[private] instead of stressed i lie here charmed.

[subversion]

It's a kitchen, deserted except for Light, who's ... more collapsed than sat at the table. His arm is resting on the surface, and his head is pillowed on it; the other hand is touching a half-eaten piece of toast - perfectly square, spread thinly with some kind of golden-yellow jam, and at least an inch thick.

Over the last week or two, it's got harder and harder to keep his temper; he keeps blowing up at people. It's intolerable; the solution he's chosen is to use (not abuse) some of the prescription sedatives in his medicine cabinet. He's been careful; he's started on the lowest dose, intending to titrate upwards. Unfortunately he didn't anticipate how severe the interactions with his usual medication were likely to be.

He's literally fallen asleep at the table.

[[OOC: private to stripesandheels.]]

Comments

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[At her touch, his skin crawls, and he tenses as if she's cut him. For all that he's still mostly dressed, she's into his personal space.

The compliment's not without difficulty, either: he knows he's smart, thank you, but other people tend not to believe it of him. It conjures voices from his past: Most intelligent people have accomplished more by your age, Yagami-san. She isn't judging him by himself, but by those others.]

Don't touch me. Don't.

[He can't pull away further without falling off the bed, but he retreats into himself.]

I have to do something, that's all.

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Turn over, look at me.

[She slides over, and kisses the spot between his shoulders. Her voice is still soft, her touch is still careful, and as soothing as she knows how to make it. She's not going to hurt him, not this time.]

Believe something for me? Everything is going to be all right. I know it hurts, but in a few hours, you won't hurt any more and everything will be right.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[Okay, that time he throws himself forward, out of the bed and onto the floor, twisting as he goes, eyes staring over the top of the bed in the dark. The pain, as his head moves, is nauseating; the tiny sob he can't quite bite back could easily have been a lot more. It's a few seconds before he can speak, and when he does, it's barely there. Empty, not angry.]

I told you once already. Get out.

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Okay.

[She climbs off the bed, off the other side.]

I'll put the prescription in the kitchen, in the pan we made the eggs in. I won't bother you again, Light, please don't worry.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[Against the bed, he's wrapped his head in his arms; it's bursting. Once she's out of his hair, he can rest and go at his own pace and put himself back together, tiny brick by tiny brick.

The voice that cackles in the background is a girl's voice: Nothing's going to be all right, never again. The politeness is odd, after what he just said; incongruous.]

Thank you.

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Okay. If you ever change your mind, you know how to find me, huh, kitten?

Take care.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't say anything more, just waits for her to leave, curled into his ball. As if he'd change his mind. She's nothing, after all.]