You watched over her. Always.

Sometimes, it was difficult. Sometimes, it was easy.

But if there was one fact that never changed, it was this:

You loved Beast.

"Joker, what is with these crazy newbies?" you heard Beast ask the circus leader with a sigh, looking at you with a slight glare.

"Come on, no need to be so 'ostile," Joker replied with a little laugh. "These guys might just be neighbors with you in the first stringer tents."

Beast only gave a short 'hmph' and looked away from you while you played with Betty as if she were just a kitten. Well, to be fair, you had tamed animals much, much, worse than tigers. The demon watched over your shoulder looking both impressed and a bit jealous, and you paused. You had seen the events that would lead to Beast's death; perhaps if you made a minor tweak...

"Black, I can see you," you said. "Is there something you want?"

"A few things, actually," he replied.

"Well? I don't have all day."

"Most importantly, I would like to know why exactly an angel is here," Sebastian remarked. "You aren't interested in human affairs."

"That is my business," you replied coolly. "Anything else?"

"If your highness wouldn't mind," he said, and you could tell he was growing irritated, "how might you have gotten that tiger to act like that?" Good; I thought he liked cats.

"I'll tell you if you make a deal with me," you replied.

"Oh? Someone like you making a deal? That's almost unheard of."

"It's also the only way to ensure that I will get what I want from you," you replied, glancing at the demon.

"Guilty. Name your price."

"Beast, the circus member. Keep your vile hands away from her."

"Hmm, my hands?"

"Preferably, do not speak to her either."

"My, is there something special about that woman?"

"Do you want to play with Betty or not?" Black laughed to himself, holding out one hand.

"You have my word that I will stay well away from Beast unless I am forced to be near her by my work. I will not touch a hair on her head." Grudgingly, you clasped his hand in yours and squeezed perhaps a little too hard, but he didn't seem to care that you had almost broken one of his fingers.

"Then sit down, and I'll teach you..."

<><><>

"Hey, newbie, why were you talking about me with that black-haired freak?" Beast asked as you left the practice tent, about to retire to your own tent.

"I just told him to stay away from you; is there a problem with that?" you asked inquiringly.

"But why?"

"I'd like to tell you, but I think you won't believe me if I do," you replied sadly. "Goodnight, Beast. Perform well again tomorrow." You started walking away, and you felt her reach for your wrist, only to pull her hand back again.

"I... I appreciate that you would tell that freak to stay away from me, even if I planned on avoiding him from the start," Beast said, and you gave her a little smile over your shoulder.

"You're welcome," you replied softly, heading back to your tent. Beast was still following you, but she said nothing this time, possibly assuming that you couldn't tell she was still there.

"Back, are we?" your partner asked with a raised eyebrow, and you silently gave him a sign not to say anything confidential. Of course, an angel couldn't come down to Earth for their own personal reasons; that was how they fell. Still, it didn't stop you from trying to accomplish your own agenda while you were completing your mission, namely to keep hundreds of children alive.

"Yeah; top or bottom bunk?"

"Top, I suppose. Anything of note?"

"Only the Crow and the Scythe," you replied, closing your eyes for a few moments.

"Hm? All three have an interest in this then?"

"So it would seem," you replied with a little smile.

"Would you like to tell your girlfriend to stop hanging around the entrance and come in here? I can't sleep when I know someone is just outside." You could feel Beast flinch, and you feigned surprise as you opened the tent flap.

"Sorry, I was just... seeing how you were getting on..." she mumbled, seeming embarrassed at having been caught.

"I appreciate that, Beast," you replied with a faint smile. "That is very kind of you, though I sense you still feel unsatisfied with my response."

"Wouldn't anyone?" she grumbled, and you gently picked up her head from your shoes.

"Perhaps when you know me a little better," you said, not daring to touch her a moment longer. You could feel your partner rolling his eyes behind you, grumbling something about just asking her out already.

"Then why don't we have breakfast together? I'll get your food, and you talk to me." You looked at her for a long few moments.

"Very well," you acquiesced. "Now please, take your rest. It is not good for you to stay up late." After some hesitation, Beast walked away, and your partner sighed to himself.

"Why can't you just tell her what you want? She's clearly aching for someone to care about her. I'd certainly have liked my wife to have confessed to me instead of making me confess to her after years."

"Beast and I have just met," you reminded quietly. "And I don't think she would react very well if I told her that I've been spying on her for years."

"Your loss," he said with a shrug, climbing onto the top bunk and flopping over. "Dobroy nochi [Goodnight]."

<><><>

"What on Earth is Betty doing?" Beast muttered as she ate her breakfast with you. Currently, the tiger was rolling on the ground, quite possibly under the influence of catnip, and Black was rolling with her, seeming to be delighting in her fur. What a weird demon.

"She appears to be playing with Black," you replied, secretly placing about half of your food onto Beast's meager plate. It wasn't like you needed it. "Or vice-versa; I'm not quite sure."

"Where are you from?" Beast asked, looking at you again as you heard shouting from the demon's master. Something about attracting attention to himself.

"Hm, it is very far from here." You replied.

"America?"

"No," you replied, smiling. "It is higher than the peaks of the Appalacians or the Himalayas." Beast stared at you.

"You're joking, right?"

"Yep. But I don't live anywhere close to England; that is the truth."

"What is with you and being so indirect?" Beast asked with a sigh, placing her cheek in one hand, and you chuckled.

"If I said that you were company to a total of four supernatural beings, would you believe me?"

"Four?" Beast paused for a few moments. "Those two freaks? And then you and your... whatever he is?"

"Sharp, aren't you? Though to be clear, my partner is married and not to me."

"Well, just supposing I believe you, are you all linked to each other?"

"Oh, no, god no," you said with a laugh. "I've never met those two before in my life, and I am sure they would prefer never to hold a conversation with me."

"And what kind of 'supernatural beings' are you then?" Beast questioned, obviously not believing you.

"Hmmm, I can't say about the other three, but I am an angel."

"An angel. Right," she said with a scoff.

"You're free to believe me or not. You asked, and I gave you my answer." Beast sighed.

"You really are a weird one, aren't you?"

"I don't deny it," you replied with a slight smile, and Beast glanced away. "Thank you for the meal." You stood, about to take your empty plate away, when Beast made you sit back down again.

"Hey, S/N, talk to me a little longer, would you? We don't open up for an hour yet." You smiled at her again, and you noticed she was blushing.

"As you wish, Beast."