damned_institute | Day 31: Intercom, Evening

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Day 31: Intercom, Evening

The intercom's jingle came on with its usual overly-cheery quality, echoing through the halls and doctors' offices.

"I trust, as always, that you all enjoyed the last shift and that all the staff-patient interaction went smoothly. Of course, we're nearing the end of another day and so we must begin to bring things to a close. Nurses and orderlies, please escort all the patients to their respective rooms and make sure everyone gets their dinner--which is, by the way, chicken teriyaki and assorted tempura, along with rice and miso soup--before they retire for the night. A vegetarian substitute is of course available, and we have our usual assortment of drinks; we also have a special of hot green tea to go along with the meal.

"Thank you, everyone, for an exceedingly pleasant day, and our therapy sessions will continue tomorrow as scheduled. Enjoy your dinner, and I will be on again before bedtime to say goodnight."

The announcement ended.

[ As always, individual dinner threads go in response to this post, and it helps to put your character's room number in the subject line. Thanks! ]

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Artemis nodded, "He is like your parent, then. Love for a parent and love for a friend are two different things. In some cases, love for a friend outweighs the love for a parental figure, but I've found the opposite to be true most of the time. It's natural to be attached to the person who cares for you and loves you."

He got a slightly funny look on his face and he looked back up at the ceiling. "I'm glad you have Momochi-san here with you. I wish I was as fortunate as you are."

He swallowed, his throat feeling tight.

Haku lifted the broken, scarred eyebrow and leveled a look of disbelief at his friend.

"Zabuza-san is the farthest thing from a parent that one can get." He smiled and turned back to look at the ceiling. He was silen for a moment, then edged over a bit closer to his roommate, the line of his shoulder and arm just barely touching the other's. He couldn't offer bodyheat, but he could offer presense.

"I am glad he is here, since it means I know he's alive. But I would rather he not be trapped at all."

Artemis chuckled. Overprotective man who raised Haku--if that wasn't a parent, Artemis didn't know what was. Of course, his experience had been much the same. And while Artemis couldn't exactly crush people's arms, Butler could--and with great gusto to boot.

"Of course. It would be wonderful not to be trapped but... given the circumstances, it's best to be trapped with the ones you love and care for, right?"

He paused here, collecting his thoughts. "You're very lucky. I'm jealous." He finished with a rather shaky laugh. "Of course, this means that I can get into all sorts of trouble and no one will scold me afterwards!"

No Butler to guard him with his life. No Butler to be exasperated for Artemis' lack of self-preservation instinct. No Butler to tell him that he was the most socially inept teenaged boy in existence. He clenched his jaw and gripped the sheets, refusing to cry.

Haku was sorely out of practice at expressing emotions, but he could read them easily. Without speaking, he reached over and gently took Artemis' hand from where it clung to the blanket and laced his cool fingers with his much warmer ones. A reassuring squeeze.

"You are here with people that care about you."

He nodded slightly and squeezed back. "It's stupid of me to say, really. I know there are plenty of people here who care about me. I'm lying next to one of them and I still said that."

Artemis was quiet for a moment, then he slowly moved his head so it lightly touched Haku's. He continued to stare up at the ceiling. "I simply miss him. Butler, I mean."

"I understand," Haku said, glad that the offered comfort hadn't been dismissed. "I may not be able to relate, but I do understand."

He lay there for a few minutes, breathing and thinking. "I know that he must miss you terribly too. But you'll go back to your home, and he'll be there." He laughed softly. "Think positivly."

Artemis smiled softly, "Yes. I'll go home and he'll be waiting." That was the last thing he'd said to Butler, after all. That he would be back, no matter what happened. And back then, things had been grim. Although, between having a bomb cuffed to Holly and being locked in a mental institution, he would pick the bomb.

"And he'll ask me where I was and what took me so long, knowing him. He'll say, 'Artemis, I'm surprised. It took you a whole eight days to escape? You must be getting lazy!'" He laughed.

Haku laughed lightly along with him. "I think I would have to agree with him. What sort of brilliant, former criminal couldn't instantly break out?" Before Artemis couldhave the chance to be hurt or upset, he mock sighed. "Of course, I shouldn't really be one to talk."

Artemis grinned, "Exactly. A boy who can crush arms and kill people on a whim hasn't escaped yet either! So we're both lazy. Or just here for the free food." He laughed.

It was interesting that they could joke about something they took so seriously elsewhere, Artemis thought. Perhaps he was beginning to accept that he would be here for a while.

"Really, such things aren't terribly impressive where I'm from," Haku pointed out. "And the food, well, tonight was one of the better ones for me."

He laughed softly. "It's a rare meal here where I don't look at something and wonder what it is."

"Haku," Artemis said, looking deadly serious. "You are fascinating to me, and don't every think otherwise." He tried to maintain his serious expression, but failed after a few seconds and started laughing. "Especially since you can't figure out the food they give us. But, I suppose I must be superior in some way~"

Oh he knew he was going to get it now.

Haku didn't miss a beat. "It's only fair, since I'm so much better skilled than you are in every other area." He pitched his voice to sound serious and looked over at Artemis with an almost pitying expression.

"Oh is that right?" Artemis challenged. "So the fact that I beat you in our pillow fight, and obviously have a talent for getting drugged, and am just better looking than you doesn't count for anything?"

Haku grinned again. "Better looking than me? Who's the one getting hit on here and who's the one being hit?" He shook his head. "Though, yes, I will concede that you won this round of pillow fighting. But I will regain my title there."

"Yes, it's a shame. I lose more dates that way, when I talk," He laughed. "And now that I know I have a worthy opponent, I won't be so lax! Mark my words, I will be stronger when next we meet!"

Haku made a face. "You're trying to date people in here? A fine group of people you have to choose from. Shall I put in a good word for you with Muraki-Sensei when I next see him?"

Artemis looked uncomfortable, "Please don't mention me. If what people on the board say is true, I'd rather not be within ten feet of him.

"Speaking of which," Artemis sat up and pulled the doll out from under his bed. "We were going to open this, weren't we?" He grinned down at Haku.

Haku sat up, interested now. "I believe we had talked about that, yes." He tucked his legs up on the bed and tilted his head. "I wonder if he noticed it's disapperance yet..."

"Most likely, but it's not as though he knows where it is. There are hundreds of patients here--anyone could have stolen it. Plus," Artemis got up to retrieve one of the scalpels from his coat. "I am not his patient and therefore, have 'no opportunity' so to speak, nor motive to steal it."

He returned to the bed, examining the doll again. "How to go about this, though..."

Haku smiled. "Thanks, that means by that logic, he might suspect me."

He pointed. "Take the simpilest method. Cut along the seams."

"Unfortunately, yes," Artemis said with an apologetic smile. "But he must have other patients, so you're safe. No psychologist would accuse his patient of stealing his things without proper proof."

Carefully, he cut the thread holding a seam together, taking extra precaution not to cut into the fabric. It was almost like dissecting something.

"True, and I've been playing my part as a normal boy well." He laughed softly. "Well, as normal as a boy that looks like I do can be."

Haku leaned closer, wondering if there was anything interesting, or if it would be filled with normal doll stuffing.

Artemis laughed, "I've done the same. Played the part of a young boy--with a split personality, of cour--"

He pulled back the fabric as he spoke and stopped mid-sentence. A small, green light on some sort of mechanical device was slowly blinking. The last time Artemis had seen something like that, it was handcuffed to his friend's wrist.

"Haku," Artemis said, his voice cracking slightly. He managed to recover and convey the severity of the situation in his tone. "Whatever you do, don't bump me. I need you to go to my desk at get the pens out of the top drawer. Quickly."

Haku frowned, but did as he was asked, getting of the bed slowly and without jarring the other boy, going to Artemis' desk and taking out the pens there.

He stood by the bed and frowned down. This was something he didn't understand, but he would learn. He held out the pens. "What do you need me to do?"

"Break them," Artemis instructed. "I need something that's sharp, but won't carry a current like a scalpel will."

Carefully he removed some stuffing with his fingers, trying to get at the device. "I'm hoping I'm wrong about this... I really am."

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