voice

[lalliho]

[He's closed himself off. He thought it might help -- slow your surroundings to a standstill, and maybe everything going on inside would learn to slow as well. When he got control over himself, he could control this stupid magic of his that was given to him. He thought he'd be happy, getting back the gifts he was born into, but even with them, the storm inside had been roaring enough to keep him up night after night.

Which meant he'd been even more cut off than he'd intended.]

I can't sleep. I need to. Tell me...what to do.

[Simple as that. Just help him rest, please...]

Comments

[parodeity]

Depends on why you can't sleep. Nightmares or somethin'? Or just the new place?

[ poor guy :( ]

[lalliho]

No...

[He's had nightmares before. Can't believe he's wishing for them now... New places, too, weren't anything new.]

I just can't. I haven't since I woke up in this stupid place. Or...that other stupid place. I guess.

[Both stupid places, these magic worlds.]

[parodeity]

...Is that your magic power or somethin'? I mean, personally I just don't, but that is not good advice when you want advice on how to like, do.

[lalliho]

Nn. I guess so.

[He still doesn't like calling it his magic out loud, since he already has magic. Magic he can use again, as a matter of fact! Superior magic.]

And I need to sleep.

voice;

[splinten]

Work until you're so exhausted you pass out over your project. For the less ill-advised alternative, music or something that would blank your mind out.

[Dirk is. Terrible at sleep, actually. This is usually how he manages it.]

[lalliho]

I did that. I ran for hours looking at that stupid island, and now this place. It doesn't help.

[Music, though, uh...]

You mean like a lullaby...?

[splinten]

Yeah, if you want. I had this song I found as a kid that always helped put me to sleep. [Well, for a given definition of sleep, but.] Set it on repeat, focus on the song, let it carry you off.

[lalliho]

Wouldn't that get tiring, for the person...?

["set it on repeat" is such a callous way of saying it, too...]

Oh. You -- had things that did that. With headphone things. [Like that one guy he talked to briefly on arrival.] Right?

[witchofwishes]

I know a couple ways.

But can you not sleep due to your magic or are is this another issue altogether?

[lalliho]

[He pauses, but there's an undercurrent there that gives the impression that Lalli isn't trying to reject this, just...sitting there quietly while he thinks and letting her know he's thinking. It was a nice feature of the telepathy, that he could convey that kind of thing instead of seeming like a spaced out, stubborn fool.]

...It's been since Qri took us.

[So. Magic, without having to call it that.]

[witchofwishes]

That's quite a long time to go without sleep. The human body can last, at max. 264 hours without sleep. That's roughly eleven days...

You don't appear to be someone who has gone without sleep for that long.

It could be a side effect of your magic, you know? giving you power but taking away your ability to sleep. Regardless, I can give you some remedies, if you like. There's no guarantee that they will help you but it couldn't hurt.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"Mind elaborating a bit?"

[He needs more info to give his proper input on the situation.]

[lalliho]

[There's a vague annoyance in the background, but it's clearly tempered a little -- the why of this isn't as obvious, but if the thought process was followed, then Joshua could see that Lalli's trying to have patience because he'd had patience for him in the beginning. He's not...very good with patience.

...Which might be why his elaboration is less to do with his original question and is really more like a completely new question.]

I don't know why people can't just answer what to do if I can't sleep. I thought that was a problem people had.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"It is. I mean, I don't sleep, but that's also because I'm no longer human. But, have you lost your humanity as well?"

[His voice normally lacks it's normal, subtle poking tone that lurks belong the surface like a shark. He's calm, neutral, and if anything he sounds almost curious.]

[actus]

Reading something usually works for me.

[lalliho]

[Reading............]

Reading too much makes my head hurt.

[Because there are too many words he doesn't know.]

[actus]

Ah. That makes sense.

[ let's see, let's see. ]

... Why can't you sleep?

[grimdeity]

Deep breathing. Count sheep. Count backwards from 1,000. Cut caffeine from your diet close to bedtime. Close your eyes and picture a black wall and do not move, waiting eternally for sleep to claim you. I'm afraid you're unlikely to find many medicinal solutions here.

Those are the simplest solutions. A less simple solution would be addressing whatever it is that keeps you from sleeping, if possible.

[lalliho]

[Oh, dang. It's a lot of talking, compared to what he's used to, but at least it's all simple and to the point. Nice. He does have a big problem with this, though...]

I haven't seen any sheep.

[uh]

voice

[tropism]

For tonight? I can knock you out, if that's what it'll take. So long as you're okay with me being rough enough for you to lose consciousness.

What you do for the next couple of nights will be something else entirely, though. [ a pause. ] I'm assuming you've tried a lot of methods, but maybe the Palai have .... I don't know. Sleeping pills, or whatever aids, to help someone sleep?

[lalliho]

[...SOMEHOW THIS WAS NOT WHAT HE EXPECTED.]

Isn't that dangerous...? [The other part, though...] Pills...? I know some make you sleepy, but you should only take them for pain and things, right? They don't make them for just sleeping... [Could they...?]

[tropism]

You're the one who can't sleep. It's a method of making people sleep. If that's what you're down for, I won't judge. Things have been difficult - well, different, and that's putting it lightly - for most of us since we've arrived here, and even before that.

Some pills are made to help you sleep. I can help you look for them, if you want? I'm no expert, but from the sound of things, it seems like I'm more familiar with them than you are.

[ a slight laugh; ] It'll probably be less painful, in any case. So long as you follow the instructions, I don't think you have anything to worry ... assuming they work on you.

voice;

[enflame]

( So far, his interactions with Lalli have been minimal. Back home, that was how he had to do things when Lalli was upset. Give him space, get closer, day by day. It wasn't like Lalli was exactly present anyway, which was worrying.

He's in the middle of fiddling with his tablet when Lalli's voice comes in, which is actually welcome his recent social contact was being covered in Palai young and an Elto trying to pet his hair.

He's not sure about Lalli's magic; Emil hasn't seen it in action and their longest conversation occurred when Lalli still wasn't sure of what it even was. That's why Lalli not sleeping is so weird. Back home, sleeping was what he did 70% of the time. )

Did you have a rough night? I'm sure if you lay down long enough, it'll happen. If the beds are uncomfortable, try the floor. ( He's a gremlin, after all. )

[lalliho]

[His connection wavers a little at the question, but he really...should have known. He hadn't seen Emil much, but he always had come around sticking his nose in. Like a friend.

Ha.

A friend would have been able to pick out the connection from others right away, and Lalli certainly hadn't read his signature right off the bat. So they weren't friends. Finally, something stable.]

It's not that. [Ugh... He doesn't really want to go into it. Emil can't help him, he was useless at this.] ...Did you stop burning things?

[enflame]

...This isn't about me.

( So the answer is "no." )

If it's not that, then what is it?