Chapter Text
11:00 PM
He quietly ate his lukewarm burrito as he sat at the bench, outside in the freezing cold.
From the shop next to him, a comfortable light was emitting itself into the dark atmosphere, since it was pretty late.
But what was that man doing out in these hours? All alone, slightly shivering.
Well, that man was waiting for a “friend” of his, if that's what they call a close acquaintance, since they told him to meet up with him next to that shop.
And he did, for the past hour.
He silently dwelled, getting more tired and pissed by the minute, not even bothered by the stale burrito itself. What do they even put in these things for it to be so…boring? It didn't even taste good, at least for him.
Yet, he kept eating it, as it was the cheapest food he was able to find in the shop.
Distracted by his own thoughts, he snapped out of it when a voice called from the distance.
“Hey, Norrie!”
The other man, his close acquaintance, named Jude, finally came despite being an hour late from the time he was supposed to come, as he ran up to him, and stopped for a moment, trying to catch his breath.
“I'm so sorry man..” He said, his breath slightly ragged, as he caught his breath. “... I almost forgot-”
Norrie looked at him with an annoyed look, but he didn't say anything, just giving a low grunt, meaning that he didn't mind his tardiness.
Jude chuckled a bit by his look, as he sat next to him after catching his breath, silence falling over them.
“.....are you that cold?” He muttered, as he watched how Norrie was dressed, and how his hands shook as he was trying to eat.
Norrie didn't say anything, still a bit annoyed by him, as he ate.
Jude sighed, as he leaned back on the bench, deciding to speak about the matter he was supposed to talk about, the sole reason for what he called him to meet here.
“Alright,” He began, “so, since you're out of rehabilitation, you're going to have to follow a set of rules.” He said calmly, while Norrie silently ate, but listening.
“I already got you an apartment, a job as a technician, and a new identity, so you shouldn't worry about this stuff. You just have to remember that every two months, Fred's coming to visit you for a wellness check, like at the centre, and that you absolutely cannot attack anyone. Not ever.”
He looked down at him, as Norrie still didn't talk to him, still not able to accept the new life he has to live, different from his past.
His gaze softened, concerned.
“....look, I know it's hard.” He paused. “But it's not as bad as you think. You'll get around it, I promise.”
Norrie didn't know if he should trust him or not, but he made a mental note for it, already finishing his food, both sitting in silence again.
“.....to be honest, I still don't get why they have to put that collar on you. Can you not use your powers?” Jude commented, noticing how the metal collar on his neck pierced into his skin, with the slightly dry blood staining it.
He quietly shrugged, not bothered by the collar, as the wind softly moved by them.
A few moments passed, as Jude checked his watch. “Damn, twelve already?” He muttered, as Norrie also noticed the time.
“Guess it's time to go.” Jude said while he got up, leaving.
“Take care of yourself.”
Norrie still sat there by himself for half an hour more, before he left himself.
12:45 PM
His keys clinked with each other as he opened the door to his apartment, taking off his shoes, closing the door behind him.
The apartment was a bit… unorganized, but just with his unfinished projects and several cables lying around the living room with several empty cans of diet soda lying around the table, with the sermon pamphlets from one of his neighbours piling up in the corner of the room.
But he somehow ignored all of that while he hung up his coat, and walked to his bedroom.
Then, he spent another quarter hour rummaging in his closet for decent pajamas, deciding to take a pajama that was quite cosy, with a type of striped pattern, along with some socks.
After putting on pajamas, he brushed his teeth, drank his meds, and tucked himself into bed.
He looked up at the ceiling, slightly frowning.
Tomorrow's going to be a really exhausting day, he was sure of it.