Chapter Text
Leslie Withers, recently surprised his doctor and colleague after came out alive and well from encountering a trial of insanity in the mind of Ruben. As the result of the happening, there is a chance that Leslie might be taken away from the facility, don’t know if it’s a good news or a bad news…
“I’m taking it with me.”
“To where?”
“My house.”
Jimenez’s wrinkle looked more appealing now with his gnarling expression, “You can’t do that, he lives here, and he’s my patient.” It’s only an argument to show what power he had on Leslie. “You only found out just now he passed the test and you’re taking him away with you.”
A faint smirk shown on that half face, “What are you afraid about? You know where I live.” Ruben decided to come back with another question, as he began to walk away slowly.
Jimenez wanted to catch up with him of course, “You sure about this? There are something else too… ” Jimenez trying to face the bandaged person that is leaving. He knows it well that Ruben will not change his decision, but it rangs an actual question. “Do you need me? Or the nurse at your house?”
“I will tell you when I need to.”
Jimenez, once again doubting the young heir. “You will also be taking care of him?”
His thin ankles stopped for a brief moment, to answer the annoyance shortly, “mainly.”
Jimenez too, have stopped running after him, and he even running out of words, he’s defeated within the custody of Leslie.
“Is there anything I should know?” Ruben is ready to disappear from Jimenez eyes, only some parts of his face shown after his scrawny back and shoulder.
“What are you planning about?” Question to asnwer the question, he knew Ruben must be dying to know what else Leslie has in him after this, but what exactly.
His round eyes only staring at Ruben’s but never be able to see through his intention.
With either side giving up, with his white shirt, Ruben walks away, not letting any further conversation or question slip out from his colleague. He knows somebody is waiting for him and that he have to be there, at his house.
…
While he was a self declared scientist, at Beacon, Ruben never taking care of his test subjects wholefully, usually he would conduct the test, then its done. He and his big brain don’t need the basic details as to prepare the test subjects to be ready and what to do after (if returned alive). And as this one is special now, that this test subject needs to be alive throughout a day, weeks please, or a month at least.
Leslie is currently unconscious, another test was done, and Ruben is making his recordings, only his low voice heard in the room. He is sitting down beside Leslie, it’s only natural angle the impared eyeballs came across the restraints that wrapped Leslie’s torso on the bed. The recording comes to an end after there’s nothing to take a note about.
Other than Leslie thing, Ruben has been noticing Jimenez behaving more erratically, with the research drama and his position as the acting chairman... He senses that Jimenez is marching to thwart him, as if it's not apparent enough. That big brain then start projecting about something that might happen as an outcome if this get into a long run… Everything else could be vain, but he couldn’t lose Leslie, that is why.
If the expectation is met, sets of another procedure lined up for the boy, it’s just part of the research. Ruben can do it right away, but honestly he is concerned that the subject will break after… He can, discard Leslie if it fails and just simply look for the other unfortunate soul. But for what more years if he has to do it again, besides, he has the other ongoing big project. There is going to be another way…
If Leslie was to provide better, satisfying result, has it anything to do with his issues in cognitive and communication… What if he was better at those?
It's tempting for the mad man to grab the scalpel and straight away find the root of culprit under that white hair. He has data on previous researches, but nothing like Leslie, he needs to go through errors and trials again. Does he ever has another method of changing one’s psyche other than literally wiring out the brain? Ruben almost does not move an inch and just sits still, with his one hand holding the recording since moments ago. He is thinking of any kind of things he can do with Leslie…
Ruben had done so many things, so many experiment, so many crazy stuff… he has always been interested in psychology since younger age that results in a set of super mind later in his life… Well he knows one method that he really doesn’t want to use.
Slowly, with a creak from the old chair’s feet, Ruben comes to stand, and facing down the subject that has been stuck in his mind for moments now…
Fortunately, Leslie too, unaware or not of the event, slowly opens his eyes, not even a thought appear from facing the monster above him, only a blitz of terror striking, his mouth wants to make a release. Ruben moves faster, and shut Leslie’s mouth with his bandaged hand. Leslie can’t see the whole face, nor the expression of this mummny person, but he’s terrified already. Ruben is a familiar… of course his figure has been nailed in Leslie's long term memory for torturing him. His mind is likely still recovering from the recent test.
Leslie struggles against the restraint makes Ruben’s mind only a second away of thinking for a sedative injection. But what, he came closer to he albino’s face as if about to eat him alive. “Don’t be scared.”
Is that stopping Leslie form his morbid histeria? Of course not enough, Ruben then sees a clear drip of water running from the corner of Leslie’s eyes. Ruben was a little surprised, to be honest. He had seen various reactions from the young boy, but not when he is watching him closely like now.
Ruben then relaxes out his gestures, slowly retriving his hand from Leslie’s mouth. Ruben doesn't feel any warmth or anything from that. But just as expected, Leslie then goes inaudible and murmurs the thing seemingly he can olny understand.
If only Ruben can let out a sigh, with the existing distance he has now with Leslie, he only giving away his stare. Didn’t know the subject would be awake so soon, Ruben did not even finished contemplating and write down his plan from A to Z about this one. Ruben tidies up his little writing station briefly, then begins to undo and removing the restraint on the younger’s body.
“Stay calm.” His raspy voice comes out again, as both of his hands almost finished.
Don’t know if Leslie heard him or not, Leslie does not say anything and just lying still, he takes the words personally. Ruben’s eyes that almost covered wholly couldn’t stop looking on what's below, he is trying to find if something is unusual. Without noticing it before, one of Ruben’s hand undeliberately tastes the dirty pants of the inpatient, on the crotch that feels warm, wet, and of course, recent.
Ruben is shifting from the genius scientist to a nurse now, and sending a brief pierced gaze to Leslie’s stunned face that does not even work properly. He is peeing himself. With his neatly dressed pants, Ruben steps backward, “get up.” He says, dicatating.
Nobody can't see the emotion the scarred face contains, lie, it's not enough to make him burst with it, with this ongoing hassle… He feels just going with it’s flow, like a new experience he did not ever know. Ruben then, bows down his figure, only to took that mentally disabled person, into his arms, super slow. Leslie does not even bring one of his free-now hand to cooperating and just floating, like a disconnected person.
After some walking, Ruben stops at his bathroom, only to just drop Leslie in to the bath tub. While Ruben begins to perceive that it's useless to talk to the counterpart in the current state, his scarred hand moves on itself to unfasten, to undo the top and the bottom of Leslie’s uniform, then discards it randomly.
Nothing really pokes out in his big brain nor the evil inside, its just a naked view of a human being he has seen so many. Leslie keeps his murmur and lets Ruben’s hand turning on the water heater. Though, he wouldn’t think too far as to throughly and actually bathe him, scrub him, dry him, and so on.
Ruben had the thought of writing down on his mind while watching the water rising up to the normal level for somebody to be soaked in. He slowly distances himself, backward, leaning on the taller, wooden dresser, and trying to do what he intended to.
This is not even 15 minutes after Ruben has decided to launch his project, but it has been escalated to the quite unexpected way. Personally, he’s not feeling aything, yet, he just does what he thinks needs to do. But surely, is this only once in a lifetime, or would it be a routine…? No, Leslie will recover within some hours, usually. He is not a three year old, he can take care of himself. Maybe this is one of the ‘taking care’ part that Jimenez mentioned to him. Would that part doubt him away? Then again, that quick easy way, the image of locating parts of the subject’s brain reappear again.
Out of nowhere, the manor’s telephone rangs on the hallway, Ruben quickly turns off the water, he stares at Leslie for a second then left him. What could be worse than a deranged person playing in the bathub.
“Is this Ruben?”
The phone on his left functioning ear, supported by a hand. “What’ is it Tatiana?”
“Is it true that Leslie with you?” The slurty woman’s voice almost sound the same.
“He’s staying with me.”
“Good to hear. Do you have spare clothes for Leslie?”
“You can send his stuff to me.”
“Can do, Ruben. Do you need anything else?”
Ruben stops some seconds only to think, “Does Leslie have any documents there?”
“I’m not sure, it will take some time to check.”
“If you do have, I want you to share it with me.”
“Sure, Ruben. See you later.”
And both hang up. Ruben’s thoughts lingers for a brief moment from the call, then he walks, almost too slow to his bathroom. He can let a grown man having all his own personal time in the water, but he doesn’t believe Leslie.
Ruben immediately opens the unlocked door, not giving any warning and almost surprising.
Leslile’s head is nowhere to be seen and only a little peek of his uncovered knees, Ruben hurries to his attention only to sees the now-half sunken body. He ignores the appearing question, dips both of his hands to get the body out for some oxygen. The frail person looks (more) lifeless, Ruben lets his shirt wet.
Maintains his movement to be gentle, he lies Leslie on the floor. Ruben puts his own head, left ear precisely, so close to that freezing face… The subject is still breathing, although it’s faint. But before Ruben can feel a relief and take back his face, suddenly Leslie is up and coughing. The water from inside him does not coming anywhere but to the stern bandaged, face…
Ruben’s gaze eventually points to Leslie, that is beginning to tremble, eyes looking on every directions. The water can’t be too tepid from Ruben’s preception. Is the young boy currently having an episode where he is a submarine, or a fish. Suicidal tendency is one of the common withdrawal symptoms after a test, can’t be too careful with him now.
Leslie ignores Ruben’s warm gesture as seemingly he’s still not there, he then gets away from the subject, and grabs one, random nearest towel he can find. Maybe more towel and blankets later? Only if he’s catching a cold. After moving Leslie a little so the thick towel can entangle him, Ruben’s right hand supports that exposed back, and using the other palm to lies on Leslie’s forehead.
Leslie’s warm, too warm even, or it’s just his scarred hand that’s too cold. Then Ruben moves his hand lower to Leslie’s cheek… the temperature almost the same. He can look for a proper thermometer—for humans in this grand manor of a scientist, but it’s only a little fever that’s not going to hinder his plan.
After all the happenings, Ruben doesn’t feel like caging Leslie in his basement again, he wants to bring the subject to a room where it's an actual resting place and has bedding.
.
.
.
Tbc.