praesidium | Ψ 005 spam/video

spam - hannibal.

[Alana's eyes flutter open and she sits up slowly, rubbing at an eye. For the moment, she doesn't realize how much time has passed since she fell asleep to when she was finally waking, but something feels off and it's something she can't quite put a finger on to name. Alana stays in her bed for a moment, frowning as she tries to figure it out.]

[It's only when she hears her door open that she realizes what it is. It was far, far too quiet in her cabin. She's grown so used to having at least a dog around her that without the sounds of Winston, everything feels just inherently wrong. Alana gets up out of her bed, puzzled to find herself still clothed in what she thinks is yesterday's clothes. She decides it's not that important. It's likely just Abigail bringing Winston back from when she must have borrowed him for a little while. Alana doesn't mind that in the least bit. What she does mind is when she does emerge from her bedroom, she doesn't find Abigail Hobbs with Winston.]

[She finds Hannibal instead. Alana instantly freezes.]

video.

I apologize to everyone for the sudden absence, particularly to my patients, I was apparently in a coma for the past month.

[Which is easily the strangest thing to ever have to say.]

I'll resume sessions tomorrow. In the meantime, I'd be interested to know what I missed.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He does, a couple hours later: he hems and haws a little at her door, but eventually he knocks and pokes his head in.]

Alana?

[He is fully prepared for Winston to come searching for love and affection.]

[You bet your butt Winston is right there looking for love and affection. Hello, Scott. Did you bring more treats? He's hoping you did, but you know what? He's totally fine if you didn't. Just give scritches and you may enter.]

[Alana looks up from the couch and smiles.]

Come on in, Scott.

[She closes the book she was reading and sets it aside.]

If you can manage it. Winston.

[The dog turns and looks at Alana before backing up some to actually let Scott through the door.]

[Scott crouches down to give Winston all the scratches, grinning because dogs are so easy and he appreciates them. When Winston backs up, Scott sneaks a snack out of his pocket, and drops it in front of the dog.]

Nah, he's a good dog. Besides, they tend to recognize an alpha. [He's not quite sheepish about saying it, scratching behind his ear.]

So...[He has no idea what to say or where to start. Should he be making sure she's okay first? Is it even fair to dump his problems on her this soon after she woke up?]

[Winston helps himself to the snack on the floor and trots off to go flop over in his dog bed.]

Make yourself at home and have a seat.

[Alana motions for him to step inside further. She doesn't immediately dive into asking him what's brought him here. Sometimes a little small talk is better.]

[Scott nods. He feels dumb, or - not dumb. Mechanical. He feels like he needs directions just to keep moving forward, and it's frustrating, but it's a relief to just find a chair and sit.]

Have you seen Abigail yet? I haven't talked to her a whole lot, since I got back. [Small talk. He can do that.]

I spoke with her briefly. She seems to be doing alright.

[As alright as Abigail can possibly be at any rate. It's entirely relative when it comes to Abigail Hobbs.]

[He nods mutely, running his palms over his jeans and sitting back in his seat. Sitting still seems out of reach, though, and the next instant he's shifting forward again, elbows on his knees.]

My-- [girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, first love, he doesn't know the right word to encompass everything that Allison Argent was except] friend died. I went home while you were out. And she died.

[He laces his fingers between his knees, because he can feel them start to quiver. He doesn't know if it's remembered adrenaline or guilt.]

[Alana sits up a little, but she doesn't lean forward. She allows Scott his space.]

I'm so sorry to hear that, Scott...

[It's one of those things that you are supposed to say when someone reveals something of that nature, but it's genuine from Alana. He's so young and clearly experienced more hardship than most his age would already.]

Yeah.

[He stalls there, frowning at the floor between his feet. He doesn't know what to do from here. Do, or say, or - feel. It feels like he's doing her an injustice, by trying to be himself. Like every smile is a betrayal. But she would want him to smile. His stomach clenches.]

I guess, um - have you ever heard of, uh, regression to the mean?

Ψ 005 spam/video

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