damned_institute | Day 26: Men's Showers (fourth shift)

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Day 26: Men's Showers (fourth shift)

The concept of showering with a bunch of children terrified him, but he refused to let it show. He was over 130 years old, and they wanted him to get naked and bathe, surrounded by kids very nearly a tenth his age. It was certainly inappropriate. On the other hand, he had to shower. It was his third day in this asylum, and he had not been given the opportunity for a shower yet. The idea of wiping off the filth of the last two nights seemed ideal.

Thankfully, he seemed to be the first one there. Maybe if he were quick about it, he could shower and leave before too many of the children came in. He got undressed, and stared at the showers for a second. They were significantly different from the ones he was accustomed to, but after a small amount of trial, error, and scalding hot water, he managed to figure out the system.

He'd just need to get through the showers quickly and efficiently, and then get the hell back to the sun room.

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Adelheid was, to put it simply, upset. Masaru had walked off with Adel's towel, and the only thing Adelheid could do now would be to try to deal with it. At least until nightfall. He'd teach the other boy respect if he had to beat the ever-living daylights out of the 'number one street fighter' to do it.

So yes, he was not in the best of moods when he decided to improve said mood by talking to his two... well, he wanted to think that they were friends still, even after what he'd said. Ed had, at the least, done more than Adelheid had ever expected anyone would. And Tamaki... well, he was Tamaki. It was strange.

Regardless, he took up the shower next to Ed's, nodding a bit to both of them. "Do you mind if I finish up here? And what's this about a clinic, Tamaki?" He would definitely approve if there was something like that set up for all of them. Adelheid knew better than most how important prompt medical care could be in such a place as Landels.

And it also let him think about something other than his own embarrassment.

Huh, that was good to know in case he ever needed anything, he supposed. He'd have to raid it at some point. He nodded a little sadly. "I'll bring you what I find." At least medical equipment would be easy to come by so he wouldn't have to worry about making them. It was so fucking frustrating that he could have done anything if he had his full power.

He glanced up and smiled slightly when Adel joined them. It was odd. They hadn't all three been together since the shower earlier in the week when things had gone to hell. It felt nice though. He nodded agreeably. "Go ahead." The lack of towel wasn't phasing him at all, considering Ed wasn't wearing one either. He'd grown up being used to taking showers outside under the hose half the time.

Well then. Obviously Adelheid had forgiven him any supposed deception, if he was making pleasant conversation and acting like nothing had happened. Tamaki wasn't going to question it.

"Of course!" he said. "I'm actually just about done, I've got to go meet...er...someone in the Sun Room. I never did get his name." Oh well. "Oh! Yes! I'm founding a clinic for nights. That's what I'm off to do now, get some notes and instructions for medical treatment. I can't learn it all in a day, but I can at least learn enough to be of some help." Tamaki straightened up, shaking out his hair with his hands to fluff it up some. "And it isn't just me, there's lots of people who want to help. It's mostly us that can't... well, fight very well. I figure with all of us and plenty of people willing to teach us, we can have a few rooms open all night offering medical aide."

He wondered if Adel would be proud of the idea, too. For some reason, Tamaki desperately hoped he would be.

Adelheid glanced at Tamaki for a little bit... then he smiled and nodded. That was actually a very good plan; better for Tamaki and for those who were worried about him. At least, it would let Adelheid rest more easily. "I think that's a good idea; at least, feel free to get the medical kit from my room to start yourself off."

Of course, it wasn't that Adelheid had forgotten or forgiven anything, but... in the grand scheme of things, he could realize when he'd been a tad ridiculous. Tamaki was a friend... at that point, Adel could use all of the friendship he could manage.

The tallest of the three turned on his shower, talking as he waited for the temperature to get right. "And before I forget... thank you, Edward." 'For last night,' he didn't feel like he needed to add.

He sounded like he had it all figured out. And if they could get more organisation, then it would help. As long as Ed himself didn't get dragged into some stupid Arts and Crafts group like some of them were creating. He'd work with people he liked and listen to their suggestions, nothing more. He loathed taking orders, especially from something which seemed so much like a military.

And he was glad Tamaki had a purpose which also was less likely to get him injured.

He looked at Adel in surprise for a moment and then away, his blush coming back. He hadn't expected to be thanked for what he'd done, that wasn't why he'd done it. "You're my friend. Like hell I was just going to leave you, even if I'd had to go alone."

"Oh thank you, Adel-kun! That would be wonderful!" Tamaki beamed brightly at his friend, more pleased than he could express at the offer. "Oh, I'd better get going. I'm no good to anyone unless I actually learn something!" But bolstered with approval, Tamaki was feeling very excited about his little idea. He wrapped his towel back around his waist and shook out his hair once more.

"Both of you be careful tonight, alright? I'd hate to see you as some of my first patients!"

"I... will try, at least. Take care, Tamaki." Adelheid offered a little smile of his own ~~and tried to ignore how the other boy sparkled when he shook out his hair~~ and nodded in acknowledgment of the other's sentiment. He'd try to avoid getting injured, but considering the circumstances... well, that wasn't a promise he could necessarily keep.

Then he turned to Edward, ignoring the blush for the moment. "Be that as it may, I didn't expect you to help me. It... means a lot to me. Though I must ask you not to tell anyone about the state I was in."

Ed gave Tamaki a reassuring smile. "I'll do my best," he promised, without actually promising anything at all. He couldn't, not when things were so risky. He'd just do his best not to get too hurt and to make sure Tamaki didn't find out.

He met Adel's eyes seriously, trying to force down the hideously embarrassing bludh. Geez, wasn't like he'd never been thanked before! He nodded seriously at Adel's request. "I won't tell anyone," he promised. Ed could understand not wanting people to know about how he'd been last night. "It'd be like someone seeing me after I've had automail surgery." Utterly an invasion of privacy and dangerous too. "And of course I'd help you. Doesn't matter what you think I'm still going to watch your back."

Adelheid smiled softly as he heard that ~~and ignored Edward's blush as well~~. He knew that he could count on Ed... and after a pause, he realized that this was true about the entire thing. He could have counted on Ed back then; the boy had promised to watch his back, and unlike so many others, he'd kept his word. Even when Adelheid had been like that...

The taller blond turned back to the shower, starting the long-interrupted process in silence. Ed had his back, as promised... it was ironic, but nevertheless true. And that simple fact was quite relieving.

"...I'm surprised you don't have any questions about it," he allowed at last, both relieved and not that Ed hadn't seemed eager to pry. While Adelheid didn't necessarily want to go into all of the ins and outs, Ed did deserve at least some answers.

Ed took advantage of the sudden (but not exactly uncomfortable) silence to step under the spray again, working out the knots in his hair with the conditioner before washing the stuff off. It definitely made brushing his hair easier, he had to admit.

He shrugged in response to Adel's question, staring at the wall. "I do. I always have questions. About everything. But I know how I get when people ask me about Al being in the armour, or how I got my automail or why I can perform alchemy without a circle. So I'm not gonna' ask if you're going to get pissed off about it or if it'll just make things worse." See, he could have tact sometimes!

It was weird; before Adel had been uncomfortable around Ed when they weren't conversing about something; automail, or alchemy, or safe topics like that. But now... not so much. Huh. He started to work on his own hair, noticing how long it was- not that it wasn't normally rather long for a guy anyway- and with the stubble... mm, definitely not fun. What he'd give to be able to take care of himself like he really wanted to.

Regardless, he did let a small smile appear on his face. Edward did have tact? That was a bit surprising, but nevertheless kind of relieving. Some things were just too close to home. "I do have one thing to say about it... and if you see the Colonel tonight before I do, because of things that just came up, I want you to say this to him as well. In private, if possible; it's only for those who are involved in the alchemic process."

"I... may have been compromised by the Institute. Therefore, I no longer wish to see whom the weapons are going to or for what purpose. Merely making them and giving them to one of you two for distribution would be the safest course of action."

It wasn't that he wasn't burning with curiosity, he was. He wanted to interrogate Adel, find out exactly what had happened, what had been done to him, the effects, the procedures. Everything. Some of it wasn't even to be helpful, he just wanted to know to satiate his own curiosity. He couldn't help it. But he knew if he badgered Adel, he'd clam up and not let anything slip, would grow distant and Ed really didn't want that.

He looked back up at the other boy when Adel spoke, nodding to encourage him.

He didn't like what he heard though. A dark expression crossed his face. "You're no more compromised than any of the rest of us," he said sharply. "No-one knows how long all of us get knocked out for at the end of the night. And any one of us could get taken at any time." He didn't think Adel needed to keep himself out of things like this, just because of last night.

"...I don't want to argue this point with you, Edward. Not now." Adelheid's shoulders slumped, the boy suddenly feeling weary. Too many emotional highs and lows, he'd fallen too far to be fine in such a short amount of time. "Just believe me. I wouldn't say it if I didn't think there was a very real and obvious threat. So just... trust me."

It compromised his own viability, after all. It resigned him to the status of a second-class alchemist. His hopes of organizing his own team? Dashed by necessity. Now he didn't even dare sign up with the Colonel or the 'Arts and Crafts' group. Just too much of a risk. Far too much.

Ed sighed softly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Not now." That didn't preclude the possibility of him arguing it with Adel later after all. He didn't see how what had happened to Adel made him any more of a liability than any of them. For all they knew, every night when they just fell asleep, they were really drugged up into revealing everything to the Institute. It was a terrifying concept, but all too plausible considering the way they never seemed to gain any ground.

"I'll bring you some of the stuff I take on then," he added a little more quietly. "Not like it stops you still making the things, I'm just not as good at business as you so you'll have to tell me what's a good price to ask in return." He didn't like asking for something in return for a weapon, but he was starting to realise that creating favours was going to be necessary. It wasn't too bad with people like Renji who seemed willing to go out of his way to help anyway, but with others, something to hold them together was useful.

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Day 26: Men's Showers (fourth shift)

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