damned_institute | Day 37: Sun Room

Entry tags:

Day 37: Sun Room

Joe had read some of the larger notes stuck up on the bulletin board when the announcement came on the intercom. All things considered, this Landel guy didn't even seem so bad. Even if these people were held here against their will, he was certainly nice about it.

Apparently, the new patients - including Joe - were to hang around in the Sun Room or go to Arts and Crafts with the kids. Well, there was plenty of information on the board, including maps and descriptions of monsters, for Joe to prepare for the nighttime, when he could seriously get going on fighting his way out. He could look for where the boss would probably be waiting, or where his V-watch might be, and figure out how to fight the monsters. In fact, he had plenty of time to work all that out... but this the first time he'd had to really relax since he got his powers. So it couldn't possibly hurt to enjoy the calm period, could it?

The red-head stepped back from the board, and hopped back onto a comfy-looking couch to digest in the sunlight. He reached up to pull his cap down, and sighed when he realized it wasn't there. "Oh well, nothing's perfect. I still wouldn't call this hell."

[free!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That only made Artemis look even more cross. He decided that he needed to move away from this subject before he became a subject of ridicule--well, more than he already was.

"I already talk with him all the time. I just... need to find a way to breach the subject. Of things besides sex, don't even go there." He arched an eyebrow up at Badou. "And why exactly should we use your roommate's bed? Do you not get along with him?"

Artemis made his life too easy, Badou thought. It really would suck if one of those perverts he managed to attract finally caught up with him.

Because he was such a nice guy, he let Artemis change the subject to his roommate. Ugh. "That's one way to put it. His name's Armand le douchebag or something. You know him?"

"Armand le... no, I haven't heard of him. Which is a feat, considering I have at least heard of everyone in this place."

He thought for a moment, back to the first time he and Badou met. There had been a man watching them...

"What does he look like? Does he have a grudge against you?"

Badou stopped himself from saying that Armand just looked like a douchebag.

"5'7, brown hair... He was spying on us at the restaurant, if you remember. We got off on the wrong foot early on and it just got worse from there. I think he said he was trying to figure out if I'm a bad guy. Something like that." Badou grinned briefly. "We mostly ignore each other, so it's not like he's a threat or anything. I just don't like him. Don't think he wants to be my super special awesome buddy either."

"Mm," Artemis said, nodding at the characteristics. "Yes, I noticed. But I wasn't sure if I was the one about to be shot at, or you. But I suppose considering the nature of our chat, he probably finds both of us to be repulsive.

"So I'm afraid that I must agree on this. It is very unlikely that he will be your 'super special awesome buddy'," the boy said with a small laugh. "But it is his loss."

Badou laughed. "Oh yeah? That sounded like a compliment. Are you two competing for the title now?"

Artemis laughed as well. "What can I say? I can't resist a challenge. Especially one I could win so easily." He pretended to think for a moment. "Infuriating roommate... mentally unstable teenager. Yes, I don't think it will be much of a contest."

"Damn, I always attract the unstable ones." Badou replied, still grinning. "Forgot to tell you the prize is me calling you super special awesome buddy in public. Your reputation is toast."

Artemis gave a hollow laugh, "I don't think it can get much worse, after today. Fortunately the ones who like me like the ridiculous and emotional side of me as well."

He looked down at the carpet, smiling a little. "No... I'd rather you call me that than 'Arty'."

"What's wrong with Arty?" Badou asked, other than it being juvenile and a little cutesy. But if that was the reason, Badou was hardly going to stop.

"My father calls me 'Arty'," Artemis replied. "And Schuldig, but I can hardly make him stop."

Badou snorted. "And you think you can make me stop? All four feet of you going to take me on if I don't?"

"Maybe I will," Artemis said with a cocky smirk. "Or maybe I'll just wait until I'm holding a pack of cigarettes and a lighter."

Badou's grin widened just a bit. He wrapped his arm around Artemis' neck and pulled him close enough to grind his knuckles into the boy's head. Maybe not as bad as if he actually meant it, but who could tell? "Yeeeeah, what am I going to do then? I'm practically powerless already. Look at me flail."

Artemis himself began to flail and try to push out of Badou's grip, but found himself rather firmly held in Badou's arm. He stopped struggling and surrendered, looking very much like a put-upon cat.

"Are you finished?"

"Well, if you admit defeat I'll consider it." Though he'd stopped destroying Artemis' head, he still had his arm firmly around the boy. "If you get between me and a lighter, I'm taking it and then I'm throwing you over my shoulder and dumping you in the lake out back. Don't even try, Arty."

"Well," Artemis said, still trying to get out of Badou's grip. He wasn't beaten yet, he wasn't going to claim defeat. "If I ever come into the possession of a lighter or any other means with which to make fire, I'll be sure I lock myself somewhere safe."

Badou, who had in fact restrained feistier things than a banana slug in his time, didn't let up even a little.

"See, that's going to be a problem too because nowhere is safe." He wasn't even trying to sound intimidating, though he probably should have been. "And if we keep this up much longer you're going to smell like me for a week."

"The only one who would complain," Artemis started poking at Badou's stomach, trying to get him to let go. "Would be Haku, and he would probably be amused by this. Or find it endearingly pathetic. Either way, I win."

"That's it." Badou said, feigning exasperation. He let Artemis go, but only briefly enough to make good on his promise to pick the boy up and sling him over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes. "Into the lake, brat. It's over now."

"Wha--HEY!!" Artemis was absolutely floored. Badou had picked him up and put him over his shoulder. He would have struggled, but he didn't want to end up breaking his face on the floor should Badou lose his grip. He hated being in high places when he wasn't protected. Hated it.

"W-wait a minute Badou," Artemis spoke very quickly, eyes wide, clinging to the man like a terrified cat suspended in midair. "We're civilized people, we can talk about this--!"

Badou was trying very hard not to laugh. He had a good grip on Artemis in case he did try to struggle, but there seemed to be absolutely no danger of that. Poor Artemis with his healthy sense of self-preservation. Badou started moving forward, away from the window. "We already talked; I'm a sore loser I guess. It was nice knowing you."

"W-wait!" Artemis cried, trying to reach out and grab... something. Anything. He ended up grabbing the back of Badou's shirt, scared out of his mind that he was going to fall.

"Wait a minute, I give, I give!" He shouted, still clinging. "Just let me down, I admit defeat!"

Artemis prided himself on knowing when he could still fight. However of the few times where he knew he was up against a wall, his ass had been above his head.

Now was one of those times.

Badou silently walked them a few steps further to the nearest couch and let Artemis down onto it, staying close for a number of reasons - the main one being Artemis was holding onto his shirt. "Afraid of heights, huh?"

Artemis slowly let go when he realized he was on a couch and not up in the air. He frowned.

"I fly small aircraft regularly. But... yes. When I am not absolutely confident that I am safe, I am afraid of them." He paused, as though considering whether or not to tell Badou. "I fell nearly a hundred stories before I arrived here. I thought I was done for."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject