013

— kaleidoscope of happy dreams —

Day Three, 10:22

HAZEL'S MORNING WAS STRANGELY EMPTY, THE TOWER WAS QUIET AND HER MIND WAS VOID OF ANY NIGHTMARES. Hazel let herself sleep in for a while, the onetime her mind wasn't plaguing her with pain she was going to take this chance to let herself absorb this moment. She finally rolled out of bed and wandered around until the clock hit ten, and then she finally asked the computer to play her Phoebe Bridges playlist and turned the coffee machine on.

Krypto barked at Hazel, dropping a ball at her feet. "You wanna play boy?" Hazel asked and the dog nudged the ball closer. Hazel tossed a ball around the living room, Krypto chasing it through the tower before running it back to her with super speed. "Good boy Krypto!" Hazel yelled as Krypto jumped in the air to grab the ball.

"Morning sleeping beauty," Hazel cooed as Gar shuffled into the living room, still in his pj's. "There's coffee on the counter." Gar mumbled a thank you and slumped over the counter. Hazel watched him, her eyebrows furrowing. "Bad sleep?" Gar shrugged. "Bad dream?" Gar shook his head.

Hazel tossed the ball all the way down the hall, and she walked to Gar. Hazel ran her hand down his back, his body radiating heat. Gar lifted his head, his eyes still half shut with sleep. "Hey," Gar smiled, looking up at Hazel. He had crease lines across his face from his pillows and his hair stuck into the air.

Hazel laughed softly and ran her hands through his hair, brushing it back. "What's up Gar?"

"Just a bad sleep, but your coffee makes it better," Gar hummed and brought the drink to his lips. It wasn't as hot as it normally was, he suspected it was made when Hazel first got up and she just kept reheating it as she waited. The thought made him smile.

"How's Conner?" Gar asked, resting his face on his hand.

Hazel shrugged, "Stable still. Krypto stayed with him all morning." Hazel turned and rested her back against the counter. "I set up your computer, downloaded Mortal Kombat if you wanna play that in a bit."

Gar laughed softly, looking up at Hazel. "You're amazing," Gar muttered. Hazel smiled, brushing her hair back trying to ignore the heat on her cheeks. "Let me finish this, then we can play."

Hazel nodded and walked back around the counter, cleaning the kitchen of the mess she made. He watched her for a moment, noticing the constant tapping of her leg. He sipped his coffee before speaking up, "Can I ask you something?" Gar asked and Hazel hummed, kicking the dishwasher closed. "How long have you been having nightmares?"

Hazel's hands faltered for a moment as she looked over at gar. She took a deep breath and grabbed her coffee before moving to sit across from Gar, resting her hand under her chin. She sighed, "I didn't mean to scare you-"

"You didn't! I mean you did," Gar stammered. "I'm just worried. Your powers sparked out on their own. You looked like you had seen a ghost." Hazel dropped her head and sighed. "I just wanna make sure you're okay Haze."

"Ninety-seven nights," Hazel said, setting her cup aside. "I've had a nightmare, every night, for ninety-seven nights." Gar's eyes widened and Hazel shrugged softly, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "I thought I had control over everything by now. I'm sorry that I hurt you, I really didn't mean-"

"Hey," Gar said quickly, leaning over to grab Hazel's hand. "You have to stop apologising. I know you think I'm scared of you but I'm not." Hazel nodded softly, and Gar squeezed her hand softly. "I still wanna play Mortal Kombat, if you're up for it."

Hazel laughed and shook her head, "If you're prepared to lose."

Gar raced from the stool and jumped onto the couch, successfully grabbing the player one controller before Hazel could even make it to the couch. "Hey that's not fair," Hazel complained, jumping over the back of the couch. Gar shrugged, handing Hazel the second controller. Krypto barked at them and jumped between them, resting his head on Hazel's leg. "Hey computer?" Hazel called, patting Krypto's head.

"Yes Miss Hazel?"

"Is there a way to project the computer screen onto the TV?"

"Just a moment."

They waited for a moment before Gar's computer screen went black, then the TV turned on, Mortal Kombat 11 projected across the large, expensive TV. "Thank you computer," Gar yelled. "Now are you ready to have your ass handed to you Sunshine?"

"Are you Tiger Boy?"

Gar screamed in protest as Hazel beat his character once again. "Yes! That's what happens when you pin bugs against the great Kung Lao!" Hazel shouted in victory ignoring Gar's yells of protest. She pressed a few buttons and started the animation of Kung Lao starting to speed up his razor hat to attack D'vorah.

"Just because you're amazing at everything," Gar huffed, watching the fatality play through. Hazel leaned back against the couch, setting her controller in her lap. Hazel's eyes scanned over Gar's face, a soft smile playing at her lips. Gar sighed and leant back against the couch, his eyes lifting to meet Hazel's gaze. Gar chuckled softly, shaking his head, "What?"

Hazel shook her head and picked up the controller again. "Nothing. You up for a rematch?"

By the time night had taken over, a light rain had settled in. Gar put the fireplace on high, wandering around as he finished cleaning the dinner dishes. Hazel emerged from the hall, holding two guitars high over her head. "You're learning to play!" Hazel shouted, setting the guitars down and throwing a thick blanket on the floor.

"Are we even sure I can play?" Gar asked, walking over to sit in front of Hazel.

"I'll just have to teach you more then," Hazel said shrugging. "Okay this is a right-handed guitar. You sit it on your left leg, your left hand goes on top," Hazel set the guitar on her leg, tapping the side of the guitar. Gar copied the action, checking his hands. "Right hand goes under. This hand will make all the chords." Hazel pressed her fingers to the strings, strumming with her other and creating a soft E chord.

Gar hummed, nodding his head. "Okay, chords, noise, body," Gar listed off, tapping at the guitar as he did. "Teach me a song."

"You don't even-"

"Haze, with respect, I'm probably never gonna play guitar outside of his," Gar said, shrugging softly. "Teach me a song. It can be our song or... something like that."

"Hmm, fine," Hazel huffed. She pulled her phone out scanning through the sheet music she had downloaded. "You know uh... No. Um. How much does it take to hate me before punching me in my face?"

Gar's eyebrows winded, chuckling softly. "Unsurprisingly a whole lot," Gar teased.

"Cool, Treehouse by Alex G," Hazel said with a smile, setting her phone to lean against the couch so she could read the chords.

"So how much will I want to punch you in the face?"

Hazel looked up, a smile forming. "Probably a lot."

Hazel's soft laughter echoed through the room, watching Gar get tangled in his own fingers. He cursed as he tried to follow the beats of the song, but his fingers moved too quickly, stumbling as he hit one to many strings. With a sweet smile, she set her own guitar aside, the sound of the wood hitting the floor making Gar look up, the harmony stopping quickly.

"Okay, take it slower," Hazel instructed, her voice a soothing guide. With a soft touch, she placed her hand over his, the calluses on her fingertips brushing against his skin. Hazel guided Gar's hand across the neck of the guitar. The strings gave out a soft hum under the extra drag, creating an almost scratching sound in the room.

"Sorry," Gar said with a soft chuckle, cringing at the awkward sound.

Hazel laughed and shook her head, smiling softly. "You might get the chords," Hazel continued, her eyes focused on their intertwined hands, "but if you're too quick, the whole sound will just fall apart." Her guidance was patient, her touch a gentle assurance that resonated beyond the strings of the guitar.

She sat back on her knees, moving her hands to her lap. Gar took a nervous breath and played the few chords Hael taught him. Hazel smiled as the soft sounds filled the room. Gar dropped his hand as he finished the chords. "I learnt three seconds," Gar said with a sigh.

"Music is hard," Hazel said with a shrug. "But you learnt way more than I expected so I'm actually very proud." She stood and Gar smiled up at her, holding the guitar up for her.

Gar leant back on his palms and looked up at her. "Hey, considering we didn't finish watching Labyrinth..." Gar trailed off, shrugging up at Hazel.

"Do we have any popcorn left?" Gar nodded and Hazel smiled. "Then yeah. Movie night, the sequel."

Day four, 2:36 pm

TORTURES, HELLISH, AGONISING, TWO PM. That morning had seemed to move slower than any before it. Gar and Hazel had spent the morning playing video games and watching trashy TV, complaining about how bad the show was but continued to binge it anyway. They filled the last few hours by checking on Conner and entertaining Krypto.

While Gar busied himself with cooking more food for Krypto, Hazel stretched over the couch. She had a notepad resting against her knees, drawing small random doodles alongside the lyrics she was messing with.

"What are you doing?" Gar called, noticing the constant scratching.

"Trying to write lyrics," Hazel muttered. She kicked herself off the couch and walked to the kitchen, sitting across from Gar. "I have the make the music part of making a song down. Need to figure out the lyrics part."

Hazel tapped her pen against the paper and Gar turned to her, pulling his sleeves up. "Can I?" Gar asked, motioning to the notepad. Hazel nodded and Gar took the notepad, his eyes scanning over the words. "Morning whispers, a brand new day, Chasing worries and blues away. Smiles that sparkle, like sunshine beams, Life's a kaleidoscope of happy dreams." Gar hummed, reading over the words a few more times. "You're going for a happy tune?"

"Yeah, but I could be persuaded into something else," Hazel said, shrugging. "Why? You have something that could make this sound, not so weird."

"Uh no," Gar said, handing back the notebook. "But I thought I'd ask."

Hazel huffed, her head falling into her arms. Once Gar had finished making the dogs dinner he walked around to sit beside Hazel, handing her a coffee. "Still bored?" Gar asked, tilting his head. Hazel hummed, keeping her head tucked between her arms. Gar checked his phone before tossing it away. "This sucks," Gar complained, dropping his head on the counter. "I can only make so many dishes for Krypto."

Hazel lifted her head and sipped her coffee, nodding slowly. "Agreed," Hazel said while nodding, her eyes staring off into the distance. Hazel dropped her head on Gar's shoulder, closing her eyes. "How are you always so warm?" She wrapped her arms around his bicep, pressing her face harder against him as if to steal his warmth. 

Gar laughed and wrapped his arm around Hazel, pulling her closer. Silence hung in the air, eating away at the two.

"Hi!"

Their heads snapped up at the cheery voice. They looked over their shoulders, looking at Conner standing in the living room, completely bare. "Whoa! Hey, uh, okay-" Gar stuttered, and his eyes bounced around.

Hazel squeaked and jumped out of her chair, quickly growing Conner a vine and leaf loincloth around Conner's hips to at least offer the boy some cover. Gar furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at Hazel. "What are you? A caveman?"

"I am quite content with seeing as few dicks in my life as possible," Hazel stammered, still not looking at Conner. "And I've seen enough of my teammates' genitals to last me a lifetime."

"Whose genitals have you seen?" Hazel looked down at Gar, an unamused glare on her face. "Oh! Uh, me yeah." Gar's cheeks burned and he turned back to Conner.

"Hi Hazel," Conner called with happiness, a large smile on his face.

"Hi Conner," Hazel smiled, waving softly at him. Krypto whined, running out of Conner's room, his clothes in his mouth. "Okay, Conner. Can you put those on please?"

Conner reached down, taking the clothes from the dog before looking up at Hazel. "Do I keep the... leaf?" Conner asked, glancing down at himself.

"No, no, you can take that off," Gar stuttered, and he and Hazel turned away. "I thought there hadn't been any changes," Gar whispered, turning to Hazel.

Hazel shrugged softly, "There wasn't."

Conner cleared his throat, alerting them he was clothed. They turned back to Conner, smiling at him. "You look nice," Hazel complimented, and Conner's smile grew wider. "Are you hungry?"

— pain —