Reader uses she/her pronouns!
Some details might be off for the story, and some things I have added for backstory.

Twenty years ago...
Young (Y/n) worked for the Carnival as a janitor,
She was about 11 when she started working and currently had been working there as long as she could remember.
She once had parents, but like many, at one point they left without a trace.
In reality she had been little when they had left and didn't have the mental capacity to be able to cry in their absence, so you grew up accepting the fact that they were gone for good.

Cleaning was her job, and really she wasn't too good at it. She had puny arms that could barely lift the giant broom handles that other janitors used with ease.
But she tried her best. All she wanted was to try and earn her keep like the rest of them.
Everyday at the crack of dawn, (y/n) along with other manual laborers would start by unloading and reopening the carnival after a night of rest.

She was tiny and in the journey of helping around, all she would do was trip people and almost knock things over in the attempt of being helpful.

"(Y/n)! Just go help somewhere else!"
"I knew you were too tiny to help"
"Scram runt!"

She sheepishly would run away and try to find somewhere else to find work.
This was a daily task. And mostly, anything that had to do with dignity, that was already taken and not for her skill.

She would eventually find work, though, In the animal cleaning duties.
They reeked. Cleaning excrement of all sizes from all of the circus animals day and night.
From elephant, to horse.
She did the job that nobody else wanted to do, and it took her noticeably longer to accomplish. But at least she found her keep.

On a faithful day,
A day in the hot summer, the ring master had announced to the whole crew that they were introducing a new side show to the line of entertainment.
A show that he believed that would bring in guests far and wide.
All of the crew stopped their tasks and quickly ran for the small tent, (y/n), not knowing what to expect followed close behind.

The meeting was held in the small tent with the crew all huddled in one side as the ring master brought over a wheeled cage that was covered with a gray tattered sheet.
"This might be our biggest break ladies and gentlemen!" "Or if not? It will sure give people a lot of laughs and money on the side." He murmured then clearing his throat,

"Now ladies and gentlemen, I present to you..."
He swiftly pulled the sheet away,
"Bird boy!"

And to the surprise of everyone, the contents of the cage revealed a young boy.
A young boy who flinched and winced in the sudden change of light.
It wasn't because it was a boy, but because of the lack Thereof in their standards.
There was a harsh gasp in the group. Instantly a few voices could be heard already whispering their distaste.
'What an ugly thing.'
'Is it real?'
'Creepy.'

(Y/n) stared in awe. She had never seen anything like him before.

Skin as dark as the night, eyes that were void of color with two white pupils, and the features that gave him the almost crude name.
Ruffled, and almost messy black feathers that matched his eyes.
And a nose. A large nose that curved into a hook like the beak of a raven.

(Y/n) had to admit, when she first had a glimpse of bird boy, she was taken aback, but when she gave another glimpse and realized that he was almost like them. She loosened a bit.

"While yes, it's a bit frightening, don't fret, bird boy can't even hurt a fly we found him caught in a bear trap outside the skirts of the carnival, so that could tell you he's as weak as (y/n)."
The ring master bellowed, giving a hearty laugh that was followed by more laughter by her circus peers.

Of course, the awful mention of (y/n)'s name of being weak was a joke that never got old around there. It seemed like it was just something everyone knew and used to cope.

They were all jerks. And it seemed that bird boy was about to be another target.
Bird Boy.

(Y/n) just rolled her eyes, and only kept her focus on the young boy sitting at the bottom of a cage.
A cage that was usually used for a lion, or even a monkey.
She noticed he was in tattered clothing and his head feathers were messy, and in his sitting position
He sat with his legs crossed with one hand caressing a leg that she assumed was the one he was caught in the bear trap in.
It seemed to be already wrapped up in brown bandage tape, but of course he seemed to be in a lot of pain still.
To much of her understanding.

Soon, the crew started to file out and as they did, (y/n) could still catch the pieces of others talking of what a creature bird boy was.

As (y/n) was leaving, the ring master came up from behind her and rested a meaty and noticeably sweaty hand on the puff of her shoulder.
The young girl froze and almost yelped.

"(Y/n)... I have a special job for you." The ring master whistled.
"Y-Yes sir?"

"Since you're such a good helper, I was thinking you should be the care taker of our new guest. All you have to do is care for him like you do with the animals you already take care of so it shouldn't be much of a problem."

"I'm sorry, Sir. You're talking about bird boy? But isn't he human too?" She asked confused.

The ring master laughed,
"Hohoho, silly (y/n)..."
He ruffed her hair and walked off.

She sighed and looked back at the small tent.
He's human right?