aftercare

[duke_of_illusions]

Barma wakes up an hour or so later, yawning.

Reaching to check on Al right away.

Comments

[al_truism]

Al huffs a laugh, wrapping his legs around Barma's waist and arching his back, slowly. Bright, happy.

"I had a dream the other night," he whispers.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Oh? What about?"

Settling down on his chest with a huff.

[al_truism]

Al plays with his hair, winding the part that sticks up right around his finger.

"I was back home, in the old village. Running through the woods, down the old trails. I wasn't a child, but I wasn't me yet either. But I was in my body."

He tilts his head back, looking up at the bed canopy, eyes faraway.

"And I came to the river. It was bright and clear, but there was red in the water. And I realized it was your hair. You were caught on the rocks, sprawled out and soaking wet. I got the sense that you were in pain, but you looked so peaceful and still, like a creature of the river."

[duke_of_illusions]

"Sounds morbid, but pretty."

Smiling.

[al_truism]

Al takes a moment to nuzzle his neck, brushing a finger against Barma's lower lip.

"I waded out and carefully helped you down off the rocks, and as soon as I did, you pulled away and slid into the water- and pulled me down with you."

He kisses him.

"And I panicked, and struggled, and then you kissed me and I realized I could breathe.

"It was such a strange dream."

[duke_of_illusions]

"Have we talked, before, about symbolism? Waters, trees, forests, keys?"

[al_truism]

"I don't think so?"

He's still a man of science, after all this time.

[duke_of_illusions]

"I study a great deal of universal imagery, as a part of illusion-making. Nightmares are effective when they're cultural, primal, shared."

He strokes his side.

"But this isn't about nightmares. Close your eyes for me."

[al_truism]

Al does so, trusting him completely.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Picture everything I'm about to tell you as vividly as possible. You're walking through the woods, on a sort of path."

[al_truism]

Al doesn't answer. He's much more open to suggestion right now, so instead of speaking, he tries to follow him closely.

[duke_of_illusions]

"You walk for some time, until you come across a key in your path. Pick it up, hold it, feel it, then do with it as you will. You keep walking."

He paces his words even and slow.

"Eventually, you come to an obstacle."

[al_truism]

Al's brow creases, but his breathing is deep and regular.

[duke_of_illusions]

"And, in some way, you surmount it, and keep walking along the path.

You come to water."

[al_truism]

Al's shoulders are relaxed again. He has a deep affinity with water, it seems.

[duke_of_illusions]

"Take a moment and do whatever you wish, then come back to me."

[al_truism]

He's gone for perhaps thirty seconds, but his eyes flutter open, relaxed but confused.

[duke_of_illusions]

"What kind of forest was it?"

Curious.

[al_truism]

"Green," he answers carefully. "Just turning to autumn. Touches of gold, orange. Tall and old and deep. Quiet, but with life underneath. Like it was waiting for me to pass, so the small things would be able to creep out of hiding again."

[duke_of_illusions]

"The woods are the world at large, the path your journey through life. What was the key like? What did you do with it?"

[al_truism]

"It was old, antique. Heavy. It was a little dirty when I picked it up but I rubbed it off on my shirt and hung it around my neck, tucked under my jacket."

[duke_of_illusions]

"Family."

He explains, smiling.

"Your obstacle? And solving it?"

[al_truism]

"A swamp. Deep water, snakes swimming through it. I just waded on through after finding a stick to poke through the deep places with."

[duke_of_illusions]

"Life, the road ahead, your sense of self and relationship with your fears. The water? What did you do with it?"

His favourite part.

[al_truism]

"It was a river. Bright and sparkling and filled with fish. I waded in, let it wash me clean, settled down on the larger rocks in the middle. It was very peaceful."