Event Log: Dreamwalker

[hadrielmods]

Who: Everyone!
What: The Dreamwalker event
Where: In your comfy bed and your sleepy head.
When: May 16th-26th
Warnings: Good dreams, weird dreams, bad dreams, straight-up nightmares. Please remember to tag for warnings in the header if things are going to be bad!

Have you been having trouble getting a good night's sleep? Tossing and turning, unable to rest those tired eyes? Or maybe you don't sleep at all, and never have. Not to worry! For a little while, you'll have no trouble at all falling asleep - in fact, as night falls, you'll find yourself overwhelmed with exhaustion whether you want to sleep or not. Lay down and rest your weary head, friends. Everyone could use a little extra sleep.

But what will your dreams bring? Something happy, images of a perfect day? Something hopeful, something you've wanted for a long time? Maybe you'll dream of anger, of the face of your worst enemy. Or maybe - just maybe - you'll have a horrific nightmare, and wake screaming, covered in cold sweat.

Not before others have time to see it, though. As you sleep, as you dream, the other residents of Hadriel, friends and enemies and people you've only met once, might find their way into your dreams. Or you might find your way into theirs - and then have to deal with someone's else's nightmares, or hopes, or anger. For the next ten nights, you'll find yourself either a host or a visitor, and no matter how you try you won't be able to stay awake once night falls.

Sweet dreams, Hadriel. Don't let the asshole fear gods bite.

► This log covers May 16th-26th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well!
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► You can't die in the dreams, but if you somehow manage to trip and fall and kill yourself getting out of bed, please report it on the death post.

Comments

[smited]

[ in dreams, logic doesn't exist. not really. so when cullen catches sight of arya outside of the room, he thinks she belongs in skyhold. belongs here as a part of this strange scene even if they are not family. perhaps she is something like a squire to him--someone he's training or looking after. the specifics don't really matter. what does is that she's welcome here. ]

Arya. [ he smiles at her and gestures for her to come in. ] Stop lurking outside, there's plenty of room in here.

[ the dream version of cecily sits up with a laugh and traps her daughter's tickling hands. pup, still standing near the door, noses at arya's hand and looks at her curiously. ]

[whichend]

[ Arya's brow furrows, and she keeps standing there for a little while, not quite sure what to make of Cullen's offer. She does step into the light, though, so at least that's progress. She looks around the room, biting her lip. It's becoming more and more clear that this scene is too idyllic, too domestic. Arya is a wild thing, a creature shaped for war. Not for warmth and love and affection -- she had to kill all that, and she thinks she's done a very good job.

But she wants to join them so, so badly.

She doesn't want to spoil their time, though, so she won't be too disagreeable. Arya bows her head and follows pup to the foot of the bed. ]

I shouldn't -- [ be here, I don't belong, Arya nearly says. ] -- I am sorry for intruding.

[smited]

[ cecily and aislin fade into the background for the moment, occupying themselves with... something. cullen isn't sure what. getting ready, perhaps? his attention is focused on arya.

with a soft sigh, he gets out of bed and tosses a shirt on. once that's done he strides over to place his hands gently on arya's shoulders. ]

There's no need to apologize. [ he means every word of that. ] You're never intruding with us. [ he gives her a small smile and chucks her under the chin. ] Now... what do you say to breakfast?

[whichend]

[ He has no idea, Arya thinks. No idea that this is all wrong, that there's no possible way for her to have a home. How could Cullen ever want her here? He has a child of his own, and a wife, and a dog. He doesn't need someone as scruffy as Arya is, a dirty, coarse little girl with blood on her hands and barely a name of her own.

But the concept of breakfast, with someone who could be her family if she just pretended, is too good to pass up. Arya can't recall the last time she had a meal at a real table and everything, not looking over her shoulder for the next danger. She nods, and tries for a little smile. ]

I would like that.

[ She steps aside. Cullen is going to have to show her where the breakfast table is, since this is his place. ]

[smited]

[ it's a fairly short walk from his quarters to the kitchens in the lower levels of the keep. it's a warm place, inviting with fires crackling away in the stoves and the fragrant smell of herbs drying along the walls. there should likely be cooks in here, working to prepare breakfast for the rest of skyhold. but there isn't anyone there save cullen and arya.

there is, however, a plate of sticky buns in the middle of a table shoved in a corner.

cullen filches plates from a cupboard and sets them on the table. he sits, and gestures for arya to do the same. outside the kitchen, the sound of childish laughter mixes with the sound of cecily's. his family is still around, even if they are no longer his focus. ]

I think these may be the most delicious things I've ever had for breakfast. [ he says, grabbing a bun to put on his own plate. he takes a moment to lick icing off his fingers before continuing. ] My mother was a fair cook when she was alive, but--these? Are wonderful. Try one.

[whichend]

[ Arya sits, willing herself to smile, to be pleasant, to belong in this place. She feels dirty, somehow -- like the blood on her hands is showing, that her roughness is obvious with every movement she makes. The fact that Cullen wants her here is bizarre, but...she's not about to say no to sticky buns.

Tentatively, she takes one, bites into it, and sighs, without really meaning to. ]

I -- ah -- haven't had anything so sweet in a long while.

[ That sigh was a little embarrassing. ]

Yes. They are wonderful.

[smited]

[ he smiles at her sigh but quickly hides it with his own (rather massive) bite into his sticky bun. he ends up with icing smeared over the corners of his mouth but seems unperturbed by that fact. for now, at least. ]

Do you like sweet things? [ if he remembers this in detail come morning, he'll be filing her answer away for future reference like dream-him intends. ] I had the most horrible sweet tooth when I was around your age. Got in trouble a few times for trying to steal my older sister's cookies.

[whichend]

I do.

[ Arya can't help but chuckle a little at Cullen's story. She's starting to feel more at ease, little by little. ]

I used to steal [ A pause. She can do this. The kindly man is not in this dream. ] -- my older sister's lemon cakes. She would become very angry, but it was worth it every time.