in a place like home you can feel like the intruder -- emily

[Deleted]

@emily

ranger hated waking up from a long sleep. he felt like he had done nothing but sleep in the last four days. he hadn't really been out of his room apart from when he needed to stretch his legs. he had often stirred to find a sandwich on a plate by his bed or a glass of water or something he might need so he had usually just ate or drank it and rolled over and let sleep encompass him again. now he didn't feel like he could sleep anymore. his head was hurting, the familiar headache that was more than possible when you slept too much so he dragged himself out of bed. he glanced at himself in the mirror in his room and he cringed. thank merlin there was no little kids around, otherwise he'd have scared them. he scrubbed his hand over his face and moved from his room, grabbing his sweater from the back of his door and he pulled it over his head. the light coming through the window in the hall made him realize it was early morning so he tried to make as little noise as possible as he moved through the house to the kitchen. he was hungry for what felt like the first time in weeks so he thought food would be a good place to start. then he spotted the coffee tin. coffee. that was better than food. he filled the kettle and put it on the stove, leaned on the counter next to it and rested his head on his hands, watching for when the water started to boil. he felt jinx walk over to him and lean against his leg, having woken up from his bed in the kitchen. reaching down he ruffled the dogs ears lightly as he stayed leaning against the counter, his eyes on the water, almost oblivious to what was going on around him.

||MAZE DIRECTION:RIGHT TURN #1||

[Deleted]

Emily had been awake for hours, as she often was. She liked sleep, sure, but her brain wouldn't allow much of it. She always had something running through her head. A problem to solve, a project to do, a story to write. There was always something that made it so she couldn't sleep.

She heard sounds in the kitchen but ignored them for a moment, as she finished working with the color she had on her current painting. It didn't take long, though, until she wanted to see who was out and about. It was most likely Ranger, considering Andrew was gone for the day. It could be Zander too, though, since he was coming over a lot.

She left her room, moving into the kitchen to see Ranger and Jinx there. "Hey Range," she greeted softly.

@ranger

[Deleted]

@emily

"Hey Range," he looked up at the sound of emily's voice as jinx abandoned his side and crossed the short distance to try and jump all over emily. ranger rolled his eyes slightly at his dog's antics and he leaned against the counter, confident that emily would be able to tell the dog if she didn't want his attention. "morning .. sorry if i woke up" he said softly. he didn't want to impose on them while he was here .. even though it was technically his house too. well apartment. he turned to the water as it boiled and he chewed his lip slightly. "do you want a drink? the water's hot" he said as he moved to the cupboard to grab two drinks. he hadn't realized how thirsty he was feeling till the thought of making a drink had occurred to him. he felt like he hadn't drunk anything in days.

[Deleted]

Em shook her head, Emiyl didn't mind jinx jumping all over her one bit. She loved animals. She had her own dog, a German Shepard named Evee, who was probably lounging out on the deck still napping. She was ten years old and did a lot of lounging these days. "No, you didn't wake me," she said with another soft smile. At his question Em nodded, patting the dog as she spoke, "I would love one. Thanks," she crossed over to the table and sat down. "So, how are you feeling?" she asked casually, knowing full well that it was a loaded question.

@ranger

[Deleted]

@emily

"No, you didn't wake me," he felt a little better that he hadn't woken her up but he still wondered if he had disturbed her from something she'd been doing. "I would love one. Thanks," he smiled slightly and poured the water into his cup as he reached to grab another one for emily. when he'd finished he put the kettle back, grabbed two spoons and carried the drinks to the table. he set one down before emily and nudged jinx with his foot lightly. "he'll bug you for hours now" he said quietly as he sat down at the table and sipped at his drink. "So, how are you feeling?" how was he feeling? bone tired. not the tired that required sleep. he was the sort of tired that happened when you had too much sleep but at least he was thinking clearly. "a little more human but i feel like rip van winkle" he said with a small smile as he sipped the drink. "how long have i been here?" he couldn't quite remember. everything over the last few days were fuzzy. he remembered the hospital wing .. drew being there and then flashes here and there from his time at home.

[Deleted]

Emily accepted the cup with a grin and nodded as he spoke about how the dog would bug her for hours since she was nice to him. "Oh, I've noticed. He's a sweetheart, though," he mused, looking back down at Jinx. Then he answered her and said how he was feeling a little more human. At the choke that followed she laughed before taking a sip of her own drink. "Well, you look good," she said with a smile.

He asked how long he'd been there and she cocked her head to the side, trying to remember. "About Three days. I mean, this is the third," she answered.

@ranger

[Deleted]

@emily

"Oh, I've noticed. He's a sweetheart, though," he smiled slightly and shook his head a little. sweetheart? sook was a better word for it. he reached to rub his hand over his dogs head and he looked at emily. "sook .. he's a sook" he said as he shifted back to wrap his hands around the cup of coffee before him. "Well, you look good," he raised a brow as he brought the cup to his lips and took a sip, setting it back he shook his head a little. "i must look a whole lot better than i feel" he said as he leaned his arms down on the table. he felt better than he had though, his could make heads and tails of his thoughts now and his head wasn't pounding like it was going to thump off of his shoulders. "About Three days. I mean, this is the third," it was his turn to choke on the coffee. three days? well two solid days if you forgot the fact it was morning. "i've been asleep for two days" he said as he ran his finger around the rim of the cup. he had the sudden sinking feeling that em and drew had probably stuck close for those first two days and if they had he felt like he should apologize. he hadn't meant to intrude on their plans. he would have slept in the hospital wing but cassius and the other healers had thought a home environment would be better for him. he did remember that much. only because he had argued. "i'm sorry."

[Deleted]

"A... sook? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term," she chuckled. Emily nodded as he said he must look better than he felt. He did look good, at least he hand some color in his cheeks. But then, after he seemed to be reviewing what happened to him, the sleeping for two days and all he did something she didn't expect. He said he was sorry. She set down her coffee, looking up at him with an eyebrow cocked upward. "Ranger," she started slowly, looking at him, her lips curving into a slight smile. "What are you apologizing for? You're fine. I mean, we're happy to have you. Ranger," she leaned forward just a little, "this is your home. I want you to feel that it is... if for some reason," now she was already blabbing enough, "if for someone reason you don't feel like that because I'm here then I'm happy to step aside. For you. I'm the last person you need to apologize to."

@ranger