Nightshift 27: Hallway outside Doctor's Offices and Group Therapy Rooms

[golden_eclipse]

[ Coming from here ]This night wasn't quite shaping up the way Malik was expecting it to. Arguing with a little kid about which way to go in their little exploration adventure was not high on his list of things he needed to do right now. Maybe deep down inside, he was slightly grateful for the company (even if he were a little irritating), though

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[hellmunchkin]

Phibrizzo followed, but had given up for the moment on the cutesy act. It wasn't buying him any points with Malik and the other seemed just as responsive when he acted how he wanted to act. And really, there was no point to keeping it up since Malik probably would know it was all sugar coating now.

"I thought you had your heart set on that other room. Why are you going this way now?"

He sneered. "Or is it that you don't actually have anywhere in mind, but would HATE to see my 'request' filled? How petty."

[hellmunchkin]

Phibrizzo beamed at Mason. "I'm Lei, mister!" He motioned to Malik. "That's my friend, Malik!"

He held up a finger. "He wants to get out of here, but I told him that isn't possible, though I've heard some rumors! Would you like to hear them too?"

[golden_eclipse]

Oooh, now they were friends, were they? Malik crossed his arms across his chest with a roll of his eyes. This kid was a damn trip. But his ears perked up at the mention of the rumors Lei had mentioned before the arrival of this Mason fellow, and he paused expectantly to hear what the kid had to say.

[vintage_brit]

"Well aren't you just the cutest thing, Lei," Mason said patronizingly. He glanced up at this Malik bloke, who was crossing his arms peevishly. That was no problem - Mason was sure he could take a scrawny little teenager if it came to a fight.

Rumors on how to get out? That sounded good. "Why don't you go ahead and tell your Uncle Mason all about them."

[hellmunchkin]

Phibrizzo put his arms behind his back and looked sweetly at Mason. Sure, Malik knew better, but Mason was a new target. "Tell Malik to apologize for being a meanie, mister. And to stop yelling at me, 'cause we're friends and friends don't yell at each other! Then I'll tell you!"

He glanced over at Malik and gave him a big ol' friendly smile.

[golden_eclipse]

"......!!" Malik turned back to stare at the kid, aghast. The little twerp!! This was just unbelievable. He uncrossed his arms and set a hand on his hip, cocked at a furious angle as he exclaimed defensively,

"I wasn't being a-" meanie?? God, was he talking down to his level?? "Wasn't being mean!"

[vintage_brit]

"Aw, was this little twerp being a meanie?" Mason asked, still sounding mightily patronizing despite his genuine feeling for the kid. "You poor little lad, stuck in this horrible place with all the mean people."

He glanced up at the teenager, who was objecting loudly and generally being teenager-ish. "Why don't you apologize, mate, then maybe my man Lei here can help us out with these rumors of his?" he said, going over to Lei and laying a friendly hand on the boy's shoulder.

[hellmunchkin]

Phibrizzo glanced at the hand on his shoulder and fought the urge to sneer at the contact. "It's ok, mister. It's how Malik is. He says a lot of things he doesn't mean." He glanced back at Malik. "Although, if he wants to say he's sorry, it would make me very happy."

[golden_eclipse]

How he is? What did kid know about him? He didn't know him at all! Malik was getting more and more unhappy by the turn of the conversation, and it was evident in his disgruntled expression.

"Why should I have to apologize? I didn't do anything wrong!" he protested vehemently.

[vintage_brit]

"You're a right little git, you are," Mason said in the most hurt-sounding voice he could conjure. "A right poncy git." He took a step towards the younger man. "Just apologize to the boy." He then lowered the volume and held a hand up to his mouth to block Lei from seeing him whisper: "Even if you don't really mean it."

[hellmunchkin]

Phibrizzo rather enjoyed Mason's presence. Sure, he had bought into the little kid act immediately, but it meant he was that much easier to control. Plus, he was being VERY helpful in making Malik squirm.

Though when he leaned in to whisper to the other, Phibrizzo had to arch an eyebrow. Clearly there was something being said that was not meant to be heard. Had he figured him out?

"What's a 'git'?" Hellmaster asked sweetly, trying to get himself back into the conversation and determine what Mason was playing at.

[golden_eclipse]

Malik's brows furrowed as Mason spoke to him. He certainly sounded quite condescending, though it could be his imagination. And a poncy...what? He wasn't sure whether he ought to be offended or not.

But an apology, even a fake one, seemed much too humiliating. Especially since he knew he was in the right. Still...he was curious about this rumor. Though he was beginning to wonder if anything the boy said could be trusted at all.

With a frown, he crossed his arms again, waiting to see how Mason would answer, and maybe Lei would be sidetracked enough to forget about this apology charade.

[vintage_brit]

"A git, little man," Mason explained, crouching back down to talk to Lei, "is a mean horrible bastard that nobody likes." He shot an angry glance in Malik's direction, then looked back at Lei. "So how abouts you forget all about him and tell Uncle Mason your rumor, huh? We can keep a secret from old Meanie Malik, you an' me."

Mason grinned and looked up at Malik. "I like that. Meanie Malik. I think that should be your new nickname."

[hellmunchkin]

Phibrizzo snickered despite himself. 'Meanie Malik'--that WAS amusing. Mason was growing on him, though it didn't change that he was still a huge sucker. Also, the condescension was going to have to stop, but that could be dealt with later.

"A secret?" He blinked. "But that doesn't seem very nice. Wouldn't that make us mean too?"

Not that being mean bothered the Mazoku lord in the least, but he DID have an act to keep feeding the reaper...

[golden_eclipse]

This was horribly upsetting. Not that Malik really cared what other people thought about him in general (and being accustomed to giving people reasons to despise him) but being wrongfully accused did not sit well with him. Especially since he was new here and had none of his powers or followers.

"I said I wasn't a meanie!" he yelled with exasperation. It wasn't until the words slipped from his mouth that he realized how ridiculous he sounded, and he bit his lip with cheeks flushing pink. He still had his pride!

"Whatever!" he muttered as he turned away to go down that hallway like he should have been doing a long time ago.

[vintage_brit]

Mason watched Malik turn away angrily. "Don't worry," he assured Lei, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "Secrets aren't mean, secrets can be lots of fun. Why don't we let ole Meanie Malik storm off like the bloody immature git he is. Uncle Mason'll look out for you," he assured the kid, winking genially at him.

"Unless you want me to beat Mr. Meanie up for you. Because beating up mean people isn't mean - it's bloody heroic, is what it is," he said, explaining the Mason Code of Ethics for the child.