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[sunbaked_baker]

Rae's movements are more than a little stiff as she makes her way down the stairs into the bar, this morning. While Rae likes swimming just fine, she doesn't do it often, and yesterday's rather strenuous swim out at the Caribbean inlet easily wore out muscles not used to that particular activity. Add to that a mostly sleepless night (with her usual slew of nightmares filling what sleep she did get), and you have a very stiff, very sore Sunshine entering the bar, today.

At the Bar, she collects a rather sizable mug of strong Assam tea - caffeine is as necessary as air, right now - and slouches over toward the couch to sip her tea and to gradually wake (and psych) herself up before she faces the day.

Though half-asleep, the zombi-fied baker on the couch is completely botherable.

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[bigarmy_strangepants]

In one of the big chairs by the fire there's a tall Viking, his hair shaved at the sides and otherwise in a stiff blond braid, curled up like comfortable wolf-hound, and snoring.

[sunbaked_baker]

Rae curls up in the corner of the couch, pulling down the blanket from the couch back and tucking it around her. Though her previous encounters with Vikings have been rather pointed and unpleasant (and limited to one viking in particular), the image of the Viking sleeping in the chair makes her smile faintly, anyway. At least someone is getting some good sleep.

The fire in the fireplace is warm, and the fishes swim serenely; it is all very soothing. Quietly and drowsily, slowly making her way towards wakefulness, Rae sips her tea. It makes a quiet clink as she sets it on the coffeetable, her exact aim thrown off by a sudden yawn.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

That little sounds wakes the sleeping Viking, who may have been ready to wake up anyway. He unrolls, stretches long arms and legs in every direction, and yawns mightily.

"Good morning," he murmurs, pleasantly.

[sunbaked_baker]

The mighty yawn from the waking Viking sets off another involuntary yawn from the baker, who covers her mouth and turns her head slightly. Darn contagious yawns. It makes her eyes water, and delays her reply a few moments until it passes.

"Good morning," she replies with a slightly wry smile, wiping her eyes. "You looked like you were sleeping well - I'm sorry if I woke you."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Hello there," the Viking says, grinning at the red-headed woman who seems to be sleeping nearby, wondering if he's already broken that rule Athelstan had so gone on about. But he would certainly remember?

"Will you slap me when I say I don't remember you from last night, and why are there fish in the fireplace? They look rather like fish out of water."

[sunbaked_baker]

"No reason to slap you," Rae says, amused, picking up her tea. "We haven't met. I got here a little while ago, but I suspect you were here the whole night."

Mm, tea. Savior of all sleep-addled bakers everywhere.

"They are, in fact, fish out of water. Out of water and into fire, only not cooking like normal fish would. They've been swimming around in the fireplace just fine for as long as I've been coming here, though I'm not sure how. Just another weird thing about this place."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes, I was," Ragnar says. "These big soft chairs are very comfortable to sleep in."

He stretches mightily again, yawns, then sits up a bit straighter.

"I'm relieved -- I don't want to break the rules, and what's more important, I'm married to an amazing woman who knows to kick ass."

At least that's what the bar magic translates his Viking colloquialism as.

"I'm Ragnar Lothbrok, by the way."

[sunbaked_baker]

"And I am very happily spoken for," she adds, smiling. "So asses remain unkicked and relationships remain unbroken - a good morning all 'round."

"Good to meet you, Ragnar Lothbrok," Rae replies, offering a slight salute via lifted tea mug. The name sounds vaguely familiar, but she can't place it. Not in her current state. "I'm Rae Seddon."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Ray -- as in sunshine?" Ragnar says. "What a fitting name for a lovely woman one meets in the morning."

Ass-kickingly spoken for or not, he can be nice to her!

[runningred]

Jay comes in from his morning run, looking just as tired. He grasp a couple of bottles of sports drinks and sits one down next to Rae.

Lifting her feet out of the way for a moment. he flops down next to her, her legs across his lap. He lets his head fall back with a sigh. He may end up napping here too.

{ooc: placeholder tag, la la la.}

[sunbaked_baker]

"Mmrph," she greets eloquently, a drowsy blink not really resulting in a more awake Sunshine. She may wiggle her toes at him in a strange semblance of a wave, but that is about all she manages. So, you know. Hi, Jay!

"Nnngh."

It's practically 'good morning'!

[runningred]

Jay makes an equally non-committal and inarticulate noise and downs half the sports drinks before picking up her feet. Almost on autopilot, Rae gets a foot massage. Why? Because feet are there and if he isn't doing something, Jay will fall asleep too.

[sunbaked_baker]

"Mmmmmmmm," she opines, her eyes fluttering shut. Rae packs a lot of meaning into the sound that involuntarily comes from her throat.

Oh gods, the sound says, that's just putting me in increased danger of falling asleep. You want that, don't you? How cruel. And after I made all that effort to wake up and get down here, too. But gods that feels good. Don't stop.

[runningred]

Jay shrugs in return and starts working his thumbs into the balls of her feet.

Shush and enjoy it, woman. We're both exhausted and I need something to do with my hands or I'm gunna pass out too.

[sunbaked_baker]

Another sleepy, vague groan answers him.

Fine. You drive a hard bargain, pixie boots. You keep watch. I'm going to... gonna... ooh, right there.

Rae hisses appreciatively through her teeth (it's not nearly as impressive as some vampires' hisses she's heard, but it's still quite emphatic) as his thumbs hit a particularly tight, sore spot. She doesn't often get massages back home, and her life is mostly spent on her feet, one way or another.

[runningred]

Even half asleep, Jay is very deft and his hands are strong and responsive. He works into the sore spot gently, increasing the pressure as the muscles relax. His eyes are closed and his head leaned back on the back of the couch, working by touch and the sounds she makes.

[sunbaked_baker]

Rae is quite generous with the vocal cues, happy sounds and faint sounds of pain alike. Focusing on the sensations gives her an anchor to consciousness, though it is a tenuous connection.

"...fiend, you're just trying to lull me to sleep with your... fingers, and your wiles. Fiendish wiles," she murmurs hazily, after a while. "Wonderful wiles."

Credit where credit is due, after all.

[patterns_bloom]

Alana descends the stairs today wearing a blue hydrangea print dress. Spotting Rae on the couch, Dr. Bloom meanders over there to settle in a chair next to it. She smiles and raises her hand in a wave.

[sunbaked_baker]

Rae offers a tired smile and lifts her tea mug in lieu of a wave.

"You look entirely too put-together," the sore baker mock-whines with a wry smile. Friendliness is her natural response, but so is gentle teasing. "I feel like a complete slob."

"But also, good morning. Would you like some tea?"

[patterns_bloom]

Alana chuckles, shaking her head. "Appearances can be deceiving," she teases back. "I can guarantee that I am not nearly as put-together as I seem to be. And tea would be lovely."

She crosses one knee over the other, resting her chin on her palm. "And you look quite sore, not a slob," she points out, letting Rae choose how much to divulge about her state today.

[sunbaked_baker]

"Oh, but seeming put-together is half the battle, right?" she grins, catching the eye of a passing waitrat and ordering a fresh pot of the strong Assam tea. "Fake it 'til you make it?"

"I've never mastered the art of faking anything very well - case in point, I look sore because I am sore. Something as seemingly easy as swimming can really wear you out if you're not used to it being part of your normal training."

[patterns_bloom]

"I concede the point," Alana says, inclining her head. "I've thankfully mastered the art of faking it, to the point where I rarely trip over my own feet anymore when by all rights I should."

She smiles at the tea order. "Swimming! Out in the Caribbean inlet? That's a brilliant idea. I am sorry you're sore from it, though. You'd think they'd have something for that here. Do you need a hot compress?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"The inlet's the only really suitable place for swimming here, at the moment. You can really tell when you start straying too far, too - that cold lake water very clearly lets you know when you've crossed the boundary," she says, wryly.

"It's my back, my legs and my arms that are sore all at once - strenuous swimming is a real full-body workout. I'd use up the infirmary's store of hot compresses all at once if I tried to use them," Rae grins. "I'll tough it out - there's a heating pad that helped some last night, up in my room."

[patterns_bloom]

"Ah, and what a reminder it is," Alana says with a grin. "I hope your heating pad helps more than it did."

She taps her lips. "I'll have to familiarize myself with what the infirmary does have," Alana says, nodding thoughtfully. "I wanted to let you know, by the way, that in my efforts to appear put together, I've talked to Dr. Sandhu about potentially staring a practice here."

[sunbaked_baker]

"Eh, the heating pad's okay," Rae shrugs. "Just small. I would... I would heal it all myself, but my muscles don't get stronger if I heal residual soreness from training, you know? I get to power through it like everyone else."

The rat returns with the pot of tea and another mug, setting it on the coffeetable within both women's reach.

"Practice?" she inquires, pouring Dr. Bloom some tea. "As in... psychiatry?"