|
Teagan sent a text message to Petra, along with a Google Maps pin, and is waiting outside the house which Direct Action (by which we mean Sigrun and June) bought. It's a really nice Colonial house in the middle of a green spot in Northwestern Philly, out toward the Main Line but still in the city itself. The city has a lot of these little green bloops, and in one of them, here we are.
The Mirrorskin stands outside, next to Sturm's truck, hands in the pockets of their charcoal leather duster. Seriously, do they put their duster and Baby on just to walk into the driveway? Apparently yes. There's also a bright yellow old VW bus in the driveway, as beautiful as if it just rolled off the showroom floor.
Petra came the fastest way she had, avoiding all the evening traffic by travelling on wing. The little birb circled the neighborhood until she spotted the roof, then Sturm's truck, and Teagan herself. She landed on Teagan's shoulder and croaked a little greeting as she took a moment to catch her breath.
"Hey, Petra," Teagan offers as the bird lands on their shoulder. The world's most odd Disney Princex raises a scarred hand to gently pat at the small bird. "Sturm got into a fight with a vampire, and her arm's broke." Arm machine broke, no arm wrestling today. "The fight isn't the big deal, I guess, but, you know. We gotta get her fixed up. Thanks for coming over, I appreciate it." They turn toward the house, pulling the door open and trudging inside and into the living room. "Sturm! Petra's here!"
Glitch looks up from the couch where he's crammed himself into a corner, tucked up with a Game Boy, in a shirt that say "I'm not lazy, I'm in low power mode" in block print and comfy shorts. He frowns briefly as Teagan steps in with a bird on her shoulder. "...you've got a bird on you."
Sturm, meanwhile, has been smoking a cigarette out back with a royally pissed off scowl, and her arm in a makeshift sling. She's wearing torn up jeans, a tank top, and her leather jacket hanging off her shoulders, with only her good arm through the sleeve. She's more than a little bit beaten up - sporting a bloodied lip and some yellow-ish bruises in addition to her fractured forearm. She snuffs out her smoke in an ashtray before stepping inside. "Yo." Beat. "Nice bird."
Petra changed back to human in a flash, a frown of concern etched in her expression. She was still dressed for work in her EMT uniform, her feathered hair in its usual state of disarray. "What'd you expect? A full grown dinosaur?" she cracked a grin. "I can't believe you got into another fight with a vampire without me, Sturm. I have to say, my feelings are a bit hurt here. Let's see your arm."(edited)
"I mean, a full-grown dinosaur would be pretty cool." Teagan steps back, and asks, "Can I get you something to drink, Petra?" They shrug a little bit at Glitch. "I'm a Disney Princex, didn't you know? Tweet tweet."
Glitch notes Petra transforming and gets his explanation. "A dream is a wish your heart makes and all that shit," he offers back to Teagan. To Petra, he dips his head. "Hey. Thanks for coming. Sturm blocked and the vamp fuckin' guard-broke her."
"Well, for what it's worth I didn't plan to get into the fight, it just sorta happened. I didn't know Vampires could... be unconscious - let alone get knocked out. So. That's a thing I learned." Sturm leans down and gives the Disney Princex a kiss on the cheekbone before unslinging her arm, and shrugging off her jacket. She presents her forearm to Petra. It's obviously broken - and very visibly swolen - though, thankfully the bone isn't showing or anything. "Yeah," she nods at Glitch. "Guy doesn't fight like that - he might actually be able to beat me if he did." There's a flicker of a smile for a moment. "Called him to come pick up the unconscious gal. They know each other, apparently." Beat. "Not that I just assumed all the vamps know one another or anything."(edited)
Petra stuck out her tongue at Teagan. "It is pretty fucking amazing... just not in residential areas." Petra said cheerfully as she carefully examined Sturm's arm. "Who was it? I've met quite a few in their community." (Want me to roll to assess the level of damage or just tell me?)
"Well, fair," agrees Teagan, and then they wander off into the kitchen to get drinks. Sodas, beers, and there's coffee. Someone bought a Keurig, which even Teagan can't set on fire. "You know that all that came out while I was in Arcadia? Disney wasn't even born yet, I don't think."
"I can hear people upstairs," comes Johnnie's voice from the basement stairs. "Which people are they?" Meaning- A.) don't be Wyrd people, B.) don't be weird people, or C.) won't care if you put on pants people.
"Teeeeeagan," Sturm calls after the Mirrorskin as they head towards the kitchen. "Can I please have a cup of coffee? I'll do anything." Beat. "Petra's here to look at my arm," she shouts just a little bit louder than that - for Johnnie's benefit.
Petra hissed when she realized the extent of the damage and she set her jaw and pushed Sturm towards the couch. "Sit," she ordered with a growl. "While I appreciate the present for Summer Solstice and I'm delighted you called me, maybe get me something else next year instead of nearly having your arm ripped off." Then she pulled a a little pot of ointment from her pocket. It smelled like a sweet sea breeze carrying the scent of lavender and salt, and Petra took a generous glob to apply as a focus for Spring's power. The shattered bones realigned and fused again with a quiet but audible snick- and the process probably didn't feel all that great but it was effective and quick. "Keep your arm in the sling for the next couple days and don't punch anyone with it, or let anyone punch it," Petra said severely. "The bones need time to rest and realize they aren't in itty bitty pieces anymore, and the rest of the swelling will go down too. I could do more but it's only a couple days and I'd rather save my strength in case anyone else decides to do something even more dumb to celebrate Summer."
"I'll hold you to that once you're feeling better," Teagan calls to Sturm from the kitchen. They make multiple cups of coffee. "Oh, I can handle the last bits," they assure Petra. "I can go Playmate and then trade it over to JuneyJune, who heals really fast on her own."
Glitch is still tucked on the couch absorbed in his gameboy, glancing up occasionally as Petra works on Sturm. There's a look up at Sturm's bones fusing together audibly, but then he just glances back down again for a bit. "Oh yeah, the Crowning's today."
"I mean," Sturm grumbles and there's a grunt as she falls onto the couch. Pfffumpf. "I wasn't trying to celebrate Summer, I just-" A pained hiss cuts the Jotunn off mid-sentence as her bones knit all at once. Her brow furrows at Petra's instructions, and grumbles under her breath - only the words unreasonable and not dumb and but I like punching are really intelligible. "It is," she nods at Glitch - before looking back to Petra. "Can I arm wrestle, at least? Or is that worse than throwing punches?"
"Oh my fucking stars, that's worse. Don't put torque on the thing. Or whatever that kind of strain is called. I like you punching things too. It's awesome and you do it really well. Use your other arm if you have to- even if Teagan and June cheat and let you off the hook early."
"Oh. Kay!"
It's a little bit longer before Johnnie emerges from downstairs, back in denim skirt and tanktop. "Hey, there, Petra. Wow, is- that all that's left after you did your work? Holy crow. I thought that was broke, but that arm looks mostly intact!" She whistles in keen appreciation. "That's some good work right there."
"It's worse, because your arm bones are designed to handle direct impact, and arm wrestling is shearing force. It's like taking a sledgehammer to a two by four. You're not gonna make much headway smashing the small end lengthwise, but hit a broad end crosswise and it'll smash to pieces. Same deal here. Arms don't like getting whacked crosswise. Or wrestled crosswise!" She asserts her relatively minimal medical knowledge, moving to waft between the people present.
"Well that's stupid," she grumbles. It's the Classic Sturm. She doesn't like it - and doesn't get it - so clearly it's stupid. "I don't want to have to use my offhand - then I might loose, and I'll have to make do on actually giving out hugs." She frowns, crossing both arms over her chest and sulking. Another Classic Sturm move.
Petra preened with the complements, her mantle blooming around her with the scent of fresh turned earth, and there was even a tiny hint of a blush in her cheeks, then grinned fiercely at Sturm and couldn't help teasing her. "Ooooooh, are you saying you can't manage without your dominant arm for two days?"
Glitch tries to surpress the tiny snort that escapes him as Petra goads Sturm so obviously. His eyes flick up and then back down to his gameboy.
"Nope. Nopenope, I learned my lesson, I ain't touching that one, no ma'am, nooooo thank you."
Vorpal waves off Sturm's complaints after stoically refusing to engage with that EPIC set up by Petra. "Like you stand any realistic chance of losing just cuz you switched fists. There are elephants more fragile than you are- I think you'll manage with your off-hand."
"Dunno," Sturm shrugs - though there's a hint of a navy blue blush creeping into her cheeks along with Johnnie's compliment. She grumbles under her breath again, refusing to uncross her arms, because she is very easy to goad. "What if Sigrun, or June -- especially June, but they're both probably strong enough to match me using my dominant hand." Beat. "Not that I haven't already hugged both of them, so the stakes are lower, but." She grumps. "There're probably other people that're strong enough. Right?"
Petra relaxed and then chuckled. "In the next two days? Just give me a break!"
"Yeah, sorry, I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Besides which, in the tremendously unlikely off chance you ran into something nasty enough to give you a run for your money with your off-hand- we're Direct Action. An Injury To One Is An Injury To All. Not only would Sturmpty Durmpty get put back together again, but all the king's horses and all the kings men would get laid. The fuck. Out. If they tried to interfere with us beating the ass of whatever tried," Johnnie asserts, drifting close to pat Sturm's shoulder on her good side.
"NO. Do not tell her to give you a break. She will find something to punch and do exactly that. Don't give her ideas," she hisses playfully at Petra.
"Sturm's dominant arm is in this kitchen," Teagan answers rather belatedly, coming back to the doorway and leaning against the frame as the coffee brews in the Keurig. And then they wander back into the kitchen to get the coffee and come back with all of the drinks. Well, a couple of coffees, anyway.
"I'm not talking about being fucked with," Sturm shakes her head at Johnnie. "You have your wires crossed - I wanted to participate in solstice festivities. Do some sports shit, and what-not." Beat. "I mean, I'm glad that everyone has my back, don't get me wrong, but unless we're playing Rugby you don't need to dogpile anyone for me in a friendly competi-" Sturm's jaw drops and she fixes Teagan with a fuckin' look, but they're already retreating back towards the kitchen for the coffee.
Taking a deep breath, she turns back to Petra. "I would not throw a punch at you," she reassures. Sure, Johnnie's goofing, but there're enough reasons to be afraid of Sturm.
Petra laughed, obviously not afraid of Sturm. "I'm pretty sure she meant you'd break your own arm again and give it to me to fix up again- and thank you for the coffee. It's been a long day."
Everything is fine. Everything is fine and then Teagan speaks up and was Johnnie always facing conveniently away from everyone's line of sight? Probably. Probably. Good luck proving otherwise. From behind, it looks like she's studying the Blu-ray collection near the TV. Which means nobody sees the look of someone trying desperately not to enrage the currently injured newest member of the motley in front of a friend they clearly respect.
"Hnnnnnnnhyes," wheezes Johnnie inexplicably. "That is precisely what I meant. Sturm, you know me so well." She flashes Sturm the most innocent of smiles, batting shade-swallowed lashes.
The motley's resident cat wanders lazily into the living room, passing off a coffee to Petra and one to Sturm -- they carefully juggle a sugar bowl and a container of half-and-half, and then set them on the coffee table. Teagan wanders ever-so-innocently back to the kitchen to get more cups of coffee. One for themself, to be sure. "You're welcome!"
"Oh, yeah. That's fair. I might re-break my own arm," she confirms. Cool as a cucumber, Sturm takes her cup of coffee from the passing gremlin-cat - sipping it with a serene expression before shifting to sitting on the arm of the couch. "What're you laughing at, Jackie?" The Jotunn quirks an eyebrow - gesturing to the Blue-ray set. "I know it's probably not my Batman: The Animated Series box set, so... what's the joke?"
She's scowling -- as if daring Johnnie to actually answer-- but there's one hint to her actual mood. She's holding the sapphire on her choker and rubbing it's facing with a thumb and forefinger.(edited)
Glitch's eyes flick up to Sturm for a while and stares. His face is almost as still as Teagan's. The gameboy hides his mouth.
Johnnie freezes for a second when she's put on the spot by Sturm. "Laughing at? WAS I laughing? I thought we were talking about what I meant with your arm. And I'm definitely not laughing at your Batman discs. Though it IS hilarious that the same guy is both the kid space wizard from Star Wars and Joker. He's super good."
It's not a bad performance.
If you discount the clearly sniggering peanut gallery of shadows.
Petra smiled and took a sip of her coffee. "Cute kitty. Is it a real cat or a person-cat?" she asked. "C'mere kitty. tsk tsk tsk."(edited)
The metaphorical motley cat, that is, Teagan, wanders through the kitchen, making themself another cup of coffee. Having sown all that chaos, they seem very content to make another coffee rather than getting involved in the conversation between Sturm and Johnnie.
Petra smiled and took a sip of her coffee, soaking in the ambiance of the family around her and looking more relaxed that she had in a while. Then she sighed, shook her head, and got to her feet. "Well! Anyone else need anything?"
"I can think of a few things, but nothing that can be helped right this moment, I suppose." Sturm breaks into a grin, deciding to let the wriggling Johnnie off the hook for the moment. "Thank you for coming by to fix up my arm, Petra. I really appreciate you going out of your way on a work night." Beat. "Probably gonna need a working arm, y'know?"
"Nah, Sturm already has a hand," Glitch blurts out before dissolving into snort-giggles.
"Nah, I'm good, Petra. I appreciate you coming by," Teagan replies, wandering back and leaning against the doorway of the kitchen again. "Pardon us giving each other shit. Being a fucking gremlin is my love language."
Petra grinned. "I'm happy to help, call me anytime. And I'm happy to see you guys being a real family with one another. It's... nice."
"Yeah, well, sometime, we'll have you over for something more fun than playing fixit," quips Johnnie, immediately pouncing on the escape velocity from Sturm's little trap. "It was awesome to see you. Stay safe until we make up an excuse to make you hang out again, okay?"
Sturm takes a last sip of her coffee, setting it down before standing. "If you need anything, let me know, yeah? Happy to pay you back by helping out," she grumbles... but she also opens her arms wide - offering Petra a hug. A rare treat to be sure.
Petra gave Sturm a tight hug. "You owe me nothing, so no talk about paying me back. You want to do something, pay it forward." Petra winked at Johnnie. "What's more fun than fixit? I mean I'm just looking for an excuse to try out surgery. I've been practicing on that Operation game, you know the one with the tweezers and electric buzzers? I'm pretty sure I can manage on a real live person!" Was she serious? Possibly...
Glitch has his face in a pillow by now, making all sorts of weird muffled giggle-beeps, but eventually slowly calms. He takes in a breath, and when he looks up, he's his usual cool self...except for a bit of a goofy smirk and a sheen to his pixellated eyes. "Thanks Petra."
|