Dream Post XI

[wotanon]

[ sometimes NSFW is the post-bad game therapy that's needed. ]

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[at_heart]

[ ............................................ ] [ He does not like this version of him that apparently exists in... whatever place this is. (Game?) (Dream?) Like, can we call a time-out here, find Other Him, and punch him squarely in the face. ]

Got in trouble with who? Seriously, who is holding you accountable for what I do. You're a person, not an alarm clock.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ Lupine sure did enter this dream swinging. ]

Whoa- ah, thanks?

[at_heart]

[ Sorry?? He had limited tolerance for this even as cutesy super-consensual-and-for-fun maid cafe role play, it got worse after he found out Kit wasn't actually enjoying it, and the idea of you getting in trouble for his mistakes while you're calling him 'master' really makes him want to bite something. ]

...Aster. Who do you think I am.

[ There are multiple layers to this question, because if this isn't a game, it's got to be based on something, and if you've ever actually had a master, Lupine is going to want in on someday getting to kick their ass. ]

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ He feels vaguely like he's in some sort of trouble and really cannot place why. ]

... Lord Lupine... ?

[at_heart]

[ ugh ] [ Doesn't like seeing that look on Aster's face, either, though. ]

—Hey. [ Deliberately softening both his tone and his own expression. ] It's all right. I'm... not mad at you.

[ Starts to shift out of bed, thinking he wants to get on more of an equal level with Aster, and then pauses as he feels the sheets moving over — skin, cool cool cool. Not that he doesn't usually sleep naked, but he would've appreciated some clothes here. ]

...You work for me, huh?

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ He does relax some, in fact enough to get up to retrieve Lupine's yukata and bring it over for him. ]

A bad morning then?

And, yeah. Who else would it be?

[at_heart]

[ ...He'll take that, yeah. ]

Yes.

[ This is a terrible, horrible morning. ]

But I meant more—

What's your job. Apart from, I guess, waking me up in the morning.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Oh, maintaining the general house affairs, more or less as your assistant. Making sure you wake up on time's as much for keeping me on schedule as it is for you, if that's of any comfort?

[at_heart]

[ Slipping into the yukata. ]

Yeah, not so much. [ Breezy. ] What's the more or less?

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Well, I can't really help you with the paperwork and such, but I can at least make sure you're on schedule and your day-to-day needs at taken care of so you don't have to worry about them.

[at_heart]

[ Gross, why is he doing paperwork. ]

I can't possibly be paying you enough for all that.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ Laughs, but it's soft and warm. ]

The pay's not the only reason why I'm here.

[at_heart]

[ Something unclenches a tiny bit to hear that, because at least you're being paid, but also wait what. ]

It's... not?

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ Just Looks at him, which is probably the first time ever Aster's done that. ]

Yeah. You're the reason.

[at_heart]

[ His surprise is probably pretty comical? He is actively pointing at himself, like. Him? You're sure??? ]

Me.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

Yeah, you.

You don't have to look so surprised about it.

[at_heart]

[ He very much does, Aster. ] [ But also: dreams are weird, and being in someone else's dream is weirder, and his earlier thought that maybe he's taking on the role of someone specific here takes a while to come back to him, even fuzzily. ]

That's... [ Concerning? Power harassment??? ] Sweet.

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ idk man everything feels perfectly normal for Aster. ]

You also don't have to look so tired at the thought- you can just think of it as loyalty.

[ Quickly said as if he didn't just half-confess. ]

[at_heart]

[ And after months of working really hard not to accidentally get into any relationships in Imeeji, he somehow still finds himself in one of these conversations, thanks a lot Yvette. ]

—Aster...

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ rip Lupine. ]

[ Standing up again, offering a hand out. ]

Come on, you've still got breakfast to eat.

[at_heart]

[ ...gazes at that hand for a few seconds before taking it. ]

Yeah. Okay.

[ It would probably be slightly ridiculous to say anything anyway, right? If he's supposed to be someone else, what he feels super doesn't matter. If he's somehow not, doing the let's-just-be-friends speech in someone's dream has got to be worse than doing it through texts. ]

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ Automatically reaching out to straighten his clothes once he's up. ]

At least I've got an idea of how to make sure you get up in the morning.

[at_heart]

[ what why ] [ Jumping again a little, because if he's ever had anyone straighten his clothes for him he doesn't remember it and it must've been a long time. ]

...heh. It definitely did — work.

[ Not like it's bad, kind of domestic and cute. Or. It would be, if you weren't his employee. ]

[wayofthehousekeeper]

[ Because showing off your chest the entire time is not actually how you're supposed to wear a yukata neatly Lupine. ]

And... you're sure you're totally awake, right? You seem a bit out of it.

[at_heart]

[ Look, he's worn worse. ]

I mean, I'm really not sure about that at all. [ 'Dream' or 'game' are definitely his guesses here, and he'd be way more sure if he'd done the dream-walking thing more than once. ] But I'm sure you, uh — did your job right.