lostcarnival | [open] ring the bells that still can ring

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[open] ring the bells that still can ring

Who: Joker and you
What: All's fun and games, but the Performers still need to work. Joker occupies himself with that, and maybe a few other things. Like cooking. Or sunbathing.
Where: The Big Tent, the cookhouse, trailers, and eventually the lake
When: Days 145 - 152
Warnings: Potential talk of trauma? But nothing more than that

A - Time to Work

[It's over the Performance Department's channel on the radio that Joker's voice buzzes through.]

While it's all well and good ta take a break, this is a reminder for folks ta get practice in. We won't be doin' real impressive shows for a while, probably, but that just means it's more important ta keep practicin' for when we move on from the Summerlands.

Any problems or questions, come find me in the Big Top. Oh, and we got some new folk in, in case ya haven't seen yet.

[Sure enough, Joker can be found in the ring, bouncing around making sure people are doing fine, practicing some tricks himself... All sorts. He'll come over the second he sees someone enter.]

B - Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle

[In the cookhouse today? Well, you'll find Joker getting to work, apparently mashing up all sorts of fruits, getting their juices.... Of course, with the one arm problem, sometimes this means needing to get inventive.... Are his feet shoeless? Don't worry about it.]

[Later on, Joker is bouncing from trailer to trailer, leaving jars of jelly and jam for everyone. Why? Well, you'll have to stop him to find out.]

C - Lost in Thought

[Joker knows a lot of people in the Summerlands, what, with the carnival already having visited it once before and Joker being... himself. So it's of no surprise that throughout the carnival's stay, he's often gone into the city, chatted with just about everyone, and acted as if he's perfectly fine.]

[On occasion, however....]

[Those who go to the carnival's lake will find him trying to push what looks like a.... blow-up rubber floating thing out onto the lake's surface with his feet, Feathers the Dartix trying to help him along. Joker is notably not wearing any actual swimwear... besides, like, his usual atrocious mash up of 'modern' fashion.]

[Later on, if no one interrupts him on shore, Joker is out in the water proper, but not... really messing around. He's just sprawled along the pool float stomach-first, his wings stretched out completely and partially in the water. Occasionally the water carries him a little closer to shore- perfectly within talking distance.]

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He see's Joker struggling with the floatie, but he makes absolutely no offer to help, instead choosing to watch and laugh at him from the sidelines. He has four arms at this point and he still doesn't have the proper wardrobe to accommodate them, so he is shirtless, but the weather's always nice at the carnival so what does it even matter. The only thing it changes is how noticeable the two brands on his back and his fae mark, all of which Joker's seen before.

"What are you doing?"

"What's it look like?" Joker tosses over his shoulder, grinning a little bit as he tests his hold on the float with his feet. Alas, while they might be absurdly flexible as far as human toes go, he hasn't developed anything like monkeys or birds yet.

"I'm here ta enjoy myself, thank ya."

He still finds it a bit odd how much everyone seems to enjoy the lake. It's not something the Psionic could ever enjoy, but that doesn't mean he's going to ruin everybody else's fun.

"It looks like you're failing, badly." He'd offer to lend a hand (he has four of them now), but he doesn't actually want to get anywhere near the water. Still, it's not like he needs to get near the water to help. Telekinetics sure could be useful. Maybe if he'd had them in Portland he wouldn't have gotten the shit kicked out of him so many times.

"Need some help?"

Straightening up, Joker presses his hands daintily against his chest. "I'm a self sufficient gent, I'll have ya know!" he says, faux offended. "I run my own section of the carnival, y'know. I'm talented that way."

Well, he's able to run his part of the carnival because that means more running his mouth than using his hands, but hey. It all works out.

"Just watch. I'll show ya." As Feathers flutters off to the side obediently enough, Joker takes a breath.... and just flops onto the floatie. A beat passes, and he starts to kick himself forward a little bit with a giggle. He is still 99% on dry land.

He watches obediently, still grinning as Joker takes a breath. Then he busts out laughing as Joker falls onto the floaty and starts to kick out into the water. This is ridiculous, he claps his hands together regardless.

"Bravo! Stunning!" He'd expect no less from the head of their performance crew. He certainly could stand to expect a lot more though. "Even your owl could do better than that!"

"Rude!" Joker hoots back, laughing regardless as the owl in question settles quite snugly on his back. "Feathers wouldn't do anythin' that would mess ups his feathers! I'm the best you got!" Awkwardly, burdened by one arm and an owl, Joker tries to adjust the floatie so that he's facing Psi more.

"What are ya doin' around this neck of the woods anyway, ya unappreciative tit?"

He shrugs, before taking a seat near the bank, watching Joker's continued struggles.

"Looking for you. Figured I owed you a thanks."

He smiles, thinking Joker will probably get weird about it, but knowing he wants to say it none the less.

Indeed, there is a pause as Joker takes that in, occupying himself for a few moments with some determined paddling.

"For helpin' ya when ya were gettin' yer ass kicked?" he ventures after a moment.

He nods, before realizing Joker might not be able to see the movement considering their about 6 feet apart or further.

"Yeah." It wasn't the real him, and it wasn't the real Joker either, but on some level he still felt like he at least owed the guy that much.

"And I need to apologize to your bird."

This all sounds like normal Psi talk... up until that last part, and Joker has to pause. Looking over his shoulder (and wings), he blinks at Feathers, who's popped up at the mention of himself.

"Psi, don't go harassin' my bird," he says, amusement lacing his voice. "I can't leave ya alone for one minute, can I?"

Psi laughs. He doesn't think he needs looking after that badly, but well, past incidents seemed to be proving otherwise.

"He was the one harassing me! He even pecked my head."

"Oh. Well. Ya probably deserved it." Joker's cheeky grin is more than a little teasing. "When was this, then, anyway?"

Clearly Feathers doesn't seem to mind this conversation, considering how he's roosting on Joker's back quite contentedly.

Psi shakes his head with a smile as Joker laughs at him.

"At that stupid animal fair. I think he was trying to make me remember or something."

"What a good owl." Even as Joker chuckles, Feathers puffs up proudly. YES. YES HE IS A VERY GOOD OWL. THANK YOU FOR NOTICING. PRAISE HIM MORE.

Joker doesn't, however. He just lapses into quiet for a few seconds, tapping his fingers through the water's surface. "Hey, Psi?" he brings up eventually, wanting to make sure that the other doesn't wander off.

The quiet doesn't bother him. He's amused just watching Feathers and Joker float around. The way Joker says his name like a question gets his attention though, and suddenly he's wondering if he should be worried about what's going to come next.

"What?"

A few more taps go through the water, and his mouth twists a tad. This isn't the sort of thing he's said much- not because he's necessarily too proud for it but because it rarely comes up. Not like this.

Still, he manages, in the end. "Just wanted ta apologize again. Proper-like, for that one time." His fingers keep dipping through the water, and he kind of hopes it isn't obvious. "Got all stressed, shouldn'tve taken it out on ya."

His eyes widen and then his shoulders sink. Right, that thing they weren't talking about, until now apparently. Hearing Joker apologize feels wrong though, honestly makes him feel guilty. He was the one at fault there. He didn't give Joker his space, had tried to push him. Still, if Joker was apologizing it meant he probably felt the same. Maybe he just needed it to be said, out in the open. He wouldn't tell Joker to take it back.

Instead he forces out a laugh, smiling weakly. He isn't sure what to say until he starts talking, just letting the words tumble out of him without giving it much thought.

"I was the one who pushed... But thank you, for apologizing." It went without saying that Joker was important to him, but since he was trying to be more honest lately maybe he'd say it anyway.

"You mean a lot to me."

Looking back at it, Joker is pretty sure Psi didn't push, exactly- although his presence had sure felt like it when he'd been so wound up and tense about what had transpired that night. Still, all he does is click his tongue a little in objection, but doesn't say anything substantial about it.

"Yeah, well, we're still friends, ain't we?" he says lightly, shifting a little to look up at him proper.

He smiles, genuinely, before looking away and laughing again.

"That's what I just said, isn't it?"

Hell, what he shared with Joker went beyond simple friends. Joker was quadrant material, he'd trust the redhead to be his auspitice any day. He wished there was a human word for it, something between a friend and a partner.

"You're like... Family."

Aw, hell- he couldn't stop the twist of a soft smile from appearing on his face if he wanted to at that sentence. Joker doesn't think he really wants to, however.

"Well, yer more than welcome ta be one of mine. Doll'll like ya when you've talked more."

He raises a brow, looking Joker over critically, or at least pretending to.

"Are you saying she doesn't like me know?"

"I don't know." Batting his eyelashes, Joker gives his most innocent smile. That means it's absolutely suspicious.

"Have ya given her treats ta win her favor?"

"Do embarrassing stories about you count as treats?" he asks, pretty willing to walk into whatever trap this may be.

"Oi-!" Well, that's enough to get him to jolt up, Feathers flapping from the sudden movement. "Don't try it, that's a war we'd both lose!"

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[open] ring the bells that still can ring

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