Nuthouse (Kaicep and Throane)

[Kaicep]

(So here's the first post, hope it's okay! :3 Sorry it took so long, my internet wasn't acting right.)


(Not all of my posts will be this long, but I like setting the scene and whatnot on the first one.)


White was all that he could see. Always, that’s what it was. Large white panels on all sides that stared at him in a constant state of maddening white silence. It seemed to scream at him, so sometimes he screamed back.


Izzy could feel his own arms wrapped tightly around him, but they didn’t feel like his anymore. It was just fabric snakes that bound him, and sometimes he even forgot he had arms. When he remembered, he would giggle at himself to no end, even looking directly at the area of the corner that he knew was where they’d put the camera. It wasn’t even that hard to distinguish, since he’d say that a small round camera lense jammed into the corner where wall met ceiling wasn’t exactly incognito.


Izzy laughed breathily, jolting his head from side to side in case someone was watching from his ‘window’. His said window was actually a pane of glass along the east wall, tinted to where he couldn't see the other side. Criminal psychologists, doctors, agents, or whoever decided to come and observe him… that’s where he knew they were.


And he wasn’t just him flattering himself either. They came in and tried talking to him sometimes. The only problem with that was that they would get a new person every time.


Sometimes Izzy was a murderous psychopath that was very clearly dangerous and unstable, and sometimes he was just an innocent young man who was scared and only wanted to go home.


This wasn’t coincidence, and Izzy very much had control over the way the meetings went. He loved messing with them and squashing their theories and notes.


The real Izzy beneath the skin was so much more scary than the murderer they thought they were looking at. He may have been insane, but he was much more intelligent than anyone gave him credit for.


Izzy sighed, eyes jumping from dot to dot on his padded walls. One of the round dots that was indented into the cushions was uneven, and it ticked him off. The only thing worse than that was having to stare at it all fucking day.


He missed shock therapy, but apparently they’d been disturbed by his behavior when put under that certain treatment. There was nothing more unnerving than maniacal laughing and actually asking for more when you were practically tasing them. Those doctors were no fun.


The past few days had been absolutely boring. He’d decided to go mute while alone, to send his own message that he hated the straight jacket. Screaming just made him tired nowadays, and it wasn’t as fun when he couldn’t see people’s faces. Stupid jacket. Just because of his last incident. At least he got a few good claws and bites into the assholes that had the unfortunate task of actually putting him in it. He was sure he’d left a scar or two, but those wardens would undoubtedly be put somewhere else from then on.


Izzy could feel his stomach growl, which meant it was about late evening. Telling time from stomach growls was getting more and more difficult as his body grew used to eating at the same time every day. He was no longer allowed into the lunchroom with the other inmates (such a privilege hadn’t lasted long, when more incidents followed.)


For the first time in his life, Izzy felt something akin to loneliness. (Or maybe it was just boredom.)


Maybe he would put on the sweet-and-sincere face and formally apologize to the wardens and the guy he’d stabbed in the eye with a plastic spork. Izzy giggled to himself at the thought.


From the time estimate, a warden would be coming in to check on him soon. He guessed that was the only good thing about wearing a straight jacket: nobody expected you to try to strangle them with your bare hands for walking in the door. All in good fun, of course.


He wondered who it would be today. Izzy hated a few of them, some with their dark contempt and others with shaking fingers as they checked his vitals, fear in their eyes. His deep, colorless eyes flicked up to the door. He hoped it would be someone fun today.


After a few minutes longer than he predicted, the door opened. He made a mental time adjustment as he gave a large grin to the man who’d walked in.


“Hey there~” Izzy crooned. “Nice to see you a-again.” His voice shook slightly out of excitement and probably saying actual coherent words for the first time in the past few days. His unnerving and slightly fanged grin was still aimed at the man. "D'ja come to entertain me?" His spontaneous laughter filled the room.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

(Heyo! It's no problem, my wifi can be horrible at times x_x so I understand. I dozed off ehe, sorry.)


(I love it! xD I'll do my best to match yours.)


Pat.


Pat. Pat. Pat.


One would think that they would get used to being searched every day before ganing access to Hell. Nothing but you and your clothes were allowed to go in. No watches, no decorations, dirt or anything else that could be brought in from the outside world passed through the front doors. A single leaf could drive a nutjob into a frenzy. Nothing was allowed to stain the pure white passages or break the deadly silence of the building.


Except, of course, the wardens' cafeteria. It was one of the loudest areas in the entire insitution, and could even rival the noise levels of some nutjobs on certain days. Unfortunately, today was one of those days. One of the senior wardens - and oh boy are there few of those - were celebrating their birthday and for once there was cake allowed in the building. The wardens were more competitive than usual and the games involving strength had only just begun.


Now Akio doesn't like cake, or birthdays in general. His morning was more unpleasant than usual and it was one of those rare days where the thought of taking the day off crossed his mind. He was left to watch the monitors in the office before his coworkers hunted him down and dragged him back to the party. If only he could have avoided a face full of confetti and suddenly being thrown into a wrestling match. His prize for losing was having to do all the feeding rounds in his area.


He often didn't see the point of having to carry multiple trays of grey smush and oversteamed vegtable-lookalikes to people who didn't even make an effort to come near the stuff, nevermind eat it. Granted, some of the nutjobs were quite skilled at shaping the smush into strange shapes and figures.


It's not that Akio particularly hated his job or anything, but there's nothing better than walking down a narrow, spotless passage that makes one wonder why they chose it in the first place. If it wasn't for his love for horror novels and mind-benders then he could of been sitting in some office with a ton of paperwork instead. Wouldn't that be interesting?


Hint: No.


One would not expect someone like him to do well at his job. After all, Akio stood out amongst his fellow wardens like a red flower in a graveyard. He's all sticks and stones, and words will never reach him.


At one stage he was asked to stop wearing eye-liner to work, though when he did, some of the nutjobs started acting up until he was allowed to do as he pleased.


By now, Akio coloured his hair to whatever colour he felt like at the time, had earrings and wore any damn eyeliner he wanted to.


Things like that weren't exactly part of the image the wardens worked to display. They didn't have conversations with the patients, nor did they care about their well-being. That job belonged to the 'nurses.'


It wasn't long before Akio discovered that talking to crazy people could make you feel normal in comparison. Listening to mad theories made his own thoughts and ideas seem sane, and having some of the more intelligent nutjobs analyze him in an attempt to bring up some terrible memory helped him work through any problems he faced at the time. Becoming friends with a few colourful characters made the people he met on the outside boring in comparison. Why hunt down expensive novels when there is a large supply of horror stories in every room?


Akio was even starting to consider becoming a counselor.


But changing back to the present moment - Akio could already hear the faint murmers of patients as he neared a group of rooms. He had one last person to feed before another warden would continue on to the next section, which meant he had plenty of time to interact with..


Ah, his 'favourite'. Izzy.


Akio had to pause and take a few deep breaths before entering the room. He always did so before greeting the more intelligent nutjobs - if he didn't have his wits about him and let something slip then he could be the one being driven mad.


Akio took in the grin he was greeted with and closed the door with an annoying click.


"Izzy. I doubt you're going to want to eat this, but don't even think about throwing this stuff back at me." He stated flatly, setting the tray down nearby Izzy before he stood up and crossed his arms. He studied the crazed male warily, deciding it would be best to keep a close eye on him. "I doubt you're going to find my company entertaining, unless you're excited by having your pulse measured."

 

[Kaicep]

(Haha no prob cx )


(And thanks! :3 This one is a bit shorter since dialogue.)


Izzy cracked a smirk up at him, giggling slightly to himself as he thrashed a bit from side to side. He was probably his favorite warden out of all of them. Akio... that was his name. He wasn't an idiot (like some of them), but he always seemed so stony and formal. Izzy didn't like the big brutes that did nothing but snarl at him, sometimes even shoving the food in his face when he wasn't able to move his arms. Of course, they didn't come back after that if Izzy wasn't in his jacket. They were just dumb cowards that didn't want to face him even when he was unarmed and basically handicapped. If he really wanted to hurt someone, if he truly wanted them dead... it wouldn't matter if he had a straight jacket on. He would find ways, even though that hadn't come about quite yet. Izzy preferred to take the high road and just scare the wardens shitless. The ones that were already wary were fun to mess with too.


Izzy blinked innocently up at Akio. "Who, me? Now how could I do that?" He smirked and pivoted his torso, showing off the use of the confinement jacket. Izzy sighed dramatically. "I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to eat it." He uncrossed his legs and sat on his calves in the middle of the floor. "Guess you'll have to feed it to me yourself~" Izzy winked and hiccuped a few laughs.


The psychopath loved toying with people, even though Akio's no-nonsense attitude wasn't always the most fun. He was smarter than he looked, but that didn't mean he had to always be so guarded... at least in Izzy's opinion. He was trying to come up with a plan to at least earn some accommodations, even if he didn't get actual freedom. A chair would be nice. He used to have a chair, but he started acting up and hitting his head against it. The wards and doctors claimed that he would've killed himself from trauma if they left it there, but Izzy actually had no intentions of dying. There was a while that he threatened it and begged for harm (which some of the wardens actually obliged in.) but he didn't really feel like he wanted to die. Even in a place like this where all hope is lost for many, Izzy knew he'd get revenge eventually.


The last time he'd escaped a nuthouse, he didn't leave without taking lives. He brutally killed and maimed a few nurses, doctors, and wardens... but did so silently and was still able to escape. He also left the ones he liked and took a companion with him. The girl he'd busted out with him was a huge help in actually putting the plan to action, but apparently even she didn't have the stomach for what Izzy did. They lost contact once they were free, which was perfectly fine by him. Izzy had no further use for friends with no connections or value.


He didn't particularly like living homeless, but he didn't detest it either. At least it helped him stay further below the radar. (Plus he got to make friends with tons of stray cats, which he loved.)


Izzy shrugged at the man. "Having my pulse checked would be fun, but..." He flicked his eyes up to him with a mischievous glint. "I bet we could have even more fun if you were to release me from this jacket~"


Izzy stuck out his lip in a pout "I promise I'll be good!"


Well, he guessed that depended on one's notion of 'fun' and 'good'. He probably wouldn't hurt him or anything, but there were other things one could do besides attack physically. It would also build trust in him... which meant that he'd be closer to actually befriending him and getting what he wanted. He wondered just how much power he had over things, since he wasn't a boss or anything. Maybe just requests or sneaking things in would be enough. Or maybe he could help him by making suggestions to the doctors.


If he was lucky, he'd be able to get close enough to him to at least get him to care about his wellbeing. After that things would get easier.


Izzy eyed the tray of food and made a face. "C'monn baby, please~? I don't even have anything to attack you with, so how could my intentions be anything but pure?" He tried scooting closer to the man, making the least conniving face he could manage.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

(Ehe, Izzy is such a charmer ey?)


Akio stared at Izzy with narrowed eyes while he acted out his scene. Look close enough and one would be able to see his left eye twitching - whether it was out of irritation or disgust was up to debate. Akio himself wasn't sure whether he was intrigued or completely weirded out by the patients. The fact that one could never tell what another human being was going to do often pulled at his thoughts (and people wonder why he then has trust issues). One of the few things he could do is study the patients' behavior in hopes that they would become somewhat more predictable - but that only worked with the dumb ones. When it came to the ones like Izzy, it was a game of chance. Is he going to have an interesting conversation and some murder stories to hear, or is he going to lose an eye like one of the senior wardens? (It becomes exciting after spending countless days worrying himself stupid.)


All those worries belonged to 'little Akio' when he first took this job three years ago (and before he started practicing martial arts in his free time - not for the patients, but the other wardens). At the age of twenty three, he was more jaded than the color of his eyes. Spending time with sane people his age became rather bland compared to the 'fun' he could have with some of the patients. Now don't get any wrong ideas, Akio's idea of fun is when he tells Izzy not to throw the food while his hands are tied behind his back. Isn't that just hilarious? You can tell by his expressionless face that he couldn't stop laughing (somewhere deep inside his mind).


But the thought of feeding a patient by hand brought up horrible memories of his 'initiation week'. He was told by the other wardens that because some of the patients cannot move, it was up to the wardens to feed them. Who wouldn't trust the word of a group of scary men that could throw him across the room? Surely not 'little Akio' who nearly had his wrist bitten off. There was no exaggeration when it came to the incident - the patient was put down as they were planning to do anyway, and 'little Akio' was rushed to the nurse for stitches. Now he's left with a neat, white scar around his right wrist. He wasn't going to fall for it again and add to the collection of scars he had acquired over the years. The spotlights were currently occupied by Bitey, Guy-with-Scissors and Girl-needs-a-Manicure.


Akio pulled a face at Izzy - an 'attractive' mixture of discomfort, irritation and.. amusement.


He squashed the last emotion like a bug. Bugs aren't allowed inside the institution.


"My fun is different to yours." Countless of people his age would gladly agree to that statement. "Now, while I'm sure your idea of being good involves some kind of disaster going down, I appreciate the fact that you're trying."


By the way Izzy was acting, it was hard not to imagine him like a stray dog begging for something to eat. Akio doesn't like dogs - but he did like murder stories, in case you haven't gathered that yet.


Akio let out a strained sigh - one of the few signs that proved he was somewhat persuaded. He worked hard at hiding these things, but some old habits refuse to die. He used to be readable like a book with an obvious plot, but now he could at least deceive the majority of the patients. After a moment's hesitation, he finally sat down in front of Izzy and crossed his legs with his usual blank face - of course moving the food tray further to the side in the process. Was he being reckless despite all previous incidents and warnings he received on a daily basis? Probably. Was he going against the rules by being eye-to-eye with a crazy? Yes. Was he feeling paranoid? Who wouldn't.


"Come any closer to me without my permission and I'll have one of the senior wardens watch over you instead." He muttered while he took out some folded paper from one of his pockets. He didn't carry a clipboard on him anymore - it never went well. Messy handwriting was a small price to pay when you could walk out of a room without a concussion.


"I'll make a deal with you, alright?" He slipped out a pencil from behind his ear - the one obvious place he could hide a sharp object without being caught. "Let me get this over and done with, and I'll give you ten minutes to eat without having to use your face like a pig."


@Kaicep

 

[Kaicep]

(He tries, he tries xD )


Izzy smirked up at him, tilting his head like a curious animal. "Well, I'm just dying to hear what your fun entails." If his hands had been free, he would've covered his mouth in a cheeky laugh. Unfortunately his arms were still tightly secured, something he wanted to end.


He was certain that he could learn how to escape the jacket if he were to focus enough... But he had no privacy. If anyone were to see him practicing, it would be all over. No doubt he'd get a stretcher and a full-body wrap. Maybe they'd even gag him like that one time.


Izzy shuddered at the thought of being gagged. The word of mouth was his biggest advantage and his biggest weapon. He could plant seeds of doubt in the minds of others and do what he wanted. Being gagged meant real confinement. It was practically being a useless skin of meat with really psycho thoughts.


As for biting in the event of Akio actually feeding him... Well, he wasn't sure he could pass up the opportunity. It had been so long since he'd felt flesh break.


No... He couldn't do that. If the man decided to actually feed him, he'd have to play nice. Izzy needed an ally, and biting someone's finger off wasn't necessarily the best way to gain one.


Plus, he liked Akio so far.


Izzy shook his head vigorously at the statement about his being good. "Nope, no disasters here! I promise! I'll do whatever you want~"


Fat chance of that happening, but it was worth a shot. One had to have a pretty big twist in Izzy's arm to actually get him to cooperate on anything.


He wasn't going to lie: it surprised him when Akio sighed. That kind of defeated language was exactly what he'd been going for, and he couldn't help a grin that spread onto his face.


The man sat in front of him, crossing his legs and moving the tray aside. Izzy sat back and mimicked his sitting position with a look of triumph and utter curiousity.


At least Akio wasn't making a fool of himself by acting terrified. Of course, he probably was scared or at least nervous... and with good reason.


Then the warden began taking out a pad of paper and... A pencil, from behind his ear. Just being in the same room as something that could be used as a weapon was envigorating.


Izzy smiled sweetly at him. "Of course, babe. I'll stay put. Wouldn't want some nasty person coming in, or at least someone besides you." He tossed some of his hair to the side.


Over the time that he'd been there, the deep crimson had turned into what looked more like reddish auburn that was done at a very cheap mall kiosk. The roots at the top of his head shone slightly in the pale light to reveal tha natural color beneath... Something that had died with L'zikiel as far as he was concerned.


He guessed that wasn't necessary true, since he'd always been the same person. The only difference between Izzy and L'zikiel was the amount of knowledge gained over time... As well as expirience in killing. Maybe that was the instance that he changed, but he doubted it. The first time he killed someone it hadn't fazed him at all. He'd guessed at what it would feel like to kill another living thing more than once before then (although it was more like fantasizing). The only thing different was the joy that he hadn't anticipated would follow.


He'd been nine when he first requested that he be called by that name, to the doctors. That was when it was more of a hospital that he was in, rather than a prison for psychopaths.


Perhaps it was just him coming to terms with the fact that he would never be normal, wanted, or sane. He didn't have a home or a place to belong and that was fine by him. He was an Izzy.


"A deal?!" He squealed enthusiastically. This was another instance that he would've used his arms in (to clap his hands excitedly). "I love deals!"


Deals were great fun. They were especially fun when he was the one making the deal, but he guessed he couldn't have everything he wanted.


"Ooh, okay~ But what is it that you could possibly want?" Izzy asked in a tone that sounded absolutely baffled. He make a false thinking face and used his imaginary arms to put his chin in his palm as he looked up in thought. "Last time I checked, you don't need a notepad to check my pulse."


His face turned wicked as he looked straight into the deep jade eyes of the man. There must really be something he wanted, to be making a deal with a serial killer. And to bring a sharp object with him, nonetheless.


"So what'll it be, love? I'm entirely curious about this deal. And I'd rather not eat like a pig, y'know."


He giggled once, but it continued into a long and maniacal-sounding laugh. This was going so well already. Izzy wasn't really interested in the food as much as he just wanted out of the jacket. He smothered the sound so that he could listen, his dull and dark eyes twinkling curiously.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

( xD He's gonna need to if he wants to get through to Mr.Boring here.)


Akio stared as the crazed man's laughter washed over him. It reminded him of a movie he once saw - it involved wailing alarms and a nuclear bomb, though it might of just been the alarm going off in the back of his head. He should of seen Izzy's reaction to the pencil as a red flag, but everything is a red flag when it comes to interacting with Izzy.


'This guy is long gone, Aki. Should you even be in the same room as him? You could end up losing an eye, or even worse - your job. No, even worse than that - you could end up as his neighbor, Aki! Do you want to eat smush for the rest of your life?'


But who listens to the voice of reason in their head? Clearly not the people in this place. Who invited that goody-two-shoes anyway?


Instinct clearly told him to get up and run for the hills, but there was only so much one could be afraid of. The tight feeling in his chest that came with his heart skipping a beat was almost addictive. Being afraid for a long time is the same as being drunk on adrenaline - at least, that was the conclusion Akio had reached after having someone dig their claws into his shoulder. Reading his favorite crime novels as a kid and being paranoid for weeks after was practically all he had to entertain himself with, and even now it still reigns as his only topic of conversation with outsiders.


Akio knew not to trust the words of a psycho - how many idiots got killed in the books by a single mistake? Well, he didn't keep count, but most likely a lot. He wasn't sure whether or not he was honestly going to allow Izzy some freedom, but if everything worked out and there was no spilled blood, then he would have to keep his word. Another one of his weaknesses was that he always kept his word - so he rarely made a promise in the first place.


He frowned at Izzy's words, though he wasn't going to entertain him with a reaction bigger than that. Having a cheerful psycho was enough, any happier and there might be mad sparkles flying around the place. He rested his elbow on his knee and scratched where the pencil was once behind his ear. It used to be safe and hidden behind his piercings, out of sight and out of harm's way. Should he just have left it there? He could try to memorize everything instead, but it was already too late now. The pencil in his hand felt heavy despite being small, and he tapped it on the paper to remind himself that he was the one holding it. Anxiety and Izzy's cute nicknames for him worked together incredibly well when it came to giving him a nauseous feeling in the back of his throat. Time for the verbal vomit.


"No, I'm not going to take check pulse yet - I apologize if you were looking forward to that, but there's more than enough time to waste on my to-do list. I don't want you thinking that I trust you - because I don't - so don't get your hopes up, but that doesn't mean that we can't get along, right? There's only so much you can do in a place like this and after your time of silence, you might as well have swallowed your tongue. A chat might just do your brain some good, but that means talking only. An inch closer to me and I'm an inch closer to the door. It's up to you." He paused, running a hand through his dark hair. It felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff - he wasn't planning on jumping and he wasn't keen on being pushed over either.


"It not complicated at all - I want to know if you will tell me a story. A story you'd really enjoy. We could even call this therapy if you'd like - we both know how much you loved that." Akio was well versed in sarcasm. It helped to keep his nerves stable. "And I'm not talking about the fairytale kind of story, either." He said, resting his chin on his palm while he stubbornly looked him back in the eye.


There was still time. One thing Akio always made sure of was that he had enough time when he needed it. There's nothing like being rushed that quite ruins one's mood. The wardens were distracted with their day-long party - those who haven't left already at least. He was confident that no one was going to bother watching the cameras at a time like this. Most patients were eating or already sleeping (or sedated). There would be no one to come interrupt them and cut their meeting short. Of course, this also terrified him. (Which is great.)


Akio had a hidden gleam in his eye that would make any of the other wardens question his morals. Who in their right mind would get so excited before hearing a gruesome story? He could only hope that Izzy would have something to tell, otherwise he might as well go home to read. 'Do you think this kind of habit is healthy, Aki? You act like some kind of druggie waiting for a fix when you sit with your paper like that.' As if his deadpan face would ever bear such an expression. 'What are you going to do after writing it down? Re-read it at home and add it to your collection of horrors? You're not even going to publish it, Aki.'


He blinked. It was enough for the voice to bubble away with an annoyed shout. He was moving on from those lonely afternoons after school with nothing but a bookshelf and a fish tank he didn't even like. There was no need for guilt in a place like this. He was an adult now, and if he wanted to talk to a psychopath then he was going to do just that. He was going to take a risk for the institution by putting his limbs on the line and checking Izzy's vitals, so he was going to take whatever he can get in return and that was horror stories. It was all he wanted at the moment, and he was determined to get just the smallest of details.


Perhaps he should've become a journalist.


@Kaicep

 

[Kaicep]

(He likes the challenge cx)


Izzy tilted his head slightly as he listened. His curiousity bloomed with every passing second of his explanation. He smirked. "Oh, I wasn't all that excited about the pulse thing. Besides, this seems much more promising." Izzy paused, puffing his cheeks out in a pout. "There's no need to be rude. Having a little faith wouldn't kill you. Oh, and I think we could more than get along~" He winked.


At the mention of having nobody to talk to for a while, Izzy became confused. A chat? Sure, he'd become insanely bored over time, and having company would be nice...


No. He would have to wait and see if this was something he could use against him. Personal gain was going to be larger than just having someone to talk to, but by all means he'd talk Akio's ear off if he wanted him to.


He could completely understand the need of having something satisfied within you. The way most people recieved these thrills was by watching them or reading them like Akio, except he had a job that would make specific ones much more accessible. And perhaps a stronger desire.


Everyone has a darkness within them, a deep and clawing need for bloodshed and excitement. Just take the Roman Colosseum for example: all those people gathering to watch people die. For fun. For kicks. The way Izzy saw it, some just had stronger desires than others, which is where killers come about. Their thirst is different than just wanting to learn or watch. They want to do. Somebody had to be the gladiators.


"Fine, fine." Izzy said defensively. "I won't get any closer to you, don't worry. But I mean.. Feel free to get close to me." He smirked.


Izzy waited as the warden spoke. His curiosity turned to a type of confusion. He wrinkled his brow and tilted his head. "A story?"


Why on earth would he want him to tell a story?


Izzy held back laughter when he mentioned therapy, releasing a low snicker. "I'm pretty sure that doctor hated it more than I did."


He was sure that Akio knew about his knack for messing with people. Therapy wasn't all bad, it was just cheap entertainment. Most of the time it wasn't all that interesting, but he liked freaking out the therapist or simply getting on their nerves by closing up completely.


Ah, causing human frustration and anger was such good fun. Especially when the people he was doing this do were numbskulls that thought they knew about his mentality just because of some fancy degree.


"Hm, then you mean a true story?" Izzy tilted his head, the lightbulb going off. This man wanted amusement almost just like he did.


He laughed. "Oh, so you want me to give you something interesting?" Izzy's giggle got louder. "Well babe, I'm pretty sure my stories are worth more than a few minutes free with that slop." He nodded at the tray of food.


A sinister and rather evil-looking expression clawed it's way onto his face.


"I swear that what I've got will rock your world more than anything you could squeeze from the pathetic lots here, so maybe I've got some conditions of my own." He nearly began shaking with anticipation. "You see, I'm very protective of my memories, and they're worth more than what you're giving. I only have a few teeeeensy-weeensy things to ask for, and I promise none of it will bring any kind of harm to you at all. Just a few favors is all, really."


Izzy blinked at him innocently. "It's soo boring and uncomfortable in this room all alone, sitting in the floor with no accommodations and this insufferable mess for sustainance. If you want a story, I'll give you them all. All you have to do is agree to my terms." He smirked. This would be the part where he would hold out a hand to shake, like the other was making a deal with the devil. Deals were so much fun. They ruled with fear and what people called 'fairness'. Even though most of the time his deals were far from that.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

( Hey! Sorry for being late. I got thrown back into school and had to de-holiday with homework before I could get online again. The worst is over now and I survive to see another day! )


Akio started to frown and sat up while Izzy rattled on, brushing a few strands of hair from his face. He narrowed his eyes at the nutjob and slowly folded his arms. Izzy's sweet words were only going to cause cavities if he carried on like that. They merely went in through one ear and out the other; Akio was already in the habit of ignoring the nicknames he received from the other wardens. Perhaps he made a mistake in asking for a story - especially if it was going to mean trouble or some sort of effort greater than semi-breaking the rules. He gazed at him thoughtfully, tapping the pencil against his palm. 'Don't get ahead of yourself. You still have a job to keep. This is like trying to reason with a snake...' The voice of 'reason' in the back of his head hissed, causing him to click his tongue in annoyance. Who was the real snake?


Watching Izzy laugh was starting to tug at his nerves - the sound would probably echo in his thoughts for some time. Akio was going to need a few hours alone with his headphones after this.


He glanced at the tray of food. From the start, he wasn't too confident that what he was offering was going to be worth anything at all - he was hoping he could get away with it, though. But mush and slop was hardly anything to die for, it was more likely to be the cause of death in the first place. He wasn't the one in charge of food though, and he wasn't planning on telling the cook that his food sucked either - he learned that the hard way. Now he has to pack his own lunch (which he's too lazy to do.) Cake from the party could be a bargaining chip, but he had his doubts that Izzy would even consider it.


Frustration was starting to claw its way up his spine. It wasn't necessary, but the thought alone of having tedious work to do for something he wanted brought up some of his old childishness. Why did he have to listen to some nutjob and his demands? He may well only want a chair in his room, but it will still be an effort to organize the whole thing (considering what happened to the last chair Izzy had - it was already ruined, so the wardens decided to burn it for some stupid reason).


"How do I know that you're not just all talk and no truth? Most of the nutjobs here say they have the best story to tell, and I can tell you that the majority of them are sorely disappointed." Akio pointed the pencil at him accusingly. The paper in his free hand was already on its way to being crumpled again - not that he noticed yet.


"You may have something great but I'm not a miracle worker, and you're the one still in a straight jacket. Know that I don't like doing favors." Akio really didn't - doing favors for people rarely had a happy ending.'You should be nicer to him, you know. You might end up with matching outfits at the rate you're going. You wouldn't want him bring this conversation up when you have nowhere to run away to, because your cell will be locked from the outside.'


Was a person's conscience supposed to be an ass?


But..What if Izzy really had something gruesome to tell? He was one of the patients with the largest file in the office - there's no doubt that he's done a lot while he was free. Conflict was likely to show in Akio's eyes as responsibility for his job slowly got torn away by a cruel hunger. His gaze faltered and he looked down at the paper. It wasn't often, but there were times during the hours he worked that really had him torn between two thoughts. 'Should deciding between being a good person and some horror addict really be such a hard decision? The fact that you're already struggling to decide shows that the first option is already out. You don't really have a choice, do you? Congratulations, you got yourself into this type of situation again. Are you just going to sell your soul for some words?'


Honestly? There was no need to be so dramatic about it. It was something he was prone to doing - his mind made a far bigger deal out of something than it really was. His thoughts would be taken to a small space where everything was either right or wrong, and he would have to bring himself out of it every time. He was just going to get a story and do something in return.


It's harmless.


"If.. I was to consider it, what would you want in return?"


@Kaicep

 

[Kaicep]

(No problem at all! And glad to hear it xD )


Izzy could feel the thing inside him waking from the slumber it had been in at the back of his mind. Having a pencil pointed at him and the notion of his memories being spoken being brought up wasn't helping, either. It stirred and shook within him, the same undeniable feeling that used to take over his senses often. When he had the means, time, and victim. The doctors used to ask things about his voices, or if he heard any multiple personas in his head... the truth was, there wasn't. He never talked to himself, and nothing ever responded.


Of course, that didn't mean he told the doctors that.


Izzy had many sides and many faces, many elements to him that could change the way he acted based on his surroundings. This didn't mean that he had voices or multiple separate personalities... there were just a ton of different edges to his own. He could be a murderer and an animal shelter volunteer all in one body without having voices in his head to argue. How annoying would that be? No, it wouldn't do for focus at all.


On the other hand, he did have urges. Very strong ones. He imagined it like an animal inside him, a very primal and wild one. It was just like other bodily urges were, the things that told the body that it needed certain things, but this one was different. It was a strong bloodlust that made him want to kill and maim and make a name for himself using that. And why shouldn't he? Taking the lives of others offered no guilt to him, and he didn't care that people would look for him because of it. Izzy killed because he could, and because he wanted to.


There was nothing else.


He wanted to kill, so he did. It wasn't out of anger most of the time, although he did get rather upset when his victims didn't act the way he wanted them to. That would bring them to an earlier grave.


Some would call Izzy a sadist or even a demon, since he seemed to have no internal judgement of what was right or wrong. If he wanted to stab someone brutally and have them sing their ABCs with their final breaths, he would. (And he'd done that before, actually.) It didn't matter if that person had done him right in so many ways, it could only end badly. There was one human that he'd actually valued in his life, and said person had shipped him off to an institution when he was five fucking years old.


At that age, he simply hadn't perceived that what he'd done was wrong.


It didn't feel wrong to him, and he was just having fun. Didn't they always tell them to be themselves? He nearly laughed at the thought. Then again, nothing he did seemed wrong to him. It didn't matter anyways... nobody was going to control him. Maybe that's one of the things that makes him so dangerous, his spontaneous and carefree nature that is completely beyond the bonds of society.


Izzy smirked as he saw the man before him jab a pencil in his direction as he accused him of lying. "I assure you that I'm being truthful, if blood is in your taste for stories. Which, I'm assuming it is, considering you're asking me." He yawned. "Oh, however will you know if I'm telling the truth? I guess it would be by finding out yourself and agreeing to the demands. I prooomise you'll be entertained~."


Izzy turned his head to the side and tsked. "Of course you don't like doing favors babe, but neither do I. We're just making a trade here."


He grinned as he watched him basically crumble beneath his fingers. This was it. Good.


"Weeellll~" He started looking up at the ceiling in thought as if his mind wasn't filled with his demands on a daily basis. "I would tell you that I want a beanbag. I won't even ask for a chair, just to keep up this wonderful trusting relationship that we have. The next is a cat. Not a stuffed animal, but a real live cat. It's even part of a therapy, right? It's supposed to help me 'empathically connect with living things'." He smiled brightly.


"Thirdly: I want out of the straight jacket. I don't care if other people feed me though a door slot or whatever and put me in one for meetings, but quite honestly I hate it. And that's me confiding a direct opinion in you. This brings me to my next condition..." Izzy smirked a little, having come up with a new demand a few minutes ago. "I want visitation time with you. Only you though, and nobody looking in. I wanna be able to have conversations again, and I've selected you as my favourite warden." His chest puffed out a little, like he was announcing an award that Akio was getting. (Far from it.) "I won't hurt you or anything. You can even put a line between us if you want... and I'll give you a ton of stories."


His dark eyes glinted with an unnerving kind of light as he met the man's eyes. "That's all. Then you get your story and I get comfort, everyone wins." "...Do we have a deal?" A small smile curled his lips.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

( Thank you xD It was all great until the projects came. Whoo, deadlines! Let me know if my writing isn't making sense or something - writing late at night isn't too good for the brain cells. )


Akio lowered the pencil while Izzy spoke. At least they agreed on the part regarding favors. The anxiety that boiled in his chest was starting to simmer down, mostly because Izzy stayed put where he was. He wasn't going to let himself go into a false state of calm, but he didn't have to sit with his fur ruffled and his hackles raised - not if he wanted an extra dose of paranoia to join the party. That would make things complicated if he wanted to sleep after his shift - something he rarely could do after he got home anyway. He paused, rubbing his temple with the pencil still in his hand; a skill he had to perfect in order not to poke his eye out.


Finally, the sigh came. A reluctant, slightly annoyed sound that practically called out his defeat. (His second one today - he was being weak.)


Akio sat back and watched, responding only with a few hums and a scowl at the other male's cheeriness. He could almost see Izzy with a pair of devil horns, holding out a clawed hand while he waited to steal another soul. He certainly looked crazed enough for the part.


His only defense was to avoid Izzy's gaze in the hopes that he wouldn't get dragged in too deep. If he was caught unawares for even a moment, then he could end up in more trouble than he was already going to be in. Which made him think - were the other wardens watching them right now? He knew that the sound would be turned down low - something they all agreed on after having to listen to Izzy for hours before he decided to go with the silent treatment. No, they would still be busy with their own celebrations. He still had time. Nothing to worry about.


He scratched a few notes down on what Izzy wanted, failing to hold back a snort when a cat was mentioned. A bean bag could somehow be considered, but having a live creature in the same cell as Izzy? There's no telling what would happen - according to the doctors.


Akio glanced at the nutjob and shook his head to himself. "You make it sound as if I can just do what I want, though we both know that's not true." He folded the abused paper while he spoke, choosing to keep his own eyes distracted. He had his doubts that he was going to get any stories at the moment, but that didn't make each fold in the paper less annoyingly hard to do. He shifted uncomfortably after receiving the 'favorite warden' award, having nothing to do with his hands but bend the corners of the folded paper. He had to pause and take a calming breath before he could respond.


"I'm flattered, really. I never thought that I would be chosen as your favorite, and I certainly wasn't hoping for it either. The visitation time would probably be the easiest to organize, despite my lack of enthusiasm. I doubt the other wardens would be fighting for the opportunity to see you more than they have to, and you most likely know why." Akio raised a brow at Izzy while he went over his options in his head. "The other things will take longer to happen, if they are accepted at all by the higher-ups. I can't blame you for wanting a bean bag, really. I actually like them as well, and it's a safer option than the chair." He had to hold back a grin that suddenly wanted to escape. As if therapy was going to help anyone at this point. "I'm not too sure about the cat though. You haven't exactly behaved in a way to suggest that keeping a helpless creature in your company is a good idea. It's not going to happen immediately and will take time to convince the other wardens..."


Akio trailed off, taking the demands seriously now. Would he be able to organize these things with the little influence he had? It would certainly make his time working here more interesting, and if it turns out to be a challenge then it might be something he would accept. "What I can do now is let you out of the jacket so you can eat. It would be easier to check your vitals that way as well but.." He looked Izzy over suspiciously. Things were going well considering that no ambulances were needed yet, but if things were suddenly going to turn when Izzy had his hands free... Akio really didn't feel like going for stitches right now. "I'm not even going to bother trying to get you in it again." A shiver crawled down his spine. He saw what happened to the wardens who attempted the impossible. "But, I suppose we have a deal."


Bye bye, soul.


'Do you know what you're getting yourself into? This guy could probably kill you with the jacket still on. Now you're going to be buddies? You messed up real bad, and I have to be here when things go wrong. If you listened to your common sense in the first place, then you wouldn't even be on this continent.' Akio could never quite ignore the voice of reason in his thoughts, but he did a good job at paying no attention to it. His common sense had left a long time ago, so why did it matter what he did now?


He always had the feeling that the longer he worked here, the worse his state of mind would get - but that happens to all wardens. He wasn't the only one who could perfectly picture his mentality as hanging over a dark ocean of who knows what. The only thing holding him up would be a collection of thin strings, which would keep him out of the deep while he tried to see what could be lurking beneath the surface. Some days he entertained himself with the sky, but the majority of his time was spent waiting for something to crawl out of the darkness. He could feel the frost lying just over the water, and he seemed to be going lower all the time. One by one the strings would snap, and he would be just an inch closer to plunging into the icy shadows. The one cutting the strings would be himself and his stupid actions, obviously.


Of course, this is just his over-dramatic imagination talking here.


@Kaicep

 

[Kaicep]

(Whoo for deadlines and projects. xc And haha it's okay, I do it too. xD I've been ill lately so this might not be very good.)


Izzy watched silently as Akio slowly began to lose... In general. To Izzy, it was still just a game. Akio was notably beginning to relax, albeit ever so slightly.


This wasn't the kind of game Izzy had played before, this wasn't a game of violence. This was just... well, he wasn't sure. He just pretty much just wanted a beanbag and a cat. For now, at least. The sound of the sigh from the other man was music to his ears, rewarding him with the notion that he was winning. The warden was giving in and caving like a building that Izzy had chipped away at bit by bit. It was incredibly relieving to know that he was going to get what he wanted, at least to an extent.


Izzy shrugged at Akio. "I know you're not the boss or anything. But I suggest you try hard, since I wouldn't be very happy if I had to keep living like this." He smiled innocently. "Don't worry, nothing that would effect you."


Yes, there would undoubtedly be hell to pay if he didn't get what he wanted. This was the easy way. Izzy had been decently behaved compared to what he could do if he was throwing a fit. Somebody would get hurt, even if it wasn't Akio, and the warden might be blamed for it. I mean, who makes deals with psycho killers anyways? Certainly not someone fit to work there.


As that crossed his mind, Izzy found that he might be upset if Akio was to get fired. He did like him (as much as Izzy could relate to liking other human beings, that is.) and he wouldn't appreciate having to stare at the ugly mugs of those who were just there to detest and annoy him.


Why he favoured Akio, he wasn't sure. He was easy on the eyes, he guessed. Maybe it was the hair. Izzy had always liked long hair. On boys, girls, and cats... Yes, main coons were beautiful cats. He almost giggled at the vision of Akio being a grumpy long-haired cat. He'd certainly be his favourite then. Oh, he loved cats.


"You're welcome." Izzy piped with the regards to his statement at being chosen for visitation time, ignoring the un-enthusiastic comments. He tsked. "Oh, the others are just wussies."


Izzy made a small mental playback of all the oh-so-fun abusive and mentally taxing meetings between wardens. All in good fun, of course!


He perked up at the mention of bean bags. "Oh, good! You could get one too! We could both have one... That is, unless you wanna share~" Izzy cracked a seductive smile that turned into laughter.


The laughter ended abruptly and his face turned dead serious at the mention of the cat. It was like flipping a light switch. "What?" He tilted his head quizzically to the side. "Dealing with cats is completely different than dealing with people!" Izzy defended, poking out his lip in a pout. "And... I love cats. Who would ever want to hurt a kitty? They're so pretty and soft and they've got great personalities." He rocked back and forward slightly in cheerful thought. "Don't worry darling, I'm sure you've got one in there somewhere." Izzy smirked at him and then turned his gaze to the ceiling. "I'll have you know I had a cat when I was free. She was a beautiful calico. I also had tons of other stray friends, they were all so nice to me. Especially when I was homeless and had more time to spend with them." He sighed, wondering where some of them were now.


Izzy had lived in an apartment with a roommate, a man who'd found him behind the diner where he worked. Like any (crazy) person, he offered the starving and begging boy a place to stay... but that's a story for another time.


Izzy had gone through a phase where he acted like a cat, climbing on counters and refusing to make anything but cat noises, as well as only accepting bowls on the ground to eat from... like little kids did sometimes.


Izzy grinned. "Yay! This jacket really gets annoying after a while." His smile turned to a darker smirk. "That's probably a wise decision." Yes, he wasn't sure he would be able to behave as well as he's been so far if Akio tried to put him back in it. His smile widened. "Great. I knew you were the best choice~" Izzy said in a singsong voice, overjoyed that he would agree to having a deal.


That sentence was actually a psychological move. The simple phrasing of 'do we have a deal?' Can instantly make the other person begin to sweat internally. It can make them come to a solid decision, even if their insides begin to turn on and doubt each other. No doubt that it was like making a deal with the devil.


Izzy scooted around cheerfully, enabling the other man to release him from the confines of the jacket. "I'll even give you three seconds to get your distance away from me if you want, I know how scary I can be~"


He shook his shoulders a little from side to side.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

(Hey! Forgive me for taking so long x_x I am in the terrible habit of procrastinating. I hope you’re feeling better. ;-; )


Akio swallowed back the anxiety that had been building up in the back of his throat. The disguised threat from Izzy reminded him just how unworthy he was of this job. Was he ever going to be fired because of some ridiculous incident? Nah, he was confident enough to think that he wouldn’t become so careless. Being a warden required having faith in yourself, even if no one else agreed with your morals.


He was sure that Izzy could do some serious damage if he was even upset. The thought of getting into real trouble created a small bubble of doubt in the back of his thoughts, though he was determined to squash it down with everything else. He wasn’t going to let himself bend more to Izzy’s words than he already had.


Akio kept an eye on the other male’s expression. Izzy had one of those faces the warden would probably never think of trusting. He may pull as many innocent and clueless faces as he liked, or say the sweetest words his crazed mind could come up with – Akio had already seen the scheming light hiding in his eyes. He had read more than enough to know that there was something sly in the patient’s mind, preying on those clueless enough to wander into his web. (Quite like he had done himself.)


The thought of the other wardens being wusses amused him. If anything, Akio was meant to be called the runt of the group. “I’m sure..” He mumbled under his breath in sarcastic agreement. He didn’t know if his behavior came off as anything remotely brave, because he could just as well be screaming on the inside. All his emotions within the institution were laced with fear, no matter where he went. He would get shivers like ice crawling down his spine when checking up on the patients, and going back to the wardens’ breakroom came with a sick feeling in the back of his throat. Was he really any different to the other wardens? Well, he did have a smudge of a personality at least. A personality that was becoming skilled at ignoring flirty crazies.


Akio raised a brow slightly while he listened to Izzy’s cat fanboying. He learned something new every day. Usually it was another way to avoid being pulled into some pathetic test of strength, but today he learned what a psychopath was passionate about – other than spilling blood.


Akio’s expression turned serious when Izzy exclaimed and turned around. He would be praying for safety if he was anywhere near religious. Unfortunately, his beliefs in anything greater than him were shattered a long time ago. Perhaps he would have to start believing that devils exist again, because there had to be someone messing with him every day.


The warden thought about the people who were going to have to get Izzy into the jacket again. It sure as hell wasn’t going to be him, so he wasn’t going to make it his problem. He gritted his teeth and got up, letting his joints click back into place while he gave Izzy another, classic suspicious look. He wasn’t going to screw himself over entirely, no way. He stepped over to the door and pushed the pencil out through the slot before returning the paper to his pocket. Izzy wouldn’t be able to kill him with papercuts, right?


Right?


He grimaced at the thought of being cut up by his own paper. Reluctantly, he forced himself to walk over to Izzy and crouched to reach the buckles. He could practically sneeze on him now, which was way past being too close for comfort. He worked on the first clasp and the second before he froze.


Dear god, it was just too horrible to overlook. Of all things he could be looking at when taking the straitjacket off of a psychopath...


“This is really crap.” He muttered and reached out to look at Izzy’s hair. It was alright for someone to grow out the colour in their hair, like he was doing – but seeing the state of Izzy’s hair up close was enough to disturb his strange passion for hair dye. “You want a bean bag, but you can’t be bothered about your hair?” The warden asked in disgust, glaring at the few strands in his hand before he let it go and continued with removing the jacket. “I would suggest taking the jacket off slowly - I’m sure you will be able to do it without my further help, but if you move too quickly then you will risk pulling a muscle. I’m not prepared to deal with any medical emergencies, so it would be best to take everything calmly.” He warned for both of their sakes before dragging the tough fabric off of Izzy’s shoulders.


“Alright, you promised three seconds.” Akio said quickly and moved back until he was an arm’s length away from Izzy. He was tempted to go to the other side of the room, but he still had his job to do. He had to be close enough to check his vitals and ask the necessary questions before he would have his own freedom.

 

[Kaicep]

(No problem. And thanks, I have been Sorry if this is a bit short, by the way.)


Izzy raised both eyebrows as Akio slid the pencil out of the door. He gasped in false surprise, feining offense. "You don't trust me?" He wiggled his eyebrows and smiled. Maybe it was for the best though. It wasn't as if his mind was completely pure of thoughts containing the pencil, but he probably wouldn't have stabbed Akio. Probably. If the perfect instance arose, who was to say he shouldn't at least take advantage of it by threatening him with it. A pencil wasn't necessarily the most dangerous weapon out there, but anything could pierce skin if you just used enough force.


He smiled as he felt the man beginning to unlatch his restraints, rounding his back into the contact to very obviously encourage him to touch him more. Izzy pushed back towards his fingertips, grinning flirtatiously. Then Akio stopped, reaching out to touch his hair. Izzy shivered at the contact, willing him to just keep his hands in his hair. Maybe run his hands through it or pet him.


He smiled slightly and opened his mouth to say something, but the warden was already criticizing his hair. Izzy puffed his cheeks out yet again in a pout. "Well excuse me for not having a fucking beauty salon in this place." He defended. "I mean, if you wanted to supply me with dye yourself, be my guest. We could chat while I'm in foils, maybe read some celeb gossip magazines~?" The psychopath teased.


Akio released his hair and nearly caused a whine to escape Izzy's throat. It was just nice to be in contact with someone after so long. Plus, it was really relaxing to have someone touch his hair.


Finally it was unlatched and Izzy was allowed to escape. He pulled the fabric from his shoulders.


"Pff, okay. Nice and calm, gotcha." He rolled his eyes. As if he would be stupid enough to pull a muscle at this point. Akio probably just didn't want him having a spastic episode that could possibly end in pain. It had happened before, and any warden would be smart to avoid it. In past times he'd been either really angry or really happy or just... really crazy feeling. Sometimes he just wanted to let loose.


He nodded in response to his reminder about the three seconds. Actually he hadn't thought that he would take him up on the offer, but he supposed he couldn't blame him. Why would he not want to get away from him?


Izzy pulled his arms from the sleeves around him, feeling the skin of his limbs breathe for the first time in... a long time. He grinned. It felt so good to be free of the confines. Izzy slowly stretched his arms out as the jacket fell off of him and he stood up, smiling madly as he turned around to face Akio. He was actually closer than he'd thought he would be.


"Yay!" Izzy exclaimed, running to the opposite end of the room and attempting a really poor cartwheel on what felt like new arms. He fell on the floor in childish giggles. The scene would've been almost cute had he not been a psychopath.


"Thank ya." He looked at Akio as he rocked back up into a sitting position and then to his feet. Izzy waved his arms around for a moment and then stretched them up into a yawn. "So was that a yes or a no on the cat? If you wanted me to prove myself or something, you could try dropping one in my room while being monitored. If it gets hurt... what is it that you say? Animals are lesser life forms?" He smirked. "I personally see more fault in humans, but oh well."


His dark eyes found Akio in a more serious manner. Izzy walked slowly over to him, hands behind his back and facial expression sly. He began to circle him from a distance, closing in a bit at a time. He stopped in front of him and smiled politely. "What now, babe? You've gotta check my vitals and then we have..." Izzy tapped his chin in over-exaggerated thought. "You've been a good boy so far, so maybe I'll give you a story. It's what you wanted, right? Maybe just a minor one, since I haven't gotten most of my requests yet." He yawned. "I have plenty of stories, y'know. I've been making them since about age five."


He twisted a strand of hair around his finger, other hand on his hip. It was so great to have arms again.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

(It’s alright ^^ I’m not serious about paragraph count and all, so no worries~)


Akio snorted at Izzy’s defense. Obviously there wasn’t a salon in this place, if there was then there would be more people let out every year. (Other than the few corpses here and there.) If he was going to be looking at that hair everyday then he would have to consider bringing dye in – but that would only happen at a later stage, if at all. He had to be sure that Izzy wouldn’t go into a fit in the middle of being covered in foil. Death by dye was just as unattractive as dying by papercuts. He wouldn’t be looking forward to either.


The warden watched with a suspicious gaze while Izzy removed the jacket entirely. He focused on the fabric as it flopped to the floor before turning his attention back to the psychopath’s arms. Alright, he was just stretching out sore limbs – things were still okay. He knew that one’s joints could become damaged after a long time with the jacket, so he would have to check that out. The wardens told him practically nothing when it came to these things, but at least the internet could tell him what he thought he needed to know. Speaking of - he spared a glance at the camera. They still had time. The other wardens were distracted with their party games – no doubt about that. He was confident that they wouldn’t bother to check the cameras when they could boast about their strength instead. It was just one of those days.


Akio nearly jumped out of his skin when Izzy stood up and turned around. His eyes were wide with surprise before he could think of putting on a straight face. Having a mad person grin at you from the ground was one thing. It was a whole different story when the mad person in question was at eye-level and an arm’s length away. Who knew that a moving threat was intimidating? Was he regretting that he didn’t take advantage of the three seconds to get away as far as possible without leaving the room? Just a little. The voice of reason somewhere in his thoughts certainly was. He was thankful that he was smart enough to get rid of the pencil. At least he did something remotely right today.


The sudden look of distrust could have been written on Akio’s face with a marker – it was quite obvious while his jade eyes followed Izzy to the other side of the room. As for himself, he couldn’t move himself from the spot he was standing on. He stared over his shoulder while he balled his hands up into fists. He wouldn’t dream of hitting the psychopath, but it did help to keep his nerves in a tangled knot. He cleared his throat before he spoke, paranoid that he might choke on his tongue if he didn’t pay attention. “I can’t answer that at the moment. I would have to arrange it with the ‘lesser life forms’ before bringing in an animal. It’s not a definite no, at least...”


The warden trailed off as Izzy stepped closer. Having the guy run around was slightly frightening an all, but having him close in on his personal space started to tick him off. Being circled as if the psychopath was a shark surrounding his meal was not on Akio’s bucket list. Izzy’s dinner was getting cold in the corner, and Akio wasn’t planning on being eaten alive just yet. He had a book to finish at home.


Akio returned the devious smile with his usual scowl, though he kept his feet in the same place. He took a deep breath and folded his arms. As if two sticks could stop someone from ripping his heart out with their bare hands – the mental images were not pleasant. The corner of his mouth twitched at the mention of hearing a story, another sign of weakness. “You’re right, I have a list I have to go through so.. just- don’t move and answer my questions the best you can.” If he had to be honest, the list was a complete lie. The only thing officials cared about was the patient’s pulse and whether it was still active or not. They weren’t fond of paying for coffins, and transport services were a pain to organize.


Akio bit the inside of his cheek to distract himself while he cautiously stepped closer to Izzy. He held his hand out to him while the other stayed firmly at his side, “Give me your wrist.” He could only hope that the scar on his hand wouldn’t get a friend. He wasn’t expecting something to happen just yet – having ten fingers was quite nice, actually.


@Kaicep

 

[Kaicep]

(Alright cool, neither am I c


Izzy sighed slightly. The idea of never being able to have a cat here was enough to make him very highly agitated. Sure, he would be patient because Akio was going to ask about it, but if the higher-ups said no... there might be a problem on their hands. Hm, what if he decided to keep Akio hostage? His arms were free, after all. There were a lot of things he could accomplish with free arms. It wouldn't be today, obviously, but Akio had agreed to the visitation time. That meant he had plenty of opportunities to think of ways to get what he wanted. Of course, he could just end up throwing a tantrum and attacking anyone who came in, but it wouldn't work if he didn't go after Akio as well. The wardens could just send him in every time to check on him, right? If Izzy would attack anyone else, that would make the most sense.


Izzy actually didn't want to hurt him. He could smell and see the distrust that he held for him, but Izzy actually had no intent on stabbing, strangling, biting, clawing, or any kind of terrible maiming to inflict on the warden. Well, if he'd left the pencil in there... he might've had to at least put a teensy weensy puncture in his arm, at least as a warning of some kind. Maybe it had just been his craving again, but that wasn't the point. The point was that he didn't want to kill him, and it was a start. At least not yet. Akio was still valuable at this point in time.


If he wanted Akio to trust him, he would have to slightly tone things down. Of course it would be suspicious if he just suddenly and spontaneously began acting normal, so maybe just a little less flamboyantly hostile for the time being. Slowly things would begin to get more relaxed. That would have to be next time though, Izzy was having too much fun and he needed a bit of time to think if he was going to switch behavior.


He clapped his hands together once and smiled brightly. "Oh yay, I ever so love lists! Yes sir, I'll stay 100-percent still. Do your thing, doc~." Izzy clicked once and winked.


Flirting was always fun. It never really got him anywhere (especially with Akio) but it didn't matter. It wasn't as if he expected them to play along, but it was always fun trying to coax a reaction. Messing with people was amusing. It didn't really matter who it was, but generally the best reactions were from men. The disgust that crossed their faces always made him smile. Save for a few of them who he assumed were gay.. but that was only when he was a part of civilization. Sure, there were a few murders and illegal situations here and there when the chance arose or when he couldn't help himself, but did that make him a bad person?


Yeah, maybe a little. He never said he wasn't completely corrupted at the core, but it was a blind type of chaotic evil. Some men are bad for the sake of knowing that they're bad and being able to see that, but Izzy was bad because he knew nothing else. Even looking back on the things he'd done, he didn't really consider himself an awful person. Maybe he had no conscience or humanity, but he knew he had something. His former roommate had told him that he would actually be a good member of society if he was able to empathetically connect with humans the way he did with cats.


That is, before Izzy slaughtered him.


He wasn't so sure anymore. His goal for the time that he'd lived there was always to kill him, but he was never able to. Not because of moral reasons, because he really did try, but the man was trained and could always see his attacks coming. He was a formidable opponent. If he was such a good foe, why did it make him feel bored and empty inside once he was done with the carcass? Izzy made everything pretty and even called the cops himself. He was just... done running. He'd been bored and needed a new challenge, and that was the challenge he was living right now: the asylum breakout. Part two.


Izzy smiled politely and handed his wrist out, into Akio's hand. He could feel the thumb over the vein. Izzy grinned and sighed. "If you're really good I might have to give you a little kiss, y'know, to show my gratitude and all." His grin turned to a smirk. "It's not like you had to help me at all, after all I am a deranged psychopath with a history of mass murder." He yawned slightly. "That kinda makes me think that you have a real problem. Not that wanting to hear murder stories is bad or anything, but you should probably get the addiction in check, love."


Izzy was being cooperative, as he would be for Akio from then on out. It would confuse people, make them ask Akio what he was doing so differently to get Izzy to act civil. It would probably cause quite the uproar eventually. Who knows, he might even get his favorite warden promoted.


@Throane

 

[Throane]

Hey! I am so sorry for just dropping away for so long and for not being online sooner. I forgot that my parents would be cutting the wifi while we moved houses, and it's only been turned on after we settled down and exams were over at school. I hope you're still up for the roleplay, I've been waiting weeks just to post this darn reply. ))


@Kaicep


Akio was still as he counted every time he felt the nutjob's heart beat. He started to lost track the more he became aware of a different kind of ticking. He glanced up at Izzy and there he could see it. He could guess from the look in Izzy's eyes that the guy's brain was hard at work. He could only assume it was planning to get what he wanted - he couldn't read thoughts after all, and he sure as hell wasn't going to ask what's on Izzy's mind. He simply came to the conclusion that the psycho was scheming something that Akio would probably regret later. A time bomb that was eventually going to go off.


He loosened his hold on Izzy's wrist and made a mental note to write down later. For once, he was actually starting to regret the fact that the wardens were no longer able carry any equipment with them - instead he had to go for monthly first aid courses.


Those sure were fun.


 


The warden moved his hands up to Izzy's elbow, paying attention to the color of his skin and how the muscles moved. It wasn't necessary, but it didn't hurt anyone to do something useful.


"When you wear the jacket, are there any aches around your wrists, elbows.. Or shoulders? Besides the obvious discomfort you would experience." He inquired, looking to see if he was slouching. He wasn't one to be the most caring in the field, but there was a certain incident that left quite a mark on his memories. Naturally, it was from his rookie days when he was still easily caught out by strange things. A short time after the biting incident, he was told to help out one of the doctors with one of the patients. Thinking that he might learn something that could come in handy (such as doing his own stitches), he went along with it. Little did he know that the patient in question had been wearing a straitjacket for almost a year, with few breaks in between, and had to have his arm amputated from the hand to the elbow. The doctor said something about a blood clot, though it was hard to believe when clearly enough blood was still able to flow out during the procedure. Akio has avoided that particular doctor ever since.


 


Strange enough, despite his love for crime and murder that practically rules all aspects of his life - Akio was never really one for long-term torture. He could handle the classic pulling of nails or a screw through the foot, anything sudden. Though when it came to times that the victim had to suffer for months on end - it just irks him. He can't help but imagine himself going through it - as if the daily routine he had settled into over the past few years hadn't been torture enough. A few hours or a day of pain was still acceptable in his murder-story mind, but closer to a week? It gave him shivers. When reading these parts he would bite his tongue and curl his toes in an attempt to get rid of the ants crawling up his spine.


But was it an addiction? No. Was any of this a problem? It's not a problem if it doesn't need a solution.


 


"If this world was about what we have to do and what not, then I would be sitting in university while applying for fancy, normal people jobs. I'm sure you know that it always comes down to what one wants to do, in the end." He clicked his tongue - as if he hasn't thought of getting help before. Unfortunately, counsellors were only good for making new problems and solving those ones instead of facing the actual issue. Also, he can't afford going to one.


"I was going to get the cell down the hall, but it seems that we're all full at the moment. I'll have to watch the addiction by myself for now, meaning that I'll continue to do as I please. We all have problems, anyway."


 


Akio sat up, letting go of Izzy while he made gestures with his hands. "Now turn around with your back towards me. I'm sure that it will be simple enough for you to do. You can talk, but one more reference to doctors and I'll make sure that you'll be sent to a real one. I bet that would be quite the party. If you have nothing smart to say then just get busy eating parts of  your dinner that look like it won't kill you."

 

[Kaicep]

Hi! It's perfectly fine ((: Glad you're back!


This was meant to come with an update but I've been really busy due to football season and school and whatnot. I should have it done soon, sorry!

 

[Throane]

Haha, yay! This pretty much made my day!


Take your time, I don't mind waiting since I made you wait for so long x_x ^^ Really sorry about that!

 

[Kaicep]

(Aw! And lol really it's no problem at all. xc this reply is still really late. Oops. ;-



Izzy was still and cooperative as he moved his arm slowly with the warden’s guidance. He wouldn't do anything brash, as already stated. The muscle was a little sore and stiff, but not anything completely detrimental. Hell, he’d already done a cartwheel. 
Izzy gushed at Akio. “Your concern is endearing~ but no, no aches or pains outside of what having one’s arms wrapped around them stiffly for a while would feel like.” He tsked. “I still hate the damn thing.” Izzy jutted his lip in an angry pout and looked away. 



The straight jacket was undoubtedly the worst thing to happen to him in the nuthouse. Shock therapy was enjoyable, the highlight of his week. It didn't really work, Izzy just liked the exhilarating pain and rush that came from it. Which ended up freaking the doctors out and they gave up. How sad. They no longer entertained Izzy that way, which left him to do nothing more than entertain them by jostling around madly and biting his tongue occasionally while the cameras watched. 



Izzy tilted his head curiously at Akio. “Guess you're right there. Nobody could really make me do anything, and I guess wanting was my reason for doing what I do.” He giggled. “See, the doctors don't get that. I slaughtered people because I wanted to. I love seeing the look in their eyes as life drains and they plead with you until the blood trickles out of their lips. The satisfying crunch of a throat or spinal column, or even ripping someone's chest open and letting them watch you do it.” He grinned fangedly. “But you're smart, so you'd understand.”
Yes, Mister Akio would understand the struggle between wanting and having. The two meanings that rival back and forth in the life of more normal and free people than Izzy. 



“True, I guess all humans have problems.” He yawned. “But that's why the sonder is so wonderful when you take a life, all those mazes suddenly crumple.” He squished his hands together as if crushing an origami creation. “But I'll save all the pretty details for later, ‘kay?” 



Izzy frowned deeply and rolled his eyes as he sat upright and turned around toward the tray. “I. Am. So. Wounded. After all this great quality time and conversation, my favorite warden won't trust me enough to have me eat facing him!” He said it like a reality TV star would talk about something petty and overly dramatic, but did as he was told. 
Izzy pouted and poked a lump of something on his tray. “Don't have to be such a meanie! I won't call you ‘doc’ anymore if it really bothers you that much. Maybe the doctors would be nicer. But it's too late now, I already picked you~” He said the last line in a singsong voice before attempting to eat one of the piles. It didn't affect him as much as it might've someone else, but it wasn't the best thing he'd ever eaten. Izzy hadn't really eaten anything in a few days, actually. His frame was even more slender and sickly beneath the white clothing, rib cage sticking out slightly. It would take a little while to rebuild his strength, but he was sure he could do it. 



“Alrighty, Aki-dearest, what’s next? Maybe you have some more questions or want a little story time before you run off to pay your side of the deal? Just tell me how this is gonna play out, do-- Aki-love.” He smirked to himself, not being able to see his face and not being very happy about it. Truthfully he was becoming filled with excitement at sharing some of his stories, so he hoped that Akio would get him what he wanted soon. It almost made him drool. 


@Throane

 

[Throane]

Hey! Long time no see! ^^ I'm almost done with exams on my side, so replies shouldn't take too long. But don't worry if you don't have time or anything o3o ))


Aw, Akio almost felt bad for the guy when he pouted. Almost. Despite his grim interests he couldn’t find it in himself to actually pity the guy. As if Izzy would be able to do anything with pity anyway. No, it would only lead to Akio being manipulated more than he already is. He felt that the more Izzy figured out about him, his habits and his personality, the more thorns would get caught in his skin until he couldn’t get away. He’d practically become a puppet to the psycho. (He’s seen it happen in a book before, and it did not end well.)


Personally he had nothing against the guy when he really thought about it. Sure, one would naturally assume that they hated a murderer, but Akio didn’t have the time or energy to actively hate someone for no personal reason. He already had people he disliked, with plausible explanations as to why. He didn’t need to add another name to the list just yet. Hopefully. Being teased and somewhat persuaded into doing chores wasn’t enough to make him hold a grudge (for too long.)


Izzy didn’t really bother him (other than disturbing his soul when he speaks.) He saw Izzy as a perfectly sane, insane person. Perhaps it wouldn’t make so much sense if he said it out loud, but in his mind it was how he would describe the guy. The warden thought of him as too aware of things, such as how society works and people’s behavior, and by knowing these things – it’s all too easy to break their rules as well. For instance – a college student would be focusing on school fees, upcoming tests and projects. They would worry about their future and stress about the present. They would get upset when a professor shouts at them, and they would feel overjoyed when they do well in a test. Just like that, people are ruled by their emotions. As modern as the day may be, people still functioned on their instincts and what they have been taught.


But someone like Izzy has already climbed higher than that kind of mindset. Why feel angry when you don’t have to? Why act insane if your mind is twisted? Why feel bad if someone dies.. when you can choose not to? Unless he really is just crazy.


Akio may have thought of these things, but he knew that he was very much stuck in the loop like everyone else.  His problem is that instead of taking advantage of the knowledge – he just spends his time contemplating it and wondering if others have done just that.


You think too much, Akio.


What did bother him though was the look and smell of the food he had been carting around the whole day. He couldn’t stomach the thought of watching Izzy eat that stuff, which was one of the reasons he told the nutjob to turn around. (Having food thrown at him for whatever reason didn’t sound too appetizing either.) He was starting to feel that if he didn’t take a break from making eye-contact with Izzy; his mind might just be read. He had too many things under a lock and key that Izzy might just try to pry out of him. The nutjob had already gotten this far.


The warden cleared his throat, wishing he could get the smell of the food out of his nose. The sound of Izzy chewing was also starting to reach his ears – the room itself was starting to get on his nerves. But he was determined not to let it get to him. No way. Not the food or Izzy’s selection of names he’s heard so far. Not even his own spiteful thoughts that always bother him at the wrong times.


“I can fetch the beanbags that you want.”


He announced before moving to stand. His voice was quite monotone – he didn’t want to sound excited at the thought of getting to hear a gruesome story so soon. He needed to remind himself to watch.. well, himself. It seemed to be easy for the patients here to find out what’s beneath the mask he often tries to wear.


The warden was thankful that Izzy couldn’t see his face at the moment, because his very expression might just betray his thoughts.