DAY 23: BREAKFAST

[norainu]

That hadn't felt like an entire night.

And his goddamn head hurt. Pounded, even. Enough that he wondered if he was going to end up playing another round of "Christen the nurse" this morning.

Maybe it was because he'd spent so much time and energy trying to find Nowe. That could be the reason behind both those problems. Just the thought of it made his stomach turn, made him want to fucking choke something.

Still, there was shit to do. He forced himself out of bed to put away his pens and the other leftovers from the adventures that didn't happen last night. He'd have to try to talk to Sora today, to see if they could just do tonight what they were going to do last night... and to see if the kid was doing alright.

...he just wished his head would stop hurting. That was probably the result of just how badly he'd overreached himself the previous morning.

The nurse that showed up to get him was cheerful. He grunted at her, listening to her with only half an ear until she mentioned all the excitement, about someone pretending to be a patient, all that crap that Landel had mentioned.

Renji gave her a narrow-eyed look. "Dr. Landel is a goddamn lying coward, and he's lying about that, too," he said. Whether it was true or not, there was only so much good cheer he could take on a shitty morning. "I hope he chokes on a cock." No matter how much venom he put in that statement, it wasn't enough.

Then he had to listen to a lecture about language and gratitude for the rest of the walk to the cafeteria, so maybe it wasn't worth it after all. She dragged him through the breakfast line, and he ended up with granola and toast and tea and a cinnamon roll, because not even a shitty fucking night could ruin his sweet tooth. Though that thing was looking a little too sweet.

The cafeteria was pretty much empty; he had his run of the place. He sat himself about as far from the doors as he could get, and proceeded to stare at his breakfast.

Comments

[bigshotbarret.livejournal.com]

There was a very distinct flinch in Barret's stance as Bast's words hit his ears. It was like nails to a chalkboard, and it made him realize something instantly...

He did not like this guy.

"No fucking shit, smartass. Wanna find out how hard this fake one hits?"

A frown made way to his face as he looked to Lust, still holding his tray, but now in a tightened vice grip as he replied to her, "Depends on what ya mean by kinder. Kinder to the physical or kinder to the mental and emotional?" Marlene and Dyne's faces would never leave him now. Never.

[truthisntsimple.livejournal.com]

Severus had been keeping his senses open from the moment he had followed the nurse out of his room. He couldn't help but feel almost naked without his wand. The scowl never left his face as he catalogued which hallways they took, how many doors they passed. When they reached the...what had she called it? The "cafeteria" he began looking at the people, searching for familiar faces.

Seeing that weasel Rabastan was startling, to say the least. He let the nurse shuffle him through the food line - water (not as many potions could hide their flavor) toast, and sausages - then approached the only real familiar face he could see. Even if he'd only ever been able to barely tolerate the man. But then, he was Severus Snape. He barely tolerated anyone.

With barely a flicker of a glance at the other people, he glared down at the blond man. "Rabastan."

[rabastlestrange.livejournal.com]

At 5'2, Bast had to look up to see most people, and Severus was no different. True delight broke over his thin face at the sight of the dour potions master. Here was a real person, someone he knew more than anyone else. It took all of his meager self-control not to hug Severus.

Even his madness knew bounds.

"Severus!"

Wriggling like a happy puppy, he set about introductions. One could almost feel sorry for poor Severus.

"This is Raistlin, and he's the Dark Lord in hiding so don't tell anyone. This is Lust although I think she's Bellatrix with her mind wiped or something. That man with one hand doesn't have a name yet, but he's awfully big like Walden. I have to go get Jack, so you can help the Dark Lord!"

Well, that worked out in Bast's mind, but BastLogic tended to have little to nothing to do with reality. Pausing at Raistlin's side, the small Death Eater looked ready to cry for a moment, fidgeting restlessly as he studied Raistlin's face.

"Master, I hate to have to leave you, but I have to find Jack! He can do all sorts of things to help you, and I'm the only one who can get him. Severus here is one of your Death Eaters too, and by far the smartest of us. He can make absolutely anything with his potions, and he's very powerful. Even Lucky won't mess with Severus without making sure. Severus is... he's just better than me."

That look of despair came back and then was gone quick as a flash, perhaps not being caught. Maybe it did bother Bast that he wasn't as bright as some. Or it could have been an act. Who knew with him? Not daring to touch Raistlin after last night, he patted the chair beside Raistlin instead.

"I'll be right back, Master! Severus, you have to make sure no one bothers Master Raistlin or he will have to smite everyone. Then I'll have to pluck their eyes out and braid their optic nerves so they remember, and that's just messy."

Giving the group a cheerful grin, he headed off towards the nurse nearest the door.

What a freak.

Bast went Over thar. (http://community.livejournal.com/landels_damned/87510.html?replyto=5061590)

[a_sin_for_him]

Lust turned to the newcomer and blinked, after watching Rabastan bound away babbling about things she only half understood.

"You actually know him?" she asked. "Or has he gotten to you, as well?" She couldn't tell who Rabastan knew and who he had decided he knew. "I do believe he's quite mad, either way." She turned to Raistlin.

"Are you truly a dark lord?" she asked, tilting her head. "I should warn you now that while I am indeed a dangerous and powerful woman, I am not the Bellatrix that he believes me to be."

[look-bunnies.livejournal.com]

Dear gods, did his mouth never stop? It was like listening to one of Tasslehoff's Uncle Trapspringer stories again. And again and again.

At least this newcomer, this 'Severus', had a much more familiar attitude showing in the glare that he gave Bast. Very similar to Raistlin's own, really, right down to the fact that the newcomer's face also seemed to be more accustomed to frowning, smirking, etc.

The mage was still scrutinizing the newcomer, when Lust asked her questions of both of them, as well as answered the questions that he had wanted to ask of her. Well, that just made his job easier, then.

Raistlin looked over in her direction and nodded just slightly. "I am, though not the one that he believes," he responded softly. Either Bast hadn't caught on yet, or else he didn't particularly care. Then he glanced over in the direction that Bast had left in, and his mouth twitched into a smirk. "You're correct though, he's quite mad."

But he wouldn't complain about the strange ramblings or the reckless loyalty that Bast showed him, just about the frequency and volume of such ramblings. It wouldn't do to estrange one of the people who had come up to him and started showing him that loyalty for nothing more than a simple word he said a particular way, or whatever had caused Bast to think that he was this other dark lord.