DAY 37: MEN'S SHOWERS (4th Shift)

[mazoku-king.livejournal.com]

There had been an awkward air left between him and Tyki after their conversation. Yuuri knew he wasn't the best at explaining much of anything, and for the tenth time he wondered why Murata wasn't here to answer the difficult questions for him. Everyone had been herded out of the cafeteria after that, and Yuuri had simply followed along in confusion as he headed towards the showers.

Yuuri still hadn't seen Wolfram yet and the young Maou was wondering if the blonde Mazoku was alright. Stretching his head up higher, Yuuri attempted to look over the heads of the other patients around him in an attempt to catch sight of Wolfram. Unfortunately, though, he was unsuccessful.

"Where are you, Wolfram?" He muttered to himself while stepping under the shower's spray. Maybe a shower would help clear his mind.

[Waiting for Wolfram]

Comments

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"Well that's understandable," Artemis said, still gently washing Haku. He wasn't paying attention to what he was doing, though, and kept washing the same place.

He didn't want to think about it, but the information was still fresh in his head. Still turning over again and again.

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku glanced back at over his shoulder at Artemis. "Does it bother you?" Artemis was pale and thin, without anything that looked like the scars Haku carried. He was probably repelled by impoerfections like that.

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"Why would it bother me?" Artemis asked, smiling lightly. Smile and maybe he could stop thinking about a hand coming through this scar.

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

"You seem rather... fixated on it," Haku explained. "I thought that perhaps it bothered you."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"Can you blame me?" Artemis said with a small laugh. "I just noticed it today. And I know where it's from..."

He stood up and sat back down on his stool, starting on carefully washing his wounded shoulder.

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku smiled and stood up to stand under the water again, rinsing off the rest of the soap from Artemis. "I'm not surprised there's a scar," he said. "Though the shape is strange."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

Artemis paused for a moment, staring down at the floor. He resumed washing himself after a few seconds spent staring at the tile. "Howso?"

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

"Well, if it were something that had been healed in a medical way, the scar would show signs of stiching or something, right?" Haku leaned back and wrung out his hair again. "Instead, it's just ... a spot. The size his hand was..." He shrugged his shoulders and turned off the water.

"It's just odd, that's all."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

Artemis nodded, "You have a point. Perhaps it wasn't healed, but regenerated tissue. My world was moving toward such things."

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

"We had something similar," Haku said, reaching for his towel. "Only, there would usually be feeling restored as well."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"Nothing is perfect," Artemis said absently. "Perhaps even Martin Landel."

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku laughed at that. "I wouldn't say that aloud," he said, drying off his hair, voice muffled. "You might find yourself in trouble."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"I think this building needs a little civil disobedience," Artemis said, resting his chin in a soapy hand. "I mean, why are we even here? Because we might be drugged? Some threat."

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

"Having witnessed a few ditterent civil disobedience demonstrations in my time, I don't know if this situation really would work with that."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"I just feel as though I should be doing more than sitting in a shower completely naked. I don't wish to be naked, but I'm forced to be. I don't wish to be here, yet I am kept here by something. Why am I not outraged?" Artemis frowned, eyebrows drawing together.

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku finished with his hair, which, though still damp, was at least not dripping wet. He wrapped the towel around his waist.

"It's because it wears on you after a while. Being kept like something less than you are. Being trapped. It starts to wear you down. You don't accept it, but you find it pointless to express a firey anger."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

Artemis looked almost like he might cry again, staring wistfully at the floor. "I'll end up like Renji. Throwing myself against a wall until I kill myself, because I can't do anything else to let it out."

He stood up and began rinsing his hair.

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku frowned. "Don't forget though," he said, speaking just loud enough to be heard by Artemis.

"I'm still here. I won't let you do that."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"You'll restrain me?" Artemis asked, laughing. "No, I won't do that. I'll tell you when I'm feeling hopeless and you'll catch me, won't you?"

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku smiled slightly. "Always. And I'll restrain you if need be as well."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"Well, I can't say how effective I'd be restraining you," Artemis said, continuing to wash himself. "But I can catch very well."

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku smiled. "Good to know," he said. "And, really? I wouldn't recommend trying to restrain me."

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"...Haku, why did you say that?" Artemis laughed. "Now I'm going to try one of these days."

[faithful-frost.livejournal.com]

Haku chuckled at that. "I would like to see you try," he teased.

[byname-bynature.livejournal.com]

"Is that a challenge?" Artemis said, the familiar glint in his eye. Yes, it would be an uphill battle, but it was one Artemis was willing to fight. It sounded like fun.