Janus & Hayley, 1/17/2003

<Janus> I'm game for the next day <Hayley> okey day <Janus> Or are we just going to avoid one another? :D <Janus> When are Tara/Tally/Aidan due back? <Hayley> (Hayley has been lurking in her room, but the book she was reading is still in *his* room. she must be pretty bored.) <Hayley> (It's the book of stories he wrote out) <Hayley> (Tara would have been back by lunch, probably. <Hayley> (Tally and Aidan, not so sure)

• Janus is too tired to get up...
• Janus wonders when Tara will be back.
• Hayley frets in her room.

<Janus> . o O (I must record the results of the ritual, though...)

• Hayley glances at the clock. It is around 10 am. She is tired but every time she's closed her eyes, she's dreamed of Janus covered in blood and dead, just like Con and Diar...

<Janus> (Rook is probably hanging around in the hallway)

• Hayley wonders if Janus is awake... he usually gets up around 10.
• Hayley worries about Janus.
• Hayley leaves her room.

<Janus> (Rook watches you)

• Hayley heads downstairs to the kitchen and makes some tea and some thin but tasty porridge.

<Janus> . o O (It makes me tired just to think of getting up... ) <Janus> . o O (But these things will not take care of themselves...) <Janus> :/

• Hayley loads it onto a tray and goes up to Janus' room. She taps on his door.

<Janus> Who is it? <Hayley> ... <Hayley> Just me...

• Hayley 's voice is soft.

<Janus> The door is open...

• Janus hides his arm under the covers; he hasn't gotten around to healing it yet.
• Hayley turns the knob and walks in with a tray of food. She looks uncertain.

<Hayley> I'm the only one home... <Janus> (Parts of his face are still a little scalded as well)

• Hayley attempts to explain.

<Janus> (but there isn't any blood)

• Hayley looks alarmed when she sees the scalding. She hadn't known about that.

<Janus> Please, come in.

• Janus smiles tiredly.

<Janus> ... <Hayley> You... lost so much blood. <Janus> Oh... I didn't mean to alarm you. <Hayley> i made porridge. And tea.

• Janus looks away.
• Hayley moves over towards the bed, setting the tray on the bedside table nearest Janus and pulling up a chair.

<Janus> Thank you...

• Janus murmurs.

<Janus> (Where did those spaces come from? it is a mystery)

• Hayley sits down next to him.

<Hayley> Can you... can you eat or are you too weak? <Janus> I'm not an invalid...

• Hayley lifts the tray onto her lap. She isn't sure how to go about feeding him but will if she has to.

<Hayley> Oh... <Hayley> I'm sorry. I didn't mean- <Janus> It's alright...

• Janus steals a glance at her, trying to read her expression.
• Hayley stops talking and just goes about rearranging utensils on the tray so it will be easier for him to eat. She looks troubled but anxious to please.

<Hayley> You'll have to sit up...

• Hayley suggests tentatively.

<Hayley> (It is very awkward, for the most part)

• Janus pushes himself up on his elbows, and slowly sits up.

<Janus> ... <Janus> How do you feel, this morning?

• Hayley passes him the tray and settles back so he can eat in peace.

<Hayley> Good.

• Hayley says, voice rising near the end of the word.

<Hayley> Pretty good.

• Hayley reiterates.

<Janus> You seem... troubled.

• Janus averts his eyes downward and picks up the spoon.

<Hayley> ... <Hayley> I... had trouble sleeping. I'm tired. <Hayley> What about you? <Janus> I am fatigued... but it was to be expected.

• Janus flips the spoon around with his fingertips.
• Hayley watches Janus eat, biting her lip.

<Hayley> (or not eat) <Hayley> Isn't it good?

• Hayley asks anxiously.
• Janus will eat some... his movements seem rather slow and sluggish, though.

<Hayley> How is your wrist... do you need a Heather Balm or did you do that already?

• Hayley is so eager to serve.

<Janus> Yes, thank you... <Janus> It's fine... <Hayley> All right...

• Janus gives her a sad, questioning look.

<Janus> Why are you behaving thus? <Hayley> ... <Janus> You seem to cringe... like a frightened animal.

• Janus looks away, out the window.
• Hayley can't look him in the eye.

<Hayley> I- I'm sorry I make you do such things.

• Hayley says softly and regretfully.

<Janus> You should not be. <Hayley> It's bad... so bad.

• Hayley nearly whispers.

<Janus> It is my path. <Janus> It is what must be done. <Hayley> I don't want any more to suffer... <Hayley> But you suffer so much. <Janus> It is but a scratch. <Hayley> You're burned.

• Hayley states, looking up at his face.

<Janus> It will heal. <Hayley> I hope they won't notice...

• Janus reaches for the tray, and dips his fingers in what's left of the tea.

<Hayley> They might do something worse if they know what we did. <Janus> They shall not. <Hayley> They told us never, ever to use such magic...

• Janus drips some of it onto his eyelids, and the angry red marks on his face fade away.

<Janus> They? They? WHo are 'they'? <Hayley> The Escheat still does...

• Hayley trails off and eyes Janus' ministrations to himself.

<Hayley> Why wouldn't you let me do that?

• Hayley asks sadly.
• Janus blinks.

<Janus> You did not ask... <Hayley> I offered, for your arm. You could have told me you'd prefer it for your face. <Janus> It is of no matter...

• Janus sinks nack against the headboard.

<Janus> (back) <Hayley> (nod) <Hayley> Janus, thank you for what you did. <Janus> They, they... They are the ones who cause you to suffer, Hayley. They have no love for you, and you would do well to remember it. <Hayley> ... <Janus> You're welcome. <Hayley> Some day when we are feeling better... I could tell you about Arcadia. If you want. If you don't mind listening to my clumsy words... <Hayley> Are you finished eating? <Janus> Yes... some day.

• Janus nods.
• Hayley removes the tray from his lap then and sets it aside.

<Hayley> Do you want to rest now? I can go if you want to rest. <Janus> Will you not stay a while? <Hayley> I can stay, too...

• Janus looks at Hayley with sadness and longing.

<Hayley> Whatever you want...

• Janus doesn't really expect that she wants to, though.

<Janus> Whatever I want... <Janus> Yes...

• Janus turns his face to the wall.

<Janus> You may go, then.

• • • Rumor has joined #changeling

<Janus> . o O (You still fear me...)

• Rumor doesn't... much
• Hayley stands up, uncertainly and disappointed. What did she say that upset him?

<Janus> (?) <Hayley> (hehe Rum) <Hayley> If that's what you want...

• Hayley whispers sadly.

<Janus> I frighten you, do I not?

• Hayley picks up the tray and looks away from him.

<Hayley> A little. <Hayley> Right now. <Janus> I am sorry.

• Janus sighs.

<Hayley> No... I am.

• Hayley looks down.

<Hayley> I used to fear nothing. But time wears everything down. <Hayley> I'll- I'll get over it. <Janus> That is good to know.

• Janus says, but looks dejected.

<Hayley> I love you, all the same. That hasn't changed...

• Janus smiles weakly.

<Janus> . o O (Of course... I haven't broken the spell, yet.)

• Hayley looks into Janus' eyes for the first time this morning.
• Hayley smiles faintly herself, trying to be encouraging.

<Hayley> What I'm more afraid of... is losing you. Every time I closed my eyes last night, I saw you covered with blood... Just like Diar and Con when they died... the whole field was red.

• Hayley bites her lip to keep from crying.
• Janus closes his eyes

<Janus> .I don't know what yuo're talking about. <Hayley> <w> The whole field...

• Hayley recognizes his tone and flees the room.

<Janus> (Well! I don't!!) <Janus> (I'm not a psychic, I don't even know who those people are!) <Hayley> (hehe) <Janus> * Rook closes the door. <Hayley> (The way she was talking about them it would be easy to guess they were one pair) <Hayley> (of true loves) <Janus> (yeah, but that doesn't tell me anything) <Hayley> (Well, the periods on either end of what he said made me thjink he didn't really care to delve into the matter) <Janus> (she makes these references like they should *mean* something to me :P) <Janus> (the first one was a typo :/) <Hayley> (oh!) <Janus> (oh ewll... it's late anyway) <Hayley> (I thought it was meant to "sound" final.) <Hayley> (We can backtrack)

• Hayley doesn't flee the room.

<Hayley> <w> They were the first two... they killed each other in a duel. <Janus> It is hardly the same.

• Janus says tiredly.
• Hayley sets the tray on the table next to Janus' bed again and kneels by his bed side.

<Janus> No-one is going to kill me.

• Rumor makes stabby motions at Janus behind his back

<Rumor> (sorry, I'll stop interfering ;) <Hayley> I am sorry. I know. <Hayley> (snick) <Hayley> Please... forgive me. <Janus> There is nothing to forgive. <Janus> (act normal, dammit! be snarky!)_

• Hayley nods and rests her head on his bed.

<Janus> (stop kneeling, for crying out loud :o) <Hayley> (Who, me? ^-^)

• Hayley rearranges herself so she is not kneeling but sitting on the floor beside his bed, head resting on the mattress near one of his hands.

<Hayley> (happy? ^-^) <Janus> (you're acting like an irish setter :P)

• Hayley is exhausted.

<Janus> . o O (So much has changed, in just one night.)

• Hayley feels safe in Janus' presence in spite of her fear of his power.

<Hayley> (safe enough to drift off propped against his bed) <Janus> (and no sleeping on the floor!!) <Hayley> (hee) <Janus> Hayley, you can't sleep on the floor. <Rumor> (Janus is embarrrrassed....) <Hayley> (Janus doesn't remember much abou Sidhe/Commoner relations in the very early history of Faerie, does he.) <Janus> (god damn, you're making me feel *extra* creepy tonight) <Hayley> (hee!)

• Janus nudges her shoulder.
• Hayley lifts her head wearily; she had already drifted off.

<Janus> No sleeping on the floor. <Hayley> I'm... half on the bed...

• Hayley says muzzily.

<Janus> Come on, now.

• Janus does sound somewhat embarrassed, yes. ;D
• Hayley doesn't look like she fully understands for a moment but then she makes her way over to the other side and climbs on to the mattress.
• Hayley is asleep before her head hits the pillow.
• Janus watches her sleep for a while, fondly, but sadly...

<Janus> (And now Ceiridwen can go sleep too, before she finds another way to MAKE ME LOOK CREEPY IN FRNOT OF RUMOR) <Hayley> (hee!) <Hayley> (lates)