xp_logs | Johnny and Callie: Reunion

Callie's afternoon nap is interrupted when a wild, bouncing Johnny nearly lands on top of her.

Under a western facing window sat a loveseat, positioned with one end to the wall so that the mid-afternoon sun could warm the occupant who was lounging lazily upon its cushions. Well, not lounging so much as sleeping, curled tightly up, head resting upon the plush arm, a thick book having been discarded neatly on the floor in favor of a less taxing activity. And while Callie had previously spent the day sleeping or feeling exhausted to her bones, today it was the warmth of the sun and the comfortable cushions that lulled her gently to sleep. An afternoon nap, a cat nap- perfectly normal, perfectly healthy, and definitely well earned.

Johnny had been playing Halo but he'd gotten bored and switched to a DVD before getting bored with that and a book - he was unable to sit still this afternoon and had gone down to the gym to play on the trapeze for a while. He'd gotten off when he started to get tired and had gone for a walk, still restless as he roamed the mansion's halls. He spotted Callie when he was almost on top of her and swore, loudly. "Callie. Oh my god." She was asleep but still. Whoa.

The expletives he uttered caused the girl to jolt quickly awake, eyes cracking slowly to check her surroundings. But when the first thing that appeared in her field of vision was a distorted face, Callie yelped in surprise as she rolled off her perch and crashed to the ground.

"Ow."

Johnny screamed at the sudden movement and leaped back out of the way, twisting in mid air to avoid a side table and lamp before landing crouched a dozen feet away, breathing deeply. It was just Callie. It was just Callie. She wasn't anything to be worried about, was she, danger sense? And she'd just fallen off the couch because of him. Oh boy.

"Are- are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah." Her arm was sore; it had hit the edge of her book during her less than graceful fall, and a bruise was sure to follow. Callie sat up, rubbing the tender spot close to her shoulder, and glanced over to where Johnny was crouched. "Sorry." She offered him an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to freak out, I just wasn't expecting to wake up to someone looming over me like that."

Her heart was still racing from the flash of pure fear his appearance had caused, but Callie wasn't about to say that to Johnny. There was no way he could have known she would be so riled up by such an innocent action on his part. He hadn't meant no harm, and no harm really had been done. Besides, he looked about as high-strung as she felt. No reason to make him feel any worse.

"You all right? I didn't realize you were here."

"Here - mansion-here or here-scaring the crap outta you-here?" Johnny asked, straightening and offering Callie a hand up. He wished he knew of a tactful way to say 'Callie, you look like shit.'

"Mansion here." She gratefully accepted his hand, and pulled herself up. "Actually both," she replied after a pause. "How long were you watching me sleep?"

"You missed that I came back to the mansion? Totally wounded over here," he said and then "I wasn't! Dude. It was like, three and a half seconds, max."

"I'm sorry." Her brow furrowed in deep concern; she felt guilty that she had missed Johnny's return to the mansion, having been more caught up in herself than in everything that was going on around her. Well, until it almost hit her in the face, that is. But that was not something she needed to mull over right then and there.

"You look great," Callie said, her tone probably a tad more perky than it needed to be, as she settled back down on the sofa. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. And, uh, thanks. Look, you want to get a coffee or something?" He knew damn well he didn't look great right now. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping much.

"You know," she replied after several moments of consideration as to whether or not she wanted to go out in the cold. "That sounds like a great idea. Let me put my books away and bundle up first. I'll drive- I could use some time outside of the mansion. Is that okay with you?"

No. I'd actually kind of prefer to stay inside, where I know that most of the stuff my danger sense pings for isn't real. Johnny smiled broadly. "Sure. Let me just grab a jacket, okay? I'll meet you down at the door in like, five."