Open Let Me Rest Easy

[Vader Hume]

Vader was shaking lightly, agreeing to go to the hospital wing to attempt to help with his sleep, potions were sure to provide a very serious help to him, but he was nervous, what it they didn’t help, what if the nurses refused to give him anything, what if they made him sleep too much, he still had so much work to do and there was so little time, and would be increasingly less time,, sleeping too much would just prevent him from doing so. The gryffindor was pleased that Ava had decided to come with him, he knew if he’d done it himself he would’ve already left. He would’ve taken one step into the room and just turned and walked straight out. After all, what if the nurses’ suggestion was just, have you tried just closing your eyes. He was nervous in case they asked him about it, in case they tried to get him to talk about what was happening, why it was happening. Vader looked at Ava and shook his head lightly. He hadn’t been sleeping well again, his birthday had helped him feel a little better and his sleep was fractionally better than before his birthday, but he knew it would get bad again, it would get awful again. He needed to do this but his heart hammered so heavily in his chest, ”I can’t do this Ava,” he was in the hospital, and looking towards the nurses office. ”What if I’m wasting their time?” ​

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava had been worried about Vader for a very long time, so as soon as he admitted that he needed help, she had sworn to herself to do everything in her power to help her best friend. She took his hand in hers, turning and brushing his hair from his eyes as he started to doubt. "Hey, no, look at me," She placed a hand on his cheek and turned his face so she could meet his eyes. "You can't keep this up, Vader," She chided him gently. "I'm right here with you. Breathe, we can do this," She gave him her best smile before pulling him along with her to the nurses' door. She knocked, determined to see this through. If he didn't want to talk to them, she would.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader met Ava's gaze, as she moved his gaze to hers. He felt himself nod into her hand, Vader knew he couldn't keep it up, he knew that he couldn't keep going as he had. With his OWLs, and so many important things he knew he had to get help with his sleep. To manage it, and make it better, especially as everything and nothing seemed to cause him to lay awake. He couldn't just keep working himself down until he all but collapsed. He knew he could do it with Ava, knew that with her at his side he could manage it, but he still felt worried, afraid of the reaction. He looked towards the door, letting Ava pull him along. He almost told her to stop, that he really couldn't but she knocked on the door before he could. Now, all they needed was a nurse to come and greet them. He half hoped that they wouldn't be there, that none would appear. Then he could say he tried but he knew that if he didn't do this now with her that he likely wouldn't ever be back.​

 

[Josephine Arora]

The hospital wing had been quiet today, and Josephine was really getting into the book she was reading. It was one she only pulled out when she was the only one on shift, as neither of the other nurses needed to know she enjoyed the occasional cheesy romance novel. In fact, no one needed to know that. So whens he heard noise, she reluctantly placed her bookmark between the pages before hiding it in the bottom drawer of the desk in the office, just as there was a knock. Josephine got to her feet and opened the door, looking down at the two students standing there. "What is the problem here?" She asked after a beat, as neither of them looked hurt or sick at first glance.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava turned as the door opened and smiled. She squeezed Vaders hand. "He cant sleep. It's been going on for years. He runs accio and has prefect duties, I'm worried about how little he rests. Would you help please?" She pleaded, explaining for her best friend. She knew how nervous Vader was and wasnt sure if he would tell her himself.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader had really hoped that they could leave, had even taken a small step back to go, when the door swung open and one of the nurses appeared. He knew her vaguely, though he’d never been to the hospital before now, he had helped to take the pictures of the nursing staff in the last issue. He grimaced a little as Ava described exactly what the problem was. Vader felt himself blush deeply, looking away from both the nurse and Ava and to the floor between them. He let Ava finish before looking back with a tired gaze at the nurse, ”Erm..yeah,” he said, ”I can’t sleep...I haven’t slept well...consistently, in a while. It just keeps getting worse,” he decided to explain a little bit, ”I just need something to help me sleep,” he didn’t necessarily want to talk about it and sort of hoped that the nurse would give advice or a potion to help him sleep. He was evidently shy, speaking quickly and almost embarrassed about asking for this, nervous about what questions it might open. He didn’t want the nurse to try to advise his head of house to take things off him, he could manage it, he just needed to sleep better some nights. ​

 

[Josephine Arora]

When the girl spoke first, Josephine assumed it was her who had a problem. But instead she explained what the boy was dealing with, which Josephine would rather hear from him personally. She was glad the boy spoke too, elaborating on his problem. His problem seemed a complex one, and Josephine knew that sleeping draughts would only be a temporary solution if the root of the issue wasn't addressed. "I see." She said quietly. "I can give you a sleeping draft and have you sleep here, so you can get some rest on the short term. But sleeping potions aren't something you can take daily." She told him regretfully. "Do you know why you can't sleep? Any idea about the cause?" She noticed the boy seemed embarrassed, and wondered if it would be easier to talk for him without the girl present. She considered sending her away, but didn't yet. Maybe the opposite was true, after all.

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava didn't answer the nurse, because she didn't know the answer. She stepped closer to Vader, wrapping her arm through his and intertwining their fingers. She used her other hand to rub his arm, giving him her best smile. "It's okay, she just wants to help." She murmured softly to him, knowing already he would be defensive about why he couldn't sleep. He always was.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader looked at the nurse as she explained that he would have to sleep there, that it would be a temporary situation, that it wouldn’t help things in the long term, which he had figured. He didn’t particularly want to take it daily there was so much that he had to actually do, so many hours in the day that would go to waste if he took the potion constantly even if allowed. At the question, he ducked his head shyly, he had always avoided talking about it, but at Ava's encouragement he nodded. He had some ideas about what it was, but it was hard to say them out loud and some he wouldn't even want to mention to the nurse had they been alone. ”Usually its because I'm stressed about something, like homework or exams or Accio other nights it's nothing,” he said stopping for a moment. He was careful to avoid mention of the stress he had whenever vegeta was up to old tricks, of the worries he had with himself, of how people would treat him. He didn’t mention how when something happened, no matter how tired he would just stay awake. ”I tried setting bedtimes, I’ve tried not drinking coffee after lunch, I’ve tried exercise, putting lavender on my pillow but none of it works, there’s just always so much going on in my head,” Vader sighed heavily.​

 

[Josephine Arora]

Josephine listened to the boy as he told her he was stressed about things, homework, exams, the yearbook, and sometimes nothing. She considered this for a moment, wondering how long this had been going on before he had gotten the courage to come to her. It was clear this wasn't easy for him. "I see." She said quietly, listening when he explained what he had tried to do. "I would recommend perhaps not drinking coffee at all, you're young." She said after a moment. "But I think your problem is something I can't heal for you," she added gently. "If the cause is so much stress that you can't sleep for a long period of time, I would recommend talking to the school counsellor. Have you considered that already?" She asked him gently. "It seems to me like the underlying causes for your stress is what should be tackled. Though I can give you a few good nights with a sleeping potion as well."

 

[Avaria Lockwood]

Ava didn't speak, she just stood quietly by Vader's side. She continued rubbing his arm gently, staying close to him. She knew she probably wasn't much help. She almost started humming the lullaby to help soothe him but didn't want to intervene and get in the way when he was finally coming forward to get help. She listened intently, taking mental notes of things that kept him awake and trying to come up with ways to help him so he could sleep. If the nurse couldn't offer him a permanent solution, maybe between the two of them they could make things at least a bit more bearable.

 

[Vader Hume]

Vader nodded as she recommended that he not drink the coffee. He looked at her though when she said she couldn’t heal him. He didn’t have real problems, problems a counsellor would take care off, he was just a little stressed and all he needed was a few nights of good sleep. Though Vader knew that it wouldn’t actually help. That the cycle would just start all over again. But, to go to a counsellor….he’d be wasting their time. ”No,” he replied to her question, he hadn’t considered it, ”I’d be wasting their time, you know, it’s just stress,” Vader told the nurse, he had been somewhat hoping that he’d just get a sleeping potion, instructions on how to use it and then he’d be fine. He could think about it, take the potion that was offered, drink less coffee and without exams he’d be less stressed….there would be no need for it. ”Can I get the potion for now, and think about going to see the counsellor?” Vader asked, letting himself sigh slightly. Going to the nurse had been hard enough, but going to see someone would be difficult and they would never let Ava join him. ​