Harley -- Dream 07 -- Anyone have a Dis-ache? (at the end of the HUNGER event)

[justwantsafety]

Several scenes only present themselves long enough to get an idea of the events and situations that must've led up to this. In the first, Harley's looking through the fridge, reaching in to pull out something to eat.

In another, he's pulling something down out of one of the cupboards. It looks an awful lot like medicine; the other DDS characters, Danny, and whomever else hung out at Washu's lab might recognize at least some of what he pulls out as being the components for the cannibals' supplements. Clearly, he's taking some more of that.

...Only, it must not have helped much, because another scene shows him checking on a roast in the oven impatiently. Scratch that. Several roasts, and hams, and... whatever other meat was in their freezer, apparently.

Cut to a scene of him at the grocery store, not even waiting attempting to get home before tearing open a package of deli meat, several other similar packages' plastic wrappers on the floor there too.

Finally, he made it home again, an unknown span of time later. He headed upstairs to his bedroom, slowly, using the wall for support while he clutched his stomach, and Noireau jumped down off his bed to greet him.

More. Devour more!

Something was definitely wrong, and it wasn't the pup. Harley's stomach made another sound, and the mark on the back of his hand glowed a little again. He whimpered and pushed past her into his room, shutting her out behind him.

She whined, from the other side, and scratched at the door to be let in, to play as they hadn't in a few days... and he twisted the little lock on the doorknob.

"Don't. Don't come in, Noireau. Please... I'm sorry."

He crossed the few feet to his bed, where he curled up on the pillows, frustrated to tears, biting his lip against the conflicting feelings from his stomach and the pitiful, begging whines of the puppy. As much as his stomach was hurting, protesting the sheer amount he'd packed into it, another part of him was very insistently demanding more. Worse still, he could smell the dog, the scent of what foods she'd eaten, her fur, half damp from the snow outside, and something that was no longer quite in the back of his mind insisted that despite the fullness of his stomach already, she'd be a fine little morsel to--

He made a sound, curling up tighter as he pushed the thought firmly, firmly away, and somehow, after some time more, he managed to fall asleep.

He was in no hurry to wake up. The sun was already high in the sky by the time he yawned and peeked over at where his Dreamberry lay on the nightstand. The fact that it was on puzzled him a little, and he moved to reach for it, to turn it off... only to quickly realize that doing so would require moving more than he was comfortable with. He made a face and curled up again instead, and once it connected that the device's activity meant it'd broadcast what had just gone through his mind, pulled a pillow over his head. At least the mark on his hand had quit glowing.

Comments

[justwantsafety]

...you remember the big counter with the food that's already fixed up and cooked and stuff, in that one grocery store? Where we got the cake and ice cream for that party for Abel's birthday?

[popstar]

[A pause. Did he really...?]

That much?

[justwantsafety]

Um... no, not that much. *not looking right at her*

I had most of the hot dishes, and then I... went to the spot where they have the sandwich meats.

[popstar]

That's still a lot!

[The tone of her voice shifts a little, sounds a bit more concerned.] Are you okay? You don't feel weird or anything?

[justwantsafety]

*making a face again* Yeah, my stomach hurts now.

*quieter* I didn't think the store had that much sausage.

*....which means, he didn't stop after just the deli meats, either.*

[popstar]

Have you tried taking something for it?

[justwantsafety]

...taking something?

*he got home and just went to his room, so no... hasn't left his room yet today.*

[popstar]

I mean like some kind of medicine or something?

[justwantsafety]

Oh. Uh, no. I don't think I have any. ...or is there some in the cabinet with the stuff I always take?

[popstar]

I could check if you want me to.

[justwantsafety]

.....could you? Please?

[popstar]

Sure, give me a sec. [Places the Dreamberry down on the counter. Some rustling sounds are heard as she rummages through the cabinet.]

I think I found some. Let me get you a glass of water. [Does so then, and now going back up the stairs to give it to you.]

[justwantsafety]

Thanks.

*and when she gets there, he's managed to get up, and finally unlocked the door. He'll just... leave it open for her. And go check out the window to the back yard, where Noireau's probably digging around in the snow*

[popstar]

[Pushes the door open to see Harley looking out the window. She walks over to him and offers the medicine and the glass.]

Noireau's been wanting to play with you for a while now.

[justwantsafety]

*manages a lil smile as he takes it from her, and looks back out the window again. "Guilty" is pretty much written on his face.*

Yeah... I should let her know I'm not mad at her or anything. I'm sure she just wanted to say hi to me last night, and I... I couldn't. I almost....

*doesn't want to finish that, so he'll swallow what she gave him, and most of the water too*

God, what's been wrong with me lately? It's like I just... couldn't get rid of it enough to ignore it like I usually can. *frowns* At least I won't have to worry about eating enough to make myself feel like that again at home here. *because there isn't enough food in the kitchen when fully stocked to do it. Or the pantry, perhaps. Or maybe it's just not enough of the food he'd go overboard on like that?*

[popstar]

I'm sure she'll forgive you. She probably just missed you.

[She becomes quiet for a moment, dwelling on the past few days.] You know, I don't think you're the only one who's been feeling like that. I felt kinda weird recently, too. Not because I was hungry, though.

[justwantsafety]

Really?

*looks back up at her again, worried* ....are you feeling better now?

[popstar]

[She tries to make it sound as convincing as she can... and fails.] I guess you could say that.

[justwantsafety]

*yeah, definitely worried* What happened?

[popstar]

[Sighs a little. Stupid date. Stupid, stupid date.] I don't really wanna talk about it...

[justwantsafety]

But... you're going to be okay now, right?

[popstar]

I hope so. I mean, I really don't right now.

[It's probably best to tell him the truth, right?]

[justwantsafety]

You don't know? *not at all liking the sound of that at all* Rise, what happened?

[popstar]

[She bites her lower lip, not exactly looking Harley in the eye.]

I kinda went out with someone from my world. Normally, I would've said no to someone like him but I went with him anyway.

[justwantsafety]

You "went out?" Like to the store or something?