A World Without Sun discussion

A room with 3-4 beds.

Nate entered the dorm, his head pounding. He picked up the bag he'd brought here and stuffed all his things in it hurriedly. He had to get out of here. He'd made a big mistake coming here in the first place. He lifted the bag on his shoulders and walked out of the room.

Lyra hand followed him. As he left the room, Lyra bit her lip in anxiety. She undid the latch on a rooftop window, opened it silently, and jumped through, landing right in front of him. She folded her arms over her chest and refused to move.

Nate stopped. "What are you doing here?" he asked. He leaned against the wall to keep steady. The headache was driving him crazy.

"You look awful," was all she said. She avoided his question.

"I know." he said. "I'm a coward. I'm leaving okay. I can't stay here any longer."

"Well then I'm going with you. You don't need to take care of me, I just want to go with you." She replied stubbornly. She couldn't bear the idea of him having to leave.

"Why do you want to come with me?" he asked "You've found your brother, you've found the rebels and now you can fight. Why don't you just go back?"

"Because you're my friend, Nate," she replied. "And Stefan isn't the same than what I once knew him to be like. He's too much of an adult now. I still love him and all that, but..."

"Oh my god." Nate said massaging his temples "I can't take this anymore. He turned a troubled face to Lyra "Okay. I'm not leaving." he said resignedly "I'm going back to my room." he turned around and walked back into the room.

"Thank you." Before he went back in she hugged him and then said, "never do that again, please Nate. And you should probably sleep." She added and then shot him a grin before she clambered back up through the window.

Nate was pretty surprised by the hug and stared after her as she left. Then he sat down very quickly on his bed.

Lyra ran across the rooftops again towards the archery range, to tell Stefan that Nate was staying.

*******CHANGE TOPIC******

Stefan walked to the door of Nate's dorm and rapped sharply on the door. He looked at Lyra "Doyou think he'll be awake?"

Lyra shrugged. "I don't know. I hope so..." She took her brother by the arm before he could knock again. "A bit too loud, Stefan. Nate?" She called softly.

Nate got up with the loud knock and rubbed his eyes. He opened the door and looked at Stefan and Lyra. His eyes were bloodshot and his clothes were rumpled. His hair was sticking up where he'd slept on it.

Lyra frowned slightly. "Nate? Are- are you alright?" She said quietly. "Did we interrupt your sleep?"

"Actually, yes." he said "But I wanted to get up anyway so it doesn't matter. Came to check if I'm staying or leaving?"
"Actually...." Stefan began.

"Oh, um, actually we were just dropping in to say hello and to check if you were alright." Lyra said with an affirmative nod. "Do you have the strength to do anything with us?"

"Sure." he said "I'm always ready." he managed a feeble grin.

She watched him for a couple moments before saying, "great. If you feel bad tell me, okay?"

"Okay." he said "I'll just comb my hair a bit. It'll take a minute."

She smiled at him and nodded. "Alright. We'll wait outside." She dragged Stefan back out.

Nate opened the door a minute later looking slightly more presentable and with his hair not sticking up anymore. "So what's the plan?" he asked. "Don't know." Stefan said. "Nothing much, I guess."

"Walking up and down along the corridors, all day, admiring the view of the wallpaper." Lyra jokingly said. Then she turned serious and said, "Care to take a rooftop tour, boys?"

"Sure." Nate said "I don't see anything wrong in that." Stefan nodded. "Okay."

"Well then follow me." Lyra replied happily. She led them out onto the wode balcony and jumped onto the roof.

Nate's eyes widened. "This is what you meant by a rooftop tour?" Stefan looked momentarily panicked but put on a nonchalant face. "I don't think I care for a rooftop tour." he said.

Lyra dangled upside down from a sturdy drainpipe. She was so light it didnt move underneath her as she looked Stefan in the eyes and grinned like Robin Goodfellow. "Well then I don't know what else to do."

Nate grinned back at her. "I'm going to give it a try." he walked out into the balcony and then slowly climbed onto the roof. He was bending down but stood up slightly. "All good." he said "Coming Stefan?"

Lyra laughed and still hung there, waiting for her brother.

Stefan stood there unsure of what to do. Then he slowly climbed on to the rooftop. It creaked a little underneath him but that was all. He didn't smile. He was nervous and it showed "Scared?" Nate asked him with a grin.

Lyra smiled at her brother's worry. "You see, Stef," she began, as she ran across the rooftop and then back with perfect agility and ease, "this is why you should let me be messenger-" she focused on her feet as she balanced on the edge, grinning.

Nate tried some experimental steps across the rooftop and was pleased to see he was very steady and didn't slip once. "Good view from here." he comneted. Stefan just stood still and tensed.

Lyra hopped to the side and took Stefan's hand. "If you slip, don't worry. I know all the shortcuts." She smiled at her brother.

Stefan relaxed a little at her touch but didn't move. "I'm not scared of slipping." he said.

"Then what are you scared of?" She replied, not letting go.

"Nothing." he said not wanting to admit it in front of Nate who was grinning like a chesire cat. "I'm okay."

"Yeah right." She said. "Well if youre not scared then come on."

Stefan took one step forward but from there, he could see the ground which seemed incredibly far away, He cringed slightly and avoided looking at it. "Good job." Nate said from behind "You managed one step."

Lyra ignored Nate and didn't let go of Stefan's hand. "It'll be fine. Look at me."

Suddenley, Stefan realized he was acting pretty weak and letting himself be led by his little sister. He let go of Lyra's hand and took a few more steps completely avoiding looking at the ground. He looked at Nate. "You happy now?"

Lyra had to supress her laughter. She walked ahead of the two listening to them.

Stefan was taking tentative steps of the rooftop while Nate walked nimbly ahead. He fell in step with Lyra "Now I see why you like this place." he said

"See? It's hgreat, isn't it?" She smiled at him.

"Your brother who seems like he's not scared of anything doesn't seem to like it much." Nate said pointedly turning towards Stefan who was walking ahead too slow for words.

"Would you luike me to race you then, my good sir," Lyra asked in a stupidly posh manner.

"How can I refuse." Nate rolled his eyes.
((Who wins??))

((No clue up to you))

Lyra grinned. "Until the end and then back."