Strolling [CLOSED]

My head was pounding. I opened my eyes to light filtering in my tiny window, all but blinding my currently sensitive eyes. Withdrawal sucked. It'd been, what? Five days already? Sitting up, I staggered to my feet. I smelled awful and was in desperate need of a shower. That had to be addressed first and foremost. At least the nurses had seen fit to leave me clean clothes. Gathering my things for a shower and the change of clothes, I headed for the bathroom that I had a vague recollection of being in and out of as the alcohol worked it's way out of my system.

There were other doors on the floor as I passed, some where closed, others were open. I guessed that the doctor was making his rounds. Hurrying on my way, I made it to the shower, cleaned up and redressed. I felt a bit more human after that. Leaning on the sink, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Blue eyes stared back under my dark locks, dark rings around my eyes, cheeks were sunken, but not too badly. I had been fairly fit before this and I still was. I ran my hands over and down my face with a sigh. Ruffling my still damp hair and primping a bit in the mirror, I left the bathroom, dropped off my toiletries and decided to take a look around. My stomach was still slightly off and I needed something to help settle it. Padding though the halls and to the cafeteria, I managed to get them to let me have some dry toast and a bottle of water. Not much of an upgrade, though the water was probably tap water put in bottles for ease. Whatever it was, it was definitely cheap... cheap but drinkable.

With food acquired, I ate and then exited the cafeteria, going on to explore the rec room, which bored me. Nothing to do here, nothing to see, though most of these people weren't like me. They were genuinely disturbed. Where the hell did my parents send me? Moving on, bottle of water in hand, I headed outdoors. It was warm and still okay weather for bare feet. Looks like I'd forgotten my shoes back in my room. Great. Oh well. At least there were a few other people out here, they didn't seem... as off as the rest of them. Though who knew? Sometimes books were different from their covers and vice versa.

When I tried, I could make friends easily, hopefully the charm would work as approached the two young men who were currently engaged in conversation, catching a bit of the conversation as I walked up. Rumors of what? Where exactly was here? "Uh." God, this was awkward. "I hate to ask this, but, where the hell am I?" I had some idea, but it was all fuzzy and jumbled. I just needed some answers, no biggie, right?

The cap slid several times right off of that bottle with a tiny jerk, myself still struggling to twist it on nevertheless. Sharp brows furrowed as I tried, eyes completely focused at the matter in my hands. I stooped over my own lap now, the bottle set between open spread legs and my feet planted firmly on the ground. I really… need a hobby.

Of course it was true. Not that I’d been here long myself, but if I had to suffer through this boredom for much longer, that probably would be how I would pass the time. Granted, not in the open like this, heh. In my… room. At least I had a little bit of privacy there. I chuckled under my breath myself as Jiho agreed. I didn’t get to say much more though before a pair of bare feet plodded against the grass and dirt, pausing before my company and I. I froze, stopping with twisting at my broken bottle cap and slowly lifting dark eyes to inspect this new comer. Already without shoes, I instantly pegged him as one of the crazies. Great.

Where was he? I just stared a moment, having instantly closed off everything that I had opened up with Jiho again. I didn’t trust these people. I had let my walls down briefly once I had gotten somewhat comfortable, but now, in the quick moment that it took for this stranger to cross the court yard and stand with us, I had thrown them back up again. So much so, that I apparently forgot to answer the guy as I just stared. Talk about rude, Kyo.

I finally dropped my gaze again and went right back to work, twisting that plastic to keep my hands occupied while I smirked. “Arizona.” I replied, like a smart ass. It's no wonder I don't have any friends.

In that moment I was glad that my room was unoccupied except for myself. Maybe I could find a way to deal with the boredom that way. I was just about to open my mouth, to make another joke about something ridiculous and try and get the other man to smile again - it was nice to have someone to smile with - when our conversation was interrupted and I quirked a brow, looking up at the newcomer from his bare feet to his eyes.

Where was he? I was the kind of person that forgot a lot of things but at least I had a bearing on where I was at the moment. Kyo's answer made me stifle a laugh and I covered it with a fake cough, having to turn my head away lest I trigger something in our new acquaintance.

"Outside. At Acropolis," I said through a smirk, adding in a bit more information just to be a bit more helpful. It was obvious where he was, after all, from one clinical wall to another; this was clearly not the kind of place anyone wanted to be.

Still, I had to have a little fun.

"Fuck." Suddenly I had a headache. It finally dawned on me where I was. Arizona, Tuscon, supposed to be here for rehab. This had to be a bad dream, maybe one left over from his detox, but I knew that wasn't the case. And why the hell I didn't ask a nurse or an orderly on my way out here was beyond me. Now I just looked like a fucking fool and it was my own fault. Rolling my shoulders and sighing, fixing my eyes on the two of them and then laughing softly. I had to choose my next words carefully, or they'd think I was like everyone else in here, they were already looking at me like that.

"Well, it couldn't be anywhere else, I don't think I could be barefoot outside in November unless it was California. Sorry for the strangeness, I'm Huang Zi Tao." I offered a hand to shake, not expecting to have it returned from either of these guys, but it didn't hurt to try. They were definitely not my usual crowd, they looked like a pair of thugs, but I wasn't going to voice that. I had to try and find some allies in this place. I just hoped they were the right kind.

My smirk only widened when I caught Jiho’s smooth cover up of a stifled laugh, that grin lopsided and boyish as I continued to stare down into my own lap with my own quiet breath of a chuckle. I tried to wipe the amusement from my features less I come off as rude (rude…r?) than I already was, however to no avail so instead I just tucked my head down further, leaving the new guy to stare at the top of raven colored hairs upon my head as he quite literally towered above my seated form. Jiho’s continued answer didn’t help our dripping sarcasm any either, though at least he was a little more helpful than I.

In any case I peered up slowly at the stranger again as that single curse escaped his tiers, laughing. At himself, maybe. For realizing what a dumb question he had asked. Chocolate orbs simply stared even as he explained and extended his hand, muttering myself past the ever-so-interesting, empty water bottle in my grip. “New Mexico.” I said flatly, as an afterthought. Why the hell? Because he had mentioned being barefoot anywhere else, of course. New Mexico was warm. As the other – now known as Huang I guess – introduced himself I worked my jaw in silent debate, now feeling rightfully awkward. Like we were all palsies getting together at a summer shindig and getting to know the rest of our company. Regardless I just stared at his hand, though I did at least offer a tiny, one-sided smile and a polite nod of my head. Oh, I suppose I should give my name as well. Much less formal.

“Kyo.”

When the man in front of me cursed I simply couldn't help it. I laughed out loud, at both myself, him, and this whole situation. This new man to our conversation - Tao as I decided to call him, as his name was complicated and I picked the easiest syllable - seemed like he was from a completely different world than Kyo and I. I doubted that, on a normal day on any street, we would even manage to get a passing glance from this guy, let alone a word and an introduction. For a moment I thought that I felt an air of superiority, something that I wasn't a fan of, and I opened my mouth to say something about it before it dropped, the man holding out his hand. I simply narrowed my eyes at him, hearing Kyo introduce himself - and mention New Mexico, which made me grin - and deciding I might as well do the same. I offered him a nod in greeting.

"Jiho," I added, though I turned to Kyo a moment later, brow quirked. I wasn't sure if I trusted this one - Kyo I trusted, for one reason or another. Maybe it was because we were similar in our own rights. But Tao... He gelled wrong with me.

Regardless, he hadn't done anything wrong to me yet, so for now I would put my worries to the side, instead turning back to Tao and cocking my head at him, waiting for any further explanation.

"And Nevada, Death Valley..." I sort of rambled in response to Kyo's smart remark. They weren't going to shake my hand, I guess I'd forgotten where I was and politeness only went so far in some settings, besides, this wasn't a social function. Just what the hell was I doing? I took my hand back, putting it back at my side. "Sorry if I interrupted anything. I needed an answer and I'm not about to try and talk to any of the staff." I didn't trust them, not after the flying tackle and the sedation that was heaped on me when I first arrived.

I was nervous and I didn't feel quite like myself. No liquid courage to be found, and water didn't meet that requirement. I shifted from one foot to the other, toes actually feeling quite nice in the grass beneath my feet.

A small part of me found amusement that even in a shithole like this, there still seemed to be little ‘cliques’ forming. Haaah. I’d never been a very popular one myself, always a god damn runaway with sticky fingers. And from the way this Huang Tao whatever carried himself, he sort of gave me the vibe of the ‘popular’ ones. Always such confidence in his strides and the way he introduced himself so formally, as if he was used to all of the attention and being very outgoing. No lies, I already felt a little more comfortable around Jiho, if not just for the very aura he let off when he came up to speak with me. Maybe because we were kind of alike, heh. At least, what very little I had gotten from him in our short time spent together. What strange little quirks one notices.

In any case my attention shifted as Jiho laughed aloud, my hands having ceased their pointless endeavor in trying to get the broken cap back onto my plastic bottle. I did smirk deviously however, when I realized that neither of us had taken up this man’s offered hand. Talk about assholes, I guess. It is what it is. We’re in a goddamn insane asylum. I’ve learned that at least Jiho is normal along with myself, but Huang, who knew. The barefoot thing and not knowing where he was, not to mention the random laughing kinda set me off as unusual.

I did have to shake my head at the fact that we were a trio of Asian’s all back in this corner though. Who would have thunk. Though with names like Jiho and Tao I figured they were Chinese or Korean or something, not Japanese as myself. This entire fucking scenario just reminded me of a very badly written movie.

I’m just waiting for someone to bust out into song. Maybe this all was a dream and I’d wake up soon. In prison.

Anyhow Tao’s follow up to my smart-assed reply only caused a sharp, thin brow to crawl upwards across my features. Clearly I was allowed to dish it but not get it back in return. I watched wordlessly as the man retracted his offered palm, then dropping those dark eyes to watch his toes as the man shifted weight from one foot to the next. Awkward indeed. I just smirked however, letting chocolate irises drag back up the other’s body finding his nervousness highly amusing for the moment.

I was really starting to appreciate how similar Kyo and I were.

I watched the man in front of me shifting his weight, turning my gaze to Kyo as if asking a silent question. A question of if he felt just as wary as I did. I only assumed that he did from his silence, but I still turned back to Tao, letting out a huff of a sigh and trying to figure out what to say.

Three Asian guys from different decent all clustered in the corner - people must have actually thought we were crazy, forming the odd little group. But it was what it was, and I leaned back, arms resting over the back of the bench.

"So do you have amnesia or something?" I asked, pretty blunt in the question but genuinely confused. This guy seemed off, and nervous, though the second part I could almost understand. I let out a little hum as I waited for an answer, possibly even expecting more than the yes or no it could take to respond. I quirked a brow.

Today was turning out to be odd.

Well weren't we a sight. I sighed, running my hand though my dark hair. So much for my charisma and ability to make friends and win over others. No, it wasn't that it wasn't working, we were on different levels. I had money and they didn't, different social circle all together.

"No. It was for an addiction. I pretty much just rolled out of bed." No, I wasn't crazy, just, well, confused. As I looked at both of them, I suddenly remembered that I had a bottle of water in my hand. I cracked it open finally and took a sip. My head needed to clear a little more. Maybe once that was done I could work on befriending these guys or befriending anyone. Figuring out who was crazy and who wasn't, but weren't we all crazy to a point if we were here?

My dark eyes caught Jiho’s own gaze as he shifted it to me, practically reading his wordless query and giving an equally silent answer in return. I didn’t even realize that I hadn’t said a damn thing at all. Probably making this whole encounter even more awkward. At least I had stopped fidgeting for the time being.

I seemed content to let the other two do all of the talking, myself hunched over my own lap somewhat with elbows balanced upon upper thighs. Amnesia was a god call, that would make a little more sense as to why Tao was so confused. Did that qualify as a mental disorder? I wondered what Acropolis would do to try and fix something like that. And to be put in here because of it? Shit. Then again, they’ve wrongly admitted myself, and apparently Jiho too. This place was all sorts of shady. I almost worried… for how uncoordinated they were, I felt almost sorry for anyone that really was suffering from mental illnesses .They didn’t seem to know their shit and I doubted they could help.
An addiction… rehab. Fun. I simply wore that same, casual… almost sarcastic smile upon my lips, though I was hard to quite pin point and read. And I stayed silent too. Who knew what thoughts were racing through my head? I continued to stare though, at least giving him the pleasure f having most of my attention.

"Really? That's it?" I asked flatly, brow raised still. "Shitty place to get rehab." I looked to Kyo, who seemed to be staying quiet. That was fine - I was used to having to fake casual conversation. Small talk - granted it usually turned into me being a sarcastic ass, but that was beside the point.

Something just didn't sit well with me and this guy. He looked familiar and that was the thing that felt the most odd. Maybe it was just how he carried himself, like some rich kid, world on a platter... Bullshit.

"Well I hope you figure out everything," I added, giving him a smile that had a hint of a smug sarcasm in it, "considering this place fucking sucks."

Yeah, both of these guys had attitude problems, but then again with where we were, with other patients... it was pretty much a 'trust no one' situation. So I couldn't completely fault them for their reaction. "Yeah. That's pretty much the long and short of it."

I raised an eyebrow at the last part of the comment. "It sucks?" I hadn't heard anything of this hospital's reputation, as the entire time I was in an alcohol fueled haze and then basically put on a plane and sent here. I was genuinely confused, easily ignoring the not quite blatant dislike coming my way. Hey, I could smile and play nice with the best of them. As long as I wasn't given a reason to snap back, it would be fine.

I found it partially amusing that Tao didn’t ask Jiho and myself in return why we were in. For all he knew he could be talking to a bunch of psychopaths. Maybe that was why I wasn’t speaking, and when I did they were short winded, blunt answers.

It was a good thing Jiho was slightly more chatty than I, even if it was mostly forced and fake.
Dark hues continued to watch as the newcomer helped himself to a swig of water, refraining from commenting on the awkward silence that he just left hovering between us as the guy towered above me. Fuck being short man. Apparently all other Asian’s save for the Japanese shot up to six feet and counting.

A single brow did arch though when Huang questioned about this institute sucking. I suddenly scoffed, breaking my own silence loudly with a shake of my head in disbelief. “Are you really so shut in…?” My words were mostly mumbled, giving the man an incredulous look. Where the fuck did he come from, this guy only here for ‘rehab’ and blissfully unaware to his surroundings? One corner of pierced lips sneered without my own realizing it, baffled.

"... You're fucking kidding me," I said, voicing pretty much my exact thought the second Tao spoke. "You really haven't heard anything about this place?"

I couldn't help the amused scoff that slipped past my lips, and I mouthed 'wow' as I turned to look at Kyo again, eyes wide. He was right, he had to be. This guy had to be completely shut in, or sheltered, or something to have never heard of this place before.

"You haven't heard about the bullshit that goes on behind these walls?" I asked, looking up to the other man in disbelief. "I thought everyone had."

I shook my head. "Have fun, then. You'll learn a lot real fast."

"I fucking wish I was." I looked from one to the other I didn't really want to go where my train of thought was leading me and before I could stop myself, I just started talking. "Not shut in, not in the least. I wasn't told shit about this place. I was just dragged in here, decided I didn't want to stay and when I tried to walk out the door, I got tackled and shot up with drugs." I continued to smile pleasantly as I spoke, though there was an edge of irritation in my voice. All I had done was ask a question and now I'm apparently an idiot. I was being toyed with. I didn't like it. It showed slightly in my body language, but I didn't act.

Apparently they had information that I needed and I had to play somewhat nice to get it.

The longer I stared at Tao, the more I started to piece things together in my head. At least, I figured. I did a lot of thinking, especially when I was silent. Lots of people watching… and just by the way this man was acting. It suddenly struck me. Maybe he was from the other side of the city. Or elsewhere in general. One of the rich kids. I found that the stories about Acropolis seemed to circulate within the lower classes, mostly because those of us usually were actually in and out of places like this. And who would believe a bunch of criminals? Trouble makers, runaways… sick and deranged. It was no wonder that Acropolis seemed to cover their shady dealings up so well. Even if I – and many others – imagined it, I highly doubted such dark rumors would make their way up to people that had money to do something about it… otherwise this place would be shut down.

It was all starting to make some sense to me now. Assuming that I was right, of course.
It was also making me start to like this Tao guy less... and it wasn’t like I thought very highly of him to begin with. Spoiled, rich, in for a simple thing as rehab probably because he was out partying every night with a bunch of hot chicks in mommy and daddy’s nice house. Avoiding the news, press, and stories because he had richly things to talk about.

Maybe I thought far too much for my own good.

My eyes briefly met Jiho’s and I shot him an equally skeptical glance, but my gaze returned to Tao and I resumed being silent again despite the desperate way he seemed to suddenly want to pool for answers. A part of me felt bad, being so confused like he was. It must suck being ripped out of your perfect and pleasant life and then waking up here. However, now that I figured it out (or at least I think I have in my head, I’m so smart) I couldn’t help the disdain I felt either. Maybe now he’ll see what it’s like living the other end.

Have fun indeed.

I heard the irritation, the little snap in the other man's voice, and I could also feel my lip twitch. Oh no. No one talked in that tone at me. I stared at the other man, eyes narrowed into near slits.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't told anything when I got here, either. I had to find out from all the rumors that got thrown around before I got here. You can't just fucking decide you don't want to be here. That's not a thing that they let happen. The people that work here are pretty fucked up, most of the people that are locked up are pretty fucked up, and then there's the people that they just throw in here because they don't give a shit." I said the whole thing with a cynical smile on my face, exhaling sharply through my nose. "Yeah, it sucks that you're thrown in here, but maybe a dose of realism might help you. You're from some rich family, aren't you?" I asked, looking him up and down. After that I waited for an answer, not really caring if he got angry. If he threw a punch either he was going to get subdued or I was going to punch him back.

He would have started it. And I wouldn't feel bad.

But I didn't really want it to get to that level. For now I was going to keep my calm. I didn't want to get into any trouble that would mean me being here longer than I needed to be.

"And just how long have you been here?" I asked, ignoring the sudden anger coming from the other man. This was going to escalate if I didn't keep my cool, though Jiho seemed more upset by my reaction than I thought he should have. I'd only met the aggressiveness that was already there. I wasn't here to flaunt my money or act high and mighty, I just wanted answers, no matter how full of disdain they were. Going to the patients was way more reliable than going to a nurse or an orderly.

I smirked. Well he called it, I wasn't going to deny it. "I am. What's it matter?"

My gaze shifted slowly to my left as Jiho spoke up once more – this time irritation brimming in his own voice. I don’t think any of us were told a damn thing upon our arrivals. I was still getting used to it all myself, and had it not been for Jiho coming over to make me feel a little bit at ease, I would still be stuffed in a far corner alone, tearing apart a plastic water bottle for lack of any other stimulation. As he went off on the stranger I couldn’t help the tiny snort that passed my nostrils with a huff of hot air, letting it shrug my shoulders somewhat. If I had the choice I would have just walked out too. I wondered how often this character got his way by behaving just like that. My own sharp eyes narrowed as well the more Jiho went on, but I remained quiet… at least for now. I was one of those unfortunate people that got thrown in only because nobody else cared about me. I was easy prey. Why didn’t this guy have his rich ass family bust him out then if it was so terrible for him? I’m sure he could afford a much nicer institution. I sneered again the more I thought about it.

Only faintly in the back of my mind did it nag at me that quite possibly, I had it all wrong.
At least, until he assured it with that smirk. I crinkled my nose and narrowed my own eyes, leaning back where I sat. And then I actually spoke up again.

“Why here then. I’m sure there are plenty of nicer rehab institutes with satellite television and massages.” I spat out, bristling by habit. I stole from people like him. “You must be crazy if they dumped your ass here.” I wasn’t buying that rehab shit. Not if he was wealthy.

There we go. I thought he'd been carrying himself differently. And despite his not wanting to seem high and mighty, the way answered was pretty much doing just that. I was about to respond when Kyo spoke up and I turned to look at him, nodding in agreement.

What I would give to be at a rehab clinic right now. Instead of this place.

"Exactly," I tacked on, arms crossed and tone remaining the same level as before. I wasn't going to let my temper glare up right now. That wouldn't have been the best of plans. Instead I would just let this man explain. Maybe there was something I wasn't seeing, but I was starting to doubt it.

Kyo came to my rescue, even if he didn't think about the question hew as asking and how it was being asked. I was thankful for it as it defused the situation only slightly. There was still a possibility of punches being thrown, but I wasn't going to be the one to throw them. I wasn't under the influence... so it was like I was kind of a different person. Less angry I guess? Had I been drinking, there would've been a fight. Maybe there was a little good to come out of this. Maybe.

"Beats the fuck outta me." I answered. I really didn't know why my parents had seen fit to put me in here. "I'd rather be in a nice rehab center or something, but I'm not. I guess they wanted me to not be able to leave." They'd tried rehab before and I'd just left, but I wasn't going to share that. Actually I already kind of had. I hadn't talked to my parents since I'd been dropped in here, maybe that was something I should do, it was the first time I'd thought about it really. I really was out of my element and being out of it as long as I had... I stopped dwelling on it and waited for a reaction.

A single, sharp brow raised expectantly as I awaited the other man’s answer, not liking how much he was towering over me. In fact, I finally pushed myself to a slow stand, rising to my feet almost in a silent, wordless challenge despite the fact that the man still stood nearly a foot taller than me. I didn’t care. I was used to being the short one in the bunch – and maybe part of that had to do with helping to shape my personality. I didn’t take shit from anyone. Not that Tao was precisely trying to start anything with me, but I just got tired of sitting down and feeling insignificant. I certainly wasn’t in the mood to fight either, and the situation seemed to have fizzled for the most part… but I stood nevertheless. My head tipped back as I watched him darkly, empty water bottle still gripped within my right hand. I’d mostly forgotten about it, the broken lid having fallen to the ground some time ago without my notice. Thank the gods. If I fucked with it anymore I’d probably succeed in cutting myself.

And all he had to say for himself was ‘beats the fuck out of him’. I canted my head to one side, still looking the other man over peculiarly. The guy had suspicious written all over him. My eyes dropped again to the other’s bare feet in the grass before I exhaled a slow sigh, shrugging a single shoulder. “Mm.” Crazy people probably didn’t know they were crazy. I wasn’t about to start shit with a handicap. “… what is your rehab for.” I asked it flatly, despite it being a question there was no real infliction in my voice. Now my curiosity was brimming. Drinking? Drugs? A sex addiction?

Beats the fuck outta me?

Yeah, well that hadn't been the answer I was looking for, nor what I had been expecting. I wasn't exactly convinced, not even a bit, but I leaned back, looking off to my side before I saw Kyo stand up. This was a first, and I guess I hadn't noticed the height difference since we were both sitting down and I had pretty horrible posture. Still, he held himself well and I looked from him to Tao, waiting for an answer.

If I had any guess, I'd say alcohol. Though he was good-looking in a way and could have probably leaned to the sex addiction option as well. Or I was completely wrong and it was something totally different. It was just easy conversation, and at least he wasn't pestering me about how I'd gotten here.

Now it was my turn to stay quiet.

Well it did beat the fuck out of me. Why was I here and not somewhere on the west coast? It was a good question, I just hadn't thought about it. Maybe when I met my doctor I could ask, but back to the problem at hand and that was answering a question. I looked from one to the other. "Alcohol." I answered simply, taking another drink of my water, not taking my eyes off of either of them.

Now that I thought about it, it was strange to be all the way out here to be treated for an addiction. The only way he'd have been out here if they had a good reputation for cleaning up addicts, otherwise... something wasn't quite right.