Just a good spot.. (Addie)

[Charlotte Greene]

In truth, Charlie had no idea where she was. She wasn't aware she had been walking.. or that she wasn't in bed. Most people weren't aware of many things when they were dreaming. Unless one attained lucidity, most of the time they simply accepted what was happening regardless of what it was. Sure, there were exceptions, nightmares being the one that comes to mind quickest, but for the most part a dream was more like watching a movie from a first-person perspective. Or a third person perspective.. Or any other number of perspectives all at once. Dreams were strange.

But regardless, Charlie had fallen asleep on a bench wrapped up in a warm and cozy jacket and had traveled halfway around the Hammel campus without ever once realizing that she was dead asleep, dreaming, or sleep walking. Her aimless wanderings eventually lead her to the library, a place that was most often quiet and peaceful with some comfy seats.. It was a place that she all-too-often napped when she should have been studying or reading, but something about the library just put Charlie at peace enough to sleep when she otherwise couldn't get past the pain in her back.

Unfortunately, this time she was asleep on her feet. While this wasn't a huge deal, it was bad in that Charlie was dreaming about being in the library while she was in the library.. and more specifically she was dreaming about falling back into one of the comfy leather chairs. The one that was next to the vent and the window for the perfect daytime lighting and the perfect ambient noise.. It was the single best place in the entire school (aside from her bad, of course) that Charlie had found to catch a few Zs or just relax and meditate or.. whatever, really. It was just a good spot.

Anyway, she had been sleeping standing up with her forehead resting gently against some large leather-bound book near her favorite spot when she'd started dreaming about falling back into her favorite chair. Since she was in the library, though, dream-reality and actual reality blended just enough to lead Charlie to want to physically fall back into the chair she was dreaming about.. and if noone stopped her, it would be a very short amount of time before Charlie bounced her head off of the hardwood floor of this section of the library and woke up confused, embarrassed, and with one hell of a headache. Hopefully someone would notice and make sure she was alright before that happened. If not, someone would definitely be attracted by the yelp and the groan produced by the girl sitting curled in a ball on the floor and holding the back of her head.

[Adaryn Breslin]

Quiet days were usually spent in the library, as Adaryn found it to be the only spot where there was no weeping students at any one time. Sure there was minor frustration, but overall? It was relatively stable in the atmosphere of emotions. It was nice to have a place like that to go, considering all that had went on. What with Monroe doing what he did, practically taking advantage of her in her dream, and then the weekly meetings with Dr. Neville, Adaryn needed a break.

They had plenty of options that Addie was very much interested in reading. She had always loved fantasy, even as a kid. Talking cats, superheroes, and dragons were all a part of her hoard of books at home. She also always had a fascination with meta's in general, mainly because their powers seemed to be so impossible, which was the best thing about it. On her days where she was in her room alone, she would think about what a meta-power of her's might be like, if she ever had one. Never in a million years had she thought it would be Empathetic manipulation; never did she realize it would ruin her life.

Her mind, it seemed, always fell to the depressing things running through her mind. It was sad, really. No matter what, unless she had an active distraction, she couldn't pull herself out of the grasp, cold and suffocating, of the depression. She idly browsed the books, not paying much attention to where she was going, or who she could possibly run into. So when she felt sudden, unexpected weight fall against her, Addie let out a startled cry.

Her body, along with her assailant's, fell to the ground with a large thud. She landed against her side, her healing ribs screaming in protest. She felt nothing crack, however, so she figured everything was fine. The girl, a blonde with prominent circles under her eyes, scrambled up.

"Are you okay?!" Adaryn whispered, as customary in a library, but the concern, and pain, was evident in her tone. "Were you...asleep?"

Addie's mind fell to Monroe at that very moment; more specifically, a text they had exchanged.

Not so sure you want to hang out with me right now. It may be kind of dangerous

Dangerous? Why dangerous? Did you forget to have coffee this morning and you're afraid of potentially falling asleep standing up and knocking me over?

Well Monroe, it actually happened... She thought miserably, though her eyes still rested on the blonde in front of her, waiting patiently for an answer.

[Charlotte Greene]

Something was wrong with the chair.. it was bony and.. not a chair. Also it gave way too much. Just past the point of catching herself, Charlie's eyes snapped open and she let out a tiny almost silent squeal as her arms flailed uselessly for something to grab to keep her from falling. Of course, there was nothing there and even if there would have been something.. flailing wasn't a very efficient way of finding it. So back Charlie went.

Her fall, though, wasn't onto the hardwood flooring. It was on to something soft and warm that let out a cry. Oh gods, Charlie had just fallen on somebody. She was up in an instant (honestly not sure how she'd gotten up so fast) and was staring at some girl.. that she'd just squished.. and was asking if she was okay? The pixie's bottom lip started quivering and she reached out to wrap her arms around the girl's shoulders, pulling her into a hug. "I am so sorry!" It was evident just from the girl's whispered words that she was in pain.. and still she was concerned that Charlie wasn't okay. Why did she have to fall on someone who was nice and caring? Why couldn't it be someone who would just write it off like that damned Dante?

"I was! I was asleep and I don't know how I got here and I am so sorry!" Despite the exclamation points, Charlie's voice was hushed.. this was a library after all. She took the girl's shoulders in her hands and pushed the girl out away from her in order to survey her victim. "I'm fine or I'll be fine or at least for right now I don't know that I'm hurt so stop worrying about me, I just fell on you! Are you okay? You sound hurt! Do I need to take you to the infirmary? I can carry you!"

...If the girl didn't come up with something to say fairly quickly, freshly-awoken Charlie was about to pick her up and carry her out of the library... and the slight madness (from just having woken up) in her eyes would likely tell the girl to diffuse the situation quickly... or risk being carried off. Charlie was many things, but 'subtle after just having woken up' wasn't one of them.

[Adaryn Breslin]

Addie threw up her hands in a quick motion that said 'no no!', while reinforcing that gesture with an exclaimed, "I'm fine! Promise!" of her own. Adaryn did not want to go to the infirmary if she could help it. Plus, she wasn't in much pain. Her bruised ribs were relatively healed, so that made it a bit easier for her to deal with that pain. "I promise I'm fine! Just, I wasn't expecting anybody to fall on me. I was startled." Her voice was as reassuring as she could make it.

Being as adverse to touch as Adaryn was, the brunette did not enjoy the girl's hands being on her a single bit. She didn't say anything, however, since the girl seemed entirely anxious about the entire ordeal and if she asked the blonde to move, she'd probably become uncomfortable. Or at least, that is what Adaryn suspected. You could never be too sure with people.

"But, uhm, you could give me a name... You know... so at least I know who I'm being hugged by?" It was the best she could do as a change of subject. Hopefully it worked.

[Charlotte Greene]

Who she was being hugged by? Wait.. Ack! Charlie had immediately released the girl, her hands only remaining on Addie's shoulders to ensure that the girl was steady on her feet. Charlie was starting to get her bearings and her senses, and was feeling more and more silly about the entire situation by the minute. Fortunately, she didn't feel nearly as guilty as she might otherwise feel.. because at least the smaller girl wasn't hurt.

"I, uh.. I'm Charlie? Charlotte Greene, but.. ya know.. Charlie.. Heh, um.." She backed away a few steps and rubbed her eyes, half hoping to wake up and not be in this situation. Hands moved, eyes open... still a girl she'd just fallen on. "Ugh, that really just happened, didn't it?" The pixie's hand shot to her forehead. "Really.. I'm.. I'm so, so sorry. I sleepwalk sometimes.. and there's this one super comfy chair I always sit in when I'm here.. And I'm so sorry you walked behind me right at the worst possible moment, and I'm sorry I squished you.. and I'm super glad that you aren't hurt, and I'll do anything you ask to make it up to you, and I really wish it was possible to get a second chance at a first impression..."

Fortunately for the empath, as much as Charlie was embarrassed, she wasn't particularly depressed about the whole situation. She was a little sad at the prospect of having scared off and ruined any chance at friendship with someone that was apparently nice and sweet and caring, but it was easy enough to chock up as something she'd have messed up in the future anyway. So this whole ordeal had just.. cut out the middle bit of.. ya know.. ever enjoying each other's company. Probably. That, or this was an extremely awkward beginning to what may end up being a good friendship. Or the brunette might actually hate Charlie with a passion at this point and just be really good at hiding it or too good natured to let it show....

And that's why it was bad to get into these situations right after waking up. Because minds wander.. and Charlie had likely been staring off into space for several seconds as she contemplated what could have been. She blinked hard and realized her hand was still on her forehead. "Gah. And.. I'm sorry for hugging you too? Uh.. natural reaction. Inappropriate and unsolicited and for all I know you could have some ability that makes contact hurt or drain you or makes you have to try really hard to not hurt me or.." Gah! STOP RAMBLING. "Can I please make this up to you somehow? Even if it's just by going away and trying never to let you see me again? ..Please?"

[Adaryn Breslin]

Charlie, hm? It was an interesting nickname, since she usually associated 'Charlie' with the male gender, but she wasn't going to comment on it because she had no right to. If that was what the girl preferred to be addressed as, that was her choice, and honestly, Addie kind of found it adorable. Charlie's horror only increased as she began to wake up, and Adaryn immediately put a shield up. The panic was not something she needed at the moment, as she still was easily manipulated. Thanks to Vincent, her shields were stronger than ever, so there was that.

"Uh, yeah, It did really happen. But it's fine, I promise." Her tone was light and her eyes showed no conviction. She'd hope that would be enough to reassure the blonde, but obviously it wasn't. Understandable, as Adaryn was the same exact way.

"You really don't have to apologize, Charlie. I'm Adaryn, by the way. But," She paused, wondering whether or not she should give out her nickname. It wasn't used by many people, but if it would help the girl calm down a bit... "You can call me Addie, I guess. Not many people call me that, but if it's easier, I don't mind."

Okay, so the next thing the girl started saying sort of upset her slightly, as she implied Addie would have hurt her, which was a sore spot. But she had to remember that the girl was just freaked out. Adaryn bit her lip gently, and when Charlie asked if she could make it up to her, she was really going to remind her there was nothing to make up for, but the brunette knew that it wouldn't work to say that. Instead, she gave the girl what she desired. A way to 'make it up' to her.

"Okay... Okay... Uhm, it's cold outside... you want to join me to the common room for some hot chocolate?"

[Charlotte Greene]

Had Charlie known that there was even the slightest chance that Addie would have taken her comment about the girl potentially having to try really hard not to hurt her in a negative light rather than a simply apologetic one, she then would have gotten depressed and panicked. Because accidents were accidents, but carelessness couldn't be excused so easily and Charlie would have had no choice but to be temporarily terrified, then intensely sad that she'd hit on that sore spot.

Fortunately, Addie was good at hiding said sore spot.. and that particular crisis was averted with Charlie none the wiser. Then there was the opportunity to make up for a rather large and embarrassing goof. "Hot chocolate?" ..Oh, wow did that sound yummy! Charlie hadn't had hot chocolate in what seemed like eons. "Heck yes we can get some hot chocolate!" Without a second thought, she offered her hand to the girl... then withdrew it.. then re-offered it.. then withdrew it again... then dropped her hand to her side, closing her eyes. "You probably don't want to hold my hand. I have no idea why I am offering you my hand. I promise I'm not so ditzy when I've been awake for more than two minutes... Or at least I really hope so."

Regardless, she would then turn with a sigh at herself and head toward the doors of the library, glancing back to make sure Addie was following her when she reached the doors. She would continue all the way to the common room this way, only glancing back if there was no conversation and Addie's footsteps weren't audible over the noise around them. "Adaryn is a really pretty name.." Because what else was there to say? This poor girl probably just wanted to be left alone, and here Charlie had fallen on her and was now forcing her company on her for even longer.

[Adaryn Breslin]

The girl was right; Addie didn’t want to hold her hand. It wasn’t that she didn’t seem nice, but it was the fact that the brunette was highly adverse to touch. She flinched everytime someone touched her. It wasn’t their fault, it was hers. Adaryn tried to give the girl a reassuring shake of her head, as if to say it were okay.

“Don’t worry about it. I understand,”

Adaryn understood the concept of a lack of coherency and odd behavior just after a nap, especially when that nap was suddenly interrupted by a crash. She could get incredibly freaked out if she was suddenly jolted into consciousness. It really didn’t bother her that this girl was in that state as of then.

Addie followed Charlie, falling in step with the girl as they headed towards the door. A slight blush creeped up on her cheeks when the girl complimented her name. “Thank you,” She said quietly. “I like Charlie, too. It’s nice.”

Adaryn wasn’t just saying that because it was the socially acceptable thing to say, but rather, because she honestly did like the name. Male or Female, the name Charlie had always been one of her favorites.