[ He tries forcing himself to breathe deep breaths, so his heart isn't racing, and his chest isn't heaving. Michael knows what weakness looks like, he's taken advantage of it often enough. He couldn't be weak back home, and he can't be weak here.
Then sits beside him. Speaks softly. He can feel the warmth of her body, small and slight, against his side. His lower lip trembles. He covers his face with his hand, squeezing his eyes shut. ]
Michael.
[ He wants to be fine. Needs to be. Michael knows himself, knows he can't trust himself to think rationally, or to do what needs to be done when he's overcome with emotion.
Michael needs to be good. Better than good. He needs to be the best, because if he can do what no one else can, and be more than useful, be necessary, he'll be worth something to this place, and the people who can bring him his brother.
He opens his mouth to say something, anything, that might turn this around. Most days it's as easy as flicking a switch. The mask goes on, the lie comes out, and everything goes according to plan.
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Then sits beside him. Speaks softly. He can feel the warmth of her body, small and slight, against his side. His lower lip trembles. He covers his face with his hand, squeezing his eyes shut. ]
Michael.
[ He wants to be fine. Needs to be. Michael knows himself, knows he can't trust himself to think rationally, or to do what needs to be done when he's overcome with emotion.
Michael needs to be good. Better than good. He needs to be the best, because if he can do what no one else can, and be more than useful, be necessary, he'll be worth something to this place, and the people who can bring him his brother.
He opens his mouth to say something, anything, that might turn this around. Most days it's as easy as flicking a switch. The mask goes on, the lie comes out, and everything goes according to plan.
Nothing is going according to plan. ]
I-I'm fine.