Psychological Analysis [Kyo]

He'd been waiting since he'd left his patient's room the day before for their first sessions.  Typically very little was uncovered during the first sessions, mostly just basic information and what little behaviors and traits were visible just beneath the surface, but it would tell him a lot about his patient's potential.  It wasn't that he was really looking to find something incredibly interesting or unique.  On the contrary, he was far more interested in seeing just how normal Kyo Niishimura really was.  

Cadeyrn had been certain to acquire a new notebook just for this particular session and had opted for a recording device as well.  While he disliked filing paperwork he was typically rather organized when it came to data and observations of his patients, filing and locking them away neatly with clean, descriptive labels.  He typically liked to refer back to his notations and recordings in case he ever felt like he missed something in an observation.  Deep down he hoped he'd never have to refer back to the tapes for more than personal reasons since he didn't really anticipate an early release for this particular patient.

Cadeyrn strode down the hallway, nodding to his fellow staff members if he passed any, his steps quick and his expression full of barely suppressed excitement.  It took only a few minutes but it seemed like forever before he reached the door of the patient and plucked the paperwork from the door to snap it into his clipboard.  That done Cadeyrn lifted his hand and rapped on the door, his eagerness adding some unintended force.

"I'm here for our first session, Mr. Niishimura."

To satiate my long hours of boredom I had slunk down into one of the open, living area’s of recreation, begging the staff on duty until I was allowed to bring a measly little book back into my unit. I, unlike so many of the others, apparently had no company to bring me gifts of the sort. I’d been given no radio, no flowers, no books, no sketch pad or crayons, nothing. So there I lay back against my pillow, knees brought up, and book in my hands. My room was otherwise scarce. Hell, it wasn’t even a book I found remotely interesting, but at least it gave me something else to do t pass the time other than jerk myself off.

Less I be written down as a chronic masturbator or something.

By the time that knock came to my ears I sluggishly pulled my eyes to one side, shifting to sit up correctly as Tighe let himself in. “Hnnh.” Was my flat, boring response, dog-earing the page I was on as I closed the covers. Oh, good. Some company.

Cadeyrn's lips quirked up in an easy grin as he slipped into his patient's room, closing the door behind him to grant them some privacy.  He gently nudged the single chair in the room closer to the bed, moving to sit in it without invitation, crossing his legs.  He flipped open his notebook, setting it neatly on his thigh before turning his head to regard his patient once more.

"How are you feeling today?" Cadeyrn questioned, absently drumming his pen on his notepad.

Judging from Kyo's rumpled clothing and hair he most likely had been stationary for quite some time.  Then again he couldn't really blame him considering the lack of entertainment and adequate company within the walls of the asylum.  After waiting for the other man's response he dove right in to the session, his eagerness getting the better of him.

"Is there anything you would like me to know before we proceed?" he began, preparing to write. "I will be recording today's session for reference so if there's anything you do not want on record, please tell me so."

Dark chocolate orbs followed the therapist as he helped himself inside, dragged across the single, lonely chair in my unit, and sank upon it. I then took in his notebook and the recording device peculiarly.

How was I feeling? I couldn’t help the tiny, sarcastic chuckle that escaped me to the question. I’d never before been interrogated by a shrink, I didn’t think they really asked things like that. Wow, I felt like I was in a scene of a movie.

A terribly uneventful, plotless movie.

“Bored as shit.” Was my straightforward answer, tossing the book with a dull thud against the empty nightstand beside my bed. I watched, leaning my back up against the wall and dropping hands into my lap, pursing my lips. He had to record his? Hnn. I better not admit to doing anything that could get me in trouble later.

Hell, may as well be straightforward. The better I cooperated the sooner I could leave. “Uh… Doctor Mori has me on some sort of a mood stabilizer.” Which explains why I wasn’t on edge ready to pick fights with everyone lately. However, I didn’t think that was really necessary. I only got up in everyone’s grill because I didn’t fucking belong here. I eyed the recording device before taking up a bottom lip in thought. “… if I say anything about jail can I get arrested?” Last thing I wanted was to be busted out of here, only to be thrown behind bars. Didn't therapists have like... some sort of an oath, sworn to privacy and all that, as long as no one was in danger? I hoped so.

"I can imagine." Cadeyrn mused, chuckling softly.

He watched his patient move, absently trailing his fingers over the device in his lap which he had yet to press the record button on. After all he wanted to give Kyo the ability to state some things he didn't specifically want on tape first if it made him more comfortable. However his next words had Cadeyrn's brows lifting a little in curiosity.

"Does he? Good. I'm sure that will help." he made a note of that in his notebook before giving Kyo a curious look. "None of the recordings I make in our sessions together will be used without your consent. Psychiatrists follow a strict code of doctor patient confidentiality. The only time I would release information without your consent would be if your life is in danger."

Cadeyrn's curiosity was certainly piqued considering that his patient seemed to have secrets that he thought might land him in prison. It wasn't really related to his fascination with Kyo's psyche, but it was definitely an intriguing sidenote. It was always a gamble, taking on a new patient, mainly because he was never certain if they'd actually be worth his time or not, but he was very interested in finding out.

"If there's anything you would like to tell me before the recording begins now is the time."

My own gaze followed the Irish man’s fingers as he traced over the recording device, quirking a single brow when he affirmed that anything I’d say wouldn’t be shared. I of course woudn’t trust him entirely, it’s hot wired into my blood to simply be skeptic of anyone and everyone, but at least he confirmed that it would be a terrible fuck up in case he did. This would be… stimulating. The most doctor to patient interaction I’ve had since my arrival. Mori was quick, popping in and out to do his business. The other’s didn’t seem to care.

“Nope. I’m boring.” I shrugged, backing myself up lazilly into the corner of my room, propped up on the bed and staring the man down curiously. So… begin, whatever it was he wanted to ask. I suppose.

Cadeyrn's lips quirked a little before he turned on the recording device, setting it aside. "Alright then.  I do apologize but today's session will most likely not be as... Exciting as you may wish it to be."

He paused for a moment, staring down at the blank sheet of paper in his notebook, marveling at how he didn't even know where to begin with this particular evaluation.  Many whose minds he delved into weren't so oddly normal mentally, nor were they lacking in things that they wished to talk about.  After a few long moments he looked back up, offering Kyo a reassuring smile.

"So, let's begin simply.  I'd like to get a good grasp of your childhood and adolescent years, things that weren't described in your file." He shifted, crossing one leg over the other. "No need to go into anything that is hard for you to talk about, but the more detail you can provide the better.  I'm simply trying to get a better grasps of the environment that you came from."

I didn’t figure speaking with a therapist would be all that exciting to begin with, so at least I wasn’t coming into this with high hopes or anything. Sharp, dark eyes dropped to the device as he turned it on, mentally reminding myself to watch what I said… just in case. You never know, especially with Acropolis.

The silence that passed between us caused a slow loft of one of my brows, pursing pierced tiers together in silent confusion. Nothing? Maybe he didn’t know where to start knowing that I wasn’t a psychopath. Of course, I had yet to really prove myself, but I mean… it should only be so obvious.

However the moment the doctor mentioned my ‘childhood’ I audibly groaned, dropping my head back against the wall with a dull thud. Man. Really? Ugh. “Uh… what do you want to know?” I mumbled, staring up at the ceiling with a sharp scowl upon my features. “I’m not close with them. Ran away. They realized I’m stupid.” Which… wasn’t entirely true. But I fucking failed in school and eventually dropped out. I wouldn’t want such a unfit child either.

I quickly added though, in case that might make me seem unstable. "They were... nice enough. Just strict. They're Japanese." Obviously. Look at me.

Cadeyrn chuckled softly at Kyo's groan, familiar with a patient's reluctance to delve into their history with their family and also with how stereotypical the question was.  If it were him he wouldn't have exactly been enthused about having to delve into his past or speak of his family, but as a psychiatrist he knew it was necessary.  Besides, who knew what little secrets were hiding in Kyo's past.

"I see.  So there was tension between your family due to your schooling?  Is that why you left, then?" he wanted to be certain he was getting his information correct.

It was a vague summary of a rather important period in his patient's life and while he didn't wish to push, the more information he had the better.  "At what age did you decide to leave home?" he began even as he continued making notes in the notebook he would use exclusively for Kyo.  "Where did you go after you left your family?  How did they handle you leaving?  Did they look for you?"

I listened to the man's accent lulling in my ears, nodding my head slowly with my skull still rolling off of the wall behind me, black strands of hair sticking up in every which way. "Ehh... they wanted me to succeed. But I guess every parent wants that for their kids. I really fucking hated school though. I didn't want to waste my time." I shrugged, still keeping my dark gaze fixated on the ceiling above while Tighe continued to ask away. Man, talk about awkward. I didn't really delve into any left of my private life like this, and now I as being scrutinized by a professional shrink.

"Mm... I think I was going into freshman year. I refused to do the placement test. After that they told me I had to get a job if I was going to... what was the word..." I paused, really wracking my mind to dig up bitter memories I tried to forget about. "Freeload? My own fucking parents called me a moocher. When I was fourteen." I scoffed loudly, picking at the fabric of my thin cotton uniform absentmindedly. "So I did try. I mean. I didn't exactly want to piss my parents off." I pursed decorated lips tightly together as I scowled at the ceiling. "There aren't really a lot of places that will hire a kid though. So... yeah. I left."

Give or take a few details, of course. I left out that it wasn't the first time my parents had argued with me over school, It wasn't the first time I'd attempted to run away... nor did I really dig into the details about my work. About my little habits. It really was no surprise though, it's the whole reason why I'm incarcerated in the first place.

As the man continued I lifted a hand to scratch idly at my hairline, still refusing to make direct eye contact as I explained my fucking life's story. I didn't like to come off as pathetic. I didn't want anyone's sympathy, clearly I could survive just fine on my own.

Surviving and staying out of trouble of course were two entirely different subjects.

"I just kinda... you know." I shrugged stupidly. "I was a runaway. Lived on the streets and all that shit. Stayed wherever I could find. I'm sure they tried to find me at first, but..." I chuckled, smirking like a devil. "I got pretty good after a couple of tries."
There it was, admittance that I'd attempted running way on several occasions before.

Cadeyrn listened intently, his pen scribbling down notations as his patient spoke, committing each word to memory as best he could.  What few fragments of the man's childhood that he was verbalizing would help him slowly piece together the threads that held his psyche together, that made Kyo Niishimura who he was.  Every mind was such a complex and intricate thing, each radically different when it came to experiences and yet all still so similar.  There were always certain base things that every individual responded to despite their differences, little things that disturbed or intrigued for reasons the patients themselves couldn't explain.  Things Cadeyrn would be more than happy to use to his advantage... Later.

"I can certainly understand your desire for freedom." Cadeyrn mused nodding his head and giving his patient a small, encouraging smile, silently urging him to continue.

Interacting with patients that were genuinely mentally ill was similar to walking a tightrope typically.  Most were not nearly so trusting nor as calm as Kyo, giving him suspicious looks or lashing out.  Those were, unfortunately, already broken to such a degree that analyzing their mental state was boring and dull.  It was much more interesting to find someone who had yet to lose themselves in the dark recesses in their mind, who had yet to descend into insanity.  After all, he had yet to watch such a thing as it was actually occurring.

"I see.  Did you feel more at home on the streets away from your parents, then?" he questioned, leaning forward slightly, keeping his expression open, warm, but neutral. "I'm sure you had much more freedom and were able to discover new things about yourself, correct?"

It was unfortunate that things such as psychological analyses started so slowly and with such trivial things.  Learning a patient's history was the groundwork for everything else they would discuss, but it was also tedious for both Doctor and Patient.  Nonetheless he continued to make notes and continued to smile and nod; building trust was always the first step to acquiring far more intimate details.

"I apologize if we venture into uncomfortable territory, but the more I know, the easier it will be for me to prove or disapprove your psychological stability."

Yet to loose myself to craziness. No thank you, I am going to get out of here with my mind still intact, and hopefully with enough paperwork to make me bloody rich too.

When the redhead spoke up I pulled my lower limbs closer to my body, cross-legged and dropping hands into my open lap as I tucked bare naked toes into the inner folds of my pants, keeping them warm caught just behind my knee. “No.” I tilted my head curiously, watching the man as he scribbled down whatever notes he was writing about my mental state. “It’s hard to learn to survive by yourself. I’d much rather laze around under a nice house with free fucking food.” One of my hands lifted to gesture in a small circle above my head, pointing out my own, ironic surroundings. But I was speaking of my family’s house. Things are always easier when you’re a child. After a moment or two I decided to add on. “I just don’t like doing stupid things. If I don’t see a point, why waste my time?” I wasn’t like other… businessmen, for say. They all wanted to excel and scholar and do the same shit, day in and day out, just because someone else above them told them to. What the hell is the point of living if you’re just a robotic drone?

Home was home, though. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like I had a home…”

I shrugged, dropping the dumb ass subject ad carrying on, answering his barrage of questions. “I like the freedom of being my own boss. And yeah, I learned a lot more than I ever learned in fucking school.”

When the man apologized though I smirked, just watching him with my own muted sense of curiosity. “Eh. Not much is uncomfortable.”

It was almost surprising, how much I didn’t care about opening up for a doctor. Get me with someone – say, like Jiho – who honestly just wanted to become a friend, and instead I closed up immediately.
Weird.

Cadeyrn's lips quirked a little at Kyo's response, his head turning to level his patient with a heavy-lidded, amused look. It was one of the quirks of being institutionalized, having free room, board, and food, but it wasn't really a living situation that he was overly fond of. No, Cadeyrn preferred soft sheets, luxury coffee, his large television and, oh yeah, his freedom. It was easy to empathize with his patient's desire to leave the facility. Unfortunately for him he would probably be there for... A while.

"I can understand. Nobody enjoys spending valuable time on unnecessary things." Cadeyrn mused, nodding his head, turning his eyes back to his notepad.

It was always fascinating to hear how different upbringings shaped and individual, to hear how different their childhoods were. After all while Cadeyrn's parents were distant, he never had a really uncomfortable childhood, nor had he ever really fallen too far outside out societal norms. No, that had been reserved for his adulthood, when he had a reputation for normalcy which made... Bad behaviors seem unusual and thus easily dismissed. That was a human behavior that was even more fascinating that people's willingness to believe that all runaways were secretly disturbed.

"Thank you for your honesty." Cadeyrn responded, looking amused when Kyo mentioned that it wasn't easy to make him uncomfortable; that simply meant that Cadeyrn didn't need to try as hard to seem welcoming. "This is all rather valuable information, but now I'd like to speak of more recent events. I'd like to know more about the crimes you've committed. The more detail you offer the better, especially when it comes to your emotional and mental state at the time of the crime."

I’d probably even be fine with spending some quality time in jail, knowing that I not only deserved it for my troublesome actions and choices but because of the free shelter, free food deal too. And recreation? It’s a win win. Just gotta make sure I don’t get buttfucked or beat up. It simply wasn't my prime choice of stay. Here though, I had such a problem with being institutionalized because unstable people were actually crazy. Scary crazy. You couldn’t rationalize with them, barter with them… not to mention I didn’t want to fuck with meds. I knew I was wasting doctor’s time and space that they could be helping actual troubled patients.

Though the bed, shower, and food was still welcomed.

When the therapist spoke up about unnecessary things a single brow quirked upwards as if silently stating that this all, in itself, was an unnecessary thing. I think he realized that though, and was just doing his job.

“Yup.” I shrugged to his thanks. Unlike the rest of the patients where I was constantly on edge, I was almost a completely different person with the staff. What can I say. It’s easier to trust a man in a uniform with a degree than a regular person who would fuck you over at the drop of a hat.

And then he brought up my crimes. Again those eyebrows arched, dark chocolate hues flicking from the doctor’s features to the recording device on the table in a display of weariness. Habit, I supposed, even though he’d already assured me none of this would be going anywhere outside unless I was a threat.
I shifted uneasily, pulling my feet from their cross legged position and instead splaying them outwards, knees hooked over the edge and hanging. I really wanted to get out of here and not be thrown in jail straight away. After all, how can I sue from jail? And if – when I won, what good would my money be if I was rotting behind bars? I didn’t want to plead guilty.

Pierced lips twitched, and my hands in my lap began fidgeting thoughtlessly. “Uh…” Pursing my tiers I knew that I had to talk to get anywhere, but relaxing to the point where I’d be openly admitting my faults clearly was the ‘uncomfortable’ limit I’d just assured him about. Damn.

“I… steal.” Yeah, great detail there, Kyo. I lifted up a hand to itch at the side of my head pointlessly, mostly to pull my gaze away and stare down at the mattress between my legs. “… a lot.” I added. I mean I’m pretty sure most people have stolen one or two little things in their lifetimes.

Cadeyrn's eyes followed Kyo's gaze, resisting the urge to smirk. It wasn't really a fair trick, bringing out the recording device and drawing the other man's attention to it, making him hyper-aware. It was simply another tool for another goal, really. If he was being honest, it was nice to be able to consult a recording to jog his memory, but he didn't use it very frequently. With certain cases it could also serve a much different purpose.

His brows lifted as he calmly waited for Kyo's response, his eyes fixed on the other man's face. It was always interesting to push people, to see what they were willing to do and what they weren't without further... Coaxing. However the trust between them was still in its infantile stages and was fragile, so he didn't want to push too incredibly hard. No, he needed that trust for their future sessions together if he was going to see any form of results.

Cadeyrn let out a soft sigh, keeping the smile on his face as he reached out to the recording device, turning it off. "Kyo." he began, using the other man's first name for the first time in their interaction that day and laying his accent on thick. "We haven't known each other long, but I want you to know that, in the end, I am here to help you."

Cadeyrn gently closed his notebook and set it aside, moving to remove his jacket, folding it neatly and setting it aside, on top of the notebook and audio recorder. "I understand why you wouldn't want me to take notes or record your crimes, so if I need to keep something off the record to help you, I will." As he spoke, Cadeyrn rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, legs spreading a little as he turned to face his patient more fully. "Whatever you tell me now will be completely off the record. I want to help you get out of here if I can."

As he leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees, his body language relaxed and casual. He wanted to look like a friend, an earnest ally in Kyo's struggle to get out of the asylum. Really he was secretly hoping to gain ammunition, to learn what made him tick, to find out what could unravel everything about the other man's mind. Admittedly, the jacket part had mostly been because it had begun to feel stuffy and, well, it was easier for him to be friendly if he was comfortable.

"Please be honest with me."

When the Irish man sighed my dark hues scattered upwards once more, following his every motion carefully. And then just like that, he turned the recorder off. Or maybe he was tricking me, hah. Talk about distrusting. My gaze followed the other’s hands until I heard my name falling simply from his lips, and now I met his lighter orbs again. Waiting.
The usual speech followed about him being here to help me, which was painstakingly obvious and I wasn’t that retarded. I just… was unaware of the complete legal limits of what I should and shouldn’t admit to. After all, I’ve never had a personal therapist before. Hell, I haven’t even attended any sort of AA meeting or the like.

I just never spoke about me to anyone.

As the man shifted to get comfortable though I have to admit, it did make the tension in my little room fall. Not sitting so prim and proper, losing the uniform, and now with that notebook closed and the device off? It was definitely a lot more casual. His words caused me to work my jaw in silent debate, pressing piercings up against my upper tiers.

“Nnhh.” I groaned, leaning back against the wall and feeling awkward. What to talk about… after a prolonged silence where I didn’t exactly meet the other’s gaze as I sifted through my own mental thoughts, my lips parted, and I simply began… prattling on.

“I steal to survive. I steal food, I steal money, I stole most of the clothes I own… I stole from any job that I worked at because they didn’t pay me damn enough…” I stared up at the ceiling as I brought my hands together thoughtlessly, lacing fingers within one another and popping my knuckles one by one. “… everything, I guess. I got busted because I stole a motorcycle that apparently had tracking on it.” I shrugged like it was no big deal. “I already had a criminal report, since I got fired for stealing… multiple times.” I can’t even begin to tell you how hard it is to find another job when they’ve got that to hold against you. Explains why I’m fucked now.

I paused, finally returning a somewhat uneasy gaze to Cadeyrn as if I was waiting his approval. Was this what he wanted?

Cadeyrn watched the other man intently, waiting patiently as he struggled with himself, as he weighed his options mentally. Kyo was wary, but he deemed it a good sign that his patient was even bothering to cooperate with him at all, really. There were many things that, from his observations and the patient's file, he knew about Kyo's behavior and the fact that he seemed to trust slowly, if at all, was obvious. If he could win that trust then, well, he'd be more than a little pleased with himself.

He listened intently to every word Kyo said, eager to learn as much as he could from the other man. It had been quite some time since he had taken this particular level of interest in a patient, and it wasn't from anything in particular really. After all, he'd heard of runaways, of criminals, of horrible childhoods and pasts, but that wasn't necessarily what made any patient intriguing. No, he saw something else, something deeper, something that had to do with psychological and mental potential than how intriguing he was as a person.

When Kyo looked at him, Cadeyrn offered a smile and a nod of encouragement. "Thank you." he began, absently glancing at the watch on his wrist, gauging how much time they had left. "Did you get any sort of... Thrill from stealing?" he asked, tentatively; he wanted to know if it was just necessity that drove him. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

They were definitely making progress and he was gaining valuable information, but, deep down, he knew that this would take more than just one session. He found himself getting impatient, wanting to start psychological treatment immediately, but he forced himself to move slowly. After all, they had all the time in the world, didn't they.

"If you want to move on to something else, we can."

I just didn’t figure I should really keep stuff from a team of doctors if I really wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. If I lied, they’d probably deem me mentally unstable, and I’d be stuck here. Just like the courts wanted.

My dark hues followed Cadeyrn’s range of eye motion as he glanced to his watch and back up again, pursing my lips together. Do I get a thrill…? I blinked, really debating on how to answer that. I definitely was tip toeing around questions, trying to be careful not to say anything that would leave any sort of uneasy notes within my file. “Uh…” I began, dropping my attention to pick at the fabric of my pants again. “I dunno. I guess.” I shrugged stupidly. I stole because I needed to, but I even stole sometimes just because I knew I could get away with it. I didn’t like, get a rush of arousal or anything weird when I jacked things though.

When Cadeyrn told me that we could move on again I shrugged, not really giving much of a care in the world. “Whatever you need.” I don’t know how therapy is supposed to work. In reality I find the whole thing awkward and unusual. Talking out my feelings to a complete stranger that knows nothing about me.

Cadeyrn lifted his eyesbrows at the vague answer, his lips quirking a little in amusement.  Kyo seemed rather skittish despite the fact that he had offered his assistance in getting the other man out of the Asylum.  He supposed that he couldn't necessarily blame him for his wariness, especially considering how he had ended up in the Asylum in the first place.  Despite that he pressed on, especially considering that their session was nearly over and, soon, he'd have to return to other duties and other patients.

"So it was exciting?" he questioned softly, head tilting a little in silent inquiry.  "It must have been exhilarating to steal something and get away with it.  All that adrenaline..."

Absently Cadeyrn drummed his fingers on the inside of his thigh, not really expecting a response, but casually throwing the suggestion out there.  Most that stole frequently tended to start due to necessity but then, eventually, developed a kind of addiction to the rush of it.  It was difficult to tell if Kyo was that way or not due to how little information he was being given, but he had his suspicions.

Cadeyrn smiled a little at his response, chuckling softly. "Fortunately your hour of discomfort is nearly over." he mused, still smiling. "I apologize if I've made you uncomfortable.  I'm simply trying to determine whether there's a reason for you to be here or not, so the more I know, the better.  Is there anything else you can thing of that could help your case further?"

When Cadeyrn again asked me if it was exciting one of my own sharp, dark brows arched upwards, watching the way he responded with my own faint curiosity. Even the way his fingers rapped away at the fabric of his inner leg, chocolate orbs dropped enough to catch that. Hm.

I don’t know if the therapist knew this but even the subtle ways he spoke and acted came off as almost extremely…
Sexual.
But maybe I’m just looking too far into it. It’s not often I actually sit down long enough to talk to anyone, to really broaden about subjects. I usually immediately shut everyone down and lie. Maybe I’m just not used to someone being so… in tune and close.

I cleared my throat. “Yeah.” I shrugged the question off again like it was no big deal. It wasn’t… right? I mean of course it was exciting, knowing that I was good at it. At [/i]something[/i]. I couldn’t deny, I stole even when I didn’t need to, just knowing that I would get away with it. I curled up my own hands and thoughtlessly padded my knuckles against my own thigh, dropping my attention again so that I wasn’t making eye contact. I didn’t like talking about me.Especially if he was trying to assess if there was something wrong up in my head. I didn’t want to give him any reason to think there was… who knew what they could diagnose if I even slipped up and said something remotely unusual? I’m not good at this.

When he mentioned that this torture was nearly over I smirked lopsidedly myself, glancing up again. “Uh… do you guys get paid better to keep criminals instead of prisons.” I muttered, only half kidding. There were so many rumors about this place and I didn’t think he would even tell me the truth if it were, but… I don’t know. This was maybe me trying to lighten the mood and make it somewhat playful.

Or maybe his casual appearance now really made me feel like this was ‘off the record’.