InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Kinky!"

Dr. Archer | The Invisible Man (sneakingaround) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-07-01 23:21:00

Entry tags:

invisible man, shere khan

Who: Sam and Archer
What: Drinking
Where: The Juke Joint
When: June 23rd at 8 o'clock
Warnings: So very much whining. Archer is emo and proves to us all why scientists aren't allowed to talk to women.

After Isobel's impromptu visit, Archer was more than ready to meet Sam at the bar. He looked it up online, got directions, printed the directions, drew little notes on the directions, and obsessed over memorizing the directions. Essentially, he was distracting himself. He was trying to come up with every conceivable method possible to avoid having to think about the tears on Isobel's face or the panic that he had felt when she fainted. Every little stupid thing he could think of was a great barrier against the feelings he had to confront.

When it came time to meet Sam, he dressed simply in a plain T-shirt and jeans. Out of his lab coat and button-down shirts, he looked almost normal. He still had a gaunt look about him, and there were several conspicuous red marks on the inside of his left elbow where the nurses in the hospital had tried many times over to insert an IV. The shirt he wore left his elbow bare, showing the marks to the world, but he couldn't be bothered to care.

It was warm enough to not require a jacket, and so he simply locked his apartment and left, wearing just his shirt and pants for the walk to the dive bar. He repeated the directions in his head, fastidiously counting steps and land marks as if that would amount to something. Finally, he reached the horrid little place and went inside.

As it was a weekday, it wasn't crowded. He took a seat at a table, waving the waitress away and mentioning that he was waiting for someone first. Folding his hands, he looked down at the table, waiting for Sam to arrive.

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-01 11:28 pm UTC (link)

Sam was pretty fucking exhausted, given that he had cracked ribs and an annoying burn that was the bane of his existence right now. But he wanted to get back to business as usual so he had no problem with working, babysitting, catsitting, and meeting Archer for drinks. Maybe, if he concentrated hard enough, it wouldn't hurt to breathe.

It took him a bit longer than usual to get to the bar since every step hurt, but he sucked it up like a man and found Archer at a table. "Jay," he greeted the man, pulling up a chair. "You look like hell." Meant in a nice, glad he was alive sort of way. "Alright, let's get drunk."

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sneakingaround
2010-07-01 11:33 pm UTC (link)

As Sam entered the bar, Archer glanced up, watching him sit. The greeting made him frown. "I apologize," he said, glancing down at the table. "I didn't think to prepare my appearance for a formal outing." There wasn't an ounce of sarcasm in his voice, nothing at all to suggest that he was responding in any way other than apologetically.

"Yes, I believe that is a good plan." The waitress approached and they ordered a round of shots. Archer wasn't well-versed in the ways of alcohol. After all, he had little use for partying when there was science to do. But this was a special time. He had something he wanted to forget. "Your gait was awkward," he said, looking over at Sam. "What happened?"

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-01 11:37 pm UTC (link)

But Sam thought the response was pretty amusing, so he snickered, waving off Jay's apologies. "I guess I can forgive you for not wearing the monocle and ascot," he teased. "No, but seriously, you're alright?"

Oh yes, shots. Great idea. Once again, Jay was on the ball. And as an added bonus, Sam hoped his shot was lighter fluid. "Oh, you know..." he began casually, sitting back in his chair. "Got chased by torch-and-pitchfork wielding peasants who wanted me dead. Then there was a fire and everything just went to Hell from there."

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sneakingaround
2010-07-01 11:54 pm UTC (link)

The "forgiveness" was met with a stiff nod. "You're too generous." That was at least steeped in sarcasm, proving that Archer was capable of learning. "I'm fine," he said stubbornly. After his stay in the hospital, he went back to Bellum immediately. And despite his better judgment, he went to the grocery store and bought a few different items from different food groups. Vegetables, fruits, meats, and dairy were all rarely seen in his diet. It had taken several nurses and their lectures to convince him to at least sample them on occasion, despite the expense.

Samuel's story caused him to frown. "That's very unpleasant," he replied. "I'm sorry that this had to be your introduction to the building." He shook his head stiffly, pressing two fingertips against his right temple. "But I'm glad that you made it here safely." A thin, tired smile spread on his lips. "I apologize for not contacting you sooner."

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-01 11:58 pm UTC (link)

Sam grinned crookedly, in his usual way. "I'm still alive, right? So it could have been worse." The waitress came by with their first round of shots and he happily clinked the small glass against Archer's. "Here's to...shitty introductions." Then he knocked back the alcohol - oh yes. That was the stuff.

"But enough about that," Sam went on after ordering an entire bottle of vodka. Fuck Russia! They were going to enjoy the exports. "Talk to me, Jay. What's going on?" Obviously, something was amiss. The man didn't usually turn to alcohol to solve his problems. He was all logic and reason, a scientist to the very core.

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sneakingaround
2010-07-02 12:05 am UTC (link)

"Hear hear," Archer replied somewhat numbly, wrinkling his nose and forcing back the shot. The fire as it hit his tongue made him cough, slamming the glass down on the table as he wheeze and snorted, holding a hand over his mouth. Face red, he turned away to compose himself before looking back, smoothing a hand down his front. "I apologize," he muttered.

The question made him frown. "Many things," he said, voice befitting an angsty 15 year old. "However..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Do you remember Isobel? From the forums?" He supposed that talking to a third party could be a good way to sort through some of this mess.

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 12:09 am UTC (link)

Well then. It was apparent that Jay could not handle his liquor, but that's why one built up a tolerance! Better late than never. "Don't worry about it," Sam said, glad he had just told the waitress to bring the whole bottle over - yeah, sure! The whole thing! Why not? It was a party! And they were celebrating...not dying in a fucked up time warp.

He tilted his head a bit, listening. "Yeah, I know Isobel. She lives a couple doors down from me. She's the one you're interested in?" Jay's tone of voice suggested womanly troubles. Uh oh.

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sneakingaround
2010-07-02 12:18 am UTC (link)

At the question, Archer nodded. "Yes." He paused. "I don't know." He sighed, smoothing his hands over his hair. "I shouldn't anymore..." Shaking his head, he slumped back in his chair. "I suppose I have no objective reason to be upset." He seemed to drift slightly, settling into a slight detachment. "Approximately a month ago..." He paused. "Yes, that's right. There was an event at Bellum similar to this, though nowhere near as traumatizing. After, I went to her apartment to ensure that she was alright. This was after we had spoken for some time. She was safe, and invited me in, and..." He paused, unsure of how to continue. "She asked me to do two things. The first was to stay the night. The second was to kiss her. Just before that, she had...kissed me, so..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Nothing...sexual occurred, but...she had said that she liked me a great deal. And. We continued correspondence. There was an incident with a young man who supposedly committed a murder, she was...close...with him." His expression tightened for a moment. "So she was upset. I spoke with her. I even...went up to her apartment and held her. We said very little, but..." He sighed.

"Then I saw her in Chicago. Barely an hour before returning to the building. She was with another man, but...I had consumed nearly two glasses of wine and wasn't think very accurately." Stroking his chin, he sighed. "The other man became distracted and Isobel and I..." He gestured to his mouth again, feeling terribly awkward. "Then I suppose he saw, and was...angry. He said that...he and Isobel had had sex recently. And so, if you examine the timeline...she was doing these things with both of us, concurrently."

He sighed, dragging a hand over his face. "Perhaps I'm upset over nothing, but..." He couldn't even finish the statement.

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 12:24 am UTC (link)

Huh. That was all very...intriguing. And soap opera-ish, but honestly, it was tame compared to recent events. Sam listened, leaned in slightly, his arms folded on the table. When Jasper finished, he raised an eyebrow. The gesture to the mouth was probably the most amusing part.

"So you - " He was about to say 'sucked face,' "Shared affection in Chicago," Sam finished. "No, you're upset. You can be upset if you want to be upset, that's your right. But let me ask you, what do you like about Isobel?"

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sneakingaround
2010-07-02 12:31 am UTC (link)

If this was amusing in some way, Archer didn't notice. He simply lounged in his chair, looking up at the summation of the situation. "Yes, we did," he said simply, sighing. The very male part of him almost wished he had just told her all was forgiven so that they could get back to that. Sometimes he hated biology.

At the question, he paused. "She isn't educated," he started. "But she has an unrefined intelligence. Clearly not concerning academic matters, but personal ones. She has a distinct way of viewing the world, no-nonsense." He nodded. "Despite...this, I feel that she's honest, and acts without malice. There are times when she seems to be lost or without direction, but...I find it difficult to believe that she doesn't know what she wants every step of the way." His fingers curled against his cheek, resting there for a moment. "And her company is comforting. Refreshing, even. Sometimes she says one thing that can mean two different things, and she means for it to be that way." He let out a slight half-laugh, shifting in his chair. "It's...enjoyable."

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	tiger_says_rawr 2010-07-02 12:37 am UTC (link)
	"Okay," Sam nodded, accepting all of this. Jasper's affections seemed genuine - even talking about the girl got him to loosen up and at least smile a little. It could have been the alcohol, but Sam doubted it. "So keep all that in mind. Now, did you talk to her about all of that drama? What did she say?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sneakingaround
2010-07-02 12:48 am UTC (link)

He sighed. "I suppose her response was worrisome. When...Trenton said what he did, she simply turned and fled. I didn't see her after that. I spent the night we returned to Bellum in the hospital, and when I returned..." He sighed. "I wasn't ready to approach her. Yesterday I sent her a message on the forum. Her typing was erratic. Riddled with typos, she didn't include capital letters." He sighed. "She apologized. And cautioned me to run from her, she repeated her apologize and became withdrawn when I assured her that I simply wanted to ensure that she was safe."

The waitress approached, setting down the bottle of vodka. Archer let Samuel handle it - after all, he was the expert.

"Then...she arrived at my door." He sighed. "After I opened the door, she...fainted. And then awoke a few minutes later. For a while, she simply cried. And when she spoke, it was apologies. I forgave her, and...I do forgive her. I don't think she was acting maliciously, I simply...was hurt." He sighed. "She said that she has made a habit of people like that Trenton person she had sexual intercourse with, but that I was unique. And that she hasn't liked another person the way she does me." Pressing fingertips to his lips, he shook his head. "She was scared of losing me, she said."

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 12:59 am UTC (link)

Thank the Gods! Vodka hath arrived! Sam poured them two more shots, and slid the glass across the table toward Jasper - still listening throughout all that explanation. Shit, the girl fainted? She must have been driving herself crazy with all of the stress and worry. If he were there, Sam would have sat her down with food and water and not have left until she finished every bite.

At the whole 'she basically admitted to being a slutty slut but said I was special' comment, Sam coughed, setting down the shot glass he was holding. "It really just sounds like a shitty miscommunication," he observed. "You thought that she was only focusing on you, but she was seeing other people. But you can't do anything about that now. What's done is done. And you like Isobel, it sounds like you really do. So when you really like someone, you like them not only at their best but at their worst too. So if you're going to stick by her, then..." He toasted Jasper with his glass. "It sounds like you'd both be a lot happier that way. And you know what? There's no crystal ball to see if it'll work out or not but either you take a chance or you don't. Just remember that those test tubes can't get to you the same way she can, and I think you like that."

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sneakingaround
2010-07-02 08:13 am UTC (link)

Was it this simple? Listening to Sam was almost insulting, as he summed this entire situation up so neatly that it made both Archer and Isobel seem like incompetent imbeciles for not understanding it the same way. However, it made sense. Objectively, it was most likely a lack of communication that caused this. So objectively, they should be able to communicate.

"Alright," he said, nodding and taking his shot of vodka. "I appreciate your assessment, Samuel. It's difficult to think objectively about these situations when you're clearly at their center." He shook his head, taking just a sip of the shot this time. It burned his tongue and made him grimace, but it was a good sort of pain. "Yes, it would be quite difficult to simulate Isobel with my laboratory equipment." He paused, actually giving this idea some thought before shaking his head. No, that would just be silly.

"Though it would be preferable if women came with instruction manuals that we could study." He snorted, almost laughing, and took another bit of his shot.

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 01:22 pm UTC (link)

Sam groaned. "I was joking about the simulation, Jay, don't get any ideas." For that, he took another shot. Whoa there! "And come the hell on! Time to man up, my friend. If you like Isobel, then you fight for her. You show her that you're good for her, not like any of those other fucktards that are in the picture."

He snickered jovially. "And yes, an instruction manual would be handy, but that would take away some of their intense feminine mystique."

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sneakingaround
2010-07-02 01:27 pm UTC (link)

"I wasn't getting ideas," he snapped, clearly revealing that he was trying. Finishing off his shot, he poured another. "Yes, but it's her choice in the end. And I would hate to overwhelm or force her hand in any way." He frowned. "It's difficult to tell when people are being honest and when they are merely being polite to spare another person's feelings. I would be hurt most if she were merely telling me that she retained interest out of guilt or desire to be kind."

The thought of an instruction manual was actually a good one. "Perhaps it's a bit too intense," he said, almost smiling. "Each woman would only be allotted a certain amount of mystique. Otherwise, they become impenetrable."

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 01:33 pm UTC (link)

"Jay, listen." Sam put his hands together, forming a pyramid shape, peering over the top of them. "She beat down your apartment door and fainted in your arms. She apologized, cried - it's when they cry, that's the worst - " He was a huge sucker for crying women. "And she even told you to run from her. But she doesn't want you to run from her, Jay!" Sam cautioned. "From the way you described her, it doesn't sound like she'd put on a show just for the hell of it. And who gets to decide the amount of feminine mystique each woman is allotted?" He asked, grinning. "You?" That would go over like a lead balloon. Jay, the All-Knowing Women Translator!

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sneakingaround
2010-07-02 01:36 pm UTC (link)

Damnit, Sam, stop putting logic in Archer's pity party. However, the scientist nodded at his advice. "Alright," he said with resignation. "Alright, I will cease belaboring this point. You're right. I must speak with her and put...everything out in the open, I suppose." He sighed. Getting drunk would help that, he imagined.

Choking down half of another shot, he snorted at the question. "The men, of course," he said with a smirk. "Despite what the politically correct say, women are the sex with the upper hand. They have...power." He paused, pointing down at the table. "Their mystique. And their bodies." He was such a lightweight. "So men should be given at least an iota of control."

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 01:47 pm UTC (link)

Sam nodded in understanding. "Sober, Jay, speak to her sober. Otherwise you'll puke all over her and that's not attractive," he said, re-filling Jay's shot glass when it was half empty.

He sipped on the vodka, not wanting to down yet another shot in one go yet. "Yeah, we're pretty visual creatures aren't we?" Sam mused, thinking of his vast appreciation for the feminine form. If Joanie ever figured out that she had boobs and was seductive for like, two minutes he knew he'd be a dead man. What a way to go! "They definitely have the upper hand," he agreed. "But it's when they don't know it, that's what is the sexiest. A beautiful woman is one thing, but then she just gets off on you telling her she's beautiful all of the time and it's boring."

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sneakingaround
2010-07-02 01:55 pm UTC (link)

"I would not do that!" he gasped in horror. "I won't do anything tonight. Tonight, I'm doing this." He gestured downward with a pointer finger, clearly referring to the bar they were in. "Just this. I'm very one-track minded."

The question of men being visual creatures had an obvious answer. Archer nodded. "Yes, we are." He recalled the sight of Isobel in that pink dress the night she had invited him to her apartment for dinner. Honestly, he would have walked off a cliff if she commanded him to while wearing that dress. It was truly evil. "Overt women are terrible," he said, upper lip curling. "If-if it's true, why keep stating it?" He finished the rest of his shot with a grimace. "Though I like women that know they're beautiful, but don't overstate it. Isobel is that way. She knows." He paused, pointing at Sam. "She knows what she does. But she never says it." He shook his head, sliding two fingers across his lips.

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 02:05 pm UTC (link)

"Good! Yes, tonight you drink and then tomorrow you ensnare the lucky lady," Sam teased, finishing off what was in his glass. Oh, vodka. How he loved thee. "See, that quiet confidence thing? That's hot. Maybe you know more about women than you think!" Or it took hard liquor to get him to think like a man and not a nerdy scientist. "I'm proud of you, Jay. I feel like we just had a breakthrough here."

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	sneakingaround 2010-07-02 02:13 pm UTC (link)
	The idea that Archer knew a thing about women made him snort with laughter. "I ensure you that that isn't the case. However, I thank you for your effort in this...situation. I am fully aware that I am terrible in these matters. I'm fortunate to know somebody with your knowledge." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	tiger_says_rawr 2010-07-02 02:17 pm UTC (link)
	Jokingly, Sam polished his nails against his shirt. "Hey, I've had a lot of experience," he said with a good-natured grin. "So, you know, anytime I can help you pull your head from your ass, I am happy to do so. But Isobel, man. She's fucking beautiful! So way to go." It was about time Jay...docked his ship in someone's port. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sneakingaround
2010-07-02 02:21 pm UTC (link)

Pouring himself another shot, Archer chuckled. "Clearly," he said, downing half of it. "I will always go to you in the future when I require a dislodging of that nature." He laughed outright as he mentioned Isobel. "She is," he said with a sigh. "I-I had dinner with her, once. She cooked for me, because..." He scratched at his arm, near where the IV marks were. "She thought I needed to be fed. I eat rarely, I believe I told you. So. I went up there. And she was wearing this pink dress." He groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead. "It was terrible, Samuel."

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tiger_says_rawr
2010-07-02 02:27 pm UTC (link)

"Oh shit. She cooked for you and was wearing a pink dress? Yeah, you're gone, buddy. It's done. She hath bewitched you," Sam quipped, holding the shot glass in one hand, his arms still folded on the table. "And she's right, you do need to be fed, so you better listen to her. That not eating thing? That's not gonna work out, my friend." No wonder the guy got sha-wasted after one beer! He never had anything in his stomach to counteract the alcohol.

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