damned_institute | 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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"No, no it's fine..." Artemis took the glass and looked into it. "And... I'm not so much upset by his killing his entire class--" Which was pretty bad, but not half as awful as his imminent death was to him. "--as by..."

He stopped, biting his lip in thought. "Well, back where I come from, there's a rather popular saying. When a girl's boyfriend comes to her house to pick her up for a date, the father will often take the boy aside and tell him rather gently that if he so much as keeps her out one minute later than he ordains, the father will be very angry. And so, the saying goes, 'I have a gun, and a shovel. I doubt anyone would miss you'."

Except Zabuza had a sword and multiple assassinations under his belt--anything could look like an accident. Artemis blanched and downed the glass of water again.

"You think Zabuza-san will kill you because you're my friend?" Haku frowned, then shook his head. "That won't happen," he said with conviction. "I won't allow it. You aren't a threat to us and you're useful. That's all he cares about in another person.

"And I know I said something about drinking so quickly."

Artemis took some small measure of comfort in this statement, but he still felt rather uneasy. If Zabuza ever found out that he'd kissed Haku, stared at him while he stretched, and even took a peek at him in the showers, he'd certainly be at least maimed.

"No, I am definitely not a threat to you both... unless," His expression became troubled. "He thinks I'm coming between you two? Is that a possibility?"

Haku thought about that. Zabuza-san ... they had spoken about their relationship (for lack of a better word) and what he shared wit hArtemis was utterly different. There was nothing at all to come between.

"No," he finally said. "The relationship I have with Zabuza-san and the one I share with you are two utterly different things. Zabuza-san is just, as I said, prone to being hostile towards other people." He'd even been harsh when they'd first met.

That wasn't exactly what Artemis had been getting at, but he supposed he should take Haku's word for it. Maybe he had read the situation incorrectly. It was a distinct possibility. Zabuza could have just been irritable that night and felt like taking it out on Artemis.

He nodded, "I suppose so. It's entirely possible that I'm just being paranoid. You two just seem to have a very close-knit relationship, and I'm... well, an outsider. Encroaching on his territory, so to speak."

He paused and put a hand on his stomach, "You were right, I feel like a balloon filled with water now."

Day 31: Intercom, Evening

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47

Re: M47