damned_institute | Day 43: Sun Room, Second Shift

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Day 43: Sun Room, Second Shift

When the shift changed, HK stayed put. Even after a long night of zombie killing, he had no interest in meatbag fuel, especially after all the discussion of chocolate with that rather strange meatbag. It was just making him crave the stuff even more than he had previously, if that was possible.

Oh, right. He was supposed to be looking for someone who was "VERY LARGE, WITH DARK HAIR." And also seemed to not know what lower-case letters were on the bulletin. As if that would help. He'd seen a likely candidate last shift, but talk of chocolate had distracted him.

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The funny thing was, gloating actually didn't tick Klavier off too much. At least, in most cases. It was a waste of energy on the other's part and a sign of overconfidence. It was something he'd seen in the courtroom far too often, and it usually meant the person's guard was down. Those were usually the best times to strike back in his experience. And it was for that reason Klavier simply watched Albedo, almost analytically, as he rambled on a bit.

That was why his eyes had almost immediately been drawn to the pen. As soon as he saw the tip slowly edging down the boy's arm, everything he was saying and had said vanished. Everyone and everything in that room went black and all he was focusing on was that pen scraping down Albedo's bare arm. Without him even having done anything yet, the threat was apparent.

Klavier sat up straight at full attention, a dark look crossing his face. He wasn't... he wasn't going to cut himself was he?! Just the thought sent a cold feeling running up Klavier's back. He held up both of his hands carefully, as though preparing to jump forward and grab him. His eyes were looking nervously between Albedo's face and the pen in his hand. "Wh-?"

Too late. Before anything could be said or done, the child lifted up the pen and STABBED it into his own arm at full force. Immediate panic shot through Klavier's chest, like he was the one who'd been stabbed, and he yelled in both horror and outrage.

Moving on pure instinct, Klavier immediately grabbed Albedo's wrist with one hand, yanking him closer, and clamped his other hand down on the injured spot in an attempt to prevent blood from gushing out everywhere. Considering this action, one might think the man would look concerned for the boy's safety. But he didn't.

In fact, he wasn't even looking at the wound he was squeezing. He'd practically shoved his face in Albedo's with a grit-tooth expression that could only be absolute fury, something no human being in LA had ever seen on the man's face before. And yet his eyes were utterly panicked.

"What are you doing?!!"

Physical confrontations were fairly frequent in an institute, but it was a rather rarer occurrence when the nurse encountered an older patient picking on someone so obviously younger. Really now.

She hurried over as soon as she heard the yelling, stepping between the pair and deftly separating them with the practiced ease of someone who'd done this for years.

"Excuse me!" She rounded on the older patient. "I trusted you had better problem-solving skills, Mr. Gilmour. Exactly what is the trouble here?"

He had barely begun to feel a dizzy feeling overtaking him, making his eyes lose focus. He must have... did something earlier. Maybe. Albedo couldn't think for a moment, and went to put his hand to his head.

The scream was satisfying, a kind of peaceful end to a strange situation, but the hands on him were not. They grasped firmly and tightly, squeezing the skin across flesh, making the small bones of his wrist grate together annoyingly. Albedo's eyes narrowed, but that was all that was allowed, before the man screamed into his face. Had he gone mad? Albedo lunged his body forward, teeth opening in a snarl to clash shut on the thin skin of the man's face, but instead closed on air. He hadn't even seen the nurse arrive.

Anger sizzling under the surface, Albedo froze, not wanting to be sedated for the third time in less than twenty-four hours. The nurse wasn't his watchful dog, so perhaps a different path would work, and allow him some retribution as well. The remains of the pen was brushed inbetween the cushions while the nurse dealt with Klavier. With an effort, his eyes rounded, anger fading as it was replaced by a practiced fear. Instead of his wrists, Albedo grabbed the arm with the bandage on it cradling it to his chest. He let out a plaintive whimper, watching Klavier with wet eyes. It seemed obvious to a random passerbyer that the elder had been abusing and bullying the younger, and who would believe really that it had been the other way around? No hard evidence to prove the fact, a game lying unfinished between them, and should Klavier explain the situation? Unblemished skin would greet his claims.

Klavier barely registered the snarl and a flash of bared teeth before the nurse stepped in. In some way, perhaps Klavier should have been thankful for the interruption seeing as he narrowly escaped getting a chunk of flesh bitten off. He wasn't really sure if the kid was actually going to do it or not, but it certainly looked like he was for a second there.

He'd swallowed back his emotions as soon as the woman stood between them and faced him. Even if she wasn't aware of the situation, even if this whole institution was nothing but a farce, her words stung him. Because she was right. He knew better than to act in such a shameful way... But his heart was still in his throat from what had just happened, and he was far from being capable of putting up a pleasant pretense.

"What's the trouble?!" he repeated, suddenly sounding far more like a child than an adult at the moment. He pointed an accusatory finger at the kid trying to hide the injury by cradling it near his chest. "He just punctured his arm open! Get him out of here! Now!"

His attention was pulled from the woman down to Albedo... who was apparently trying to puppy-eye his way out of this situation. What was he doing?! He wasn't going to sneak away and try to hide a wound like that was he?!

The nurse frowned, hands still on her hips, but at least neither of the patients were continuing to go at each other now that she'd stepped in, unlike some of the others.

She turned to the young boy at the accusation. He certainly looked frightened, poor thing, but she couldn't see any blood if he had indeed punctured his arm.

"Is that true?" she asked him carefully. "Did you hurt yourself?"

Perfect so far. Albedo resisted the urge to grin, and instead ducked his head at the exclamation from Klavier, looking appropriately fearful. He curled his body more into the couch, adding to the 'young and frightened' look. When the nurse turned to him, Albedo turned a shade confused, shaking his head slowly. He held out his arms to her, turning them over, adding a wince for good measure with the bandaged one. Over the the wrapping, Institute made and approved, there was nothing on his skin. No wounds whatsoever.

The urge to grin, or throw Klavier a look was almost overwhelming. But Albedo wouldn't be sedated again. Not until he made sure his brothers were really all right. So the innocent child look remained, with a side of wary fear and a helping of confusion. At fault? Him? No, no. That was the insane man over there, thank you.

Klavier stared in utter disbelief. Aside from the injuries he'd already had the boy was... fine. Absolutely fine. No sign of so much as a scratch had been left.

"But I... He..." He (thankfully) stopped himself before he could start stuttering and rambling like an idiot. He had seen that, hadn't he? With his very eyes. There was no way the child could have faked it. He'd struck down and jabbed the pen in hard, ripped it out to reveal the wound, and... there had been a little something hadn't there? Before Klavier had given way to panic. Just for a second, there was something there, like a light. It was similar to that light he had seen Hinamori use in the clinic. The 'healing' light.

After staring at Albedo for what felt like hours, he looked back towards the nurse with a look of utter confusion and slight... Was that shame? Maybe a little. If only because he realized how absolutely foolish he looked at the moment. Thank goodness his brother wasn't anywhere nearby to witness this atrocity.

The nurse examined his arm. Indeed, aside from an older injury, the boy was perfectly fine.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. That did still leave the other patient's claim, however. Given his shocked expression, she was concerned to say that it was entirely possible he believed he had seen it happen. It was unfortunate, but it happened.

"As you can see," she said, "Alan is unharmed, so you have nothing at all to worry about, Mr. Gilmour. I expect there should be no more trouble now that this misunderstanding has been cleared up."

She smiled encouragingly at the both of them.

Right. It was cleared up. So she could leave, and they could get back to their game, and Albedo could teach Klavier more fun things to stretch his mind. But first to finish this. He swallowed, seeming nervous, and tried a small smile. A line of amusement trailed through him as he looked at the nurse shyly. "Do you think... I could have a pen? I seemed to have lost the one we were using," he explained, looking towards the hangman game.

If, by lost, he meant cracked and bloodied and very well-buried in the cushions, then yes! Lost. Exactly. The nurse's presence served a secondary purpose for Albedo though, and he ignored Klavier, focusing on being extremely innocent and concerned. "And do you... Do you know if my brothers are okay? I haven't seen them yet." The disturbance in his eyes, the worry and insecurity was perfectly true, but as it fit the part, it was allowed to remain. That's what he told himself. Why hadn't he seen them yet? Where was Rubedo? Shouldn't he have seen that annoying Nigredo by now, somewhere? Why was it... Damn. Albedo swallowed again, the nervousness made actual. He needed to know. He needed to see them.

[skipping Jax with permission]

"Of course, dear." The nurse produced a pen on the spot, and it was unclear whether it was hers or whether she simply carried extra pens around with her for exact situations such as this.

This wasn't the first time he'd asked about his siblings, but the nurse couldn't blame him for being concerned. It was good, at least, that he had people he knew and cared about within the institute. That was always healthy.

"Your brothers are fine," she replied patiently before glancing between the two of them. "Now, I hope you'll both get along or separate yourselves if you find you can't."

With that, she turned to leave.

Klavier had turned back to staring at Albedo, the revelation finally crossing his mind as to what had happened. Though... he didn't want to believe it was possible. He had been close enough to see that he hadn't bluffed that; the pen was actually stuck into the boy's arm. He had stabbed into his arm. All the same, the wound was gone as though it had never been there. That in conjunction with that small glow resembling what he had seen in the clinic... It only meant one possibility.

Frankly, if it hadn't been for that embarrassing demonstration with Nigredo, Klavier probably wouldn't have swallowed such a stupid theory, and he would have made an even bigger fuss. But if that mess had taught him anything, it was the unfortunate fact that there were people here with strange abilities. 'Powers,' they called them. And he would rather swallow that term than something ridiculous like 'magic.'

He should have been paying attention to the fact that this was Nigredo's brother. Of course there was the possibility he had some kind of ability as well. Even still, he would have expected something closer to the mental ability spectrum not... healing.

He snapped out of his thoughts as soon as Albedo was handed another pen. The sight of that in his hand again just sent another flutter of anxiety to twist in his stomach. He turned back to the nurse, but she was already gone. Out of earshot. Unless he shouted or ran after her, that is. And those options were starting to seem preferable to the alternative.

Klavier faced Albedo warily, trying not to look as absolutely distressed as he was feeling. Don't. Please. Not again...

Edited 2009-08-20 22:56 (UTC)

Albedo grit his teeth against the nurse's words, merely took the pen without another sound. Why had he bothered asking? He needed to find out on his own, that was all there was. Why had he even thought for a moment...? Silent, the boy uncapped the pen and grabbed the forgotten game. He scribbled on the corner, getting the ink flowing. The silence stretched thin, and Albedo finally rested the pen against the paper, raising his eyes to the man. There was nothing child-like left in his expression.

"You have three points of reference to adhere to," he started, in a voice that would not accept arguments. "A scene like that will not be tolerated again. You will not do anything of the sort again. Ever." Albedo's eyes remained on Klavier for another beat, expression deadly calm, voice clear as fact. "Or I will find what you love and force you to kill it slowly."

The expression stayed a moment more, and then the boy blinked and sighed, emotions shifting to tired fluidly. "Hopefully, you've realized I've been telling you the truth now," he went on in a more personable tone. "All that I've said has been accurate. That was the point of that demonstration. All right?" Albedo asked, echoing the question put forth to his earlier.

He sighed again, a hand to his head. Why was he so tired? He hadn't slept for days before, a week straight on the Song almost, and now only after a few days of this, he felt ready to collapse. The weaknesses here? The lack of all of his powers? He couldn't dream to know. He just wanted to sleep. "I asked you a question before your little tirade. Which of the three of us do you like best and why. Please answer and give me your next letter." For the game was becoming more tiring than it was worth. Klavier needed to become amusing once more.

He stared at that face with his heart in his throat. He certainly didn't doubt the sincerity behind those words. Apparently his reaction had gotten Albedo angry... which was actually somewhat annoying. Or it would have been annoying if he wasn't so nervous at the moment. Especially with that threat hitting him harder than he wanted to admit.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been a fairly pathetic threat. Force Klavier to kill what he cared about? Really. No one forced Klavier to do anything he didn't want to, or at the very least, no one could force him to harm or kill anyone or anything. That was ridiculous. But when he considered what happened with Nigredo... Was Albedo capable of doing that, too? If a boy with this sick of a mind could control his actions, certainly everyone he knew would be in danger. He couldn't risk that. No matter what.

Klavier pulled his eyes away from the boy, turning his head away completely, actually unable to stand looking at him any longer. So what was he going to do? Was he supposed to just sit here and cower before this little kid? Did he have a hold on him so completely that he couldn't possibly do a thing but sit here and put up with this? The thought was unsettling and aggravating. Gavins didn't surrender. Especially in the wake of psychological warfare. That was what they excelled at. Even if Klavier couldn't hope to measure up to his brother, he wouldn't just...

Still turned away, Klavier ran a hand through his hair trying desperately to regain his bearings. He was not going to let this kid think he was really getting to him. ...He was not. He took a deep breath, turned back to Albedo, and leaned back against the couch. He exhaled as though in exasperation and frowned at the boy, hoping that forcing irritation into his tone would drive away the shakiness of his voice.

"...You are absolutely out of your mind if you think I'm going to sit here quietly and watch you mutilate yourself." It was said very bluntly, without a hint of humor. By all rights, he seriously looked irritated. Even angry. "You can't just sit there and throw rules at me without there being any for yourself. Especially for behavior." He stared defiantly at those eyes. "...You're not to do that or anything like it again. If you can't do that, I'm not following that rule and I'm not continuing this game. Understood?"

This was dangerous. Even Klavier knew that much. He'd spoken to killers and psychopaths before, plenty of times. But in those cases, there was either a bulletproof pane of glass between he and them or there were at least two officers in the room. He had neither security on his side. And even still, he'd never dealt with anyone this unpredictable before. Never hardcore psychotics like this. He'd read about famous historic cases but this was... beyond anything he could have ever imagined. And it was coming from a child.

Honestly, the idea of even continuing this so called 'game' was enough to make Klavier's stomach turn. This was the last thing he wanted to do. But in lue of the boy's threat, he wasn't sure what would happen anymore if he made the boy too angry. For the sake of everyone's safety, he would have to settle for a compromise.

The desperation in Klavier's actions, the obvious aura of 'upset' draped upon the man was showing. Another time, not so tired and not so sad, not with his body fighting off the dredges of chemicals and depression in equal amounts, this would have been a fun thing to play with. To see just how much the man was affected by him. To see if Klavier feared him, and what, exactly, could be done with that. The man should be glad that he was tired.

Even so, the words spoken provoked a half-smile beneath those tired, empty eyes. "I am," Albedo stated with a touch of amusement. Hadn't Klavier come to that conclusion, 'normal' and naive as the man was? Out of his mind? Of course, by those standards, he was. Perhaps, this was becoming increasingly true in other areas as well. He wouldn't think on it.

Languidly leaning into the couch, the expression kept on his face, Albedo continued. "I think I'll do whatever I wish to myself. Your rules are in place because you were so rude as to deem your actions necessary. If I am fair, perhaps I should try to affect you as well." That hung in the air a moment, weighted. The boy didn't move. "So no, Klavier. I will do what I wish. You may forfeit the game if you wish, or you may continue."

His eyes narrowed slightly, grin worsening. "You should be glad that I still want to play with you after all that. I could be much more angry instead."

You should be glad that I still want to play with you after all that.

Right. Like Klavier was the one with obscene behavioral problems here. Like he was the loose cannon pushing buttons during this little game. Yes, the kid was most certainly out of his mind if he really believed that. "Your actions were far more unnecessary. I don't recall asking for a demonstration. And if you answered my questions more thoroughly, a demonstration never would have been needed in the first place." But now he was arguing logic with someone who obviously wasn't planning to follow such concepts.

The irritation had left his voice by now, but the tone was that of a negotiator trying to talk someone out of throwing himself off a building: calm, wary, alert, trying to sound reasonable and patient while remaining firm despite the strained atmosphere. "If you can't agree to that, then the game is over. Consider it a forfeit." Consider it whatever you want as long as this can be over.

He wasn't going to move to take his things back until Albedo had given a response indicating he wasn't going to stab Klavier next should he move to take the journal away.

Edited 2009-08-23 18:50 (UTC)

"You didn't believe me," he replied smoothly. "That was obvious in itself. With facts before you, you could not deny me, Thomas. You could not doubt." Albedo's head tilted to the side, leaning on the armrest, chin cupped in his hand. "And if you wanted more thorough answers, you could have asked. I merely answered what you put to me. Nothing more, nothing less." A smile, close-lipped and polite, was his punctuation. Your move, again, it stated. Albedo had many games, and if Klavier wanted wordplay, Albedo could play as well.

The man's switch was half-wagered, and Albedo sighed exaggeratedly, shrugging. "A test of will, and you broke first. And you had so much ammunition to use if you so chose. Be as it may; fine." Albedo looked at Klavier, eyes dancing with amusement and only the smallest touch of frustration. For a second, his eyes glowed ultraviolet; his voice dropped. "The game is done."

The heavy aura vanished as quickly as it came, and Albedo straightened, filling in the blanks efficiently. The boy held the notebook up, showing the completed puzzle. Could the man see the humor? Most likely not. It was almost a pity. If not for Klavier's unnecessary reaction, Albedo had almost liked the naive, glass-bubble-world, brother-abandoning man. There was obviously something wrong with him. Albedo cocked his head, smiling pleasantly. Do you see now, that you couldn't have easily won to start? Only one had that kind of power.

[Dona Nobis Pacem]

Edited 2009-08-25 04:08 (UTC)

...Thomas? Did Albedo just call him Thomas? As a prosecutor, Klavier had always been dubious of insanity pleas, but there was no way he could possibly argue against a display like this. The child was becoming less comprehensible as they went.

Now, the unfortunate fact is if Albedo had actually explained the nature of his powers rather than just saying 'I was killed,' Klavier likely would have believed him. Only because Nigredo had already demonstrated his own extraordinary abilities for him to see. There would have been some skepticism, certainly, but he would have been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. ...But he decided to refrain from sharing that little detail. If at all possible, Klavier would prefer not to ever mention his brothers or anything related to them in front of Albedo again.

Still, the urge to argue the point was strong. Extremely so. He wasn't used to dropping the subject or losing when it came to arguments of reason. Letting that particular discussion go was almost painful, simply because he could continue but had to force himself not to. It was almost a wound to his pride all over again. But pushing Albedo more or possibly upsetting him would not be ideal. He could rein himself in for the sake of not having the child blow up. So in the same careful tone: "...Well. I believe you. So there isn't any further need for 'demonstrations.'"

Blunt and to the point. Not arguing. The next point however drew a slight frown. A test of will? What happened to just playing Hangman? You know, normal fun? That question too was on the tip of his tongue, but Klavier quickly caught that look, or more the literal light in those eyes of his. For a second, he froze, bracing himself for... whatever would happen. But nothing did. He simply declared the game over as well.

He silently exhaled and silently watched as Albedo filled out the remaining spaces and held it up for the man to see. Ah. So that was why he couldn't wager a guess even to the very end. The answer had never been in English. Sneaky. Had this turned out to be a normal game, Klavier would have been delighted by the surprise twist regarding the solution. As it stood, it just seemed to make the whole thing feel like an even greater waste of time.

"Ah. I see," he said as if he actually had any blasted interest left in this mess of a game. At this point, he didn't care about appearances as much as keeping Albedo at bay, so he couldn't feign much of an interested tone. "A Latin phrase. I'm not familiar with it. Does it mean anything?"

A better question was if Klavier even cared. He just wanted his book and pen back before leaving. There was some dread that the phrase was something horrid, but at this point, he wasn't sure if there was anything that could be said in a phrase that would be more heart quaking than the display Albedo had given.

A simple tilt of his head, an amused glance. "I wasn't going to. I'm not as mad as you may think." Though if mad meant angry or insane was left to the imagination. A smirk tugged at his lips, more amused than cruel. The man's frozen look told Albedo far too much about how Klavier had been affected by this, and it gave him something--a renewed strength in something dear and dark, perhaps, and maybe just in himself. Maybe it was now the same.

He handed the items back to Klavier without any games. "Sorry about your pen," he murmured. though the blank tone gave no indication of any genuine apology. The boy stood then, and peeled away the bandage he had been fiddling with the entire shift. The redness there pointed to what had been a large injury--in truth, it had been bitten down to the bone, muscle ripping away like some kind of meat. And it was, wasn't it? Just meat in the end. Ruined flesh and empty husks, shells of what once was. Albedo took an open-mouthed breath, shuddering suddenly. Something too much like a memory had slipped in, a vague snapshot and sharp emotions--death and dying, the threat of it, and the ones that he--

--Loved. The ones he loved far too close on touching on it.

Albedo swallowed thickly, eyes squinted shut. Below his fingertips, skin was pulling achingly slow over a layer of muscle, the same faint glow accompanying the motion. His constant headache throughout the day? Partially from this, and partially from things half-forgotten, half-remembered. And he found that he didn't want to--

Forget. Remember. He wasn't sure which. But the urge and longing was strong. Severe. His hand grasped his healing arm like one would clutch at a loved one; seeking some comfort that wouldn't be provided. A low drone alerted him to the man talking again, though only part of Klavier's words made it through. He glanced down at Klavier, something in his eyes too much like fear. Albedo blinked, quickly, and then there was only loss. "Latin?" His voice came, small and unsure, like the child at the beginning. "I wouldn't know."

His eyes shifted downward. "It does." Almost defiant, Albedo looked up again, seeming old and much too young all at once. "Give me peace."

Edited 2009-08-26 04:07 (UTC)

Right. Klavier might have been generally trusting but he was not gullible or an idiot. Someone couldn't just break his trust, pat it away, and think everything would be just fine. So the boy could say he wasn't mad all he wanted. That didn't mean Klavier would believe a word of it. He knew better than to lower his guard around this one ever again.

Naturally, that meant he didn't take that 'apology' to heart either. But he took the book and pen from Albedo, glad to have both items back and out of the kid's hands with little fanfare. He regarded both statements with a blank silence, simply watching Albedo with the wariness anyone would use with someone they considered potentially unpredictable and dangerous.

It was a good thing Klavier was generally accustomed to seeing fresh wounds of the potentially lethal variety. Seven years of homicide cases tended to thicken one's resistance to such things. But it was impossible to be completely numb to such sights, and his experience was with bodies already dead, not living walking ones and certainly not children.

Still, he stared at the wound for a few moments, unfortunately continuing to play over-analyst over everything. Whatever that ability was supposed to be considered... it certainly was no magic. That glow was moving, slowly but visibly, like watching an ice cube melt on a hot day. It looked like it worked in layers, judging by the amount of sore redness in a wider than normal area around the wound. The top layer skin hadn't been fully completed and--

Klavier swallowed and looked away, somewhere between sick and annoyed. He had just said he didn't need another demonstration. He didn't want to see it. He didn't like it. It was taking all of his will power now to keep his mouth shut to prevent himself from digging this any deeper. So much so, he bit his bottom lip to prevent himself from blurting anything out. Like, Don't. Cover that up. Why are you showing me this? Don't touch it. Please. Stop it. Go away. Get away from me. He took a deep breath and tried to will that image of a slowly recovering, deep wound out of his mind before he had nightmares for weeks.

Yes. He was not going to be eating today after all.

Albedo brought him back with that statement that he wouldn't know, and Klavier turned to him, trying to bite back his annoyance all over again. It was his phrase. How could he NOT know? Klavier was fluent in two languages and familiar enough with a third, none of which being Latin. But the words Nobis Pacem made it fairly obvious of the language. Unless Albedo was saying he's simply made the words up.

"Give me... peace?" he repeated carefully, apparently unable to keep himself entirely silent as he'd planned. Albedo had a look in his eyes, a desperate look. Something like exhaustion but... no, that wasn't quite right either. It was hard to describe. Klavier's natural curiosity was nagging at him to ask. To get Albedo to say more. Elaborate. Open up.

But he stopped himself again. No. Not again. He would not fall for this child act twice. Klavier was not going to allow himself to get provoked into participating any further. "I see," he said, though he didn't see at all. He stood up from his couch, but wasn't hasty in turning his back to the child yet. "Interesting choice." He glanced at the wound again quickly before focusing squarely on Albedo's eyes. "...Be sure to ask for a new bandage."

That was all the compassion he was going to get verbally from Klavier. Any further nitpicks about infection and touching it and such would likely get mocked anyway. He already felt like he was wasting his breath as is.

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Day 43: Sun Room, Second Shift

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