Mask or Menace IC Contact

[itistolaugh]

"Harley here! Leave a message and I'll get back to you.

Or I won't.

Don't be boring."

(text, voice, video, action)

Comments

[itistolaugh]

Was it good for you, too?

[restingstitchface]

[He gives her a deliberately long moment of silence, then puts the phone down.

Ignored!]

[itistolaugh]

[ Wait, crap, she was trying to make him NOT mad! Crap crap crap! ]

Professor?

Professor?!

[restingstitchface]

[Er. Right. That's loud.

But the panic? That's delightful. Maybe if he controlled himself, drew that silence out, he could hear it again. Control is such a lovely thing.]

[itistolaugh]

Professor Crane, are you still there? Come on, pick up! Please? Johnny?

... Scarecrow?

[restingstitchface]

[Delightful, yes.

He won't pick up right now.]

[itistolaugh]

Scarecrow, Scarecrow, come on. Stop playing around. I know you're still there. Come on! Stop it!

[restingstitchface]

[What an animated display of terror. He wastes no time in ignoring her for longer, as he sits down and opens up his notebook. Is he writing about it? Oh yes.]

[itistolaugh]

This isn't funny, Jonathan!

[restingstitchface]

[No, it's satisfying.

Almost as much fun as making Rachel Dawes wait those times she'd visited his asylum, in fact.]

[itistolaugh]

Oh my god, are you getting off on this?!

[restingstitchface]

[He taps the back of his pen against his desk. What a stupid motivation.

Though she's not entirely wrong. Control is utterly satisfying, isn't it?]

[itistolaugh]

Scarecrow, if you don't pick up then I'm gonna come over. I'm doing it. I'm coming over. I'm out the door.

[restingstitchface]

[Shrug.

He leans back in his chair and, with some relish, hangs up the phone. Without telling her he's switched over to hands-free. Oops?

Still, she'll do as she likes. She always does.]

[itistolaugh]

[ She hangs up while muttering some very unkind things.

By the time she gets to his door she's mostly fussed herself out of anger, and maybe she's cried a little bit. ]

Open the door, Professor!

[restingstitchface]

[Ugh, guests.

Knocking his door, uuugh. But ~crying~. Life is too unkind.]

There is no need to yell, Harleen. I was expecting you. In fact, I've been rather bored till you arrived. Do step inside.

[itistolaugh]

[ She doesn't step inside so much as fall on him and wrap her arms around him. ]

You're mean.

[restingstitchface]

[Physical contact, uuugh. Touching his clothes.

Something within him just goes rigid - though he remains physically unmoved. Perhaps it's a desperate need on her part. Deference? Probably so. He lifts his arms and steps backwards, splitting from the situation. Though not from her person.]

I highly doubt that only just came to your attention. A cruel teacher is the one who educates you best, you realize?

[itistolaugh]

[ She's still limp and clinging, so ... He's just gonna drag her a little bit. That's cool, right? They're cool. ]

Are you trying to mentor me?

[restingstitchface]

[He grabs her left hand, seizes her right, and peels her off with no pretense of gentleness. His grip is the tightest it's ever been as he pushes her backwards and turns his back to head into the sitting room.]

Should I be? I highly doubt you are capable of absorbing what I have to teach you.

[Hint: he hasn't actually said no.]

[itistolaugh]

[ She lets herself fall dramatically to the floor. It's for comedic effect, tragically wasted on The Man With No Humor, and she knows how to do it without injury. In fact she doesn't even bother faking pain. He wouldn't care. ]

You are! Geez oh man!

[ At first she's offended. She's been doing this forever, who does he think he is, she doesn't need any lessons! But then she realizes that if he is, it can be to her advantage just as much as his. Crane is absolutely the type to be a sucker for a teacher's pet, and if he's even considering it at all then how hard could it be to wrap him around her little finger? ]

Haha, I'm your favorite! Oh, is that why you don't want me playing around? Don't want any of the other kids touching your toy?

[restingstitchface]

[To his displeasure she's right. There are students favored over others; those who appreciate culture and the arts; those who respect his intelligence; and those who are dim enough to be useful.

He sits down with the grace of someone who's doing it because of the latter. Folds his hands in his lap and half-closes his eyes. Takes the time to be admired. He indulges in a slight smile, though it's more for himself.]

Don't try and manipulate me, Harley. [He totally doesn't.] You're being completely transparent.

[itistolaugh]

When am I ever not transparent?

[ She rises from the floor and walks right passed him into the kitchen. There's bound to be some instant hot cocoa packets left from his little return to puberty. ]

Y'want anything? Or are you back to a strict diet of plain crackers and water and no fun.

[restingstitchface]

[Crane's face goes through a number of dissatisfied expressions while her back is turned. There's a quirk of a brow, the clucking of his tongue in his cheek. He doesn't stop his eyes darting to the ceiling. He breezes into the kitchen like he owns it.]

I would prefer something warm, at least. Is the food in your version of Arkham as bad as it is in mine?

[Look. He's curious!]

[itistolaugh]

[ She puts the kettle on (holy geez get a microwave already) and checks his selection. There's only one hot cocoa packet left- dibs!- and she's tempted to just give him a cup of hot water, but it's not like making tea is extra work. ]

I dunno. Probably. At least they keep Croc well fed, so he doesn't try to eat another guard. Has that happened, for you?