striketwice | reverie⚡inbox

Clearly the Warden didn't think so.

[Smiles serenely.]

The Warden also thinks you're an "ungrateful little shit."

[ The Warden isn't wrong on that, as far as Alec is concerned, but it still touches a nerve. He very, very carefully keeps it from showing, shrugging in that nonchalant way of his. ]

Just because some of mine are fake doesn't mean they all are. Doesn't mean all yours are, either.

So you’re admitting to being an ungrateful little shit?

[He seems more amused than anything else, Henry’s demeanor rarely changing.]

I never said mine were all fake, or even exaggerated. I just disagree about the part with the kids, is all.

Maybe when I was a kid. I'm still not sure how that counts as a crime.

[ Another shrug ]

Maybe you and the kids saw it differently.

Maybe just more of an annoyance to those getting to know you.

And now you’ve got me second-guessing myself. Here I thought they liked me and trusted me.

Come on, buddy, be honest. Did you like or trust anybody in that lab?

Any of the adults? No.

[—he supposes that might be how the children saw it, too, but.]

But I understood what those kids were going through, more than anyone else there.

[ Casually, as he folds his omelet over in the pan, ]

I really hate to break it to you, but you're an adult too.

Please don’t lump me in with the other adults there.

I'm not. I'm just saying a frightened twelve-year-old might.

You’re not going to let me have this one, are you? I did what I could, with what I had to work with.

I'm sure you did. I'm just offering you a different perspective.

[ He tips the omelet onto a plate, grabbing up a fork to take to the table. He'll clean up in a little bit. ]

[He doesn’t seem to have a response to that, but he does follow him with his eyes, still.]

You know, I could eat.

[ Alec pauses halfway into his chair, his eyes flicking up to Henry. ]

Could you now.

I could. If someone was nice enough to share.

"Nice" and "share" aren't in my vocabulary.

Then… if someone wanted to get me out of their hair.

Looking for a bribe, huh?

[ He makes a face, his expression saying "yeah, okay." ]

At least that's a language I speak. Grab a plate.

Great.

[Success. Henry moves to grab a plate--bright pink, because of course it is--and some silverware, then wanders over to an empty spot at the table.]

Might as well start making use of our new dishware.

[ He and Alec have matching plates because there is literally nothing else to pick from, and Alec isn't so insecure as to scoff at a pink plate. ]

Sucks we only got about half the stuff I asked for.

[ Anyway, he cuts that omelet in half and slides a portion onto Henry's plate. A generous bribe. ]

[Henry doesn't mind the pink, either. He thinks it's... novel.]

We can only do one room at a time.

[That is a generous bribe. He scoots his plate closer to himself.]

So next time, then. The common room can be just as nice as the kitchen.

[ For being a basic bitch omelet tossed together at 3 in the morning, it's pretty good. Alec knows his way around a kitchen. ]

Guess so. I just wanted to see if the powers that be had any sympathy to spare for us poor newbies.

[ He makes a motion toward Henry with his fork ] And the poor saps who got stuck with the newbies.

So now you have your answer: they don’t.

[Well, time to try this omelet! A bite or two in, and Henry thinks it’s pretty good. Admittedly, his bar isn’t high these days, but it’s abundantly clear that Alec knows what he’s doing.]

Not bad.

Yeah, I should've figured.

[ Alec digs into his own half of the omelet. He shrugs a shoulder, apparently "not bad" is his own assessment as well. ]

They held out on the spices I asked for, too.

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