damned_institute | Day 58: Men's Showers (Second Shift)

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Day 58: Men's Showers (Second Shift)

By the time that breakfast had ended, Michael didn't really know what to think.

The good part of him -- the part that went to church every Sunday and prayed that he could find justice for his clients -- wanted to feel for those two boys. They were going through Hell (and not the literal kind that they were thinking of) and he really did hold out hope that they would get their acts together. But the rest of him wanted to forget all about them and focus on himself. They weren't his responsibility anymore, now that the case had been dropped. The very idea of a killer had been a fantasy, after all. It wasn't his job to worry about them.

He certainly wasn't some guardian angel, either. He had never signed up for that and he had no idea why his mind had decided that was the case. Figuring that out was probably his key to getting healthy again, but it seemed like an uphill journey at this point.

Either way, it was good to get away from Matt and Eric. He needed some breathing room, some time to just let his mind clear out all of that crazy angel and demon stuff. Being religious was one thing; this was another, and he knew it wasn't right. He tried not to think about what his parents probably thought of him, but for all he knew they weren't even aware that he was here. In fact, Michael couldn't even remember who had admitted him. It was possible he'd just brought himself here.

A shower sounded like a real blessing, though, and he didn't hesitate to strip out of the uniform and find shelter under the hot spray of one of the shower heads. It was definitely more than just washing off; it felt like a cleansing experience, like he was scrubbing the very idea of Castiel out of his skin. He knew it wasn't that easy, that he could relapse at any point, and yet he tried anyway.

However, once he'd washed his body and shampooed his hair, he realized that he needed to give up the shower space for someone else who might need it. As much as he would have liked to spend the entire shift there, he did the right thing and went back to get dressed once he was finished, heading out into the Sun Room on a soldier's heels.

[To here.]

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After the drugs had began to do their job, Sesshoumaru had been taken to the cafeteria, chained between two soldiers, and been forced to stand as the sedative took a firmer grip on his mind and body. He had not been happy with the situation, but his limbs had already begun to feel so heavy, and his mind as though it was full of fog, which made trying to figure out what exactly he was going to do slightly more difficult than usual - and really, the situation would have been difficult enough. Sesshoumaru was not used to any need for subtlety, nor given to its practice. All appearances to the contrary, he was a dog, and in his heart he dearly loved simplicity.

The chatter in the background, a dull roar that combined with the sound of dishes and silverwear, just made it more difficult to concentrate. Perhaps that was why they were here.

He growled a little, dully - there seemed little else he could do at the moment; it was growing extremely difficult to think, difficult to remember to move or blink. His body felt so heavy that it was a wonder he didn't sink into the earth, fall through the stone and continue falling-

A voice fizzled to life somewhere very far away, it seemed like, and said things that didn't seem to make much sense - Sesshoumaru wondered if they would make more sense if they hadn't done.... whatever it was they had done to him. (The prick? )

"'ɹǝʌo sı ʇsɐɟʞɐǝɹq ǝʞıן sʞooן ʇı 'ʇɥbıɹ ןןɐ" one of the soldiers said, and it took Seshoumaru a moment to realize first that he'd been speaking, and second that the words made sense. Breakfast, over then. Then that meant... something. It was difficult to focus.

"Come on," one of them said, it was difficult to And, when Sesshoumaru was trying to figure that out, they started to move.

Sesshoumaru only had one arm, which had made cuffing him in such a way as would prevent a freedom of moment which could still be dangerous was difficult; in the end his ankle had been cuffed to restrain him on his left side. It was a perfectly sound principle in theory, but in practice made the simple task of walking akin to running a three legged race - which was complicated enough even without drugs flooding your system - and sESSHOUMARU WAS MORE ILL-PREPARED THAN MOST TO DEAL WITH SUCH CHANges, simply because his natural immunity to most poisons, drugs, and various other toxins was enough to have prevented him ever having been compelled to deal with anything that even remotely resembled his present situation. The combination of these two elements meant that, when they began to walk, Sesshoumaru did not react quickly enough, and several seconds later had fallen in a graceless heap.

For a moment Sesshoumaru lay very still on the ground, hair covering him and spilling across onto the floor, his one arm pulled back and still held up at an awkward angle by the handcuff, and wondered quite how it had come to this. He wished he could close his eyes and go to sleep, so that perhaps he could wake to find that this was all only a very odd dream. But then his guards were pulling him to his feet.

""

It took several seconds longer than it should have for Sesshoumaru to come up with a reply, the drug was dulling his reactions. Finally he manged to piece together the words and come up with a glare - less biting than it would usually have been, but at least it was something.

"Mind your own business," he said, and even his own voice seemed to be further away than it should have been. ""

If there was a reply, Sesshoumaru stumbled again and very nearly fell and so missed it.

"All right, here we are," one of them said. "Go in and get clean."

Which was how Sesshoumaru found himself free at last, looking around in confusion at the blue and white tiles of the room and the shining silver metal and the odd racks, wondering if this would make any more sense if his mind wasn't so clouded.

[for Snow!]

It was weird. Snow was ready to explode when he woke up. He still felt like that, kinda. There really wasn't any time to be playing along with these people and their crap all day when he had to find Serah. It was confirmed she was here somewhere. And he wasn't going to let a bunch of bastards barking orders and shoving guns in his face stop him from finding her. But he'd calmed down a little during breakfast, long enough to think of something.

He wasn't sure where Serah was. She could've been locked up in a room somewhere. She could've been in another building entirely. ...Or she could be right here, walking around with everyone else. It was possible, right? So then before he ran off and started breaking into offices, he should check here for her first. Unfortunately, he only thought of this while everyone was being rounded up to get cleaned again. He couldn't find her like this.

In the crowd, he started calling out for her to see if she answered, but the soldiers quickly told him to shut it. This amounted to another yelling match for a few moments until he was told he could look for whoever the hell he was looking for after showers. Until then, these bastards weren't gonna let off him. He really couldn't stand any of this. Even if you ignored the news of Serah's presence, Snow wasn't the compliant type. He wasn't going to jump on command or do anything just because someone ordered him to. He'd rather take a bullet than go "Yes, sir."

However, with Serah possibly walking around... Yes, it made that rebelliousness several times worse, but it also helped him bite it back to a point, too. It wasn't an exaggeration to say he would do absolutely anything for Serah. Anything. And if he had to grit his teeth and go along with this just a little longer, long enough to get back out and look for her without getting stopped, then... He'd have to put up with it. For now. He guessed.

And this wasn't really something that was too easy for him. This was the... um... the group shower thing again, it looked like. On Cocoon, the concept of something like this was completely foreign. Anyone from back home would probably find the idea shocking. Here though, it seemed like it was completely normal. So he was the only one who found it weird and had to get himself to adapt. Well. Last time, it was pretty surprising how quick he'd been able to forget about it once he was in. But getting in was still new and awkward.

As he walked into the room though, one guy caught his attention pretty quick. Mostly it was cause, unlike everyone else getting ready and stuff, this guy was just standing there and looking around like he was lost. It was probably what Snow looked like when he'd been shoved in here last time. It made him think maybe this was someone else from Cocoon who didn't know what the hell was going on. But then he saw the marks on his face. ... He'd never seen anyone with anything like that back him, but it made him think of Fang for some reason. Or, you know, Pulse people in general. But if that was right, then he'd already know what this was, wouldn't he? Either way, Snow was a little reassured in not being the only person who found this whole thing strange.

"You alright?" That was said just to get the guy's attention, really. He offered him a grin that was supposed to be reassuring. "Heh. 'S weird, right? I dunno what they were thinkin' either."

Sesshoumaru was attempting to be very calm and methodical in attempting to decide if he was hallucinating, and was having a difficult time as his thoughts kept wandering away from him. His body felt heavy, the sensation of his hair brushing against his skin was inordinately distracting.

and
he
didn't-

Sesshoumaru attempted a tired glare, and wasn't sure how he managed- what was the smile for?

He wished he could collapse, and wished he didn't wish it. And he wasn't even tired really, just weary and heavy. He cut to the point - he couldn't think well enough, was too weary for anything else.

"What is this place?"

Attentive wasn't really a word most people would use to describe Snow if given the chance, but there was something noticeably off about the way this guy was speaking. He... wasn't sure what it meant yet. But he knew it meant something. Something important, probably.

For now though, it looked like he'd been right about him being about as lost as Snow was about this place.

"Don't really look it but... these are supposed to be showers. They shove everyone in here to take a bath all at once. They don't let you leave til ya do it, too. 'S a real pain." More than a pain. It wasn't right. He hated these people thinking they could just do whatever the hell they wanted and everyone's just have to take it. "When you're done, though, they let ya go and leave ya alone for a while. So, guess there's that at least, right?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head in an attempt to clear it, to wake up, to something, and the only result was
that
he
got
so
dizzy
that
he
almost
fell
down.

He staggered a step before catching himself, closing his eyes for a moment and biting down a snarl. "˙˙˙ǝɔuo ʇɐ ןןɐ ɥʇɐq ɐ ǝʞɐʇ oʇ ǝɹǝɥ uı ǝuoʎɹǝʌǝ ǝʌoɥs ʎǝɥʇ˙˙˙" said the other man, and another unfamiliar word, , which seemed nonsensical - rain?

here?

somehow Sesshoumaru suspected that this was simply another thing that he did not understand, something else strange about the prison. The world was so muzzy that he was rather more forthcoming than he normally was. "Explain." A command and a question all in one.

"Whoa!" Snow jerked slightly on instinct, ready to reach out and catch the guy from falling over if he had to. He'd really looked like he was about to for a second there. He'd managed to catch himself, but he was still wobbly looking. ...Okay, yes, Snow was sure there was definitely something wrong with this guy. And when he paid closer attention to the guy's face, Snow finally realized what it was.

They'd done it, hadn't they? They'd put that stuff in this guy. Snow knew. He'd had them do that to him several times by now. He knew that weird, disoriented feeling and inability to keep your mind locked on anything in particular. The guy definitely looked like he was feeling the same thing. So that had to be it, right? Which was kind of surprising because the guy didn't really strike him as much of a fighter at first glance. He didn't look like a regular civilian either but...

Actually, when the guy spoke up again, Snow realized this guy was a lot like Lightning. A less angry-looking Lightning, but Lightning. He hadn't smiled the whole conversation or shown much expression at all, really. All serious. And that blunt, direct, short way of speaking? Definitely like Lightning. Maybe that meant he was a soldier, too. And maybe that also meant he was tougher than he looked.

Still, Snow couldn't help but want to keep an eye out in case he started toppling over again. That stuff packed a punch no matter how strong you were. As for his question...

"Um, well." He placed his hands on his hips and looked back and forth between the rooms. Explaining things wasn't normally, you know, his forte. Finally, he jabbed a thumb in one direction. "Way it works is you're supposed to go in there and take your stuff off. Then," he jabbed his thumb to the other room, "you're supposed to go in this one to clean up. It's a little weird, but it's not all that bad, I guess. Just takes getting used to." Which admittedly, he was able to do once he was actually in there. But getting in was still weird.

"Oh! And the shower's more complicated than it needs to be, but it's easy enough to figure out once you know what does what. Kinda. If ya want, I'll meet you in here and show you how to work it." It was a little presumptuous of him to think he could show someone else how to work the showers when he'd only been shown how a few days ago. But he felt like he got it. He'd see how much he remembered from what Zack showed him.

Sesshoumaru growled in an odd mixture of tired and distracted and sharp - his control was slipping as the day wore on, it seemed. It was difficult to care - there seemed little more that they could do to him, or little he could do to prevent it should they choose to try.

.

Sesshoumaru did not look like much of a fighter - too seemingly young, too pretty, fine features and long hair, his figure very well muscled but slim enough that the evidence was hidden by his clothing; even by the tighter, more constrive clothing that was all this place offered, but that was all to his advantage.

Odd how frequently he was underestimated.

Infuriating to think that such might no longer be the case.

After all, he had become so weak.

"I ʇ,uop-"

Sesshoumaru almost growled again, holding himself still, trying to keep from letting a dizzy spell overwhelm him, looking in something like hostile curiousitly at the man staring at him.

He listened as the other talked~~the scent of steam was in the air so odd he couldn't really smell it he only knew what he should be able to~~or he tried~~there was noise he should be ale to~~but i was difficult, not to allow his mind to wander.

Ironic that he had spent so long cultivating a skill that now was the opposite of what he needed but sometimes it had seemed the only way to remain sane.

There was irony there, but he couldn't seem to find and properly appreciate it right now.

There seemed to be something missing, regardless, as there was no pool, or pond, or any strange indoor equivilant. But Sesshoumaru hated to ask again, hated to appear weak~~evenifthat'swhathewasnow~~

Whoooa, yeah. Okay. Looked like the guy was really out of it. Snow could barely even understand what he was saying. Was he following along with anything he was saying? It was hard to tell. Seemed like he was but... Yeah, okay. Looked like he'd have to help him out a little more than he'd figured.

"Hey, hey. Relax, okay? The more worked up you get, the more that stuff messes with you." At least that had been his case. He gave the guy a big encouraging grin. "Don't sweat it! I'll show you everything, 'lright? C'mon. Let's go."

Snow put both hands on the guy's shoulders, turned him toward the changing room area things (ie. the bathroom stalls), and walked him over there, pushing him forward by the shoulders the whole time. He stopped once they were in front of the stalls, finally letting the guy go.

"Here. Just go in here and get your stuff off. They collect the clothes and stuff when you're done and give you a towel. We'll head over and I'll show you how the things work. It's really not as crazy as it looks."

He paused for a moment, giving the guy a little bit of a dubious look then. ...He wasn't gonna need someone to help him disrobe and stuff, right? Snow hoped not cause... Look, he wanted to help the guy out and everything, but there was only so far he was willing to go.

"...You gonna be okay?"

Edited 2011-08-23 21:50 (UTC)

Sesshoumaru was not getting ^{worked up}, Sesshoumaru had his pride and his years and years of control TO-

The other took him and guided him, and it took a moment for Sesshoumaru to catch up with the situation (~~_maybe the drug had been made stronger because he tried to~~ ) and after that a few moments to decide how he would react, by which point it was too late anyway, .

Or
perhaps

too late was the wrong word? He seemed helpful enough...

It would be the wrong phrase, Sesshoumaru mentally corrected himself, not...

A question.

"I am neither simple nor a child," sesshoumarusaidandblinked his clouded eyes. This situation did not make sense, but he had already been patronized enough, and he was weary to his bones, so there would be time later for questions for now the stranger seemed to assume that he would know so he might as well react as though he did
Sesshoumaru clumsily undid his buttons (they were inconvenient he almost ripped the fabric of his clothes)

He considered growling at the next question but it did not seem worth the trouble - this man did not appear to be his enemy. So instead he answered in the only way that seemed logical, and true, and proud, and sane, and something of a life that wasn't here.

"I am Sesshoumaru."

Of course he would be fine.

Oh if only Sesshoumeru knew that this was just how Snow was. He didn't intend for anything he was doing to come off as patronizing at all. He legitimately was trying to help the guy out. Of course, he was completely oblivious to the fact that it might sound that way to a stranger.

So Snow just laughed at the guy's comment, figuring he meant that playfully. "Yeah, alright-alright. I gotcha."

Heh. The guy really did remind him more and more of Lightning by the second. It kind of made him like him a little more, strangely enough. And he had an unusual name, too. Seh-show-mah-roo. It was different, like a lot of names he heard in this place. Maybe that meant he was from Pulse after all? Eh, who knew? Not like Snow was really gonna care about divisions based on where you came from. Especially here. It was a long name, but not too long to be hard to remember... he guessed. Still pretty long though. Snow'd probably end up shortening it.

Before he offered his name back, Snow... um, left the guy alone. He was starting to take his clothes off. And there was something a little too personal about actually disrobing in front of someone. Anyone. So Snow just kind of casually went into one of the other stalls to give the guy some space... and get some himself.

"I'm Snow!" he called out, still jovial even without being face to face. And he continued blabbering over the stalls as he undressed. Yeah, he still wasn't comfortable with everything, but he had to admit, it helped a lot to be hanging out with someone else who was new, too. It made it so he could be more casual and forget about... you know, the whole thing. "So you're new and stuff, right? Uh... They just brought you in, I mean? I been here a few days already. 'S why I got the routine all figured out. It's pretty annoying though, right? 'Specially the guards. Least they're easy enough to ignore. Mostly. I guess. I mean, they like pickin' on people sometimes. Guess they got nothin' else better to do than go wavin' their guns in people's faces. What'd you get in trouble for anyway? Probably something stupid, right?"

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Day 58: Men's Showers (Second Shift)

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