justsookie | give your immortality to me; i'll set you up against the stars

Even though Sookie's glad to finally witness the kind of protections that Darrow has against people like Countdown, it sure as hell doesn't do her sleep any favors. Worried after seeing the trend of victims and doubly concerned about what might happen if someone with abilities take on a similar rampage, Sookie's been tossing and turning in her sleep, suffering from nightmares that leave her heart pounding as she sits up in bed, clutching at the sheets.

The worst part of it is being unable to tell anyone. What would be the point? Robin already sends Ishiah after her whenever she tries to head home alone after work. Lafayette still suffers nightmares of his own from Bon Temps, and she's loath to add on more for the sake of easing her own discomfort. Other friends have more than enough of their own problems to grapple with — raising children, recovering from assault.

It's a scary city, Darrow, and that's even without dipping into the strange and unexplained.

Still, the warmth of spring that teases occasionally at the weather is enough to send Sookie outside. She sits on the steps of her apartment building, a large mug of coffee in hand, cupping her hands around the warmth and trying her best not to fall asleep.

Trying being the operative word, as her head threatens to bump against the iron banister for the third time.

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Stopping on the sidewalk some yards away, Will smiles. "I was going to text you about breakfast," he says, voice pitched quiet for the early hour, "But I didn't want to wake you."

His alternate plan had been to visit the bakery around the corner first, and come bearing warm pastries and coffee to ameliorate the pain of any lost sleep. "I see that wasn't a danger." Will steps closer, close enough to touch his thumb to the faint pink mark on Sookie's forehead. "Or is it?"

The sound of Will's voice draws Sookie's attention at once, lifting her chin as he approaches, an easy smile warm on her face. She probably looks a little worse for the wear, but company has been what she's craved most these past few days. All the better when it comes from someone she adores, and Sookie easily reaches up for Will's hand, lacing her fingers with his and giving the barest of tugs.

"I kind of wish I had something nicer to wake me up than the nightmares I've been having recently," she admits, open with the information. There isn't much that Sookie assumes she can hide from Will, anyway. He's too perceptive. It's almost nice, the way it works as a forcing function.

If he knows so much and is still sticking around, that must be a good sign.

"Sit with me. And forgive me in advance if I use your shoulder as a pillow," Sookie says with a soft sigh, lifting her chin to press a quick peck against Will's knuckles.

Hardly able to resist an invitation so sweetly issued, Will sits, body pressed close to hers in the event that she does indeed wish to use him to rest. "I can think of more comfortable pillows," he observes, wrapping an arm around her shoulders against the morning's chill.

"Nightmares?" he asks, wishing he could chase those away as easily as the cold.

"But none that I like half as well," Sookie says, leaning in close and smiling briefly, relaxing into the weight of his arm draped across her shoulders. Once in position, Sookie turns her gaze back out towards the passerby on the sidewalk, wondering at the sheer volume of people in the city. There's no way to come even close to knowing everyone, and as much as she's loath to admit it, sometimes the anonymity leaves her nervous.

"They're not terrible nightmares. It's just that the news has been covering the few murders lately over and over, so I think some of that carries over to my sleep," murmurs Sookie, shrugging her shoulder. "It takes longer to relax in bed when I'm not used to living alone, either. But it'll sort itself out. It always has before."

She lifts her head, turning to face his gaze. "You're up early, too. Everything okay?"

Will shrugs, careful not to dislodge her. "I've never been able to sleep through the night," he says, thumbing at his temple. "One of those minds that never turns off, and all that. And I...I dream of them, too," he admits. "What might have happened to Amy Carpenter had I not found her, what did happen to the others."

"Never?" Sookie asks, sitting up straight and leaning forward for a better look at Will's expression. She raises a hand, fingers shallowly weaving through his curls before she traces the touch further down to his cheek, thumb brushing along the shadow under his eyes. She's always assumed that his appearance was weathered by fatigue, but realizing that a lack of sleep also contributes worries Sookie. "I guess I can understand how hard it is to sleep given what you do. But you need some time to just get away from it. I know there's no pulling you away from what you want to do with your life, but when do you ever do something that's just for you?"

Her lips quirk up at the corner. "Maybe with the dogs you had back home, huh?"

"That was for them, too," says Will, but he smiles. At times he's ashamed of this, but it's almost impossible to be shamed when talking to someone with as sweet and open a heart as Sookie's.

"I did prefer their company at home," he admits. "There's never anything disturbing in the mind of a dog."

"But see, the difference is that you enjoyed it. It wasn't something you just did on principle, right? You can take in any kind of animal, you can take in people who need the roof over their heads. But you chose to adopt your dogs," Sookie points out, smiling as she reaches one hand around to cradle Will's cheek. "I know how it feels, though. I had a cat at home and she was the most even-minded thing. Maybe you could get a dog here. Some nice little thing who keeps you company through the night."

She tilts her head, expression teasing. "I'd offer, but I'm not sure I can hold myself to being very vanilla."

Will laughs, the flush stealing up his throat nerves and pleasure both. "Were that the case, I don't think I'd mind the lost sleep. In fact - " He touches her own cheek, fingers winding down to trace along the delicate line of her collarbone. "I believe I would encourage it."

Surprise softens Sookie's features as she shivers under the brush of Will's fingers. It's a soft touch, barely there at all, but it causes Sookie's stomach to flip pleasantly as she pulls her lower lip in, biting down. Careful might not be the word for it, but things with Will have been slower to start, if only because Sookie feels invested enough that she wants to get this right.

Maybe that's just overthinking it, though.

She leans forward for another kiss, one hand raised to run along the rough line of Will's jaw, before sliding further back to sink into his curls. Closeness says everything that words can't for the time being. They share breath, and an unspoken gentleness, as Sookie brings her knee to bump lightly against Will's own.

"In that case," she murmurs, not yet pulling away. "Do you want to spend the night over at my place? Or the whole day. I'd call off work."

"As long as your boss doesn't show up to chide me for stealing you away," says Will, genuinely amused by the prospect, however mad. A second man with Will's face showing up just when he means to spend alone time with a beautiful woman is a scenario that would amuse his therapist to no end.

"That could get confusing."

"He might. But, uh. He's lecherous enough that he'd hold off until after, I'm pretty sure," Sookie says, grinning in response to the smile on Will's lips and glad for their mutual ability to make light of an odd situation. She brings a hand to rest on his knee, a gentle weight as she leans forward for another kiss, breath shallow and cheeks flushing with heat.

"Come up with me?" Sookie asks, not yet pulling back enough for them to see one another eye to eye. "I've wanted to ask, but I was kinda nervous about being the one to push the envelope too often. I already wrenched you into dating me."

give your immortality to me; i'll set you up against the stars

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