Sometime around four in the morning.

[eatatjoesaura]

uh...Lorne?

...

You OK boss?

...yeah...yeah I just...cleaning things up that's all.

Yeah I can see that with the open bottle and all. You must be cleaning something out.

Go to bed Gobby. I'll be up soon.

[Another few minutes pass]

Click to view

[There is more silence and then the sound of a class being thrown across the bar and shattering against a

Comments

[drunkkareoke]

... Lorne... ?

[eatatjoesaura]

Oh...hey kiddo.

[drunkkareoke]

[shouldn't even rightfully be up at this hour, but shh. Oni doesn't know.]

U-um... you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but... I-I could use the company and maybe you could too?

[eatatjoesaura]

Mmm that depends snowcap what are you doing up so late? Your blushing bride to be might worry that you're coming to visit me. *Chuckle*

[drunkkareoke]

A-ah-! [damn, you found her out]

I... I couldn't sleep... nii-chan had a nightmare, too... I'm worried about everyone...

[eatatjoesaura]

I'll say this is definitely my least favorite of the viruses, even if it's brought drink sales up.

[drunkkareoke]

I-I don't like it... it's causing my family pain a-and there's nothing I can even do to help because they won't talk about it a-and...

[she's started crying, but she's trying hard to stifle it so she doesn't wake up the rest of the apartment]

[eatatjoesaura]

Alright alright now, come on down to the bar we'll have a couple drinks of comfort.

[drunkkareoke]

O-okay...

[Haku slips out of the apartment, closing the door as quietly as she can manage]

[eatatjoesaura]

*Down in the bar Lorne's already cleaned up the glass and is waiting in his usual place on the bartenders side with a gentle smile*

[drunkkareoke]

[Haku has at least stopped crying by the time she gets down there, but she looks pretty haggard for some one who at least tries to make herself presentable most of the time. Her hair is down, a mess, and she's shuffling about in too-big PJs.]

Hey...

[eatatjoesaura]

Oh sweetie.

[Lorne comes around the side of the bar and gives her a hug] You don't look like you've been sleeping well...or whatever the equivalent is for you guys. Change of batteries?

[drunkkareoke]

[Haku makes a little 'mff' noise, leaning in to the hug]

We sleep... but I can't stop thinking about the nightmares so... my cycle won't initiate... I-I dunwanna force it cause that messes with things.

[eatatjoesaura]

[He gently guides her over to a booth and sits her down, there's already some sake set out and small cups]

I know what you mean...but no matter how horrible the things we see are we have to try and remember they aren't real.

[He lowers his head because he suspects he knows what's going on but can't do anything to help]

[drunkkareoke]

But... they're memories, aren't they?

[she sits down with a sigh and pour some of the sake]

The way Sabine was screaming... a-and how Greg seemed to know the person that was 'attacking' him... they were real once, weren't they?

[eatatjoesaura]

[Nods and sips his drink] Sometimes the worst nightmares we have are the ones we've already lived through.

That's the magic of memory Haku, usually it makes things better because you can't remember things as clearly with time. Good times seem better, the mediocre times seem peaceful, and the nightmares aren't as scary...but if you don't face your nightmares and deal with them they never lose that punch.