It happens to everyone - sometimes, you have nights where you just can't fall asleep, no matter what you do. It could be for a number of reasons, or no reason at all. And this is what's happened now: you've been laying in bed for what feels like hours, just tossing and turning, and nothing seems to help. So what's left to do? Get out of bed and go wake someone else up, of course. If you're not getting any sleep, then why should they?
i n s t r u c t i o n s • Post with your character (note the name and fandom in the subject).
• Other people reply to you by generating a number from 1 to 10.
• Have fun!
o p t i o n s 01 • FEAR. Maybe you're hearing strange, indeterminable noises; maybe there's a severe storm happening outside; maybe you watched a scary movie before bed? Whatever the reason, you're terrified and it's keeping you awake. You just want to wake someone else up so they can protect you from the monster in your closet.
02 • HUNGER. Your stomach is growling and it just won't stop. Or perhaps your throat is so dry you could cough up a tumbleweed? Well, you've gone to the kitchen to remedy this and hey, that was a pan that just dropped on the floor. It was loud enough to wake the dead! Oops.
03 • PAIN. Your body is completely worn out, be it from exercise, battle, sickness, or what have you. Either way you're in enough pain to keep you from sleeping, so maybe someone else has a home remedy or something, or can at least help you take your mind off of it.
04 • SOLITUDE. For some reason, your bed just feels so empty at the moment. You're feeling terribly lonely and really just want someone to keep you company for a while. Maybe it'd be easier to fall asleep if you're with them...
05 • DISCOMFORT. Your room is an oven. Either that or a freezer. Or maybe this bed is just really uncomfortable? Who knows why you can't get to sleep, it feels like it could be anything. Why even bother trying? Maybe someone else can preoccupy you until you feel tired enough to ignore your discomfort.
06 • PENSIVE. Something's on your mind, and no matter how hard you try to focus elsewhere, it's just not going to work. Your body may be tired, but your mind is incredibly busy and it's virtually impossible to get to sleep. Surely, talking it out with someone else will help?
07 • SADNESS. Something terrible has happened that day, perhaps; or you could just be severely depressed. Either way you're trying your hardest not to cry yourself to sleep, and it's not working at all. Better find a way to get it out of your system somehow; you need a shoulder to cry on.
08 • ANGER. You are just... fuming. Who knows why - that annoying dog is barking again, or maybe the people next door are getting busy and keeping you awake. Whatever the reason for your ire is, you'd better put an end to it so you can get some damn rest already! Go wake up a friend so you can complain to them.
09 • RESTLESS. You're far too energetic to sleep right now. Maybe you're just trying to do so out of necessity - you have to be up early tomorrow! But you just don't think you'll be able to fall asleep for a while now, so why waste the time trying to sleep when you could be doing something else? Namely bothering someone else - you're totally jealous because they're getting more sleep than you.
10 • WILDCARD. Choose one of the options above, or make up your own scenario.
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bakerstreet2020-10-01 04:32 pm
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Alright. I've got Nicky and Joe's transport out of the way. They can leave as soon as they're ready. [ It was the easiest part to handle. Building new identities that would pass background checks and any digging another journalist might do. He hadn't even gotten to making the physical ids and some fake articles.
It would be a long night for him so if she couldn't sleep he would be out here working away. Booker would probably sleep on the plane they took to Greece. They'd have to travel like normal people for awhile just because that fit with the cover. ]
Would you mind packing something for me? Since I'll be doing this? [ He nodded his head towards his laptop. ] Just whatever. You know I don't care that much.
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[She didn't worry about their fifth too much. She came and went like the wind and always managed to stay out of sight.]
[When he asked if she could pack for him she nodded] Sure, of course. I'll pack the brightest things you own and not a single denim shirt. [she teased softly, starting to drift away to the rooms.] I got you. But try and sneak some rest in too? [A finger gun shot and she would duck off to the bedrooms to pack for them both.]
[as for sleep, that was what she attempted. With bags dropped to the floor, packed light for two people pretending to be Journalists, she flopped into her bed and curled up, blanket pulled over her head and trying not to let her mind wander.]
[It wandered.]
[She lay there awake for a few hours. Read on her phone a bit. Tried again. Thought of the case. Of those girls. Of a flight. Of all the things that could go wrong. This was normal for a pre case set up for her. She needed to learn to relax and go with it. Even Andy used to tell her that. It would be fine. But her brain wandered, and she peeked out the door a few times to see if Booker was still working. Of course he was.]
[Letting out a sigh she got to sleep, for a few hours, before waking with a start. Her hand going to her neck as she rolled over onto her back. This again. She shook her head and got up, pulling socks on and silently wandering out to see Booker, still in his chair. She plopped down on the couch, running her hands over her face.]
How's it going?
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[ Booker had a very... complex relationship with Quynh what with her kidnapping him and using him as bait to bring in the others just to get at Andy.
Things were tense. He would help her if the others asked him to but usually he left her alone and she left him alone and it worked for them. ]
Jokes on you, the brightest thing I own is denim. [ He trusted she wouldn't pack him ugly clothes because he really didn't own anything brightly colored. Booker tended to muted colors.
The rest of the group went to bed around him while he continued to work. He bid Joe and Nicky goodnight and then there was just him and the sound of typing until Nile came out and joined him. ]
It's going. We'll be ready. [ He saved his work quickly and then closed the laptop. ] Now you're going to tell me what's been bothering you.
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[His joke about his brightest clothing made her walk off chuckling. She would be sure to make him look good and not look ridiculous, just because she was nice like that.]
[she leaned into the arm of the couch, looking over to him. She wasn't going to come out because of this reason, but there was something about it that she might want to talk about. Maybe. God damn it.]
[She rested her head on a fist, her elbow on the couch arm.] I notice that wasn't a question.
[Stalling]
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They always seemed to end up like this though he knew the others talked with her too. She was the youngest and while also the leader they tended to look after her. ]
What's bothering you? [ There, he put it as a question for her. Not that it would get her out of answering. Booker could be relentless when it came to these things.
Also, patient. He could wait her out simply because he was a stubborn bastard. ]
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[She talked to all of them, naturally, but where Nicky or Joe would let her get away with a vagueness sometimes, Booker always waited it out.]
[she was silent for a long minute, just staring at him. Then softly...]
I did something stupid.
[and for a moment that might have been all she was going to say, but then she shrugged, looking at her hand in her lap now.] Checked in on my relatives. On one of my nieces.
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He gave her a look that was sympathetic. Right now, her family was still so fresh. It would start to disperse and be less tempting as the years went on but right now it was there within reach. ]
You're not part of their lives, Nile. Never have been except as a story. [ He knew the words would hurt. They were meant to. She had to remember the cost before she ended up torn apart like he was. ] You can't go back, even just to pretend you're a stranger and accidentally cross paths.
[ He didn't think she'd be as weak as he had been. Booker had fought so hard to be with his family again and it only destroyed him. Nile was better than that. ]
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[His words did hurt, but she understood why they were spoken. Her hand raised to her eyes and rubbed at them, not crying, but sleepy.]
I promise, I'm not going to make contact. As easy as it would be. Make a facebook profile or something. I don't know. It's stupid. [she hunkered down farther into her couch, legs curling under her more.] And I wont. I know better. But...
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[ Booker understood.
His family was all gone and if anyone traced their roots back to Sebastien le Livre they were so much a stranger that Booker didn't feel that same ache thinking of his sons did.
He could go see his family's graves though. There was no risk of anyone stumbling on him and asking what they were doing there. No temptation to go see living family. ]
And it's hard to stop thinking about them so you can actually sleep.
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[she sighed deeply.] Nilla is going into the Marines. Neema is having a fit about it, and there's nothing I can say to either of them about it, and it's very, very stupid of me to check in on them like this.
[She curled in on herself more, both elbows on her knees, her hands on her head. She's embarrassed for one, and upset for another. It's stupid, she tells herself. It's torture and she shouldn't care but she does.]
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[ Booker held on to his family for much, much longer and it destroyed him. Nile was handling immortality and living family much better than he had. ]
Nile... they're your family. And you have to trust that... they'll keep on living even though you're not there to help them. [ She could watch but never interact. It was not easy but it was what had to be done. ] They've made it this far. Trust they'll keep going.
And delete Facebook. The amount of data that thing tracks is bad anyway. Worse if you have an account. [ Don't make him rant about the evils of social media, Nile. Booker will do it. ]
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[He said to look at her and she pulled her hands tighter over her head a moment, then sighed, relaxed and peeked out at him as he spoke.]
I trust them. I know there's nothing I can do, but the thoughts are still roaming in my head. I miss them. I missed my moms own funeral. My brothers. His kids are so old now. Babies having babies, and I'm missing it all. I don't know any of them.
[She crossed her arms over her knees and peeked over at him from over her arms.] And I don't hold an account anymore. I know better than that. I know social media is evil. [Pre-emptively stopping a rant maybe]
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He got up and went over to her. Kneeling in front of her chair he slid a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her forward until they were forehead to forehead. It was a gesture he did with Andy all the time.
One he had started with her only recently. It was meant to comfort and give strength. ]
And they don't know you. Let them have the legend of Nile Freeman. A woman they admire and mourn and will always be a hero.
[ He squeezed his hand against her neck. ] We've got you.
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I... [She choked a bit on her words, then held a breath, leaning there, eyes closed. Taking the moment as it was. He was right. Leve them alone. They don't know her. It's for the best.]
I've got you. I've got all of you. I don't need more than that. [her hand reached out to his other hand, grasping it.] I'm sorry. I know it's so, so stupid. I wont go back to checking up on them. I'll make that a promise.
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You sure you can keep that promise? [ Because Booker sure as hell hadn't been able to. He didn't want her torturing herself dying to know about her family and trying not to disappoint them by failing on that. ] If you can't, there's no shame in it. We'll be here for you.
[ He thumped her hand against his chest. ] I'll be here. A living reminder of the scars it'll leave.
[ No one needed to carry the grief he did but especially her. ]
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[Could she do it? Could she keep that promise?] If I make it to you, I will keep it. I've... got to let go.
[Of all people he new this pain, more than even she did. She took another breath, curling her hand at his chest. Near his heart.]
Sorry. Sorry. I can normally keep it together better than this.
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[ It had taken him almost three hundred years to get to a point where he could live with his grief. Even then, it could still overwhelm him but Booker knew he had a lot of things wrong with his brain. ]
I've got you. It's okay if you need to let it go for a little bit. [ No one survived immortality if they were stone. All those years became crushing if one didn't let go now and then.
Again, another hard learned lesson for him. Exile had been hell on Earth but Booker had learned a lot. ] Promise I won't tell the others you're still human and not some fierce modern warrior goddess.
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[she moved to scoot over to him, closer to where he crouched before her on the couch. She leaned in to steal a hug, ducking her head to rest on his shoulder, letting go another breath.]
We've got missing children to find. I don't need to 'let go' right now. Bad timing. [and she gave a hallow huffed laugh at his last comment.] NO one is going to mistake me for that. That role was already taken.
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[ Booker didn't have the same way with words that Joe did but he was trying his best here. He knew from personal experience that it was damn hard to get past these feelings.
He wrapped his arm around her more firmly and returned the hug. If it would help her feel better he was all for it. ]
We're finding them tomorrow. You can let go for tonight. [ It was true there was no way to replace Andy but he thought she did an admirable job. ] But if you'd rather not I can read to you. Distract you with the problems of a young wizard and the shadow he's trying to chase.
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[She stayed there for a moment, hearing him out. She can let go today. Be better tomorrow. Be on her game.] Give me a minute. [She tightened her hug on him for a moment longer, then loosened her arms, though she stayed close.]
Distract me soon. It's so... I'm so... [She pushed her hand up to her face and rubbed at it roughly, drawing back a bit again.] I just need a minute, and then I will be fine again. [She said it like she was telling herself that at least. That if she just took a minute, she could school herself to be fine again.]
Thank you, Booker.
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So, he let her hide against him and held her. Maybe he could come up with some good words but that wasn't what she needed. He let her work through it. Sometimes, that was really the only way as hard and miserable as it was. ]
Any time, Nile.
[ And he meant that. Booker would help her through these moods whenever they hit her. ]
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[She drew back from him after a few minutes, then nodded.] Okay. I got this. I've got you guys. I got you. [she drew back, patting his arm and reaching up to rub her eye again. This was the last thing she wanted, to break down before him. To break down before any of them about this, but she knows he's safe to do this with.]
I'm together again. Promise.
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When she drew back he sat on his heels his hands resting on his knees. She did look together again even though she was a bit puff around the eyes. ]
Yeah, I can tell. [ He patted her knee before he stood up. ] You still want me to read to you? Or just go to bed?
[ They could also sit up in silence if she'd rather do that. Booker still had work to do. ]
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[she reached out to his hands and gave a small squeeze.]
I know you have work still to do, but could you read a little. Just... a little?
[She wants to sleep, and she could, now, maybe. But she wants to hear him read to her too. That was a comfort she needed.] I won't keep you from your work long.
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Booker grabbed the book from the coffee table and sat at the far end of the couch. There was plenty of room if she wanted to get up from her chair and stretched out.
He didn't push. Sometimes, people wanted distance after showing their vulnerable side. Nile was a big girl, she could decide for herself. ]
When we last left off... [ He did a quick recap of the story so far and then went right into narrating in the same steady voice as the night before. His laptop was in easy reach for when Nile fell asleep. He wasn't sure how long it would take but they had all night.
And he was skilled enough to make hours of work fit into a smaller time frame. No one needed to feel guilty. ]
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