Day 23: Lunch

[part1of3.livejournal.com]

The second the intercom sounded, while the man on the intercom was still talking, Ashton pulled himself off the couch in the Music Room and slowly made his way to the door. He walked, glided even, as if he were a ghost in a dream. The nurses had already filed up to escort the patients to the lunchroom, and one bustled over to walk Ashton those few feet from one room to another.

"You're not looking very well, Mr. Pritchett," she said cheerfully. "Didn't you enjoy your shower?"

Ashton replied with a small, forced smile, then shook his head. He didn't feel like talking now. Though the nurses were pushy and downright annoying, he figured he owed this one at least a little explanation. They didn't know - or didn't believe - what went on after dark, but he owed them the benefit of the doubt. "Bad day," he decided on telling her.

Bad day indeed. The showers and the music had done nothing for his nerves. But then again, what could get that graphic image out of his head?

He glided ghostily through the taco line and settled on two chicken and bean tacos, with chips, a scoop of guacamole, two churros on the side, and a glass of apple juice. He wasn't used to this sort of food (save the juice) and he wasn't even sure he'd eat it, but the chances were high that he'd be able to pass it off on someone.

He was on the verge of tears again, too. What he would have given to just sit down next to a barrel and eat a hamburger.

Thank goodness the cafeteria was bare just now, too. It left all the corner tables open, the tables that shouted 'Don't talk to me, I'm brooding over here.' He sat at one, pushed his food a little away from him, and buried his head in his arms.

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[0bnoxious.livejournal.com]

Albel was glad to got that over with, even despite a certain blond maggot (which, for a change, wasn't Cliff) that bothered him.

His stomach instantly decided to grumble for missing breakfast. Filling his tray with some more food than usual, he sat down at one of the tables.

His 'taco' provided enough distraction for the moment, as he hadn't seen food like that before. How was he supposed to eat that thing?

[look-bunnies.livejournal.com]

Well, at least his shower had been private enough, but why did the nurses insist upon staying so close? They were like flies that swarmed the carcass when they sensed it about to die, insisting upon walking with him everywhere and watching him dress, and Raistlin had no intention of dying anytime soon.

After all, that's why there were other people, in his mind...every powerful mage who found himself without his magic needed a shield, even if none were as large and broad as Caramon had been.

Raistlin didn't by-pass the food line this time, though he didn't make a 'taco' or a 'burrito', whatever in the Abyss they were, and only picked up a little bit of lettuce, a few tomatoes and a glass of water before heading to take the first available seat he found, which happened to be just a couple of seats down and across the table from someone whose gender he was unable to determine. Wonderful.

[0bnoxious.livejournal.com]

Albel looked up from figuring out his food when someone took a seat across him. He briefly studied the other man only to return his attention to his 'taco', which seemed to be mocking him as it lay on his plate. Frowning, he finally opted for using a fork. At least it wouldn't be a mess when he tried to eat it with his hands.

[look-bunnies.livejournal.com]

At least the person he ended up across from provided him with a show. He seemed to be so engrossed in his food, but expressions were everything, and Raistlin was wondering just why he seemed so entranced by the 'taco' (or whatever it was that the voice from the box in the wall had called it). The other person frowned as he went for the fork, after a long moment staring at the food; the mage studied it all, wondering if perhaps the man was either unused to utensils, though it was more likely from the attention being on the food rather than the fork that he was unsure how to eat the food provided...which did, in fact, look quite unedible, but people had eaten stranger things in their lives.

Even so, he couldn't let ignorance go without a comment.

Raistlin turned his attention back towards his own food and picked up a piece of lettuce before speaking. "If you're unsure how to eat the food provided, then perhaps you should not have taken it," he said softly.

[0bnoxious.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it was a fortunate thing that Albel was so occupied with his food he didn't even notice the other man staring at him. It probably would've followed with one of the captain's famous remarks. However, a comment was enough to catch his attention, as he looked up from his taco to the man across him.

His red eyes narrowed at the other man's comment. "Mind your own business, fool!" he growled, the venom in his voice quite obvious. "I can suit for myself just fine."

Worms interfering with his food was the last thing he needed.