Dreaming a dream as someone who hates dreams but needs sleep

Mari was very tired after the pizza was eaten. She had had a slight bit too much, so a food coma and general tiredness quickly drove her over the edge, though they did have some good talks until they both eventually fell asleep. Mari kept waking up, not really falling into a deep sleep; unsure if it was because her body was trying to avoid the deep sleep or she just couldnt help it. Her dreams at least were mere glimpses or non-existent.
She was woken up when he spoke to her, groaning softly as it had been quite nice to snuggle up to someone. “On your side.” She muttered tiredly, moving to lie on the side of the couch so he could wrap his arms around her. It wasnt like she was really eager to sleep but she was also not the easiest to wake once she had fallen asleep. At least if he’d let her, then she’d fall right back asleep. Luckily to be stepping into a dream. But she didnt recognize the place. She turned, walking around until someone familiar stood in her way. She couldnt make the person out. A hand guided her eyes down to her stomach, making her frown. In her dream, she wasnt pregnant. She was her old self. A small ache, the same as one in her tummy felt like a warning, the hand still pointing at her stomach.
“I dont understand.” She muttered, shaking her head.

The soothing soft tone of George made her calm down, mostly because it reminded her that it was not real. It had just been a dream. And she couldnt let it bother her. "Yeah." she confessed with a frown, squeezing his arm softly. They laid there for a while in silence before he suggested breakfast. She hummed softly and moved so he could get up. She pulled the blanket closer around herself. She felt slight cramps but just ignored them. They could mean a plethora of things. It didnt immediately mean anything bad. George returned with food and she frowned a little. "I feel nauseous." she muttered, shaking her head. She worried that it would just come back up if she even tried. And she wasnt a fan of throwing up at all.

“I uh…. Drink a tea.” She replied but she didnt quite feel like doing that right now. George’s pull, she followed, leaning up along him, closing her eyes for a bit as she exhaled in a tremble. She wasnt really sick, it was just the feeling of nausea and the light cramps.
She got up, going to the kitchen to get some painkillers. Just as the cramps werent really going away on their own. “Uh…” she realized as she was about to down the two pills. She spit them out in the sink before she went to grab her phone and keys. “I have to go see a doctor.” She said, looking a little worried. She wasnt supposed to feel cramps! What was going on? If George wanted to come along it was fine. Maybe better for Mari as she was ready to just panic.

Sitting at the doctor, Mari was bouncing her leg, feeling restless and actually not that great. If something could make even minor cramps into something worse then it was thoughts. She checked her phone constantly, but she wasnt even really sure how to get in contact with Aiastes. He should know what was going on, even if he couldnt be there, as he was posing as the baby’s father. “Fuck…” she whispered to herself, clutching her phone, lifting her hands to her forehead.

George’s reassurance made her look at him with softer eyes. She did appreciate that he was here for her, and that she wouldnt be alone. But was it taking her worry away about Aiastes? Not at all. She barely noticed Lucienne until she spoke her name. A part of her just thought that the bird was here to be a substitute and that made her heart hurt a little. But then there was the whisper in her and for a moment she felt relieved.
When the doctor called them in, she stood up, feeling wobbly on her legs now. “I uh… I need to go to the toilet.” She excused herself, feeling so nauseated. What if something was wrong and it couldnt be changed? She feared the worst. Out in the bathroom, she sighed and took in a few deep breaths. Tried some water but it wasnt helping. She was sweating a little too now, but as she deemed that she wouldnt be throwing up, she moved out to go with the doctor. George could come along if he wanted but Mari told the doctor that the father might show up. She sat down and explained everything that she could feel was going on. The doctor hummed and nodded. “Well cramps arent usually an indicator of anything bad, but we should check to be sure. If you’ll go drop your pants, then I’ll have a look.” She said before eyeing George. “I dont want to be alone.” Mari just said before she could say anything. The human went out of sight and changed, though she gasped softly and the doctor got up to check. “Is this normal?” Mari asked in a shaky voice. “It can be. But I wouldnt know when you say that you have cramps as well. We’ll have to check if you are having a miscarriage, right now.” She said, wrapping something to cover around Mari before helping her onto the examination table.
Mari had tears in her eyes, her heart beating out of control with worry.

Mari’s worries werent soothed by every passing second. She needed to know what was going on and her panic wasnt making time pass quicker. The knock made her turn her head. Seeing Aiastes made her smile a little happily but being in a the state that she was now, she just didnt know what to say. The doctor hummed. “You must be the father then.” She said now that Mari had warned her. She moved to start the examination, grabbing some tissue to clean Mari off now that there had been a bit of blood. When she was done with the examination, wiping her hands off she looked at the couple. “Everything should be fine.” She started off to ease any worries. It was however clear that she had something on her mind so she moved over to her pc screen and looked over some files. “Have you been resting and eating as you should?” She asked, to which Mari frowned a little. She sat up and looked down. The doctor then looked at Aiastes, like she was expecting an answer from him as well.

The doctor knew it wasnt her place but there was something odd about the man standing next to Mari. She however didnt say anything. Mari looked at Aiastes as he spoke, feeling guilty too that she hadnt been resting. She had just missed him so much. And her dreams being without him had felt bitter. “You need to rest and eat. I gave you permission to start working, but see this as a minor setback.” The doctor said, getting up before walking over to the couple. “Watch the bleeding. It shouldnt be more than a few spots or a light flow. If you bleed in more than three days, you come back here.” She told Mari before looking at the man by her side. “You should stay with her too. The cramps might spark an interest in pushing meals, but it’s a bad spiral.” She told him before looking at the both of them. “Come back in a week for a check up. I would advise some painkillers if the cramps persists. But they shouldnt get worse than a mild discomfort. Your baby is growing and it will cause cramps from time to time.” She smiled. “Any questions?”

Mari was a tad too overwhelmed to consider any questions. “I’ll call if any come to mind.” She muttered before Aiastes helped her and she got back into her clothes. The doctor gave her a pad that she could use. The assurance from Aiastes was nice, but she also felt bad. He had obviously been rather busy. Now she was keeping him from work?
She was thankful that George had helped her get here. Sure, she could have done that on her own, but at least he had been there to soothe her, if only a little bit. “I know.” She muttered in reply to Aiastes’ words. She needed the food first and foremost. “Thank you for helping me.” She saie, reaching out to give the human’s arm a soft squeeze. “You can come by.” She smiled. They were friends after all.
She turned her eyes to Aiastes again, reaching up to touch his face in a fleeting touch. “Let’s go home.” She muttered. Back home was there still her yoghurt. But she just grabbed it and cleaned it up in the sink. They hadnt really left a mess last night but it might have been obvious that she hadnt been alone. She grabbed a snack and just went to bed, exhaling softly. The pendant laid on the nightstand, having been there for long enough for a small dust mark to form if it was moved.

Once he entered the bedroom, she was just quietly eating her snack. She didnt really know how to feel. She knew that her current condition was her own fault, so she wasnt angry at anyone but herself. And yet she had missed him so terribly. The time they had been apart was longer than the time they had spent in each others company. “I did use it. But you werent there.” She said, looking up at him with a frown, her eyes sad too. It obviously meant a lot to her that he hadnt even been there.
His question made her eyes tear up as she looked a little betrayed from the ponder. She sniffled and rubbed her eye with one hand. “Go on then. Tell me off.” She gestured, because it felt like it was headed in that direction. “I’ll be fine. You should go finish your work.” She looked down at the snack in her hand. She didnt even want to be mean. But the hormones made her feel like she was going crazy half of the time.

He was right, she wasnt really fine. She didnt look at him, feeling so guilty and sad and angry all at once. He placed the pendant back around her neck and she sighed. He meant so much to her. It was odd, considering how new they were. When he crawled into bed with her, wrapped his arms around her, she leaned closer to him. The silence was not bothering her as she had a lot of thoughts in her head too. He broke the silence and his words felt so far fetched from the truth. She looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed, shaking her head at the question. “You’ve made my life better.” She muttered. And that was why it was hurting her that he was gone for so long.
The hand under the blanket, touching her growing stomach felt soothing. At least distracting her from the small cramps she was feeling. “It would make things easier for us.. but… I need to stay here.” She said, though it was a nice gesture. “I’m in love with you.” She whispered, looking at him with vulnerable eyes. “… and that’s why it hurt so much more that you werent here with me.”

Maybe it wasnt wise but she didnt really care about that. Even if he looked sad at her confession, it wouldnt change how she felt. “I dont choose how I feel.” She argued. Her hand moved up to touch his on her face, nodding at the mention of sleep. “Okay.” She agreed. She would rest. But she didnt quite feel like sleeping just yet. She lifted her hands to cup his face softly, just feeling his skin, looking at him. Why would it not ever be safe to be with him when she felt this way looking at him? Wise? Who cared. But safe? She felt as safe as she could. “I really missed you.” She admitted before she leaned in to kiss his cheek. She closed her eyes and rested her lips on his face for a moment before she moved away to lay down.