Room 423, Monday afternoon [8/3]

[itsjustlanguage]

It was a good thing that Hoshi didn't have any Monday classes. After spending most of her weekend asleep and unable to escape bizarre dreams, she had stubbornly stayed up all night Sunday. Somewhere around 6 AM, the exhaustion had finally kicked in and she dozed off for a few hours.

She was still feeling rather out of sorts when she woke up. After fixing herself a cup of tea, she sat on the bed and thought about the person she had been in that other world and the things she had seen. She sincerely hoped that those who survived would find themselves in a better place, but she couldn't feel certain about that.

[Door and post are completely open!]

Comments

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

Hurley stopped by Hoshi's room after his classes. It seemed the right thing to do.

He knocked quietly. "Hey, you, uhhh, there?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi looked up. "Hurley?" she asked tentatively.

A few seconds later, she launched herself at Hurley to give him a bear hug. "You're alive! You're okay," she squealed, tears running down her face.

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Whoa, hi," Hurley said, hugging her tight. He teared up a little too, just from the pure emotion of the situation. "Yeah. I'm okay."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I heard you died!" sobbed Hoshi. "People were talking about it over there, and I didn't know if dying there meant that you were going to die here, too. I was so worried."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"I just kinda... woke up on this side," Hurley said. "Oh man, I'm sorry."

Yep, still hugging.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi wasn't ready to let go yet. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe those people had to live in fear like that," she said. "I'm glad I got to stay until the end and see them overthrow the vampires, but it was like a huge nightmare that I couldn't wake up from."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Well, be thankful," Hurley said. "Cause that means the you on that side got to see them overthrow the vampires, too."

Hey, just cause he wasn't blaming himself for getting killed didn't mean it was sad there was a dead Hurley somewhere.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"She just seemed so much tougher than me," said Hoshi, finally releasing Hurley. "It doesn't seem fair that they got wimpy ol' me during the final battle."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Hey, you're no wimp," Hurley said. Apparently, he was 'faith in everyone's abilities' guy, these days. "But... wait, you guys overthrew the vampires?"

He was kinda slow sometimes, that Hugo Reyes.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"It was really cool, actually," said Hoshi, allowing herself to smile. "They got the island to move! It reappeared far enough north that the sun was shining all night and the vampires all burned away."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Nice," Hurley said. "Glad things are better there, at least."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I kind of wish I'd gotten to see how they managed to rebuild the town after reclaiming the island, but I was happy to get out of there as soon as I could," said Hoshi. "I was afraid that I'd get stuck there with no way of getting back here."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Everybody got back," Hurley said. "I think. Which is good."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"That's what it sounded like on the radio last night," said Hoshi. "Though I'm afraid that it might take a while for everyone to get back to normal." Especially if last night was any indication. She still had dark circles under her eyes from the lack of sleep.

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, some of us kinda have... hard memories, now," Hurley said.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, there are those," said Hoshi, thinking of some more awkward memories. "I hope things aren't really strange between us because of... because of what our other selves were doing over there."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

Hurley actually laughed. "Man, no, absolutely not. I mean, I like you and stuff but... Penelope's my girl, you know?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi laughed as well, though she was still a bit nervous. "I understand. And I think you and Penelope are totally great together. I wouldn't want something bizarre from some alternate universe to get in the way."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Hey, as far as I'm concerned, what happens in alternate universes stays in alternate universes," Hurley said.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I'm good with that," chuckled Hoshi. "So, have you gotten back to normal yet?"

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Sorta, yeah," Hurley said. "I mean, lucky for me whoever got me, it's not anyone at the school any more."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you die?" asked Hoshi, though she wasn't sure she wanted to hear about it.

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Kinda got ambushed by a dude with flamethrower hands," Hurley said. "He was super creepy and really, really evil."

He shuddered. "Don't really want to think about it.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi frowned. "It doesn't sound like anyone I've met at Fandom. Then again, I don't typically go around asking people if they have any hidden powers. But I did see people around that place who have graduated and moved on from here," she said.

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Hurley said. "I think I might... hide during Homecoming."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I did that for my first year here, though Robin managed to drag me to the dance. And I suspect Penelope would do the same thing," said Hoshi.

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Hurley admitted. "That's probably true."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Girls are usually like that when it comes to dances, anyway," said Hoshi. "But if Mr. Flamethrower makes an appearance at Homecoming, I'll be sure to keep a fire exinguisher handy."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"I doubt he's gonna do anything. I might just... freak out a little," Hurley said.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I can understand," said Hoshi, nodding. "You know how claustrophobic I am? For my first semester here, I kept freaking out over stuff. Crowded welcome picnics, crowded classrooms, crowded dance floors at homecoming..."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Oh, man," Hurley said. "But... you got better about it?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"It took a little while, and there was one time that Johnny had to light himself on fire to distract me from a panic attack on the roof," said Hoshi. "But I definitely got better with time, once I learned some techniques for coping with my anxiety."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"...light himself on fire?" Hurley said.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Don't tell me you haven't seen that nifty little power of his," said Hoshi, tilting her head to one side. "Johnny can pretty much burst into flames at will. It was definitely distracting."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"So Johnny's power is to be flaming?" Hurley said, barely restraining a laugh.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi nodded, not quite getting the joke. "I can't remember at the moment what he called himself, but it was something like The Flaming Torch, I think."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Huh," Hurley said. "So, like a superhero?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"If putting yourself on fire and flying around is considered heroic," said Hoshi. "Though I had no complaints."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Hurley said. "Well, I gotta get some stuff done tonight so... I probably should get a move on."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"No problem. I am just so glad to know that you're okay," said Hoshi. "Besides, I'm sure you'd rather spend some time with Penelope instead of me."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

Hurley blushed a little. "I'm just baking tonight, that's all."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Well, I hope you and Penelope have fun 'baking,'" said Hoshi, snickering.

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

Hurley pouted. "I wish," he said, turning to leave.