damned_institute | Day 30: Staff, Morning

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Day 30: Staff, Morning

Burly orderlies and agile Calm Effect nurses flooded the cafeteria from the Courtyard while regular hall nurses filed in from the Sun Room and ushered out those not involved in the rebellion. It indeed seemed as if Landel was sending out all the cavalry, and an effective cavalry they were: The riot didn't continue for much longer after the alarm sounded, though it seemed strange just how quickly all of the mutinous patients fell, even the ones who hadn't been injected with anything.

The hall nurses were quick to escort their well-behaved charges back to their rooms, praising those who hadn't joined in and chiding those who muttered under their breath in response. There were some exceptions, of course: One nice young man had even defended one of the nurses from the violent patients! Now, wasn't that exemplary behavior? Dr. Landel would be so proud to hear about it...

Within half an hour, all of the so-called "loyal" patients had been safely deposited in their rooms, and it was then that the alarm finally stopped and the true difficulty of the situation was tackled. There certainly weren't enough rooms in solitary to accommodate such rampant disobedience, and yet measures would have to be taken to ensure proper consequences for each and every patient involved. After all, something like this couldn't be allowed to happen again!

Different options were considered. Perhaps they should make an example out of the girl who had sparked the riot, but then again, perhaps not. This certainly wasn't the first case of patients attacking nurses or their peers in a crowded area, but what had been different this time was the sheer support that the other patients had shown for her. Should the staff then make examples of all those who had tried to "protect" her from the well-meaning nurses? No, there were too many for that...

In the end, it was decided that the best immediate solution would be to treat the rebellious patients in the Medical Wing while they were unconscious and then move them back to their rooms to await punishment. To ensure the safety of both their roommates and the patients themselves, however, the staff decided to securely fasten their limbs to their beds and keep them heavily drugged. Such a sad sight they were to see, but... it was necessary.

Finally, when each and every patient had been escorted back to their respective rooms, the staff hurried off to an emergency meeting upstairs. Strangely, Head Nurse Lydia was the one taking care of the proceedings in the Head Doctor's stead. She calmly told them that he was preoccupied with more urgent matters, and as she began to speak to the crowd, the staff could only wonder what could possibly be more important than an unprecedented patient riot...

[ Comment to this post with separate threads for each patient room, and please put your character's room number in the subject line. Thank you! ]

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Well, Artemis didn't exactly agree with this whole no food until lunch or maybe even dinner prospect, but he knew Haku was probably right. If he asked for something to eat, the nurse might get skittish and chain Haku to the bed too. And then what would they do?

"Hm?" Artemis looked up at Haku, taken slightly aback. "Of course. You can ask me anything."

"Why did you lie for me? To someone who, it appears, actually frightened you?" It was something Haku simply couldn't wrap his mind around and it had been bothering him all night long. Well, the night that he could recall anyway.

Artemis blinked, "Because he would have been angry with you, if you hadn't eaten. And we all have to wrestle with our own personal injuries--physical and psychological. How we deal with these problems is completely up to the individual--not those who surround the individual. If you wanted to go out that night, you were perfectly within your rights to. Far be it from me to deny you that by tattling on you to Momochi-san.

"Besides," Artemis looked embarrassed, "I thought he would take it out on me if I said you hadn't eaten. Or he would at least start asking uncomfortable questions."

Haku laughed softly. That made a bit more sense to him at least and he nodded. "Then thank you Artemis," he said, leaning down a bit to press a light, cool kiss to the other boy's cheek. "I didn't thank you properly last night."

Artemis' face flushed red hot under the cool kiss. This one he saw coming at least, and he had time to react. But he didn't have time to think of something to say afterwards, and all that came out was:

"I should lie more often, then."

Damn. Well that was embarrassing. The boy was suddenly very interested in his left arm restraint, and started tugging at it while trying to get a good look.

"I-- What I mean is, if it benefits you, I'll continue to do it unless I honestly feel you are hurting or could hurt yourself."

Haku laughed softly. "Don't lie for me though if it could put your life in danger. I wouldn't like that very much." He took his hands back and moved farther down the bed, starting to massage Artemis' lower leg muscles. "And I wouldn't hurt myself on purpose."

He tilted his head. "May I ask you a favor? Could you let me know if I forget to eat again?" He laughed softly again. "It's silly, I know."

"I understand," Artemis nodded. Internally, he thought that he would lie for Haku if it kept him out of danger, but he wasn't going to say that. For now, he lay back and let Haku work his magic. That was really the only word for it. He was starting to feel fantastic.

"Of course," The boy smiled and sighed, content. "I'm going to be more vigilant concerning that--I hope you can stand it." He laughed. "You'll have both me and Momochi-san breathing down your neck about nutrition."

Haku smiled. "I suppose I'll be able to handle that. After all, he can only 'breathe down my neck' during the night. He's not allowed to come near me during the day. Perhaps that will be your job then?" He laughed at that idea.

He continued his minstrations for a moment then looked up at Artemis. "My hands aren't too cold, are they?"

Artemis laughed too, "If I must, I shall bear the task. But it will be worth it if you are healthy and able to fight at your best level during the night."

Closing his eyes, he shook his head, "No, your body temperature is actually quite... pleasant. I must be more worked up than I originally thought, because whatever you're doing is wonderful."

He frowned slightly at the ceiling, his eyes opening. "Why isn't Momochi-san allowed near you during the day?"

"Oh, good. I'll continue then," Haku said with a smile. He skipped over the ankle restraints and then slid off the other's indoor slipper and set to work on that foot.

"I have a guess at what the daytime staff believe, but I'm not one hundred percent certain. They are very strict though in keeping us apart."

"Ah," Artemis said with a nod. "Because you know Momochi-san, the staff most likely believes that you two being together will hinder your 'healing process'," The boy made quotes around the words with his shackled hands. "So they keep you apart. How cruel."

If Artemis had been placed in that position, he certainly wouldn't have wanted to be separated from Butler by staff members who claimed he was insane.

"Something like that, yes. I have reason to believe that they think he abused me or something else utterly ridiculous." Haku smiled and shook his head.

"I have noticed that we are the only ones to be treated in such a way. Even people who obviously do not like each other are allowed to interact freely."

Artemis nodded, "Then you may very well be right. The only sane, and I use the term loosely, explanation for keeping you two apart yet allowing people to instigate fights would be an abuse situation. Or perhaps he kidnapped you, tortured you, et cetera. All ridiculous, but no more ridiculous than me producing fake identification at a high school," Artemis snorted.

He was still thrown concerning that little revelation. Was that the most mild illegal activity Landel and his lackeys could come up with? False identification for minors? Please. He was insulted. He could have done such a thing at the age of five.

"That man, Jack Horner, hit me in a library, and he wasn't so much as reprimanded! I try to escape a dangerous riot, and I'm sedated and chained to a bed." He made a sharp noise of disgust. "No justice."

Haku nodded. The way things are set up here is very odd. I will admit, I don't know much about how a hospital like this is run, but things seem to be just far too strange."

Haku put the slipper back on and moved to the other foot and then leg. "If it makes you feel any better, I could always try to get Zabuza-san to break his nose again." He offered Artemis a warm smile.

Artemis laughed, "You have no remorse, don't you?" The boy grinned, "No, no, Momochi-san would surely be sedated and confined after doing something like that. I figure, Mr. Horner got away with it once--but the next time he won't be so lucky. I spared him calling for help in the Library because I was interested in his mental faculties, but now that I know he is nothing more than a lump of muscle and no brain I've lost interest." The boy flashed Haku a smug smirk. "If he touches me again, though, I'll let you know. I may just take you up on the offer if he decides that once wasn't enough to satisfy him.

"After all," He put on his best pained, innocent 14-year-old mask, "What kind of man hits a little, defenseless child twice?"

Haku laughed and slid the slipper back on Artemis' foot, patting his leg lightly and moving back up the bed to sit closer to Artemis.

"The same kind of man that hits on a defenseless child more than once or twice?" Haku amiled and tilted his head, considering the other boy.

"Feeling better?"

He laughed, "Very true, very true. He hit on you more than two times?" Artemis shook his head, chuckling low. "What a complete idiot. He's begging for someone to beat some sense into him."

Artemis nodded, sighing and settling back into the bed. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't chained to his bed. "Yes, I'm feeling much better, thank you Haku."

Haku smiled and shrugged. "I'll admit to provoking him each time, but he really should have known better." He laughed behind a hand. "And from what I understand, he has been beaten quite a few times by many different large, unhappy men."

Haku placed a cool hand on Artemis' chest and smiled. "Good. I was worried when you came in."

Artemis laughed, rattling his restraints. "No wonder he's aggravated! He's been beaten up so many times on the account of small boys, so he must want to let out his anger. Unfortunately on me."

He smiled, blushing slightly. "You don't need to worry about me."

"You're my friend," Haku pointed out. "Of course I'm going to worry about you." He smiled again. "And if you're off running over people in a wheelchair or confronting crazy nurses at night, I think that worrying is something I will be doing a lot of."

"I wouldn't want that," Artemis frowned slightly. "You have a great deal of things to worry about--the least of all me." He didn't want Haku to consistently worry about his well-being, or worse, be distracted during the night.

Haku laughed and shook his head. "If I already have a lot to worry about, I might as well include you too." He reached up and lightly tapped the tip of his finger on Artemis' forehead.

"No, no you shouldn't!" Artemis protested, his eyebrows coming together. "Haku, I'm not worth worrying over--especially when a moment's distraction can cost you so much here. Your own well-being is much more important."

"Artemis." Haku moved and placed both hands on either side of the other boys head and frowned down at him.

"Being concerned for you will not distract me in a fight. I am trained to fight no matter what. I am trained to dismiss all distractions while fighting. So, I will worry about you because you're my friend. Got it?"

Artemis stiffened when Haku touched him, the tone of his voice startling him. He didn't say anything as Haku spoke, but began wondering why people were falling all over themselves to be his friend lately. Renji and Ken just hadn't explained it well enough.

Haku finished with a question, but he wasn't going to answer it directly. He looked up at his friend with an almost pained expression. "Why are you my friend, Haku?"

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