[callmechamber]

I See Fire Jono & Taryn [Circus AU Event]

[callmechamber]

Jono turned, arms crossed, “Hey, I’m never too safe. I don’t have the faintest idea what that means.” Things were always dangerous with him. Jono never thought he’d ever been safe in his life.

"Oof-" Jono doubled over when she elbowed him, the match he’d just lit dropping from his hands. It hit the ground and flared, catching on the few dry strands of brown grass in the dirt. "Look what ya made me do-" Jono feigned pain, pretending to struggle stomping out the fire. He raised his hand and the flames leaped from the ground to his palm, where they danced along his fingers before going out. "Boring?" He laughed, "Never-"

[taryn--it--up]

A brief nod showed Jono that she understood he was never safe, and then she smiled, shaking her head. "Yeah, you wouldn't know what that means, would you? The type of people who start playing with fire don't exactly play it safe." You couldn't make Taryn do his job. Or Bruce's.... Most of theirs, really. She liked protecting people, but that was the only way she'd intentionally get in harm's way.

She hoped that he was pretending to double over, because she didn't hit him that hard. Taryn rolled her eyes as he acted as if it was difficult to stomp out the fire, though you could be sure she was watched the flame with hawklike eyes. "Never," she repeated, watching the flames on his fingers. "Anyone ever try to use you to put out fires?"

[bannerandthebeast]

Cat's Cradle || Bruce and Taryn

[bannerandthebeast]

Bruce grinned broadly. “If she takes one of yours, you can have one of hers. Then we’d have a one-handed, one-pawed security guard,” he laughed. He looked up at Taryn, and patted the bare earth beside him.

"Seriously though, she’s practically harmless. I’ve had her since she was a cub. She might nip you, but Shauna’s… really just an overlarge house cat."

[taryn--it--up]

Grimacing at the thought, Taryn shook her head. "I would rather be one-handed then have a lion's paw. You attach one to me and I'd be better-paid as one of the attractions." Of course, it wasn't as if anyone in this troupe sat behind a cage for people to stare at.

Taryn eyed the spot next to him for a moment, wary, then sat down, deciding that if the lion did attack, Bruce would probably try to stop her, thus injuring him first. So she sat down. "Nip?" she repeated with a raised eyebrow, looking over at him. "You realize the power in those jaws, yeah?"

[callmechamber]

I See Fire [Circus AU Event]

[callmechamber]

Jono knew Taryn was just doing her job, but that wouldn’t stop him from being cheeky with her.  He made fun of everyone, no exceptions, even if that person had the power to kick you out of the troupe. Jono stuck a cigarette between his teeth and lit it with a snap of his fingers. He was just showing off, at this point, but it had become a bit of a habit. “Sure… sure… okay, mum, I’ll play safe-“ 

He laughed, “Yeah, I probably would feel pretty bad ‘bout that happenin’ again. Thanks for main’ me feel awful ‘bout it.” He sighed, blowing the smoke out away from her direction. “But, like I said, I’ll be careful. My burnin’ tents down days ‘re over.” All of our days might be over pretty soon, anyway. "Anyway, how’s the policin’ goin’? No one else actin’ out so ya gotta come bother me?"

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn knew he made fun of everyone, which was why she wasn't taking it personally. He had caught her without words, which was quite an accomplishment, though. And sometimes she did act like their mother, though most of the people in the troupe were older than she was. An eyebrow raised at the fire that came from the snapping, and the blonde shrugged. "Well, not too safe," she said with a little grin. "Don't want to be boring."

"You're welcome," she answered. She elbowed his side. "Hey, what's past is past," she said. "I of all people know that." A reference to her mysterious past that no one but Ophelia knew about. "But yeah, not much. There's been some things, but I'm pretty good at taking care of the place."

[callmechamber]

I See Fire [Circus AU Event]

[callmechamber]

"Everythin’ is flammable, ta some degree, luv-" Jono winked at her, "And this-" he tossed a book of matched in the air, and caught them again, "-is what keeps the people comin’. And when I say ‘people’ I mean all of those rich, young women with deep pockets who like to come see me put myself in danger. Tragic, in a way, but like you say, it pays the bills-" He smiled, taking a few steps away from the tent. 

"Protection? Please. That takes all of the fun outa it!” he produced a lighter from his pocket, clicking it on and passing a finger through the flame. “It can’t hurt me anyway, but I appreciate your endless care and sympathy-” He was just messing with her now. "But I’ll be careful. The car incident is not one I’m keen on repeatin’," Jono teased, "But if I did… what would you even do about it?"

[taryn--it--up]

They both knew that Taryn's job was to protect the troupe, and that she took it very seriously. Still, she did care about Jono. He was family, like they all were. So she frowned slightly. "It hurts you whether or not you feel pain," she pointed out. "Sure, it's great that you don't, but you better be careful about getting the burns infected."

At the mention of the car, though, Taryn took a step back, pointing accusingly at him. "I would--" She stopped. She couldn't really do much. It wasn't like she could punish him. But then she finally settled on something. "I wouldn't need to do anything," she said. "Your guilt over costing us while we're competing would be enough." A raised eyebrow told him she was teasing.

[callmechamber]

I See Fire [Circus AU Event]

Jonothon Starsmore rested against the pole of a tent, watching people go by and twirling a match between his scarred fingers. He was shirtless- no need to wear clothes if they were just going to burn- but the cloth he used to cover his mouth and nose during certain performances- was hanging around his neck. His body was covers in scars, some from his days performing, but many were much older. He’d been born with a type of continental analgesia, and was able to completely disregard pain which was a useful skill, but meant he hurt himself a lot, wether on accident or in rare cases, not. At age nine, he was expelled from his prestigious boarding school for burning down a dorm room and his parents refused to speak to him; of course, wether it was because of the fire or because he’d been caught snogging another boy, Jonothon didn’t know. Raised on stuffy traditional values, Jonothon had decided to do the exact opposite of what he’d been taught and at ten, ran away and joined the circus.

And he’d been here ever since. But now with the impending possibility of being shut down, Jonothon had begun brainstorming new ideas for his performances. The crowds were dying down by the day, but if they could just make it a little longer… Part of the problem was that people didn’t see street shows much anymore. But, ironically, it didn’t stop people from delighting in the strange or gawk at anything out of the ordinary. It was sick, in a way, but it gave him a place to be and the lowest definition of a home. 

He pulled a small tin of wax from his pocket and coated three of his fingers, striking the match on a cinder bock that was holding the tent down, and watched the fire catch on his hand. He passed the flame back and forth over his fingertips, watching it jump around with the excitement of a child on Christmas. He heard someone approaching and blew out the flame, wiping the melted wax on his pants and turning, “I wasn’t going to burn anythin’ down, I promise-” he said, hastily. He’d been told not to “play around” after the exploding car incident, but if Banner was allowed to keep lions around, he didn’t see what a few matches would hurt…

[taryn--it--up]

Oh, Starsmore. The man most likely to cause backstage and liability issues--like the exploding car from earlier. Though her arms were crossed, as Taryn looked at him she was smiling, shaking her head. She laughed a little. "Honestly, as long as you don't die and you're not next to anything flammable, I don't care," she said with a little shrug. "Maybe you attract some more people, make them happier, we get to stay a group." She frowned slightly, thinking about the opposite.

Then she raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should spray that heat protectant thing girls are supposed to spray on their hair before using a curling iron," she said. "Something to keep you from burning your skin away. And maybe just..." She took a few steps forward, taking him by the shoulders and playfully moving him away from the tent. "Move a little further from the tent."

[hackermanjock-blog]

OPEN to ALL - CIRCUS AU!

Sometimes making a quick buck was too easy. There was always some gullible idiot who couldn’t keep up with Jock’s tricks. Jock would play with the punter’s mind until they were so confused, they barely realised that they were handing over more cash than they could probably afford to him. And he would walk away before the figurative penny could drop.

Tonight had been a particular good night with extra gullible fools wandering around the circus. Jock had weaved his way through the crowd, picking out his victims and charming them until they were poorer for the encounter. His wallet practically bulged with notes. Yes, tonight had been a most excellent night.

Jock tucked himself away from the crowd before he dared to take his wallet out and do a quick count of his night’s takings. Something crunched behind him and he quickly stuffed his wallet back into his pocket. “What are you doing here?” He snapped in an accusatory tone as he turned around. “Why’re you sneaking around like that?”

[taryn--it--up]

The blonde security guard leaned against the wall, watching Jock with narrowed eyes. Thinking. Considering. He was a con man; that was well known between the two groups. And look at all the money he had earned manipulating the innocent guests. He wasn't a part of her troupe. In fact, they were rivals now. "I'm security," Taryn answered steadily. "I've permission to sneak. You, though... I wonder if our poor guests would've have given you permission to con them. You know, if they weren't being manipulated."

Was she that bad? In normal circumstances, no. Not enough to perhaps suggest to a guest that Jock had manipulated them for money, not enough to egg them into an anger that might get Jock dropped from the group if Ophelia didn't want to be sued. But now that her makeshift family was being threatened? Maybe.

[bannerandthebeast]

Cat's Cradle || Bruce and Taryn

Bruce was crouched down on his knees, face to face with the beast. His calloused fingers carded through the lionesses short, silky mane, and he smiled as he felt the vibrations of her low, almost inaudible purr reverberating through her muscled body.

"She doesn’t bite, you know. I mean… She does, but not if I’m here. You can touch her if you like. Shauna’s just a big kitten, aren’t you?" He ruffled the lion’s short gold fur, grinning as she licked his elbow.

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn watched Bruce, a little doubtfully, an eyebrow raised but a smile on her lips. She would be lying if she said she didn't think the lions were beautiful. But she was aware that they were wild animals, and as such, giant wild predators were liable to snap and kill someone. Bruce would probably be first. And as the little troupe's security guard and manager of certain things (like liability and possible injuries), Taryn had always been a little wary of the lions.

Still, they were a great draw for the public, so of course Taryn wasn't against the lions. Especially if it meant her family wouldn't be separated. "If she does, though..." the blonde said, though she moved towards the big cat slowly. "You'll have a one-handed security guard." Taryn had never looked composing, but with her mysterious knowledge of martial arts and the taser hidden at her side, she was quite good at protecting her people.

[hackermanjock-blog]

"Bluffing? What’s the point in bluffing, Terra? Huh? What would I gain from that?" With a huff, he opened up his laptop again, turned it around for her to look at the screen. "Tell me what you see and then tell me again that I’m bluffing."

[taryn--it--up]

          "Pride and self-esteem," she told him bluntly. Leaning forward, she read the code. It seemed like he was hacking a website... finances... Oh, and there is was. "Amazon?" she said, unimpressed.

[lesserthanman]

"——How lucky can they be? They’re dead."

[taryn--it--up]

     "Maybe that's a good thing to be."

[hackermanjock-blog]

"Now that would be telling," he scoffed again. "How do I know you’re not gonna go and tell people what I’ve done and get me into trouble?" Yeah, while she might not look like a spy, trusting her with this kind of information could be a big mistake.

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn's eyebrows raised. "I'm... against the whole concept of reporting someone's past crimes to other people," she said. "It would be hypocritical." She shrugged. "Anyway, if you don't tell me, I'll just be convinced you're making it up. Bluffing."

[hackermanjock-blog]

"A police station? Is that all?" Jock scoffed, despite seeing how uncomfortable this topic of conversation was making her. "I’ve done much worse than that and not even because someone else wanted me to," he said. Normally he wouldn’t admit this kind of thing to just anyone but she didn’t seem like the spy type.

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn wasn't so much a hacker as someone who used to follow orders in a terrorist group. So she was hardly impressed by his bragging. She ignored his scoffing. "What have you done, then?" she asked.

[hackermanjock-blog]

Her comment made him think of his own parents. While he hadn’t made life easy for them, they were still trying their best to be parent-y. He really should give his Mom a call later.

"So what’s the biggest thing you’ve ever hacked?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee. "With or without your parents making you do it."

[taryn--it--up]

The question made her grimace as she remembered what she'd done. It wasn't exactly a happy topic. "Um." She coughed while she muttered, "A police station."

[hackermanjock-blog]

"I wasn’t… doing- I was working on- damn it." He hung his head and shook it from side to side. Had it really been so obvious what he had been doing? "Why would your parents make you hack something? Doesn’t seem like a parent-y thing to do, getting the kid involved in such activities."

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn raised an eyebrow. She had looked over enough shoulders of hackers to recognize what he was doing. But when he hung his head and shook it, she knew he wasn't going to protest. To her credit, she didn't insist upon it at all, instead just answering his question with a shrug. "My parents weren't very parent-y," she said. It was a massive understatement.

[hackermanjock-blog]

"Can I recommend that you switch to decaf some point soon? Why’d ya come over and talk to me anyway? There’s what-" he glanced around them, quickly counting how many other people were here in the coffee shop, "-at least 12 other people you could-a picked."

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn laughed. "Yeah, I probably should," she said. She followed his gaze to the people around them, then back to Jock. "Well, you were hacking," she said. "I used to do that, for, em, my parents." She grimaced and shook her head. "Anyway, figured I might like you 'cause of that."

[hackermanjock-blog]

"Do I look like an athlete to you?" He said as he tried to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "And is this something you do on a regular basis? Just sit down and bug a person until they give in and talk to you?"

[taryn--it--up]

"No." It was Taryn's turn to roll her eyes. "You said as in the earth, I said as in the athlete. I was just... mirroring your words. You know." She shrugged. "Not really. I think it's the coffee, to be honest. I don't have coffee a lot."

[taryn--it--up]

Way Back When // Taryn and Bruce

[bannerandthebeast]

He had to bite his tongue with a painful amount of force to stop himself from making any sort of commentary, but the hard expression that crossed the physicist’s face was comment enough.

"Ah. I… see…" was all he finally managed to say. Wordlessly, he took another bite of pizza, and tried to take a deep breath. Parents. How two people could come together to create life, and then do something so… inhumane… He shook his head and put down the food, before looking back over at Taryn. "I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t have asked."

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn had almost become used to the expression that came to people's faces when she told them what her parents had done. She used to feel awkward about it, but now she had come to expect it. Bruce was struggling for his words and she knew it was her fault, him sitting there awkwardly and her just blinking at him as she waited. She was about to apologize when he did. At first she thought he was apologizing for their actions, which people often did, but apparently it was for asking.

"Oh!" she said quickly, shaking her head. "No, I don't mind. It's... difficult to mention, but it's been long enough, I think, that I don't really get flashbacks anymore or anything. Besides, I don't... I mean... You don't have to say anything, or fix it. And I--" Wanted him to know? Could she say that? "I'm glad to tell people, if it means, you know... people... know me." She ended on an awkward note, sufficiently making them both awkward in this situation.

bannerandthebeast

[taryn--it--up]

The Thug Life

[catchesthievesjustlikeflies-blog]

Peter frowned, watching Taryn carefully as she spoke. Clearly her parents hadn’t exactly had her best interests in mind, but then that was probably already clear with the whole ‘turning her into a super soldier’ thing. The compliment turned that frown upside down though, “Thanks. I like to think so. Though, I suppose its not always clear what the right thing to do is. And, well, sometimes I make mistakes, but there’s not really a handbook for what I do either.”

The second compliment was a nice distraction. Despite his superhuman ability to put his foot in his mouth (figuratively anyway), Taryn actually thought he was sweet. For once in his life, it seemed as though maybe all of his awkwardness was actually a good thing? Just to make sure, Peter looked out one of the tower’s many windows and, while he didn’t have any kind of enhanced vision, it didn’t appear as though pigs were flying.

“Oh, well, I have an apartment in the city. I’m not sure why, exactly. Maybe all of this just doesn’t sit right with me. I got used to the way I did things, I guess.” More surprising questions followed and Peter shrugged, “Yeah, friends do that and other stuff. But you don’t have to do anything. Friends just hang out and enjoy eachother’s company. That sorta thing, you know? I’m sure you have friends. You just might not realize it.”

taryn—it—up

[taryn--it--up]

Taryn grimaced. "Yeah, I definitely get the whole not-knowing-what-the-right-thing-to-do thing. Sort of the story of my life." She laughed a little. "I wish there was a handbook. It would make things a lot easier." Growing up, she'd been given clear instructions on what was and what was not right. But she had never agreed with them, and what her parents had done had never seemed right to her. That was why she wished there was something she could believe.

The earthmover meant it when she said she thought he was sweet. The awkwardness was disarming, and instead of making her feel awkward, it made her feel comfortable. Like she didn't have to be self-conscious or put up an act. Not to mention he was actually sweet.

She nodded. "You have a place of your own, then, too," she said. "I lived here for about a month. It was nice--free food, hot water, a bed and everything--but I'm pretty sure there are cameras hidden in certain places, and there's people everywhere." She took in this information about what friends did, and shrugged. "I mean, I think I have friends. We just don't do stuff together? I'm sort of just used to keeping to myself, so I'm not too good at keeping up friendships."

catchesthievesjustlikeflies