WHERE YOU GONNA RUN IF THEY COME FOR YOU

[nutritionalexpert]

WHO: Evan Everyman, Rick Bradbury, Max Gibson, Klarion (bum bum bum) the Witchboy, the HABIT.
WHERE: Superjail.
WHEN: Saturday the 24th.
WARNINGS: Mentions of violence, because we're not done talking about the Thunger Games. Also, the HABIT is going to be around, which is never good.
SUMMARY: Evan is having a really exciting time in jail.
FORMAT: Words, probably.

The visitation room is as sterile as the rest of the facility, cold and white and gleaming. Evan keeps wanting to make a Portal joke at the guards, but the game doesn't exist in this universe anymore. Figures. Of course it doesn't. Is nothing easy?

He manages to keep relatively still in his seat, with a minimum of fussing and fidgeting. The only thing that gives away his nerves is his eyes, which can't seem to focus on one single thing in the room. He's a spring wound too tight. And he knows what happens if the tension releases, now.

The HABIT only drops in to taunt him, or to piss off the guards in his name. They haven't noticed the difference yet, and talking about exactly what body parts he'd like to peel off of them gets Evan docked free time, which it likes to cackle about. Evan is classed a Problem Child. He starts getting meals in his cell the second day they're there.

At least, he says snidely, he gets time to exercise. Exercise is important.

On Thanksgiving, he reminds Evan that it is his HAPPY BIRTHDAY. A man Evan hasn't met and doesn't know brings him two birthday cakes. One of them makes the metal detector the guard sweeps over it sound like a swarm of robot hornets, and turns out to be ten percent cardboard, ten percent frosting, and eighty percent blatant disregard of the Switchblade Knife Act of 1958. HABIT shrugs, and says it was worth a try.

The other cake is just a cake. It's chocolate. HABIT eats it for him, licking the icing off of his fingers messily. Maybe Max will bring him that other one, he says when he pops the last bite in his mouth and rolls them back into the cot.

Comments

[nutritionalexpert]

As okay as it can be going, I guess. Mostly boring. [he settles in across from her, laying his palms flat on the table between them. best way to keep them still, best way to look nonthreatening.] What about you? Everything... Back to normal?

[futurebatwoman]

It does seem like it would be pretty boring, yeah. [ Small talk, still fairly casual, like this is all just a completely normal conversation. She thinks Bradbury would probably have gotten to the point by now, but she'd really rather not. ] I don't know if the City has a normal really.

But, uh. I guess. [ A beat, and she leans forward a little, earnest. ] Bradbury and I want to find a way to get it out of you for good.

[nutritionalexpert]

[there's a slight pressure between his eyes, more like a weight than an itch, spreading through his skull.] For reals? [he says, like he can't quite believe it. his fingers start tapping on the table, just a rhythmless drumming with his fingernails.]

[futurebatwoman]

[ The drumming feels restless, for a moment echoed by her own finger tapping again in slight nervousness. ] If we can. Do you know anything that could help?

[nutritionalexpert]

Not really. I dunno if I said this-- [he screws up his face because yes, he does, he said it a million times, he just can't remember if he's ever directed the sentiment at her] but there's not exactly a precedent for this.

[evan bares his teeth and laughs, drily and without much humour.] Well, not that I can remember, at least. I'm figuring that's the key point, here.

[futurebatwoman]

Then there'll be some trial and error. I mean, if you're okay with it. [ Sighing a little bit as she runs a hand over her face. ] There's a kid - Klarion - he knows magic.

[ You know, for the moment she's going to leave out the part where he'd initially wanted to kill Evan because she feels like that would only make this whole situation worse. Though she suspects he probably knows at least some of the import population wants to kill him. Hard to miss. ] It's up to you, though, we're not going to do anything you're not okay with.

[nutritionalexpert]

[he blinks a few times, rapidfire, and continues to drum his fingernails on the table. what had been rhythmless before, picks up a definite tune. it's still chaotic and almost random, but it has a melody.] See, I dunno about that. I've already got something fucking around in my head, should I really let some kid poke around in there with his wand?

I mean, how do I know the little shit won't just give me a Harry Potter style lobotomy?

[futurebatwoman]

You don't. [ It's quiet, a little unhappy, but she still meets his eyes. ]

I can't guarantee anything. I don't think any of us can. [ Her eyes fall down to his fingers, watch the tapping. ] You've got time to think about things. It's not now-or-never.

[nutritionalexpert]

Hmmmm. [he lets out a long sigh, exhaling through his nose. the grin on his face looks like it should be faked, by all rights, given his situation. it's far too wide and white and immobile. but for what it's worth, at least he's sincere.]

Now, I didn't ask for a guarantee, did I, chica? [the heat behind his eyeballs has mounted into a full-on ache, and he can feel his pulse pick up just a fraction. he blinks again, notices her watching him, and grins just a bit wider.] Just said I didn't wanna go inviting any more interlopers to take a guided fucking tour through my skull.

[futurebatwoman]

[ She shrugs, not helplessly but with a certain unsurety and resignation to it. ] It would be less tour and more a try at exorcism.

[ But really she's not entirely convinced of Klarion's trustworthiness. Just that at so far it's the only possibility they've got. ] Unless you don't think he can still come back.