☤ ninety-nine

[as_damaged]

[ TEXT ]

Look on the bright side: Christmas comes but once a year, generally speaking. That goes for the associated curses as well.

---

[ ACTION ]

[Though Cameron is doing her best to avoid the mistletoe, it's not worth calling in for; she's dealt with this enough times not to let it get the best of her. If anything, she's feeling a little nostalgic-- it's a distraction that means she might be caught unawares here and there.

Most of the day, she'll be in the hospital-- trying very hard not to kiss anyone contagious-- but she does have to get there and home, walking through the City streets, and of course she needs to eat. So she'll be around to bump into!]

Comments

action;

[anunluckypenny]

[It's evening and Penny is walking her dogs. She knows about the curse, but it's not fair to Tumbles and Sam to keep them cooped up because of a few kisses. That isn't to say that she isn't being careful, though. She's being very careful.

Alas, mistletoe is sneaky. In spite of her best efforts, Penny's current trajectory is about to take her to a point in time and space where she will run into mistletoe and Cameron.]

action;

[as_damaged]

[Cameron is making a crucial mistake right now: she is walking out of a cafe. It's a necessary mistake, because staying in the cafe all day is just going to make her an easy target, but it's still a dangerous move.

The cashier wishes her a happy holiday as she's walking out the door, and she's looking over her shoulder to return the sentiment (because in spite of being tired of the seasonal curses and an avowed atheist and not terribly festive, she is polite,) which means she doesn't even see that she's on a collision course as she steps out the door.]

action;

[anunluckypenny]

[Out the door and right into Penny's lips.

On an ordinary day, they probably would have bumped into each other, muttered apologies, and then go their separate ways. Since this is not an ordinary day, Penny is compelled to kiss Cameron.

The dogs don't tug on their leashes. Maybe they know there's a curse going on.]

action;

[as_damaged]

[She doesn't jump-- caught by the curse, she really couldn't if she wanted to-- but she does start, visibly, stiffening as she's caught unawares. It only lasts a moment, before that holiday magic-- well, okay, it's really only regular curse magic-- works its... you know... and she relaxes into the kiss, placing a hand on the other woman's shoulder to brace herself.

Oops.]

action;

[anunluckypenny]

[Penny has kissed so many people today (running the Welcome Center has its downsides) that she doesn't even try to resist the pull of the curse. She has her hands full with the dogs, but that doesn't stop her from leaning in, eyes closed, lips parted slightly.]

action;

[as_damaged]

[Cameron has long since resigned herself to getting through today-- perhaps that's a rude way to look at it, but there are only so many times you can awkwardly, languidly suck on a stranger's lower lip before it becomes a matter of endurance.

Her shoulders slump a little, but the passion of her kiss doesn't suffer for it.]

action;

[anunluckypenny]

[Honestly, it's one of the better kisses Penny has had today. This is only a fact that she can appreciate after the mistletoe has had it's fun and she's allowed to put her tongue back in her mouth where it belongs. She draws back with an apologetic smile. At least she kind of knows Cameron.]

Sorry about that.

[Penny's apologies are far less enthusiastic than they were at the beginning of the day.]

action;

[as_damaged]

Hardly your fault.

[She manages a rather wan, apologetic smile.]

action;

[anunluckypenny]

Still...

[She takes a few cautionary steps back.]

Do you want to hang out sometime? I mean, I keep running into you, but I don't really know anything about you other than that you work with Wilson, Chase, and House.

action;

[as_damaged]

I--

[She doesn't back up because it would put her back in the doorway, but she does sidestep so they don't cause a pileup. Shouldn't you ask someone out before kissing them, Penny?]

Maybe? I mean, sure, sometime when there isn't--

[She rolls her eyes, a gesture directed at the anything-but-innocent plant creeping over the building's facade.]

action;

[anunluckypenny]

[God, Penny's manners. She doesn't know why she says half the things she says when she does.]

Right! Right, when there isn't.

[She'll just... leave now, okay?]

action;

[as_damaged]

[Eep! She didn't mean to be off-putting.]

But, really-- that sounds nice.

[Just. not today. She doesn't want to go near anyone right now.]

action;

[anunluckypenny]

Really?

[She puts off leaving momentarily. This is exciting! She's been trying to make friends with... you know, people who don't basically live at the Welcome Center or find themselves in need of help all the time. Lady friends that she can talk about lady things with.]

Great! I'll shoot you a message or something after everything's done being... this.

action;

[as_damaged]

[Probably it would be good for Cameron to talk to people who are not... you know... her cat.]

Sure.

[She smiles, a bit thinly, but under the circumstances that seems pretty impressive, right?]

action;

[anunluckypenny]

[This could be a win-win situation!

...Or it could be awkward. Penny smiles back--more convincingly, perhaps, because she has had a lot of practice--and waves before making a run for it.

Not a literal run. Really.]

[vicodincrutch]

[Purposely avoiding like some limping Phantom of the Opera. Allison is going to have a great big popcorn tin of Hershey's kisses in her office chair. No note.

HAH.]