Arcturus watched her get to her feet. Oh, how hard it was to say anything about himself or his experiences. Sometimes he just wanted to talk, but he didn't think this was the right time to start. Maybe some other time when they actually had some proper free time.

"Frankly I don't want to talk about it now, but I'm okay with talking about it eventually. When, I don't know." He shrugged. "But there's a time and place for everything, and I don't think this is the right time. Especially because," he glanced at the clock on the wall, "my father's going to wake up pretty soon, and he will make you stay for tea if your'e still here when he comes down for breakfast. And I would rather you go and get your rest before your shift today."

"Very well then, you can have your two days off Arcturus, longer if you need so. I'll find someone to fill your place today and tomorrow."

He smiled gratefully at this, welcoming the idea of even a break to gather his emotions back together into one piece. "Thanks, Joy." As he spoke, he absently touched the spot she had rubbed on his palm, lingering on the brief sensation of her hand gripping his. He resolved to eventually, one day, trust her with his issues and hopefully get them straightened out once and for all.

Excuses. That's all Joy could hear right now, an excuse about her co-worker's father. "Sounds like a fair idea to me, Arcturus. As you know, you can always find me in my office." Except it was unlikely he'd go there for her. If the subject was dropped forever the witch decided she wouldn't mind.

"You're welcome." Joy smiled at the man before her, the man she thought she knew well enough after so many years but apparently did not, and closed her eyes. There was a crack, and she was gone, back at her own house.

The Dreamless Sleep Potion she took was the only thing that kept her from contemplating what had created Arcturus's scars from the war and remembering her own. Instead, the purple liquid helped her drift off into an empty subconsciousness, the hours until she woke up for her shift going by in the blink of an eye.

End of thread