Colin's posts

Jake in particular, being close friends with the both of them, seemed to notice that Mira was getting extremely and entirely TOO focused on the spear. Again, it'd happened before, and Peyton was understanding to it, but... well, it was clear she was feeling a little on the lonely and ignored side.

And Jake didn't like that.

As such, on one of the breaks he took, he made his way down to the R&D lab, let himself in with his omni-card, and made his way to Mira's office... where the door was shut.

He sighed as he heard scuffling and such inside, before knocking.

"Mira? You in?" he called.

Ryker closed his eyes for a moment and let out a heavy breath.

"I know." he said.

"I realised that was my bad." he told him, withdrawing the meat again, checking it, and then putting it in a hotdog bun, squirting mustard over the top of it.

"And it's because I'm not tired." he then said, answering his question.

"I'm also hungry. So I'm out here making a snack."

"Bye for now." Hal responded, before sighing quietly.

"...Mira..." he mumbled.

"I hope you'll be okay..." he said.

As she walked, again, Mira couldn't help but feel someone was there. Watching her.

She whirled around again, and saw Zeke down the hall, talking to someone. He looked over and gave her a friendly wave.

But he was so far away. And he hadn't given her this feeling before. So what WAS this?

"Don't worry about it." Hal responded.

"I look out for my employees and friends." he told her.

"Now go on and tell Peyton you and her have a few days off." he then said, checking something on his computer screen.

"....she's working as a floater today, essentially. Doing odd jobs here and there." he informed her. "She'll either be with Media Relations, or possibly helping tidy things up in the medical wing." he said further.

"If you can't find her, let me know."

Hal nodded slowly.

"That makes sense." he said.

"Dr. Fyrane DOES have a lot of cases, so I can understand wanting to see if just taking a break will solve the issue. No need to bother him if it's literally just a case of needed to step back and relax." he reasoned.

"All right." he went on.

"You've got 3 days. Both you and Peyton." he told her.

"You HAVE been hitting the work pretty solidly since you came back, some mental stress IS to be expected." he finished, though he was wondering why it was specifically manifesting as such paranoia.

"I'm fine." Ryker responded.

"And no, I'm not 'afraid' to sleep." he then said, bringing the sausage closer to him and checking it over.

"...hmph. Few more..." he muttered, sticking it back over the fire.

"I know what happens to me when I sleep, and there's nothing that can be done about it. Ever since I resolved to stop trying to end myself, I've become quite aware of what my future holds." he told him further.

"Now, granted, was a shock when it started to actually happen, but... it's just something that'll happen. My body's changing. I'm starting to physically become a human-demon hybrid, as will be necessary for me to survive in the other realm." he explained.

"It looks scary, and I'm sorry I scared you with it, but it's not scaring ME, and I'm not afraid to sleep because of it." he insisted, before pausing and sighing heavily.

"...though the nightmares that happen because of it are really bothersome..." he admitted quietly.

Hal raised an eyebrow.

"That IS concerning, yes." he said.

"And this came out of nowhere?" he asked.

"Seemingly within the past couple days." Mira responded.

"I see." Hal said.

"Well, if you feel it will help, I'll approve it." he told her.

"Have you seen Dr. Fyrane about this?" he asked.

Hal looked over towards her and waved back.

"Hello." he greeted her.

"And... sure? I suppose?" he then responded, clearly a little confused.

"Why?" he asked her.

"Something going on?" he asked further, gesturing for her to sit.

"Need to talk or anything?"

"See ya, Mira!" Ty called back to her, only looking concerned when she was gone.

"...it's not like her to be so paranoid..." he mumbled. "Wonder what's up..." he mused further.

He then looked forward again... and hung his head a little.

"This is gonna bug ME now..." he realised.

Mira, meanwhile, still couldn't help thinking someone was there. Watching. Following.

In fact, she felt like someone was literally breathing down her neck... but when she whirled around, she saw nobody. Nothing. No ways for them to escape, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Not even a nearby door to duck in.

She was alone.

"So go do so." Ty suggested.

"He's dedicated the day to essentially getting paperwork done, meaning he has no appointments scheduled. And you know what THAT means." he went on. "He's free to listen to concerns or requests." he said.

"So now's a perfect time to." he went on.

"Go on and go do it." he then told her. "Right now." he said.

"You look like you're not eating the rest of what's on your tray anyway." he sighed.

"Banish those thoughts." Ty said, as he managed to eat his meal around bouts of talking.

"THAT is the very thing a paranoid person would say." he told her. "You can't keep thinking that there's something bad around the corner. Leave the past as the past, and don't worry about it until it becomes the present again." he said.

"Mira... I'm no psychiatrist. But for real. If this doesn't lighten up in the next few says, see Evan." he went on.

"I say this as your friend." he continued.

"Okay? Promise me you'll at least seriously try and see him if this gets worse."

"Well, take her up on it." Ty told her.

"Seriously, just... go out and have a nice meal, just the two of you." he said.

"You both deserve it." he reasoned.

He was then silent for a moment, before leaning back a little in his chair.

"And try not to be so paranoid." he then said.

"There's nobody here that'd wanna hurt ya."

"...well, then." Ty said after a pause.

"Good to hear you've reconnected, and then some." he told her.

"Though perhaps take a break or something for work. Maybe you're just stressed or something." he then suggested.

"Just... when's your next day off?" he asked.

"Take it easy that day. Do something that you think will relax you." he continued.

"Try and unwind a little."

"Good." Ty responded, before smiling.

"You two make a good couple." he told her.

"Can't say much about what she's done for you, as the two of you hit it off almost immediately, and I don't really know much of you pre-Peyton, other than your legal shenanigans... but you've done wonders for Peyton." he said.

"She's more confident, she's more relaxed, she really seems to have finally come into her own, and becoming truly comfortable with who and what she is, now that she has someone that loves her like you do." he went on.

"...treasure it." he said.

"It's more valuable than any gem you'd find underground, I can tell you THAT for free."