“Abraham.” a soothing male voice calls out to him. He sounds gruff, like he smokes for a living, but it makes him sound appealing and calm.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcTvn8MJdj
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This soothes the young man’s rapidly beating heart, feeling a familiar hand slide onto his thumping chest, the man is feeling his heartbeat, and clicks his tongue.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxde2NCF4jQ
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The schizophrenic cracks open an eye, then the other to make sure who exactly is touching him. This calms his paranoia and heart a little more, just by seeing that gentle face. He’s no taller than him, maybe an inch or two above his height, and has this short, dark sex-hair style; it is messy, like bed hair, but it seems that the women among the facility faint at the sight of him. It is true that his man is attractive beyond anything that Abraham has seen, despite this man’s alcohol problem and smoking habit, causing the fact that he always smells like ash. He always tries to cover it up with Old Spice® deodorant , but the other man can always tell. Also ignoring his lazy-shaven scruff and sunken eyes, the man has a prominent jaw line and heavy, sinewy body. His auburn eyes can be very warm, but they slant downwards from the outside corners, and cause him to look like a sad puppy. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxaGl2wrgz
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGj2LCCgHNO
“So, kid, can you tell what pack brand and year?” He chuckles heartily, and holds up a cigarette to his lips.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakl2LxotYx
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnLniGc5VR
Abraham thinks for a moment, “Well, based on the number seventy-eight orange-tan color, and the fact that it’s Thursday, I would say that it’s Marlboro,” He thinks harder, and then answers the year in a sort of uneasy question, “1924…?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKM0iOMxE2
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxGK5qfHpd
The older man tilts his head back, laughing deeply into his chest, then turns and looks at him, ruffling the already messy mop that sits on Abraham’s head, “That’s right, kid!”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWHGWdx8P1
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eimE76Sup
Marlboro is his favorite brand, no less, and believes it’s not a brand of cigarette, it’s a lifestyle. Really the best he can get at the local stores or anywhere around himself. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILxG67CVOi
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Other than his smoking habits and drinking problems, he entertains Abraham and makes sure that he steers away from self harm and watches intently when the other downs each of the 32 different pills that is mandatory he takes.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaq3hRKqqT
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePbGG12ipf
“N...Norman….you’re my counselor, right?” the young man hugs his knees to his chest on the bed.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqHb8Elxam
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ORh11yZ3J
Norman turns to him again, “Yeah, why?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlu8UGTTIx2
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“Why do you break the rules for me then? Like getting candy from outside the facility and bringing it here?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCLoE2p99r
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5ETwz97YF
Norman scratches the back of his head and thinks, tugging on the hairs of his chin, “Well, it’s ‘cause you always look depressed and in the books I’m reading, it says that kids eat candy or play outside to feel happier.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhCBV3mH4F
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3YIhL9XCK
Abraham makes a funny face, “But, I'm not a child- are you reading parenting books?” he laughs a little.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmnujoiqas
Norman doesn't make eye contact with him, but nods. The older man was not one to do that sort of thing, and looked rather embarrassed that he let something like that slip his tongue. He takes the cigarette back up to his mouth, lips curling around it, and sucked on it to get that bitter tang of the intoxication swirling around in his lungs, breathing in something along the lines of death. The cancer stick is held between his lithe, tan fingers; the pointer and middle digits. Norman exhaled, and Abraham watched the smoke leak out from his lips and rise up into the vent at the top corner of the room. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6lINc5r1j
Norman looked at his watch, and turned to Abraham, who was shaking, like a large chihuahua. This was normal for him, he never stops shivering, really. And although this is true, and seemingly normal, the psychiatrist knew it was because of his constant paranoia and the lingering whispers at the back of his head, nagging and insulting. The poor guy is so used to insults, that he’s quite unpredictable when it comes to certain throwbacks. Although, Norman has noticed that he’s highly more likely to become irrationally furious when the other patients scream or comment negatively on his mumbling or murmuring, like he’s talking to himself. When it comes to his appearance or his intelligence level, Abraham quickly brushes it off and throws something back at them. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sesbCXj5J
It is good that he’s less sensitive, and he’s opened himself to at least the person that’s taking care of him, but…474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiy4K16Q5Ed
“Norman…”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuffWJDYne
“Ah, yeah?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWYFugGwtv
“How…” he begins, but sighs and waves a hand, gesturing that he forget about it.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64xcVuObkz
“No, what is it?” Norman’s eyebrows knit together, “I hate it when you keep things from me.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9V5HVsrsi
This pressed a button on the lanky young man. His head flew up and towards him, as a guilty expression painted his pale face, “I… it’s just…”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUQzBsyFgw
He’s quiet, and the psychiatrist before him waits patiently for him to answer.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa86ElScz0U
Abraham sighs, “I...I’ve just forgotten the times when everything could be quiet.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDaYYvx1VO
It’s a stab to the heart when his face drops to sadness. Norman watched the muscles in his face shift from curiosity to pain to misery, and those expression in a row created a heartache in the psychiatrist’s cold heart. It swelled up and got stuck in his throat and made painful desolation, or emptiness, in his chest. He always felt guilty and horrible after watching the boy tense up into stress seizures or bang his head against the walls until he passes out from blood loss. When he was examining him, white streaks laid upon the inside of Abraham’s thighs and the inside of his wrists. His eyes are always sunken and sleep deprived, and his posture is due to staying up all night with his knees to his chest and rocking back and forth. Abraham twitches a lot and sometimes he’ll close his eyes like someone is yelling at him. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPV9qp3ANL
Norman hesitates before pressing his palm against Abraham’s back. The young man twitches, but calms some into his hand, Abraham continues, “I used to play my violin or the piano in the library at my parent's house to override what I heard.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbm6R2tW8l
Knowing that this might be too much for the guy to talk about, Norman frowned and sighed, “Hey, you really scared us yesterday night so you have one more day until you're back in the straight jacket.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoG7rM4deF
“Please, don't…” he hits his head with his fist, “Shut up! I'm talking!”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6hSyy1iN7
Norman grabs his wrist when he goes to hit his head again, “Hey, stop that. Did you take your medication?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcyZITa1bd
“No… I… I forgot about it…” Abraham hangs his head, the psychiatrist takes hold of both his wrists, and he’s leaning into his hands against his wrists. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR3Rt3YBoe
Norman furrows his brows once more, the crease between them looked permanent, but this time, he wasn’t angry or irritated, but mournful. His hand releases from one of the other’s wrists and slides it over his back. He brings him close, letting Abraham lean into him and cry into his shirt, like he always does. The young lad likes to cry, or at least in front of Norman. It makes him feel safer, to cry out in despair and let all of his worries go. Norman likes that he’s crying, that means he’s getting better. When he first came here, the kid was as emotionless as a rock. Norman appreciated that he was somewhat special, honestly this kid was the only thing that got him up in the morning. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAgfEolPwG
He wraps his arms around the shaking, sobbing, broken man and pulls him in closer. Norman pats his head, taking note of his matted, wavy hair, unbrushed, but clean. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9588II89q0
“Hey…” he whispers.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENY9L7qI8W
Abraham is too caught up into his thoughts and hiccupping, that he doesn’t hear him. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvhWhpD8pd
“Abraham, hey-”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzU7uGoLYA
The kid suddenly gets up off him, hands pushing his shoulders away, “Ah! I-I’m sorry!”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEHp15qli5
“What’re you talking about? You know it’s okay to do that, right? That I don’t care?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJU6d15HZ7
“Yeah, but, isn’t it disgusting?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTutCQ98FT
Norman chuckles until it gradually turns into a hearty laugh, deep down into his gut, “Abraham, I have a neice much younger than you- she’s 3- and it seems like every five minutes she’s spilt something, spit up, thrown up, shit, or pissed. She drools a lot, too, by the way. You’re nothing compared to her, please, continue if you need it.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CVUqdSVBB
Abraham doesn’t know what to think, until he smiles and stifles a little laugh. It’s not long before he spits it out, but it sounds hoarse and dry, like he hasn’t laughed in a long time, “I’m sorry! It just…” he laughs a little more, “I can’t see you taking care of a child!”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoGndpAbc8
Norman laughs a little, taking no offence, but rather agreeing, liking his laugh, “Yeah, but I’m taking care of you, aren’t I?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLbDVigS7w
“I’m not a child, I’m a mentally disturbed young adult.” He laughs again, “Ahh...anyway, I need my meds.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiN4jGLwdWR
He gets up, hunched over and compressed in, like someone is pressing the sides of his body. His shaky hand grabs the first bottle, the other rubs his eye. The psychiatrist can hear the pills rattle, and it takes the other a little while to only have two pills in his hand. Norman watches him with distaste, like this scene in front of him is making him upset. He stands up and stuffs his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. He watches him intently, making the other more tense and nervous. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTcSAKzYk3
“Stop shaking your hands.” he flatly states.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZbBNOAzgc
“You know that I can’t.” the kid retorts curtly.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYg6hHYZaY
“Stop thinking then. Why’re you so afraid? They’re just voices.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVCznXFg8P
“Actually, from my point of view, this room is crowded.” It’s silent, “Delusions, remember? Hallucinations?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIhCUFgA8b
“They’re just standing aren’t they? Why’re you shaking?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXU4ZvNuWF
Abraham shakes a little harder, eyes wide and he clamps his teeth shut, “They’re always…” He shuts his eyes, “…staring…”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpO5gpGfh9
“That’s why you can’t ever calm down?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRly2rnizR
Abraham nods, “B...but the pills make it all go away, for only some hours though.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFK45mKVDvZ
“Yeah, I know.” He stands shoulder to shoulder with him. Norman feels a burning sensation at the back of his head, like someone is intensely staring at him.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKabbMNFKLK
“Whenever you’re here they always look at you.” Abraham whispers when Norman scratches the back of his head.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5kO6yerG2
“Really?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoMfAI9tza
The kid nods and swallows his first pills. Norman suddenly grabs all of the pills and sets them on the floor by the bed. He sits the 19 year old in front of the bed and behind the bottles and boxes. The psychiatrist sits on the bed directly behind him, He takes out a glittery pink hand brush in one hand and a chunk of Abraham’s hair in the other. He gently begins to brush against the hair in his hand. The teenager leans back, liking the feeling of his hair being played with. Norman brushes and brushes until Abraham’s hair is completely unmatted and untangled. The raven mop on his head was silky and smooth. His grandparents send him shampoos and conditioners that appeal to him because he doesn’t like the ones in the showers. It’s almost perfect, but the hair the falls over his right eye looks annoying. Abraham had just finish taking all of his pills.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcqeC7A93r
He's like a little kid, the psychiatrist thinks, the way he looks like purring kitten when he messes with his hair. This feels nice, the other thinks. He’s calm, the room is silent, and the people are fading away. One by one, men and women, emotionless, scarring, and faceless. He’s insane, he knows that, but he doesn’t like to admit it all the time. Sometimes he pretends he’s just in an adoption center waiting for his parents, his happiness. He tells himself, it’ll be here soon enough, he just has to be good and wait for it. Although, it’s been several months and he’s starting to realize that he might be here forever. He won’t admit it, he doesn’t want to, so he keeps pretending. 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4DJIWIUBn
“Are they still staring at me?” Norman leans down to Abraham’s ear.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRimcMyWrJ
“Yeah…” he points to the opposite corners of the small room, “there’s only a little left though.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheUSIq0qsc
“That means the medicine is kicking in right?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXdHDo1MkE
Abraham stares down at the antipsychotic and anti-tremor medication in front of him and nods. He thinks for a long time, and he's noticed how Norman never comes along with a girl. It's mostly other patients or staff members. Abraham frowns at that, “Norman,”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRh7JtEPtW
“Hm?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOTu8rxj7H
“Why don't you have a girlfriend? Are you gay?”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOOrLPE4Of
Its silent, the psychiatrist is thinking on how to reply. It's funny that he asks him that- he's not gay, but rather not interested in dating people.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnBFVenPGx
The man chuckles, “I'm not gay, I'm just not ready for dating people. They're disgusting and are only interested in sex.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpTNeZEybt
The boy turns to him, “I don't believe that. There are plenty of girls here at the facility that are interested in you. They're nice people.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1QUxtNOqN
“Nice doesn't necessarily mean that they're not interested in the way you appeal to them sexually.” Norman states, flatly, and coldly.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpQvxK3ZpQ
“Jesus, I bet I could get a date faster than you.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsZeATWv9j
The man laughs, “Says the one wearing a chastity belt.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VStBqdNvk
“Shut up! They did that for safety reasons, even though I didn't rape anyone.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqllms7mLQD
“Actually, they'll be taking it off you in a couple of months.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmJix3vN9S
“Really? Thank god. Even for a metal piece of underwear, it sure somehow manages to give me wedgies.”474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZnKKTUyxm
“Yeah, well, you've got an appointment with your brother and sisters in a couple of minutes, so I gotta get ready for that.” 474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdcDfkDoj1
Abraham sighed regretfully, forgetting about that. His siblings always make something emotional out of nothing. He'll be sitting across the table quietly, and then he'll start trembling or twitch, and his sisters will start crying. It's embarrassing, really.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHpX5aP8zm
But, they're family, so he'll get over it.
