damned_institute | Day 29: Cafeteria, Brunch

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Day 29: Cafeteria, Brunch

Hitsugaya left the chapel no less frustrated than before. The head doctor once again had chosen not to hide his face, yet promised he would be making an appearance at some time in the near future. He didn't like being patient, but there wasn't much choice. Either the head doctor would show his face, or he wouldn't. Renji had already seen him, and knew how to find him. That was enough.

The thought of eating made him slightly nauseous as usual, but he knew he needed to get his strength up. He could either be weak and try to force his way through brunch without eating anything, or he could be smart and actually give himself something to eat. And there was rice. Rice and fruit. He took a heaping pile of rice, and grabbed as much watermelon as he could fit on his plate, then proceeded to an empty table. He scanned the room, watching for Momo. He wasn't exactly looking forward to their conversation, knowing how she'd acted yesterday; however, he knew he had to speak to her, and there was a good chance that she would show more restraint now that the drugs were out of her system.

Thoughtfully he consumed his rice and waited.

[free at the moment, pester if you wish]

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"...?" Tamaki turned, a bit startled to be addressed by a voice he wasn't familiar with. He cocked his head curiously as he approached the dark haired man who had called for his attention, wondering what this was all about.

Something to do with the clinic, he supposed. That seemed to be what most people wanted to ask him about.

"Ah! Are you the one who said they needed to talk to me?"

"Yes. Sit." Homura took his own seat again, waiting for the blond to join him. Had he ever gone about a task like this, he wondered? It was doubtful; of all people to deliver the news of death, a heresy was hardly the one the gods wanted to do it. And the only time he had been told such a thing was done in spite, when the Jade Emperor revealed his lover would be reincarnated, and Homura would take on the title of the Toushin Taishi of Heaven.

Five hundred years of life, and Homura still had a few first times to experience, it seemed. But the novelty of it was cruel in this case, leaving a taste in Homura's mouth he was eager to be rid of.

But it wasn't so easy to find the words now, staring across the table at this human boy. Homura had been fond of Kyouya, but even his wit hadn't prepared him from the horrors of this place, and this boy seemed even more naive. Renji had asked him to be kind, yet was it even possible?

"Ootori Kyouya." Perhaps kindness could only be had through quickness. "He is no longer in this place."

Tamaki sat, thoroughly perplexed. He folded his hands politely, ready to listen to whatever it was this man - who hadn't even introduced himself! - had to say.

And then his face fell. He looked down at his hands, feeling his stomach clench. He lost his appetite quite quickly as he learned the reason for this meeting.

"Oh," he managed, quietly. For as long as he could, he'd clung to the idea that when people just... disappeared, that they were returned home, unharmed. But it wasn't easy to believe that any more, after seeing what this place did to people. And after learning that sometimes those people came back, but...different. And with their memories erased. He squeezed his eyes shut, determined not to make a fuss right here in the middle of the cafeteria.

Tamaki's reaction made it clear that he understood the implications of Homura's words, though there was little comfort to be had in that fact. The lack of need to explain a few details could hardly take away the truth of the matter, or dampen the pain in the young man's face. Homura felt a certain level of sympathy for him, the experience of a similar wound that had never healed.

What would Tamaki do now, with news of this disappearance? So young, and yet he was the leader of a group, if Homura had read the bulletin correctly. He almost felt driven to offer some sort of advice then, some measure of comfort that could somehow be anything more than meaningless.

But Homura knew he had no such skill, no such words for this kind of pain. Instead, all he could offer was the truth he had learned, the purpose he had found in his own loss, for whatever good it might be worth. "You have other friends here, I believe. You should mourn with them, and press forward. Revenge can be had with the destruction of this place."

A glorious revenge, on a prison too similar to Heaven.

"I don't care about revenge."

What good would that do? Tamaki took a deep breath, his shoulders twitching. Kyouya... Kyouya was gone. He'd wondered, of course, there was always that wonder when you didn't see someone for a day or two, but....

He needed to tell Hikaru and Kaoru.

Mourn with them. Like their friend was dead. That, at least, Tamaki refused to believe. People did die here, but.... He took another deep breath, his eyes feeling hot and damp.

"Thank you for telling me."

So the boy didn't desire retribution, or so he claimed. Despite the grim nature of what they had discussed, Homura couldn't help but wonder. Was Tamaki simply too young yet, and too hopeful? There was a time when Homura had felt that way, after all, before he had learned just how dark the shadows of Heaven really were, and how heavy the chains.

It would be an interesting thing to watch.

"You're welcome." Homura leaned back slightly in the chair, watching Tamaki now that they had said what they needed. He hadn't forgotten about his other arrangement for this shift, but the woman hadn't entered yet from what Homura could see. There was still time.

"I'd like to know about your clinic, when you are ready." Homura was a patient man, and he'd let Tamaki gather himself before taking advantage of the distraction. It was for the boy's own benefit, as well as the demi-god's, who always found information to be a useful thing. In the end, however, it was up to Tamaki to say what he wanted, and Homura would respect that wish, for once without prying beyond what was willing to be offered.

Tamaki nodded, not trusting himself to speak at any length just yet. It was strange - Kyouya was the reason he'd even thought of the clinic. He took a few more breaths, not used to forcing away emotions this strong. But in a way, he was used to this. He'd learned how to push away the bad when he left his mother.

This was a great deal different than that. Even if he didn't know where his mother was, he knew she was (most likely) safe.

"Everyone gets hurt," he finally said, looking down at the table. There was a wavering in his voice that he couldn't fight, and didn't try to.

"And there was nothing that could be done. It... it happened to me. It happened to my friends. And we'd waste so much time trying to find a supply closet with medicine or an empty room or something like that. So we... we were talking, one lunch, my friends and I, and... I told them I'd had an idea. For a clinic. We're in room M35, every night. We have healers and medical supplies there all night. We can set bones and stitch up cuts and clean out wounds and things like that. I have...a book. Or, well, things Sheska copied out of a book for me. I can't fight. But I wanted to help, we all did. And this is how we can."

It wasn't the best or most eloquent explanation, but Tamaki wasn't up to his usual slightly exaggerated explanations of things.

Homura listened to the full explanation without comment, but even he was impressed by the thought behind it. The decision and follow through both spoke well of Tamaki's spirit, that he hadn't been conquered so easily by this place. They had found ways to use what skills they could, instead of being conquered by the powerlessness that loomed over every being in this place.

It was admirable.

"Do you have plans to expand?" For his part, Homura would keep up the conversation as long as Tamaki wanted, so long as he had the time. Still, he kept an eye on the doors to the cafeteria, knowing it would be bad form to be late to a meeting he himself had arranged. "It could be useful to send healers out into the field, eventually."

Tamaki nodded, clearing his throat.

"When we have enough volunteers we plan to have mobile units," he explained. "And we're already spilling into the rooms on either side of my own." A lot of people got hurt.

He'd have to work something out with the owners of those rooms, and decide who to put where. And make new signs. There was always so much to do....

And now he had to do it all by himself.

Homura could see the weight of burden forming itself in Tamaki's expression, and felt a certain level of sympathy for the young man. Yes, there was indeed always so much to do, and humans in particular felt rushed to do it all, with their short lives. Still, it was what made them interesting.

But there was little more that Homura had time to add, since at that moment his second appointment came through the door. He watched the woman sit, then turned back to Tamaki. "You sound like you're doing well so far. I hope you can continue. I'm afraid I have another engagement to keep, if you'll excuse me."

Homura nodded his head slightly. It was the most polite he'd been to anyone in the Institute, and perhaps his Heavenly relatives would be happy to hear he still remembered his manners sometimes. Standing, he took his tray, leaving Tamaki on his own as he went to join Enma Ai.

[To here]

Edited 2007-12-29 02:09 (UTC)

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Day 29: Cafeteria, Brunch

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