Le Cirque Des Cassés

Chapter Seven: Flame

"Pyromania; The obsessive desire to set fire to things."

Flame generally didn't pay much attention to things. He never felt the need to at the cirque. He trusted that Ringmaster would handle anything that was important and all Flame needed to do was put on shows and not fight with people. So, that's what he did. He didn't worry when new people arrived, or when people left. 

In many ways, Flame was rehabilitated enough he could leave the cirque. His pyromania was controlled, his sadism and masochism were controlled, and the fact that sometimes he didn't hear things that were said or that he didn't always feel touch wasn't too large of an issue. Flame simply didn't care enough to leave. He loved being at the cirque, he loved the people there. It made his name a bit ironic. You would imagine someone named Flame would be very passionate, or at least aggressive. But that just wasn't true, at least not on the surface. 

Flame blew out the fire he was working with and looked around the main tent. Blade was back, but without Target, and Ringmaster was gone. Flame walked over towards Blade. 

"Yo Blade, where's your Girl Toy?" Flame asked. Blade rolled his eyes.

"Taking a nap. She wasn't feeling well."

"That sucks. Lion, and Wolf are done practicing. Wanna come help me annoy them?" 

"Better than doing nothing," Blade remarked with a smile. Flame and Blade then went to hunt down Lion and Wolf. 

"What do you think about the kid?" Flame asked, he personally didn't care, but he was sure Blade did. 

"She's close to Snake, and that's a bit unnerving but she doesn't seem like much of an issue for anyone."

"Yeah. Switch told me that she mumbles a lot. Whenever she is alone really."

"Me and the other veterans think she has OSDD of some form," Blade said. Flame just shrugged as they rounded a corner and saw Lion and Wolf. 

"Sup Airheads," Flame said to them. 

"Fuck off you dick," Lion said back. Flame smiled some. The four of them talked like this alone to each other. They couldn't around the others because it might make them think they are being aggressive, when really they weren't. They were just guys being guys. 

"Can you two quit flirting?" Wolf said, rolling his eyes. Lion smiled and shoved Wolf. Wolf fell and yelped while snapping his teeth at Lion. 

"Oh get up Wolf you're fine," Blade remarked, sitting on the ground by the bench Lion was sat on. Wolf snarled some at Blade before smiling and sitting on the bench again. Flame sat beside Blade. The four considered each other brothers. 

"What were you two talking about?" Flame asked, playing with some matches he had in his pockets.

"Dumb shit," Wolf replied. 

"Oh so the normal things you two say," Blade said. 

Lion kicked at Blade's leg, "Bitch."

"The only one of us four that would be a Bitch is Flame," Blade defended.

"Flame's a masochist. So fucking funny," Flame sarcastically replied. 

"Got enough salt there Flame?" Wolf asked.

"You shithead," Flame said before pulling Wolf onto the floor again. 

"God dammit!! Every time!" Wolf shouted.

"Hey, no yelling," Lion remarked absentmindedly, "Anyways, where's the side piece Blade. Usually you can't get more than 10 feet away from her."

"She's napping. Don't worry about it so much. Besides, since when have you cared about my girlfriend."

"Ever since she started keeping you away from us," Wolf said. Blade rolled his eyes. "It's true. Flame mentions he is bisexual once and suddenly she doesn't trust you around him. It's kind of funny honestly."

"Please," laughed Flame, "you couldn't pay me to touch Blade. I'm a masochist, not suicidal." The four boys laughed. Flame never quite understood what it was about these three that made him feel comfortable. Maybe they reminded him of family, not that he could really remember his real family, they made sure he wouldn't. The four boys sat there, talking and laughing and having a fun time for a while. Eventually Poison came by and sat with them, eating some herb that none of them wanted to ask what it was.

"Has anyone else noticed that Ringmaster has been more secretive lately?" Poison asked. 

"What do you mean?" Blade asked, "He seems the usual amount of secretive and shady to me."

"I'm not quite sure what I mean. I saw him go visit Target though," Poison said. 

Blade paused, "What?" 

"Oh relax Blade. We all know Ringmaster is gayer than gay. But yea, I walked by and they were talking. Target seemed confused and Ringmaster seemed more intense than normal. It was odd."

Flame could see Blade's eyes fill with concern. "Blade, chill. I can tell you think he is sending her away. But we both know he can't. Not without sending you with."

"What if he tries to though? I can't lose her."

"Dude, you won't lose her," Wolf said. Flame could understand Blade's concern though. It's rare for Ringmaster to go in anyone's trailer, let alone to talk to them alone. Usually he addresses people in groups. Flame thinks he is afraid of being alone with people. 

Blade sighed, "I'm going to go find Target, and ask her what the hell they talked about."

"You're acting like Whisper. For fucks sake Blade, it's fine. It was probably just him asking why she hasn't been feeling well. You know he gets concerned whenever one of us isn't doing well. Just relax. I'm sure Target will tell you after dinner," Flame said, lighting a match and watching the fire burn the wood. He never understood Blade's panic about the chance of losing Target. Blade acted like there was even a chance. Flame had seen some obsessions in his time, and Target was obsessed with Blade. 

Nonetheless, Flame knew it was more than Ringmaster asking Target why she hadn't felt well. He would've done that once Target was around everyone else again, not in private. Maybe it was something about Blade, but Flame also doubted that. In his whole time here, Flame hadn't seen Target or Blade change much. 

"You're right Flame. I'm just being paranoid," Blade said half to himself. 

"I know I'm right Blade. I always am."