Work Text:
Thursday, December 1 2011
Gwen answered the phone with a yawn. She'd taken the pills Adam had prescribed about twenty minutes prior and was starting to feel the lazy warmth creeping along her limbs and the weight growing in her head. For the first time that week she felt both tired at the proper time and ready to sleep.
The voice that replied was both familiar and unexpected. Gwen pushed up from her pillow with surprise. "Elliot?"
"This a bad time, Gwen?" he asked. "I can call back."
"No, no," Gwen said, forcing herself first to sit, and then stand. With Elliot, "back" was as likely to mean the next month as it was the next day. "Now's fine." Her head felt loose on her neck, as though tied on with a string.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing. So where were you? Thanksgiving, I mean. You didn't even call."
"On the offensive already, Gwen?"
Gwen rubbed her forehead, regretting the misstep. She wandered into her kitchen and switched on her hot water kettle. "I missed you."
"Me too. I just got off the phone with my mom. Things are going to change, Gwen."
"Heard that before." She yawned and measured out some tea, her phone pinched awkwardly between her shoulder and ear.
"Okay, what is going on?
"I'm just tired," Gwen said. She stirred her strainer, watching the water turn brown. Anna had caught her making tea like this once, back when they'd been roommates. She'd not said anything right away, but she'd bought Gwen a guide to making tea and a proper tea pot the next month for her birthday. It was entirely Anna's fault she used loose leaf these days, instead of bags.
"Your dad seemed worried." He spoke slowly, shades of 'big brother' coloring his tone. She could tell he wasn't going to let this go.
"My dad is always worried." Gwen leaned against her counter and blew on her tea. Elliot didn't say anything. Gwen yawned again, too tired to fight. "It's just bad dreams."
"Gwen."
"Tell me your news."
"I got a job," he said, but without his earlier excitement. "What kind of bad dreams, Gwennie?"
"What kind of job, Ellie?" Gwen countered. She concentrated on the warmth of the mug in her hands, rather than that which was stretching like a cat along her arms and legs. She wanted to lie down. She took another sip.
"Think I'll hold that ransom until you tell me about these dreams."
"They're just dreams," Gwen said, frustration sharpening each word.
"And do all your dreams get you this worked up?" Elliot asked. "Even when—" he stopped, but Gwen could fill in the blanks. Her grip tightened on her mug. Even when her mother had died, she'd functioned and coped, because she'd had to. It wasn't like her to be this worked up over dreams, or anything.
"Maybe you don't know me as well as you used to," she said.
"Gwen—"
"How long has it been since we've seen other? You called in for the holidays last year, too." She took a drink too quickly, and hissed at the burn in her throat.
"I got a job with AmeriCorps."
Gwen put down her mug and rubbed at her eyes. "You can't keep volunteering and temping your way through life. Eventually—"
"I know," Elliot interrupted as she yawned. "They've hired me as a volunteer coordinator. I'll help new kids adjust, check in with sites, keep things on schedule, and pitch in on occasion. Salaried and everything. I'm going to try sticking in one place for a while."
"Where?"
"I know you're busy, Gwen, but how'd you like to grab lunch together sometime? Say, weekly?"
Gwen leaned up from the counter, surprise filling her with momentary wakefulness. "You're moving here?"
Elliot laughed. "I'll be there Sunday after next. Already got an apartment and everything. That's what I was doing over Thanksgiving, actually. Arranging everything. Feel like helping me move in?"
Gwen smiled and picked up her tea for another drink. "Send me your address and call me when you get close."
"I'm looking forward to it. We can plan more later. I'll call you back."
There was that "back" again. "Tomorrow," she said. "Call tomorrow."
"Will do. Sleep well, Gwen. Sweet dreams."
Gwen mentally groaned, knowing more questions would come the next day. At least she got a night to think up answers. "Good night," she said. "I'll see you week from Sunday."
"Night."
Gwen hung up her phone and dropped it onto her counter. She looked down at her mug of cooling tea. Then, with a yawn, she dumped the tea into her sink and returned to her bed. With luck the pills still working through her system would shut out her dreams.