Dream's Office Hours, 3/22

[game_of_you]

The professor is in. He appears to be modifying a map that looks very old, and isn't written in a human alphabet.

[OOC: Heading home to deal with family stuff. On SP at least some of the time until 4, gone from then until 8 or 9, and then back with a vengeance.]

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[mparkerceo]

Parker knocked, even though she'd rather have been anywhere else.

[game_of_you]

Dream opened the door to Miss Parker. He realized he had been dreading this visit, that his conersation with Titania had seeped through to her host.

"Hello," he said, then just waited.

[mparkerceo]

"Hello, sir." Parker walked into the room, fiddling with her silver ring, nervous and embarassed. "I think I might owe you an apology. For things I overheard on Saturday night."

[game_of_you]

Dream looked at her for a second, then closed the door behind the girl.

"What happened was not your fault," he said urgently. "Titania's sense of fun is ... unfortunate, at times. And I lacked the power, here, to evict the fae."

"You need not apologize for something you could not help."

[mparkerceo]

She nodded, not looking at him, but her shoulders eased a bit at his words. "There were things that she said, that I didn't think you'd want me to know. Since I'm a student here, and it's-- awkward." Parker finally looked up, and hesitantly said, "I'm sorry about your son."

[game_of_you]

"He lived. He died. Mortals do. I did not mourn for him before he was born, why should I mourn him now that he is gone?" Dream said. The words had the feeling of a lie one has often repeated to oneself. "But, I suppose, thank you for your sympathy, Miss Parker."

[mparkerceo]

Parker didn't entirely understand what he meant by that. How could you mourn someone before they were born? Then again, there were a lot of things about Professor Dream that she'd be an idiot to think she understood. Grief was grief, wasn't it? She nodded at his thanks, then said slowly, "Sir? Titania thought she might be from a few years in your future. There were things she thought about, about you, that-- would you want to know them?"

[game_of_you]

A bitter smile crossed Dream's face. "Fairy gifts," he muttered, mostly to himself.

Then he raised his head. "Unburden yourself. I suppose you must."

[mparkerceo]

"She made me promise not to tell most of it, but one thing I can say is-- sir, you shouldn't leave the Dreaming." Parker straightened. "It isn't safe. At all."

[game_of_you]

"Where do you believe I am now?" Dream asked rhetorically.

Then he sighed. "All right. I suppose I must ask Titania, to learn why she told you to tell me that."

[mparkerceo]

Parker's intense relief had her letting out a breath, then swallowing. "Thank you, sir. I mean, I know I didn't understand half of what was happening, but I couldn't just--" Let you die. Parker shrugged. "Blow it off. Thank you for listening."

She considered telling him that Jarod was thinking of tracking down Titania, then decided not to. Better to have her surprised, if Jarod did ever pull that off.

[game_of_you]

"I should be grateful that you cared enough to warn me," Dream said. "Your concern will serve you well."

He raised an eyebrow. "Your posession. Did it leave any -- marks, other than these memories?"

[mparkerceo]

A scarlet blush rose across her face. "No, sir. I mean, I'm physically fine. The play was embarassing, but no one's giving me a hard time about it, and-- nothing else really happened."

You just do not tell a teacher that his ex-lover made out with her husband while in your body. You don't.

[game_of_you]

If Dream knew what Parker was repressing, he would probably be most grateful. Seeing her blush made him suspect much of what had gone on, which left him grateful enough.

"I am glad to hear that," he said simply.

[mparkerceo]

"Right, so. Thank you for your time, Professor." Parker turned for the door, then smiled, holding out the hand with the silver ring on it. "I don't know if this helped on Saturday or not, but it's still helping with the nightmares. I hope Titania tells you what you need to know."

[game_of_you]

Amusement glittered in his eyes. "She will tell me what she wishes to tell me, as is her perogative," Dream said. "But I am grateful for your care. Be well, Miss Parker."