Day 21 - Sun Room

[soul_defender]

Ichigo was only too eager to leave the cafeteria and its fresh memories behind when the softened chime of the intercome rang clear. What had begun as another ordinary meal, a rather agreeable one despite the lack of the proper utensils, quickly became somewhat unnerving. His conversation with...what was his name again?...took so many sharp turns,

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[never_learns]

Yohji sat dumbly for a couple of minutes after Schuldig was hurried away. the comment about him not being attractive kind of stung and he wasn't sure why. Why would he care what Schuldig thought anyway? He knew he'd savaged his hair when he'd cut it off, it had been his pride and joy when it was long, but he'd needed a fresh start and that had been a symbol sort of. Reset, do-over, start again. Be someone else! Not Weiss, not Balinese not Yohji.

He squeezed his eyes shut, clutching at his head, fingers clenched tight in his hair. When he looked up, he saw her out of the corner of his eye, smiling like always. He opened his mouth to say something, but then someone tapped him on the shoulder, distracting him and when he looked back she was gone. He wanted to scream or cry or... or... something! Anything.

The nurse tapped his shoulder again, saying concerned sounding things that Yohji didn't really hear, just nodded dumbly and let her guide him into the Sun Room. Lots of noise didn't sound too appealing right now, he'd probably end up trying to kill someone by mistake. He'd lost his taste for people recently. And maybe he could have a conversation with her in the quiet.

Schuldig happened first. Yohji noticed him straight away; old instinct resurfacing. He had to admit grudgingly that Schuldig had a point. He neeed allies in this place and Schuldig knew what he was. Besides, hadn't he been ready to giveb himself over to Esstet less than a week ago? Devil you know and at least he wouldn't have to watch his back so closely. Did he really care what happened to his mind anymore? It wasn't as though it was really his anyway.

He approached the telepath, intending to agree to at least not try to kill him at every opportunity. "Schuldig," he said and then stopped when he realised someone else was already there. He blinked in confusion. Had he been so out of it that he hadn't noticed?

He shook his head and smiled apologetically at the other man. "Sorry, I'll come back later."

[k4t4str0ph4l]

Two diversions for the price of one. At least he wouldn't go mad of boredom.

"You can stay, Kudoh," Schuldig remarked, gaze flickering from one man to the other. "Although the fact that you came here because you think you need to tell me what your intentions are is rather quaint." He grinned at Hughes. "I believe we were interrupted the other day. Maes Hughes, wasn't it?"

[felled_hero]

Hughes looked from Shuldig to the young man who'd just approached him.

"Yeah, Maes Hughes... if you guys have something you need to talk about, I can leave you to it." He didn't want to get in the way or keep people from anything important. He knew how hard it was to get the people you needed to alone to talk.

"I don't want to impose or anything."

[never_learns]

Yohji sighed at Schuldig's comment. Couldn't the telepath even feign some sort of normal human reaction? It was frustrating as hell trying to talk to him, and Yohji was an expert at talking to frustrating people. "Yeah, well, I need to check a few things and I don't have your... abilities," he said in a strained manner before settling on the floor opposite the two men, one knee tucked under his chin.

He smiled at the other man and shook his head. "It's fine, really. Besides, he" he nodded towards Schuldig, "probably knows exactly what I'd say anyway. It's nice to meet new people though," he added, turning on a little of the charm.

[k4t4str0ph4l]

"Your presence won't hinder anything we have to communicate, I assure you," Schuldig agreed with a lazy grin at Hughes. "I'm known as Schuldig. The man with the horrible haircut is Yohji."

[felled_hero]

"If you guys are sure...." Hughes said, shrugging. People kept mentioning something about this Shuldig guy and his 'talents'. What talents? He seemed like maybe he was really intuitive, or could read people really well.

"I hope you don't mind me asking," he said, leaning forward with a curious expression. "What are these 'gifts' of yours I keep hearing about?"

[never_learns]

Yohji glared darkly at Schuldig, hoping that the telepath was picking up every violent thought he was currently thinking. He was good at violent. Maybe it'd give Schuldig a headache. That would be pleasing.

Still, he ran a hand through his hair self-conciously. Did it really look that bad?

"It's fine," he said, forcing a smile as he turned to Hughes. "I'm the one who barged in anyway. I should be asking that."

He really wanted to blurt out everything he knew about Schuldig to this other man, give him at least some warning. But if he'd essentially agree to work with Schuldig, it probably wouldn't be the best idea.

[k4t4str0ph4l]

"Telepathy," Schuldig said with a smirk. He saw no reason to lie; he'd never been secretive about his powers...largely because he'd never been able to resist the temptation to show them off. Then, with a small grimace, he added, "Do you always think in family snapshots?"

[felled_hero]

Hughes was stunned for a moment. Telepathy? Wasn't that like... mind reading? Seeing into people's minds, their thoughts? What Shuldig said next confirmed it.

The Brigadier General tensed immediately. This man, this stranger was seeing inside his head? His own private thoughts? He couldn't imagine a more thorough and complete violation of a human being! To pry into someone like that...

"Get out of my head," he said, sternly, coldly.

[never_learns]

Yohji sighed, burying his face in his hands. Trust Schuldig to immediately attempt to alienate every person he came into contact with. He should probably do something, but Yohji had never really been the one to deal with damage control.

And to think he'd wanted quiet time to talk to her.

He looked over at Hughes, sympathy written across his face. "I said that too."

[k4t4str0ph4l]

Schuldig rolled his eyes. "Do I have to go through this explanation every time?" he asked the heavens, before turning his attention back to Hughes. "Not to overcomplicate matters, but I'm not in your head. You're in mine. I hear your thoughts as plainly as if you were speaking them out loud, and I have just as much control over whether or not I hear it. And if you think you've got it bad with me hearing your thoughts, consider that I have to listen to them whether I want to or not - yours and everyone else's, all the time." He grinned unpleasantly. "You'll just have to get over it."

[felled_hero]

Well, it made it a little different that the guy wasn't trying to do it. But Hughes didn't like the naked feeling it brought, that feeling of being stripped completely. It was... icky.

"You can't... choose just not to pay attention? Like tuning out a conversation?" He glanced over at Yohji, wondering how well the two knew each other. "I mean... the only private thing a person's got is what's in his head."

Sure, he felt badly for the guy, bombarded with thoughts. But those were his thoughts!

[never_learns]

Does he have to attempt to alienate and insult every person he comes across? Yohji thought sourly. Yohji sometimes rose backs, but that wasn't (always) on purpose. And not with potential allies (except the rest of Weiss).

He thought he had a headache coming on.

He shrugged helplessly at Hughes. "I don't know a thing about what he can do except that it's damn annoying when you're trying to" kill him "talk with him."

[k4t4str0ph4l]

"Privacy's never meant much to me," Schuldig replied with a mirthless grin. "Anyway, thoughts are a hell of a lot more insistent than spoken speech...not to mention that they come faster. Can you not read a word you see right in front of your eyes, or does it happen whether you want to or not? Before you even can decide if you want to or not?

"And yes, I do," he remarked as an aside to Yohji, repling to his thoughts rather than his words. "Bitter much?"

[felled_hero]

"Yeah, well, other people care about it a whole lot." And Hughes was doing all he could not to think about Roy or their relationship or the frustrations stemming from it. He'd known it was going to be impossible to hide, damnit!

"I can close my eyes. But I guess you're right, you still get a flash of it. still... that's gotta cause a lot of problems. I mean, for other people and you." But then again, it could be damn useful. Imagine being able to pick out a criminal just by being near him, just by hearing his thoughts. Knowing what they were going to do before they did it.....

"I take it you guys know each other pretty well?"

[never_learns]

That was annoying as hell too. Yohji glared darkly at the telepath and then turned away slightly, a disdainful expression on his face. "What on earth would I be bitter about, Schwartz?"

He looked at Hughes, surprise showing on his features. He shook his head and then glanced at Schuldig, curling his lip scornfully. "I don't know much and even that is more than I want to."