Day 33: Lunch

[tsunagari]

There was a knot in Sai's stomach as he was led back inside to the cafeteria. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and he tried to ignore it. What was it? Was he actually uncomfortable with his decision? He couldn't afford to be. This alliance with Itachi was crucial, and he'd just have to try and make sure the others saw it that way

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[i_slay_giants]

Jack Horner was happy to see that lunch consisted of fried goodies and chips. He was in the mood to clog his arteries unnecessarily for some reason he couldn't quite pinpoint. Fish was probably too healthy to help him out in that quest, but it was a start at least.

He took a generous helping and settled down at a table near the exit. He needed to collect his thoughts and come up with a strategy. Leaving wasn't going to happen any time soon, he knew, but he did have that key which he hadn't utilized to its full potential...

[black_ageha]

[ ok to bother I hope? ]"Time for lunch! Are you ready to be escorted?" the nurse was unusually chipper this afternoon when she came to gather Kikyo to head over to the cafeteria

[i_slay_giants]

'Ah, you again.'

Jack was thinking something of the same and let his thoughts be known with a simple, "Fuck."

So Kikyo had somehow managed to wander back into his life again. Fantastic. It wasn't as if the man had done anything to him physically; Jack just wasn't in the mood for his attitude. Ever.

"How've you been, Kikyo?" He flashed a bright smile and cursed some more inwardly.

[black_ageha]

It seemed like there was no getting away from this man, Kikyo thought inwardly. It had been many days since he had seen Seishirou, Kougaiji or Ran. The institute was large enough that one could go for a long time without seeing a familiar face. And yet, here he was again in the company of the urban ninja, irritating from Day 1.

Still, it was at least more interesting to speak with him than to sit through yet another mundane introduction with a stranger.

He answered that bright smile with a pale one of his own, fixing his golden gaze on Jack from across the table.

"How kind of you to ask," he replied, ignoring the epithet like he hadn't heard it. "I am quite well. And yourself? It seems we cross one another's paths with alarming frequency."

[i_slay_giants]

"Me? I couldn't be better," Jack kept smiling, blatantly lying. "Funny how that works, me and you crossing paths all the time. One would think you had a crush on me."

That would hopefully get a rise out of the man, which was always worth a laugh.

[black_ageha]

"A crush?" Kikyo laughed with amusement. Some other day, that might have put him off indeed, but maybe that oddly masochistic side of Kikyo actually enjoyed this man's shamelessness today.

"That may be a possibility, I'm sure," he said, lifting the cup to his lips once more to take a slow sip. "Or perhaps..." he continued with a grin, "It is you who has a crush on me. After all - you seem quite keen on bringing up my sexual preferences every time we meet. I should suspect you are trying to tell me something about yourself."

[i_slay_giants]

"Suspect away," Jack replied coolly. "Just don't blame me when you learn the truth and your heart breaks."

Dropping back to a less mockingly polite and more gruff tone, he added. "So, what is it you really want with me, Kikyo?"

[black_ageha]

"Ah...sadly, I've no heart to break," Kikyo murmured almost ruefully. This was actually the truth. Whatever was left of his heart was in so many pieces it could never form a whole again.

"And I haven't the slightest," he said in answer to Jack's question - and that was equally honest. Kikyo hadn't forgotten about the debt this man owed him (though it was probably safe to bet that such a thing had conveniently slipped from the mind of the debtor himself). But there was no need to collect upon it now, and no predicting whether it would be of any use in the future, either.

After a thoughtful pause, he asked- "Have you seen Kougaiji-kun lately?"

[i_slay_giants]

Jack arched an eyebrow at the question.

"No, I haven't. Isn't he your room mate?"

He had been wondering himself where the prince had gotten off to. Maybe Kikyo knew something more?

[black_ageha]

"Yes, he is," Kikyo answered curtly, maybe slightly annoyed that Jack seemed to imply he had been remiss. "Or was, in any case. They moved me recently to another room, and I'm afraid I haven't seen him since."

He suppressed a sigh, wondering why he had brought it up at all. It was not as though he was able to make any attachments that meant anything, much less in a place like this. Kougaiji was never meant to be here, anyways. Wasting away his young life when he had people waiting for him on the other side.

[i_slay_giants]

Shifting rooms around again? He'd been moved twice already himself. He wondered what had exactly transpired to warrant transfer in any of the situations, Kikyo's or his own.

"How long ago did they move you?"

Maybe something had happened to Kou.

[black_ageha]

"I hardly recall," Kikyo answered truthfully. In fact, he didn't recall ever seeing his new roommate, if he even had one. Perhaps it was just a lapse in his memory, which seemed to get more and more fuzzy the longer he stayed here. "It couldn't be more than 2 or 3 days ago. One seems to lose track of time in here...among other things, I suppose."

There was an almost regretful tone in his voice as he cast his gaze absently at his half empty teacup on the table.

[i_slay_giants]

Jack pursed his lips. It was probably a good thing he had gotten his key back, then. "And they didn't say anything to you about why you were being moved?"

Didn't look good for Kou at all.

[black_ageha]

"No, not at all- well, nothing of consequence."

The nurse had given him some bullshit excuse, the boy being discharged or so forth. But in a place where the nurses could turn into crazies come nightfall, one learned not to believe a word from any of the so-called "staff." Not that Kikyo was a trusting person in any case.

He wasn't sure why he was being forthcoming at all to the urban ninja. As far as he was concerned, Jack - or John (whatever it was) - only brought more trouble to Kougaiji. He hadn't forgotten their encounter in the dark hallways almost a week ago, when he found the both of them in a bloody mess. He highly suspected it was Jack's carelessness that was responsible.

Kougaiji was much too trusting. But then again, he may have known a side of this Jack that was foreign to Kikyo. It was not as though Kikyo made things easy, either.

[i_slay_giants]

"Hm."

Jack didn't say anything further, much less maintain eye contact. Instead, he returned to his food as if Kikyo wasn't there.