The Common Room Showing 601-650 of 1,208

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Julie shrugged. She could understand, she supposed, about needing order within one's room. Her own was meticulously kept organized. "So," she said, to change the subject, "what do you do for fun around here? There doesn't seem to be a lot of things like computers or TVs. Do the doctors offer you anything to do at all?"

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"Ah, no." Cadenza laughed. "They don't offer us anything. We're kind of on our own."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Hmm." For a moment, Julie's expression was one of thought. Then her eyes lit up and she snapped her fingers. "I know! I brought a ball over from home--we could play fútbol!" Self-consciousness overtook her then, and a slight blush colored her cheeks. "I mean, if you'd like to."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Cadenza smiled again at the sweet girl. "That'd be fun. I'd love to."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Estupendo!" Julie broke into a wide smile, her enthusiasm at the news quite obvious. "When is good for you?"

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"Any time," said the blonde haired girl with a smile. "I'm never really doing anything."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Why not tomorrow, then?" Julie turned her head to nod at the window, through which the sun was brightly streaming. "It's not cold out for once, and the park is very big. We could turn it into a field and play then."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"Sounds like a lovely time," Cadenza said with a wide smile.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Julie beamed. "That's great. Thank you, Cadenza." She stood, and turned towards the common room's door. "I'll leave you to your thoughts now," she said. "I hope you feel better. "¡Hasta mañana!" was called over her shoulder as she walked out, looking happier than she had ever been on the grounds.

((Fade?))

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

((fade.))

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

The infamous, though certainly not in a good way, Roxie, sat sprawled across the couch closest to the fire. While she wasn't asleep, her pale eyes were closed and blonde hair baoked up in the hand her head was resting on. She seemed at peace, her breaths deep and even and her posture relaxed.

Dark, tight jeans clad the legs of the tall blonde, and they were accompanied by a blood-red boustier and a black cardigan; typical Roxie clothes. Her feet were bare, with the black boots kicked off to the side of the couch.

She had been more relaxed lately. Less uptight, less threatening, less arrogant, if that's even a possibility. She even had a little smile in place, maybe a smirk, but closer than usual.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

A heavy thump on the couch revealed Jason as he plopped down next to the relaxed black marketeer. "Hey, blondie," he said, smacking her gently on the hip, "this isn't your bedroom. If you wanted to nap, you should have gone there." His voice was teasing, even light, and he was smiling with a cheerfulness he more often showed Cleo. It pained and disgusted him, in all reality, to have to play nice around Roxie--but if it would get his weapons back, he would do whatever he had to, even if it meant teasing the girl. He was sure Cleo could understand even that; she knew how important his things were to him. Besides, he reminded himself, it would be over with soon. It had to be.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Roxie smiled a little, and the blonde lazily opened her striking green gaze. She turned head full of platinum towards Jason, giving him a teasing glare before resting her head back down on the pillow.

"I do what I want," she countered with a little smirk, the teasing lilt still in her tone. "And I don't need you sassing me about it."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Really? Then I suggest you get the fuck over it." Jason smirked and again gave her a teasing smack. "This is what I do. Besides, you know I'm right--I wasn't kidding earlier when I said there were people who would be perfectly ready and willing to hurt you if you ever let your guard down." It was a subtle hint, a bit of foreshadowing; but by the look of him, the sociopath was teasing. It had become significantly easier to manipulate the blonde of late, and make her think that he was pretending to try and get to her when he really wasn't. Such were the benefits of acting, he supposed.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Roxie sighed a little. "I know, I know, you tell me all the time." She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and chuckled a little.

Innocent as ever to the foreshadowing, Roxie smirked. "You gonna give me names yet, so I know who to hunt down?"

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"That would ruin the show, so nope." Jason popped the 'p' and grinned. "I like making you work for your rewards, blondie. Somehow, it's just hilarious to watch you try to figure shit out on your own." No more hints today, the sociopath decided--she might begin to catch on. No, he was just going to go for a bit of flirting now, teasing, maybe something bigger if Roxie took the bait. They were going towards the next level now, and Jason figured it couldn't hurt to encourage her if she stepped up to the plate.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Roxie pursed her lips a little, and rolled her eyes. "Lame," she said, drawing out the word and making a little face.

But Roxie fell silent, and rested her head back down upon her arm. Pale green eyes closed. Roxie didn't know what she considered her relationship with Jason to be; she would almost call it a friendship, though she seemed very inexperienced in the area and so wasn't very sure. But for now, she was comfortable. Happy, peaceful, and comfortable. And certainly not suspicious in any way.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Just to play it up a bit, Jason scooted across the couch to get closer to the limber girl. He poked her gently in the side. "Well, now that you've said that, you know I can't just let it go," he said, smirking. "Quit taunting me with your effortless relaxation, woman. You're making me jealous--I can't get a wink of sleep around here."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"So you have to disturb be from mine?" Roxie didn't open her eyes, and her tone was lazy, but she smirked a little. "Why would you be so cruel?"

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Because. It's my thing." At this particular tease, Jason couldn't help but laugh. It was a favorite pastime of his, but that wasn't what he found so funny--it was just Roxie's obliviousness (even sheer ignorance by this point) of the truth. She had no idea how deep the rabbit hole really went.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Roxie frowned. "Stoooooooop," she muttered, laughing a little. "Just let me sleep. You rascals never let us have break."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Pssst. Hey." Jason tapped her shoulder and leaned forward, so that his lips were brushing the girl's ear. "I wanna tell you something: cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get the fuck over it." The last part was said with an amused, teasing chuckle, meant only for the blonde's ears. In the back part of his mind, he still had his reputation to worry about, after all.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"You're such an asshole," she said with a teasing tone, laughing a little. "Why do I even bother with you."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"I dunno." Jason grinned and leaned back, shrugging his shoulders and raising his hands in a helpless gesture. "You tell me. I can't read your mind, for all my splendor."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"Well, I can certainly keep secrets too," Roxie said with a little grin. She opened her eyes to peek at Jason with a little laugh accompanying her smile.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Jason gave a snort and stuck out his tongue. "Fine," he said with a good-natured scoff, "don't tell me. See if I care." But he was grinning, and the amusement in his eyes was obvious. Just a little bit farther, and I think that's it for today. We're making good progress.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"Fine," Roxie agreed with a little chuckle. "You don't need to know anyways."

((derp.))

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

((Fade.))

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Raven had been in this room for a long time. Sitting, watching--waiting. The common room was a crowded place; it was almost constantly teaming with patients, many of whom he knew. Many of whom he could toy with. Boredom had drove him out among other human beings more often than not these days, and he saw fit to amuse himself by fracturing minds. He now sat in one of the room's plush chairs, leg crossed over leg, his head back, his gaze wandering lazily around the place, scanning the faces for a new candidate for a game. So far, no one (interesting) had turned up--but this was the common room, and he knew it was only a matter of time.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

With the absence of her nurse becoming more and more of a frequent thing, Cadenza was often found on her own, which in itself was a rarity. The OCD patient hardly ever left her perfect bedroom, as most things outside sent her into a panic. But as of late, she had been doing better and better, only just a little. Enough to let her out of her room on her own.

The short haired girl was in a generally good mood. She had a little smile in place, waving at the many patients she recognized and chirping friendly hellos. Her icy gaze, which was framed by her platinum locks that had been growing just a little shaggy, fell upon Raven, and Cadenza pursed her lips a little.

She had never really ran into the Indian, though she heard horror stories. Without much thought going into the process, Cadenza took one of the many seats around the boy, ignoring the wary looks of those around her, and offering a small smile.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

It took a moment for Raven to notice the small girl out of the corner of his eye, but when he did he turned his head and offered a small smile in return. It wasn't much of a friendly expression, just an automatic sort of response, but there wasn't yet any malice in it either. As he'd thought, it had been only a matter of time. "Hello, Cadenza."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"Raven," she said as a greeting in a quiet tone, just slightly inclining head. She crossed one leg over the other, and leaned back rather comfortably in the dead center of the chair. She ran a hand through her shaggy locks, mentally taking note that they needed to be cut. She said nothing more to the killer, though her eyes flashed towards him a few times.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"How are you? Faring better now than you have been, I hope." This was not a statement said for the sake of politeness, but rather a subtle hint: the recent drama involving this girl of late had not gone unnoticed. Raven was actually quite curious to know more--he'd only heard rumors, here and there, and had seen little. A tearful Cadenza leaving the basement in an angry huff, the barely suppressed resentment that had come to so often claim Yvette's expression these days, Domonic's new impatience and even slight verve. That was all. There was no telling what his thoughts might have been from the look of his eyes, but it was clear in the slight tilt of his head to one side that he wasn't just trying to make small talk.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Her pale brows knitted together as her icy eyes narrowed just a little bit. Suspicion colored her gaze, but Cadenza remained amiable.

"I've been much better, thank you."

A little curt force was put behind her words, subtly suggesting she didn't want to talk about it. A pale hand habitually brushed her hair back, and even a small smile was offered.

"And yourself?" Small talk. Out of politeness and manners alone had Cadenza asked after the Indian. Being friendly never hurt, especially not when around the dangerous.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Raven chuckled. "Better than most," he said--that was true, at least. Of course, he hadn't exactly been keeping himself out of his own little dramas. Felix and Ruby and Morgan could all bear testament to that. A small smile was aimed at Cadenza; friendlier than most. Sometimes it was easier to ease them into the games. "And your boyfriend? How is he? Having...problems, last I heard. So to speak."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Cadenza pursed her lips a little, biting the inside of her lip out of nervous habit and even frowning a little. She wrung her hands together, and yet shrugged the situation off. "It's fine. We're fine."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Are you?" The smile turned from friendly to amused to disbelieving. "That's not quite the truth, I don't think. Have you seen your boy lately? He's fiercer now than he's ever been--and to Domonic, that's certainly saying something." A light chuckle escaped Raven with the thought, and he nodded a little at her hands. "Nervous tic?" he guessed. "What's wrong, Cadenza? Did you and Domonic have a little spat?"

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Her icy gaze looked anywhere but at the Indian in front if her. She made an effort to still her hands at Raven's comment, though her thumbs continued to play together.

"We're fine," she insisted, pulling her legs up beside her and resting get combined hands atop a knee.

In all reality, Cadenza hadn't spoken with Dominic, hadn't seen him in days; the two had not been with each other since the incident. While she generally seemed to be handing the situation well, she was still easily breakable.

Especially when people pushed her, like Raven.

"And pardon my rudeness," she continued, "But it's not really your business."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Raven only smiled. "Not my business," he repeated. He shrugged. "A lot of people like to tell me that around here, and I tell them all the same thing--you make it my business when you respond to my questions. I'm an awfully curious boy, Cadenza. I make all the happenings of this asylum by business sooner or later." He leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and looking quite comfortable. "Now, since you know that, I'd like you to tell me: what happened between you and your nurse in the basement a few weeks ago?"

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

"It's none of your business."

Her icy gaze flashed up towards the Indian, brows knit together and lips pursed into a frown.

Gentler, almost timidly, Cadenza added: "Nothing happened. Nothing."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Raven laughed. "Your demeanor tells a different story." He leaned slightly forward, and now he was grinning. "If it's so unimportant, as you insist it is, why the frown? Why the glare? Nothing isn't worth hiding, sweetheart."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Cadenza dropped her gaze, icy eyes staring directly at her combined fists. She bit on one side of her plush lips, yet tried to keep her expression emotionless. It wasn't worth it. Though she certainly did want to talk, Raven wasn't one to talk to. It wasn't worth it.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Oh, come now." Gentle; coaxing. "I can't be that bad. What's the problem?" Raven reached out to tap her hand, to get her attention, and allowed the smile to drop from his lips. "You know I'm going to find out eventually," he reminded her. "Somehow, somewhere, in time. Why not from you? "

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Cadenza shook her head. "No. Nope."

The words were more of a self-reassurance, comfort to herself. She ran an almost shaky hand through her short blonde locks, and shook her head again.

"No. Not from me."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

Raven chuckled and leaned back. "All right, Cadenza. If you're sure." He stood, a new sort of smile twitching at the corners of his lips, and offered a hand. "It was nice talking to you," he said. And it had been--she had confirmed his suspicion that whatever had happened with Dom was important, and this was a good thing; it would give him a job to do, something to think about that wouldn't require a huge amount of thought, as Morgan and Felix and Ruby did. Getting to this girl and Domonic and Yvette was all too easy, after all.

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Cadenza frowned at the hand, and made a little face. Pale brows knitted together at his words.

"Don't-- no--"

She sighed, and leaned back into the chair. It would be futile to argue. She had an almost exhausted, defeated look in place.

"Okay. Whatever. Goodbye, Raven."

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

"Goodbye, Cadenza." The hand returned to his side, and Raven turned and walked away. The game had proved profitable--not in the sense of how much pain or discontent he may or may not have caused, but in the fact that his curiosity had been satisfied. The young girl with OCD had provided him a great service.

((Fade.))

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

The fragile blonde enjoyed the common room at earlier hours, as it provided a quiet, warm place of solitude. She seemed even comfortable where she was, with her long legs spread out across the couch and her arm dangling off of the side. Her pale gaze was closed, and the broken girl seemed almost normal. An unknowing eye would not have seen the different girl from where she lay prostate on the couch.

[Hope , I belong here more than they do.]

But Cat did see the different girl, from across the room in her own chair. Roxie. The two hadn't seen each other--much less spoken--since their last meeting in the graveyard so long ago. In all reality, the small girl had absolutely no idea what to think: whether to be pleased that her assailant had been punished, or angry with Silas for being so drastic, or guilty about the change in the blonde across the room because, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but blame herself for what had happened. She hated the mix of emotions that the blonde's appearance brought to her now, hated the confusion the entire situation brought. And so she sang, very quietly, to distract herself from the present:

"Play with it while you have hands
Dust settles, cities turn to sand
Trespassing, this is their land
Time flies, make a statement, take a stand

Come along now, come along with me
Come along now, come along and you'll see
What it's like to be free..."

[Annie, Have no fear of perfection-- you'll never reach it.]

Roxanne jumped a little; the blonde had thought she was alone. When her cloudy gaze fell upon the younger Frost, Roxanne froze.

Her pale gaze widened, and she bit down on her bottom lip out of habit. Very quickly, any appearance of comfort left the blonde. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her calves. She rested her head upon her knees and kept a rather wary gaze on Cat.

Please, please. Don't notice me. Don't talk to me. Not again.