Day 29: Waiting Room/Lobby 1

Jan 04, 2008 20:57

When the nurse suddenly appeared after the intercom's announcement, Ritsuka could only stare at her. He had a visitor? He knew that Miku had one, but to think that he would get one? He couldn't imagine who would come to see him. Seimei was gone, Soubi was here... Or so he hoped. It had been almost two shifts since he'd last seen the older man ( Read more... )

raine, cloud, armand, hinamori momo, visitors, envy, artemis, zelgadis, ritsuka, dean winchester, hisoka, jade, aya, mason

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1mperturbable January 4 2008, 20:00:39 UTC
Cloud had, at first, passed off the intercom message about visitors and was already planning where he might go for the afternoon where he had his freedom. Or, he thought he had his freedom. No one would come and visit him, would they? That seemed like such an impossibility, so he passed it off.

He eyed the nurse apparently assigned to him bustle up after the announcement and offered him a cheery smile. He made no move to stand up and simply watched her gesture enthusiastically to stand and follow her off to Shiva knew where. When gesturing only resulted in a raised eyebrow, she finally said, “come along, Mr. Smith. You have a visitor. You don’t want to make your visitor wait, would you?”

He blinked and found himself getting to his feet as his mind whirled at the thought of a visitor for him. He felt a terrible feeling to dread welling in his stomach, but he followed along as she bustled out of the cafeteria towards entranceway of the institute.

“Who… is visiting me,” he asked softly. Anyone but Aerith he thought ( ... )

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damned_visitors January 4 2008, 20:29:36 UTC
Before the door had evened opened all the way there was a quiet gasp from the other side. A blond, middle-aged woman in a blue dress and apron appeared as though she had just stepped out of the kitchen and into the waiting room. She didn't rush to the young man's side, as much as she wanted to, but approached him with slow and cautious footsteps like she was afraid he would up and bolt if she came at him too fast - like a frightened puppy.

"Skye?" She asked gently. "Oh Skye, I'm so happy to see you! You're looking well." That was a safe way to begin a conversation with someone in an institution like this one, wasn't it? At least she didn't follow it up with 'and sane.'

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1mperturbable January 5 2008, 00:48:41 UTC
His keen hearing was about the only thing to wash aside the feeling of deep foreboding, and Cloud turned his head to view the woman that walked in the door. His chest seized with shock as he stared with an uncharacteristic amount of surprise on his face.

“…mom?”

The word jumped from his lips before he had any control over his mouth, and he rose from his seat in a remembered awkward fashion, as if he had just been caught doing something he was not supposed to. It took him a moment to regain himself as he stared at her, saw that she was exactly as he remembered her before he left for military school.

As the shock ebbed away, Cloud felt the overwhelming feeling of guilt hit him. She was just another person that he was guilty for, was he not? She had died painfully and alone, and he had been off taking survivors out as he had been unable to search for her body. He had let to fall to his delusions of grandeur, and it became so painful to look upon her ( ... )

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damned_visitors January 5 2008, 02:12:00 UTC
"How did I...? I drove!" The woman stuck out her bottom lip ever so slightly in a pout, looking indignant. His response seemed to be enough to make her drop most of the previous cautiousness and she quickly wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "How else do you think? They do let people in every once in a while!" She pulled back, holding him at arms length and giving him a long scrutinizing look.

"They're not feeding you enough," she added, contradictory to what she'd said only moments before about him looking well. "I've asked to send baked goodies to you from home, but they told me they had plenty of food here and that it wouldn't be fair to the other patients. You are eating what they give you, aren't you?"

He was pulled into another hug as the woman became teary eyed. "Maybe... maybe you'll be better soon and they'll let you come home with me. They told me you weren't ready yet, but..."

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1mperturbable January 5 2008, 17:08:28 UTC
The obviousness of her answer stunned him, and Cloud found himself blinking as his surprised mind tried to process the information. He automatically closed his eyes in response to her tight hug, and his hands twitched as if knowing his want to hug her in return.

He kept telling himself that this was a fabricated lie, that his mother had died in Nibelheim. She seemed so real, so warm, so... alive standing over him. He did nothing as he felt her gaze roming over him, wanting to tell her that he was fine and that she knew he had some moments of success.

"They feed us just fine, mom," he said, something he seemed to remember saying in a letter home. The situation was different, but the feelings she envolved were so hauntingly the same. Despite the push of denial at the back of his brain, he found himself look away and shrugging a little. "I am not usually that hungry. They give me too much, and I do not like it here," he stated softly. "I prefer your cooking." Why had he said that ( ... )

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damned_visitors January 5 2008, 23:34:33 UTC
"Well eat more anyway," the woman returned in a manner that said she wouldn't be hearing any arguments on the subject. She didn't move from her place against him, relishing the feeling of her son's arms around her. It had been so long...

"And I know... I know you want to come home sweetheart. It would hurt me deep down if you didn't. I've kept your room looking just the same as it was - though I have dusted and vacuumed. It wouldn't do for you to come home to a room with cobwebs strewn about now, would it?" She laughed faintly, rubbing circles on his back with her hands. "And I'm sure they'll let you out soon. I'm sure of it. You seem so much better already!"

She pulled away only a bit, lifting one hand to his chin and smiling brightly. "Don't you worry about protecting me, son. I'm still a spry little thing. I can handle myself."

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1mperturbable January 6 2008, 02:18:57 UTC
With a lack of motivation to argue, Cloud simply nodded his head to her order. He rested his cheek against her bosom, unable to deny the real feel. “Alright, I will try,” he murmured. Twenty-three years old and his mother managed to make him feel like a dependent child within minutes. Some hero he had turned out to be ( ... )

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damned_visitors January 6 2008, 23:19:19 UTC
Skye's mother was pleased by how well her boy was responding to her, and even more so by him agreeing to follow her directions, even if he was only saying it. It was his next comment that caused her worry, however. Skye's memory had been faulty for some time - it was one of the reasons he was here, after all - but still, she had hoped...

"Oh, Skye," she sighed. "Must you ask your mother these things? You know my views will be completely biased." She took one of his hands in both of hers, giving it a squeeze. "You've always been a quiet child. Sweet, except for those occasional times where you'll go off and get yourself in trouble. Worry me sick." She laughed again, that same quiet laugh. "You wanted to join the Marines for so long..." She trailed off there, shaking her head.

"You just worry about yourself right now. I know you'll be out of here soon enough. I'm just so glad to see you."

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1mperturbable January 7 2008, 01:45:40 UTC
Cloud found himself frowning a little to the name she called him. The first time he had not registered it, but it seemed to solidify this illusion of the institute all around him. To this woman, he was Skye. To his dead mother, he was Cloud. He almost tasted the well-placed irony of the name shift.

He stared at where she held his hand and looked up at her. He felt the need to correct her that he had wanted to join SOLDIER, not the marines. He did not though, keeping that to himself as he tried to figure out where his memories ended and this illusionary life began. She was just like his mother in every way. “I did not mean to bring anything painful back to you. I am sorry,” he whispered softly ( ... )

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damned_visitors January 7 2008, 03:04:22 UTC
"Oh..." The woman looked saddened, patting Cloud's hand a few times more. "I know, sweetheart, I know. I want to be able to take you home. But legally... I can't yet, Skye. They keep telling me 'not yet.' That you're not ready yet... I love you so much, son. I'm sorry."

If she noticed any of the other visitors having problems with those they'd come to visit she didn't say. All of her attention was focused on the young man she considered her son. "I know I've said this before, but maybe next time you'll be ready. You're making such progress! I'll ask them again before I leave." The way she said the last part, however, made it obvious that she didn't believe the answer would change.

"Just keep your chin up, okay?" She didn't ask him to be cheerful for her sake. Skye had never been the most cheerful of boys, and this place certainly wouldn't help that any.

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1mperturbable January 7 2008, 03:22:18 UTC
Sighing heavily, Cloud cast his eyes down as it seemed that she had no idea how to get out either. Even if she did, it did not seem like she was going to give up the secrets to him despite her words. She wanted to have him back ‘legally’ which probably meant deemed mentally fit to not live in illusions or claim false identities.

He was never getting out of this place ( ... )

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damned_visitors January 7 2008, 05:05:33 UTC
"I-- I'm sure they're doing all they can!" The worry in the blond woman's eyes only increased as Cloud mentioned how little he thought the institution was helping. They had to be doing their best. There was no other place as good as Landel's! "I'm sorry they have that patronizing attitude, but they do deal with a lot of patients who are worse off than you and need that sort of tone. It just becomes habit, I'm sure."

She hugged him again. Perhaps if she kept it up they'd go ahead and let her keep him. "I will do my best to come next time! I will! I do miss you so! The house feels so empty without you." When he did some home, she would have to cook like there was no tomorrow to make up for all the days he'd gone without her preparing his meals. He could stand to gain a few pounds anyway.

"Just hang in there for me. We'll see each other again soon."

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1mperturbable January 7 2008, 22:34:35 UTC
His mother's defense of his place silenced him from any further complaints. He doubted that this place was anything but a fine establishment from the outside, and he knew his words would not be taken well. He did not wish to upset his mother, so he simply nodded his head to her words. "There are a lot of violent patients here..." he murmured. He had seen his share of fighting ( ... )

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damned_visitors January 8 2008, 07:21:59 UTC
"I miss you too, Skye," the woman whispered back. She gave him one last squeeze before finally pulling away and wiping at the corners of her eyes. It was a bittersweet smile she gave him then. He really was improving, and yet... "I'll continue to keep your room tidy." It wasn't even as though anything posed a threat to the room's cleanliness, as no one else even went in there but her, but it was the thought that was important.

And then the nurse was pointing at her watch, and Cloud's mother's brows furrowed in agitation. Certainly they were allowed longer than that? She blew her son a couple final kisses, walking backwards towards the doorway. "We'll see each other again soon!" she repeated, as though the more she said it the more likely it was to come true. "Stay well, Skye! Eat your vegetables!"

And then she had turned away, following the nurse back out of the waiting room.

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