http://noh-dancer.livejournal.com/ (
noh-dancer.livejournal.com) wrote in
tampered2006-09-09 01:02 am
Log: Complete
When; Sep. 5th ( just after midnight )
Rating; PG-13 (?)
Characters; Faye Valentine
glock30, Scarab
noh_dancer, The Corinthian
bitingnightmare
Summary; Scarab begs Faye for help in dealing with a drunken Alex
Log;
Scarab grimaced a little as Alex nearly pushed her over trying to make it up the last three stairs in Faye's building.
She felt a bit more like an armrest at the moment, what with Alex using her shoulder to hold himself up, but her five feet, three inches made balancing an easily six foot tall man a bit of an awkward situation.
Who would have thought nightmares could get drunk? she mused a little irritably.
" Careful, one more to go", she said aloud, cautioning him that the last step ws coming up.
Faye's door was blessedly close by, or so Scarab remembered from her own short tenure in the building.
Scarab had briefly contemplated hauling Alex back to frederick's place....but thankfully the sake had not destroyed every bit of common sense she possessed. So here she was, about to wake her only other friend up at three a.m., in order to ask for a place for a stranger ( though a new friend in Scarab's case) with teeth for eyes to sleep off four glasses of burbon.
They managed to make it to the door without serious loss of life or limb, but Scarab had to sort of lean him agianst the wall to pound on Faye's door.
"Faye?? It's me, Scarab. Let me in?"
Never boring...
Rating; PG-13 (?)
Characters; Faye Valentine
Summary; Scarab begs Faye for help in dealing with a drunken Alex
Log;
Scarab grimaced a little as Alex nearly pushed her over trying to make it up the last three stairs in Faye's building.
She felt a bit more like an armrest at the moment, what with Alex using her shoulder to hold himself up, but her five feet, three inches made balancing an easily six foot tall man a bit of an awkward situation.
Who would have thought nightmares could get drunk? she mused a little irritably.
" Careful, one more to go", she said aloud, cautioning him that the last step ws coming up.
Faye's door was blessedly close by, or so Scarab remembered from her own short tenure in the building.
Scarab had briefly contemplated hauling Alex back to frederick's place....but thankfully the sake had not destroyed every bit of common sense she possessed. So here she was, about to wake her only other friend up at three a.m., in order to ask for a place for a stranger ( though a new friend in Scarab's case) with teeth for eyes to sleep off four glasses of burbon.
They managed to make it to the door without serious loss of life or limb, but Scarab had to sort of lean him agianst the wall to pound on Faye's door.
"Faye?? It's me, Scarab. Let me in?"
Never boring...

no subject
"I told you I'm fine, I can see fine," he toed the next step but nearly failed to get his heel on its edge.
At least The Corinthian had managed to slip his sunglasses back on before sauntering onto the streets, who knew what those teeth eyes were capable of sober, much less drunk. His leather jacket was left to hang over a free arm in order to get some fresh cooling air around his skin.
"Hey I got it," he said to Scarab, for he was a prideful nightmare, or rather no different from any other prideful man. He raised his fist to knock on the door as well, even though he knew not to whom it belonged.
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So the knock at the door--no, the pounding on the door--was kind of welcome, even though Faye put up her front and acted like it annoyed her. "Honestly," she called, "this early in the morning." When she heard Scarab's voice, however, her attitude changed and she smirked.
She pulled open the door with mild amusement. Faye was wearing what she had designated as pajamas, which was just an old t-shirt and a pair of small shorts, and she rather regretted it when she came face to face with a man she had never met or seen at all. And Scarab, of course, leaning up over his shoulder.
She crossed her arms over her chest and stuttered, "Uh... umm... come in?"
no subject
" Faye Valentine; Alex Corinth." She couldn't do much than nod between the two of them, as she was still being leaned on, and her good hand was busy keeping him from falling in the door by grapping a handful of shirt.
"Alex Corinth, Faye Valentine..Now we're all aquainted." He was being, predictably, male and insisting he could stand fine on his own, but Scarab had already had to catch him once, and had no desire to end up flattened agian.
" He's new to the city", she explained to Faye, figuring it would suffice until he either got stationary or passed out.
" He decided to pay me back for showing him the sights by buying me a drink" she made a little 'mmph' sound as she managed to maneuver him onto the couch. He just gave her a sour look. ( well, she assumed it was, what with the glasses back in place and all.)
Straightening up, Scarab looked back at Faye & shrugged, sending her an " I didn't know what else to do " look.
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"The Corinthian," he corrected for the two ladies before being maneuvered towards the couch. He didn't protest Scarab's actions much, it was easier to lay any responsibility for walking into the coffee table or what not on her. Oof, he managed to remain sitting up for now, laying (tossing was more like it) his jacket out on his right side.
"Well met, thanks," the nightmare said to Faye while adjusting his glasses should they threaten to fall off. He did recall what Scarab said, about the many different creatures that populated The City but it wasn't registering with him this moment. His tone was short as well, because he found having to be put up in someone else's house a bit unnecessary. Yes, he was being predictably male.
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"Please," she went on, ushering Scarab in and closing the door behind her but still talking to the man, "make yourself at home. Would you like me to run you a bath? Get you a cigar? Rub your feet?" Faye's voice was loaded with sarcasm. It was probably rather cruel but she didn't care.
Predictably male. Pfft.
Her wrist was mad at her, too, which didn't help things, and Faye clutched it pathetically at it, turning to Scarab and saying quietly, "Very new, it seems. And what a proper way to pay you back. You didn't carry him here did you?" That seemed unlikely. The guy was plenty taller than Faye, and Faye was taller than Scarab. But Faye had gotten used to asking unlikely questions. "What's his story anyway?"
She shot a look back at the man on her couch, noting his sunglasses. "I like your shades," she said, "but you do know it's dark, don't you?"
no subject
" Where did that come from? You told me your name was Alex." she reminded him, crossing her arms over her chest in a stance of equal irritation.
Speaking of cigars, Scarab felt she deserved one, and so dug out her dwindling pack of Frederick's hand-rolled ones.
Lighting one, she perched on the edge of one of the other chairs set around the living room's coffee table.
Well, this was just great. Apparently she not only got to babysit, but play referee as well.
" I didn't carry him, though I came close a couple times" she muttered, giving Faye a "be nice" look.
Alex's story was his own to tell, though Scarab had every intention of explaining things to Faye when the taller man was finally unconscious.
no subject
"Do you mind," he had the sense to ask Faye if he could smoke, holding up the pack of unmarked cigarettes to her. Hmm, but seeing Scarab tap out one of her own he plucked a cig and slipped it between his lips anyway. One wondered if he would even have the ability to handle the lighter.
"I' is," he said to Scarab with the unlit cig in his mouth. He pulled his glasses down slightly to rub at one teeth eye, a human habit that really didn't offer any physical relief. What he meant to say was, it was just one of those things. Not a very good explanation.
"Yeh, dark as 'ell," The Corinthian said in response to Faye's assessment of the lighting in her apartment. Maybe the time of day too.
no subject
His comment about the dark made her snort, shooting Scarab a look and saying, "So, basically, Scarab, you hauled a drunken man with some sort of pink-eye condition to my door from wherever it is you were. Well," she paused, laughing and sitting down on the other end of the couch, "I like this story so far. Do tell!"
Scarab gave her a look that plainly said to play nice. Faye gave her one back that specifically stated she would mind her manners. But Faye's manners and other people's manners sometimes contrasted sharply.
Smiling at Scarab in a way that probably was going to get her into trouble, Faye decided to torment her new friend--what was his name again? Albert? Alison?--a little more. "Have too much to drink, cowboy?" she asked, leaning closer to him with a smug grin.
no subject
This was going to get interesting reeaaal fast.
She took a draw off her cigarette, and scooted back into the chair to sit in her usual position: legs curled under her, and chin resting on on knee.
Best to keep her mouth shut for the moment, because the sake was still making problems for her internal censor, and if Alex was being touchy on just his name, it was probably best that she keep herself from rambling on to Faye on what she had learned about Alex.
The 'pink-eye' crack made her laugh to herself, and probably earned her a quizzical and dirty look in turn from Faye and Alex, respectively.
" I couldn't very well take him home.." she answered Faye...and realized a little belatedly she had referred to Frederick's apartement as 'home'.
Wonderful. Just give her more ammunition, why don't you, Keico?
no subject
He wasn't particularly careful about the way he handled his shades either, but if she thought it was pink-eye, well what was the harm in that right? And as requested, he placed another cigarette in his mouth so she could light both, then he handed the second to her. The cigarettes had the taste of menthol and obsidian about them.
He was tucking the pack away when he heard Scarab's laugh. Say what? The man arched a brow but before he could ask her what was funny he felt the other woman leaning closer. Hmm, The Corinthian stared at her silently, then exhaled to the side.
"Maybe, you know I didn't count," he did. "I wasn't trying," he was.
And now it was his turn to laugh, though it came out as low, almost malicious. "Usually you buy dinner first," he remarked about their situation, rather random, but befitting of the predictably male.
no subject
Scarab let out what seemed to be a reluctant laugh, which was only going to push Faye further. She stretched, looking at Scarab from under her eyelashes. Sometimes Faye though that people here didn't even try--Scarab and Frederick especially--but she kind of liked it that way. It was pleasant, the sort of camaraderie she'd never had. "Home, hmm?" she asked, Scarab, choosing to let her pick her own answer and whether it would include Frederick's name or not.
Inhale, exhale, and Faye turned to look at her Couch Occupant. "Buy dinner? Oh so it's a gentleman now. Sorry, I couldn't tell by the way you tried to beat down my door." Her sarcasm was evident, but she added as an after-thought, just to be sweet and cute, "Well, it seems as if we've skipped the dinner portion of this date, baby. What's this then, a post-coital cigarette?" She narrowed her eyes again, folding her legs underneath her and shooting a playful, quick look at Scarab. "Was it as good for you as it was for me?" she asked the man, taking a drag.
Damn anyone if they ever said Faye was cold and heartless. Faye liked to play.
no subject
At least thier wouldn't be bloodshed in the next few minutes now?
Well...that was something at least.
" Ya, home," she repeated after managing to get a hold of herself and stop laughing like a drunk sorority member.
" I couldn't just let him wander around like this." 'This' was accompanied by a gesture to take in his state.
( Funny how she was managing to talk around Alex, like he wasn't even there )
" There's too much that goes bump in the night in this city, and I have a bad feeling The Corinthian here would try and bump back."
And get his ass handed to him in the process, She added mentally.
Why Scarab even cared was another story all together...
More and more, Scarab had noted she and Faye were mostly on the same wavelength...a spooky thought when it generally meant Faye could pick up on things Scarab wished she rather couldn't.
But, for the moment Scarab hoped that these half-explanations would suffice until the two women could speak frankly.
no subject
Eheh, his eyes were blowing smoke through their teeth now but he didn't seem to care that Faye would notice. He puffed on his cigarette.
"Were it you, and it is you now, mind to always get straight to the point," he offered a dangerous smile to Faye, razor sharp teeth belonging to a nightmare who considered himself a thing that goes bump in the night. But then.... he laughed, friendly if uninhibited. There was something deeply amusing about this scene that he couldn't quite express in words.
He didn't mind or even notice how Scarab referred to him in the third person. It didn't affect his opinion of her either, her treatment seemed almost endearing to the nightmare.
And to answer Faye's second question. "I was bloody magnificent," said The Corinthian before sucking down his cigarette. Any heartfelt woman-to-woman words Scarab wanted to share with Faye would fly over his own head.
no subject
Scarab was Drunk Scarab right now, or at least Tipsy Scarab, and she was giggling like a loon which made Faye snicker in return. The man next to her seemed to have no idea what it was they were laughing about, which made the situation even better and more entertaining. She left the conversation brewing about this 'home' for later. That was girls' talk. And there was a man in the room. A completely wasted man, but a man nonetheless. A man who appeared to have smoke coming out of his eyes, and that was something that Faye thought was rather weird, but she didn't press it, she only looked at it out of the corner of her eye and said, "Bump in the night, huh? What? Scared of monsters?"
She blew smoke out of her nostrils and looked back at Scarab. "Was he scared the boogie man would get him? Want you to look under his bed and tuck him in?" Faye knew she was being obnoxious, but she had fun pestering drunk people. Lord knew they would probably get their revenge someday.
She also knew that mention of monsters might remind Scarab of her encounter, but she severely hoped not. She put extra humor behind her words just to buffer the weight.
Faye rummaged around on the coffee table, looking under papers, for an ashtray. When she found it, she tapped the ashes into it and said to The Corinthian, "Mighty confident." She offered him the ashtray.
no subject
"Cute", she answered with just a hint of facetious admiration.
Actually Scarab had a slight alterior motive for drafting Faye's help tonight.
Rather silly, really, but being new to the whole 'caring' thing ( not to mention she hadn't intended to get quite this buzzed) she thought it would be safer to take Alex back here.
This way, if Frederick threw one of his ice-cold-mopey-no-talkey fits, she could protest that she was with Faye the entire time, and so nothing could have possibly happened.
That man was going to be another death for her...
The mention of monsters did , as usual, conjur images of old pointy head, but the alchoholic haze kept them nicely dulled.
And besides, it should only serve to explain her actions all the better: She was only worried because she didn't want that creature to be able to get it's mitts on anyone, stranger or not.
Ya. That's totally it....
no subject
"It's all in the experience."
He burned that cigarette down to its filter in no time, further adding to the smell of nicotine on her elegant couch. The nightmare stretched one arm across the back of the couch while the other held the diminishing cancer stick.
no subject
Giving the man next to her a look that spoke of amusement but also of offense, Faye said, "Good thing I tend to look underneath mine then. Might get kind of cramped if you showed up and popped in to say hello. Kind of like how it is right now only you aren't cramping up my bed." He gave her a smile though that made Faye roll her eyes and get up. Men.
Regardless of whether or not Scarab or the new guy wanted anything, Faye did, so she went into the kitchen and started rummaging around for some iced tea or something. Cigarette smoke trailed behind her, as did a few ashes. "So, you two, or Scarab, whoever wants to answer," she began, "who do I owe this wonderful visit to? And how long do you want me to keep him?"
Faye cracked ice into her glass and smiled.
no subject
Sighing heavily, she hopped up to sit on the counter top, and watched Faye as she puttered about.
Taking a quick hit off her cigarette, she dropped her voice to just above a whisper.
" Hey, I'm sorry to just drop in on you like this, but I seriously didn't know what else to do.
He's not human, in case you hadn't noticed, but I have a real hard time believing that he's really capable of dealing with all the bad shit this place can dish out."
She paused & used her good hand to rub her temple.
" It should only be for the night. I'm really sorry, Faye."
Sighing, Scarab's smile came back.
" I could go for some coffee right about now..I don't think it's wise for the lot of us to end up sloshed."
no subject
Aww was the fun over now? The women were retreating but he didn't seem to notice. As soon as the burn reached the filter he twisted the cigarette in the ashtray and didn't bother reaching for another. Would it come as any surprise to them that should they return to the room The Corinthian would be fast asleep on Faye's couch. One wondered if nightmares could dream.
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Coffee was something that Faye could make, so she put the ice away and started getting filters out of the cupboards and pulling cream out of the fridge. Faye took her coffee black, but Scarab might have wanted cream. She listened to Scarab babble and smiled, dropping a filter into the coffee maker. "The smoke coming out of his eyes wasn't any indication or anything," said Faye with a laugh, dropping her voice as well. "What is he then? Definitely different. And I don't think any of us are capable of dealing with the shit this place dishes out, no matter how tough we think we are."
It was partly a lie and partly the truth. Faye was ready. Faye hated it--not necessarily the city but the things inside--and what it had done, but no way in Hell was she capable. She didn't have to admit that, though.
But she was laughing again, really laughing, getting mugs out of the cabinet. "It's fine," she said, and that was true. She didn't mind the company. "Don't worry about it. So long as he doesn't try anything, he'll be returned safe and sound with minimal damage." She paused, giving Scarab a knowing look. "But, more importantly, where are you going to be returning to?"
Faye let Scarab think about how she wanted to answer that, poking her head around the door frame and calling to the man on the couch, "You want coffee or you just want nicotine and my charm?"
OOC
Re: OOC
(New Thread ...Getting squished there..)
As expected he was in much the same position as when she had left him, except his head was leaned back agianst the couch cushions in what appeared to be sleep.
Smirking, she shifted back to her earlier perch, and flicked ash into the sink.
" I think we lost him." she commented to Faye.
Now that he was out, Scarab didn't bother to whisper, she even managed to relax a little now that the need for a referee was ( for the moment) passed.
" I don't think he would, and even if he did; he's too far gone to put up much of a a fight. I could pin him easy."
She wasn't bragging, she really did believe she could hold him easily if things got out of hand. He was too drunk.
" He calls himself --ready for this?-- A 'Nightmare'". She gave Faye and 'only in The City' expression.
"The spooky thing is; I believe he is something like that. He talks like some of the other things around here who are used to crossing between different worlds."
She scooted foreward and gratefully accepted a cup of coffee; adding just a touch of cream, she sipped at it before continuing.
"You can't tell with those glasses, which I suppose is the point, but he has, get this, little bitty mouths for 'eyes'. I'm talking teeth, toungues, everything."
Scarab smiled and shook her head.
Welcome to Wonderland
" He told me not to look into them...I'm not sure if it's just because he doesn't like people staring, or if there really is some problem with looking directly at them.
Nice guy, really. Lonely, though..."
She was rambling agian..Ahh the evils of Sake.
At least she managed to keep the offer to help with Scarab's nightmares & his interest in Old Pointy Head to herself?
Faye's question about where Scarab would be ending up tonight made her look down into her coffee cup.
She knew she should probably head back home--
There's that word agian...
--soon, but she was a little reticent to leave Faye and Alex alone. If something happened, be it bloodshed or Alex sneaking into Faye's bed, she would feel awfully guilty.
"I...sort of...Moved-in-with-Frederick's" she said all in a rush, and tooka drink of coffee to cover the blush.
Damn alchohol was making her flushed.
Re: OOC
no subject
She just needed to be sarcastic right now, for whatever reason, but Scarab's next words put her mind in a different place and the need to play games suddenly became secondary. She felt an eyebrow raise, and she leaned back against the counter, listening to Scarab.
Her tone was funny and her expression was hilarious--like, just as she always felt around the other woman, they were old girlfriends and Scarab was spilling the newest gossip in Faye's kitchen like this was weekly business. But her words were strange to Faye. She sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "I'm sure tomorrow he'll be a nightmare," she said, picturing hangovers and confusion, "but... I dunno. He seems all right, you know?"
The bit about the mouth for eyes was... different, though. That was new to her. "Mouths for eyes?" Faye said, sticking out her tongue. "Did you... see them?" It was suddenly very important that Faye see these eyes. Fucking mouths for eyes! But that was a transient feeling, she knew. "The glasses are a nice touch. I mean... teeth! And tongues!" Her voice was low.
"I can assure you I won't be looking into them," she replied, peaking around the door again. Nightmare Boy was still out cold. "He's all right, as far as I can tell. Presumptuous, but I like that. Good practice. I'll... keep him company or something. Teach him to play a card game."
Faye was good at that and--
Playing house, then?
Well.
Faye grinned like a cat, angling her face toward Scarab. "Really? Tell me about it, Scarab," she said, putting down her coffee and giving her the Faye Valentine Special: eyes narrowed, chin up, arms crossed.
no subject
( Nevermind the fact she still was technically a teenager.)
" It just kind of happened. I mean, I've been in the city for three weeks, and two of those weeks have been in his apartement. It wasn't such a big leap.."
Ya, keep telling yourself that and you just might believe it..
" He is being Frederick about it. Says he's fine, but it's painfully obvious he is conflicted.
I dunno.."
She let that drop, and decided a subject change was in order.
" Alex, excuse me, The Corinthian, is a nightmare. Like- thats his species."
It wasn't much of a clarification, but it was the best she could come up with just now.
" I've seen his eyes...mouths...whatever. He can see just fine, but they act just like regular mouths too. Kind of wierd, but no wierder than this whole damn city."
She shrugged, and reached over to turn one of the sink's taps on in order to put out cer cigarette.
" He was made by some 'dream king', or thats what he calls it, and he really can walk in other people's dreams Faye."
Scarab looked back and held Faye's eyes. She wanted to make certain Faye really heard her.
" I speak from experience... I saw him, Faye. In a dream."
no subject
Giving Scarab a very 'I told you so' look, she took another drink of her cooling coffee and tsked. "God, he's such a woman," Faye said, rolling her eyes but in the affectionate way someone might roll their eyes at an older brother. "I'm buying him a bra and a box of tampons next. But... he'll get over it." She smiled warmly, taken aback by it a bit. "They always do anyway."
The Corinthian still sounded like a funny book title to Faye, so she pressed the heel of her hand into her mouth and choked down a smile. Very serious discussion, Faye. Very serious. But that was kind of interesting. "A nightmare?" she asked. "Like someone dreamed him and sent him to... prey into people or something in their dreams?"
"The longer I stay here the more I begin to think that the gods are completely stoned and all this is their silly little fantasy." Faye lit another cigarette and snorted bitterly. "Or a dream." She shook it off. "But I've never had a dream involving someone with teeth for eyelashes passing out on my couch. Did he say what they were for or what... they could do? And... we can, you know, trust him right? I mean... I trust your judgment. You wouldn't be out with him if you didn't think he was okay, but... a Nightmare doesn't exactly sound like sugar and spice and everything nice to me."
Faye believed her. Faye honest-to-fucking-god believed her. She might have laughed at someone else, but Scarab always got this look on her face when she was being serious. And she always looked you dead in the eye. "Dream king?" Faye echoed, curious.
"What does--I mean..." Faye had no idea what to say. She looked beyond the door again, suddenly worried that this guy would walk in and eat them or put them to sleep and give them... erm... bad dreams. She felt stupid. "Is that how he found you? Through a dream? How you guys met up?"
no subject
" I think the nightmare thing is a job and a species more than what the word usually means.
She smirked
"Don't get me wrong: he's a killer, and a good one .......but then agian so am I"
Scarab's humor was probably in bad taste, and none too comforting, but she related the description with an unsettling sort of smile.
The sort of smile that makes most people scoot away when forced to sit next to her.
" I saw him in a dream, but I don't think he was actually there...It's hard to explain."
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"Weird," she said, as that was the only thing she could really call it.
Faye swallowed a little. She wasn't afraid, but she would make sure that she was a bit more careful. Killers and bounty hunters were usually on opposite sides of the fence, but, hey, she was here with Scarab wasn't she? "Oh, well, there is that," Faye said, and pinched her eyebrows together at the smile on Scarab's face. "But that's good to know. All these nice little talents we all have. Maybe they'll come in useful."
"Hmm, not the kind of thing to be explained at three in the morning anyway," said Faye, but she was curious nonetheless. She laughed. "You think I could wrestle it out of him?
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" Probably...but I don't want to have to seperate you two."
She took another drink of coffee, and mentally berated herself for letting the 'nice mask' slip so badly in front of Faye.
Scarab worked very hard to keep up the appearence of being a normal, emotionally-intact person...it was difficult whenever she was near someone who tended to bring out her sociopathic tendancies, though.
"...Look, I think I should probably get going. I hate to dunmp him on you, but Frederick is probably having kittens about now. I should at least let him know I'm alright."
She said...hoping to duck out of her blunder with some grace.
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Faye smiled up at Scarab, who seemed to be a little lost in thought again. She didn't know if it was the alcohol or the thought of returning to watch Scarab had now deemed 'home' that put her mind in a different place, but Faye didn't ask about it. That was Scarab's business and if she wanted Faye to know she would tell her.
"You aren't dumping him," she replied, shaking her head. "Okay, well, you are, but I don't mind. This apartment's been too damn quiet anyway. Noise will be good. Even if it's snoring or vomiting. Whichever."
Tapping ashes into the sink, Faye said, "Is it wrong that I picture mini-Frederick kittens right there? Ears and all?" She laughed, thinking that was a mental picture worth keeping. "Well, come on, then," she continued. "I'll lock the door behind you."