Dreaming a dream as someone who hates dreams but needs sleep

Aiastes had been away for a good while now. But sadly he also knew that some things had come up that had taken up a lot of his time. Lucienne was in the apartment as Mari returned. "I send my regards from my master," she said, her hair slicked back as always and her bird-like features on full display. She didn't have to really worry about people staring at her. "I was also asked to pass along this message," she said, digging into her coat pocket and taking out a piece of parchment that had been neatly folded and sealed. Inside was a message meant only for Mari to read.

Dearest Mari.
I am regretfully writing to you instead of visiting you this time around. My realm is in need of me still, and I cannot return to you before that has been sorted. I wish I could tell you more or even soothe you in this time, but you are in my thoughts. A few weeks might need to pass before I can come visit again. I do not blame you for your anger nor disappointment over this message, but be strong and time will pass faster than you realize.
Yours, A.

George's yell made her roll her eyes softly and she stuck out her tongue at him before she went bak inside. Seeing Lucienne was a bit of a surprise but somehow she also kind of knew what it meant and she looked at the paper with a sad look in her eyes. "Thank you." she said, even if she didnt have to. It was kind of her to deliver the message. "You should probably head back if he needs you." she said. She didnt want to keep the raven busy when she was practically heading to bed in a second. ".. And Lucienne? Tell him that it's alright." she said before she had even read the message. She couldnt be angry at him for being busy. Even if it bummed her out. She sat down with the message, feeling her jaw quiver a little bit. The message was sweet and yet so bitter. That night she went to sleep with puffy eyes, but it was what it was. She didnt even really sleep either, just reading the book she had loaned from the library. When she woke up, the pendant laid next to her book on the bed and she felt a little worn out.

Friday eventually rolled around and she was really looking forward to going out with George. She even freshened up, put on a slight bit of makeup and found something quite nice to wear that was also comfortable. When it was about noon, she went to his apartment to knock on the door, hoping that she wasnt disturbing him. But she didnt exactly have his number.

George had been at work the night before, but he was half way at getting dressed as there was a knock on his door. Opening it he smiled, pulling his shirt over his head. If she had peaked she would've noticed that he was actually rather muscular and had a few tattoos here and there. "Hiya," he smiled, gesturing for her to come in and actually see his apartment now that he had sorta finished setting it up. The apartment layout was much like the one that Mari lived in, only his way of decorating was rather different indeed. He sat down, pulling on some socks and shoes, "kinda overslept - alarm felt like it didn't need to work today," he chuckled a bit apologetically. Once that was sorted he got up, grabbing his jacket, wallet and phone before nodding that he was ready to head out.
Placing his hands in the pockets of his jacket, they walked along the street. George was just making basic conversation, telling about his latest work nights and some crazy customers that he had had. "Basically she started screaming that she was owed compensation because we had tried to poison her .. by putting garlic on her garlic bread," he rolled his eyes. Some people were crazy, and it seemed like he drew them in like a magnet sometimes. They reached the small coffee shop, he held the door for her, looking at the decorations before following her in. It was nice and warm inside, "wow, I've never actually been in here before," he admitted. He had passed it many times on the way to the underground, but this was actually very cozy. He could imagine working here could be nice in the down time. Looking at the menu he hummed, smiling at the barista behind the counter, "black coffee and I think I'll have a biscotti too," he ordered with a smile, paying for his share. It wasn't a date, so he didn't expect to pay for everything. Did that sound greedy? Well whatever, he knew what it was like to not have money.

He chuckled lightheartedly at the notion of the lasagna, but was also interested in hearing her work stories. So as she opened up about the latte ordeal he had to roll his eyes, "I guess customers really do leave their brain at the door, huh?" A genuine smile on his lips before they entered the coffee shop. The way her co-worker greeted her was a little fun, mostly because he got to hear her middle name. They moved over, sitting down at a cozy spot, George taking off his jacket as Mari told the story of a crazy summer. He frowned, "what's so special about iced coffee anyways?" He was rather confused about that. He knew only one way to drink coffee and that was black. Sure, when winter came he could be persuaded to add some hot cocoa to it, but that was about as far as he went with his coffee order.
She explained her name and he hummed nodding. He had gathered as much. "It does sound fancy," he smiled, teasing her a little bit. "I mean at least your name doesn't sound like someone already in a retirement home," referring to his own name. Most people he knew with that name was either old or dead. Or basically anywhere in between that. "I don't hate my name though; at least I wasn't named something obnoxious like Geoffrey," he chuckled.

Wincing at the name Gregory he nodded. Yeah, he was perfectly alright with the name he had. However he wasn't sure how to feel about the person she was describing. "Well then my name will fit me in ten years or so," he scoffed, though there was a playful smile on his lips. Conversation with her was rather easy and not as forced as he had experienced before. Some people were just natural conversationalists he supposed. "But thank you, that's kind of you to say; Though your name is way cooler," he smiled. Their coffee arrived and he thanked the barista before looking at the steaming cup of hot coffee. It would have to cool a bit before he would even think of taking a sip. She continued the conversation and he hummed, though she probably wouldn't like what he said. "Well I mainly read non-fiction .. I never really found reading to be that interesting unless I was learning something along the way," he admitted with a slight shrug.
"But I guess I could try to, if you had some reading recommendations that is?" He was curious to know what she might suggest. Romance perhaps? Or maybe she was more into adventure? It was hard to tell just from her looks for sure. His coffee had at this point cooled down enough to the point where he could at least dip his biscotti into it and eat it without burning his tongue off. The coffee was good, he had to hand that to them, but in the end it was just dirty bean water, wasn't it? That being said he didn't really think he could survive without caffeine, at least not with the lifestyle he was leading. "Have you gotten a chance to use your binoculars yet?" His lips pulling up in a teasing yet charming smile. This was just going to be an inside joke from now on, wasn't it?

"We can switch." she said, tilting her head as she did make herself sound rather serious. Like she genuinely could switch name with him right then and there if he agreed. "What, you dont think I'd be a good George?" she asked with her eyes narrowed before she began chuckling softly.
He admitted to not really read fiction which maybe did make sense, but she might have hoped that he maybe did. But just when she thought that it was the end of that conversation, he surprised her by wanting to try, even asking for recommendations. "Okay, you're in for a ride. I have the perfect book for you. I'll get it for you and drop by." she said with a nod, smiling bright. She ate some more of her cake, having found that it wasnt too bad but it didnt really live up to the normal standards.
The question about the binoculars made her look from one side to another before she leaned in, gesturing for him to come closer. "I actually did. Is that weird? Once, and then I just felt too intrusive. Especially because it was some naked man strolling through his apartment." she admitted, feeling her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

The suggestion of switching names made him chuckle shaking his head no as she asked if it was because she wouldn't make a good George. "I'm not saying that, in fact I think you would be an excellent George," he smiled, playing along as she seemed to like this lightheartedness. He found it almost refreshing. "I just think I would miss my name too much," he argued, taking a sip of his coffee. Yeah, it was good coffee for sure. You could almost taste the fanciness of it. The conversation regarding books made him hum, encouraging her to do so. He was sorta interested in what she considered a good book. Perhaps it was an old classic? Or maybe something new from an obscure author? Regardless he expressed the fact that he was indeed looking forward to it.
His mouth opened a bit surprised to hear that she had actually used her gift. Okay, he had to hand it to her. She had a lot of guts to do that. He began laughing as she mentioned the guy she had been spying on, shaking his head at her. "Indeed a peeping Tom now!" Although he was laughing, he was keeping it down somewhat. There was no need to attract unwanted attention. "But maybe it's time for a career change," he hummed with a small nod, placing his coffee down on the table, folding his arms as he looked at her with a considering gaze. Snapping his fingers as something popped into his mind he pointed at her. "Gossip girl - you do already know a lot of stuff about the people in our building," he chuckled.

"Of course like the series," he chuckled, though he couldn't say he had really watched that show. But he did get the gist of it. Her ponder made him frown shaking his head no, "you don't have to know everything, but slowly you could build towards that," he encouraged her. Even if it was a made up scenario, he found it pretty entertaining. She was entertaining to be around. Her admittance made him sigh, reaching for his cup of coffee once more. Taking a few good sips from it he was already halfway. Not that he was in a hurry, he just needed the caffeine. "Well you won't know unless you try," he smiled at her admittance. Sure it was all fun and games right now, but what he was saying right now could apply to a lot of things.
She offered the cake and he looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Are you obsessed with sharing your food with me?" He teased before he chuckled, reaching out to borrow her fork, taking a piece off and putting it between his lips. He hummed, chewing and swallowing before handing the fork back to her. "Yeah, I'm not really a fan of sweets," he had to admit. He liked the biscotti he had ordered and he did like the eventual biscuit, but cake and candy wasn't really him. No he more liked salty treats. "It's not bad though, I just wouldn't be able to finish a piece," he admitted with a warm smile on his lips, "I take it you have a sweet tooth?" He wasn't really judging her, far from it, because it was actually rather cute. At least in a way he couldn't really describe.
Finishing up his biscotti and coffee he leaned back, looking at her with searching eyes. "I'm very curious to meet your boyfriend," he admitted in a slight ponder. "I mean, I haven't seen him yet and I've been living in the building for a few weeks now," he sent her a small smile, leaning over the table. "Is he made up to keep me from asking you out?" He whispered, a charming smile on his lips before he shook his head leaning back once more, "just kidding, though I am bummed out that you're not single." That was a normal sentence, right?  

Chuckling lightheartedly at the joke about cavities he just shook his head at her. She was fun alright. His jest about her boyfriend seemed to have a more negative reaction, which made him worry that perhaps he had overstepped. She smiled, but it didn't really reach her eyes, though he wasn't sure what to make of it. Of course she had mentioned that they were trying to figure things out, but he worried it wasn't as easy as she had made it sound. He knew it wasn't his business, but he was allowed to worry about a fellow human being, right? "I see, a real career man," he smiled nodding approvingly. He could be gone for most of a day as well, but he felt he had an alright work-life balance set up. Though some people also carried bigger positions than he currently had.
Nodding at the notion of getting some air he got up as well, putting on his jacket as the co-worker approached. Snooping around had never been his business, but he was standing right next to Mari, so it wasn't like he could just ignore it. It would be impolite. He sent the co-worker a smile before they headed out. The exchange had been strange, but he was slowly putting some pieces together. Out on the street he could feel the nicotine craving, but if what he presumed was true then he wouldn't be the dick smoking next to her. But how did you break the ice on this one? "I take it you're pregnant .. or perhaps trying?" He asked. Wow, very subtle, nice job Georgie-boy.

Frowning as she started to apologize he shook his head no. She didn't have anything to apologize for. He was however surprised to hear she was so far along. He couldn't really see it on her, but perhaps that was because he hadn't really paid attention to her stomach? "No need to apologize," he assured her with a soft chuckle, "am I supposed to congratulate you? You don't really seem excited." Was he being rude on top of it all as well? Oh well, you couldn't really take out the Southern District in him, could you? "Besides, it's your life and I'm not entitled to know everything right off the bat," he reminded her, still acting with his boyish charm. It was clear he wasn't repulsed by her. Frankly he was just the more curious about her, but he decided not to ask more about the boyfriend. Maybe the pregnancy was why they were working things out? Either way he didn't need to know.
"Girl or boy then?" He asked, because surely she would know that if she was that far along. Unless she was one of those people who wanted it to be a surprise. He stuck his hands in his pockets, picking at his fingers in hiding just to try and ignore the nicotine craving. He just knew that as soon as he was back at the apartment he would need a smoke or two.

Maybe she didnt have to apologize but she still somehow felt like it. It wasnt just a small thing either way. Which maybe was why it felt so heavy on her shoulders to just think about. The question made her shrug. "I dont know how I'm supposed to feel. It wasnt really planned." she just admitted. It was better to just say things as they were. Though not saying that her now boyfriend actually wasnt the father would clear up a lot, maybe.
The reminder was nice. She chuckled softly. "But eventually you will be?" she asked, not minding the charm. It was refreshing on all the gloom. She was so often met by worries and other people's thoughts on how she should be handling herself once they found out. It was nice that he wasnt treating her like a walking concubine like most others.
"A boy. Very healthy, at least from what the doctor said." she said as they walked, but then she looked down. "... I dont really want to be a mother. Like at all. I'm what... 23? My life has barely started." she said, before she looked at him with a small frown.

"I better be," he chuckled. Yeah, he liked her a lot, and if they could have a lasting friendship, then he would be very happy. She was nice and despite what she was going through it seemed that she still found time to be kind to those around her. It was a trait you didn't see often. A boy. He hummed, just letting her know that he was listening to her. However the disclosure about her stance on the whole thing made him nod. "I mean I think that's brave of you to admit to yourself," he said, but perhaps it was because of his upbringing. Maybe he was biased in that way, but he knew plenty of women who shouldn't have been mothers. "My mother had me when she was 17," he admitted, letting her know that he had some experience, but at the other end of the spectrum. "I think she would've benefited from not being a mother at that age .. I mean I turned out alright, but my siblings are all stuck in the foster system and my mother's a raging alcoholic so." He shrugged, "not that you have any of the traits she has; I'm just saying that it's alright to not want kids." Yeah he was not trying to decide anything for her, that was for sure. Whatever she wanted was her choice to make. "You look like the type of person who needs to go out and travel the world, experience more before settling down - if you even want to settle down of course."

She said she was simple and the mention of beaches made him smile enthusiastically, "well you are looking at the best sandcastle builder in all of Churchill," he smiled. It was a bold thing to claim, but he did have a lot of experience with it. He really loved the beach, not that he went there often, but he liked the sand and the water. Most of all the activities. "I usually go multiple times a summer with my siblings; they go ballistic with sandcastle building, so I know how to make a lot of stuff." It felt good just to say it. And the fact that they could still keep the conversation going despite the half awkward scenario with her pregnancy spoke volume as to how well they connected.
"Do you have a specific beach you like more than others?" There were quite a few in Churchill alone. He knew there were even some private beaches as well, not that he had ever seen them before. But alas he wasn't quite sure where he could place her in regards to her social standing. He presumed upper-middleclass, but then again it wasn't for him to speculate. Instead he just kept walking at a nice pace that fit both of them. "And what about the beach is it you like the most?"

He confirmed that he was indeed, and listing his experience he hoped she would believe him. She went on to describe the fact that it needed to be a sandy beach. He could understand that. He found that most pleasant as well, seeing as rocky beaches were not that easy to be on. It was possible, but he didn't quite enjoy it as much. If he could decide he wanted the water clear, but that more so stemmed from the fact that he always had had to watch his siblings and make sure they wouldn't get hurt or move out too far. But then again, a lot of the stuff he preferred stemmed from something similar, so he didn't even second guess it. The mention of crab hunting made him chuckle, nodding as he knew what she meant. Some of his siblings liked that as well, though he found crabs a bit strange looking but not scary.
"Well water is mutable," he said with a slight shrug, "it's one of those things that you can't always predict .. math can fall short against something so simple." There was something beautiful about that. That even if you could make up predictions in math, it could always turn out completely different than estimated. They kept walking until they reached the apartment complex. He looked up the side of the building humming at her statement. "Well I really need a smoke .. afterwards if you're up for it we could watch a movie or play a game or something?" It was clear he wasn't really ready to end this day together just yet. He dug out his packet of cigarettes, hitting the bottom of it to make one pop out. Placing it between his lips he lit it, inhaling and finally feeling that rush of nicotine his body had been craving. If she had stayed with him he would just make a bit of distance between them. Even if she wasn't going to keep the child, there was no reason to risk its health nor hers.

"I did mention I was intelligent, right?" He teased in regards to him having great ideas. He did however appreciate that she stayed with him, though he did take care not to blow any smoke her way. As she asked about his siblings he did tell a few stories from when he had still been living at home - before all the kids had basically been scattered with the wind. He disclosed that they were nine siblings in total, but naming them all wouldn't really be of benefit to her, would it? At least not when it was such an amount. He told a story about one time when an ice cream truck came to their run down neighborhood one summer. How all the kids basically made the ice cream man barricade himself inside the truck, only getting out once he had no more ice cream left. But as he drove off he was missing a license plate, a side mirror and probably a few parts from under the car. Chuckling softly he shook his head as that had been quite the summer filled with heat. But perhaps summer was always just so much warmer when you were a kid and out playing all day.
She mentioned having wished for siblings making him hum and nod. Of course there were times when he wished he was an only child - at least when they were nine kids and had one bathroom - but after having grown up and moved out he appreciated every moment he got with them. As she delved into the story of her parents trying he nodded, snuffing out the bud of his cigarette against the wall, throwing it in a nearby outdoor ashtray before lighting up a new one. "I mean people have their reasons for different values .. and yet this is your body, your choice, right?" He had been lucky to never have gotten a girl pregnant, though there had been multiple slip ups and fears about it. "I mean sure, I'd like to have kids some day, but I think I would try and adopt .. or be a foster?" He shrugged. Maybe that was because of where and how he had been raised. "Of course to do that I have to have a stable income and a good credit in the bank," he noted, inhaling slowly from his cigarette only to exhale not too long after. "I still think you're badass though," he sent her a charming smile, but it was clear he meant it.

He shrugged, "is there something wrong in making a choice that won't only benefit you but your unborn as well?" It was a valid question. Even if she felt it was backwards, life sometimes threw you a curveball or two, and he at least thought that whatever she decided to do shouldn't make her worry about the future. She was still young. Having kids at her age could be scary as hell, and he had all the respect in the world for her as she was going through this seemingly mostly alone. "And you're not an asshole," he wanted to clarify.
He chuckled as she slapped his arm, but frowned as he said that he didn't mean it. "Last time I checked you don't get to decide what I think of you," he said, probably earning himself another slap but it would be worth it. He truly thought she was like some sort of super human. But maybe he just had a lot of respect for what a person with a uterus was capable of doing. She clearly had a lot of things she used to tear herself down with but he just shook his head at her. "Education is just learning things that aren't applicable in real life," he just said with a shrug. Sure, he was intelligent, but he was also street smart. A rare combination. But then she asked about a post-partum body and what it looked like. "Can I be honest with you?" He asked, because if she didn't want to hear it he could just keep it to himself. But if she did he would disclose what he was thinking. "It might sound weird but I find those types of bodies beautiful .. like yeah, you might need some time to get used to it, but you can spring back from it .. and even if you don't you are still going to be as badass as before, and just as attractive." That was his honest opinion. Of course she could try and discredit him, but it didn't change how he felt.