oo1 ✦ let’s begin.

[richesse]

[ There’s a whisper through the murmur, more a breath of feeling than a fully formed thought. It’s sweet, and warm, and laughing—though it is not gentle, nor kind.

A voice follows the whisper, chased by darkness and shadows, the very suggestion of a nightmare. ]

Do you think we’re still dreaming? Or is this a living nightmare?

[ a hum, and another brush of teasing laughter, there and gone like a brief burst of memory, the last moment of summer that you can taste on your tongue before it’s irretrievably gone. ]

You’ve changed, haven’t you? We all have. What are you thinking, right now…? Who are you?

What are you?

Comments

you understand me.

[richesse]

[ affection, given freely.

how strange.

how lovely.

Lortel turns her face into his touch, her smile shaking. though her eyes are wet, he keeps her tears from falling by brushing them away. still the murmur weeps, though the sound begins to fade.

she is just so scared, and no one can ever know. no one, except for the boy in her arms. ]

This isn’t like me at all. Still, as long as I’m here…

[ she kisses him, briefly, softly, letting him lavish her with his attention. it feels nice. receiving, without having to ask—or pay.

with a slow sigh she allows herself to relax, into him and the pillows both. her eyes scan the room, gaze flicking from this to that before returning to Sunny.]

You found a good place to hide. Will you stay here?

[sadpoem]

[She kissed him once before, the shock of his life. She kisses him now, and his heart still leaps out of his chest. His hand, still cupping her face, hooks tightly into place, and this time, he makes his own lips move too. It's a proper kiss...

[And then it's over, Sunny's heart thrumming in his chest like a motor revving up. He almost doesn't hear her question. All he can do is think about kissing her again.

[Will he stay here? He...shrugs, useless as ever, face flushed deep pink, even in the dim light. It's an alright place, he supposes, but...

[They have to wake up sometime, right?

[His hand comes down to rest on her shoulder instead, and Sunny lightly grips. He wants to ask her something, but he isn't sure what, or how. His eyebrows raise. He wants to be wherever she is. This bleeds through the murmur, intertwining with Lortel's overcome weeping. He doesn't want to be alone anymore. Neither does she.

[So, they shouldn't be. It's a dream. They don't have to be.]

1/2

[richesse]

[ he’s not the only flustered one. she’s bright red high in her cheeks, and it’s more visible when she tilts her head a little to spot the window she came in through.

then he reaches to her through the murmur, and she blushes even harder, startled.

… ]

[richesse]

I have an idea. Sunny, do you trust me?

[ a smile, gentle.

she’s not scared he’ll say no. ]

[sadpoem]

[He couldn't say no. Not when Lortel is asking. The truth is, he really has no good reason to trust her, someone he's barely known for more than a few hours (days?), but...

[He has no reason not to trust her. She hasn't led him astray yet.

[He nods his head, hand still resting lightly on her shoulder.]

[richesse]

[ pushing up on one elbow, she again takes in this room.

it is a good hiding place. useful. a plan has already put itself together in her mind.

… but she fwumps back onto the pillows and stares at the ceiling, instead, wondering where her motivation is. she suddenly feels exhausted, which she realizes after a moment is because this is the first time she’s begun to relax since the dream started. ]

… good, [ she instead smiles, folding her arms over her middle and shutting her eyes. ] Then, soon. For now, can we just … stay here?

feel free to wrap or continue ; v ;

[sadpoem]

[Sunny's answer is quite plain, the way he settles back against the pillows himself. He takes a few and places them over her until they're both mostly buried, hidden from sight. It's the only way Sunny could convince himself he was safe before. Now, he feels safer just because Lortel is near. That isn't true for everyone...

[He...raises an arm to put just behind her head, just in case she wants it. It could rest around her shoulders. It would come so close to holding her, but of course, he couldn't be so presumptuous...

[At any rate, yes. Yes, they can stay here. They should. They should close their eyes. They should sleep while they can...]

WEHS I WANT … MORE THREADS …

[richesse]

[ !

is … he piling pillows on top of her? this is what she thinks after the second, and the third confirms it. she just watches him with wide, sparkling eyes.

…

surprise. heat. intense affection, with a hint of allure.

he’s so sweet to her.

she’ll take that arm without compunction. she wants to be held. tells him so, though through the murmur only, too embarrassed to fully give the desire voice. she leans in and kisses his cheek before curling up there with him.

a little sleep… wouldn’t hurt. ]