tampered | Log; Complete

Log; Complete

When; Monday, May 19th, 2008
Rating; G
Characters; Kyrie (

mother_rem)
Summary; Rem is staying with Kyrie until Nero returns. They talk.
Log;

She hasn't been able to sleep for a week. It had long since started to show, the skin under her eyes looking dark and bruised, her gaze often vacant because she can't bring herself to focus. But she can't bring herself to sleep, either. The few times she climbed into bed, Kyrie would just begin to drift off when something would start her awake again.

Or she'd sleep for a time--an hour or so--and then jerk awake, sweating, her nightmare a fading fog that she was grateful she couldn't remember.

She knew she needed to sleep. She badly wanted to sleep.

She simply couldn't stop worrying.

The inactivity--the inability to do anything--was going to slowly drive her mad. Kyrie thumbed her communicator, gazing blankly at it. She couldn't recall when she'd sat down in this chair, or even summon up the memory of the last time she'd moved. It occurred to her that she was cold, but she couldn't summon the energy to get up and get a blanket, or adjust the thermostat. Not yet, at least.

Soon. She told herself, firmly; as firmly as she could manage. She'd get up, in just a minute, and she'd make use of herself. She was pretty sure that there was some groceries she should be buying. Or perhaps she should go to the choir room, to make sure everything was still in order.

Anything, really, other than just sitting here.

In just a minute.

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Rem had been staying within eyeshot of the girl while still trying to make herself useful while she stayed in Kyrie's apartment. Kyrie really did need someone there with her, and Rem was all too glad to keep her company until Nero came back.

But it was becoming increasingly obvious that hadn't been sleeping much, and needed to soon. She knew what it was like to be waiting for a loved one and be anxious like this, and not sleeping was not helping.

When the younger girl jolted, Rem glanced over from the dishes she was cleaning up from dinner, concern coloring her dark eyes.

"...Kyrie?" she called gently, going to the side of the chair, watching her carefully.

"Mmm?" It would be rude to hold her head up with a hand, and Kyrie didn't want to admit that she was tired enough to consider it. So instead she leaned back a bit more in her seat, tilting her chin up enough to look at Rem. The brief flicker of a smile barely qualified as such; she couldn't muster much more than that.

Under normal circumstances Kyrie would feel awful about Rem doing the dishes, especially since she was the one that had made dinner tonight. And she did feel awful, still, but even thinking it wasn't enough to make her stand.

Ashamed, she met Rem's eyes briefly before looking away, ordering herself to move. Slowly she began to rise.

"I'm sorry, Rem. You shouldn't have to do that."

Rem couldn't help but smile, even if it was just a little, at Kyrie's show of kindness, even when she was like this.

"I don't mind it, really. Cleaning can be relaxing in its own way," she stated matter-of-factly, a hand resting on her hip while the other came to lay upon the back of the chair. The attitude only lasted a moment, though, fleeting as her short breath.

"You," she started a bit more seriously, "should try to sleep in bed. Sleeping in chairs aren't very comfortable."

Her fingers flexed around her communicator as she looked away. She knew Rem was right, and she felt bad for making the other woman worry. Especially since she was being so kind, and staying here until Nero returned. She wasn't raised to return such generosity with inconsiderate behavior (and behavior that caused worry certainly qualified. She was torn, between the manners Credo had instilled in her, and the inability to stop worrying long enough to rest.

"I've...tried." She admitted, owing Rem at least her honesty in return for all she'd done. "I can't seem to sleep."

"...I see."

Not thinking much of it, Rem sat on the arm of the chair (personal space? Rem knew of no such thing, save for certain people) in thought for a few minutes. She was right; she knew this feeling all too well. And telling Kyrie not to worry wouldn't help. It never did.

The black haired woman leaned her head back, looking at the ceiling. "You know, I had the hardest time sleeping, back at the beginning of the year. I think I didn't sleep for almost two weeks." Nevermind that the dead didn't actually need it. That was besides the point.

She didn't think much about it--Rem had breached the space. Kyrie merely crossed the rest of it. Her head was so heavy, and she would move in just a minute.

It reminded her of Credo. When she'd been little and she'd curl up on his lap and he'd put her to bed each night telling her about his day; not because it was boring, though she was sure it had been, but because of the quality of Credo's voice, the rhythm to it. It had been soothing, and that was exactly what Rem was now.

"Did you? What happened?"

Rem smiled a little, knowing she had Kyrie's attention for even a little bit. Sympathy was all she could offer right now. She nodded quietly.

"Right at the beginning of the month, there was a pretty bad curse. A lot of people had a hard time. And the next day when it was over, I woke up, and Hatori was gone. I found out later that day Vash had left the City too." She took the moment to rub at her eyes; it was still a hard thing for her to think about, the memory recall curse making her remember that of all things.

"Vash didn't come back for almost two weeks, and Hatori showed up again a few days after him. It ..." And with that, she smiled, albeit tiredly, at Kyrie. "But you know... They came back. And they were fine. It just took patience and faith to wait for them."

Kyrie didn't try and return the smile, too empathetic to have managed something like that. It didn't take much for her to wonder what it must have felt like for Rem--after all, the similarity in circumstance was what inspired Rem to share to begin with. And once she imagined it, it was not a feeling she could shake.

Patience and faith. Kyrie had both of those--perhaps one more than the other--and she would wait for however long it took for Nero to come back. Days, weeks, months; it didn't matter how long it hurt.

Still, it didn't mean that she would be able to pass the time without worrying.

"I can wait," she murmured with a sigh, her eyes half closed. "I just...wish he didn't have to doubt himself."

Rem smiled a bit more, resting a hand on her head as comfortingly as she could manage. She knew Kyrie would be okay. It would just be a matter of time.

"...I know. But everyone does to an extent. It's something they have to cope with. But... knowing there are people who believe in him will help him along."

"Mmm." Kyrie hoped that would be enough. It was all she could manage for him--and even that wasn't perfect. There had been a time when Nero had needed her to believe in him, and instead she doubted. For as long as she'd known him--despite all that they'd been through to that point--Kyrie had still seen him standing over Credo and thought he was a demon.

She'd never forgive herself for that. And she'd never let herself doubt him again.

"I hope you're right, Rem."

The smile on Rem's face softened as Kyrie came to a quiet agreement it seemed. Maybe now that that was out of the way, the girl could try to sleep better. Or maybe not. It was a shot in the dark, really, but Rem hoped she would.

Not moving for a time, she simply watched the room around her blankly before shifting a little.

"Come on. Let's get you to bed, all right?"

Kyrie started and realized, with a trace of embarrassment, that she'd drifted off during the lull in their conversation. She sat up and climbed to her feet, feeling a wave of dizziness that surprised her--she knew she was tired, but she supposed she didn't realize exactly how tired. Or maybe she did, but--

Kyrie closed her eyes briefly. She was so tired that she wasn't even making sense anymore.

"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry." She waved vaguely, a slight gesture as she looked at Rem. The apology was meant for accidentally falling asleep, and for so much more. She'd let Rem take that as she would.

She shouldn't. Rem didn't think Kyrie should apologize for anything; it was only natural for her to be like this with what happened still so soon in her mind. But Rem nodded, still sticking close in case the girl would need any assistance, but found she had a handle on her balance on her own.

A few thoughts rolled around in her mind, though nothing really that definite. Just some memories and a few plans for the future, but she pushed it aside to make sure Kyrie would be all right for the moment. Once she was asleep, Rem could think about other things.

"Rest well, all right?"

"Mmm." Kyrie paused at her door, looked at the bed that had been hastily made the last time she'd actually attempted to sleep in it. She could think of other things she could do instead--busy work that would keep her moving, keep her on her feet and close to a semblance of awake for a little while longer. The list wasn't very long; it seemed to get shorter the longer she was up, but she wasn't sure if that was due to productivity, or to her exhaustion affecting her thinking.

If Credo were here--if Nero were here--they'd make her sleep.

"Thank you, Rem." Kyrie glanced at the other woman over her shoulder, smiling sleepily before moving toward the bed. Maybe she wouldn't be able to get to sleep. Still, she had to at least try.

A small noise was made from Rem once Kyrie was out of hearing range, and she stood there silently. What would be the best thing to do at the moment? ...Of course. That was the best thing to do.

Once she made up her mind, she stood beside Kyrie's door, out of eyesight while she thought of a few different ones. She had to be careful and pick the right one. She never sang for people very often, usually when she could tell they needed something to calm their nerves or when they needed something simple to show she cared. This was one of those times. She never claimed to be a good singer, but Vash and everyone else seemed to think she had a good voice. She just liked to sing.

Her voice was quiet, light, and sent a quiet melody through the air as she started the lullaby.

The noise was startling, but not unpleasantly so. Kyrie paused as she pulled down the blankets, tilting her head and looking toward the doorway. She couldn't see Rem, though her shadow was cast on the hallway just beyond her door.

She recalled, in the barest of manners, Rem once telling her that she would consider joining the choir Kyrie had put together. She'd never heard back from her about it, and Kyrie wasn't the type to press an issue like that. Listening now, hands limp in her blankets, she was struck by how pretty her voice was.

Kyrie slid into bed, pulling one of the pillows to her--the one from the other side of the bed, that still had the barest impression from the person who had last used it--and curled up around it, closing her eyes. She didn't let herself think of anything except Rem's voice.

It wasn't long before the lullaby was finished, Rem waiting a few seconds before stepping away from the door. She'd leave her be, hopefully to sleep, and find something quiet to occupy the time with.

She honestly hoped Kyrie would be able to sleep for even just a little while.

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