Bedfires and Lunatics...

[Elric Vlarintos]

The concept of male-male relationships was not exactly foreign to Elric, it just never really appealed to Elric. It might have been because his family had been very old-fashioned as far as the rest of the world was concerned, or it could have been that creeping on the edge of his mind that there was another reason behind his scars than the ones that had been obvious as a child. Ten long years, nearly eleven now, and he still was thinking about it. Nearly half of his life had spent thinking about it, and it was beginning to get ridiculous. Maybe he'd tell Piper about it sometime, but not tonight.

"I gathered as much from what he said, but I didn't know that he used you to referee." Piper seemed to make a slip-up about something, but Elric's mind was too tired to truly register any meaning from it. However, what she said about Kris made sense to him, and he nodded slowly in agreement and realization. Kris wanted to help Piper because he wanted her to be happy, but it might also have been because he was attempting to return a favor. For whatever reason, he wanted Piper to have a good and working relationship.

"It makes sense now. It's the way he is, and because of that he thinks it's the way other people are too." It took a moment for what he had just said to sink in. Well, it was far too late to act surprised or shocked and bringing attention to it would just make her look at it again to try and figure it out, if she hadn't already.

[Piper Wren]

"I gathered as much from what he said, but I didn't know that he used you to referee. It makes sense now. It's the way he is, and because of that he thinks it's the way other people are too."

Maybe she shouldn't have said anything...Kristopher was her friend after all and she wanted him to know he could confide in her, but it was just that both him and Augusta leaned on her for emotional support. Augusta even jokingly referred to her as Doctor Wren but she couldn't deal with the skeletons in her own closet, god knows how anyone else thought she was capable of helping others. Piper laid back down again and half curled into a ball, thinking about what she was supposed to say in response to that statement.

"Kris only has good intentions on the matter but he doesn't quite understand that for some of us it just isn't possible."

Piper kept her gaze on the floor, rather than look Elric in the eye, she hadn't really given anything away but to her it felt like she had just admitted that with all of Kristopher's good intentions towards her...it was just empty. She could still feel Elric's gaze on her but refused to look up, simply worrying the edge of the worn patchwork quilt between her fore finger and thumb as if she needed something to hold onto.

"I think I said too much."

[Elric Vlarintos]

Elric remained silent and for a moment considered what had just transpired. There were motives that he did not understand, nor could he hope to at this hour. For just the briefest moment he considered saying nothing at all, but that seemed even worse than fumbling with words. At least if he spoke improperly there was a reassurance that he had still meant well.

"I don't think it's too much," Elric finally said to break his moment of silence. "I'm certain that those people who can't-those people who can't have their reasons." Elric wasn't asking for the reasoning behind such a statement, he just wanted to let her know that he understood. Or, at the very least, he thought he did.

"It's the way some people are." Elric waited a moment longer, unsure of what more there was to be said. He rolled over and just laid there wanting to sleep but with his mind buzzing far too much to let him reach his goal. "If you think you've said too much, then maybe I'll just owe you a free answer to a question." It seemed odd to offer her such a thing. A question with no strings attached could be a very powerful thing, depending on how it was used.

[Piper Wren]

"I don't think it's too much, I'm certain that those people who can't-those people who can't have their reasons. It's the way some people are...If you think you've said too much, then maybe I'll just owe you a free answer to a question."

It probably didn't seem to much to Elric, Piper hadn't been exactly clear...but to her it seemed almost like a confession because she understood the meaning behind her own words. Normally she never even came close to talking about it, Augusta was the only one who really knew and not because she had outright told him. He had simply seen the signs already in himself and she half confirmed it to him, that had been enough for him to understand. Thankfully he had never voiced it to Kristopher or to anyone else and for that she was eternally grateful. The last thing she needed was for anyone's opinions to be changing about her because of it...it worried her what Elric would think...Her own train of thought was interrupted when Elric offered her a free answer to a question to him. That was a boon, normally he kept things almost as tightly under wraps as she did.

"Ok, I'll remember that..."

Piper could finally bring herself to look him in the eyes again.

"Sorry, it's just difficult. I don't mean to keep coming out with this, it probably doesn't even make any real sense to you. You can just tell me to...to shut up if you want."

Piper looked slightly awkward for a moment as if she were expecting Elric to take her up on that offer, after all...he wouldn't be the first to do so afterall. She shuddered again, she thought that her dorm was cold! Perhaps there was since in Alex's addled little mind about setting the bed on fire after all, good kindling if you're feeling cold.

Oh jeez, now she was thinking like him. Not a good start.

[Elric Vlarintos]

There was never any certainty in regards to unspoken words, but whatever Piper had just revealed was important to her. Perhaps saying such a thing made her feel vulnerable, as though Elric could see through her being as she spoke. Elric had no such talent with people. Offering her the opportunity to ask a question of him was a way of evening things out. If Piper felt like she had offered something personal to him, then it was only fair that he offer something personal to her. It seemed rather peculiar to barter away secrets in such a fashion, but that was how friendships were built.

However, Piper's tone sounded self-depreciating to Elric, and that was something that he did not appreciate. Perhaps he was a little bit stubborn, seeing as he would not let it go tonight. "You are correct, it doesn't make much sense to me, but I won't ever tell you to shut up." Elric gave her a stern look for even considering such a thing. The last thing you needed to do in a place like this was defeat yourself. The Boogies already did a fantastic job of that without any help.

"Don't ever let me catch you telling yourself to shut up either, y'hear?"

Elric considered moving just a little bit closer to Piper, but figured that the current distance between the two of them was comfortable. He'd also need to be certain to get some sleep tonight, lest he feel great regret over it in the morning. "Bad timing after that cheerful note, but I do need to get some sleep tonight. You should try and rest too." After all, that was the reason she came over to his room. It was not because she wanted to stay up all night chatting. Then again, if Elric were mentally prepared for it that did not seem like such a bad way to pass the evening.

[Piper Wren]

"You are correct, it doesn't make much sense to me, but I won't ever tell you to shut up...Don't ever let me catch you telling yourself to shut up either, y'hear?"

It seemed Elric was still in his stubborn mood tonight, it was unusual for him to behave in such a way but there was an odd, almost protective sounding note in his voice that reminded her a little of how Augusta spoke to her sometimes. But of course, the relationship there was different, Augusta treated her like a sister...there were even weird rumours at one point that they were related thanks to both having raven dark hair and a white pallor. Piper wasn't sure quite what to say to Elric's firm order that she shouldn't refer to herself in such a negative manner, maybe she needed to try to get out of that habit...

"Sorry, I'll try."

"Bad timing after that cheerful note, but I do need to get some sleep tonight. You should try and rest too."

That was the reason she came to his room in the first place, although the original idea had been to disturb Elric as little as possible. Although that hadn't gone to plan, instead they bickered about neither wanting to take the bed, both ended up sharing the floor and Piper got her first taste of an element of Elric's personality that she had yet to see before. After their talk the atmosphere between them could almost be described as intimate even though there was a comfortable distance between them. Out of old habit it made Piper nervous, that was one thing that never seemed to go away no matter who she was with. The young woman sighed, although that response could easily be construed as tiredness rather than sadness at her own involuntary reaction.

"Yes, you're right. I wasn't intending to keep you awake half the night, just wanted to avoid burning to death and...the company was nice as well, you don't set things on fire around me."

[Elric Vlarintos]

Piper really did not need to concern herself with pestering Elric. After all, he asserted himself when sleep became more of a concern. Companionship was not a bad thing either. Things were generally far too quiet in Elric's room as it was, since this was just the place he came back to when he needed to sleep. Still the night had moved on quite enough without him getting much rest. He let out a yawn as he thought about it.

"You're company was appreciated. As for setting things on fire? Well, I hate fires. Sleep well, Piper." Elric rolled over and tucked himself into his blankets without even thinking about his personal revelation in that last moment. It took a big of rearranging before he found a position that was comfortable on the floor, but once he did it was just fine. He hoped that Piper wouldn't have too much trouble getting comfortable. And if she did, well there was always the open bed.

Sleep came swiftly for the tired man and he took that to be a welcome gift. He hardly dreamed that night, but what he did recall involved the sweet tang of cider and the smells of cinnamon. Those were always his happiest considerations for the fall season and they brought a smile to his sleeping form.

Morning came, and he was slow to stir.

[Piper Wren]

"Your company was appreciated. As for setting things on fire? Well, I hate fires. Sleep well, Piper."

Elric was the first of the two to fall asleep and for a while Piper simply lay there under the covers listening to his slow, regular breathing. It was almost like white noise and gradually tiredness started to wash over her, Piper almost forgot where she was and finally fell asleep beside Elric...By the time that Elric came around the next morning Piper was still fast asleep and during the night thanks to the chill of the room, Piper had gradually shifted towards Elric in search of warmth. The South wing was famous for becoming extremely cold around this time of year and the quilt she had brought from her own dorm had not been enough to keep it out, especially with the cold floor beneath her.

It seemed Elric was going to get quite a surprise, Piper had curled herself right up against him with one arm draped across his waist. Something she wouldn't even consider doing awake or even drunk, it seemed she had warmed up by stealing Elric's body heat in the middle of the night. As he stirred she shifted slightly closer and sighed in her sleep, at least she hadn't been having disturbing and sickening dreams for once. The kind which made her wake up in the morning feeling cold, nauseated and scared.

No doubt when she woke up though, the dorm next door might wonder about the freaking out.

[Elric Vlarintos]

Dawn was one of Elric's least favorite times of the day. Mostly because in this place it felt like it was a daily struggle just to get out of bed when you knew what was waiting for you outside the room. Years and years of dealing with it had mostly numbed those considerations down to the same complaints a young child might make when being told he had to get out of bed for school. It seemed like such a peculiar normalization to the tortures of everyday life, but that was how some things were.

However, something was terribly different about this morning. He had slept on the floor which always left him feeling a little stiff in the morning. When he rose up he had no doubts that his body would want to readjust and realign itself back to its proper orientation. However, that was not felt particularly wrong about this situation. There was a weight on him that he was vaguely aware of. His back was particularly warm because of it and when he stirred it crawled closer to him.

Elric's very first thoughts was that it was some kind of animal that sneaked into his room at some point in the night. He leaped up with a sharp gasp as he quickly turned around. Unfortunately, with the sudden movement he tripped over his own blankets and fell to the ground in shock. Only too late had he realized that it had just been Piper who had curled up to him for some unknown reason in the middle of the night.

He felt like his heart was about to burst out of the front of his chest and his body was on fire with adrenaline. That was one way to start off your morning.

[Piper Wren]

Piper was suddenly jerked out of sleep when the warm presence next to her vanished and was replaced by a sudden loud bump, like someone had fallen to the ground. The young woman opened her eyes only to catch sight of Elric, tangled up in blankets and giving her a wide eyed stare like she was about to bite him. What on earth was that about? Then she realised what she must have been doing, the warm presence she had been curled up into was Elric. And it must have taken him by surprise...Piper went bright red when she realised and abruptly sat up.

"I must have-oh jeez. Sorry!"

She wasn't quite sure what had compelled her to get that close...Piper never got that close to anyone, it always made her feel nervous and shakey, especially if the contact was unexpected. The amount of times she recoiled from the touch of even Kristopher or Augusta before she grew comfortable enough to even let them get within an arms length of her, or look her in the eye. It seemed Elric was having a similar problem...or perhaps he didn't realise it was her?

'Perhaps he thought one of the screwed up creatures from the garden had made it's way into the dorm...wouldn't be the first time that happened to someone in the south wing.'

[Elric Vlarintos]

Piper was certainly a lot less terrifying than what his imagination had cooked up. Realizing he was safe he took a moment to check his ankles to make certain that nothing was twisted or out of place after that horrible fall. It would certainly be an awful start to the morning if he had to enlist Piper's aid to take him to get fixed up. He was certain people would stare at the spectacle if it happened. Thankfully, his legs were still functioning and he was able to stand up again.

"D-don't worry about it," he commented with a turn of his head to the side. It was really awkward to admit that Piper had scared him so badly. Out of context it would have been really odd to consider her scaring him.

"It just was not how I was expecting to start my morning." Under much different circumstances he supposed that it was the type of thing many people actually looked forward to in the morning. For Elric it was just distressing to have his morning ritual thrown off by an overnight guest who had gotten cold in the night. Speaking of morning rituals, he still needed to take care of his preparations before he could work. Piper would need to leave soon too to make her own preparations. Hopefully her room would not be a set of smoldering remains by the time she got there.

[Piper Wren]

"D-don't worry about it, It just was not how I was expecting to start my morning."

Piper noticed Elric's awkward behaviour, she couldn't really blame him...she hadn't exactly anticipated getting so close to Elric and then scaring the crap out of him. The young woman had briefly forgotten where she was, if she had woken up before Elric she was sure her response would be similar. Plus Piper's muscles were reminding her why sleeping on the floor was generally not a good idea...hopefully that would wear off soon enough. She wrapped her quilt around her shoulders to eliminate the worst of the still chilly air.

"I guess, sorry...I didn't realise what I was doing, forgot where I was for a moment. I didn't mean to make you jump like that, I'll go if you want."

She did need to leave soon anyway, the last thing she needed was to run into Kristopher on his way out to the hospital...if he thought Piper had been here all night then of course his thoughts might go somewhere they shouldn't. Luckily for Elric, Piper still didn't know what Kris had insinuated or she might have to tell him not to go spreading rumours...he really ought to know better, she wasn't like that.

"Anyway, I don't bite."