driftfleet | Iskaulit Mingle - Problems with Psychics

[ she, on the other hand, looks troubled. he hasn't forgotten their promise, he hasn't forgotten that there's much to be talked about - but he wanted to let it come from her, not from him pushing the point.

you can't always get what you want, so he does a little humorous subtle pushing. ]

My hero. [ his smile is warm, and sincere. she saved him from a killer hangover - which he appreciates! but it's not what he's referring to here, and he trusts her to know that. ] Watchu got there? Any good? [ nodding at her book. ]

[ Winn's smile is more than enough to make Hermione feel a little more at ease and relaxed, and she leans closer to him even as she holds onto her book. It's not exactly a defence mechanism but it's certainly something to make her feel a little more comfortable, and the warmth in her chest is a mixture of delight at the library and glee that one of her friends has found her here. ]

I'd hardly call it heroic. [ Her happiness grows all the same, even knowing that there's going to be some difficult things ahead once they settle down together. Glancing at the book, she shakes her head, smile a little sad. ]

It's just something old that I've read a few times. I was looking for something to pass the time, but... Nothing really caught my eye.

[ she leans in, and he wraps an arm around her. he's not sure what's going on, but he's sure he's going to do what he can to keep that smile on her face for as long as possible, and then a little longer still. ]

Good thing it's not up to you. [ his hero, his decision, ha. ]

I feel that. [ he nods. they have a library from another part of the multiverse, he should be sitting here for days-weeks-months! doing nothing but reading! but it can sometimes be really hard to find anything that maintains his interest past a few chapters. mostly science books that, while interest him greatly, don't offer the kind of comforting escape fiction does. ] So, you have a little time on your hands, right?

[ It's easy, as soon as his arm is around her, to relax and feel a little more at ease. Hermione is used to casual affection, and she's been without it the last few months - a stark difference to how she had grown accustomed to it in the Drabwurld. ]

You and Cisco are just as bad as each other, you know. [ Not that she minds.

At least she doesn't have to explain her own exasperation when it comes to the library. Normally she'd be devouring everything, burying herself in each and every section that's on offer, but right now... Her mind just feels full of fuzz and nonsense. She doesn't know what she's meant to do, but at least she has Winn. Tilting her head up, she smiles softly. ] I have all the time in the world for you.

[ winn is always happy to share his casual affection with her, he's been starved for it for most of his life, now that he's surrounded by people willing to offer and receive it? he takes advantage. ]

Yeah, we're basically multiverse alternates of each other. [ said like it's common knowledge, they've come to that decision pretty quickly after meeting. ] And we're so much worse together.

[ in the best sort of way, his smile seems to indicate.

oh. that will never not be a moving thing to hear. he rubs her shoulder. ]

Right back atcha. So let's go sit somewhere, we can be frustrated by literature some other time.

[ Moments like this make her miss Dorian with an intensity that she can't even begin to hide; there were few people in the Drabwurld that would ever casually embrace her because of her position, and Dorian was always one who was happy to hold her, to hug her, to - well, kiss her, sometimes, but only if she asked first. It was different with Winn, of course, but it still makes her smile, softening her tired edges. ]

I'm not sure if I should be asking to see it or running in the other direction.

[ Letting her book drop down to one arm, she shifts closer, leaning against Winn a little before she nods her head. Their Halloween conversation is in the back of her mind and she thinks she knows where this is going - but she's not going to push, not right now.

For now, she simply lets him guide her to a quiet corner, breathing out for a moment. ]

I should rewrite Hogwarts: A History for everyone here, really.

[ he'll leave the kissing to cisco, but anytime she wants a hug he's always happy to give it. ]

I don't think you got a choice. [ with a little shrug; dating cisco would be enough to probably subject her to the both of them at some point, but she's also winn's friend. her odds skyrocket at that, winn and cisco hang out a lot, and they like to include mutual friends. ]

Dibs if you do! [ ok, cisco is going to get dibs, isn't he. but he's next in line! he chooses to sit next to her rather than across, so he could keep a hand wrapped around her. it feels like she needs it. ]

[ !!! BRO. ]

I'm sure you'll both end up cornering me at some point or another. I'm not too worried. [ She definitely has no plans to try and escape either of them - for different reasons, of course. The more she thinks about Cisco the pinker her cheeks are, though, so she decides to let it go and settle down with Winn for now, his arm around her a solid, comforting weight. ]

Dibs? Do you really think you'd be that interested? [ She's still far too used to people being utterly bored by her fascination with that particular book. ]

[ yes, he is an excellent bro, isn't he. ]

That's...sort of the spirit.

[ nudging lightly. he's perfectly used to being settled on, and at least in this case - prefers it. ]

I know I am. [ super seriously. are you kidding? it's awesome! ]

[ That makes her laugh, shaking her head. ]

I'm getting there, promise.

[ It's easier, being around someone who doesn't want to ask too much of her. It makes her easier to relax, and she breathes out a soft noise before she tilts her head up. ]

I'll make sure you get a copy as soon as I'm done.

[ it's good to hear her laugh. he's not jim, he can't do the dig his way to the point thing. all he he's got, right now, is trying to encourage her and be there for her, make sure she knows he'll always listen, because halloween definitely told him she needs to talk.

but they have time. they can do this their way. ]

I know you are. [ his smile softens. he believes in her. ]

Sweet, thanks! I'll...[ stopping. tilting his head. tilting it the other way. ] I'm not sure what I have to offer you. [ frown. she's got magic, she doesn't need him to make her anything...problem.

(wow, he has a friend who needs nothing from him - not tech nor clothes nor anything. he knows his friends will love him without the things he does for them, but they can't pretend it's not a perk. this is new territory.) ]

[ Being wrapped up like this, feeling comfort of friendship and warmth of a body she trusts beside her, makes Hermione feel a touch vulnerable in a way she hasn't let herself be since the Drabwurld. She's not completely happy with the reminder of it, and her chest aches somewhat to think about it, but it's getting better and her sadness is fading somewhat. It's slow, but time heals, doesn't it?

Winn smiles and Hermione ducks her head, a little pinked. ]

You don't have to give me anything. I enjoy sharing things about home with people, and the fact that you want to read it is enough for me.

[ Tilting her head up, she hesitates, looking Winn over before she pauses. She's not sure how to start, and she's not sure if he's ready to listen... So she bows her head again, lost in her thoughts. ]

You're letting me off super easy here, you know, I always want to know everything, but stuff that's important to my friends is right at the top of the list.

[ his own little way to encourage her. he wasn't ready to hear kitty's story, but he's dealt with it. he's dealt with cisco's. the bits of hank's he's gotten. sascha's. margaery's. he's heard so many gut wrenching tales on this fleet - it's not that he's used to them because you can't really get used to hearing about your friends' suffering - not without crossing over to crazy town - but he's gotten stronger, better at offering support. ]

I wish I had more of my books. If the Atroma had left my bag filled with all my things...

[ All her books, scrolls, potions, the compasses, papers, everything she carried with her that wasn't around her neck. Her free hand goes to tangle in the dog tags that rest there, and she huffs a quiet noise. ]

I could give you so many things.

I feel that way about my laptop. And external drives. And gaming rig.

[ not the same, maybe, but those are his prized possessions, those are the things he wants to show off and share with his friends. and also, he's instinctively always trying to lighten the mood, it's a reflex. ]

What d'you miss most from there?

I never had a laptop, or... Any of that, really. A friend gave me an iPod once, though.

[ Hermione is still stuck in 1998, no matter how high tech one part of the Drabwurld had been. Pausing, for a moment, she swallows, hands digging into her tags. ]

I think... My family. I had an adoptive father and a little brother, and... Friends, too.

[ he's about to suggest all forms of tech for her -- when he decides to resist, and he's happy he listened when she carries on.

he asked about the bag, but she's given him a much more substantial answer. being ripped away from found family...he can imagine how much that hurts. it's what he fears about leaving the fleet - even if they get their happily ever after, he'll lose almost everyone. how can he make the choice to go back, when he has more people who love him here than ever even know he exists back home?

he gives her shoulder a comforting squeeze. ]

Do you wanna...talk about them? [ it can be incredibly painful, he knows, but he thinks, if he'd lost everyone...he'd want to talk about them, keep their memory alive. ]

[ It's probably obvious that she's a little distracted, and while she's answering questions she's not paying as much attention as she could have.

She's tired - exhausted, really - still trying to bring herself together after such a long time away from the people she loved, ripped from the world she had dedicated herself to for years. She felt a little as though she was abandoning everyone she had loved even though it was nothing to do with her; it was Atroma, not her, that had brought her here. She hadn't chosen this.

Winn's question makes her look up and she hesitates for a moment before she breathes out. ]

My dad... His name was John Grimm. He was a super soldier, really, a bit like Steve but something completely different at the same time. We fought together and then got closer and it felt like... It felt like having family again, for a while, before I even considered him to be my father. It was nice to have someone that cared about me, that wanted to make sure I was safe even though he knew I could take care of myself. I think it was one of the best days of my life when he said he wouldn't mind adopting me - or, well, me adopting him. I'm the one that asked the queen.

[ oh he knows how that feels. he knows it so well. the day he and jim called each other brother will forever remain in his heart as one of the best days of his life, even if they started off with pretty horrifying and depressing conversations. kara complained about jim acting like a disapproving dad, but to winn it's been wonderful. for the first time in his life since he's needed more than two hands to count his age - he feels like someone really cares about him, wants to take care of him. he loves and treasures every second of it, even when he gets on his nerves - especially when he insists to stick by him despite it. ]

I know exactly what you mean. [ his voice is quiet, a little choked. but he's not making this about him, just expressing his understanding. ] You had to make it official? [ the world she used to be in sounds so complicated. he just calls people 'brother', 'sister', and that's it. ]

[ She can still remember all her conversations with John, how often she had joked with him, calling him dad and watching his laughter, wondering and wondering and being afraid, every single day, that she would lose him. When she had found out he had lost his shard and would be in the Drabwurld for the rest of his immortal life... It had devastated her, but it had also sealed what she had already known to be true in her heart: she didn't want to go home either.

Quiet, Hermione shakes her head. ] I didn't have to. We both knew that it was there, that we cared about each other like that, but... I wanted to. I was a Marchioness and second only to the Queen in the Seelie court. I didn't want the world to forget about what he meant to me if something happened, so I asked Solais to make it official, legally speaking. It was the same for Nico.

[ she keeps saying words he doesn't know, doesn't understand. but he doesn't want to stop her to ask right now, so he settles on the gist of it. ]

I'll remember. [ he knows it's a small comfort, especially since he can't really guarantee it what with the atroma having direct control of his memories. but as long as they don't mess with him, for what it's worth, someone out in the multiverse will remember what john grimm means to hermione granger. ]

Who's Nico?

[ It was a world so completely different from this one - even Hermione struggles to rationalise it sometimes. ]

... Thank you, Winn. [ It does help, even if her heart aches a little. She already knows that some people go home and forget her completely - Katsa had been one of them before she'd woken up here - and she doesn't want to think about that. She wants to remember her moments of happiness, the glee she felt, the joy - all of that.

His question, though, makes her perk up a little. ] He was my little brother. The son of Hades.

[ he notices the perking up, and decides to pursue the line of questioning for a bit - they'll get to the hard stuff, but there's no reason why this conversation should be all doom and gloom.

and besides, he's interested, he cares. ]

How many brothers and sisters do you have? [ he makes sure to use present tense, because that's how he wants to think about it. if they manage to bust out and he'll get to keep his memories back home - jim, margaery, sascha, cisco, hank...they won't be any less his siblings. ]

[ Talking about family does cheer her up because they're important to her - and she gets to share how proud she is of them time and time again. It makes the sad memories feel a little more distant.

She does have to pause to consider, though. ]

Well, Nico was the only one I really adopted. I... Have you met the Korra that's here? I knew her at home, too, and her friend Mako, and they were like my brother and sister. Mako had a dragon that was a bit like his daughter and she was my niece, too...

I don't think I have, no. You should introduce us sometime - [ he'll let her talk about her family anytime at all. he knows how important it is. ] you have a dragon niece? That's so cool, did she talk? [ he's never met a dragon before! ]

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