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[Warning for a Slender Man nightmare of domestic disquiet, nothing graphic. Upstairs, Ben makes the mistake of trying to rest.]

Ben is siting by the fireplace and reading Anna Karenina. He's trying to chase away the chill and a poor nights sleep and what's better than a Russian author for that? As he reads he keeps his attention on the room; just cause he's tired doesn't mean anyone's going to get the jump on him. Aunt Petunia didn't raise no easy mark.

[Likely slow for work but I wanted to get this up to.]

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Ava's felt increasingly like there's a presence here, something she can't quite wrap her brain around.

(In other words: not a demon.)

Something else she can't quite wrap her brain around would be this giant dude who is also not a demon.

Uh.

Maybe he's some kind of creature? He looks surprisingly literate; Ava's reminded fleetingly of Fawkes.

Ben gives no indication he's aware of being watched.

He does say, "Pictures last longer," in a pretty gruff voice though. Maybe he's just tired and doesn't mean to be grumpy?

That gives her a start, but also nearly gets her to laugh: it's in the twitch of her lips at the corners.

The look is smoothed away quickly.

"Sorry."

Ava doesn't come any closer from the empty table where she's parked herself momentarily. She's a bit too restless to really chill out anywhere, but this spot has a decent view of the bar and both doors, and the stairs up.

"I was trying to see what you were reading."

"Anna Karenina" he says with a sigh. He knows what she's not saying, just like he knows when folks try and hide their reaction to him from the past several decades. Or so he assumes. "I'm human, just mutated by cosmic rays. Name's Ben Grimm. You?"

"Ava ... also human," she says.

"Not mutated by any cosmic rays though-- uh, that I know of." Just by demon blood!

She smiles faintly, though she looks a little tired. "Nice to meet you."

He offers his own tired grin.

"AN' nice ta meet'cha too. Sorry about bitin' yer hand, ain't gotten much sleep lately."

"That makes two of uf," Ava grumbles.

Well, three, counting Charles.

Enzo, though very tired himself, is wandering the room slowly, examining faces. Also tables, walls, and any pieces of paper he may come across. This includes books.

Ben watches Enzo suspiciously. He better not try and steal his book.

No, but he does look over his shoulder and scan the open pages.

"Can I help you with something?" Ben grumbles. He's tired and can't shake the feeling someone is watching him and so his tone isn't the friendliest. Sorry Enzo.

"Sorry, I'm investigating. You haven't noticed any weird symbols in your book, have you? Or written any?"

Ben closes the book on a finger to save his place and rubs his eyes with his other hand. Kid's just tryign to help and getting grumpy with him isn't right.

"Sorry," he says with a wan smile. "Ain't been sleepin' well. Ya talkin' 'bout them circle an' x's? Didn't see any in my book but ya can look if ya want."

"Yeah, those. May as well. Thanks." Granted, he's not sure if there's any significance to where the symbols appear, but nevertheless, he takes the book, tucking his own finger in where Ben's was, and puts on an old-fashioned brass pince-nez before starting to riffle through the pages.

"Trouble sleeping?" he says as he does so. "Have you been having bad dreams?"

"Yeah, ya could say that. Only one so far once I finally was able ta sleep," Ben agrees begrudgedly. "There's somethin' weird goin' on outside so you stay inside ya hear? I know ya's a hero but stay inside on this one. Okay?"

"I'm just investigating right now," Enzo protests. (This is not in any way a promise.) Mental note: trouble sleeping even prior to nightmares. "You're sure the problem's based outside?"

Well, that would fit with the fog. It doesn't seem confined to outside, though.