spit_it_out | OOM: Cell

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OOM: Cell

It's been a couple of days. He's glad of it, though the boredom that's setting in is starting to worry him a little. Truth is though, sitting here reading has made him lethargic, to the point where he's not sure even the Other Guy could fight his way through.

Though that's ridiculous. So far, there hasn't been anything the Other Guy couldn't fight his way through. Still. He's supposed to be making an effort to live normally, isn't he? If only to prove to himself that he can. So he probably can't hide himself away in here forever.

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"Depends on how you define it, I guess. At first it was just like a sleepover, 'cause when you're the age we were then treating it that way was less freaky, and then you just... get used to it."

She rubs her nose, unexpectedly self-conscious and only somewhat aware that she's getting rid of the cream. "It's like ... I dunno, like sleeping in the day for ten years 'cause you work nights. It might not be the best thing ever, but that doesn't make the habit easy to break."

He has zero experience of this. Which doesn't mean he can't relate.

'I'm the exact opposite. And you're right, it's not an easy habit to break.'

Yesss. Look at how they just explained an unfamiliar concept to each other and understood it. They can totally do this! Ish.

"Why don't you like yours, then?"

She knows she asked him this before, but he never exactly told her.

For a second, he thinks she means his situation, which causes him to shift uncomfortably. But then he parses it, and realises - thankfully - that's not where she's going at all.

'I don't know. It just doesn't feel right.'

A pause, and he massages his neck again.

'And because if it became uncomfortable enough to make him show up - well.'

Maybe he doesn't need to spell it out, but he does anyway.

'...he'd do a lot of damage before anyone even realised what was happening.'

Yeah, she got the gist.

"And that's why you came down here?" Molly nods, but frowns. It sucks that he basically has to sleep in a glass cage, just because no-one thought to do anything magical to the upstairs, but she can't immediately think of any way to fix that without giving him away.

"...There's gotta be some way of fixing upstairs, too. It's not like the big dude's the only super-destructive guy we've ever had - I mean, I could've broken a lot of stuff, people included, if I'd ever had a proper nightmare while I lived here. And that'd mean you'd feel calmer about it, right? If you knew there was a Plan B up there, too."

'...yeah.'

He would. But the thought of it makes his heart sink further, and he looks down again.

'It's sort of not-'

Damnit, why is explaining anything to do with this so hard? He stops, and his hands clasp together, squeeze until they're white, and he forces them to relax.

'...I was trying to live like a normal person, you know?'

"Yeah, I know. It sucks."

She touches his hand again, trying to tell him it's okay. (It's not: it's not okay at all. But she's not going anywhere.)

"But it'd be more normal than this, wouldn't it?"

She doesn't like the idea of him in a cage. It screams wrong.

'This is everything I've been trying to avoid.'

Hence, looking like shit, feeling like shit, but needing it anyway.

He moves out of his cross-legged stance, and pulls his knees up to his chest. His arms rest on top of them, feigned casual, but really nothing but defense.

'If I go down the route of getting magic defense up there, it's just another cage. That's assuming anyone could do it. And OK, I'd like it better if I wasn't on display like a circus animal, but,' he snorts a laugh, dry as bone, 'you wake up after him a few times, practically naked and with people staring, you get used to the idea of having zero dignity.'

She's seen the kids at Xavier's sit like that, after life had dropped one atom bomb too many on them. It makes her heart twist, every time.

What she really wants is to give him a hug, but she's nearly certain he wouldn't appreciate that; she's wary of getting too touchy-feely, too pushy. She's seen the consequences of that before, too.

Still, at least there may be one tiny thing she can fix. "Baby?" she calls. "Go opaque."

Immediately all four cell walls go cloudy, then solid white. "Can you do that whenever Bruce asks, please?"

Yes, says the wall.

Molly gives him a little bit of a smile. "Bit better? She can do it so you can see out but no-one can see in, too, I think."

He glances up as she speaks, and stares as the walls change. For a long moment, he doesn't move.

And then his shoulders slump, and his eyes close, and the long breath sighed out sounds like relief.

'Thank you.'

"You're totally welcome." She smiles at him, bright as a star. "I guess this means I do still count as Security, if she's taking orders from me."

Which is just as well, really, or she might well have been stuck in here with him - not something either of them would appreciate.

"No idea what the sound-proofing's like, but I expect she could fix something."

'I can live without sound-proofing.'

He manages a real smile this time, small but definitely there.

'I'm not planning on doing anything that'll need it.'

Success! Maybe she can get some things about this right, after all.

Teasing, "Probably just as well." She isn't referring to what he probably thinks she is - the bar has two other rules besides 'no violence', after all. "But it's worth just asking her, if you do want something like that. It's not like you're in here for doing anything wrong, so she'll probably be nicer to you than she is to real rule-breakers."

'Something like...?'

Oh.

He shoots her a Look, but it's not altogether unamused.

'No need for that.'

"What?"

She is the most innocent mutant ever! She swears!

...Totally not teasing him. At all. Nope.

He raises an eyebrow at her, then lets it drop, and looks away. Teasing, he can cope with. But definitely not going to be drawn on this one.

'So, would you do a me a favour? Another one, I guess. Stick a note up to someone to drop by tomorrow, and see if I can get out?'

No guarantee he'll go, but it'll be reassuring to know the option's there.

Molly doesn't push it; she has no intention of going too far, not if she can help it.

"Sure," she says immediately. "Or I can let you out myself, if I'm in?"

'Or that,' he says, with another small smile.

'As long as I feel better.'

"Well, I'm not exactly going to kick you out," Molly remarks, smiling back at him.

Entertaining as that would be. Although if she thinks he's hermiting in the cells, she might well try.

"Do you want anything, til then? I can go grab you more books and stuff, if you want."

'Uh-' he looks down at the one by his side. He's hardly started it, and it's pretty big. 'I think this one will keep me until tomorrow. Thanks, though.'

A pause, and he meets her eyes for a second.

'Really. Thanks.'

He sounds awkward as hell saying it, but not because he doesn't mean it. Just because he needed the conversation at all.

She sips the last of her mocha, and gives him the sort of smile that's warm rather than bright.

"You're welcome," she tells him, and gives him a kiss to the cheek (not quite so hesitant as last time; just as brief) before she gets to her feet.

"See you around, then, I guess?"

'Yeah. See you around.'

He's folding himself inward again, arms still resting on his knees. But he tries another smile, because she really has helped a bit.

'Tomorrow, right?'

"Sure," Molly says, and lets her fingertips just brush the tips of his curls. "Or someone else - but hopefully me. Baby?"

The front of the cell opens again to let her slip out; before she goes she gives him a bright, reassuring grin.

"Feel better," she adds with a wave, and vanishes to go write her note.

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OOM: Cell

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