Who: Julian and Anya. What: Adorable sleepovers! When: After this thread. Where: Anya's apartment. Rating: PG-13 for cute. Trigger Warning: Veiled child abuse discussion. Status: Complete!
Anya had left a message for Julian when she’d seen his post on the network: If you want to stay with me when your sister is not around, please do. It may help in calming the dreams. She wasn’t sure if he’d call her back that night, but just in case, she got the extra blankets down to set them on the couch. No sense in not being prepared. She liked him. It upset her that he seemed so sad.
He did call her back, letting her know he’d be coming over that night. Not wanting to be unprepared, he went to his closet and got out his picnic basket from his closet (he’d bought it a few years prior for a girl he’d gone on a date with) and went to a deli to load it up with meat, cheese, olives - things they could eat on the floor while on a blanket.
Soon he knocked on the door, smiling brightly. He was ridiculously happy.
She had gotten his call and opened it promptly, smiling when she saw him. It didn’t take her long to laugh, though. “Oh my, what a surprise! Come in here, please!” She took the basket from him, though she stopped him briefly in the doorway with a kiss. “I’m glad you came.”
“I am too. I brought some nibbles, finger food - I thought we could watch a movie and have some snacks.” He looked as exhausted as he felt with huge bags under his eyes and ashy skin. “How are you?”
“This sounds very good. I am well, but you do not look it.” She set the basket down, wrapping her arms around him with worry in her eyes. “Is it only the lack of sleeping? Or something more?” It was as if he was a patient again, though a little more personal, obviously.
He shook his head. “I’m not using or anything. It’s just ... the dreams are awful. I’m terrible in them.” Julian took the blanket out of the basket, unfolding it and spreading it across the floor.
All the better reason she wanted him with her. Drugs, she would have taken him to hospital or made his sister stay home with him if possible. Anya just tugged him down gently and wrapped her arms around him. “Is it better to not speak of them or to tell me?”
“I honestly don’t know. I’ve been trying not to talk about them, so maybe if I try the other thing. Do you have genies in your folklore?” Because that was a thing people asked about, ever.
“No, but I know what they are. Like in the Thousand and One Nights?” Anya kissed his neck, just trying to be near.
“Like that, yeah. I dream I’m an evil one of those. I get obsessed with this girl, and torture her friends to make her stay in my dimension with me.” It only sounded a little crazy, right?
Anya blinked. “That is awful.” For the girl, yes, but also for him. Julian was one of the kindest people she’d ever met; the idea that he would raise a hand to another person was silly. She knew that even now. “Is this a girl you have met in your waking life? Do you remember a face?” She was asking because she worried, but hoped he understood that if he didn’t want to speak of it, he didn’t have to.
He shook his head. “I don’t even normally like blonde girls, especially since I have Abs in my life. I’ve always thought brunettes are really pretty.” He blushed a little, hoping that she didn’t think that was the only reason he’d always thought she was pretty.
Anya blushed a little herself. “This is so?” She smiled. “I am glad to be of your type.” It seemed to be working, to distract him a little.
He smiled, kissing her lightly. “What, brilliant? Sweet?”
“Brunette.” Anya smiled bashfully. “I don’t know if my presence will be of a help, but anything which might make you happier, you know I wil try.” She leaned on him. “Sometimes I have had the evil dreams, and listening to Osip Fedorovich next door helps me return to reality. Does that make any sense at all?”
“What does Osip Fedorovich do?” Julian pulled his girlfriend closer, liking very much how warm and soft she felt in his arms. “You smell like flowers,” he murmured, feeling more content and grounded than he had in a while. It was likely a combination of the new job plus the dreams getting to him.
“I do not know, but whatever he does, he oversleeps in the doing.” Anya laughed. “I hear him cursing every morning, and running round like he has misplaced his head. It is oddly comforting. It is another person.” Hopefully that made sense in English.
Julian laughed. “I can see where that would work. Abby sort of does that too, but much more quietly because she doesn’t want to wake me up.” Julian hoped he’d hear Mr. Fedorovich the next morning; he was curious.
“Do you sleep so light?” Anya was curious. “It may just be a thing of cities - in Saint Petersburg you live extremely close to your neighbors. You can hear things. After time you tune it out. Things are spread out here and I find it odd.” She went back to pressing kisses on his neck; he smelt nice somehow. Even nicer since he’d stopped being in the throng of noisy clubs. Managing at least meant an office.
“Always have. Habit.” He bit his lower lip, looking down at his hands. “Did I ever tell you about my parents?” He closed his eyes, sighing contentedly when she kissed his neck.
“I guessed.” Anya had figured out that he’d had a bad childhood, but no more. “Whatever you wish to tell me, Julian.”
“Abs and I used to protect each other from my dad. So I’d sleep light on the nights she was still hurt, just in case he was still in a fighting mood.” He closed his eyes, leaning against her. Old habits died hard.
Anya set her jaw. “It is horrible. Wicked.” She stroked his hair. “I am glad they are gone.” Her parents were strict, but they had never raised a hand to her or her siblings. Not even Papa, who could yell fit to wake the dead. “I think you should sleep here. You can sleep as you see fit. On the couch or with me.”
“They’re not dead, they’re just not in my life any longer.” He nodded, smiling. “I can sleep by you? I won’t try to do anything, I promise. Except snuggle.”
“I trust you.” She did, really. With herself. “I would like to snuggle with you.” She smiled genuinely.
“Then we should do that.” Julian wrapped his arms around her, inwardly scolding his dream self. How could anyone want to force someone to love them? It was meant to be pure. Like this.
She did, however, have a little more nerve. Anya kissed him gently, not pressing it, just showing she was there. She felt her heart climb up in her throat, but she still didn’t stop.
“I really care about you, Anya.” He knew he loved her, but didn’t know if he wanted to say so. He was sure he’d scare her.
“I can tell you the same thing, you know. It upsets me to think of a person hurting you.” Not for the first time, she wished she was fluent if only so she could be smoother. Anya couldn’t help but tease, though. “When you hurt yourself, though, like taking an elbow in your nose, I can do nothing but be amused.”
“If I told you I love you, would you run?” He could’ve facepalmed. Stupidest thing he’d ever said.
She cocked her head. “No. I would ask how you know.” She’d never loved anyone besides her family. She didn’t think he was lying, just ... how did you know?
“I don’t know how, just that I do.” He shrugged and looked at his hands, trying not to giggle nervously.
Anya settled against him. “I am not upset or frightened. I just ... I don’t know if I could say the same, because I literally don’t know.” Hopefully that made sense. “I don’t want that I don’t live up to your hope.”
He smiled at her adorable broken English. “Anya, you’re you. You live up to everything just by waking up.” Even if she never loved him, even if she never did anything else with him - he thought she was an angel. She was fantastic.
That made her blush hard. “You are so kind.” Anya murmured. “My English is so odd, I wish you understood Russian!” She smiled, nuzzling into his neck. She would have been able to speak more freely.
He’d tried a few words in Russian. “I care for you, Anya.”
It made her blush to hear him try. “Вы замечательный человек,” she told him, kissing him, wrapping her arms around his neck. You are kind. But she didn’t stop kissing him, not right away.