damned_institute | Day 32: Cafeteria, Breakfast

Sylar's gears were still turning as the nurse and a burly orderly escorted him down long halls and through a strange, sunlit room. He'd been forced to drop his pen when the orderly had seen it, and since then, he'd realized that this place had better security than he'd originally anticipated, as well as a large population of patients. It looked like he'd have to bide his time for now, pretending to be this 'Zachary Blaine' and trying to figure out how the hell he'd gotten here.

His mind went over and over the events in Mohinder's lab, tracing every second that led up to his unconsciousness. According to the computer logs and the decked-out loft, Mohinder was working for the Company now, so had that woman with the electricity been an operative? Was this all a Company front? Even so, it didn't make sense for them to drop him off somewhere without any close supervision. They knew how dangerous he was. How special he was.

But right now, his abilities had been nullified and he was left only with the option of playing along. It was a very good thing that it was something he excelled at, even with his sudden loss of the cure clouding his thoughts and telling him to do something drastic.

Still, it was fun to take ahold of strings and let someone think they were pulling him when in fact he was the puppetmaster. Who knew? Maybe he could find a new toy now that his last one had worn out.

Sylar took his syrup-covered waffle to a table and tried to keep track of both the security and the people flooding in. Soon, he'd find an opening, a weak link he could exploit. It was only a matter of time.

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"Weird thing about painkillers an' things like that. They don't usually make you say what you don't mean; that make you say what you wouldn't always like other people to hear. ...'course, in his case, I don't imagine he'd mind remembering that." Xigbar chuckled at that, tapping his finger against his chin as his one good eye focused on the captain. He was teasing, as his grin said, but somehow he still managed to sound totally serious. "Didn't you know? People like me are mind-readers. An' nobody likes knowing that all their secret crushes are in someone else's knowledge, y'know?"

In actuality, it was because Xigbar had studied the heart extensively and had a good idea what the ZEX/Zelnick dynamic was, but like he was going to say that? As if!

The Twenty Questions (which was now down to Sixteen, give or take,) was starting to heat up, and Xigbar grinned again as he leaned back in his chair, cupping his hands behind his head with a lazily teasing sort of expression on his face. "I had an idea or two, but I'm kinda curious as to what you can come up with."

"I'm sure he meant it. I'm just as sure that I didn't really want to hear it." And why hadn't he protested at the time? Because he was hurting, and you were half-asleep and too nice to push him away over something that was already blatantly obvious, his brain provided. Shut up, he told it, I don't want to hear my own excuses. "And you know all my secret crushes, do you?" he continued, halfway to distract himself, a skeptical lift of his eyebrows punctuating his tone of growing amusement. Damn, he could just not stay down around this guy! Though he wasn't complaining. "That's awfully clever of you; I didn't realize I even had any." After all, Commander Talana was hardly a secret, though he didn't think he'd mentioned her to Xigbar.

His eyebrows stayed up at Xigbar's invitation to start the bidding, not to mention at Xigbar's expression, but he took a moment to consider before offering, "I don't have anything on me at the moment, but I'm hiding a package of sweets that I filched from the upstairs kitchen. If you came by my room after dark sometime, we could share them." He flashed a grin at Xigbar, adding, "A double treat of delicious sugary food and the pleasure of my company!" The last bit was a joke, though he certainly wouldn't mind more time with Xigbar himself.

Xigbar nodded sagely, though his tone and the 'mystic' gestures of his hands were more reminiscent of a bad fortuneteller from Tortuga than anything else. Mostly because he really did enjoy keeping Zelnick's spirits up... and heck, it was easy to be that way when there was someone with a heart being a willing audience. "The great mystic Xigbar knows all an' sees all! Even," he added with a sly wink, "what you yourself might not know yet."

And oh, how very very tempting that offer was. Sugar was a natural like of the Freeshooter, and having someone willingly offering their company? Well, it'd be just plain rude to refuse! "Might not be able to make it tonight, 'cause I've got some things to get, but... man, that's a tempting offer. So, how 'bout this."

He stood up, as the shift was coming to a close ~~and he didn't want to think about how it had flown when he was with Zelnick~~, and walked over to Zelnick's side of the table, offering his hand with a grin. "We shake on it. You promise sweets an' such, an' I'll give you a hint to nibble on. Sound fair?"

Despite himself, Zelnick laughed at Xigbar's exaggerated performance. "I'll take your word on it," he said, warmly. "Unless it's worth starting another game of Twenty Questions over?"

The deal sounded fine to Zelnick, and he took Xigbar's hand without hesitation and with a smile. "More than fair, even. I'm also busy tonight, so... tomorrow evening, maybe?" He didn't let go of Xigbar's hand quite yet, waiting for confirmation.

"Nah. Well, maybe, but you should finish what you've started 'fore we start another game. 'sides," Xigbar easily added, "sometimes people don't wanna know what they're really thinkin'. And that happens to be something I know first hand."

And hey, it was a deal! Xigbar held Zelnick's hand in a warm and firm grip, then leaned forward to whisper into the Captain's ear. Mostly to see if he reacted like ZEX did, but also because it added just a bit more legitimacy to what he was saying. "Deal. Here's the hint: 'It's not on my outside that counts, it's what's inside.' See ya tomorrow, same time an' place!" And with that, he slipped away, grinning broadly and not giving Zelnick even the hope of catching him. He was, after all, the 'Free'shooter for a reason!

... either the metaphysical thing had something to do with souls or something, or that had been a really bad pick-up line.

Huh. Absently, Zelnick rubbed at the ear Xigbar had whispered into, watching him go for a moment before remembering--

"H-hey! I'm meeting..." But there was no way Xigbar could hear him, so Zelnick finished under his breath, "someone else tomorrow at breakfast." Damn. He'd have to catch up with Xigbar on the bulletin board, he supposed, or ask this A.F. guy if he (she?) minded extra company.

... well, more time with Xigbar wouldn't be a bad thing.

And on that note, a nurse came by, bundled him up, and took him to the first therapy session of his life.

Day 32: Cafeteria, Breakfast

Oh, I'm sure he would like 'helping' Xigbar and ZEX in that situation. ~_^

Oh, I'm sure he would... enjoy... it, once his brain stopped melting. XD

Well, if his brain melts, they'll just have to try again until he gets used to it~!

Practice makes perfect, after all~ <3

And really, who could be a better partner? ...wait, no, don't answer that.

... okay, I won't. XD