Haruko 'Ru' Mei Pang (ru_the_day) wrote in rrinitiative, @ 2013-02-13 22:54:00 |
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Entry tags: | day twelve, haruko, haruko and ryan, ryan |
trifling bitches
characters: Ru and Ryan
Setting: stairwell, just past midnight
Ryan finally left the infirmary, kissing Susanna's temple in a show of fondness before he left. Though he wasn't sure she was awake enough to remember, he promised to bring a change of clothes down for her so she could have something clean and comfortable to leave in. He’d already brought dinner earlier. It could only look good for him, and besides, he wanted to recon what happened to Meg so he could report back to Susanna.
He also wanted to shower and change his shirt. There was some blood on it, and he wanted to clean up and see if it was salvageable. He simply hadn’t taken the time to do it earlier, though it had bothered him.
He was headed up to his room, his mind on many things.
Ru was still wandering. She'd not fully explored the facility yet, but she was working on it. It was an interesting place, that was for certain. She knew she had people she wanted to speak with--Wu in particular. She'd spotted his name, and while it was technically possible that it was someone else, she didn't think it was. It filled her with a sense of contentment and relief, really. It had her wandering with a little hum going, a bounce in her step. She was just headed down the steps when she saw someone else in the stairwell, headed up. "Hello." she greeted warmly, a smile on her lips.
Ryan looked up as someone spoke, smiling politely. He didn't recognize her, but that didn't mean much anymore. "Hello," he greeted her back, warming his smile a little more as a proper response to hers. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Ryan," he said, holding out his hand.
“We have not.” Ru confirmed for him, coming closer to shake his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Ryan. I just arrived this morning. I’m still looking around, trying to figure out what I’m doing and where I’m going. I don’t suppose you have any tips for me in that area?” she asked, giving him a very slightly playful lilt to her tone.
"Welcome to the facility, then," he told her pleasantly, glad to have his hunch confirmed that she was new. "Tips, Hm," he said, pushing his mind from his other preoccupations and plans to this interaction here and now. Part of him hated being less than perfectly clean to be meeting someone new. Not to mention tired, since it was late, and feeling a bit scattered. "Well, tell the cook if you have allergies or such, she's pretty nice, and the doc if you have anything like that too, I suppose, though I recommend you skip the infirmary today unless you really need it," he told her. Last thing Susanna would want is more people, he thought, and he really didn't want to have more people down to that he'd have to be nice to. "Gym, pool, et cetera, you can find on the map." He shrugged and then added dryly, "Don't turn into a crazy person and stab anyone would be a good tip to give you." It was morbid, dry amusement, but it was the easiest sort to deal with right now.
Ru arched a brow at his statements. "Why should the clinic be avoided? I hadn't planned on going there, but it seems you've got something specific there...could it be due to the blood on your clothing? I assume that's blood, anyhow." she said, gesturing to the stains. "And if I'm disturbing you, I can leave you be. I didn't mean to intrude upon your time."
Ryan flicked a finger distastefully at the blood stains. "Some crazy bitch - pardon my language," he said, tipping an imaginary hat since he hadn't put his hat on today, "stabbed my friend Susanna. With a knitting needle." His lips pressed together in displeasure. Susanna was right, the bitch needed payback; but he was in more control than her for once, and he was going to counsel caution whenever they finally had a chance to talk. "No, you're fine, darlin'," he assured her. "I'm just a mite distracted by today's events so far, and tired from everything."
"Well that's an interesting little turn. I can imagine you would be distracted, with a friend getting stabbed. Does that sort of thing happen often?" she asked, not minding the swearing. She'd been part of a rather large criminal organization--swearing wasn't something to be offended about in her mind.
"I don't think anyone has been stabbed up until now," Ryan said after a moment of thought. Caroline had pretty much offed herself by slipping during her climb up the wall. Wren had been beat by crazy Kasper. A few other minor things he hadn't witnessed, he suspected. "As far as I know, a few cases of hands on hands has been it, really, though I could have missed something here or there."
Nodding, Ru took that in. "Interesting." she noted. "I suppose I will have to see how I fare here. Though so far it's been far more interesting than the prison I had been at. Or, interesting in nicely positive ways. From my observations so far, there don't appear to be affiliation groups?" she checked. It didn't look to her like gangs had taken over. She hadn't really seen even slight hints of them.
"No, nothing like that, at least yet. Diverse group of people, and most of them don't seem to have been in those to start with," he said, shrugging one shoulder. He'd been in a group, though more of a group that liked to get their way than anything. Not that he'd ever admit it in here.
"Most people wouldn't own up to that sort of thing in the first place." Ru said absently, unsurprised by the idea that people might not come off as if they were 'gang' people. People made compromises in prison. It was how it worked. "Interesting, still, that people haven't formed alliances here. Unless you think there are secret groups forming beneath the surface?" she asked, giving him a ever so slightly mischievous smile.
Ryan leaned against the wall slightly, lips turning just faintly. "I don't think such alliances are stereotypical prison alliances. More like more normal people type alliances," he said. "Friendships, fuckings," his eyes flickered with some warmth over her, faintly amused, "now these 'jobs' and such. So more like soap opera drama alliances, maybe. My mama always went on and on about those," he drawled.
"I imagine merely having both sexes involved in the same area changes things." Ru mused, mirroring his position as she leaned back against the stair railing. At his mention of soap operas, she had to laugh. "It sounds like I will have to keep on my toes." she commented with a smile. "Dramatics aside, this entire set up is fascinating, in it's own right. I'm not quite sure what to expect."
"It certainly seems to have stirred things up. Especially since some people have been in for quite awhile." And he didn't exclude himself from that. He'd certainly made some rounds and intended to keep doing so, though as he was counseled, to toe the line more carefully so he might actually get out of here at some point. He would try to control his desires, though being among women again made it hard--they were so tempting. "I don't think any of us know what to expect on any given day. The admins keep asking for input and then just putting their own thoughts into place anyway."
"Do you know what sort of ranges there are for how long people have been in?" Ru asked, curious. "How long were you in lock up for?" she asked, not sure he would answer, but she figured she'd give it a shot. It would be far more interesting if she actually got information from the man. "And they do their own thing? Didn't the message today say they were putting things in due to input? Was that bullshit?" she asked, having no real clue on that whatsoever.
"I think I heard someone say they had been put right in here from their trial, all the way to at least ten years in," he said, trying to remember what he'd read on the computers and such. He thought Wu might have been in for a long time, but he couldn't remember for certain. "So it's basically anything from shortest to quite awhile, really." At least according to what he could think. "Not quite three years," he said easily, not bothered by telling her that. He'd tell her what he was claiming to be in for with that same ease, lies coming to him just as easily as truth, if not easier. "They do, and they ask our input. Can't say I trust them one bit, though," he said honestly. He thought a lot of what they did was bullshit, but then he also wasn't a fan of them or of authority.
"Curious." Ru noted. "What were you convicted for?" she asked. "I had the most interesting conversation with quite the famous face this morning. Zach Briar. Now that was a fascinating conversation. But then, the nature of darkness always is, I suppose."
"Embezzlement. They said I stole a lot of money from my dad's clients and my dad's company. I said if I'd done that, I would have had a better lawyer," he said somewhat drily. "What about you? How long in, what'd you do?" he asked, thinking turnabout was fair play, and he was curious as well. His eyebrows raised a bit. The name rang a bell, but he couldn't put his finger on it offhand. "I don't think I've met him yet," he said.
"So you're claiming innocence?" Ru asked, arching a brow. "I know a lot of people who did that. That didn't mean they were. Not saying you aren't, by the way, just it's a little suspect. As for myself, I make no claims to be innocent. I was in for eleven months, though my sentence was life, without the possibility of parole." she continued. "As for my crime, I've been called a terrorist. If we want to get specific, I made the attempt to right a wrong, to exact a little vengeance on people who deserved it. My brand of vengeance came in the form of bombs."
"There's no reason to steal from my father. I was a partner in the company and I would have inherited everything if he'd died." Which meant killing him would have been much more profitable. It was also
the complete truth - the best lies were lies surrounded by the truth to seem more real, he'd learned that very young. "Besides, isn't it poor form to, what's the saying, shit where you eat?" he said, shrugging. "Ahhh. You made things go boom." Great, someone who blew shit up. Just what this place needed, now that they'd lost an arsonist. Warm fuzzy feelings, he thought sarcastically. "What were you avenging, if I might ask?"
"And logically, that makes perfect sense." Ru said. "But you could tell us anything, yes? Much like I could be lying about being a bomber. I did look to see on the computers if people's convictions were available, but it didn't appear they were. Or, I think I saw an older post where people volunteered information, but to be honest, there was so much to read I didn't go through with a fine toothed comb or anything." she admitted. "What I was avenging was the fall of an emperor, so to speak. There was betrayal involved. I don't do well with betrayal." She winked at him. "One could safely say I have trust issues, obviously."
"True. Anyone here could be lying about anything," he agreed, not letting his feathers get ruffled over it all. He appeared confident that he wasn't lying and shouldn't be doubted. "Yeah, it's all been information told up voluntarily. Some people haven't ever said," he said, and the flatness of his tone said he didn't trust them more than any of the rest. Really, people could at least come up with a decent lie. "We're prisoners, I think we all have trust issues," he agreed with a tone of amusement. "And there are worse reasons to blow things up, I suppose. It was unfortunate you were caught."
"I imagine there's truth in that." Ru said, smiling at him. "And you think so? That it was unfortunate?" she asked. "Now that's interesting. Most people would likely be relieved I was taken off of the streets, so I couldn't be planting bombs in their cars, or something." She stepped slightly closer to him, this part of the conversation truly and very clearly capturing her attention. "You think otherwise?"
"Well, it's unfortunate for you. One thinks one doesn't want to be caught doing something, right?" Ryan said, tilting his head at her, wondering if he should be wary. He was, generally, anyway, so he would just keep an eye on her. "Now, if you were blowing up my shit, or people I know, I'd have a definite issue. Of course, I was in construction, so building opportunities are always nice." That last was obviously a joke, even if there was a certain amount of truth. "I can just see the desire for revenge, is all." He never liked being crossed, and he'd taught a few lessons in the past. But he'd never been tempted to blow things up--that was too impersonal for him.
"I suppose no one wants to be caught doing something they shouldn't be." Ru agreed. "You understand the desire for revenge. Have you ever taken it yourself? Or are you speaking more abstractly?" she asked, curious. He was saying certain things that caught her attention and held it, and others that had her ever so slightly disappointed with the idea that he was possibly just a normal guy. Normal people were dull for her. She liked people with a little spice to them. Something interesting to explore. It wasn't that she wouldn't speak to him if he did turn out to be normal. He was certainly nice enough, and that sort of thing always had it's appeal. She'd just be more likely to put more effort in if he attracted her attention.
"You learn to take revenge in prison or you become an easy mark," Ryan said. "And I'm no one's bitch, so I struck back when I had to." Not that he hadn't done stuff before prison, but everything he said was true. "Can't say it wasn't satisfying, 'cause it was." He studied her a bit as they talked, finding her curiosity a bit odd - or rather, the things she was curious about.
With his handsome lines, she was imagining if he wasn't someone's bitch, then there had to be something dark in there. He was pretty. He'd be a hot commodity. It was interesting, the story he was weaving, here. She was positive there was a lot he was leaving out, because the pieces she was being given she wasn't sure quite fit together. So there had to be pieces she didn't have. Or he was just lying, which could in fact be the case. But she wasn't ruling anything out yet. "I imagine you had to do so quite often." she told him, deciding to let him in at least a little bit on her train of thought. "So, innocent man, how did that go for you? And if it was satisfying, did you develop a taste for it?"
"A few times. Once the point is made, though, generally most will back off," he said, lifting a shoulder in a shrug. "I never thought the saying was apt, that it was like a jungle in prison, but it really was. Luckily I've always had a good learning curve." His eyebrows raised at her question, showing innocent disbelief. Not real, but just about perfect because he did feel disbelief at the question. "A taste for it? Hardly, or at least not any more than a normal person who occasionally wants to hit something. What about you, darlin'? You into that kind of thing?" A small smirk played along his lips, making the question flirtatious rather than blunt.
"And how did you go about making a point so strong that everyone would leave such a handsome man be?" Ru asked. "Because let's face it. You're well put together. Soft features. Good cheek bones, nice eyes. I'm certain people looked your way a lot, wanting a little something from you. So, how exactly did you--mr. innocent of nothing untoward in the slightest especially nothing violent, with the charming lilt in his accent--suddenly find a ruthless nature so deep and dark that it impressed hardened criminals to leave you alone? Pardon my questions, it just doesn't quite seem to make sense to me at current. I'm sure I'm missing something. Care to indulge?" she posed.
"Darlin', just because I didn't get put away for something violent doesn't mean I was some Nancy little choir boy with dandy's hands and no sins on my soul," he drawled. "My father didn't raise a wuss. I wrestled and I boxed growing up, and even did football. I worked construction. I fought in bar brawls and skinned my knuckles more than once from the time I was in high school. And my daddy taught me long time ago, the first time someone tried to bully me in school, about life and sticking up for yourself - you beat down someone if they try something, you make it hurt, and you keep them there once, and they'll think twice about doing it again, and others will stick with you to keep from the same. His construction company ate up smaller ones in the recession. Same principle there except in business. I found it worked just as well in prison, and I didn't have to get my pretty face kicked in growing up or surviving there. Doesn't make me some monster criminal, but it kept me how I wanted to be, so I'm not going to be all ashamed of it either. I'm innocent of my crime, but it doesn't mean I haven't brawled or won a few fights when it's been my ass - literally, I suppose - on the line."
He tilted his head and looked at her more closely. "And you still haven't answered my question. You develop a taste for it?" He asked acutely, not sidetracked despite their little tangent all about him.
"So even if you present with the story of a smile, and aw shucks, I'm innocent, there's a man behind that who controls others through fear and pain." She concluded, with that big spiel. Sure, he'd dressed it up as country wisdom, or sports, and some 'my daddy says' and all, but at the core of it? When boiled down to the actual information, she could read between the lines. Mostly because she recognized it. He certainly wasn't the first person who operated like that that she'd known, and he wouldn't be the last. She knew the kind very well. "Also, you sound defensive. 'I'm not going to be ashamed'. Were you under the impression I was asking you to be? Or are you usually merely faced with the idea that you should be, and are automatically defending against such things even when not present?" she asked, smiling at him. "For the record, I'm not asking you to be ashamed. It would be far less interesting, and who would I be to judge?"
"As for the answer to your question, for me it's irrelevant. It was merely what I needed to do. Duty, you could call it. It would have offended my sensibilities to not level consequences upon those who've misstepped so very unwisely." she told him.
His smile became a little stiffer, and he let that show, because damn was she and her little psychoanalyzing bit annoying. "You do what you have to do to survive. Better than my ass belonging to some diseased psycho," he said. "Which is something you don't have to worry about in a nice woman's prison, and yeah, defensive perhaps, but with judgment like that coming from you? Obviously warranted. You say you're not judging, but putting things like that, you're judging, so don't lie to yourself," he said. It was too late and he was too tired to put up with this shit. "You want to play miss handy dandy psychoanalyst, which honestly, you suck at, by the way, and your shitty couchside manner, go right on ahead. It don't make you right, and all it does is annoy someone who was being nice and answering your questions."
His eyebrows raised. "What you need to do. So it's okay for you to do it, but you tell me I control through fear and pain and lie about it?" he said, disbelief showing through a bit. What a hypocrite, he thought, tired of her and the conversation. He wanted to go to bed, because he was going to get up early to check on Susanna again and help her get out of the infirmary. "Good for you, following your duty," he said, trying not to be too short, though his patience was worn thin.
Even with Ryan getting clearly impatient and annoyed, and very much making that clear in his statements to her, she didn't appear worried about it at all. In fact, she kept smiling at him as he spoke, listening to what he had to say and letting him get it out of his system. "Again, you really seem to be reading in to things here on my end. Like I'm condemning you for things, and I am not." she told him honestly. "I'm not judging you. I'm just listening to what you have to say. You just don't like it that I'm reading between the lines, or know what the implications mean with what you are saying." she continued. "If you want to get rude about it, that's okay, just disappointing." she added with a sigh.
"You don't listen very well." she went on. "I never said it wasn't okay for you to do it. I was just talking about it. You seem to be putting some sort of morality into what I'm saying which, frankly, isn't actually present. I've blown people up--I hardly have any moral high ground to stand on, and wouldn't even try to. I don't actually care if you do what you do. I'm not shocked, I'm not turned away, I merely find it interesting." she shrugged. "But clearly you're just going to do what you say I'm doing--making massive assumptions, and throwing them in my face. Alright, then. You have a good night." she told him, turning to walk away.
She turned back to glance over her shoulder, however. "One point--off subject, mind, but relevant--woman's prisons aren't 'nice'. You have to worry about psychos and disease just as much there as you would a men's prison. Assuming females have a cake walk when you've had a hard time would be shortsighted of you, and insulting to others." she advised. "Good evening." she finished, heading off again.
She said she wasn't judging, and maybe she thought she wasn't. He, however, could hear it anyway. "You think you're reading between the lines, darlin', when there's no lines to read between. And I'm being blunt, not rude. You're the one askin' nosey questions, and I was being nice about answering them until you started trying to twist my words around to mean things they don't mean. But hey, you wanna play word games, you go right on ahead," he told her bluntly. "I'm tired, and worried, and I don't need someone trying to shove thoughts and words into my mouth right now when I'm focussed on getting my friend things she needs and keeping her protected from some fucked up bitch who thinks she's all that."
He resisted, if barely, the urge to roll his eyes at her. "Yeah, maybe I am, but you're the one twisting everything so you're oh so right. Talk about rude, walking away when you don't like a conversation or someone else speaks their mind," he said, not caring that he actually was being rude now. Little cunt, just as bad as that bitch Jae. Thinks she has the fucking moral high ground even if she said she didn't, he
thought scathingly. Just his luck to run into two little bitches like that, who always had to be right and thought they could judge anyone.
He did roll his eyes now. "No, they're not a cakewalk, but you don't have to worry about someone's dick up your ass either, do you," he said. He turned around to head to his room. He'd catch a few hours and
go back to Susanna sometime in the morning, to help her when she was released. It'd be good to put on a united front and be seen with her more. If she felt up to it, maybe he'd fetch her breakfast and they could figure out how to plan something.
"You really don't want to be talking to me--you're impatient, and I can hear you're irritated with me. Why wouldn't I walk away? If you don't want to talk to me, you don't. I'm not going to force you to." Ru called up the stairs, tone very 'oh well'. "And I don't! I have to worry about what other sharp implements bitches get creative with." she tacked onto the end. If he thought the only thing to be concerned about was pain through people owning a penis, he wasn't thinking it through. "Goodnight, Ryan."
"I'm tired and I'm worried, and yes, irritated. So good evening, ma'am, and enjoy your night," he drawled, cool but impeccably polite in his Southern fashion. He might be testy and impatient, though she'd honestly needled him by twisting what he had to say around. Bitch. His lips tightened at her rejoinder. Like they didn't have sharp implements in male prisons too. He knew better than most that men had the extra weapon on top of it all, though he wasn't going to get in a topping match with her. "'Night," he said again, and went straight to his room.