Fifth Floor Common Room | Late Morning | Thursday | July 15

[therewaslife]

Bod had spent last night dreaming. To have one night of dreams was unusual so having several nights worth had him completely confused. Still, getting to see his parents in his dreams every night like he'd never left wasn't something he'd question. It made the ache of missing them all the more apparent in the mornings but he managed to keep those feelings hidden.

After waking up from another dream, Bod had padded sleepily down to the common room and decided to spend some time there, eating crackers and trying to piece through the various variations of the dream. The television was playing some sort of cartoon but Bod wasn't really paying attention.

Instead, his thoughts, stuck on those dreams as they were, eventually wandered into daydreaming territory and he was back to seeing his parents, feeling them holding him and hearing their voices in his ear. It felt like he was there and not on the island. It was so...strange.

[CR's an open place and I wish I was still sleeping]

Comments

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"One goes to church, of course," Rilla said promptly. "Quite a lot of church. And then one comes home to presents and singing and cookie baking and more singing and friends coming in and out and candles everywhere and oh, it's just lovely."

[therewaslife]

"It sounds busy," Bod laughed, enjoying her enthusiasm for the holiday. "Christmas is a religious holiday, then?"

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"It's Jesus's birthday, of course," Rilla said, nodding. Being here for several months led her to tack on, "though he doesn't come himself."

[therewaslife]

Bod snickered at that before he nodded. "How do you think Christmas would be celebrated here with so much diversity?"

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"I'm almost afraid to think about it," Rilla said honestly, if a little undiplomatically. "It certainly wouldn't be like home. I do hope there will be a tree, at least."

[therewaslife]

"With so many different people, I'd at least think they'd be tolerant of anyone who wanted to celebrate however they want."

He hoped that, at least. He'd never celebrated himself so he wasn't sure if there were rules for that sort of thing.

"I'd hope for a tree as well especially since I'll be here for the holiday."

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"And we can decorate it with candles and strands of popcorn and cranberries," Rilla said, sighing dreamily, "and it will smell divine."

[therewaslife]

"Due to the decorations or the pine scent?" wondered Bod. He thought both could be correct answers.

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"Mostly the pine," Rilla said. "It's like you've invited the woods indoors. It's very jolly. Walter used to say that he could see the wood nymphs dancing beneath the tree."

[therewaslife]

"Perhaps he'll be able to say that again this Christmas?" Bod suggested. He hoped so, at least, since Walter was recovering. "If the school doesn't have a tree, I'll have to get myself a small one of my own so I can try to see those wood nymphs."

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that was when Walter was very little," Rilla said. "Wood nymphs are just a pretty fancy."

Another pause. "At least, I think they are."

[therewaslife]

"Here, they could be a thing of reality," he laughed, shaking his head. "Anything could, I think."

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"That is a slightly frightening idea to think about," Rilla decided.

[therewaslife]

"Slightly frightening but also amazing." Or so Bod thought. "The idea that anything could happen here is incredible."

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"'Anything' is an awfully big word," Rilla said.

[therewaslife]

"Are you not looking forward to new experiences?" asked Bod curiously. "You can tell your family of things they'll be unfamiliar with and watch their eyes light up."

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"Or be stuffed full of soothing syrup and shipped to an asylum," Rilla pointed out.

[therewaslife]

"Your family wouldn't take your word for it?" he asked, frowning a little.

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"My family is well-accustomed to flights of fancy," Rilla said, "but telling them that aeroplanes are used every day here is enough to stretch their imaginations. I wouldn't believe me about the students from other worlds."

[therewaslife]

"Will you invite them to the Parent's Weekend I've heard the school has?" Bod wondered. "They could see for themselves, then."

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

"I think so," Rilla said, "and will just pray quite hard that everyone doesn't turn blue. Or into a doll."

[therewaslife]

"A doll?" Bod repeated, one eyebrow going up inquisitively.

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

Rilla blushed. "It's not important."