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[Yes, the Once-ler had that dream too. No, he's not talking about it. It was just a dream, just a stupid, dumb, terrifying dream with a monster and the moon going out like a broken lightbulb and obviously none of it was real. Or at least, he doesn't want any of it to be real.

So, he's stress-knitting.

He's taken up one of the tea rooms for the day so that he has a little more space to work (plus it gets him out of his room, and that's probably a good thing). He's already got a colorful pile of completed things tossed on one of the chairs - scarfs, mittens, absolutely no thneeds. The Once-ler himself is sitting on the floor in front of one of the armchairs with his knees up, using the chair as a backrest as he knits. His piglet Boris is keeping him company, and he can be seen running around in a dark green pig-sized sweater.]

So, uh. Since I'm knitting anyway and winter's coming up...does anyone want anything?

[And wow, he sure is knitting. Even while he talks, even while wearing his trademark green gloves, his needles move incredibly fast. He shrugs though, like offering to make people stuff for free isn't an enormous step forward for him.]

I mean, it's just something to do, and it's not like I have anything else to do with them.

[That's all he really wanted to say, because he's definitely not acknowledging that Jabberwocky dream. He leans forward a bit and uses the end of one of his knitting needles to jab at his network device until it shuts off. If anyone would rather meet up with him in person, he's in one of the tea rooms on the tenth floor with a small mountain of yarn.]

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Is that pig wearing a sweater?

[ Because that's clearly the most important thing going on in wonderland right now. Clearly. ]

[ No sleep, no dreams, no clue. That's on the menu for Philip today. But hey, here's somebody who's overdue for a bit of catching up! ]

Any chance you're in the market for earmuffs? The rest of the network is going mad, and I'm starting to think I don't actually want to find out what it is I've been missing.

[ Or when it's coming for him, because Wonderland's Choice Terrors of the Day don't make much of a habit of sparing him. ]

Yeah. Boris likes running around outside, and it's getting cold.

[Yes, his wild boar piglet is named Boris. Because he's a boar. And because puns are wonderful.]

Why? Jealous you don't have a little bird-sweater?

I guess that make sense.

[ She's definitely one to judge, but in this case she doesn't. It's a pretty nice gesture to the pig, even if it's weird. Also she can appreciate the pun. ]

What? No. Why would I even need a bird-sweater? It's not like I have arms or fingers or--whatever.

[The last time the Once-er saw Phil, Phil was squeezing the life out of him, literally, via the neck. It wasn't a good day.

He hasn't made a huge effort to go check on him since then, because that's sort of what got him killed in first place. That event is long over now, but he stares at the text for a long time. Everyone was hallucinating in that event (or at least, everyone who died was. The Once-ler learned that first hand when he came back to life) but the text is much friendlier and less awkward than he would have expected. ...Does he not know what happened?

Privately, the Once-ler is kind of grateful this is happening over text and not in person, because he's not sure he'd be able to hide his reaction on his face. Via the network though, he can totally pretend that nothing weird happened at all. The text function is a wonderful thing, a magical tool he can use to act like Philip definitely didn't murder him last event. Nope. If Phil's not going to act like it happened, then neither is he.]

Yeah, you probably don't wanna know. It's not anything good because it's never anything good here. Creepy collective dreaming stuff, things like that. New ominous things, same as the old ominous things.

But yeah I can make earmuffs. What color?

Well, no, but you've got wings and those are kinda like arms?

[He makes a sort of vague gesture with his knitting needles that's apparently supposed to be wings flapping. Then he dramatically shrugs.]

But whatever! I get it. You're too cool for a bird sweater, that's fine. Maybe I'll just knit sweaters for woodland critters that would actually appreciate it.

[ it takes alayne an hour to work up the courage. the dream has shaken her so deeply that it stirred an old fear that belonged to sansa, the nights in winterfell, huddling under heavy blankets in fear of old nan's tales of ancient horrors.

but she is not a child. she wipes her tears, ties a ribbon in her hair to match the her dress ( good cotton in dark blue ) and heads out.

his words remain with her, winter is coming, indeed she had wanted to say but he would not have understood and she could not explain.

winter is coming in the shape of a terrible beast and - ]

good day to you, Once-ler.

[ she is at the doorway now, her sewing held close to her chest. ]

May I join you?

[ She's squinting so hard right now, trying to figure out if she's supposed to be insulted or not by this. It sounds like she should be, but--

Yeah, she'll just play it safe and fluff her feathers in irritation. ]

I'm not too cool for anything, I just don't need one! [ She's also pretty sure she would look kind of stupid in a sweater. How would she even fly? ] Besides, those other 'woodland critters' wouldn't be able to appreciate a sweater anyway. They wouldn't even know what was going on.

[Kaneki is used to dreams about things that want to eat him. The Jabberwocky is a new thing of that type, sure, but the genre is not new.]

Can I ask why you're knitting so many...things? when you don't have anything to do with them?

[The Once-ler looks up and actually grins when he sees who it is. Boris is pretty excited too, and runs a couple of circles around her as soon as she enters the room.]

Oh, hey Alayne!

[He would wave, but his hands are occupied with his rapid knitting.]

Yeah, of course you can! Uh, make yourself at home.

[It occurs to him then that it's probably really weird that he's sitting on the floor, but he's comfortable so he doesn't move to sit properly in a chair. With anyone else he might feel a little weird about letting them join in, but with Alayne it just reminds him of everything good they had in that Storybrooke event. Of course she can join him.]

[He shrugs. To be honest, he doesn't really have a good reason.]

It's just something to do, and someone will probably use them if I offer them up anyway, so I might as well.

I dunno. Boris likes his. Granted, he's not a woodland critter, but he's still a critter of some kind.

[Beatrice might notice he's changed projects in the last minute or two. Now he's knitting something blue and apparently very tiny. For no reason at all, of course.]

Besides, no one said you needed one. Technically no one needs one - we have those magic closets, remember? So that's a stupid reason to pass one up.

[Trust him, he's learned a lot about needing vs. wanting over the years.]

[ for a moment, she almost wishes she could just be catelyn with her simple life and simple problems and with hope and dreams that alayne could never have again. cat has never seen the things sansa and alayne had seen, cat was happy and alayne.

alayne fears she may never be happy again.

she smiles still, takes a stool and curtsies. ]

with your permission.

[ she works on a shawl of good cotton, makes an embroidery of silver flowers around the edges. ]

It seems like a nervous habit, sort of.

[Because please, there is no way that dream didn't bother him at least a little.]

Yeah, well, Boris seems smarter than most critters, so--

[ SHRUG. Okay no she doesn't know if he's smarter, she's not even saying it to be nice, she's just trying to make sure her point holds some water. Even if...she doesn't actually know what point she's trying to make. ]

Okay, so need was the wrong word choice here. Maybe I just don't want one. You ever--what are you doing?

[ Him switching projects definitely doesn't escape her notice. Ooooh no. No no no no. Why is he making her a dumb bird sweater??? ]

Edited 2014-12-10 01:10 (UTC)

[He's learned by now not to question her politeness, and not to tell her she doesn't need to be so formal with him. She will be formal either way, so there's no sense in trying to stop her.

He stays sitting where he is, but he puts his legs down and sits up straight in a lazy effort to seem a little more like an actual adult. Then, he looks over at her curiously. She seems...he can't put his finger on it. Sad, maybe? He wants to ask about it, and see if maybe there's something he can do, but when he opens his mouth a different question comes out instead.]

So, what are you working on?

[Maybe it's better that way, just keeping everything normal and light, and not talking about that terrifying dream they all shared.]

What? [He laughs a very nervous laugh at that.] No way. I've been knitting my whole life. It's not a nervous thing. Why would it be a nervous thing? Aha...ha.

[Probably because of that dream he refuses to acknowledge, but he'd rather just assume this kid is nosy and makes a lot of completely wrong assumptions.]

Hm? Nothing. Why, what does it look like I'm doing?

[Well, it looks like he's making a very tiny sweater, considering he knits super-fast and it's already starting to look like a sweater.]

I mean, what do you care anyway? It's not like you wanted one.

[Sometimes, when he's being a jerk like this, he remembers that brief moment before he ruined everything when he first made it big, when for about two seconds he was the greatest salesman of all time.]

You're knitting at a time like this?

[Maybe some of the newer people might have been able to write it off as just an intensely creepy dream, but the Jabberwocky has been on a lot of their minds since last Christmas, meaning Emma hasn't stopped thinking about it since waking up.]

That's--

[She catches a glimpse of the pile of yarn over the feed. Wow.]

You know, where I come from, a guy has to be pretty secure in his sexuality to knit.

[ she looks down at her sewing, snapped out of her little world by his question. for a moment, she looks quite alarmed - as if she cannot wrap her mind around the question let alone answer it

( she is frightened, she is terrified ) ]

A new shawl.

[ it comes out after a moment, alayne relaxing into her seat and shows him. it is made of good cotton, deep purple. she is working on a flowery embroidery along the edges. ]

When evening comes, I find the air somewhat cooler.

[ and while she's not quite cold, not after a childhood in winterfell, she knows a shawl is expected so a shawl she makes. ]

[Yes, he's knitting at a time like this. And he's about to say as such, but his expression changes mid-thought since she had to go and bring that into it.]

Yeah, well. I'm very secure, thanks.

[HMPH. Rude. His stitches get a little quicker and more annoyed, but when his pride is injured he always comes back with...well. More pride.]

People always think weird things about guys who knit, but I managed to turn it into a corporate empire where I'm from, so it wasn't weird at all.

[Well, it was a little weird at first. And his family didn't support him until he started making money, and that corporate empire isn't actually something to be proud of, but it's obviously better to bring it up in this moment than seem strange for being a guy who likes to knit.]

[It makes him a little sad, but only because he internalizes it and assumes it's about him. To some degree, he feels like people should be a little afraid of him, but he's never sure exactly how to react when they actually are.

All he can keep doing really is trying to be a decent person. He doesn't know if he ever will be, but it's a start. He scoots over so he can see her work, and his eyes goes wide when he does.]

Wow. It's gorgeous! It looks professional, like something someone would pay to have made for them.

[He's not really clear on if capitalism is a thing where she's from, but he means it as praise. Truthfully, he's not surprised though. She was his apprentice for a little while.]

But yeah, it's not a bad idea. You weren't here last winter, right? It gets pretty cold in Wonderland, and it'll snow eventually. That's why I'm making hats and scarves and things.

Edited (broken italics B() 2014-12-11 09:26 (UTC)

[ she smiles, dips her chin in bashful acceptance of the compliment. for a moment, she remembers the sewing circles in winterfell, jeyne poole and septa mordane saying her work is without flaw.

she remembers jeyne saying the sweet prince has looked at sansa during dinner.

foolish girls. ]

I am much used to the cold.

[ she is a daughter of the north but she says nothing of it. ]

In the Eyrie, the towers are so high that they overlook the vale and the cold is always felt when one resides in the upper floors.

[ where aunt lysa's room was. where alayne moved after aunt lysa has been pushed through the moon door - ]

still. winter is coming.

[ and it sounds grave on her lips, much older than herself. ]

You are right,it would be best to be well prepared.

I always read when things are bothering me. [One corner of Kaneki's mouth twitches upward.] I guess I feel like I'll be able to find some kind of answers if I just look through enough books.

[It's kind of nice to hear her talk about where she's from. It doesn't happen much, but he supposes that makes sense since she had been going by a new name. He listens and tries to imagine it himself, though he probably pictures everything much taller than it actually is.

He returns the gesture, slowing his needles as he thinks.]

Yeah. Winter could be pretty tough where I'm from. It's the wind that gets you, really. It whips right through the valley and without any trees to slow it down...it gets pretty cold at night.

[The Once-ler often lost track of time in his self-imposed solitude, but he remembers the last winter he spent in the top of his Lerkim - hungry, cold, and exactly as unprepared for it as he was the first time. The cold would numb the slow-and-sour smell of the air, but that was about the only thing good about it. He's not sure if he's ever mentioned the lack of trees to Alayne before, but he decides not to elaborate.]

At least here we've got a warm house to stay in, and that's good. Even if...

[Even if there's a monster attack looming.]

...even if there's bad stuff on the way.

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