[ passing through the front door instead of knocking is more out of necessity than rudeness, although if given the choice, zephyr would probably forego knocking all the same. he's here for a trade; he knows it, josh knows it, and though the human witch is cute to look at and fun to play with (those ears), zephyr knows better than to get attached.
he can never stay for long. ]
I'm a little early...
[ he announces this a bit mistily as he drifts down the entryway, searching for his host. ]
( he's expecting zephyr but it still scares him when the voice announces the guy's arrival. which means that josh announces his location by way of a bang and cut off yelp followed by the clatter of things falling off of a shelf. by the time he floats into the room josh is collecting items from the floor, the half-hung shelf knocked out of place as he rubs the back of his head.
he looks up in time to see the body floating quite literally through his bedroom door and he frowns slightly as he climbs up off of the floor. scattered items forgotten, he gestures zephyr quickly to his his bed instead. )
When you messaged I didn't think it had gotten this bad or I would have said to come sooner. ( his tone is almost scolding, and he quickly sits on the edge of the bed, holding hid hand out towards the guy with a slight wry smile. ) Come on.
[Connor doesn't really have any interest in aggressively pursuing relationships of any kind at college. It's pretty low on his priority list, buried somewhere under scraping passing grades so his parents don't have more things to guilt him about, and getting drunk enough to enjoy the few social events he does rock up to.
It's just they're the only two who have ended up outside on the lawn in front of the dorms while the party keeps raging inside, and the guy is cute, and Connor's just tipsy enough to be brave. So.]
[Josh is treated to an early (so early that perhaps it's actually just late for some people) wake up call by way of loud, semi-decent singing, followed by rhythmic knocking at the door.
Klaus has forgotten his keys again.
--Is what he'll say. The truth is that there's only ever been one set of keys, because they're the ones he stole from under a flower pot downstairs.]
less luckily, he's an absolute nightmare when woken up. it makes for a great conversation. there's some loud and very passive aggressive grumbling coming from behind the door, and by the time he cracks it open there's a foul look on his face.
he's still bundled up in his covers, glasses crooked, but his eyes are open and blinking rapidly. )
Seriously, you have got to stop doing this. ( but he pulls open the door anyway, stepping aside enough for klaus to step inside. ) If I don't get enough sleep I could realistically kill you, I'm just saying.
( he might do it anyway, just for getting him out of bed. )
[oh, good! that'll come in handy when whoever actually owns this place comes a-knocking.
Klaus positively beams as the door swings open, all sunshine and butter-wouldn't-melt, his hands folded together under his chin like his face is a portrait he's presenting just for Josh to glare at.]
How can I, when you're always such pleasant company in the morning? And so cute, too!
[it's not really a joke. Josh's glasses are threatening to slide right off his face, and Klaus slips them back on properly and pats his cheek afterwards. how the hell is he meant to resist, when Josh looks all cosy and adorable and pissed off?]
Ooh, wouldn't that be fun? I wonder if I could still summon ghosts as a ghost.
What if I staple the key to your hand, is that cute?
( josh's face immediately scrunches up at the touch, but he doesn't move away. slow reflexes, he just woke up. something like that. since he actually has a key he makes a big show of locking up again, loud and overdramatic, just to make a point.
he could probably just go back to bed, honestly. but he's awake now, and not done chewing klaus out. and maybe once he's done being mad they can chat a bit. surely more interesting than just trying to go back to sleep, right? so he can linger a bit. )
That doesn't make any sense, that's just a phone call. I'm pretty sure living things have to pull you here, that's like...how the whole thing works.
[he pretends to consider it, biting his lip and holding out his palm to stare at it- hello!- before waggling his eyebrows at Josh and slouching past him to sit on the arm of the fold out couch that doubles as his bed.]
Well, maybe. Do we really know that, though? What if it's all just like, units and single beds over there? Maybe they don't mingle. Maybe they can't! Have you ever asked?
( he says, very confidently, as he shuffles on after klaus. taking his own seat on the couch, like he isn't fully aware that it's ass o'clock in the morning and this is very much klaus's bed.
which is something of a sore spot, if only because josh knows he's very much taking up the bed and very much the reason klaus sometimes hobbles into the kitchen with a pinched expression, rolling out a shoulder. it's not like he's any closer to moving out though, mostly he's just trying to lay low.
maybe they could alternate or something. he doesn't voice this yet, but it's...a thought. something to consider. )
Do you actually want the answer to this? Because I know, but I'm not going to explain it if you're just going to laugh at me.
( again there's a lot of face-pulling, eye rolling even, but no real attempts to actually move klaus's feet. he stops short of doing something weird like putting his arms over his legs though, opting to bundle up tighter into the cover cocoon instead.
but he does stick a hand out, shoved just far out enough that he can shake it quickly. klaus's hand is colder than his, pretty freezing actually, and that seems as good a reason as any to just sort of...draw out the handshake )
Well, okay. It's more like rooms, I think? That's how it seems to me anyway. So they can go between the rooms sometimes, but sometimes the doors are locked and then sometimes people like me– us...we can open some of the doors, some of the time. Or uh, fuck up the house entirely, if it goes wrong.
[Klaus certainly doesn't seem to mind. in fact, with a small quirk to his lips, he decides to just keep shaking Josh's hand all the way through his explanation. he nods attentively and just shakes shakes shakes the whole time, face straight like it's a normal choice to have made.]
It sounds to me, Josherooni, that it's our solemn duty to help ghosts have house parties wherever and whenever possible.
[as he speaks, Klaus slides down off of the arm of the couch so that he's squashed right up next to Josh, now practically sitting on him. it seems about as random and un-calculated as anything Klaus does, but the truth is that he just keeps finding himself wanting to be closer to Josh. to have his undivided grumpy attention.]
( look, he's not going to be the one to crack first, so the only solution here is to just...keep up the shake. for a weirdly long time, but it's not exactly the weirdest thing klaus has done today alone.
possibly the weirdest thing josh has done, but that's not surprising. for an odd little necromancer witch with a weird old past, he's pretty much a square. )
That's absolutely not what you were supposed to take from that but sure.
( there isn't enough space for two on the couch. hell, there's barely enough space for two in the house, but this is seriously a tight squeeze. he grumbles and fidgets, but it's easy enough to find a more or less comfortable spot. )
Jesus, do you mind?
( but he's already working to untangle the knot of sheets around him, with the vague intention of maybe throwing them over both of their legs instead. )
[in a streak of very un-Klaus like kindness, he's been careful not to push anything too quickly, sensing that maybe his ideas of acceptable breaches of personal space and the amount of necessary time passed before you can ask someone if they're down to make out are maybe a little different from Josh's.
he's just getting a little. antsy.]
Not at all, thanks ever so much for asking.
[spotting Josh's fiddling, Klaus sweeps the blanket out of his hands, and throws it over them both instead. if he'd been patient, it would have happened anyway as a sweet gesture, but Klaus has never known how to be anything close.]
So what were you dreaming about? Before I woke you up. Assuming you have dreams.
( so now they're just sitting on this tiny ass couch, crammed together under josh's blankets, like this is just a thing that they do. maybe this is just klaus's brand of normal – he's always been a pretty tactile guy, right? he doesn't think too much about the coven these days, but now he's trying to remember how klaus was there.
it's totally reasonable to assume that this is just...how he is. josh can be normal about this, he absolutely can. )
Obviously I dream!
( he really can't. )
If you're angling for me to say 'you' you're going to be disappointed, it was just ghosty shit. What were you doing before you woke me up in the middle of the night?
[if Josh is struggling to remember what Klaus' time at the coven was like, then Klaus definitely doesn't remember. he remembers Josh, though. that's basically all. he remembers their first conversation, and their last, the night Klaus (was asked politely) decided to leave. he didn't want it to be their Last last. he's glad it wasn't.
he laughs at Josh's outburst, entirely too loud for the hour.]
Alright, chill out! So you dream, cool. Fab for you.
[this time Klaus leans forward just enough to poke Josh's nose. apparently no part of his face is safe.]
That's okay Osh Josh. Can't rush these things! I'm sure I'll make an appearance in the near future. Anyway I was just- you know. Making ends meet. Pounding the pavement. Bringing home the bacon, keeping the lights on at home base, making the moolah.
[ All of Loren's most successful conversations begin this way, and Joshua is not in for a train wreck at all. Loren leaned forward onto the table, perching his chin on his left hand and trying to look very sincere. It involved a conspicuous amount of eye contact and only minimal pouting. ]
I don't want us to have one of those friendships where we only see each other when one of us needs something.
[ This is the part that Loren is sincere about. He doesn't have a lot of people he can talk to about this side of his life, and fewer that understand it without getting creeped out or annoyed. Or like. More annoyed than Josh is likely to be. ]
So that's why I got you this, um, little cactus. And also brunch.
[ Loren smiles and presents the tiny plant in an appropriately tiny flowerpot. Look. He painted skulls on it and tied a little lavender ribbon around it, too. Please like it. Please say he did a good job.
( So it's not that Josh is naive exactly, he's well versed enough in this type of conversation that he expects a 'but' coming fairly soon. It's just that he also really likes gifts, and this one is particularly adorable. )
...This is pretty good.
( He takes the pot carefully in his hands, holding it up and inspecting the plant closely. Just as cute up close, no surprises there. The little ribbon is a particularly good touch, and he's trying not to smile as he sets the pot back down on the bench between them.
Josh has never been one for poker faces, clearly. He's impressed. It definitely shows. )
Okay, we can have one of those friendships. You definitely don't need anything right now, right? Just a lovely brunch with me, you, and thise little buddy.
[ Loren tries not to look too pleased about Josh's approval, or too extremely proud of himself. Even though he spent far too long working on this instead of doing his ethics homework. Anything for the aesthetic, to be honest.
And to have one fucking thing that isn't dead and therefore cannot make demands. ]
Yeah, yes, totally. Right now it's just brunch.
[ As if to prove his point, he makes a show of stabbing some eggs and taking a larger bite than is strictly necessary. This was a mistake, as it takes too long to swallow and now he has to talk with his mouth kind of full. And he also has to figure out how to make this not sound like a bribe? ]
And then... after brunch... maybe you can Good Cop/Bad Cop this poltergeist with me...
[ It's not often Anna ends up awakening in America.
The pain of deep purple and red bruises on her back tell her she's gone a long way this time.
She stands there, in the middle of the busy evening sidewalk, annoying locals as she stares down at the concrete under her bare and bloodied feet. There's no doubt she gives off the look of a woman who just escaped something horrible, or one of the druggie homeless. Her lace white dress ends at her knees and has an open back, making the nasty bruises on her back hard to miss. And her long blonde hair looks windswept or maybe never brushed.
But her green eyes are sharp, clear and alert. Green, sharp, clear, alert and suddenly looking directly at Joshua like she can see his very soul. ] I think I had a dream about death. Or perhaps it was life? [ A couple light steps toward him and suddenly her magic is buzzing in the air, static electricity just waiting for someone to shuffle their feet. It's not violent, however, simply everywhere and uncontrolled. It reaches towards his unabashedly with a gentle touch - soft as a bumblebee's fur. ] They're both the same to you, aren't they?
( There's something weird going on. "A disturbance in the force" or whatever, he feels the shift before he actually notices her – but once he spots the woman, it's impossible to look anywhere else. There's no doubting that she's the cause of the rhythmic thrum buzzing around underneath his skin, and he has to approach.
Not least of all because he's pretty sure she knows every single one of his secrets, just from a few seconds of eye contact. By the time he stops in front of her, the gentle thrum has become a carbonated fizz that makes him want to wriggle his fingers.
She's powerful, that much is clear, but...not dangerous, he doesn't think. )
Um.
( Eloquent as ever, Joshua's jaw flaps a little before he picks himself up clearing his throat to try again. )
How do you know that? ( magic, bro ) Never mind. Shit, are you okay? Do you need help?
( It absolutely still sounds like a bribe. Luckily Josh is feeling benevolent, or maybe gifts and flattery really are that effective, because he just smiles a little half smile and tears the crust off of his toast. And arranges them in a weird little pattern across the edge of his plate too, but that's not particularly important. )
Two totally unrelated events, right? You just happened to feel like giving me this cute little plant– ( Josh is actually really worried that he's going to kill it. Alive things tend not to last around his apartment when they're fragile.
He'll have to work something out. ) I think I might be able to make some time. What's the problem?
[ His immediate concern causes the corners of her lips to quirk upwards. The moment is short-lived however when someone walking by gives her a shoulder check and she can't help but wince. ]
Oh, wow, I'm okay, thank you. Do I need help?
[ She looks down at her hands, turning them palm up before turning them to look at their backs. ] I'm not sure. I don't think so... [ Her head tips to the side slightly. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. ] Where are we? You're American. [ And her accent is decidedly not. It's an odd mix of English and South African.
Her gaze slides past him to watch some people crossing the street. ] A whole hive, right here. [ Her distraction fades and she's looking at him again. ] You must like bees. They're magic too, you know.
[ Almost like a drop of dye in water - her magic continues to spread around them. Passersby don't seem to notice, not like another witch would. ]
( Joshua mostly talks to dead things and as such shouldn't find many things bizarre anymore, but this interaction really takes the cake.
She's leaking out all over the place though – Joshua doesn't exactly spend a lot of time around other magic users, mostly by choice, but he's not an idiot. Even non-witches are going to start noticing something is up soon, so he gestures down the street with a loose flap of his hand. )
I've got a shop. No bees, but there's some food. A first aid kit. I'm not much of a healer. ( That much he doubts is a surprise to Anna. He's sure that she can feel the deathly nature of his magic as much as he can feel heaven radiating from hers. ) Do you want to go there? I just...I think we should get off the street.
[ The apology causes her eyebrows to knit together in confusion. Despite her look, she doesn't say anything about it.
It's always harder to rein it in when she first awakens. Her magic seems to have a mind of its own. Not that she does much reining to begin with. Then again, she's not usually in such heavily populated places.
Anna mulls it over before nodding at him. ]
Sure, what sort of shop is it?
[ The fact that he mentions healing is odd, but Anna won't judge anyone for being odd. Her feet, while crusted with blood, have long healed. And her back? Nothing ever fixes that - not even Holy Fire; if anything, it makes it ache more.
She'll follow him where ever he leads, Nina has always said she's too trusting. ] You don't heal? Not even yourself? What do you specialise in? [ Perhaps she's far too used to her uncle who grabs spirits and forces their energy to do as he pleases. Her father does too. But he doesn't just do it to the dead...
Often times she wonders what happens to the flies that buzz and catch her. Are they torn up? Sent to some afterlife?
Once she dreamt of a water dragon who promised eternal life for the reaping of souls. Maybe he ate them. ]
Weird shit. Nothing evil, it's just a good way to like. Find things.
( He's been moving further and further away from communities of witches for a while now, but there's still things that he can do. Mostly involving getting rid of lingering spirits, but he practices the less...ghastly magic these days, too.
The shop isn't far at all, and it's full of weird little nick nacks and otherwise useless stuff. There's a weird energy to the place – nothing active, but the imprint of overlapping presences definitely lingers. It's not unusual for people to get goosebumps when they walk in. ) It just doesn't work right for me. Goes wrong, I don't know why.
( He's still going to get the first aid kit, but by the time he pulls it out and looks closer it becomes apparent that his inexpert help is not needed. Right. That makes sense. )
Um. I commune with the dead, that's really about it. Sometimes I can persuade them to do things. What about you? This all looks like a lot
[ The goosebumps do hit her, but she isn't offput or unnerved by it, if anything she seems to perk up more. ]
That's okay! [ She supplies the words quickly, twirling around from a knick knack she was looking at. ] Everyone has a song they sing perfectly.
[ Suddenly her attention is elsewhere again. Her green eyes scan over various items, looking more like a hawk seeking a field mouse than the frazzled girl moments ago. But then she adjusts her weight to the front of her feet and then her tip toes, something that looks painful without shoes on. Slender legs take a few steps and then out go her arms, like a child trying to balance themself.
Anna turns back to him with an odd little smile on her face. ] Mainly, I specialise in helping people. Though I graduated from JBC with a suggested specialty in Exorcism. The removal of insidious, malevolent and malicious spirits and creatures.
It all sounds so serious though.
[ She steps closer to him and then lowers to flatten her feet against the ground. A pale hand is held out to him. And if he thought her magic was intense before, just wait for shaking that hand. ] Anna Aspen, International Helper at your service. I love your shop! Have you gotten anything odd in recently?
[ Well... they are unrelated in that yeah, he did just feel like giving Josh a cute plant. It got a smile out of him so mission accomplished. They are very much related in that both were ploys to get Joshua to spend time with him, and in his defense it was working. He returns a half smile and kind of forgets about the eggs.
Luckily, Loren was saved from answering as much when Josh changed the subject. Right. He also does actually need help. Clearing his throat, Loren takes his phone out and opens a video. ]
Yeah so. This happened at the University. Normally, I don't give a shit about tiny disturbances. It's like... pretend you've ever had a cat before and fuck off, right? But this is in the chem lab.
[ On the video a cabinet opened and then bottles started crashing to the ground one at a time until - Loren mimed an explosion with his hand as the screen lit up. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
he can never stay for long. ]
I'm a little early...
[ he announces this a bit mistily as he drifts down the entryway, searching for his host. ]
no subject
he looks up in time to see the body floating quite literally through his bedroom door and he frowns slightly as he climbs up off of the floor. scattered items forgotten, he gestures zephyr quickly to his his bed instead. )
When you messaged I didn't think it had gotten this bad or I would have said to come sooner. ( his tone is almost scolding, and he quickly sits on the edge of the bed, holding hid hand out towards the guy with a slight wry smile. ) Come on.
no subject
It's just they're the only two who have ended up outside on the lawn in front of the dorms while the party keeps raging inside, and the guy is cute, and Connor's just tipsy enough to be brave. So.]
Nice glasses.
[He never claimed to be a good flirt.]
no subject
Klaus has forgotten his keys again.
--Is what he'll say. The truth is that there's only ever been one set of keys, because they're the ones he stole from under a flower pot downstairs.]
no subject
less luckily, he's an absolute nightmare when woken up. it makes for a great conversation. there's some loud and very passive aggressive grumbling coming from behind the door, and by the time he cracks it open there's a foul look on his face.
he's still bundled up in his covers, glasses crooked, but his eyes are open and blinking rapidly. )
Seriously, you have got to stop doing this. ( but he pulls open the door anyway, stepping aside enough for klaus to step inside. ) If I don't get enough sleep I could realistically kill you, I'm just saying.
( he might do it anyway, just for getting him out of bed. )
no subject
Klaus positively beams as the door swings open, all sunshine and butter-wouldn't-melt, his hands folded together under his chin like his face is a portrait he's presenting just for Josh to glare at.]
How can I, when you're always such pleasant company in the morning? And so cute, too!
[it's not really a joke. Josh's glasses are threatening to slide right off his face, and Klaus slips them back on properly and pats his cheek afterwards. how the hell is he meant to resist, when Josh looks all cosy and adorable and pissed off?]
Ooh, wouldn't that be fun? I wonder if I could still summon ghosts as a ghost.
no subject
( josh's face immediately scrunches up at the touch, but he doesn't move away. slow reflexes, he just woke up. something like that. since he actually has a key he makes a big show of locking up again, loud and overdramatic, just to make a point.
he could probably just go back to bed, honestly. but he's awake now, and not done chewing klaus out. and maybe once he's done being mad they can chat a bit. surely more interesting than just trying to go back to sleep, right? so he can linger a bit. )
That doesn't make any sense, that's just a phone call. I'm pretty sure living things have to pull you here, that's like...how the whole thing works.
no subject
[he pretends to consider it, biting his lip and holding out his palm to stare at it- hello!- before waggling his eyebrows at Josh and slouching past him to sit on the arm of the fold out couch that doubles as his bed.]
Well, maybe. Do we really know that, though? What if it's all just like, units and single beds over there? Maybe they don't mingle. Maybe they can't! Have you ever asked?
no subject
( he says, very confidently, as he shuffles on after klaus. taking his own seat on the couch, like he isn't fully aware that it's ass o'clock in the morning and this is very much klaus's bed.
which is something of a sore spot, if only because josh knows he's very much taking up the bed and very much the reason klaus sometimes hobbles into the kitchen with a pinched expression, rolling out a shoulder. it's not like he's any closer to moving out though, mostly he's just trying to lay low.
maybe they could alternate or something. he doesn't voice this yet, but it's...a thought. something to consider. )
Do you actually want the answer to this? Because I know, but I'm not going to explain it if you're just going to laugh at me.
no subject
[he doesn't make room for Josh so much as he's happy to share the very small amount of space available, hiking his legs up and onto Josh's lap.]
Oh yes, join me in my office and regale me with the inner workings of ghost life. Or afterlife. Pinky swear I won't laugh.
[he even holds it out for Josh to shake, other hand on his heart.]
no subject
but he does stick a hand out, shoved just far out enough that he can shake it quickly. klaus's hand is colder than his, pretty freezing actually, and that seems as good a reason as any to just sort of...draw out the handshake )
Well, okay. It's more like rooms, I think? That's how it seems to me anyway. So they can go between the rooms sometimes, but sometimes the doors are locked and then sometimes people like me– us...we can open some of the doors, some of the time. Or uh, fuck up the house entirely, if it goes wrong.
no subject
It sounds to me, Josherooni, that it's our solemn duty to help ghosts have house parties wherever and whenever possible.
[as he speaks, Klaus slides down off of the arm of the couch so that he's squashed right up next to Josh, now practically sitting on him. it seems about as random and un-calculated as anything Klaus does, but the truth is that he just keeps finding himself wanting to be closer to Josh. to have his undivided grumpy attention.]
no subject
possibly the weirdest thing josh has done, but that's not surprising. for an odd little necromancer witch with a weird old past, he's pretty much a square. )
That's absolutely not what you were supposed to take from that but sure.
( there isn't enough space for two on the couch. hell, there's barely enough space for two in the house, but this is seriously a tight squeeze. he grumbles and fidgets, but it's easy enough to find a more or less comfortable spot. )
Jesus, do you mind?
( but he's already working to untangle the knot of sheets around him, with the vague intention of maybe throwing them over both of their legs instead. )
no subject
he's just getting a little. antsy.]
Not at all, thanks ever so much for asking.
[spotting Josh's fiddling, Klaus sweeps the blanket out of his hands, and throws it over them both instead. if he'd been patient, it would have happened anyway as a sweet gesture, but Klaus has never known how to be anything close.]
So what were you dreaming about? Before I woke you up. Assuming you have dreams.
no subject
it's totally reasonable to assume that this is just...how he is. josh can be normal about this, he absolutely can. )
Obviously I dream!
( he really can't. )
If you're angling for me to say 'you' you're going to be disappointed, it was just ghosty shit. What were you doing before you woke me up in the middle of the night?
no subject
was asked politely) decided to leave. he didn't want it to be their Last last. he's glad it wasn't.he laughs at Josh's outburst, entirely too loud for the hour.]
Alright, chill out! So you dream, cool. Fab for you.
[this time Klaus leans forward just enough to poke Josh's nose. apparently no part of his face is safe.]
That's okay Osh Josh. Can't rush these things! I'm sure I'll make an appearance in the near future. Anyway I was just- you know. Making ends meet. Pounding the pavement. Bringing home the bacon, keeping the lights on at home base, making the moolah.
no subject
[ All of Loren's most successful conversations begin this way, and Joshua is not in for a train wreck at all. Loren leaned forward onto the table, perching his chin on his left hand and trying to look very sincere. It involved a conspicuous amount of eye contact and only minimal pouting. ]
I don't want us to have one of those friendships where we only see each other when one of us needs something.
[ This is the part that Loren is sincere about. He doesn't have a lot of people he can talk to about this side of his life, and fewer that understand it without getting creeped out or annoyed. Or like. More annoyed than Josh is likely to be. ]
So that's why I got you this, um, little cactus. And also brunch.
[ Loren smiles and presents the tiny plant in an appropriately tiny flowerpot. Look. He painted skulls on it and tied a little lavender ribbon around it, too. Please like it. Please say he did a good job.
Also he absolutely does need something. ]
no subject
...This is pretty good.
( He takes the pot carefully in his hands, holding it up and inspecting the plant closely. Just as cute up close, no surprises there. The little ribbon is a particularly good touch, and he's trying not to smile as he sets the pot back down on the bench between them.
Josh has never been one for poker faces, clearly. He's impressed. It definitely shows. )
Okay, we can have one of those friendships. You definitely don't need anything right now, right? Just a lovely brunch with me, you, and thise little buddy.
( He's so onto you Loren. )
no subject
And to have one fucking thing that isn't dead and therefore cannot make demands. ]
Yeah, yes, totally. Right now it's just brunch.
[ As if to prove his point, he makes a show of stabbing some eggs and taking a larger bite than is strictly necessary. This was a mistake, as it takes too long to swallow and now he has to talk with his mouth kind of full. And he also has to figure out how to make this not sound like a bribe? ]
And then... after brunch... maybe you can Good Cop/Bad Cop this poltergeist with me...
no subject
The pain of deep purple and red bruises on her back tell her she's gone a long way this time.
She stands there, in the middle of the busy evening sidewalk, annoying locals as she stares down at the concrete under her bare and bloodied feet. There's no doubt she gives off the look of a woman who just escaped something horrible, or one of the druggie homeless. Her lace white dress ends at her knees and has an open back, making the nasty bruises on her back hard to miss. And her long blonde hair looks windswept or maybe never brushed.
But her green eyes are sharp, clear and alert. Green, sharp, clear, alert and suddenly looking directly at Joshua like she can see his very soul. ] I think I had a dream about death. Or perhaps it was life? [ A couple light steps toward him and suddenly her magic is buzzing in the air, static electricity just waiting for someone to shuffle their feet. It's not violent, however, simply everywhere and uncontrolled. It reaches towards his unabashedly with a gentle touch - soft as a bumblebee's fur. ] They're both the same to you, aren't they?
no subject
Not least of all because he's pretty sure she knows every single one of his secrets, just from a few seconds of eye contact. By the time he stops in front of her, the gentle thrum has become a carbonated fizz that makes him want to wriggle his fingers.
She's powerful, that much is clear, but...not dangerous, he doesn't think. )
Um.
( Eloquent as ever, Joshua's jaw flaps a little before he picks himself up clearing his throat to try again. )
How do you know that? ( magic, bro ) Never mind. Shit, are you okay? Do you need help?
no subject
Two totally unrelated events, right? You just happened to feel like giving me this cute little plant– ( Josh is actually really worried that he's going to kill it. Alive things tend not to last around his apartment when they're fragile.
He'll have to work something out. ) I think I might be able to make some time. What's the problem?
no subject
Oh, wow, I'm okay, thank you. Do I need help?
[ She looks down at her hands, turning them palm up before turning them to look at their backs. ] I'm not sure. I don't think so... [ Her head tips to the side slightly. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. ] Where are we? You're American. [ And her accent is decidedly not. It's an odd mix of English and South African.
Her gaze slides past him to watch some people crossing the street. ] A whole hive, right here. [ Her distraction fades and she's looking at him again. ] You must like bees. They're magic too, you know.
[ Almost like a drop of dye in water - her magic continues to spread around them. Passersby don't seem to notice, not like another witch would. ]
no subject
( Joshua mostly talks to dead things and as such shouldn't find many things bizarre anymore, but this interaction really takes the cake.
She's leaking out all over the place though – Joshua doesn't exactly spend a lot of time around other magic users, mostly by choice, but he's not an idiot. Even non-witches are going to start noticing something is up soon, so he gestures down the street with a loose flap of his hand. )
I've got a shop. No bees, but there's some food. A first aid kit. I'm not much of a healer. ( That much he doubts is a surprise to Anna. He's sure that she can feel the deathly nature of his magic as much as he can feel heaven radiating from hers. ) Do you want to go there? I just...I think we should get off the street.
no subject
It's always harder to rein it in when she first awakens. Her magic seems to have a mind of its own. Not that she does much reining to begin with. Then again, she's not usually in such heavily populated places.
Anna mulls it over before nodding at him. ]
Sure, what sort of shop is it?
[ The fact that he mentions healing is odd, but Anna won't judge anyone for being odd. Her feet, while crusted with blood, have long healed. And her back? Nothing ever fixes that - not even Holy Fire; if anything, it makes it ache more.
She'll follow him where ever he leads, Nina has always said she's too trusting. ] You don't heal? Not even yourself? What do you specialise in? [ Perhaps she's far too used to her uncle who grabs spirits and forces their energy to do as he pleases. Her father does too. But he doesn't just do it to the dead...
Often times she wonders what happens to the flies that buzz and catch her. Are they torn up? Sent to some afterlife?
Once she dreamt of a water dragon who promised eternal life for the reaping of souls. Maybe he ate them. ]
no subject
( He's been moving further and further away from communities of witches for a while now, but there's still things that he can do. Mostly involving getting rid of lingering spirits, but he practices the less...ghastly magic these days, too.
The shop isn't far at all, and it's full of weird little nick nacks and otherwise useless stuff. There's a weird energy to the place – nothing active, but the imprint of overlapping presences definitely lingers. It's not unusual for people to get goosebumps when they walk in. ) It just doesn't work right for me. Goes wrong, I don't know why.
( He's still going to get the first aid kit, but by the time he pulls it out and looks closer it becomes apparent that his inexpert help is not needed. Right. That makes sense. )
Um. I commune with the dead, that's really about it. Sometimes I can persuade them to do things. What about you? This all looks like a lot
no subject
That's okay! [ She supplies the words quickly, twirling around from a knick knack she was looking at. ] Everyone has a song they sing perfectly.
[ Suddenly her attention is elsewhere again. Her green eyes scan over various items, looking more like a hawk seeking a field mouse than the frazzled girl moments ago. But then she adjusts her weight to the front of her feet and then her tip toes, something that looks painful without shoes on. Slender legs take a few steps and then out go her arms, like a child trying to balance themself.
Anna turns back to him with an odd little smile on her face. ] Mainly, I specialise in helping people. Though I graduated from JBC with a suggested specialty in Exorcism. The removal of insidious, malevolent and malicious spirits and creatures.
It all sounds so serious though.
[ She steps closer to him and then lowers to flatten her feet against the ground. A pale hand is held out to him. And if he thought her magic was intense before, just wait for shaking that hand. ] Anna Aspen, International Helper at your service. I love your shop! Have you gotten anything odd in recently?
no subject
Luckily, Loren was saved from answering as much when Josh changed the subject. Right. He also does actually need help. Clearing his throat, Loren takes his phone out and opens a video. ]
Yeah so. This happened at the University. Normally, I don't give a shit about tiny disturbances. It's like... pretend you've ever had a cat before and fuck off, right? But this is in the chem lab.
[ On the video a cabinet opened and then bottles started crashing to the ground one at a time until - Loren mimed an explosion with his hand as the screen lit up. ]
What do you think?