E-Mail/Nexus: Helping Out Victor

[museicalmarty]

(Context Links: Victor asks for help for his nightmares -- Frostbite lends a hand and Frostbite lets Marty know Victor's not sleeping well.)

To: julesverneflux@nexus.com
From: wannaberockstar@nexus.com
Subject: Victor Needs Help

Hey, Doc:

I caught up with Frostbite over here in the Nexus. She told me that Victor's been having some nasty nightmares recently. Apparently he's not sleeping well (or maybe at all) and she's worried about his health. I'm kinda worried too, Doc. Do you think you can check up on him?

Marty

Comments

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

To: wannaberockstar@nexus.com
From: julesverneflux@nexus.com
Subject: RE: Victor Needs Help

Hi Marty,

He has? He didn't mention anything over the journals. . . Of course, he's also the quiet type. I'll check in on him, sure.

How are you doing?

Doc

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

To: julesverneflux@nexus.com
From: wannaberockstar@nexus.com
Subject: RE: Victor Needs Help

Thanks. The way she described it, it sounds like he's having a really hard time. And both you and me know about nightmares, I'm sure.

Well, we got a karaoke machine at the bar -- Fred bought it for us. Everybody seems to like it, but there was this one pair of drunk chicks that

[Marty suddenly pauses, because he sees a familiar black-suited figure on a couch nearby]

slaughtered the song "Super-Freak." And nearly gave Fred a black eye after he kept them from driving home.

Doc, forget the journals and come over here -- I think Victor's in the Nexus!

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

To: wannaberockstar@nexus.com
From: julesverneflux@nexus.com
Subject: RE: Victor Needs Help

Ouch. That must have been painful. (Both the song and Fred's eye.)

And he is? All right, I'll be there shortly.

Doc

Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

Marty closes the e-mail program on his PINpoint after that, certain Doc will be here sooner rather than later. He walks over to check out the figure on the couch. It's Victor all right, slumped over his legs and staring at the floor. "Hey, Victor? You okay?"

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor looks up at the semi-familiar voice. He looks just as bad as Frostbite implied -- his face is worn, the dark circles around his eyes huge. He looks quite exhausted, which he is. "Oh, hello Marty," he says, voice a little quieter than usual. "It's n-nice to see you again. I-I'm fine, and y-you?"

Re: Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

One thing Marty learned from their little Nexus trip together is that Victor's stutter generally comes out if he's nervous or depressed. He's thinking he can add "lying" to that list. "Bullshit," he says simply, sitting down next to him. "You're not fine. Me, I'm fine. Even after listening to these two girls make a bad song even worse by singing it while drunk as hell, I'm good. You? You're not. Frostbite let me know you're having nightmares, dude."

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor blinks at the sudden mini-rant, then sighs deeply. "Oh." He hadn't expected her to tell anyone. Then again, maybe he gave up all rights to privacy on this issue when he asked for help from the Nexus. "It's r-really nothing y-you should c-concern yourself about. I--" No, he can't say "I can handle it," because he knows he can't. "Well, I'm -- d-dealing with it, I suppose."

Re: Live-Action

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

This is where Doc comes in, appearing right by the Sign. He spots the two boys quickly and immediately goes over to join them. "Hello, Marty, Victor," he says, taking a seat on Victor's opposite side. "All right, Victor, what's this I hear about you having nightmares?"

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor blinks, confused. "How did -- did Frostbite tell you as well?" He shakes his head right afterwards, though, dismissing the question as not that important. "I -- I thought t-they'd go away s-sooner," he says after a moment. "I should have known better, I thought the same thing about my p-power at first." Mentioning his power makes him shudder a little -- he can't help it.

Re: Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

"I told him," Marty explains. "See, the reason Frostbite told me was so I'd tell Doc and he could help you out. But when I was sending him the message, I saw you over here, and. . . ." He shrugs, in a very "here we are" way.

He notices the little shudder and frowns. "Something happen with that? I mean, I know it's kinda creepy, but you said when we were wandering around that you were getting used to it."

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

"Oh." That makes sense as well. Victor's rather touched that Frostbite apparently thinks enough of him to get him help.

"I was used to it," he grumbles, feeling a strange wave of annoyance wash over him. "I was even getting more or less used to Chicago, of all places. But then. . . ." He sighs, the annoyance fading. "Let me explain. I was trying to get to the library for some books when I came across an acquaintance of mine, Miss Jules -- I'm afraid I don't recall her last name at the moment. The same girl who first triggered by power. At any rate, the poor girl was fighting an -- an undead c-corpse! I decided to come to her aid, and I managed to use my power to distract it while she -- killed it, I suppose. We got into a bit of a discussion about my power afterward, and -- and she mentioned that m-most people, upon seeing a dead b-body, would call the p-police. And that got me thinking about w-what they usually d-do with such b-bodies, and. . . ." He puts a hand over his face, shaking a little. "I k-keep dreaming about b-being trapped in the morgue, or worse, w-waking up from l-leaving my body, only t-to find they've started a-a-autopsying me. . . ." He looks up again, staring at both Doc and Marty in turn in a rather haunted manner. "D-do you know w-what it's like, d-dreaming about b-being cut open?!"

Re: Live-Action

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Marty's silent, looking quite disturbed by Victor's explanation of what happened. Doc, however. . . . He puts what he hopes feels like a comforting hand on Victor's arm. "Actually," he says softly, a little steam hissing out his elbows, "I do."

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor looks at the steam, then looks down at Doc's hand -- specifically, the gears in Doc's knuckles. He blanches as he remembers what Doc told him about the scientist's own situation. "Oh! Do forgive me, I didn't mean--" he starts, suddenly quite embarrassed. How can he think his own problems are bad when Doc's had to suffer through something much worse?

Re: Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

"Don't apologize, Victor, we know you didn't mean anything by it," Marty says before Doc gets a chance. "And it's not like both of us don't get nightmares. I haven't gotten the 'cut open' ones, I admit, but -- trust me, I know how much they suck." Worried, he adds, "How much sleep are you getting?"

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

"I honestly don't know," Victor admits, looking back down at his feet. "I spend most of my nights either trying to stay awake, or exhausting my mind so I'll sleep without dreams. It's worked on occasion, and sometimes I'll get in a short nap. . . ."

But most of the time he has to stay awake or he'll open his eyes and see his internal organs laid for for all to see.

Re: Live-Action

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc and Marty exchange a worried look. "It's affecting you rather strongly, isn't it?" Doc whispers. Quietly he's just glad Victor didn't end up with his power -- he's remembering that nightmare hurricane.

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor nods. "I think part of the problem is I don't sleep well even when I'm not being p-plagued by nightmares." He rubs his face again, then looks back at Doc and Marty. "H-how do you deal with it?"

Re: Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

Marty grimaces slightly. "Well, they're not happening for me like they are for you. . .but when they do come along, I try the distraction thing. And I spend a lot of time reminding myself that I'm safe where I am, and that my dream's not actually going to happen." He pauses, then adds with a small blush. "I -- uh -- find hugging my pillow helps a lot too."

Re: Live-Action

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"As for my own, I too rely a lot on distraction," Doc confesses. "A friend of mine also taught me some mediation exercises for clearing my head -- those seem to help. I could pass them on, if you want." He sighs, then suddenly pulls Victor into a hug. "I really wish I could just give you a magic bullet, kid. A sure-fire way to make them stop."

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor initially freezes up at the hug, as he's wont to do. Physical contact (besides being yanked around by people) still startles him a little.

But then, out of nowhere, he grabs onto Doc in turn -- and starts crying. He's not even sure why, he's just so tired and worried and he hasn't been held like this since he was a little boy. . . . "I'm sorry," he chokes out as he gets a grip on himself. "I -- I think that was just the exhaustion."

Re: Live-Action

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc starts a little at the sudden hugging and crying, but then just squeezes Victor a little and lets him ride it out. Marty awkwardly pats Victor's back, feeling bad.

"It's okay," Doc says as Victor gets control. "A lot of people in your situation would do the same." He pats Victor's back. "Look, Victor -- they're just dreams. You know better than to let that happen, I know you do. And even if something bad does happen, you've got friends who will be able to help you." He smiles. "I'll certainly do my best to make sure you're safe."

Re: Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, exactly," Marty agrees. "And if it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure you'd get taken to the hospital first if they found your body, not the morgue. They'd want to make absolutely sure you're actually dead." He's not sure if this sounds reassuring or not, but he certainly hopes it does.

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Actually, it does a little to Victor. He turns to look at Marty. "That's right, isn't it? I suppose that's good." He suddenly smirks a little. "Captain John suggested I make up a sign. 'I'm not really dead, and I'll know if you stole my wallet.'" He chuckles for a moment, then shakes his head. "I know I have to be careful about where I leave my body, and I know it has a very slim chance of happening. . .my dreams just don't want to leave the subject alone."

Re: Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

Marty snorts a little. "Yeah, that's Captain John for ya." He sighs. "I know that kind of night. But they can't last forever, Victor. And seriously, hugging your pillow does help a lot." It's a little embarrassing to admit that, but hey -- Victor looks like he could use the help.

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor nods. "I'll keep that in mind. Frostbite also said it might help if I could convince my mind to rewrite the dream with a happy ending. Do you think that would work?"

Re: Live-Action

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"I don't see why not," Doc says, as Marty nods along. "Why don't you try it tonight and see? If it doesn't work, let me know on the journals and we'll try something else."

Re: Live-Action

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor smiles, feeling better already. "Thank you -- both of you," he says, looking between them. "I -- I actually feel like I might be able to sleep tonight." He hugs Doc again, then pulls Marty into it. "I'm glad I met you two."

Re: Live-Action

[museicalmarty.livejournal.com]

Marty and Doc happily return the hug. "So are we, Victor," Marty assures him.