got a photograph dream on the getaway mile
ALIAS
Nate
AGE
26
Inactive
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Post by Nathan Havelock on Feb 1, 2018 21:57:50 GMT
 Blue Lips, Blue Veins “Yeah, I didn’t explain that very well, did I?” Nate said with a wry smile, rubbing the back of his neck. “Too much of a focus on the socks. Do you like them, by the way?” He wriggled his foot at her – the neon robots just visible at his ankle when he pulled at the fabric of his trousers. “I think they’re pretty sweet. But not great as a metaphor.”
He dropped his foot back to the ground, forcing himself out of the immaturity. He needed to be clear and concise with his suggestions, or he just wouldn’t be of any use to Claire. That was why he was here – to help – and he could only do so if he giving it his all and not getting distracted by his own tales of doing laundry.
“The method of inspiration isn’t important,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “I was thinking about looking more closely at how the different components of your power function. We’ve looked at it as a whole but we haven’t stopped to think about how the components relate to each other within the whole.” The components are the individual socks, his brain explained to him helpfully. He resisted the urge to bring the socks back into conversation.
“Maybe your power can only focus on activating one component at a time, for example. Or maybe activating one on a particularly high level draws ‘energy’ from the others.” He drew air quotes. “See what I mean now?”
He nodded as she spoke, continuing to make the occasional note.
“I’d like you to keep a little diary, if that’s not too much effort. Just note down whenever there’s anything of concern like a headache or feeling like your appetite’s off – don’t worry about including all the details. We might be able to track a pattern based on your schedule, or something.”
The last part was more Nate thinking aloud to himself, but he liked to do so just in case Claire had any input of her own on the matter. She was certainly bright enough to have her own say in such things.
So… the same old dreams. Worse, even. Claire looked tired just thinking of them.
“Hey, it’s okay, thank you for telling me. It’s really useful to hear, and I’m sorry they’ve come back. Especially when I know that it’s… a difficult time for you right now. I’m hesitant to prescribe you any strong sleeping pills based on the nature of your day job but I will if you think you can’t cope with them – until you feel strong enough.”
He tried to meet her gaze with a sympathetic look.
“It must be hard to see Alice again, even just as a figment of your subconscious.”
Nate lay the pen against the surface of his notepad, doing his best to coax more out of Claire. The shoulders were dropped in defeat now, and he was worried he’d lose her. He needed to play it very, very gently for now.
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Apr 28, 2018 17:40:34 GMT
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 17:40:34 GMT
 "Guess I hadn't thought of it that way. But I haven't noticed anything either," she admitted as the doctor continued to explain his theory. After all, the fire gave her in incredible sensation of energy but dreamwalking made her foggy and lethargic. Not like that didn't make sense, though. Where did her skin come into play? Flames could dance along it without so much as a singe. In fact, it almost felt comforting in its warmth. But that was besides the current point. "Yeah. A journal. That could help," she admitted, a tiny nod bobbing her head. Structure always seemed to help things make more sense, calm things down.
His sympathies began to poor out in the way his soft heart had mastered. Such a kind man. She felt subconsciously guilty often for subjecting him to how dark and dormant her life seemed to be. A tired shrug lifted her shoulders at his apology, trying to make a bit lighter of the subject like it'd been something she'd grown used to. She hadn't. Probably never would. "No, no, that's okay... Sleeping pills aren't my thing," her mouth scrunched and she busied herself with watching one of her own long index fingers trail around the ring of the cup in her hands. "Makes me feel like a zombie." They were on the same page as far as work was concerned.
The subject shifted then... Her name came from his lips and her finger froze. The only sign of movement was the barely-vibrating tea disturbed in the cup from the tiniest of shakes that came from her arms. Anger, love, adoration, worry, bitterness, betrayal. How could a person feel so many things all at once? "Nothing's changed," a long moment of silence was finally broken by her quiet, strained words. "Nothing's changed and there's just no way to... move forward," her jaw tensed, head shaking as it lowered a bit further in frustration.
Mason would've known what to do. NOTES: Tagging for mention.
WEARING: Here. |
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got a photograph dream on the getaway mile
ALIAS
Nate
AGE
26
Inactive
|
Post by Nathan Havelock on Jun 3, 2018 9:51:54 GMT
Blue Lips, Blue Veins Nate smiled, happy that Claire wasn’t immediately shooting his theory down. “No, I gotta admit it’s an idea that’ll need some testing. I was thinking of discussing it with Dr. Newton, I believe he’s been wanting to run a few things by you anyway.”
He paused, taking a drink as he pondered the idea further. The fire-breathing aspect of Claire’s power set wasn’t really taken into consideration at the MNRU – Nate supposed there wasn’t much use for a short-range offensive ability when you were always contained within the walls of the research unit. Still, the power had been demonstrated on the odd occasion for Dr. Williams’ interest and Nate had marvelled at the glow of her dragon tattoo piercing through the fabric of her clothes as the flame burst from her mouth. The thick skin was more of a hurdle than a gift to the people she worked with, but Nate was oddly fond of it and the way it coloured her skin-
“-You’re not... blue when you dream-walk?”
He was so unsure of the statement’s truth that it came out as more of a question, but it felt like there was something there. Was he just imagining things in his mind’s eye out of desperation? It had been so long since he’d witnessed Claire at work – they didn’t allow him too much access to the high security areas of the facility as a rule – that it felt like he could be making the whole thing up. He definitely needed to have a word with Dr. Newton. He would know.
“Noted – I’ll do my best to avoid zombifying you. I like my brains where they are,” he teased, following her lead in making light of the subject as though both of them weren’t acutely aware that it was in fact a pretty dark one indeed.
She was shaking a little at the thought of her dreams, disturbing the surface of her tea. Nate’s features pulled together into a sorrowful frown, wishing that he had been able to do more to prevent them. It was frustrating to feel like any progress they’d made was just a drop in the ocean.
“You’ve been through the dreams before and come out the other side,” he reminded her gently. “It might feel helpless but we will work through this, okay? There’s a way forward but it’s definitely uphill.” He shook his head with a sigh. “Is it always the same sequence of events? Anything they’ve been particularly focusing on?”
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2018 9:40:23 GMT
This took a turn she hadn't thought it would, which was foolish because she knew eventually he would've gotten the information of her dreams out of her. One would think she would've prepared better for the slowly emerging tightness in her chest that she was starting to feel. “You’ve been through the dreams before and come out the other side." "Yeah," she barely whispered enough for it to be audible, agreeing habitually rather than earnestly as she continued to stare past the tea in her mug.
It came in waves. The first was relatively mild compared to most when they usually occurred. The front of her head ached and an image of Mason flashed to the forefront of her mind. His quirked smile, the wrinkles at the sides of his eyes. Some stupid nickname muttered but she couldn't listen - only look. Claire lifted a hand to her temples and rubbed as Nathan continued to talk. He'd mentioned her skin and she shook her head slightly, "What sense does that make?" It was a more irritated choice of words than she meant, but she couldn't quite focus to correct them or take them back; instead interrupted by an arrogantly innocent giggle and a flash of blue hair in her memory.
Her hand dropped back to hold the mug and she let out a long, tired, an d quiet sigh as she drooped her head with her eyes shut to try and relax. The tightness and the aching wouldn't let her. Like a predator, it knew exactly which memory to pounce on next. This time it was her voice - pleading with Alice, begging her to trust her as she wrapped her arms around the girl to protect her from whatever harm she could. If only she'd listened. If only she had a shield, Mason wouldn't have had to make one. "Yeah, I know, uphill," she repeated mindlessly, struggling with the quickened pace of memory flashes. She hadn't noticed til now, but her hands were trembling and she saw it embarrassing enough to need to quickly reach forward and set the cup on the coffee table.
“Is it always the same sequence of events? Anything they’ve been particularly focusing on?”
Like a trigger, his words echoed with a familiar background gunshot and her entire form tensed. Her head snapped to him and her eyebrows were sharply pulled close together. "What do you think it is?!" When was the last time her voice had gotten that loud? She'd forgotten what it felt like to raise it and just as suddenly as it came out, her face was already ghostlike with shame. "I'm sorry Nathan-. I didn't mean to um," she swallowed, shaking her head and looking quickly back down from how guilty she felt for such a childish and impulsive reaction. "I'm sorry." It was all she could say. Her eyes didn't look over to him again, instead busying herself with picking up her cup and standing to walk with low shoulders to the kitchen and beginning to effortlessly wash it.
NOTES: Tagging for mention.
WEARING: Here. |
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got a photograph dream on the getaway mile
ALIAS
Nate
AGE
26
Inactive
|
Jun 26, 2018 19:36:16 GMT
Post by Nathan Havelock on Jun 26, 2018 19:36:16 GMT
Blue Lips, Blue Veins The conversation was taking a toll on her now. Too much, Nate knew. She was retreating back into herself at a rapid rate, the trembling continuing to create waves in her teacup. Her hands were at her head and Nate knew that she wasn’t really present in the conversation any more, although she was trying, of course, because Claire would always try in the face of adversity. She had a remarkable strength, considering all that she had been through, even if she herself had a hard time recognising it.
He decided not to press the matter of her skin any further – he would save that discussion for when he next had an opportunity to sit down with Dr. Newton. He imagined the other doctor would like it, mostly for its simplicity and rational, segmental approach. It was certainly an idea worth testing; it wasn’t like they were running out of needles.
She reflected his words back at him but by now it was clear that she was barely processing anything except for whatever was preoccupying her. Intense headaches, maybe, or perhaps – though less likely – some vestibular issue. Whatever it was, she at least had the presence of mind to finally set her cup on the table before it truly threatened to spill over her. She tensed suddenly at his question.
“Claire-” he began softly, concern flooding his voice.
Then her face whipped to face him, all passivity wiped from her expression. Her earlier irritation was nothing compared to the way she now raised her voice, her tone the most aggressive he had ever witnessed.
When he’d reflect later on this session, Nate would recognise the breakthrough for what it was, but right now he was horrified for having triggered this response.
Claire seemed appalled herself, her pale face managing to seem even paler somehow as she apologised quietly. She kept her gaze averted from him as she quickly distracted herself with taking her cup away. Nate looked down into his own, finishing off the last of it.
“You had every right,” he said softly. “I’ve spent all this time getting concerned that they’re pushing you too hard with your Hero work and then, here I am, pushing you too hard to talk about something that’s clearly deeply upsetting. I’m sorry.”
Nate smiled, despite himself, hoping this wouldn’t turn into an apology war. “I’m going to do right by you as your doctor and come up with a better way to work through this together, okay? But I’m not going to do it today and we can leave the session there, if you’re okay with that. I’ll just finish my tea. Thank you so much for this, by the way,” he said, having followed her to the kitchen but kept his distance. “I’ll be sure to let Harriet know that she’s got a fellow tea fan in you, she’ll be so excited.”
It was true – Harriet would love the opportunity to talk someone’s ear off about her exotic herbal tea collection. And it definitely seemed to be a good, calming hobby for Claire, plus a source of low-commitment socialising, which could only be good things. Right?
Claire deserved some good things in her life.
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