[FIN] Dark and Stormy Night

[Suudonym]

Luke had practically zero positive associations with loud, unexpected noises. The scream of gunshots, the roar of vehicles colliding, the cacophony of twin explosions of metal and glass - any good memories were easily smothered by the bad. The autumn thunder rolling through the night wasn't on a level of inciting panic, but it did render him incapable of falling comfortably asleep. Contrary to a couple short weeks prior, however, he now had the power to do something about it, even if that something was only as simple as changing his location.

To be fair, the fact that he could move from one room to another of his own volition was hardly something to be dismissed. With all the care the physical therapist had drilled into him, he shifted to sit on the side of the bed, taking hold of the cane that had replaced the wheelchair and using it to rise to his feet. The thrum of falling rain began to sing outside, the rhythm punctuated by distant rumbles and an intermittent flashing that pierced the nighttime darkness. It wasn't anything like the storm that had confined Luke to Rosie's house months ago, but it was noisy, distracting, and mildly frustrating.

At a careful pace, he moved from the room that had been assigned to him and into the living room, unsure of what to do now that he had made the journey. He took up a place behind the couch for the time being, leaning against the back of it for stability.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie should have probably gone to bed a while ago, following the lead of the wiser Rodney, who most likely had class in the morning, or her Pokemon, who's forms scattered in various spots in the small living room, unmoving in their slumber. But this was the first time in a while, where Rosie didn't have to count on being up early, so she was going to indulge.
That, or she just lost track of time, again.

Most of the lights in the house were off, save for one lamp sitting at an end table, and providing enough dull light to brighten the pages of a book that was settled on the blond's knee.
Curled up against the arm rest of one of the love seats, a throw blanket tosser over her lap and a Vaporeon laying asleep with a head on her young girl's thigh, the storm wasn't paid much mind by either, if anything it was providing an interesting atmosphere for the book she was currently immersed in, and for a moment she wasn't even aware there was anyone else in the dim room, until movement by the couch drew a glance up.

Blue eyes widened slightly in a momentary look of surprise, the book drooping further into her lap. "Can't sleep?"  

[Suudonym]

He looked to the room's other occupant with a faint nod, "I know it's not much as far as storms go, but I guess it's still noisy enough." He watched Vahy'n for a moment, slightly envious of the ease with which the water-type slumbered. "What are you reading?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Mention of the storm drew Rosie's attention to the adjacent window, mostly in acknowledgment to the noise the storm was making, seeing as the large window had the curtains drawn for the night.
"Its supposed to go for most of the night." she said with a sympathetic look back at Luke. She was sure it was worse around the downstairs too, thanks to the trees and bushes that decorated the outside of the house.

She was aware of how hard it was for Luke to get sleep as it was, At least now he didn't have to just lay awake stuck in the bed. Something she was reminded of every time she saw him standing, a week later, and the sight still didn't fail to delight her.

At the question of the book, Rosie brought herself back to the pages in her lap, closing the book with her finger between the pages to keep her place.
"its called Meteorology." She told him "It was recommended to me by a women I met who's playing in the series coming out for it, I thought I might read up on it before the show comes out."
A grin spread over her lips as she saw the irony in the story's subject "Its about storms."  

[Suudonym]

He frowned at the thought. "I'm sure eventually I'll be too tired for it to bother me," he said, or rather hoped. He had had far more than his fill of sleepless nights in the past year - never mind the fact that proper rest was immeasurably important to proper healing.

He responded to her grin with a mild smile of his own, "I'm a little envious. Everything I've been reading lately is so boring." Not that he really had time to spend reading fiction anyway, as things were. He had a lot of catching up to do after two months of immobility.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Oh, that sounds like it might work." it was with a slightly crooked grin that she agreed with Luke, feeling bad that he would have to wait to get some sleep.
putting her hand back over the cover of the book, the blond sat up a little against the back of the couch, adding a more hopeful time "Would like some company till then?" She wasn't sure how long she would be up, she wasn't feeling terribly tired at the moment, but she imagined it was going to catch up with her before too long.

"Mmm- the government books? Yeah those don't seem like they would be a really compelling read, Though I guess if that's what your into it, might be." a slight tilt of her head, she smiled "You don't seem to be though. You're welcome to read this if you want to. Its pretty good so far."  

[Suudonym]

"I wouldn't mind it," he replied, folding his hands on the back of the couch. "Aren't you tired, though? It is pretty late." He felt he had a fairly good idea of how she would reply regardless of whether or not she was tired, but the words found their way to his voice nonetheless.

"Not really, no," he confirmed with a sour expression. He was not at all the administrative type and had his concerns over how a future in politics might pan out, but there wasn't much to be done about it. It was a bridge that would have to be crossed when encountered. As he started to reply to her offer, he stopped and reconsidered the words on the edge of his voice, frown. "I feel like I'm obligated to say I'm too busy for leisure reading, but I guess I'm the only one setting my schedule," he considered. "And honestly Father should be happy I'm already doing as much as I am," a slight defiance came into his tone, "so why not. Sure, I'll read it when you're done."  

[Blood_Goddess]

A light shrug with a soft hum answered his question first, the trainer's eyes trailing down to the sleeping Vaporeon on her leg.
"A little, Just not ready to sleep yet I guess."
Looking back up as her fingers gently stroked the water type's forehead, "Besides, I wouldn't mind some company either."

A slight giggle escaped Rosie when he adopted a mild defiance as she watched him work out his situation in his mind.
"Good! Maybe we can both get caught up before the show airs!" she added with renewed excitement, sitting up a little straighter.
"Its really cool that you want to learn something important like that, taking some time to do something fun if just as important though."
He deserved some fun after everything he had to go through.
Maybe that's why his dad was so.... well, the way he was... hm.
Rosie, that was a terrible thought!

The talking had women the Vaporeon a while ago, but it was as Rosie spoke again that a single yellow eye opened, peering quietly up at the girl, then over to Luke, who seemed to have come into the room.  

[Suudonym]

Well, there wasn't really any arguing that kind of response. Dedicating the necessary amount of concentration to do so, Luke moved around to the other side of the couch and lowered himself onto the cushion, minding Vahy'n to avoid jostling her unnecessarily.

The thought was a strange one, leading him to wonder when was the last time that he had done something fun just because it was fun. Learning piano had been enjoyable, but it was also something he had pursued out of a sense of obligation, knowing that he had learned it once before and forgotten. "I think I've been acting like a child for a long time," he said idly. "A child pretending to be an adult, like spending all my free time reading about politics because 'that's just how it has to be.'" That wasn't how it had to be; that was just how he had made it.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie watched in silence as Luke made his way around to sit on the other side of the couch, almost holding her breath as he did.
He didn't need her help once.

Vahy'n lifted her head up, opening her jaws in a dainty little yawn, curling her tail away from the other seat so that Luke wouldn't be crowded.

with her elbow propped up on the arm of the couch, Rosie rested her head on her palm, his words giving her a moment of pause.
"I know that learning government is really important to your family, I know its what your dad wants, but," she paused, as if thinking, her eyebrows arched "Do you think that's something you'll be happy doing?"  

[Suudonym]

"I don't know," he said, joining his hands in his lap. "I don't think I've ever done anything like it. I don't know if I'm cut out for such an important job, being responsible for so many people - for an entire nation." It was dizzying to think about, and though he knew that he was eligible to hold the position once he twenty years of age, he really hoped his father wouldn't be too quick to pass it to him.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Taking a moment from the silence to consider just the volume of what he had said. It wasn't something she didn't already know, but it was exactly something that was spoken about a lot, and there was a different in understanding a concept, and hearing it, especially from the one who's shoulders would bear the weight.

"Its kind of amazing..." she started after the silence became unwelcome once again "You study a lot, but I understand why you would be nervous."  

[Suudonym]

"Part of why it makes me so nervous is probably because it feels so soon," he considered, "but if I think about it realistically, I probably don't have any reason to worry… Father's not the kind of person who would hand over a position like that until he had to."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Luke knew his father more then she did, but he seemed like someone who took the job very seriously, so it made sense that he wouldn't just force it all of Luke.
"Oh, well that is good~ Gives you more time to learn more?" She offered, but then smile "But of course not forgetting to have fun too."  

[Suudonym]

A faint smile of his own responded, followed by a nod. He was silent for a time to follow, eventually finding the words to break the quiet, "I think there are probably a lot of things I should apologize for." He paused briefly, as though unsure where to go now that he had started. "I think I caused a lot of worry and stress that could have been avoided if I'd thought about things a little differently."