[closed] When all turns out to be unjust, then I'll turn back and help you out

[powerdealer]

Seth is having a familiar dream. He's sitting in an underground interrogation room, cuffed hands resting on the cold metal table. Head bowed, eyes fixed on the table. Waiting. He's alone, but who knows who's on the other side of a one-way mirror next to him.

Elsewhere, as Daniel enters the dream, Seth casts him as someone being shown around the rebel base, perhaps as some sort of inspector, or someone who's just gotten their security clearance upped. The man showing him around is some sort of doctor, or a supervisor, probably both.

"Our next prisoner, J-19, has been working with us for three and a half months now. Doing good work, mostly compliant these days, though he can get a bit unruly sometimes," the man says, leading the way down one of the many underground corridors.


[Warning: ...I don't even know what all to warn for. Imprisonment, abuse, torture, temporary paralysis, NPC death, guns, a lot of emotions, sensory overload, suicide mentions... It's heavy.]

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[peacefulexplorer]

Daniel accepts the coffee gratefully. The first sip burns his tongue and the contents are only a notch above instant grounds in quality and it is glorious. The caffeine almost immediately starts clearing away the remaining sleep muddling his brain.

He retrieves a shirt from the bag and tugs it over his head one-handed with a little difficulty, doing his best not to maneuver his bad shoulder around too much. Now more reasonably clothed, Daniel turns his attention back to Seth and grins a little when he sees the almost reverent enjoyment he seems to be deriving from the croissant.

The grin fades when Daniel remembers why such a small thing would be so immense for him.

"Been a while?" he tries to smile again, a sympathetic quirk of one corner of his mouth, but it mostly comes out pained. Everything feels like a detail. Objectively this is what many would refer to as a quintessentially "normal" life but for Seth this is a vast, vast differentiation from what he's been forced to get used to for the past three and a half months. And Daniel's worried - of course he is - about the period of adjustment.

[powerdealer]

Seth inclines his head a little, mouth full of croissant. That and he's still trying to wind down from having to deal with all those shop keepers. Funny how difficult completely regular social interaction becomes when... Well.

"There's for you too," he says, pushing the bag a little in Daniel's direction.

[peacefulexplorer]

"Mm. Thanks." He fishes the second croissant out and registers for the first time that he is actually extremely hungry. Suddenly Seth's almost awed reaction seems completely justified.

As little as Daniel wants to bring up the next topic, he knows it's necessary.

"So," he begins tentatively, "how long do you think we should stay here?"

[powerdealer]

"Not long, two-three hours at most," he answers, shaking his head a little. He takes another bite, pausing before continuing. "In case they can track your phone or your card. I've paid cash for everything, including room, so they can't pinpoint us, but they might have our area."

There aren't that many hotels nearby, so if they come around asking... Well, Seth doesn't want to risk it. He's had trouble thinking about anything but what to do next, so he's already formed out a bit of a plan, one step at a time.

[peacefulexplorer]

"Good plan." It makes sense that they should stay moving until they've put quite a bit of distance between them and the base. They're going to have to keep their heads down for a while. It's a solid short-term plan in the technical respect.

But that's not what Daniel's most concerned about. He takes another, larger swallow coffee in preparation for his next question, which he's already asked several times but has nearly every time been stonewalled with monosyllabic responses or wordless nods. Daniel can understand the laconicism, but that doesn't mean he won't address it.

"And how're you holding up?"

[powerdealer]

Seth frowns, considering. He's doesn't know how to answer or explain, how to measure how he's feeling, without going into painfully honest detail. And he's not sure how he'd cope with being painfully honest at the moment, or if that will change anytime soon.

"I dunno," he answers, warming his hands on the coffee, glancing up at Daniel. "I'm... I'm not sure how to answer that," he adds honestly. He's not sure he can really summarise. And perhaps it's just.. that he's felt close to a mental breakdown for so long, it's hard to judge accurately. He might break down any moment, or he might actually be coping just fine, all things considered.

[peacefulexplorer]

"It's okay." Daniel regrets asking a little, but he doesn't know when they'll get the next opportunity to talk about any of it. "We'll stay ahead of them and, and I'll do whatever I can to help. We'll get out, far away as we have to. Whatever you need."

He doesn't know how far verbal consolation will go. At the very least it gives Daniel the illusion that they have goals for the longer term.

And then he just keeps going, because the caffeine has loosened his filter considerably.

"I'm sorry, bringing this up wasn't really, uh. Look, you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here and I'll, I'll stop pushing it." He stands, downing the remainder of his coffee in record time, and silently berates himself for his supreme lack of tact.

[powerdealer]

It's strange, how he ends up wanting to comfort and reassure Daniel, when Seth is the one who's probably in worst condition here. He almost feels guilty, whenever Daniel thinks he's said something wrong. But he's rational enough to know that Daniel wouldn't be here if he didn't want to be. He just seems to care so intensely, it keeps throwing Seth off.

"I don't mind you askin'," he says, fiddling with his cup. "I, uh, I appreciate it. I'm just... Having trouble sorting it out for myself, I suppose. Not used to talking about stuff." He used to be better at this. He thinks he used to be.

[peacefulexplorer]

"And that's okay, that's...you've been through a lot. And you're not, I don't know, obligated to talk about any of it. I just wanna be able to help and that feels like the only way I can."

One hand half-raises to make some illustrative gesture but folds into a loose fist and drops while Daniel stands and tries not to pace and radiates muted frustration.

It's the one thing he can do, after all - talk endlessly and pointlessly, even when it's in his best interest to remain silent. It's that urge to do something, to help, even when he knows he logically can't. Words can't make everything reparable and they can't do much for Seth now besides offer empty comfort.

[powerdealer]

"But you are helping," he answers, sounding surprised. "If it weren't for you, I'd still be down there."

No one in their right mind would suggest Daniel wasn't helping enough. They both know it won't magically get better, but just by mere fact of not being locked up, he's improving. And not just that, but having someone who obviously cares how he is, someone Seth can actually rely on and trust, that's practically a miracle.

[peacefulexplorer]

"It's the fallout that worries me the most," Daniel admits quietly. "I still don't know - everything. They wouldn't even give me certain details. And I'm not saying you need to tell me, because you don't and you shouldn't feel like you have to, but this is, well."

The words are heavy. This is a lot. It's really a lot, and Daniel...doesn't know what to do.

"We should probably, uh," he mutters, suddenly self-conscious, "clear out pretty soon. Give us a head start."