A Sleepless First Night

[aleifr]

Who: Aleifr and anyone who chances upon him
What: Insomnia-Driven Wanderings
Where: Various places around P90
When: Night One
Warnings/Notes: Nothing at present, but I'll update if that changes

It’s clear fairly early on that Aleifr’s first night on Piper 90 would be a restless one.

Simply put: He didn’t like it here.

He didn’t like the fact that he was a dozens floors off the ground in some metal monstrosity, feeling the vibrations of it's slow, steady movements like the faintest tremor of one of Fenris's summer quakes.

He didn’t like the distant engine noises, or the echoing footsteps of boots on metal. He was used to near silence at night; gently whistling winds carrying the soft crackle of a campfire or the murmurs of a distant conversation. If a night got that loud on Fenris, it was either feast day revelery, or you needed to be on your feet with an axe in your hand.

He didn’t like that he was trapped here. He didn’t like that he’d been dragged here against his will on someone’s whim. He didn’t like that he had no idea why either. He didn't know if there was even an ounce of truth in the rat-faced man's story about the near end of the world, or what the hell part he was supposed to play in that design if it was. He fucking hated that there was nothing that he could do about it.

He didn’t like sleeping alone, either. Wasn’t used to it anymore.

He’d still made an effort, if only so he wouldn’t be sleep deprived while dealing with whatever tomorrow brings. He might have been able to find an hour or two if he was on his own furs, but even the bed worked against him. It was too damned soft, and no matter which way he lay he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was sinking into it.

Needless to say, sleep didn’t come. All he did was toss and turn for a few hours until he grew sick of it.

He decided he needed to do something. Walk. Memorize his surroundings, get something to eat, something to drink … Busy himself until sleep started to sound appealing again, really. Anything but lay around in that fucking bed that clearly wasn't made with someone his size in mind.

So he put on the jumpsuit that was given to him -- that at least fit -- and decided to walk the halls. It felt ... strangely dreamlike, honestly. Maybe it's the fact that he's tired, maybe it's all so alien to him that it doesn't seem real ... he doesn't know.

He doesn't want to dwell on it, honestly.

Anyone who happens to be awake can find him. He’s not a hard man to spot. Maybe they catch him as they exit his room. Maybe they find him in the halls, wandering around and trying to commit landmarks to memory so that he has some rough picture of the place in his head to navigate by.

He’s awake for a good, long while that night. Plenty of opportunity.

Comments

[aleifr]

"I wouldn't refuse any help you offer," Aleifr replies, with a small, thankful nod. "If it was a matter of gathering some furs, I'd handle that myself ... but this? This, I don't know how to work with."

[xrater]

She waves her hand, as if to brush away the trouble. "You're big, you need a bigger bed. I can just put together an extension as a temporary measure. It still won't be the most comfortable thing to lie on, but at least your feet won't dangle." It's not like she had the resources for anything better.

Not yet, at least. Maybe after a few more projects...

[aleifr]

"Truth be told, I wouldn't mind something a little sturdier." Aleifr shrugs. "The bed's softer than the furs I'm used to sleeping on. Feels like I'm sinking into it when I'm laying down."

[xrater]

Well, he's the first person she's heard complaining about the beds being too soft. They must grow them tough as well as big, wherever he's from. "That can be changed. I'd just have to swap out the mattress or remove it entirely." A simple fix, really.

[aleifr]

"That won't be an issue?"

She's doing him a favor. He's not going to ask her go too far out of her way, as nice as that change would be.

[xrater]

A small chuckle escapes her, smothered quickly with a polite smile. "No, it won't be an issue at all." In fact, it's almost absurdly simple. If someone back home had asked, she'd almost be offended. But here, where the 'help' is, well. Less helpful? Even something as simple as fitting together a bed can be time well spent. "I'll need to have a proper look at your room, of course, to see just how much I should be adding, but after that's done, well..."

A shrug.

"I'm working in the machine shop anyway."

[aleifr]

"I see."

That small smile of his returns, and he bows his head. "Then you have my thanks. And whatever help I can offer, should you need anything."

latelatelate

[xrater]

"I'll remember that the next time I need a mobile wall." It really is rare to see a human that much taller than her, after all. There's a pause and she holds out her hand. "Alia."

[aleifr]

"Aleifr. Son of Bjorn."

The 'A' at the front is so rounded it almost sounds like 'Oliver'. He extends his hand to shake hers - probably dwarfing it.

[xrater]

He's almost a good foot taller than her and even broader, so her hand definitely gets a little swallowing done. Her grip is firm, her hand... somewhat soft, though slightly cooler than a person's hand should be. Like someone who'd gone out bare-handed in the winter.

Then again, it is cold here.

A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. "I thought you looked Scandinavian." His accent's still not quite right for it, but she wasn't a linguist. How would she know how far accents drifted over... what, more than two hundred years? She's still satisfied with her guess. "A pleasure to meet you, in any case."

[aleifr]

How cool to the touch her hand is does draw his attention, but before he can ask about it, he's posed with another question.

"Scandinavian?"

His brow creases in obvious confusion. That's a tribe he's never heard of.

[xrater]

Ah. Well.

"Northlands?" Time is so weird here. So many people from distant pasts and far futures. It's honestly as frustrating as it is fascinating sometimes. "It's not that important, I'm sorry."