Dreaming a dream as someone who hates dreams but needs sleep

It hadn't been easy to keep an eye on her when she was in the hospital. However granted that she had entered the Formless Lands, she had gained her ability to sleep back. Though Aiastes hadn't appeared, and most likely kept his distance for now. However one pair of beady eyes seemed to keep watch over the human, and so as she saw her on the roof they flew down, landing a little beside her, giving her some personal space. She transformed, mostly to communicate, but also to let her know that it was indeed Lucienne who was there with her. Of course the raven wasn't there to speak, but merely there to lend her an ear if she wanted it.
"That will be enough, Lucienne," a familiar voice spoke. The raven looked up in surprise, immediately returning to its raven form to fly off. Aiastes took her place, sitting down beside the human, and if she for some miraculous reason would let him, he would wrap an arm around her, holding her close. He didn't think of himself as someone who was good at comforting others, but he was clearly making an effort here. Not saying anything he looked out at the city, trying to just be her rock now after everything that had happened.
For the first time he had actually appeared for her when he hadn't deemed it safe for him. He cared for her, and that might never change. Did he really need to speak? Say what was on his mind? No. Because this wasn't about him. This was completely about her.

Why was he here indeed. He just looked out at the cityscape, holding his arm around her, not really sure if he was doing a good job or not. He surely wasn't here to judge her nor how she was coping with it all. He turned to look at her as she turned her gaze away, wondering what she was thinking of right now. "I was told that when humans suffer they usually need someone around them that cares for them," such a clinical reply, but wasn't it clear what he was trying to say? He cared about her. Why else had he dropped everything for her? His eyes returned to the view from up here. Strange how the waking world felt so different. "And I wanted to say that I know what you wished for," he said. It hurt to even think of, but the wish granting creature were not ideal for what she had wished for. For it had taken it as if she wanted the baby gone, and that was not a thing that Aiastes had ever wished for her. He leaned over, placing a kiss against her temple, "I apologize .. I still cause you so much harm," he said softly against her skin. That was if she hadn't pushed him away yet.

"No, it will not," he agreed with her on that. His words meant nothing compared to what she had gone through, and perhaps he had been naïve to even come here. But then the ancient being said something that might've hurt more than it was intending to. "I've spent so many days and nights thinking of you .. thinking of what you had growing inside of you," he admitted, because now was as good as any time to come clean about it all. Gritting his teeth he felt so selfish, "I would lie if I said I hadn't hoped that the child you were carrying wouldn't magically have been mine. It was horrible to unload that on her now. But he felt like they had so many things unspoken between them. All of that hopelessness and anger she felt, she was free to direct at him. He had been the cause of it all. If he hadn't interrupted her life, then she would've had a better life, right?
"I know I am in no position to demand anything from you," he prefaced what he was about to say, his hand reaching down, touching hers so gently. There was something different about his touch. Perhaps a vulnerability that hadn't been there before, hidden away behind his stiff nature. "But let me be here for you."

The question was a flat no. Of course even the Ruler of Dreams couldn't make that come true, so he simply shook his head no, looking down at their hands. She was struggling with the tiny bottle and he took it and unscrewed it for her, his eyes hurting because she was so upset. "I wish I could," he admitted, "it has already passed on to the life beyond." That was what he had heard from his sibling. Death came for all mortals, their sibling had told him, but not all got to have a long life. However saying that now would carry as much comfort as being stabbed in the chest he supposed. "I can grant you another," he said, though it perhaps sounded like he was trying to sleep with her, but it was rather clear it wasn't about that. He looked out to the cityscape once more, "I will grant you as many children you wish if you ask for it." He was indebted to her in that sense.

He wasn't taking pity on her, not more than the fact that he was sad on her behalf as well. However the plea made the ancient being shed a tear, looking at the hurting woman beside him. He reached up, touching her cheek so gently, "I can't give back what I never took," he said, just as frustrated as she was, but he was better and wiser at hiding it. His hand moved down, taking the bottle away without looking, just letting it roll away and empty its content. "And you need rest, dearest," he hadn't spoken to her like that in a long while, but he had also realized that he couldn't do much to stay away anymore. He got up on his feet, and regardless of if she fought back or not he would lift her up, bringing her back inside and to her room. He helped her into bed, getting in with her and pulling her close to his chest. If she fought back he would shush her, because he knew this was what she needed right now. And there would be plenty of time to hate him later on.

The eternal knew that she would try to fight back, and he wasn't put off by it. She needed someone right now that she could yell at. That she could air out her frustrations and sorrow to. And Aiastes would gladly take that on his shoulders. Eventually she seemed to be too exhausted to really do anything but just lay there. He knew she wasn't sleeping because he could feel that. "Sleep love," he whispered to her softly, urging her to just give in and get some sort of rest, even if it would only be for a few hours. He would stay with her here in the waking world unless he was called upon within her dream. Holding her he just buried his face in her golden hair, hoping that she would soon succumb to her own tiredness. It was so clear to see and feel that she needed the rest more than ever. "I promise you calm dreams," and he for one could keep that promise. He wouldn't have any trouble in that.

Frankly Aiastes just held her. There wasn't much he could do, but giving her a peaceful rest was the least he could do for the woman he was currently holding in his arms. Frankly he was staying with her the whole night, having made arrangements in his realm to assure that everything would be running optimally while he was gone for a little while. When she woke up, he felt her body exiting the relaxed state and he pulled her in, kissing the top of her head. "It's still very early, dearest," he told her in a hushed whisper, just being there with her. Nothing could drive him away from her now.
Breakfast was eventually served, and the staff seemed both surprised and maybe a little skeptical of letting Aiastes stay in the room with Mari, but they couldn't really deny the woman's request. After breakfast the eternal cleaned up, placing the tray at the designated area before returning to her, however he had to stop himself from entering as he saw someone already in the room with Mari. At first he thought it was simply a doctor, but upon closer inspection it was the human male that she had befriended.

So George had had to go through quite the lengths to figure out what had happened, and eventually he had tracked her down. Knocking on the door to her room, he came in with an apologetic smile and a large bouquet of flowers for her. He knew it wouldn't make up for anything she had gone through, but he always found hospitals so grey and boring. "Hi there," he said, hugging her if she would let him before sitting down in a chair by the bed. "Sorry to just drop in out of the blue, but I was worried about you," he admitted. He really felt like they had a good friendship going, and what kind of shitty friend was he that he hadn't been here for her. Though in his defense it wasn't like her family was so talkative, and he eventually had to question one of her co-workers to get any sort of lead. "But I'm here now." George didn't want her to feel alone in this, and while he wasn't completely sure what had happened, he knew for a fact that it hadn't been good. In fact he wouldn't even dare to say the B word.

Aiastes hadn't want to meddle in the conversation, but he could also see how sad Mari looked. And he couldn't leave her. Not this time. She had him, nothing could pry him away. Even as Mrs. Godfrey came to scold him he barely raised an eyebrow, but he disagreed. Neglected her? He had to scoff, but he owed this mortal woman nothing besides one thing. And that was the birth of the woman who quite clearly held the eternal's heart. He gave the mother one look, a warning to never speak to him that way again, and without a word, he entered her room. Moving to sit on her bedside, he kissed her forehead, "sorry, I had to use the bathroom," a lie, but George didn't know that. In fact the human looked startled that Aiastes was even here.
"It's good to finally meet you," the ancient said, looking to George, "I've heard a lot about you." No he hadn't, he just knew George Sullivan from his dreams. And what he had seen he didn't like, but truly he couldn't care to even meddle in his dreams. George just apologized, smiling at Mari and then nodded at Aiastes.
Despite what anyone had told the endless, he was quite clearly glued to Mari's side, almost constantly touching her or being near. But it was because he knew it was what Mari wanted. And he wanted it too. When her mother finally entered, Aiastes put on his usual strained smile, "so good of you to come visit," he said politely, "I arrived here last night .. the flight I was on had been delayed, but I'm here now." He turned his head to look at Mari, touch her face, caressing her cheek, "I actually have good news .. I won't travel as much anymore - they figured out a solution so I can work remotely," he said, leaning in to connect their foreheads, "they even gave me a couple of weeks off when I told them what had happened." He spoke in soft tones, leaning away it was clear he was now fully at her disposal. His job was hard, but him and Lucienne had figured out a way to make this work. He would have to come to the Formless Lands maybe once or twice a week, just for upkeep and maintenance of the balance of the realm.

George clearly wasn't really sure what to do with himself now that Aiastes had joined them, and so he got up, bidding Mari a speedy recovery and the both of them a good day. When he had left, Aiastes looked at the books that her mother had brought, before returning his gaze to her if she was still hinding away up against him. "I love you," it was perhaps the first time in a long while he had ever said those words to anyone. But Mari was special to him. Holding the back of her head gently, he pulled away to look at her, "once the doctors have cleared you, I want us to go home." While he would leave it up to her where she found her home was, he was making sure she knew that he had meant what he had said. He was there for her now more than ever, and he regretted what had happened to her. This was the least he could do, and yet what else could he really do to soothe her? Kissing her forehead gently, he closed his eyes and just let the two of them sit there for a while, his arm protectively around her, the other holding the back of her head gently but not restricting her in any way.

George just seemed to deny whatever the mother was suggesting, leaving her behind as he hurried off to leave the hospital. This was too crazy for him.

Aiastes smiled at her as she asked him such a simple question, and while his smile was still terribly stiff, it was clear that his eyes were happy. "I do," he assured her, letting her touch whatever part of her could soothe her, "I will have to return every now and again .. but only for a night or two, and you could come with me in your dreams." It was clear that he wasn't going to be parted from her ever again. He loved her truly, and nothing could change that fact. "Do you want us to get a place together? A home. One that has room for us both," it wasn't that he disliked the apartments, but he felt a house might've been more appropriate. Especially if they were going to be together more. "You could get a study for your books and your hobbies; a nice kitchen with an amazing coffee machine; a large bedroom with space for your clothes and mine as well," of course he wasn't suggesting that they would sleep in the same bed, but he would be happy if she wanted that. Not that he really slept, but he could join her in her dreams if she wished it.

"Not now, of course, but down the line," he said with a warmness to his eyes. No, making her move now wouldn't be good, and it would just put stress on her that didn't need to be there. For now they would make do with what they had, but he had a feeling that she would need a fresh start. A new safe place that wasn't tied to too many sad memories; a place where they could create better ones. When she fell asleep, he stayed by her side until one of the midwifes wanted to talk with him. Kissing her forehead, he whispered that he would be back very soon.
The midwife seemed very polite and nice, and he was grateful that such a kind person had taken care of Mari. However the talk of intimacy shouldn't be a surprise, and yet right now saying out loud that he had never been with her that way might've been a bad call. So he hummed, nodding as he looked to her, "She's my main priority .. but thank you for your kind advise, and thank you for looking after her," he said, his face might've been stern and a little scary, but his words were genuine. "I am not that well informed on how to deal with this sort of grief," he admitted, but he supposed not many were. "Would there be support groups or perhaps someone we could contact for some psychological input?" He was trying his best to phrase it like any other mortal, but he perhaps came off a bit stiff. Hopefully that could be excused by the fact that he had seemingly just lost his unborn child.

"Soon to be wife," he corrected the midwife, but he looked to the young human that he felt strongly connected to. "I'm afraid I'm a very weak man," he admitted. It seemed like she carried so much more strength than he had, and yet he was still willing to be there for her. He would give her only the best treatment, the best anything really. As long as it meant that she would be happy again some day. Of course even the lord of dreams had limitations, but he wanted a good life for her. He then reached down, touching her hand softly, "I've promised myself to her, but I haven't been good at showing it," he said, his eyes soft when he looked to the woman whom he cared for.
Once the midwife left, they had a whole slew of flyers and papers that they could look through when they had the time. "I am sorry," he spoke rather genuine. It wasn't often the dream lord apologized, if ever, but he wanted to towards her. She was special in some regard, and had he had the ability to truly reflect over those feelings he would've probably found that she meant much more than just anyone he had ever encountered. "Do you actually want to be married to me?" He then asked, because somehow he found that hard to believe. But there was also something within him that hoped that the answer was yes.