damned_institute | Nightshift 33: M21-M30 Hallway

Entry tags:

Nightshift 33: M21-M30 Hallway

[from dinner post]

... the doctor sounded tired. Shawn wasn't sure if he preferred that voice or the more youthful one in the second announcement but either way, he figured, this guy's still fucking nuts.

Talk about Sci-Fi gone wrong. Gus would've loved this, even if Shawn knew the other wouldn't have been able to stop shaking in his slippers long enough to go into full dweeb mode. Shawn committed both announcements to memory-- just because authenticity sounded verified, it didn't mean he could trust anything that was being said especially when it involved so-called advanced technology, a "shield", and some kind of super hacker. Hackers, honestly. If the act didn't involve Angelina Jolie in any way Shawn just wasn't interested.

He held pushed at the prematurely opened door, looking out into the dark hallway warily. Pulling back in, he cast an almost-cautious grin at Peter. "After you...?"

Like he was going to go out there first. Yeah. Right.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Kaoru had been shuffling around his room. He'd woken up only a moment before and cursed himself and his roommate for letting him sleep so long. He'd slept most of the day, so he couldn't understand why he was even tired or aching. Landel's was behind all this, making him ill, he was sure. But there was no reason to worry anybody but himself about it for now. He needed to know more first.

He tried the communicator one more time before giving up and shoving it in his pocket. Having seen himself on his trips to the bathroom, Kaoru was aware how rough he looked, but there was little he could do about it. He considered doubling up his clothes to stop Hikaru worrying about his weight. But the hot and cold flushes were unbearable enough as it was. How the hell was he going to lie his way out of this one? With sheer determination and distraction. That's how.

Kaoru jumped out of his skin when he heard the tapping. But as soon as he heard his brothers voice, he lunged at the door and yanked it open. "You're supposed to meet me halfway!"

Hikaru had moved away and it took a moment before Ritsuka followed after him. Everyone was trying to be strong on the outside, but they were all starting to crack underneath. Tamaki, him, Soubi, Hikaru - everyone. This place was eating away at them and as he kept his eyes on Hikaru's back in the dark, he wondered just how long they were going to last.

One hall over and they were at Kaoru's room. Ritsuka took note of the door number and waited as Hikaru knocked. Suddenly the door flew open and Ritsuka took a step back. Kaoru looked like he'd been put through the ringer and had come out on the bad end of it. Hikaru had said he wasn't feeling well, but then shouldn't he have been in bed? Hiding off to the side, out of sight, Ritsuka watched the brothers and wondered if things would have been like this if Seimei had stayed.

Kaoru hadn't been faking, it turned out. He looked like shit. Hikaru barely had time to process this before his twin was yelling at him.

"Yeah, and that's always worked out wonderfully for us," he said dismissively, much more worried about his brother than about logistics. Ritsuka was momentarily forgotten. "Kaoru, you look like hell." He was pale from being sick, and there were pronounced hollows in his cheekbones. He looked tired and frail and not at all like the person he had been before they were taken to this damn "hospital."

"Have you managed to keep anything down? Did you even try to keep something down?" Hikaru leaned toward his brother, feeling Kaoru's forehead against his own. He felt a bit warm. "Are you feverish?"

The pre-emptive strike didn't really work, did it? Damn Hikaru.
First he was blasting Kaoru for failing miserably at defeating the scary hallway and then he had to go and bring the rest up. And, the really huge devastating kick in the balls? He was accusing Kaoru of making himself sick. He only did that to avoid homework or trouble.
He was going to take the high road and stop himself from rising to these attacks. It'd only make him look guilty.

He jerked back so fast he had to grab his brother's sleeve for balance. But he let go immediately.

Luckily for him, he had a perfect distraction.
"Who's the shadow?" he asked, peeking round the door way. "Hey! Ristuka. How are you?" he grinned.

With Hikaru ignoring him, Ritsuka leaned back against the wall, gingerly avoiding the still aching wounds in his back. People here had already grown accustomed to seeing him injured, which was handy, in a way. It was like home, where people saw but never asked. It was a good thing, too, since he was able to get away from answering questions as to why he'd gone and been a moron and gotten himself and others almost eaten alive by giant birds.

Right.

Hearing his name, Ritsuka peered around at Kaoru who was peeking out at him. He was playing distraction, apparently. Slipping away from the wall, he stepped a little closer, keeping a wary eye on Hikaru. Changing the subject wasn't going to help either of them, so the Sacrifice decided it would be best to, well, stick to the topic. "Better. You don't look all that great though. You feeling okay?"

Wait, why did Kaoru seem so defensive? Hikaru shook his head, clearly exasperated. Damn it. Kaoru thought that he was accusing him? What was with the paranoia all of a sudden?

Not that it wasn't undeserved, especially in this place, but it was a little annoying to be on the wrong side of it. It made him feel like he'd done something wrong...when he'd just been worried sick.

Good thing that Ritsuka was staying on target, at least. It would keep Kaoru from skirting the subject.

"Kaoru...we've been worried. I haven't seen you at more than a couple shifts for the past few days, and then my nurse told me that you were sick...but she wouldn't let me see you."

He'd leave what had happened to Tamaki for a little later.

Oh great, Hikaru was looking hurt and even more worried. Play it cool, Kaoru, play it cool.

He smiled pleasantly to them both. "Wow you guys, you really know how to make me feel attractive. Come on, what's with this? And you especially, mister," he said, looking to Ritsuka. "I mean, you're one to talk." Low blow, but necessary right now. Besides, he'd said it with a genuine hint of worry. "I'm fine."

He took Hikaru's hand, giving it a squeeze. "I know, it sucks. And I had some news for you too! But the Nurses made me go to this all day therapy thing." If Hikaru saw through the blatant lie, Kaoru just hoped the look in his eyes persuaded his brother to back off for now. Kaoru wasn't going to let him worry.

"Onto my news!" And he was almost sure it was still news since Hikaru hadn't burst in here shouting the same thing. "Mori's here!"

Kaoru really didn't want to talk about what was going on with him. All day therapy sessions? Ritsuka doubted it. There was no way anyone would fall for that. And why didn't he seem concerned that Hikaru had been going practically out of his mind with worry? Maybe he was and Ritsuka didn't recognize it?

Not that it really mattered. Kaoru's blow hit him right where it hurt and Ritsuka backed off, looking away. The flashlight beam dipped a bit, but otherwise his face was stone cold - concern and worry dropping away for a more comfortable mask of unaffected disinterest.

Announcement of Mori's arrival meant little to him. The tall, silent guy gave him the creeps a little bit and now that Kaoru had been found... Ritsuka was beginning to wonder about Soubi.

Hikaru opened his mouth to protest the absolute idiocy of Kaoru's lie, but the look his brother gave him shut him up. Whatever. They'd talk about it later.

And they'd also have a nice long talk about Why It's Important to Stop Alienating Ritsuka. Hikaru moved away from Kaoru and closer to the kid, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Man, Kaoru wasn't exactly batting a thousand today, was he?

"I know, Kaoru. I ran into him last night." Big news, indeed. "He's in Tamaki's clinic right now. Speaking of which. Ritsuka and I need to talk to you about something, before we go over there. It's important."

They needed to brace Kaoru, at least, for the state Tamaki was in.

Eurgh. However much Ritsuka hated him for that, he hated himself more.
"Sorry," he said, quietly, "but you really do need to watch out." So much for that older 'friend' of his... Kaoru dragged his mind away from a dark place that suggested the guy was responsible. They'd know, wouldn't they, if something that terrible was going on? But then...they didn't know Ritsuka that well.

Kaoru stopped staring at the poor kid.

A little deflated by the news that Hikaru had already seen Mori, he couldn't help but also feel relieved. Until things turned even more serious. A look of utter sadness crossed his face. "He's falling apart without Honey, isn't he? Can't we...find him a substitute?" It was a lame suggestion and he knew it. It was like trying to find a substitute twin.

Ritsuka shrugged Hikaru's hand off and gave Kaoru a nod in return. He hated it when people pointed out his injuries, even if this time it was just because a giant bird tried to eat him. Before, it always turned into questions - what happened? Why do you have a black eye? Are you okay? Did she...? And he would just lie (he hated lying) and run off. The same conditions didn't apply here and yet he was still defensive on instinct. Still not meeting anyone's eyes, he muttered, "Yeah, we all do."

"It's not him," he said in a louder voice. Ritsuka knew about this - that something terrible had happened and he had an idea of what. He also knew that the most important thing would be to not let Tamaki see their concern. He wasn't handling it well. "It's Tamaki - he's in a rough spot and...well, Hikaru can explain it better."

Hikaru smirked, a little bit of that "little devil" attitude coming back. "Well, I know of one 'lovely item' right here." Hey. Ritsuka was short enough!

But he couldn't let Kaoru get him sidetracked. This was far too important for that.

"Last night, that guy, Envy...he...he hurt Tamaki. Tried to force himself on him. Tamaki says he's okay, but he...isn't."

Kaoru matched his brother's smirk. "He'd definitely be safer in Mori's hands. There's something about that other guy that just doesn't get lovelier by Ritsuka's presence."

Kaoru was feeling better already. They'd stopped bugging him, they were fooling around. It was starting to feel like a better world again. For a split second. Then his blood ran cold. He was looking towards his brother, but his mind seemed to be elsewhere, his eyes narrowed and staring into space.
Someone hurt Tamaki.

Kaoru pushed past Hikaru and Ritsuka and stormed out.

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/393234.html?thread=32815634#t32871954).]

"Don't talk about Soubi like that!" He hated it when people disregarded Soubi without knowing what he really did for Ritsuka. What he'd sacrificed and all the pain he'd gone through. There was so much wrong with Soubi, and Ritsuka just...wanted him to feel better. There wasn't much he could do because he wasn't Seimei, but he could do small things. Maybe. He hoped. "And Mori creeps me out, so whatever weird plans you have, just leave me out of them."

Then Hikaru dropped the bomb and Kaoru stormed out. Well, crap. That didn't go over well. Ritsuka sighed and ran after Kaoru, focused on stopping the other twin before he did anything brash. Tamaki was barely holding it together and if Kaoru grilled him, he'd fall apart. And in his condition, if he went after Envy, he'd just get hurt.

[following (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/393234.html?thread=33055250#t33055250)!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nightshift 33: M21-M30 Hallway

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26

Re: M26