Ozma (boyprincessofoz) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2020-06-06 18:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | ozma, roland deschain |
Who: Ozma and Roland
What: Talking
When: Recently
Where: Roland's house
Rating/Warnings: Talk of an attempted breakin at Ozma's house, thoughts of violence on the person who did it
Status: Complete when posted
Ozma felt horrible for being late to her lunch date with Roland, but it had been unavoidable. After the attempted breakin at her house she’d had to wait for the police and then to get her nerves back under control before feeling safe driving across town to meet him. She called his phone as she pulled into the parking lot telling him she would be walking through the door in a minute and would explain everything when she sat down. She glimpsed in her rearview mirror before getting out of the car, she didn’t look as on edge as she still felt so that was good. She made sure her phone was safe in her purse in case the police called to let her know that they’d found the man but she wasn’t going to hold her breath on that.
She saw Roland as she came in the door, waving to him and smiling as she made her way over there, leaning over to give him a one armed hug before sitting down opposite him. “Like I said on the phone. Sorry I’m late darling - things went a bit nuts around my house this morning and I had to call the police.” She tried to sound nonchalant about the whole thing but her voice was still trembling a bit.
***
Speaking of walking through doors, Roland was staring at a door in his backyard when he’d gotten Ozma’s call. A distraction sounded better than this so Roland went inside so he could meet her. She opened the door before he reached it and found an arm around him. Roland wasn’t a hugger, but he didn’t mind it either.
Both arms circled around her, strong and steady. She moved and he let her go, watching her as she sat. Always a gracious host, Roland went to the kitchen and returned to the living room with a couple of glasses of cold water and slices of chocolate cake. Everyone liked cake.
He made a little grunt to indicate she didn’t have to be sorry. “What happened?” he asked, no sign of alarm in his tone, just a question.
***
Ozma took the cake and water, setting the glass on the coffee table after taking a sip. “Someone tried to break into my house. They must have thought it was empty since I actually parked in the garage last night instead of just leaving my car in the driveway like I normally do. I heard the glass break and at first I thought something had just fallen downstairs so I went to check and there was an arm reaching through the window trying to unlock the door.” Laying it out so calmly didn’t do anything but drive it home what had happened that morning and she set the cake down beside her glass as her hands started shaking. “I kind of froze for a moment and then started screaming at them to get out and called the police.” Now that she was thinking about it there were things not making sense. How likely was it that someone would just come across her house? She’d picked a place outside of the city so that she could have privacy to let Sawhorse and the others outside without annoying neighbors. And if they’d been expecting the house to be empty why did they seem to be trying not to make a lot of noise? The only reason she’d heard the break was that she’d stepped out of her bedroom at the exact right moment. Or the wrong moment depending on which side you were looking at it from.
***
Now it was cause for alarm, though it still wasn’t registering on Roland’s face. The only sign of anything was a twitch of his prosthetic fingers. He’d always heard of phantom limbs and even an itchy trigger finger manifested in his nerves.
“Did you call?” Roland asked. Had the guy left? Most importantly, could the gunslinger go get him?
***
Ozma nodded her head, taking calming breaths to keep her nerves in check before answering him verbally. “I did and the police came out and made sure that he was gone from the property and looked for any evidence he might have left behind. They kept asking me the same questions over and over about it. And asking if I knew anyone who might have done it. As if I wouldn’t have given them that information if I’d had it right from the start.” She told him. “I know. I know they were just doing their jobs but...still frustrating.”
***
Cops could be terrible defenders of justice. For them, it was about ego and authority. For Roland, this meant that the person who’d tried to get to Ozma was his now.
“You can stay here,” he offered. Her and that horse of hers.
***
Ozma reached out for her water, taking a small sip before setting it back down. “I appreciate the offer Roland but...I couldn’t do that to you. If it wasn’t random, thinking they’d found an empty house, I don’t want to bring them here. I don’t want to put you in danger.” She said sincerely.
***
If Roland were one to give a Bless Your Heart smile, this would have been a good time, but Roland wasn’t the kind. Instead, he kept the fact that the danger wouldn’t be his was left unsaid and Roland remained expressionless.
“I won’t beg,” he said. “What about your danger?” If she was, she needed security.
***
That was the real question wasn’t it? What about her danger? She didn’t want to think about it but she couldn’t just ignore the question. “I haven’t thought about it. Or hadn’t until now...Benefits and drawbacks both of having decided to move outside of the city right?” Ozma sat quietly for a minutes before looking over at him. “Can I take it back and stay here for a few days? Just until the police are done and I can get that window replaced?”
***
“I wouldn’t withdraw the offer,” Roland answered with a slight smile.
There was something about Ozma that felt familiar to Roland. There were other worlds than these. Mayhap they had seen each other before, on another path, or would see each other. Today, this was the path.
“I have an extra room,” he told her. “It is yours until you no longer need it.”
***
“I promise not to spread out all over the house. And Sawhorse will wear his little booties so that he doesn’t scratch up the floors.” Ozma answered with a grateful smile. Get that window repaired and an upgraded alarm installed so that she’d feel safe going back home. That was the plan.
***
Roland’s lips turned upward a little, if only slightly. She would stay with him, for as long as she wished, that was agreed upon. Sawhorse wouldn’t be much trouble, Roland had seen worse. Though he didn’t tell her as much, Roland would be keeping an eye on Ozma. If he told her, she might tell him not to. It was easier this way.
“Should I expect anyone else from your Dreams?” he asked.
***
“He’s the only other one that’s crossed over. I’ve gotten him and the powder that Mombi used to bring Jack to life which I’ve used on some things. They’ll be staying at my house because they’re more comfortable there and I...I don’t want to leave it completely unguarded.” Ozma lived in a sort of terror that Mombi would somehow show up with the people who seemed to just find themselves here after other people dreamt of them. She wouldn’t mind seeing Jack show up here though.
***
Noted.
Roland didn’t say what all he planned on, but regardless of whether she had bizarre creations guarding her residence, Roland was going to make sure it was doubly guarded. He felt a little tick of his trigger finger and rubbed his prosthetic against the back of his neck, the nerve connected to those fingers twitching away.
“Make yourself at home,” he said as he got up. “I’ll be out back if you need me.”