[PRP] Sleepless Nights [Nose-in-the-air/Dream Dust]

[MikaMoo]

There was another long pause, but Dream Dust was patient.  She waited, appreciating the time it took to really consider his answer, to choose his advice and the words that delivered it.

Nose-in-the-Air seemed unsure of his response at first, but by his last suggestions of how to know the right person, his voiced seemed smoother, more confident.  Dream Dust nodded, considering the acquaintances she had made on many a night like this, and the friends she had made in daylight hours.  She was sure she would find someone that made her feel that way, someday...

Dream Dust took a cautious step forward, but sat back again, remembering that she didn't want to encroach on his space.  "You said... you said that you are weak.  I would like to disagree with you.  I know that I have known you for... mere moments," she smiled slightly at her boldness, but continued, "but I do not sense weakness in you.  I hope you have not confused loneliness with weakness."

[Ruriska]

He didn’t mind her gentle approach and wouldn’t have cared if she had stepped even closer. His nerves had settled, already adding her to the short list of kin that he trusted... or at least he didn’t expect her to turn on him at any moment. Though one could never really know.

Nose looked across at the doe, her face covered in shadows, the fireflies drifting lazily past. He smiled, a sad little quirk, a deep weariness in his gaze. But he was still thankful for her words, though they barely touched the great mass of self-loathing that lurked within.

“I appreciate that,” he said - and no more, though he could have spent all night telling a tale of weakness and woe, of a son whose lust for blood could never be sated.

But Nose-in-the-air was tired of it all.

It was nice to simply speak to someone who didn’t know and never would, who wouldn’t think less of him. And although he had Posy, his bright and loving daughter, to brighten his days, there was something comforting in a different way out here in the night with Dream Dust.

[MikaMoo]

Dream Dust nodded, and smiled.  He hadn't agreed, but at least he had taken her view in stride, and hadn't disagreed with her.  That was enough.  She wasn't sure, however, if perhaps he wanted to move on from the topic altogether.  It seemed rude to press if he wished to move on, but...

"Do you... do you not have hope?"  As soon as the words left her mouth, she second-guessed herself.  "Forgive me, it is just... the way you speak of it, the way you pass on your wisdom... it is almost as if you do not believe that you could find someone like that again."

[Ruriska]

He blinked in surprise. It wasn’t a question he had been expecting but maybe he should have. So far it had been a night of introspection and the doe was clearly curious about him.

A dark little part of him was even glad that she had picked up on that particular melancholy so that he could answer, with joyful negativity, “no, I don’t.”

Nose thought of the easy familiarity of Last Night and doubted that he would ever find that sort of feeling ever again. His time for love had come and gone. Now his life was only for his family - his sons and daughters (at least those who weren’t in a cult).

[MikaMoo]

His answer did surprise her.  She blinked at his joyful bluntness, "Oh."

She stared for a moment longer before turning away to the plants around her, then back up at the moon.  A deep breath of night air filtered through her lungs as she pondered their conversation thus far, the look that had drawn her to interrupt his reverie.

"No wonder you feel so lonely."

[Ruriska]

It was a statement as equally as blunt as his own and Nose gave a small snort of amusement. 

“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” he said, pleased by his misery. “But hope is a terrible thing. It hurts a lot less to just give up.”

And despite those words, here he was, out in the night, still pining away.

[MikaMoo]

Dream Dust chuckled despite herself, shaking her head at the sorry turn of their conversation.  "Then why would you tell me to have hope?"  She turned to look at him, amusement dancing in her features despite the strange shift from hope to resignation; something about the whole thing was so silly, she couldn't help but laugh.

[Ruriska]

She’d caught him in his contradictions and he also couldn’t help but laugh with her, this time genuinely.

“I tell you to have hope because I trust you are not as cursed as I am,” he told her once his laughter died away, still wearing half a smile. “I’m sure you’ll make much smarter decisions than I ever did.”

@MikaMoo

[MikaMoo]

Dream Dust's laughter had calmed by the time that Nose-in-the-Air responded, but if it hadn't, his response would have silenced it.  There was still some mirth in her smile, but it was a bit dampened at the idea of Nose being 'cursed.'  She tilted her head slightly at him, watching his face.  She decided not to comment on the idea, but it remained tuck in the back of her thoughts.

She hummed at his assessment of her, continuing to watch him for a long moment before she looked away, a smile barely pulling at the edges of her mouth.  "I am surprised you have such faith in me, after so small a discussion."  Her smirk turned cheeky, and she stole a glance toward him before regaining her view of the stars.  "I will do my best, though I... probably have plenty to learn from any missteps along the way, even with your words of wisdom and encouragement."

[Ruriska]

Nose-in-the-air was glad for the darkness because it hid his blush. He looked away from her and glowered at the dancing fireflies instead. He did have faith in her and it was irritating. They’d just met, exchanged a few words and he was already certain she’d live a better life than he had. Maybe it was because she reminded him of her in some small way. Maybe it was because her voice was so soft and kind.

“No amount of wisdom will stop someone from making mistakes,” he said gruffly. “We all have to find out the hard way, even if someone shares their experience first.”

@MikaMoo

[MikaMoo]

Dream Dust smiled, despite her new friend's return to a gruff voice and somewhat sulky posture.  "Of course.  A kid will not trust their elder that something is dangerous without knowing what danger is.  We all need to gain a proper frame of reference, at the very least."

She sighed, "And even that does not seem an accurate metaphor.  I think that... things that you can immediately feel -- a sensation of wetness, a feeling of pain -- the immediate consequences are easier to gauge, and easier to trust.  The heart is, I fear, not as discerning as one's skin, from what you have said, and what I have otherwise heard."  Her gaze dropped from the stars to watch the flickering lights around them -- fireflies drifting, bright signals to potential mates.  After a moment, she sighed.  "I am sure that I will find the 'curse' of love in my own time, at least once, even if we can hope that I avoid it."  The usual hopeful lilt of her voice faltered for just a moment before she nodded at no one and nothing in particular.

"But, I do believe the heart is also a resilient thing."  Her head turned again so that she could smile at her late-night companion, the lightness of her voice returning.  "I believe that even yours could find hope for yourself again."

[Ruriska]

“Perhaps,” he replied, noncommittally but with a small smile in return. He couldn’t believe it yet but the fact that she did was enough to warm his soul. If at least one kin thought his heart would recover, maybe it was true. Though to be fair, Posy had told him the very same thing but he had always refused to entertain the thought.

However, out here in the dark, with someone new and introspective, with the fireflies dancing and old memories on his mind, he couldn’t dismiss it right away.

Despite being younger, Dream Dust already had a keen head on her shoulders and a wise heart. He admired her for it. “It has been nice talking to you,” he said softly. "It's been a long time since I've had this sort of conversation."

@MikaMoo