#bergen_county

The stairs creak as she steps, perhaps from her weight, or perhaps by design. The lights are out and she can see a lump over on his messy bed. He doesn't immediately stir.

A pair of green eyes open, glowing - Lovecraft gives a hiss of... welcome? Symon gives a weak swat towards her.

"Not now, Lovecraft." His muttered whisper.

"Uh, hey Sy."

A mutter, flapping his hand. "Five more minutes, Ann Marie..."

(It is clearly... midday? Afternoon? Not morning, in any case.)

She bites on a hangnail. frowning.

"Uh. I'll just... go... I'm sorry."

"Huh?" He shifts, muttering, and reaches over to fumble at a switch which turns on a strip of low lighting. "Dagmar?" Under the illumination he has dark circles under his eyes - well, more than usual for the sunken-eyed sluagh. "What time is it?"

"About 1."

"I shouldn't have bothered you. I'm sorry."

"No... I should get up. Just worked a double last night." He peels himself from the sheets. "What's up? Everything okay?"

"That sucks, yeah."

"Um. I'm fine. Great. Good."

He sits up and rubs at his face, then puts on his watch. He was sleeping in clothes, so he's dressed, if mussed and crumpled. "How's things going with May?"

"Much better. She's pretty much back to normal." She wraps her arms around her torso.

"You, uh, want something to drink? Eat? I think the law is I'm supposed to offer tea."

That gets a quick, lopsided grin.

"Dude, I've seen your tea."

He rummages into the mini fridge by his desk and pulls out a couple sodas, offering a Dr Pepper her way. "I hear there was some slug dude who mixed it with red bull. He vanished, probably death by peers for that offense."

"That sounds pretty foul."

"I've had redbull to get through long shifts, it's nasty. 5 hour energy at least is less liquid."

"Energy drinks kinda make my heart weird?"

"Yeah, cool huh? It's like an epinephrine rush. I wonder if I could snag epi pens from the labs or dad's office for a quick go." He says, joking. Probably.

"Or you could sleep more. I dunno. Um. Listen, I didn't..." She frowns. "I mean, it wasn't anything..."

"It was stupid. I just wanted to..."

"What is it?" A blink at her. "I ain't mad. My own fault for working nights. Dad is getting on my case about it, so ain't nothing you do that's worse than that."

She shrugs and rubs the back of her neck. "I dunno. Hang out?"

"Stupid. Sorry."

"There was... there was a thing, with Siv. You heard, right?"

"No, that sounds good. Sorry... I've been burning the LED at both ends, just trying to make a few extra bucks." He says, belatedly realizing he hadn't sent the post.

"Huh? Is she okay?"

"Siv is. Someone attacked Rikki, thinking she was Siv?"

"There's a whole hired gun assassin thing happening."

"Sidhe."

"I mean, I'm shit at intrigue."

"I'm more worried about trying to find someone to watch over May in the fall, and maybe hook up the right kinda dreamer with that redcap. One who LIKES the Stephen king stuff."

"Yeah, I get what she was going for, and May's a ripe plum for the plucking. Maybe you can give her some sort of... " He thinks a bit. "Like a talisman, or something that shows that she has a Muser already, that she's claimed as a dreamer. I've heard that some old school sidhe, back in the day, used to use... like, a chimerical brand almost - now that smacks of slavery - but the basic element of the concept isn't at fault, if it's intended as a protective measure and not an ownership one..."

A crooked, toothless smile over at Dagmar. Not forgetting about Siv, but keeping one thought in player's mind at a time. "Ever think about getting matching tattoos with your girl squad? Toss a little chimerical ink into the mix, and you're golden."

"Huh."

"I dunno, if I were to get matching tats, I'd ask you first."

A snicker. "Jealous of my dragon?"

A flicker of movement as it wriggles disconcertingly under Symon's skin at the mention.

"Ha, Not sure I want a sentient one..."

"I bet a piece of jewelry would do it. And those are cool for friends. Like, friendship bracelets, or some shit, but for adults. ...want to check out what they have at the mall, and put a cantrip on it? Or you could see about having something made custom by a fae. Cost a bit more in dross I bet, but the magic'll stick better. Vali would probably know who to talk to. Or maybe Zane... he might have a guy at Dark Gate at that. Get one for Lupe too, you're allies after all."

"Right. Not like i own May. That's.. gross. But she's under my protection."

"Maybe something that could warn me if she's messed with?"

"Or better yet, warn others that she has a protector. Or both."

"Or both."

"Chief said maybe I could talk to Jude about finding help out there. But, well... Jude."

"Damn clown."

Symon scowls. "Yeah, rather not involve that guy."