt!" Evelyn looks over at Nathan. His face holds a terrified and pleading expression.
Evelyn finally admits defeat and readies herself for a dismount. As she swings back toward the platform, Evelyn grabs the bar with her hands and lets her legs fall beneath her. Evelyn prepares herself to catch the edge of the platform, very confident in her ability to land properly. When she lands and releases her grip on the bar, Evelyn's feet hardly land on the platform. A scream erupts from the girl as she feels herself start to fall forward towards the ground. Suddenly, a pair of arms grab her around the waist and pull her back onto the platform.
Evelyn's back is then pressed up against another's front, her chest heaving from the terrifying experience. She collapses onto her knees and the person holding her follows, not letting go of Evelyn. She turns her body around to meet the green-grey eyes of her savior. Nathan. She leans in and hugs him tightly, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. "I am so sorry Nathan. I should've listened to you." Tears fill her eyes as she mumbles an apology, her voice cracking slightly. Nathan nods, his arms still wrapped protectively around Evelyn. "I think that is enough for today. Let's get to the ground, where it is safe."
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A/N: I hope you enjoyed 'Safe' with my two OCs, Evelyn and Nathan. I know that this isn't my best work so I am sorry but I really wanted to get something out for you guys. I am also sorry that I didn't post this weekend. I was very busy with my cousins. I am not quite sure when the next one shot will come out. I will try and post as soon as possible.
We passed 20k views today!!!!!!! You have no idea how thankful I am for you all and for your support. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
(PLEASE READ): I have a question for my readers. Will you be willing to read Modern AU one shots of the Greatest Showman? I already have two ideas outlined and ready to be written if people are willing to read it.
~wildmustang4002~