InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Shake your booty!"

Joanie Wicker | The Wicked Witch of the West (wickedwicker) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-05-02 23:36:00

Entry tags:

jim hawkins, wicked witch

Who: Joanie and Russell
What: Waking up after the full moon
Where: 705
When: The morning after the full moon, around 10 o'clock
Warnings: Intense awkwardness

As sunlight slatted through the windows of 705, Joanie felt a strange tickling beneath her skin. Swatting absently at the air, she shifted in her half-sleep, trying desperately to cling to the dream world that consumed her. She wasn't sure what she was dreaming, really, only that she was doing so. For all she knew, it was just a cocoon of blackness, a velvet drape that consumed her.

At least there, she wasn't green and confused.

But all good things must come to an end, and she finally saw the world swim into view around her. At first, she was struck by how alien things were. That ceiling, though similar to hers, wasn't hers. Tension gripped her as she felt the back of a couch against her cheek - she didn't sleep on a couch. With a gasp, she braced her hands against the couch, lifting herself just slightly in order to look around.

She had balled herself up on one end of the couch, her head resting on its arm. On the other end of the couch slumped Russell, still asleep, with Zeph the cat curled up on his lap. The sight brought a soft smile to her face, and for a moment, she considered just leaving so as to not disturb him. But she knew that even though that was a kind gesture, it was equally cruel. So she scooted back to sit on her side of the couch, resting her chin on her knees. Maybe she would just wait until he woke up. But then, what would she do until them? Watch him? This wasn't Twilight.

Conflicted, she finally reached out with a pale hand - thank God she wasn't green anymore - and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Russell?" she whispered, leaning forward just slightly. "Russell, you awake?" Dumb question.

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themegazord
2010-05-03 04:18 am UTC (link)

Russell's world was extremely foggy at the moment with a weird furry warmth on his lap. Yesterday had been so clear as far as he knew, planning and getting his friend and himself into the relative shelter of safety away from the crazy that was the rest of the building. Later on he would definitely deem that to have been a great idea. As for now the morning had come and all the weirdness that clouded his mind were swept away, leaving behind only Russell, his cheerful nature and the boyish insecurities of being anywhere near a girl.

Besides the cat in his lap, the first thing he really began to register was the sensation of something poking at him, probably trying to pull him away from sleepland. "Mrrff?" Russell tried to move away from the annoyance, turning his head in the direction he thought was the opposite way from it. Instead, he turned his head right toward Joanie. Then he opened his eyes.

"Waugh!"

Poor Russell reflexively twitched away from the surprise, trying to get up only to trip over his own feet and fall half in and out of the crevice between the couch and the coffee table, barely saving Zeph by hoisting him up in the air, sacrificing some pain to his back in the process. "Oww..." he whined before feebly smiling up at Joanie. "Um, hey," he started. "Sleep well?"

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wickedwicker
2010-05-03 04:24 am UTC (link)

What happened in the few seconds after she prodded Russell awake was a whirlwind of movement and confusion. Honestly, Joanie wasn't sure what had happened. One second, he was dead asleep. The next, he was flailing away from her and falling all over himself, taking her cat with him in the process. At first, Joanie was worried. After all, couldn't people die from hitting their heads? She tried to move to help him, but ended up only watching as he thudded into the space between the couch and coffee table while holding Zeph up in the air.

Biting on her thumb, she stood quickly, looking down at him with concern. Just as she was about to worry her face off, he offered her a smile, and somehow that made everything better. She found herself restraining a laugh despite the situation. "Yeah. I did, actually." A giggle escaped her as Zeph began to whine, wiggling expertly out of Russell's hands and dropping onto his chest before scampering away. "You okay?" She leaned forward, grabbing one of his hands and leaning back to try and help pull him to his feet.

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themegazord
2010-05-03 05:42 am UTC (link)

Why yes, people COULD die from hitting their heads. However, it would have to be at a much higher velocity than the short trip to the floor, or with a harder surface than carpet. So really if Russell was the view the situation as that, then he really didn't have much to worry about. But of course, that didn't mean he didn't hurt all over thanks to his graceful swan dive.

After the cat freed itself, landed ever so weightlessly on his chest (which he responded with a slight 'oof') and took off to who knows where, hopefully not behind his command center, Russell took the opportunity to attempt to sit up, gratefully taking the smaller hand offered to him so he could finally be upright for once today. Laughing nervously, Russell tried to brush it off in a manly fashion. "Yeah I'm fine, happens all the time, just gotta get used to it. Sides, chicks dig the scars!" he laughed before realizing who he said it to and coughed while looking out the window. Wow, way to go there Russell. All he needed was his mom leading a marching band parade with banners of embarrassing baby pictures and he'd be all set.

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wickedwicker
2010-05-03 05:55 am UTC (link)

After he sat up, she released his hand and sank to sit on the couch near him, crossing one leg over the other. As he mentioned chicks digging scars, she laughed. "Oh, yeah?" she asked, bobbing one foot casually in the air. Yes, she would have to agree that women liked rugged scars. She imagined it had something to do with knowing that guy had survived something awful. Maybe near-death experiences were just inherently sexy.

"I think if you want to impress a girl with scars, they'd have to be...shark tooth scars, you know?" Stroking her chin in thought, she glanced up for a moment. "Or something from a barfight, but only if the guy you fought was at least 250 pounds." She looked to him, grinning. "But who am I to judge? Maybe your 'falling off the couch' scars really do it for some girls. Had any luck with them?"

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themegazord
2010-05-04 02:07 am UTC (link)

While Joanie was conversing, Russell took a moment to glance over at the tv screen. It was a little past ten in the morning and aliens had been replaced with dull reporters giving their latest on the goat that fell in a well in Pennsylvania. Riveting. Yet, he inwardly smirked, still not nearly as bad as infomercials post Billy Mays yelling days.

Luckily, despite his seemingly ADD nature, he had enough sense to be listening to everything Joanie was saying as well, laughing at the 'shark' comment. "Yeah, it's not badass unless I'm Rambo-ing after a flying shark. Eating bullets. In the snow. In July!" Which, Russell decides would be a completely awesome action movie. Someone should write a script. Anyway. His inner monologue derailed when Joanie asked about the nonexistent girls. "Uh," he coughed, "Yeah!" he lied. "They think it's cool. See here?" he pointed to a small scar on his arm. "Game controller, '96." Sure it was his fault and he didn't know how to share well with the stupid neighbor kid but still, scar that chicks can dig, right?

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wickedwicker
2010-05-04 03:09 am UTC (link)

For a moment, Joanie actually tried to imagine Russell fighting a shark. It didn't go anywhere good. Laughing at her derailed attempt, she leaned back against the couch, drumming her fingers on her knee. As he offered his arm, she raised a brow, nodding. "Oh, yeah, I can see that." She smirked, tapping her chin. "Very impressive. Yeah, the ladies must really dig that."

Stretching her arms overhead, she let out a yawn. After a moment of silence during which she looked lazily out the window, she turned back to him, offering a fragile smile. "Uh. Thanks again for letting me crash here during all the crazy. It was fun."

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themegazord
2010-05-04 06:32 am UTC (link)

"Yeah, the ladies love it," he said halfheartedly, not really believing it himself. Probably because it wasn't true. For all his intelligence and arrogantly brash behavior when it came to facing up against the law, Russell wasn't skilled at talking to anyone of the female variety. Iris was a great example of this. Even as business partners she somehow knew the right way to dress to get his brain scrambled into doing whatever she wanted. He seemingly didn't have a shot in hell of having a friend that was a girl.

Awesome.

"Yeah, not every day you get to see flying monkeys," he joked, scratching the back of his neck. "It was..." he trailed off. What could he really say to pinpoint what he viewed last night as? Everything seemed so out-of-body experience, and Russell was just a hapless bystander in the story. "Yeah." He couldn't explain nor understand exactly what happened to him, and he hoped Joanie hadn't been put off by it. All he could do was attempt damage control.

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wickedwicker
2010-05-04 11:41 pm UTC (link)

Joanie watched him curiously as he seemed to flounder. His description of the night as "yeah" said it all. Though a part of her wanted to keep fishing, there was a sane person in the back of her head that yanked on her hair and told her to quit before she pushed another friend away. So instead, she just offered him a gentle smile and nod. "Yeah," she repeated. "I still can't believe that little bastard had fingers," she said with a chuckle. "I hope you don't mind me bringing him, I just...couldn't trust him alone with the ability to open things."

She stood, craning her neck to look around for the little devil-cat. "Oh, there he is." Stepping around the couch, she walked a few feet to the nearest windowsill and scooped him up in her arms, turning back to Russell. "So I guess I'll see you later, huh?" It was weird how they were practically neighbors and yet conversed primarily through the forums. "If you ever want a sweet tattoo to keep those ladies coming, let me know. Those are my specialty." She couldn't remember if she had ever mentioned being a tattoo artist, but it didn't matter. He should get the jist of it, right?

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themegazord
2010-05-07 08:39 pm UTC (link)

Russell chuckled at the comments about the monkey, glad to have the subject of the conversation diverted from his sad horrific attempts to keep the situation diffused. "Nah of course I don't mind, he was cool," he started, "Never seen a monkey up close except for the zoo and those don't really count since they're behind bars and all that crap. And none of them have wings so there!" he finished proudly.

For Russell it wasn't weird at all that he had no trouble conversing with Joanie better on the forums than he did in person. It wasn't her or anyone else's fault. While he could swear and win over a noob online, he was rather socially inept in person unless it was business or family. It didn't help that Joanie was, well, a girl. Never helps. He grinned at the prospect of tattoos without really letting it sink in. "Of course, I'll be sure to stop by when I want a giant one of a jolly roger. Or blackbeard!" he exclaimed, getting carried away with himself. "See you," he politely opened the door for her and her cat to trot on out with. It was about as charming as a hacker/juvenile genius could be.

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wickedwicker
2010-05-08 03:10 am UTC (link)

She snorted as he mentioned a giant jolly roger. "Well, just so you know, I never work on drunk people." Hugging Zeph to her chest, she started towards the door. "So make sure you know what you want, or I'll kick you out on your ass." She snickered, stepping out.

For a brief moment, she turned back to him, smiling lightly. "Thanks again. I'll seeya later." Without a backwards glance, she turned, walking back to her apartment.

Well. That had been relatively painless. Maybe she could be a functional human being amongst others.

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