Discussions in Real Estate [completed]

[beautifulrondo]

Character(s): Vyers and Laharl
Content: Two demons discuss the possibility of moving
Setting: Vyers's Place
Time: Week 37, slightly backdated
Warnings: None

Vyers probably should have been eating breakfast. Instead he was staring blankly down at the piece of toast in his hand as though he could barely even recognize what it was. It was another morning of giving up on sleep--though this night had thankfully gone better than most had lately--and frankly he wasn't sure just how much more he could take of this.

Maybe there was somewhere in the city that wasn't being affected? Timon had mentioned that someone said no one outside of the domes was having any nightmares, but that seemed a little bit too out of the way to go for sleep, and there was only one floor he knew of with reasonable living arrangements. But that place... That was another problem to deal with altogether, wasn't it?

Comments

[overlords_wrath]

At this point, Laharl had pretty well lost most sense of time. Time was made up of simply being sort of awake and dozing. Any more longer forms of sleep never lasted for very long and he couldn't say he'd really felt actually awake in the true sense for some time. The boy looked far more tired than someone as young as he looked, ever should appear. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could possibly take.

He wandered into the kitchen, half interested in food, but his mother didn't seem to be here. Well, she'd be here sooner or later if he waited. He didn't have the energy to go looking for her right now. Meanwhile, he did realize his old man was here... more or less. Slumping into a chair, he greeted the spacing older demon.

"Hey."

Laharl had been thinking of speaking to his father, now seemed to be as good a time as any.

[beautifulrondo]

It took him a second to realize Laharl had even said anything, but he nodded and put the piece of toast he had been staring at before back onto his plate. He was a little hungry, but the exhaustion completely outweighed it. Coffee, tea, nothing seemed to bring him out of this dazed thrall anymore. "Good..." he turned to the window and squinted at it, "morning?" It looked like morning.

[overlords_wrath]

"Hell if I know," Laharl responded, slumping a little more in the chair. "Either way, nothing 'good' about whatever time it is."

Well, seemed his father had lost track of time in much the same way. Laharl wasn't particularly surprised of this.

[beautifulrondo]

He... really couldn't argue with that. "Is there anyone here who has managed to sleep through the night?" he asked, rubbing at an eye.

[overlords_wrath]

"Not that I know of," Laharl responded, folding his arms over his chest and closing his eyes. "Except, apparently, anyone outside of the city."

He let that hang in the air a moment, before cracking an eye open to glance back at Vyers. "...So, why are we still here, anyways?"

[beautifulrondo]

"I knew of that much," he said. "But I would rather not have to stay outside in order to sleep."

[overlords_wrath]

Outside? Like... out in the grass outside? Is that what Vyers thought? He lifted a hand to his face, covering his eyes, in a semi-face-palm.

"...Idiot."

He rubbed his forehead a moment, before settling the arm back on his chest. "The other FLOORS, old man. Like how about the one that is, apparently, our Netherworld."

[beautifulrondo]

Vyers frowned. "I know that is what you meant. But the majority of the other floors are in an outdoor environment. As for the Netherworld..."

He went silent a moment. It would be nice to return, especially for some needed sleep, but there were more than just a few problems with that. "Would it really be the best idea?"

[overlords_wrath]

Laharl had a good idea he knew what Vyers' concerns were; he'd had them too, but then he'd realized something in his wanting sleep and just-not-giving-a-damn-how state. "Why not? It's not like it's really the Netherworld, right? So what would it matter?"

[beautifulrondo]

Er, there was that. Vyers had, truthfully, given that point some thought in the past, but that didn't change the fact that the discomfort would still be there to have. And then there was the possibility that going there would just have any fears he had confirmed. Whether or not the world was an illusion, it was still based on a real place.

"So you would wish to answer any questions that may come up?"

[overlords_wrath]

"That's assuming there is anyone there to even ask questions," Laharl pointed out. "Besides, I'm the Overlord. My word is law. If I tell them to just shut up about it, they have to."

At least, that was the theory.

"Anyways, anything there would be better than this." Laharl's voice went quieter and more pained; eyes disappearing beneath his bangs as he added, "I-I can't take much more of this..."

[beautifulrondo]

Vyers personally thought Laharl was underestimating the amount of awkwardness that would ensue, but that was him.

He closed his eyes and sighed. He... really couldn't argue with that at all. Some time to finally get his beauty rest... The prospect of even getting just a few minutes of true restful sleep in a nice bed sounded wonderful. "And after these nightmares have run their course in the city?" he asked.

[overlords_wrath]

For Laharl, while the lack of sleep was annoying, it was the dreams that were getting to him far more.

As for Vyers' question - Laharl could only shrug. "I don't really care... whatever you and mom decide."

He wanted to remain living with his parents, even if having to be around his father on a daily basis could be more than a little trying. Staying here had been about protecting his mother and, well, it still was, but... there was more to it than that now. It had turned into something that Laharl found himself liking deep down, though he'd, like so many other things, never admit to it, of course.

[beautifulrondo]

It wasn't quite that simple as far as Vyers was concerned. This place was... permanent, or as permanent as a memory could be. As long as he was here, he could be in this home, as it had come to be. A part of him still feared that any moment his wife could disappear from his arms. Here he could be assured that something of her remained. In that Netherworld made from memories, all that showed was her absence. It was a difficult choice.

"...Then we should head there as soon as we can, should we not?" he asked.

[overlords_wrath]

Laharl nodded, agreeing completely with leaving as soon as possible. Easing himself from the chair to his feet, his exhausted body complaining with the whole motion. "I'll find Flonne."