Winter, February 13th - Sleepless Night

[zenoh]

Text - Locked to her CR (anyone who've talked to her at least once and likes her enough)

[ Genessia had made Ayame happy and more at peace for the most part, but this night was the first in a long time that she vividly remembered dark memories she wants to stay buried. Needless to say, Ayame was woken up from her otherwise strict sleep schedule. Wearing nothing but a silken robe over her nightgown and with a cup of warm chocolate in her hand, Ayame gazes into the nighttime scenery of Genessia that helps ease her troubled mind, Ayame checked the time on her phone. It's late for early risers like her, but for many people, 10 pm isn't even late.

Even when she has Anastasia staying with her and Hibiki who is sound asleep in the living room, it didn't ease the lonesome feeling that's plaguing her at the moment. She wasn't sure if it was a distant sound of a siren, or just her own mind, but it jolted her from a lost state. Refusing to stay depressed, Ayame had an idea. ]

It's Ayame. Anyone of you still awake?

[ Phone in hand, she sent that text message to a bunch of people she had met and like enough to be considered an acquaintance. Hoping any of them would still be awake at this hour. ]

Comments

Voice

[youfool]

[Ted's sleeping habits turned nocturnal ever since he decided to ape Batman. Network posts are infrequent, so he felt fine leaving his communicator on. Who knows? Someone might have an emergency! They never did, but that didn't deter him.

No obvious disturbances. No flickering lamplight. All right, it's probably fine. He's in the uniform, so it's just voice for now.]

"Heh, to my chagrin. I take it late nights aren't usual for you?"

[zenoh]

[ Hearing the familiar voice, Ayame switches to audio to match Ted. A deep breathe a sigh comes first before she speaks ]

No, they aren't. I like to stick to a fixed schedule.

[ A beat ]

So, what's keeping you up?

Text

[nrgsvr]

I'm awake.

[ Mayu is an early riser, but he takes frequent naps during the day.]

[zenoh]

I see that.

[ A small sign of amusement formed at the edge of her lips as she sent that message ]

Hello again. It's been quite some time since we've interacted. Have you found a roommate yet?

[ Ayame did come over to check out his house, but ultimately decided to keep her own apartment. In hindsight, it was the right decision. Or else Mayu would have to deal with her having a nightmare tonight and she wouldn't have been able to watch over Anastasia ]

[orlokbutterfly]

if I'm not awake at this hour, assume I'm dead.

[He runs two night clubs. Of course he's wide awake.]

[zenoh]

I'll remember that.

[ She smirks lightly while she thinks and types up another response, not that Gale could see it. ]

How's business? I could only assume the holiday has brought more customers

[orlokbutterfly]

If you mean the sort that drinks away their sorrows of not having a significant other, I guess you could say they've found their way in more.

[Which is pretty sad, really. He feels like he should give those types Prism just so they stop whining for more than five minutes and concentrate on hallucinating instead.]

[Text]

[sonicosuper]

Hi Ayame! I'm awake! I'm just heading home from work! ^^ How are you?

[zenoh]

You should give them a discount on Prism or AvGas.

[ By them, she means her. Because well, she fits the bill too. Just minus the whining part until she gets beer in her system ]

[Text]

[zenoh]

[ Ayame blinks at the sight of the emoticon. What is that thing? Why do people use those? She's so out of the loop on normal people things, but she lets it pass and just type up a response to Sonico's question ]

I'm well.

[ Lie ]

Just found myself bored and a little hungry to go to bed. Not sure what else to do, tonight feels like another night where I won't get a wink of sleep.

[orlokbutterfly]

That would first involve me feeling charitable enough to do that.

I'm not lookin' to be out of those drinks within an hour.

[Especially because they can be a pain in the ass to make sometimes.]

[om_nom_namur]

U say still awaek like its lat3e

Wats up?

[youfool]

"Heh, sounds about right." [He figures women love orderliness in a way his sex can't quite comprehend. Add that to her newfound antipathy for the auction and her strict upbringing...well, some things aren't hard to figure.]

"Oh, work. Don't worry, it's very freelance and...what's the jargon...'results-oriented.' None will mind if I slack every so often. How about your own restlessness?"

[zenoh]

It is late for a crone like me.

[ Ayame took a minute to come up with that joking response, referring to his sketch of her back when they first met. Humor isn't her forte, but she's trying ]

Nothing of interest. I simply couldn't get myself to sleep, and now I don't know what else to do.

[zenoh]

It seems to me that you could use some fresh air.

[ Come hang out Gale, you know the last time they hung out in Dubai was all kinds of craziness ]

[zenoh]

I see.

[ Ayame took a bit to send another message ]

There is nothing to it. I simply don't feel like sleep is for me tonight, and the text is only since I'm unsure of what else to do to pass the time.

[om_nom_namur]

Me [BACKSPAAAAACE and start again. Okay.]

Sumthing keeping u up?
Wats on ur mind?

[orlokbutterfly]

Dunno. It hasn't done much for me lately.

Do you have somethin' in mind

or was that your intention when you signed me up for that auction?

[zenoh]

What?

Now why would I do such a thing? That's such a wild accusation

[ She is taken aback at Gale's accusation, sure of herself that she wouldn't do such a thing. ]

[orlokbutterfly]

Honey
Baby
Sweetheart

You're the only one I know that would make a mention about wanting free drinks out of me.

[zenoh]

Just another dream. It's nothing.

[ And at that instant, she is reminded of one of the many dangers of text messaging: hitting send too soon ]

Mostly I just feel energized. I may have unwittingly drank too much coffee this morning.

[zenoh]

While that is true. I would remember signing anybody up on an event I find morally abhorrent.

[ Namur's speech has gotten to her, sure. But that didn't really stop her drunk self in signing Gale up anonymously. ]

[orlokbutterfly]

Are you sure about that
Are you REALLY sure about that?

[Yeah, he's not buying that for a second. But he'll think for a few moments before replying.]

Or were you drunk off your ass and don't remember doing it?

[zenoh]

[ Ayame's lips split to let a shocked gasp leave her after reading this. Her eyes stared at the screen, re-reading the message over and over to make sure she's reading it right. She honestly doesn't know what is going on with Gale and this auction, and his accusation and skepticism stung like a dagger through her chest.

The fact that she is aware of her substance abuse makes this hurt a lot more than in should, especially now when she's making efforts to recover from it for Anastasia's sake ]

I may lose control whenever I get drunk, but I never lose my decency to put you through that. You know that. Or at the very least, I hope you do. Good night, Gale

[ Ayame puts the phone down, pressing her palms against her eyes and runs it down her face with a groan. What's worse about all of this is that she doesn't trust herself either. ]

[orlokbutterfly]

[That wasn't a response he expected, but it made him just roll his eyes. Maybe his sarcasm was lost in text, he doesn't know, but he won't bother gracing her with a response.

It's easier just to leave it go and let it blow over than to potentially give them both unnecessary headaches. Which was the last thing he in his foul mood wanted.]