(tw: doctors call, bad news, emotional whump, sickness, gaslighting/manipulation mention)
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“You don’t think he sounds a bit…controlling..?”
Aaron frowned over at Jeremiah, going back to his cleaning. Running an extra cycle through the espresso machine - he didn’t think he did it well enough last night. He scrubs at the grounds of black that linger above the portafilter. “You sound like Jessie.”
“I’m serious,” Jeremiah’s voice dipped - hands distracted by filling the pastry case with a fresh batch of blueberry lemon scones. “I don’t know I just…isn’t it odd to you that both me and Jessie think Everett is a little…off?”
Aaron took in a deep breath, flushing the system through. Letting out the breath as hot water washed away all remnants of cleaner. “I don’t think you know him. He’s a good guy - he takes care of me. I’ve been…wrong lately. I’m a handful- no, don’t contradict that, it’s a fact - point is, I’ve been stressed and not sleeping and waking the poor guy up at all hours of the night, and he’s being so sweet.”
Jeremiah sighed, closing up the case. “...sure.”
Aaron frowned, turning back to Jeremiah. His mouth opened to retort, but all thoughts were cut off by a buzzing at his pocket.
A text. He’d ignore it.
Mind moving to try t-
Another buzz.
…a call, then?
Aaron sighed, pulling the phone from his pocket.
His mind froze as he saw the caller id. Center Hospital.
Jeremiah was staring at the phone, too. “..you gonna answer that?” He looked..anxious.
It was making Aaron anxious.
“I’ll keep opening.”
Aaron nodded, silently stepping away and into the storeroom. He answered the call, bringing the phone up to his ear. “Hello?”
A soft but professional voice came onto the line. “Hello - is this Aaron Visser?”
Somehow that just deepened his frown. A little curl of dread pulled into his stomach. “It is, yes. Can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m Tara with Center Hospital. I’m calling this morning because you’re the listed emergency contact for Jessie Morales. Does that sound correct?”
Aaaaaaand yup. Dread. That was definitely dread twisting cold through his blood.
“...sir?”
Oh- He needed to respond - right -
“S-orry - yeah. Yeah, that…should be right. Is he okay??”
“He was admitted this morning. He was working and collapsed - evidently he’s been in pain a few days now and it spiked last night.”
Aaron could feel the blood draining from his face.
Jessie was hurting last night and Aaron wasn’t even there. He picked Everett. He…oh no…ohhhhh no no no that’s guilt. Sick, twisting guilt clawing up his throat.
His voice came out a little more strained than before. “..wh-at kind of pain..??”
“Severe. The doctor is running some tests now. Can you come in?”
“I-I mean yeah- yeah, of course. I’ll…I’ll find someone to cover my shift.”
“Perfect. Stop by the front desk and they’ll direct you.”
“..thank you.”
“My pleasure. Drive safe.”
“Thanks..-” He didn’t even remember to say goodbye or return any kind of well wishes before his thumb numbly poked the end call button.
He stepped back into the kitchen, mouth opening. Closing.
Jeremiah just nodded. “Go on. I’ll figure it out.”
Aaron melted a little inside at not having to explain. He just nodded, swiping his keys form under the counter, and heading out the front door.
Just ask to be added/ removed from taglists! I havent updated this one in a WHILE so I might be missing some people. Just yell at me in the commentssss <3
(tw: nightmare mention? Wow thats it. I SWEAR the plot picks up after this, this is the tipping point - thank you for sticking with me through the dredge of a series-)
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Focus....
Focus and breath.
Aaron closed his eyes, feeling the warm, golden light tangle softly down his veins. It wrapped through his bones.
Focus...
Breathe...
His lungs pressed gently at his ribs, expanding to pull in the invisible light. Life. unbridled power.
Blocked right at the rips of his fingers.
“You stopped breathing…” Jeremiah murmured softly, gently prompting him to continue.
Aaron kept his eyes closed, pulling in another smooth breath.
The copper mug of water was only half full, but was already starting to better resemble lead. It weighed at his arms, pulling a tremor from his aching muscles.
He focused.
Warmth. Heat. Boiling…
It didn’t seem to be happening.
But of course it wouldn’t. He wasn’t in a dream, he wouldn’t be able to access The Core in the waking world. And as much as Jeremiah and Jessie worked with him, telling him that this would make it easier in the dreams, he still couldn’t quite bring himself to understand this ‘training’.
Wasn’t this just going to enforce the belief that he’d fail?
Aaron sighed, setting the mug back down on the counter, not bothering to even look at the pitiful, distinctly not hot, thing.
“I don’t think it’s helping.”
Jeremiah frowned softly at him, tugging him by the shoulders away from the counter again. “It’s helping. You’re building neural pathways and strengthening the pull like muscle memory. Even if you can’t manifest right now, that doesn’t mean your efforts are futile.”
Aaron shrugged his hands away. Gently. He didn’t want to hurt the poor guy’s feelings. Not when he was trying so hard to help. “I think…something’s just…wrong with me. I can’t - it’s not helping the dreams. I’ve been having them every night for weeks now - I guess…I’m having fewer nightmares, but during the bad dreams, The Core is still just gone. I…I don’t know, Jer. I don’t know anything..”
Jeremiah nodded solemnly. “I think you just need some rest. You work yourself to death during the day, and you work yourself to death in your sleep. You need the practice - it’s important - but you need to rest, too.”
Aaron took in a shaky breath, letting it out again. He glanced around the coffee shop - the warm streetlights shining through darkened windows. Shadows.
“..okay. Enough for today, then. Let’s j-”
“-no no, I’ll finish closing - you just go get some sleep.”
Aaron blinked at him. “...really? I don’t want you to have t-”
“No, I’m serious. You’ve had a much longer shift than me, go get some sleep.”
Aaron smiled softly back at him. “You’re wonderful…” his eyes were already burning from exhaustion. He reached behind him and snagged his jacket off the counter, sleeves fwooshing as he slipped his arms into place.
“You’re sure?”
Jeremiah chuckled warmly, giving Aaron a solid scoot toward the door. “Go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Aaron smiled, stepping back and toward the door. “You’re the best - thank you.”
“Mhm, now get.”
“Yea yea yea-” he shoved open the front door. “Goodnight!!”
And off into the night he went.
Jeremiah watched him go.
All the way across the street. Into the darkness.
His eyes finally turned back to the mug. Copper was a good idea.
He picked it up gingerly. By the handle.
Scalding.
No bubbling yet, but close.
He pulled up a tendril and wove the piece of Core to his fingertips, shielding himself from the heat as his hands wrapped around the mug.
There was a slight indent that his fingers smothered - soft lines where Aaron’s hands once were.
The poor boy was running so hot, he didn’t even realize the liquid was as well.
I may be running on 1 hr of sleep and Monster right now but I am scittering in your ask box for two reasons
1) Ramble about any OC Fact/idea/etc that for some reason you just haven't really gotten the chance to mention
And 2) I am throwing country song/artist rec at you for when you are able to bc I may or may not have been meaning to give you it for a few months but brain stupid-
Okay bye ily Rocks *throws smoke bomb and splats after it's gone*
I'm gonna lore drop. Because the Core universe is really fkin cool I think, and the series isn't even gonna touch on most of it.
The Core from Waking Dreamer is also the power source in the Cael series I'm not really gonna write. The Core keeps going even after the world is destroyed. Whether that's because of the people that inhabit it or the sun blowing up or whatever, this universe keeps recreating itself after it's broken because of the Core. Different generations (and by that I mean full millenia of worlds) call The Core different things. Cael's world calls it Heart. Obv Aaron and gang all it The Core. After that world is destroyed in who knows how fkin long, the next one will be called Peta.
Each iteration of The Core is both sentient and impressionable. It's sentimental so it keeps making the world much the same each time, and it likes humans a lot. But how they choose to interact with it and the rules they 'discover' for using it as a power source completely vary. It just becomes whatever they expect it to be. So the rules are different even though there's nothing keeping it that way. If you walked up to a Core universe while fully expecting your yarrow core white oak wand to work with Harry Potter spells it would. The Core functions as a battery - you do have to give it something for the magic to work (usually just life force - you won't miss it), but however you truly believe you can summon it, you can. That's how Aaron's expanding his Use right now. He believes he's dreaming when he's not, so that belief carries his ability into the waking world. The Core doesn't care what your rules are. It's just very difficult to overcome muscle memory when you think you're not physically able to do anything.
Anyone in any of these world could have the power of a fully gauntleted up Thanos, it's just that no one realizes they can enough to try.
Which I think is hilarious.
2. I haven't heard this song but I'll give it a listen after work! Thanks love!
i love Waking Dreamer!! (need to add it to the list of things to reread) but that concept of turning it into a novel with the whole hallucinations and anxiety and paranoia that comes with that sounds absolutely amazing!
idk what i was trying to say here.
ig i just wanted to let you know to screw the whump if you want to screw the whump. Write what you want. I can guarantee a lot of us will still absolutely love it even if it does lack physical whump. Especially if it means you are happier with it.
(tw:.......wow.......no? none? huh. some fighting i guess? a sprinkling of gaslighting?)
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Aaron sat in his car. Alone.
This was becoming a habit. One he shouldn’t let stick around.
He let his spine curl and collapse, resting his forehead on the warm steering wheel. His eyes screwed shut. Just go inside. It’s fine. Even if Jessie is there, it’s fine. Just because Ev and Jes are fighting doesn’t mean he’s going to be mad at you. Just. Just stand up. Just go in.
It was stupid. So stupid. He should be afraid of going into his own house. Especially when Jessie had done nothing wrong. Aaron had asked for help. It was fine.
It was…just. A long day. A very long day. He didn’t have the energy for anything unexpected or stressful. And he definitely couldn’t afford to fall asleep again in the car - one unexpected nap was more than enough for one day.
Still.
Between the sleepless nights, the fight that morning, and the double shift, his body was screaming at him for sleep. It was trying to drag him down - clawing at his legs and eyelids with sharpened, gnarled fingers.
So…why not just go inside? Easy. Simple. Turn off the car. Undo the belt. Open the door. Stand. Walk into the house.
Easy.
Aaron took a deep, trembling breath. He watched his hand move unbidden, turning off the car and clicking the seatbelt from place. Letting muscle memory take over the jobs his mind could not force his body to do.
He slipped out of the car, lungs heavy. Glancing around, he spotted Everett’s car parked across the street. Aaron’s eyebrows pinched, looking over it. He pulled out his phone, double-checking the time. It was almost midnight, why was Ev here?
He looked back to the house, feet moving a little more readily now.
He slotted the key into the door and turned it, stepping into the warmth and the light.
“.......Jes? Ev?”
Jessie rounded the corner of the hallway, arms folding. “Mind telling your boyfriend to fucking leave already??”
Aaron blinked at him. “...I…..what? What’s going on?” He stepped further in, peeking into his bedroom where Everett was tossing clothes from Aaron’s dresser and closet into a suitcase on the bed.
“......Ev?”
Everett stopped his work, glancing up with a warm smile. “Hey, love. I thought I’d save you the time and get this ready to go - I hope you don’t mind?”
Aaron stared around his room. “...no, of course I don…..wait - wh…….what are we doing here..?”
Everett blinked at him. “.....moving?”
Aaron just got more confused. “...I…….wait what?”
“...you said you’d move in with me? And after this morning, I assumed you wouldn’t feel safe sleeping in the same house as him, so I stopped by to help out the process.”’
Aaron glances back to see Jessie seething through the door at them from the living room.
“.......I…I mean, I appreciate the help, but…but I’m good - I promise.”
Everett frowned. Soft.
He took a step closer. Then another. His hands cupped Aaron’s face and tenderly turned it up to him. “Honey, you’re so……I adore you - but sometimes you don’t see danger when it’s staring you in the face. And I want you to be safe. You said you’d move in with me. Why wait?”
Aaron chewed at his lip. “...I….didn’t we say we were going to think about it?”
Everett shrugged. “And we’ve thought about it. So on to the next thing.”
Aaron pulled out of the grip, glancing back to Jessie. He hated himself - absolutely loathed himself - for flinching at Jessie’s stony face.
Hated that it was Jessie’s face in his nightmares
He glanced back to Everett. “...okay. N…not for………….I want to think about it more before moving out completely. But…tonight. That’s okay.”
Everett gave him a soft smile, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “We’ll start with that.”
Aaron let out a soft breath, melting up and into the kiss. This is what he needed right now. Not conflict and fighting and anger - just the softness. Just constant, steady support and someone who is willing to hold him and pack for him and say sweet things. He didn’t mind Everett taking the reins a little - he was so tired, it was a blessing not to have to decide.
He nodded softly, pulling back as Everett did. “Okay. Um….anything else we need?”
Everett shook his head. “You have a toothbrush and stuff at my place, so we’re good to go.” He turned back to the bed, zipping up the bag.
“You’re kidding me,” Jessie interjected, stepping into the doorframe. “You’re seriously going to go with him??”
Aaron blinked, confused. “I…I mean…..yeah? I stay with Everett all the time, why is this weird?”
Jessie gestured pointedly at Everett. “Because he fucking broke into the house and wouldn’t leave?? Went through your shit? I was seriously considering making him go-”
Aaron frowned. Stern. “Don’t do that. Don’t make threats - that’s not fair.”
Jessie let out an exasperated breath. “Fine. I’ll call the police or something next time - happy?”
“No.”
Everett pulled the suitcase to the ground. “I’m not happy either.” He flashed Jessie a charming smile to juxtapose the rigid tone. “Now scoot - I’m trying to ‘finally’ leave your house.”
Jessie glared, holding his ground for several long seconds before eventually relenting and stepping back. “Fine.”
“Charming,” Everett chided, stepping past. He glanced back to make sure Aaron was following.
Aaron let out a sigh, then did so.
Jessie’s glare shifted to Aaron. “Seriously?? Seriously. Why would you go with him? Can’t you see how fucked up this is?”
Aaron softens, turning exhausted eyes to Jessie.
“...Jes…I’m tired. I’m really really tired. I don’t want to fight. I just want to go and sleep. And I feel safe there. So let me go.”
Jessie’s lips pinched together. His fingers curled into tight fists, but he stepped back further. “Fine. At least I’m not going to fuckin kidnap you away in the middle of the night - I let you go places.”
Aaron’s expression didn’t shift. Exhausted. Pleading. “Jessie, please. Please just…get some rest. We can all talk everything out when we’re less on edge - okay?”
“....Fine.” Jessie turned, slapping off the living room lights as he headed back down the hall toward his room. “ Lock up.”
Left in darkness, Everett groaned as he fumbled for the door. He managed to pry it open in a few moments, dragging the suitcase out.
Within a few minutes, Aaron was in the car, buckled up, and heading out of the city with Everett’s hand on his thigh.
“...I’m sorry about that,” Aaron whispered.
Everett shrugged, thumb brushing up and down his leg. “It’s okay. Everyone had a long day. Like you said - he just needs some sleep. And so do you.”
Aaron frowned. “I…don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep. I jus……I don’t know. I don’t want to fall asleep right now.”
Everett gave his thigh a soft squeeze. Comforting. “You need rest. Not getting any is just compounding everything.”
Aaron stared out the darkened window, watching streaks of light glint lines across his vision. “...yeah…..I guess.”
