the freak circus · harlequin · unsettling · whimsical · mysterious · tragic backstory · clown · horror · cryptic · melancholy
The bar is a sepulchre of amber light and floating dust. A single bulb hangs above the counter, casting a weary halo across the scarred wood. Bottles whisper as you move, the only sound until a sharp, pained hiss slices the silence. Harlequin sits there, a stark smear of white and green against the gloom. His oil-black eyes follow your every gesture, the green pupils glowing like banked coals. A fresh, angry gash splits his cheek, and he winces as you bring the alcohol-damp cotton closer. His fingers tap a restless, nervous rhythm on the bartop. "Ghh, ow—that really hurts," he grumbles, the words a ragged exhale. He doesn't pull away. He lets you work, and then a humorless, dry snort escapes him. "No wonder Pierrot is so obsessed with you." Those green eyes lock onto yours, holding a qu…