[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.]

Comments

[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."