mistconduct | Issue #30

Issue #30

[Private to Barbara Gordon]

How do you take this shit, Barb? How the fuck do you keep going?

[Private to Infirmary Staff]

So what's the plan, Docs? I'm getting fucking bedsores. I want out.

[Private to Vesper]
Hey. Can we.

Look, pick up the phone. Just.

Can we talk?

[Later, public]

[He's still getting drugged every night, as much for his mental health as his physical. It's easier to get through the days when you're on a cocktail of anti-depressants.

This, however, has its disadvantages. Mainly that Chris is so exhausted that he sleeps through the night, unaware of his warden item beeping underneath the bed. The teddy bear - yes, his warden item is a slightly charred teddy - is recovered in the morning, still beeping, when Chris wakes up.

It's alarming, how he can go from sleepy and lackadaisical to fucking pissed in a single instant]

Who the FUCK killed Slevin?!

You assholes, I swear to FUCKING god, I will fucking come out of this bed and murder the shit out of you! Where the fuck is my inmate and who the fuck is responsible for this bullshit?! You think just because I'm in the infirmary doesn't mean I won't come there and murder you back, you utter shithead?!

Fuck. Someone get me a fucking wheelchair, or crutches, or whatever. Who saw him last?!

Jesus christ, you're a fucking pack of animals!

[After Slevin's been found]

Call off the search, his body turned up in the inmate showers.

Whoever did this; you're fucking dead. You hear me? You can't fucking run on a ship, dumbass. I'm coming for you.

Fuck everything.

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No he won't.

And if he does, I'll deck him.

Don't deck him. There's been enough goddamn violence lately.

Point.

Look, we're-- loading up now, I'll be up there in a few minutes with Bruce.

Okay.

Fuck whoever did this. At least we know it wasn't suicide or an accident.

[ Eventually, they're all back-- Megamind and Bruce wet, Megamind pale. Slevin's body is covered to preserve his dignity and other people's sensibilities. ]

[Sinking slowly back down into the wheelchair Cassel was kind enough to make for him, Chris stares at the covered body of his inmate, hollow and at a temporary loss for words]

[ Megamind is fast to come over, not wanting to be by the body anymore than he has to be. Instead, he comes over to reach out and grasps Chris's shoulder, before he checks on Eddie just to make himself feel better. ]

I don't think this is about you, Chris. I think this is-- somebody being very, very sick on the barge.

Yeah, fucking right.

[He can't look at the body for long without feeling sick, and buries his head in his hands, breathing slowly with measured time]

Thanks for finding him. Fuck..

Edited 2013-10-09 01:21 (UTC)

[ Megamind takes his hands away to peel out of his damp gloves, tucks them into his belt so they hang, limp, by his hip. Then he brushes his fingers against Chris's hair, trying to be soothing. ]

No problem. What are neighbors for?

[With a grunt, Chris leans to the side to drop his head against Megamind's hip]

I don't know. This shit goes above and beyond the call of neighbor duty.

Yeah, I can't lie. Pretty much hit my limit of gory bodies and trauma to last me the rest of the year in the last couple of weeks.

[ He can't even keep up his on-stage voice; it's softer, deeper -- ironically, somewhat more masculine than usual. But he doesn't shy from Chris's touch - he needs it too. ]

This keeps up, Riddick's going to scruff us all, dump us in his cabin and lay on us until the bad crap starts... being bad at somebody else.

..Sorry. Between...fucking me, and my inmate...god damn it.

[He hugs tight to Megamind, and it's oddly reminiscent of when he was a toddler all those months ago, begging for his dad]

[ Megamind's happy to hold on-- or rather, he needs to. All this is super stressful, frustrating, and scary, and having Chris there, alive and safe, is important to him. ]

I know.

I know.

But I also know what I signed up for when I came on as a warden, Chris. Not everybody did.

[ Poor Scott. ]

[With a guilty grimace, Chris pulls away, tucking his hands under his arms]

If I'dve known he was going to be like that, I wouldn't have asked you to bring New Guy.

Yeah, well, I --

-- I already uhm --

Look, I was kind of mean to him, and already crushed his optimism about this earlier, so it's not just on you.

[ Sure, he invited him over for beer and video games after but still. ]

It's easy to be mean to him. It's Barge hazing, we all go through it.

Maybe I should go talk to him.

I'd let him have his down time. Get it processed. Worry about Slevin for now; Scott will understand.

Though-- you are a like age, you two might try... being friends.

We are friends.

Oh. Well, good. Then you won't mind if I bring him over again for video games and stuff, because I think he's going to be put through the meatgrinder sooner rather than later here.

[ He's just so damn innocent. Megamind knows how the Barge can grind that out in you... he had it happen over time. ]

You're replacing me?

[Even here, he manages a joke. Even if it's a shitty one he doesn't feel like laughing about]

Replacing you? What, no, never. [ He grins, and it's weak but he's trying, because Chris is trying. ] Merely training him in case you bug out on me. He's a spare.

[ ...yeah it doesn't really sound that funny, but he's... trying. Really. ]

Pssh. Scotty-dog can't measure up for shit..

[He buries his head against Megamind again, willing himself not to cry]

[ Megamind just falls into silence, gripping the boy tighter. This isn't fair, it isn't right, they're just kids, why are they here-- He's had to face the question with his own life, looking back, and the answer is always: It's not fucking fair, and never will be. ]

You've help me set such a high bar in my proteges, [ his voice is tight, but he's trying to play it off, make another joke ] you can't really blame him when he fails to meet my outrageous expectations.

[With a choked laugh, Chris finally draws away, rubbing at his eyes]

Doesn't stand a fucking chance...

Not a one. [ He ruffles the boy's hair, smiling-- it's tight, strained, but he's doing it, goddamn it. ]

Look, once we nab this inmate-carving jerk -- why don't you come stay with me for a while? Place is empty without Eddie around, and Angus will keep you company. You can get used to the wheelchair and we can work on your leg design together.

You can get out of the infirmary, get some change of scenery.

[ And I can keep you safe. ]

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