Dreaming With My Eyes Open - Marvin's Haven

Marvin sat bolt upright in bed, taking a deep unnecessary breath, and looking around wild eyed for a moment, until the fear of his beast subsided and he realized he was at home in his own bed. Nice dark cool bedroom. He looked around, realizing he had torn himself from Naomi's usual clinging grasp.

"Holy shit" he muttered looking over at the clock to see what time it was. "Give me a sec love" he said to the ghoul, he needed a moment to think and focus on this.

"What the hell...." and he closed his eyes again, going over the dream, trying to interpret what he had seen.

Naomi sat up sleepily, pulling the sheet up around her as Marvin sat up suddenly. Through blurry eyes she merely watched him with concern, keeping a warm hand at his back.

Absently Marvin ran a hand over her cheek to let her know he was fine, but his focus was clearly elsewhere. Far and away, on a world and time long past.

She gave a warm smile, kissed his hand and then laid back down. Her hand simply stayed on his back in a comforting manner.

He turned to Naomi, a frown creasing his usually calm features.

"I had a nightmare. Kindred don't dream love, when we go under for the day, we are for all intents and purposes corpses. Nothing works. But today my brain did. This is not a pleasant thing."

Naomi was wide awake now. She sat back up, keeping the sheet against her and protecting her modesty.

"Tell me about the dream Marvin? Maybe it will help to talk about it. Or write it down. Journals can help."

He smiled softly at her little quirks of modesty, particularly given how often Marvin kept her in the nude around him.

"You must never, ever speak of this to anyone love, but I have a perfect memory in every way. To see something once is to retain it forever."

"As for the dream... I was in a great desert. The sun beat down upon my face as I watched the thousands of workmen walking through the sand, large ropes slung over their shoulders as they struggled to drag large stones through the sand. It was hard work. The desert heat could be felt, and I, as much as anyone else, dreamed of water. That cool, refreshing water that meant that God did what he promised; took care of his own children.

I knew that I was the architect. What the thousands of brown-skinned workmen, speaking in a strange language, were striving to build. It was a huge structure, white and made of marble. A temple of some kind, a temple that came from my own imagination."

"I won't tell anyone," she smiled to him.

"Sounds like to me you've been under a bit of pressure lately and are simply looking for relief..."

"Something I'm building is going to overwhelm and destroy me I think. That either means my plans for a grand AI... which I'll tell you know also includes binding a spirit to it, or...."

"Remember what I told you about the different clans, about the Tremere particularly? Warlocks, and somewhat dark scary creatures? Well, they aren't too bad really. They are as close to Enlightened as one can get without being blessed with Malakav's blood. I've been working with one of them on a mystery, and this mystery involves their most lethal enemy, a clan called the Tzmisce. A more loathsome and disgusting bunch of vampires never crawled on the face of the earth. This too could be a warning that I should end that project. You heard me talk some with Peter about that. I think it is time to cut myself off from it."

Clearly she didn't understand everything, but... she accepted that in time she would and kept her smile.

"If you think you should cut yourself off from it, then do so. If you feel as if it will destroy you, then take the dream as a warning to walk away."

She looked a bit guilty as she clung to his arm and put her head on his shoulder.

"It would kill me if something happened to you, Marvin. Focus on other things, then. Didn't Peter say it was not your fight?"

"No, you would go to Peter, and the family would make sure you were taken care of in some fashion if something happened to me. You are one of us now. But I appreciate the loyalty. And yes, Peter said our clan has no interest in this fight. That makes me a free agent, and I'm not getting paid enough for these kinds of risks."

He sighed and stroked her hair. It was kinda handy having a pretty ghoul around. They were useful worry objects. Idly he wondered how she would work as a stress ball.

"But I may also have to ditch the AI project for the time being, and that makes me annoyed."

"I don't want to go to anyone else," she replied almost desperately and held his arm tighter. "And I would rather you were annoyed than destroyed. On some level, I think you feel the same."

Ahh needy ghoul was needy. Marvin took Naomi in his arms and kissed her gently.

"No, if something happens, you will go to the Clan. That's an order. Something may never happen, it may happen tomorrow, or it may happen a thousand years from now. Regardless, you will not kill yourself. And yes, I'd rather be annoyed than dead."

"Kill myself?" That thought hadn't occurred to her at all. "Alright, I understand. As you wish." She frowned, but accepted it.

"I have heard of some ghouls doing such. And thank you, but I hope it won't be something you ever have to worry about."

He sighed "Well I am up a bit early it seems. You've got my attention for the next hour or so before I begin my routine."

"Do you need anything? Have anything you need me to do? Perhaps run you a bath to help ease your mind?"

He got up and fastened the lead to her collar "Yes, a bath would be pleasant love. The warm water will be enjoyable. You can wash me as well."

She nodded, but waited until his back was turned to give a wide-eyed look that was fleeting.

"As you wish," she said softly.

Once in the bathroom, Naomi began running the water in the tub, making sure the stopper was in place. She reached for small bottle of sandalwood scented oil and pour a bit under the hot water and let the fragrance fill the room.

She then stood and waited for Marvin to get settled.

He settled fairly easily, relaxing in the tub and smiling, while still holding Naomi's lead.

"Thank you love"

Naomi began the business of bathing Marvin. Probably being a bit more gentle than she needed to be. But she made quick work of it.

When she was done, she stood, leaning against the wall to give him time to relax.

"You know dearest one" he said softly "I wonder if the Tremere will let me leave them as readily as I want to?"

"Why wouldn't they?"

She smirked. "You are not tethered to them, are you?"

"True, true..."

He got out and drained the tub, holding a towel out for Naomi to dry him with.

In her mind, she idly thought Marvin was being lazy... But it lasted for a split second before she scolded herself.

She took the towel and gingerly patted him dry and then hung the towel up neatly.

"Better?"