Day 71: Patient Library (Third Shift)

[freewill]

It wasn't often that Castiel was left to his own devices here, but during the meal shift he actually sat alone for the entirety of it. He didn't necessarily enjoy the solitude, but this place had forced him into more interaction with strangers and more specifically with humans than he had ever been prepared for. He had been managing because there were at least a few others here like him -- not angels (save for one), but other non-humans who struggled to understand the strange species. People like Lust, for instance.

Given a choice of where to go, the library was almost always Castiel's choice, but in this case he had even more reason for it. He and Kratos had gone there last night and found the switch to the hidden passage with little trouble, but he would still be interested to see it all by the light of day -- and also to see what would happen if that book was grabbed for when it wasn't nightshift.

His nurse sighed at his decision, but didn't argue with him beyond that, allowing him to step into the quiet space of the library. "Well, go ahead," she said, waving him off even as her sharp eyes watched his back retreat into the aisles.

It had been the middle one, and a quick glance around proved that there was no sign of the creature they'd pinned under the shelves. Like always, any sign of their nighttime activities was gone by morning. Castiel started down the middle aisle, keeping a lookout for The Oxford Book of English Verse.

[For Soushi.]

Comments

[ever_loyal_dog]

When the meal ended and only a few patients were led off toward the waiting rooms for visitors, he couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed. On one hand, that meant his friends and more importantly, his master was safe from the clutches of this place. But on a more selfish note, he craved just one glance at Ririchiyo's face ever so much more than anything on Landel's menu.

Having visited most of the other rooms, he asked the nurse to take him to the library, when given the option. It was more or less what he'd expected, mostly titles he didn't recognize. Nothing like his own library back home. He recognized several of the titles, books Ririchiyo had mentioned or wished he would read while they exchanged letters. It was worth it to come here for that bit of remembrance alone.

A few moments passed before he took note of the other patients in the room, this time, one he was becoming more and more familiar with. Castiel. While the man had revealed precious little about himself, Soushi held some concerns for the information Castiel had learned about him and his more demonic side. Wishing to keep things friendly as possible between them, he took a few steps in the same direction and quietly cleared his throat.

"Are you looking for anything in particular Castiel-san?" he asked, genuinely curious.

[envy_the_sinners]

Speaking with Edward had been stressful as usual. Scar meandered through the Sun Room and into the library, not seeing anybody he knew.

The Ishbalan had never actually been in here before. He had heard that there was hardly anything informative, so he had steered clear. There was no sense in wasting his time reading nonsense when he could be speaking with people or resting. And tired as he was, Scar felt restless and on edge. It was a slightly different feeling from his typical paranoia, something he couldn't quite place.

Not minding the others in the room, he began poking through the shelves.

[Alphonse!]

[ninelivesonce]

Though the library wouldn't do her much good without the stone, Taura found herself wandering there anyway. Two patients were clustered by the rack with the book that wasn't a book, and as she watched, one of them tugged on it.

It saved her doing the same thing; it was as stubborn as it had moved freely the other night. Still, she'd never found out how the secret of the passage had come to Rita -- or anyone else, and they still didn't know whether it was a trap or a way out. Or both. Nor what the radios had to do with anything; everything was changing, and Taura wasn't sure she liked it.

No. She hated this place; change was good, even if uncomfortable. Consistency and vague comfort was how you took away people's souls, and convinced them to take away others. Whatever was up there, it was worth finding out -- at any cost to herself.

Mind resolved, she slid a regular book out of the shelf at random, and began to flip through it. Within a few pages, she was actually reading it, in spite of herself.

[free!]