Open Troublesome Nightmares

[Einar Haines]

Einar woke up suddenly as he crashed onto the floor of the dorm room. He didn’t get nearly as many nightmares as he had in the years before, but with anniversary of his brother’s death fast approaching, and the new term still so very fresh meaning that a whole year had passed since his mother had passed, Einar knew he was due one. EInar’s holiday had been an odd thing, spending time with Lucas and Cassi had been the most fun he’d had in years - even when his mother had been alive they had both suffered a great amount of loss, it just hadn’t been the same, no matter how much she had tried. He had appreciated it a great deal, but the second half of the holiday had been what he’d expected. With all the confusion and changes in plans, they hadn’t been too happy with him, and hadn’t really liked having him around. But, he got to his feet, hands shaking lightly and breathing deep as he pushed away the nightmare. Einar glanced at the time, and knew that it wasn’t so early that he needed to go back to sleep, which was good because he knew he’d never be able to. He thought briefly about waking Lucas up, but he knew that would wrong of him. He just needed something to eat and the opportunity to calm down and he’d be okay. So, despite the fact that he knew Lucas would help feel better quicker, he just got dressed quickly and headed out to where he now found himself. The dining hall wasn’t particularly busy as he took his seat at the horned serpent table. His hands were still shaking as he poured himself some coffee, and made himself a bowl of cereal but he ignored it. Just letting his mind go blank as he ate the cereal. ​

 

[AJ Ari]

AJ was never up this early. If he had any real choice he wouldn't be up this early. But he'd woken up suddenly filled with dread when he remembered the very much not started homework assignment he had due in his first class today and that was that. Resigning himself to a miserable morning, AJ had dragged himself out to the dining hall, hoping coffee and food might encourage him to get the work done. Mostly he'd succeeded in staring down at his parchment and feeling miserable, but at least some of the work was done.

Glancing up occasionally, AJ was surprised to see Einar moving around amongst the few other people already awake. Deciding he'd probably earned another break, AJ eagerly abandoned his homework, shifting over to sit by Einar. "Hey good-" AJ paused to yawn, "-Good morning. Couldn't sleep?" He asked lightly, grabbing a piece of toast and trying to look busy. Too busy to go back to his homework.

 

[Einar Haines]

Einar was lost in his own world when he heard a voice next to him. He gave a little startled noise but did not visibly jump. He looked at AJ, knowing him from quidditch, he seemed nice enough. Nicer than some of the others on the team and he was nice to lucas which was always a plus. But he wasn’t sure if he should be honest with him. But the boy wasn’t asking anything too direct and so Einar just shrugged, ”Yeah,” he offered in a short tone. He looked at his hands as he spooned another mouthful of cereal into his mouth. They were shaking a lot less, so he could just blame it on exhaustion. ”What about you?” he asked in return, he knew from the occasions with Lucas and his nightmares that the company was better than trying to go it solo, but he didn’t trust or know AJ like he trusted and knew Lucas, but perhaps he could try. ​

 

[AJ Ari]

AJ wasn't sure why he would be surprised when Einar didn't turn out to be the chatty distraction he was hoping for. It was Einar after all, it wasn't like he was super talkative even when it wasn't super early in the morning. "Uh yeah, sort of. Early bird gets the worm and all that, you know," AJ said evasively, eyes focused on where he was buttering his toast and not over at the other table where he had conveniently left his essay. "I've heard some Quidditch teams practice really early in the morning, could you imagine? It's probably freezing out there too," He said, giving a mock shiver at the idea before yawning again. "I wanna go back to sleep," He added mournfully, not able to keep up the cheery, talkative persona very long either, especially after realizing he didn't have much to talk to Einar about besides Quidditch.

 

[Einar Haines]

Einar shrugged at the statement, he didn’t think he’d ever been the early bird in that situation. If he was up early it tended to not be because he wanted to be. He was a relatively early riser but nowhere near early enough for that. He took a little sip of the coffee he had, not sure why AJ was still sitting with him but he listened as the boy talked about early quidditch practices. He found himself almost managing a smile. ”It’d be alright, can’t imagine it would be too cold,” he knew it would be, but having spent most of his life in Alaska and part of that in northern Alaska, he knew he was a little better at managing the cold than perhaps others were. But he didn’t offer any of that up as explanations for why it wouldn’t be too cold. He wondered as AJ yawed again why he didn’t go back to bed, ”Why don’t you go back to bed if you’re tired?” he asked, thinking if he were still tired and able to go back to sleep he would be. He just knew he wouldn’t be able to. ​

 

[AJ Ari]

AJ laughed softly when Einar didn't seem too worried about the cold for morning practices, shaking his head. "That's right, didn't you grow up in Alaska or something like that? My mum's like that, doesn't feel the cold at all either," He said with a shrug. AJ figured he should probably have a higher tolerance himself, but he swore the chill was different when you were on a broom, a biting cold that went straight through your quidditch robes. He tried not to look too shifty when Einar asked why he didn't just go back to bed before sighing and ruffling his hair. "I've got an essay due this morning I need to finish. Or.. Start, really," He admittedly sheepishly, glancing back over at his abandoned homework at the other table, half-hoping it had magically disappeared while he had been away from it. Stranger things had happened.

 

[Einar Haines]

Einar nodded, ”Spent some six years in Utqiagvik, if you’ve heard of it,” he explained with a little shrug. He didn’t admittedly remember much of it, just the unpaved roads, the dark, long winters and the long summer days. He remembered the old house and the memories that had brought their stay there to an end. ”Where’s your mum from?” he asked, finding the light conversation was a welcome distraction from the remaining feelings towards his nightmare. His mind was able to focus more easily on AJ and the light, inane conversation than sit in silence and let his mind run free. He followed the other boy’s gaze over to an essay that had seemingly been abandoned by AJ and then back at the boy himself. ”I’m sure the longer you leave it, the more it’ll get done,” he spoke with a little shrug making a little joke at the other boy. ​

 

[AJ Ari]

AJ smiles blankly at Einar when he mentioned he'd lived six years.. somewhere. He was pretty sure it was in Alaska, but he didn't think he could spell or pronounce the place name Einar had said. "Oh uh, sounds nice," He said noncommittally. "Only six years? Did you move somewhere else after?" He asked, picking at his toast again. "Canada, as am I," He said, happy to talk about something closer to home. Literally. "Kelowna, it's in a valley so it's great for snow, but we get super hot summers too," He said, feeling a small jolt of homesickness. It was hard enough to go to a boarding school sometimes, let alone one in another country, even if Canada wasn't all that fair really.

AJ let out a huff, then a sigh, at Einar's joke, staring forlornly at his homework across the room. "Maybe some passing ghost will do it for me," He offered, though he knew the more time he wasted talking to Einar, the less time he had to work on it. And he was also distinctly aware of more and more students slowly filtering into the room as the sun rose higher, groaning as his deadline approached.

 

[Einar Haines]

Einar wasn’t too surprised when AJ didn’t seem to know where it was, or what Einar was talking about, ”It’s in the arctic circle,” he told him. Before just shrugging lightly, ”Never out of Alaska. Coming here was my first time ever travelling outside of Alaska,” Einar didn’t go into any detail as to why he had moved, what had brought that about and why. Nor did he mention where he’d moved ot, just thought it best to mention it vaguely, and keep to the more interesting fact of this being the first place he’d come to outside of Alaska. ”Which do you prefer snow or hot summers?” he asked in reference to the boy’s weather options. He glanced back at the homework and shrugged, ”Just don’t do it, if you don’t want to,” he then said. If this boy wasn’t getting it done, distracting himself by talking to him, then the only thing he could think was for him to just not do it. ​