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Four little pills sat in the paper cup on the table in front of Dallon. He chewed on his lip, waiting for addy to speak.
“It’s a trial run” she said, giving him a smile
“What..what do they do?” He asked hesitantly, unsure of what to expect from some kind of ambiguous new tellexx medication
“They’re going to make you better” she said “now take them”
He picked up the cup, staring at the small white things. Like teeth, he thought. “can I have some-“
“No”
He looked at addy and then back to the pills. He downed them without another thought. He expected them to taste bitter like most pills did but instead the flavor was unexpectedly pleasant, almost sweet.
“They take about 10 minutes to kick in, why don’t you sit here and wait, alright?”
It was not a question, it was a command. Dallon sat still, staring at his shoes. He didn’t need addy to tell him when the ten minutes were up, he felt it.
A warm buzzing, crawling up his fingers and making its way steadily into his brain. A haze of sorts causing dallon’s eyelids to feel heavy. He blinked slowly, feeling his head spin.
Addy glanced up from whatever it was she was writing and looked at him “well? How do you feel?”
Dallon rubbed his face, looking at the white walls like he’d never seen them before. He felt so warm. “I feel good” he finally said “I..I feel good”
“That’s wonderful, subject A” addy stood up “can you please follow me?”
He nodded absently, stumbling slightly as he followed her down the empty hall. She took him to an almost empty room, in the middle sat an old TV.
“Sit” she told him, so he did.
The TV flickered to life, his eyes remained fixed as various colors flashed on the screen. He felt so warm, content maybe. It was over powering. Addy pet his hair as he stared blankly.
“How do you feel?”
“I feel good” he said again. He did. He felt so, so good.
—
Dallon opened the door, looking idly around the white cell.
“Dal?”
His eyes fixed to the blue haired boy in the corner. “Hi Ryan” he said, and then he smiled
Ryan made a face that Dallon couldn’t quite decode and then motioned for him to come sit, so Dallon did.
“How was it?” Ryan asked, kind of scowling “you seem- I don’t know”
Dallon watched Ryan’s mouth move. He kind of laughed. He felt good. “Your so pretty” he said after a moment
Ryan stared at him, face reddening, clearly perplexed “you feeling alright?”
“I feel..I feel so good, Ryan” he smiled, rubbing at his face
“Did she- did she give you something?”
“She did! And now..and now i feel better”
Ryan chewed on his lip anxiously “can you tell me what it was?”
Dallon looked up at the ceiling “pills” he said “they tasted sooooo good ry’n”
“Did she tell you what they were called? Jesus- dallon! This is-”
Dallon devolved into giggles, wrapping his arms around ryan “im tired” he said
Ryan sighed “you can take a nap, dal. Its fine”
And that was about all dallon needed to drift off.
—
Four little pills. Dallon looked at them, kicking his feet as he waited for permission.
Addy had a smile on her lips before dallon even walked in “go ahead, A” she said
He downed them, the pleasant flavor causing him to shiver a bit. He had already felt fuzzy so by the time the pills hit he felt..well he felt good. Very very good.
“How do you feel, love?”
He giggled a little “i feel..i feel good. I feel so good”
“Can you come with me for a moment, A?”
Of course he could. He followed her out the door and into the room with the TV.
“Sit” she said, and so he did
The colors were so pretty, so very very pretty. He was so happy addy let him watch the colors.
“A, can you tell me what you are?”
Dallon blinked slowly, trying to process. He made a humming noise as he considered his answer. He stared at the TV.
“Do you need me to remind you?”
He nodded, yes, yes, a reminder! That would be helpful, yes.
“Your nothing” she said warmly
That made sense, that made a lot of sense.
She pet his head, which he immediately leaned into “you don't deserve anything, A. did you know that?”
He nodded slightly, watching the screen. That made sense too, of course. If he wasn't anything, it only followed that he didn't deserve anything.
“Do you know why you're called subject A?”
He looked up at her “why?”
Addy moved his head so he was looking at the TV again “watch the colors well i talk, ok?”
“Ok” he mumbled. The colors were so pretty..
“It's ‘cause you're nothing. Names are for humans, like me. That's why i’m called addy, i'm a human”
“Like ry’n” he said
She dug her nails into his scalp, holding his head in place “no, honey. Ryan isn't a person. He's called subject B because he isn't a person. Do you understand?”
Dallon scrunched his face up, like a kid trying to do his math homework “He doesn't like that, though” he said, perplexed “it makes him mad when people call ‘em that”
“Do you love subject B?” addy asked after a moment
Another fit of giggles “yes” dallon said
“He's confused, A. but thankfully he has someone as smart as you to tell him what's true and what's not”
—
“What are you doing to him?”
Addy sighed, setting down her clipboard “you've barely sat down and you're already yelling at me?”
“You did something! And now he’s all- all-“
“Obedient?”
Ryan clenched his fists
“We’re pioneering new technology, B. A is lucky he’s getting to experience this”
“You turned him into a zombie”
“A zombie? Really?” She tilted her head “I was really going for more of a puppy”
“Augh!” Ryan threw his hands up in frustration “do you fucking hear yourself?! He’s a human being, not some fucking-“
Addy tapped her fingers on the table, looking rather disinterested. “I know, I know. I’m a terrible monster. Why don’t you calm down before I get your shock collar.”
Ryan breathed digging his fingernails into his palms “the pills are giving him nightmares” he said quietly
“I’m not sure if that’s the pill’s doing, B.”
“No, no they’re worse now. He keeps waking up screaming. And..and his memory gabs keep getting worse”
“Hm” she wrote something on her clipboard “noted”
“I’m just scared for him”
“You find him inconveniencing”
“The pills are hurting him”
“They’re hurting you , B.”
—
“Why are you mad at addy?” Dallon asked, his arms draped over Ryan’s shoulders and his head buried in Ryan’s neck
“I’m always mad at addy”
“She said you yelled at her. ‘s not very nice, B” he mumbled sleepily
“I did not fucking yell at her!” Ryan retorted “addy is a liar”
Dallon giggled “no she’s not. She just real smart, lots smarter than us. And she’s soooo nice..I love addy”
Ryan made a face “she’s not nice to us , Dal”
“Yes she is! She’s soooooo nice. She gave me 6 pills just ‘cause I asked..she’s so nice. You should ask her for pills”
“Hold on- 6?”
“Yeah!”
Ryan buried his face in his hands “fuck. Dal, don’t ask for more pills, ok? That’s- that’s bad”
“They make me feel better, though”
“They’re making you sick”
“Mmmmm” Dallon shifted so practically all his weight was on Ryan “addy says they’re good for me. I love addy”
Ryan sighed, grabbing Dallons hand
“Your so pretty, B…I love you” he mumbled
“I love you too” Ryan said
—
“Can I have more, addy?”
Addy smiled “more? Really?”
He nodded quickly “please? Please, they taste good”
“Alright, honey. How Many do you want?”
Dallon looked at the small paper cup “um..I want…two more than this”
She laughed a bit “you want eight? Hmm..how about we round that up to ten, ok?”
Dallon blinked, trying vaguely to remember how much ten was
She patted his head, he was so cute like this “ten is more. I’m giving you more than you wanted”
Dallon smiled “oh! Thank you”
She handed him the extra pills and Dallon was quick to down them all.
—
“B, B guess what” Dallon said in something like a stage whisper
“Mmm..yeah?” Ryan said tiredly
“I have..a secret!!!”
“Dal it’s the middle of the night..jus’ come lay down” he mumbled
Dallon giggled “I did something bad”
Ryan opened his eyes carefully, eyes trying to adjust to the dark. He watched Dallon pull an unidentifiable object out of the darkness and then place it in Ryan’s hand. It was a pill bottle, he realized.
“I took it” he said, giddily “I don’t think addy will mind, I’ll tell her tomorrow”
“These..these are the pills she gives you?”
Dallon nodded “do you want one?”
Ryan bit his lip, staring at the bottle “I’m gonna hold onto these, ok? You try to get some sleep”
Dallon made a face, trying to grab the bottle back “noooo, you gotta share ‘em! Don’t be mean”
“I’m not going to take them, I’m just- I’m holding onto them until tomorrow.”
Dallon frowned “mmmm..finneeeeee”
Ryan sighed, shoving the bottle in his pocket “c’mon Dal. Lay down”
Dallon did what Ryan said, going to cuddle with him. Ryan was so tired, slipping back into sleep was easy.
—
Ryan kind of groaned as he started to wake up. He shifted, searching for the warmth of his cellmate. “..dal..?” He mumbled.
There was no response.
He opened his eyes, sitting up and scanning the room. Dallon was slumped against one of the walls, his body looked still, unnervingly so.
Fuck. Oh fuck.
Ryan sprung up from his spot, rushing over to him. He was barely breathing, his skin a ghostly pale. Ryan felt bile pool in his throat. The pills. The pills.
As if on cue he spotted it, the empty bottle laying discarded on the floor. How could Ryan be so fucking stupid? Of course, of course he would take them all! He kneeled down next to Dallon, going to pry open his mouth.
Dallon was going to die and it was all going to be Ryan’s fault, all Ryan’s fault.
“Please don’t die” he mumbled as he shoved his fingers down dallon’s throat “please”
It didn’t take long for the door of their cell to open, a white shadow appearing to drag dallon’s practically lifeless body away.
Ryan stared at dallon’s vomit.
This was his fault.
—
Ryan was crying, Dallon could hear it through the inky void that was currently his brain. Ryan was crying, it was the first thing Dallon registered.
“Mmm…” Dallon mumbled trying to adjust his eyes to the buzzing lights above him. His head hurt so fucking bad.
“Dallon?”
He wasn’t in their cell, he was lying in what appeared to be a hospital bed. Ryan was sitting on the floor next to it, staring at Dallon with teary eyes.
“Why are you crying?” Was the first question out of dallon’s mouth
Ryan seemed caught off guard by this, he rubbed his eyes “you scared me so bad you idiot”
Dallon blinked, trying haphazardly to remember what exactly he had done. He remembered addy telling him about the new pills, maybe he had had a reaction?
Before Dallon could speak, Ryan was pulling him into a tight hug.
“You scared me” Ryan repeated
Dallon swallowed, feeling unease creep in “what happened?” He asked softly
Ryan seamed caught off guard by this question, he pulled away momentarily “you..don’t remember” he clarified
Dallon shook his head “she was gonna give me those pills..and..and then..”
“you don’t..you don’t remember any of it?”
“No, I- I’m sorry”
“Fuck” ryan kind of laughed, burying his face into dallon’s shoulder “this is- fuck.” He mumbled
“Ry?”
“Oh, I missed that”
“What?”
“I missed you calling me ry”
Dallon wrapped his arms around Ryan “I..I don’t understand. How long..what happened to me?”
“I missed you so much” was all Ryan managed before he started to cry again