#we interrupt your regularly scheduled diasomnia w a side of pomefiore!

[serenescribe]

Three sentence meme!

Epel has a nightmare and Vil comforts him

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"Have you been awake all night?" Vil asks incredulously as he walks into Pomefiore's kitchen, halting in his steps at the sight of one exhausted Epel Felmier, leaning against a table with heavy bags weighing down his eyes. Pomefiore has a curfew in place, and as the housewarden, Vil knows it is his responsibility to make sure they all adhere to it — including Epel.

But when Epel doesn't react to his words, merely glancing over at him before returning to stare at the table, Vil... softens. He'd expected a snippy remark, or a reluctant apology, not complete silence — is there something else going on?

While it is true that it is his responsibility to make sure those under his dorm adhere to his rules... it is also his responsibility to take care of them where necessary.

Sliding into the chair next to the boy, Vil presses an elbow into the table, resting a hand against his cheek as he faces Epel. "Epel," he begins, voice gentle, "is there perhaps something bothering you? Why have you stayed up overnight?"

"...'m had a nightmare." Epel ducks his head as he murmurs, as if embarrassed by his words.

"What about?"

The boy sucks in a breath. "...STYX. The Phantoms. Idia's overblot. I know we've all gotten out fine, and that you 'n everyone else could take care of yourselves, but..." A shaky laugh. "I'unno," Epel mutters, raising his head though still averting his gaze, "it didn't really feel all that daunting while we were there, but when you're busy dreaming about you 'n Rook dyin', it... kinda don't make you wanna go back to sleep, huh?"

...Ah.

He reaches out to rest a hand over Epel's, causing the boy to glance over at him.

"I understand," Vil says softly — he has been haunted by these nightmares as well, jolting awake more than once with horrific dreams of Epel and Rook dying fresh in his mind, so really, who is he to fault Epel for staying up over it?

He can always lecture the boy over the importance of a good night's rest later and send him on his way with some concealer. For now, though...

"Would you like a cup of tea, Epel?"

"...That'd be nice. Thank you, Vil."