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[White glances hard at him for a moment before settling forward, hugging her knees and looking out at the lake. This place is actually supposed to be pretty dangerous right now with Sosyne in it and all, but it's so peaceful she can't imagine the whale's anywhere near them.]

... After those pods fell from the memory tree. You remember, right? How they showed you different things? The one we saw was really bad, but it's not the one I had nightmares about. Sure didn't help though. [She laughs softly, feeling like she should probably be embarrassed by nightmares of all things, but just the thought of them catches her breath and she sighs, hugging tighter.] It was actually one of the "good" ones. There was just a lot of fire, that's all.

[ Leo stays quiet. He doesn't think she has any reason to be embarrassed. If only she knew the reoccurring nightmares he has about Michella giving up her eyesight in his place. He wakes up from those covered in cold sweat, but the nightmare never ends for him, not really. ]

...Do you have a bad memory involving fire?

There was a lot of it during the Great Collapse. Not... the same color, and really it probably should be more of a comfort than anything [because it's connected to her brother, but that's nothing she'll tell him] but it was just consuming everything when...

[She trails off for a moment, chewing her lip, before finishing the sentence ind of lamely.]

When everything was falling apart. So I don't like it that much, and Peromei's memories had an entire town just... burning to the ground. It ended nicely and the tree they planted in the middle is the one that's growing here now, I think, but I can't stop dreaming about it and the one we saw.

[ He listens... putting this all together (although the part about how the colour of fire could possibly be a comfort confuses him). He remember what Black told him. They're a family of casters. Black and White lived through the Great Collapse. That was probably when their parents perished...

He hesitantly puts his arm around her, not entirely sure what to do. ]

I would probably lose sleep over that too.

Mm.

[She doesn't lean into him but she's not pulling away either, closing her eyes with a soft exhale. Gotta finish. Be quick.]

So I had nightmares. I decided not to sleep anymore and that didn't work out so well, so I figured I'd just deal with it by getting some medicine to skip the dreaming part. That was a little bit before Sosyne.

After that... I still can't sleep that well, even now. Even if I'm getting all the hours I need, it feels like I haven't slept a wink. I didn't want anyone to worry - least of all you or Black - so I started doing anything I could to at least have a reason to be so tired in the first place. I guess that's the bright side of the whole destruction.

[Even if it, too, reminds her of the Great Collapse. Destruction just does.]

I still have the nightmares now and then, but it's not every night anymore. It'll go away. I'll be fine, just like how I was then. It just takes some time.

[... And she had it easier before, back in HL, because Black didn't see her every day, because she could twiddle her time away away from others, because Leo didn't exist in her life yet.]

Edited 2015-10-12 06:43 (UTC)

[ ...He really can't relate. The Great Collapse was something he watched on the news. A couple weeks ago he even excitedly watched a HD streaming video of the tentacles when the portal first opened. What could he even say to that?

He reaches over White's tucked legs and grabs the tea she had left forgotten at her side. Hopefully the warmth will bring her some comfort. He tries to make a comforting smile as he says this: ]

Here. Drink.

[She looks up at it, surprised, and there's a flash of guilt before she takes it from him and does as asked. It's nice. Probably should've let it steep just a second longer, but it's fine.

And then turning the most determined look at him and Sonic.]

Remember, you said you wouldn't tell anyone. It's a secret between you and me.

[... But it honestly does kind of feel better to get it off her chest. At least this is something she can talk about, unlike the everything else that is her life.]

Pinky swear.

[ He offers his hand to make it official. ]

[And she'll hook hers around his, giving it a shake, and letting go as she finally leans into his half-embrace.]

You're such a big brother, you know that? I bet you thought you'd have to drag the truth out of me too, huh. [White shakes her head, giving him a tiny grin.] Now it's your turn, Sonic. Pinky swear.

[Because he absolutely has to do it too. The boars she faced down speak telepathically, what's stopping Sonic from being able to do the same thing if he tries enough?]

[ Well, Sonic probably does have the intelligence for it. He climbs up to White's knees and holds his tiny arm out. Ki ki. ]

[Yeah, so. Pinky promise.

Once she gives his little hand a shake too White seems more or less at ease, taking a pack of trail mix for herself. Her thanks will be her presence, okay. And her little monkey friend gets to share her nuts.]

So that's that. What'd you call me out here for anyway? Just stargazing, or was your whole plan to butter me up to get answers out of me? Or maybe your intentions aren't as selfless as that?

[She could use the relaxation anyway, so she's mostly just teasing.]

[ Sonic is all too happy to share ~~deez~~ nuts. ]

I thought stargazing would be nice way to celebrate finishing the restaurant clean up. And maybe you might feel like talking. Or not. [ He didn't really think she'd talk. She rarely shares anything. ]

It's peaceful and you can't see the stars back home.

[ Those are his reasons. White appears better, so Leo wonders if he should remove his arm from her shoulder. His hand twitches and he moves it to drink his tea. There. Absolutely not awkward. ]

[It's not a big deal, so it's fine to share. That's all. Things that'll pass will pass.

White makes a pleased face and sighs, tutting slightly. The lack of an arm around her makes everything a little colder though...]

I hate how nice you are sometimes.

[Because it's especially hard to keep things under wraps when he is, as considerate and kind as he is and how normal that feels. She shakes her head and goes back to looking at the stars.]

Thanks for asking me out though. I don't think I've seen so many since I left home! It's kind of overwhelming, especially since they're all in different places than I remember. Black was reading a book on them when we first realized just how different it was.

[ He doesn't think he's that nice. It's pretty normal isn't it? He just asked a girl who he thinks is cute out to look at the stars. He looks upwards. ]

I didn't care much about the stars until I could no longer see them. Now there's so many. It really hits you that this is a completely different place. And I don't just mean the fog, but there's no flashing lights or skyscrapers.

When you ask anyone if they've heard of Hellsalem's Lot before, they look at you confused. [ He lies back onto the blanket and closes his eyes ] It's like we were living in a dream.

Or a nightmare. That city wasn't exactly the miracle that everyone thought it'd be, yet once you're there it doesn't really leave you.

[... Maybe literally. It's not something she's thought about in a while, putting it down to Emizel's lack of experience, but she wonders if that's the reason that there was a kind of "block" on her soul. Whatever. It's something she doesn't understand and it really was probably just because he hasn't done it before.

White doesn't lay down with him, just leans back on her hands.]

This place actually reminds me a lot of where I grew up, even if it's still different. Cobblestone houses. Stars. A population in the hundred thousands instead of the hundred millions. So it's kind of like... I just moved back. Hellsalem's Lot has never been "home" to me, even if that's what I'd call it here. It's just a place I live.

Or a nightmare. [ he repeats after she's said it and laughs softly.

He is living in a nightmare ever since he got these eyes. In the beginning, he held how miserable he felt against the city itself. A lot of the time living there absolutely blew: rent was high, pay was low, he got mugged on the regular. Since he became a member of Libra, some days have been fun and he feels like he's doing something worthwhile. ]

I'm not from there either. I don't know if I consider it home or not, but it's where I met some important people to me, like you and Black.

Important, huh...

[Black's important to her. Her parents were important to her. The memories she has are important, the those peaceful days she can't forget are important, but to be called important by someone she'd met only a few months ago (and it's longer now too, even if they're behind a month compared to where they're from) is a little... It's too nice. It's too good for what she's done, for what she's been doing back in Hellsalem's.

But it's also exactly what she needs from him.

White chews the thought over as she snacks, looking down at Leo and wondering why and how it is she's important to him.]

... You're pretty important to me too, Leo, [with some finality, a sincere smile crossing her face.] Though I can't say why. I guess it's just because we're friends.

[ Leo makes no noise except for his soft even breaths. Sonic climbs onto his chest. The monkey raises his arm above Leo's face and looks at White as though asking should I smack him awake? ]

Edited 2015-10-13 00:22 (UTC)

[And he told her to tell him when she was tired. Wow. But maybe what she said was better left unheard anyway.]

No, it's fine. I don't really feel like talking anymore.

[It's nice enough to just watch the stars, after all. But she'll fall back beside Leo and scoot closer carefully, using him as kind of a pillow. Warm and nice. It might actually lull her to sleep too.]

But if I fall asleep too though then go ahead and give him the hardest pop you've got. He doesn't need to be scolded by my brother for staying the whole night out here with me. [...] As nice as that'd be. It's really relaxing out here.

[ Leo is a good pillow, agreed. Sonic lies down on Leo's chest. Really, if the monkey falls asleep too it can't be helped. ]

[It really can't be helped.

But White's doing her best to stay awake until she feels groggy herself, mind wandering from this to that and back again, and she honestly forgets Leo's even there until she starts to sit up

and slams her hand into his stomach, realizing her mistake instantly and leaning over him.]

-- Oh! Oh, sorry! Are you okay?

[ That effectively knocks the air out of Leo and he (and Sonic) wake up with a yelp.]

White?! What did I do?

[ He looks around. Why am I outside? Why is White here? Oh. Ohhhh right.]

Sorry. Did I fall asleep?

Yeah, I hit you by accident.

[Definitely woke her up too though. God.]

... Why's your first reaction to ask if you did something? Do you have a guilty conscience?

...I thought you got angry and hit me.

[ there's good chances of that happening, okay. ]

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