room 216 ; monday morning

[necroslacker]

Sometimes, Sam actually did sleep. Without classes to get him up, he'd fallen asleep early this morning and was still sleeping pretty soundly right now. That, of course, meant Sam's ghosts were out.

And no, these were not ghosts in a closet like skeletons in a closet. These were actual ghosts, visages of the dead floating around Sam's sleeping body, shrieking and moaning and keening. Sam's brow crinkled and he was tossing and turning a bit. Somewhere inside his sleeping mind, he knew what was happening but he hoped the ghosts would go away. What he once thought was a nightmare was now just a side effect of his powers.

The ghosts dipped lower, floating helplessly right above Sam's body. He curled up around a pillow and tried to block them out. The ghosts didn't go away. One screamed. Another whimpered.

Sam started looking a little restless.

[Door closed but post open! Seeing the ghosts is reserved for one person so anyone after her will just see Sam looking a little tired. And NFB on the ghosts, of course. Just looks like Sam's having a bad sleep.]

Comments

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie sighed and leaned against him a little more heavily. 'Hold me closer, necromancer', indeed.

"Well," she said quietly, "it's your choice."

[necroslacker]

"I'm sorry," he said again and fell quiet. "I'm sorry, Natalie."

[whenshewasnice]

"I know," she sighed. At least the shaking seemed to be abating, if slowly. "Shh."

[necroslacker]

"Okay," he mumbled, going silent now. He was still holding her tightly but he'd closed his eyes to try and...not think about the fact that his powers could make her react this strongly.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie let the silence lengthen for a while, just feeling him around her and breathing in his scent.

Her words ended up being quiet as well. "Is it always like that?"

She was actually more curious for his sake.

[necroslacker]

"Sometimes it's...worse," he hedged very quietly. "That wasn't so bad."

Sad but true.

[whenshewasnice]

"Oh." Well, not the greatest thing to hear. But she'd deal. She wasn't backing away from anything. "Okay."

[necroslacker]

"Natalie," Sam said, sounding pained. He let go of her so he could lean his forehead against hers, breathe her in and close his eyes. "I'll wear the pouch when we sleep but -- but are you sure? I'm not doubting you, that's not what this is. I just know it's...scary."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie got her fingers into his shirt, to keep him close. Rather a more bordering-on-desperation approach to physical affection than her discrete little touches at his mother's house.

"I'm sure," she told him, quietly, nodding just slightly. "I'll learn to live with it."

[necroslacker]

"I haven't even learned to live with it," he whispered, exhaling quietly. "It's not something you learn to live with. You just...do your best."

[whenshewasnice]

"Well, then I'll do my best," she amended, giving his shirt a little tug. "We both will."

[necroslacker]

"They won't ever hurt you," Sam murmured like that might make things easier. "They can't."

[whenshewasnice]

Not easier, really. But it was nice to be reassured, especially when she relied so much on logic in her life. It was easier to push past the fear when there was some concrete knowledge to hold onto.

They could scare her, but that was all.

"Okay," she said, nodding again.

[necroslacker]

"But, you don't have to worry about that," Sam said, nodding determinedly. He pulled back and slowly pulled away from her so he could move to his desk. He'd buried the pouch somewhere in there and he needed to find it now.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie wrapped her arms around herself in a rare show of discomfort and uncertainty. Couldn't help it, she'd been shaken by the sight of ghosts.

And she frowned, lightly, because she knew what he as looking for.

[necroslacker]

Sam was shuffling paper around and tossing pieces of junk onto his desk while he looked for that pouch of herbs his mom had made him so long ago. He'd deal with the pain cutting himself off caused and he'd be fine. He'd done it before, he'd do it again.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie watched for a moment longer, then moved.

She came up to him, to wound her arms around him from behind and lean against his back. "Sam."

[necroslacker]

"I haven't found it yet," he murmured, a little preoccupied with that even if he registered her presence and warmth. "I know it's in here."

[whenshewasnice]

"Sam," Natalie repeated, and tried to pull him back a little bit.

She had a specific point here, yes.

[necroslacker]

"What?" Sam asked, stepping back a little even his hands were still slightly outstretched towards his desk. "What's wrong?"

[whenshewasnice]

"You don't have to find it right now," Natalie murmured, lips lightly against the back of his shoulder. "You don't have to wear it right now."

[necroslacker]

"But, it might better," Sam mumbled, sighing. "I haven't worn it in awhile. It might be better if I start now."

[whenshewasnice]

"You don't like wearing it."

That was not a question. She knew because he'd told her. It was like cutting a part of himself off. She remembered these things.

"I don't want you to wear it more than you have to."

[necroslacker]

Sam sighed raggedly and leaned back against.

"But, I don't want you to be scared either."

[whenshewasnice]

"I've been with you for six months," Natalie pointed out quietly. "I haven't been scared. Not until just now. I'm not scared."