Day 65: Sun Room

[fallenbeanpole]

His nurse had whisked him away from breakfast as soon as the intercom’s voice faded.  Surprisingly, she didn’t take him to the shower rooms, instead bringing him to the Sun Room (as she called it), explaining that since this was his first day he would be allowed to skip the showers.  Besides, it would be good to let his injuries heal a little more.

 

He’d passed through this room on the way to breakfast, but hadn’t really paid much attention to it the first time.  Now that he was standing here, the Once-ler understood why it was called the Sun Room.

 

Despite the fact that it was cloudy outside, there was still far more natural light coming in through the ceiling windows than he had seen in a long time.  The Once-ler stood still for a few moments, simply staring up.  It seemed almost like a dream, really.  The valley never got brighter than twilight, even at noon.  There was too much smog in the air to let any more light through.

 

After a few minutes, he shook his head.  Anybody who saw him just standing in the middle of the room would probably have questions about it, and he did not relish the thought of explaining himself to a stranger.  He glanced around the room itself, spotting the bulletin board Soma had talked about during breakfast.  The Once-ler decided that was a good place to start, and hobbled on over to get a closer look.

 

[For Nina, I believe?]

Comments

[impudentsongbird]

"Right now, to make sure you're okay," Gabe said with a smile full of gentle sympathy. He rose, carefully so as not to lose his balance as he had the first time, and belatedly picked up his shoes before crossing to Zero, sinking down to the floor again nearer the couch.

Closer, the man looked worse, far beyond just needing a good rest. Gabriel's chest clenched with the similarities he could see between this stranger and the man he'd seen grow from childhood under Lucifer's unceasing influence. It was that particular look in the eyes.

But his was not to push, not to pry. Just to offer.

"I'm Gabe," he said. "What's your name?"

[dividedby]

.... Was this guy dense? Could he not take an incredibly obvious hint...no, two hints, both from way Zero looked away from him and the rude way he'd replied? Why was he still trying to make conversation despite that?

Just go away...

"I am okay." The response came out as obviously defensive, especially when (from just looks) it was clear that he was anything but okay, but Zero didn't really care. He turned his head to glare at the man again - 'Gabe', he said his name was - and then simply did that, glared, without another word. He didn't feel any need to tell the man what his name was, mainly just to avoid adding on to a conversation that didn't need to be happening in the first place.

He hoped Gabe would get the message now.

[impudentsongbird]

It was a very obvious message, but the man was so obviously injured that Gabe didn't feel right simply up and walking away. At least some company was better than being alone.

"Maybe I should give you a name of my own," he said, gently teasing. "That's okay. Actually, I was wondering if you could answer something for me." The Archangel held up his hands. "I promise, if you'd like to sleep after that I won't keep talking. It's just that I've no idea what this place is, and the nurse wasn't very helpful."

And he couldn't very well ask her why he was human when he wasn't meant to be. Not that he could ask the same of this man, but at least he might be able to explain things a little better. And besides, Gabriel said he'd let the man sleep, not that he'd leave him alone.

[dividedby]

Answer something for me... No idea what this place was... Oh. Even worse. That meant Gabe was new, and as such he was expecting explanation. Going over every little thing that was wrong with this place would take quite a bit of time, Zero realized, and right now...he was in no mood or mindset to give any such explanations. Especially not to someone who wouldn't stop pestering him.

Still, Zero wasn't so much of a jerk that he would leave this man without anything whatsoever. Gabe deserved something, being new. But he would only get that - something. Something brief. The single most important thing to know about this place...

"...It's a lie," he answered after a moment's pause as he continued to stare hard at the other man. "They all lie to us. Landel uses us for his own entertainment... You'll see what I mean tonight."

The drug was causing the once-Reploid's words to slur a bit, but he didn't notice. He didn't notice much beyond his own annoyance, actually. Just operating this body was difficult enough as it was. His head felt so cloudy...like he didn't exist. But....there. That was enough, right? Just those words?

Zero directed his eyes to the couch again and let out a soft grunt. "Want to know more...go ask someone else." Someone who could actually think straight. Leave him alone.

[impudentsongbird]

It's a lie. Of all the brief explanations the man could have chosen, that was the one which explained the most. Gabriel closed his eyes against the sudden tension in his body, held it, let it all out with a sigh.

Lucifer. He'd been hoping ... but no. Who else?

"That's what I feared," he said, and this time when he looked across the room it was with the bittersweet knowledge that, once again, his brother was using beauty as a front for ugliness. Were the nurses part of the front, or poor manipulated souls as well? "I can imagine what kinds of 'entertainment' the people here might suffer."

The kinds he might have to suffer too. The thought made his heart pound, and although the Archangel had noticed it before, the suddenness of the feeling made him press a hand to his chest to feel it. It was a strange sensation--strange but sort-of wondrous, and confusing. Surely not even Lucifer had the power to make him human? That alone proved Gabriel's Master was still watching, even with the lack of instructions.

The lack of instructions seemed less frightening now than they would have not all that long ago. As confusing as it was, he was here now, and there was no point in questioning that.

Gabriel looked toward his companion again and gave him a small but heartfelt smile, sympathetic and understanding. "Thank you. Rest well."

He still didn't make to rise.

[dividedby]

Gabe was listening, and he was smart enough to pick up on the glaringly obvious 'something is horribly wrong here' aspect of this place. That was good. Better yet, what he said last implied that he would be leaving Zero alone soon. Peace and quiet? He could use it. If he closed his eyes for awhile, perhaps his environment and his thoughts would become clearer...and then he could read the board without interruption.

...But when he sneaked a glance at the man to make sure he was walking away, Gabe was doing the exact opposite of that. No, he was just smiling and holding one hand up to his chest for some reason. For the love of... What did he want now? If he still had questions, he should ask someone else. Zero even said as much before. Hopefully he got that part. Did he? He better have.

The once-Reploid glared at the other man, saying with his eyes what he would have said out loud if he bothered: Why are you still here? Aren't you leaving yet?

The last thing he needed was some stranger's sympathy.

[impudentsongbird]

It took a few moments for Gabe to register the glare, and another few for the Archangel to realise why he was getting it. He laughed a bit, lifting his hands, and said teasingly, "I said I'd stop talking, not that I'd leave."

Then the smile faded and he let his hands fall. It was true that he didn't know the extent of this man's suffering, let alone the details, but that didn't matter. That he'd suffered was clear enough, and so was the compassion in Gabriel's eyes. "Time's passing can be easier to bear with a bit of company."

[dividedby]

"Not really," Zero was quick to answer, the words slurring so obviously he might as well have sounded drunk. He was not a type of person who enjoyed most kinds of company, especially the kind he didn't know...and he was also not the type to be patient with people who wouldn't listen to him, especially when he was in a bad mood.

And of course, Gabe was being everything Zero didn't like right now, which was only making his bad mood worse. The worst combination of things, truly.

The grumpy former android rolled over onto his back and directed his glare at the ceiling, resting his hands on his stomach. "Why bother." It was a rather simplified way of asking Gabe why are you bothering to give attention to some stranger who obviously doesn't want you around, but it was all the same in the end. Didn't make sense. Seemed stupid. Etcetera.

[impudentsongbird]

"Why not?" Gabe asked simply in return. What did he have to lose in offering some company, even--especially!--to a stranger? "I will leave, if you truly wish me to. It's simply that ..."

He hesitated a moment, trying to figure out how to say this without burdening the man too much. "I've been alone by choice at a time when I shouldn't have been," he settled for saying. "It wasn't all that fun. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

[dividedby]

Yes, I truly want you to. How much more obvious did Zero have to be about it? Wasn't he being blatant enough?

Gabe's personal anecdote did nothing to change his mind. In fact, it made him feel a little bit worse. "Not everyone's bothered by being alone," he grumbled, turning narrowed eyes toward his persistent source of annoyance for a moment. His words were still slow and somewhat slurred, of course, but there was little he could do about that. (Not like he cared at the moment, anyway.) "Look somewhere else for company."

And look somewhere else for someone to shove your sympathy onto, he would have added, but no need. Too much effort. Back to staring at the ceiling.

[impudentsongbird]

"As you wish." Gabriel's smile was gentle but a little sad, and not in the least bit insulted or fazed by the reception. It seemed like the sadness was more for Zero than for himself. "Blessings on you."

He touched the man's arm lightly, the part nearest him so as not to invade Zero's personal bubble more than he had to, and left it deliberately vague just who was doing the blessing. Some people preferred not to hear specifics. Then the Archangel picked up his shoes and rose, carefully, wandering off toward the bulletin board.

[over to here.]