can_be_more | Room 238, Wednesday evening

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Room 238, Wednesday evening

Aeryn doesn't have class on Wednesday, which is probably a bad thing, since she spent most of the day thinking way too hard about some of the things she'd heard last night. She's not one to panic, and if it's something John's been dealing with for this long, she knows there's no reason to freak out. Too much, at least.

Still, there's thinking, which is why her textbook is laying open on the table, as it has been since she gave up on it. She did distract herself at one point by going to get takeout from Ching Tai, waiting on the kitchen counter. She has no idea why, it just seemed like the thing to do.

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"They're just nightmares," he says sharply and stabs the rice with his fork.

Aeryn's expecting him to start snapping at her, but she has to ask. "They're still causing you stress."

"I'm not stressed," he argues.

"Your food might disagree."

He frowns at his food. "I'm not stressed."

"It's all right," she tells him. She would be. She'd never admit it, but she would be.

John frowns at his rice again. "I'm just tired sometimes."

"Tired physically, or..." She's determined to get answers today.

"Both," he admits. "And it's not all the time!"

She frowns and says, "I'm sorry," because she should have seen this. True, she wouldn't have known that it was, but still, she feels like she could have helped somehow despite that.

"No, Aeryn," he says and moves closer. "It's not your fault. It's not my fault."

"I know," she nods. "I'd just like to help if I can."

"You do," he assures her. "You do."

She rests her forehead against his, touching his face. "You'll get through this," she says.

"And you will too," he says and smiles.

"Of course. I'm me," she smiles back.

"But you still need me," he says and he tries not to make it sound like a question.

She's quiet for a moment, and says honestly, "Yes."

"I need you too."

"I like it that way," she says with another little smile.

"Me too," he says. "Now, let's eat this stuff. It's really good."

She could push more, but the fact is, she doesn't want to push him to the point that he stops talking. "You'll talk if you need to," she says, and it's not a question.