Scrub-a-dub-dub Three people cleaning a bathroom.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Okay.

Totally not the answer she'd been expecting.

She'd been expecting something more along the lines of, you know, feuding lovers, or ex-boyfriends, or friends caught in some drama that they were mad at each other over, or rivals of some sort. Not...that. It took her aback.

Rachel stared between Nika and Vaughan for a few seconds, mouth working but no words coming out. What did you say to any of that? Nika was a little easier; the kid's brain was messed up, but he himself was harmless, if confused. He didn't understand things that were common sense to anyone else. He probably didn't even realize that what he'd just announced was bad. Yet despite all that, confused or not, she could see him violating someone because he didn't get social cues--and because he didn't even know what was appropriate or not. Rape didn't always require violence, and from the way Vaughan acted, maybe they had been friends and Nika had gone way too far. Didn't most of these instances occur with people you knew?

Vaughan, though. His reaction confused her most. He was...berating Nika because then people wouldn't be Nika's friend? It was sound advice, sure, but bizarre given the circumstance. That sort of...blase reaction. Don't tell people you raped me because it'll make you look bad? Rachel rubbed her temples.

"Whoa. Okay. I don't think I'm qualified to address this stuff," she finally said. Though she was planning on addressing it with Nika later. They needed to have a talk about this issue.

[Anonymous]

"She asked. And don't call me Niiks." Nika paused for a moment, brain working through the rules of conversation, "Please."

He had finished scrubbing the toilet and stood up, picking up his bucket and moving to the last stall, "People don't want to be my friend anyway. I don't think them knowing I raped you would matter."

And it wasn't something Nika was ashamed of. He was aware he shouldn't have done it, and that it was bad, but there was no shame. It was a simple mistake to him. And it wouldn't happen again.

"I would rather not discuss it." It just made him remember Vaughan's visit to him in the infirmary. Nika didn't like that memory.

[Anonymous]

Vaughan froze and then felt his face frown. He hadn’t intended to frown, but it was still a little shocking. He wanted to ask questions, but he knew the answers would be exactly what he was looking for and Vaughan didn’t really want to face the hard truth of ‘I hate you.’ The boy winced and simply nodded even though no one could see it. “Yeah. I won’t call you that anymore. Whatever.” His other psychic ability peaked out then, practically announcing his hurt and annoyance if they had their shields down.

He did jerk up and glare at the toilet he’d began to clean again when Nika stated no one wanted to be his friend anyway. Being angry just wasn’t the same when you couldn’t yell or state things loudly. There was something special about a voice echoing in a room that you just couldn’t mimic with a voice inside peoples heads.

Still a little miffed about Nika not liking the nickname Vaughan had given him he stood up and took a deep breath. Maybe he did want the clear answer. He tried to smile at Rachel as he passed her to stand at the stall Nika was cleaning in. He took a deep breath and just stared at Nika’s back.while he tried to figure out something different to talk about.

Obviously Vaughan had done something to hurt him. He decided to give a change of subject “So.... How did you two meet?” he smiled at Rachel before rubbing his throat. Hopefully stuff wouldn’t get more awkward now that she knew. It was bad enough with a few people pointedly avoiding him, one more and he’d feel a little worse.

[Rhi-Rhi]

Awkward, awkward, awkward. Rachel wasn't sure what to do about this situation; she was no counselor! And this was fast devolving into just plain uncomfortable. Uh, maybe they were using 'rape' in the rape-kink sense? Not like actual, real rape but rape-fantasy-roleplay-fun-times? Had to be, otherwise this was just too surreal.

She gave a slightly nervous laugh when Vaughan asked how they met. Not because of the subject, but because it was difficult to recover. She felt like she'd just been tossed right between dueling lovers, yet this was even worse than that, because they weren't, and because something far darker had gone down between them.

"Uh...well, we met at the masquerade bash," she said, plastering on a cheery smile. Someone had to save the situation! They had hours to go and she didn't want to spend the time in Awkwardville. "Heh, Nika was being a vampire. Kinda literally. And...uh...there are counselors and stuff here, aren't there?"

[Anonymous]

"Rachel was a nurse." Nika scrubbed the toilet carefully, not really aware of the tension everyone was feeling. He fell quite, mulling over his thoughts. He was feeling irritated, twitchy and he wasn't sure why. He just wanted to curl up against Rachel and have her pet his hair. Taste her blood.

And P. Master Gabby was a stupid name anyway. A stupid, stupid name.

[Anonymous]

Vaughan stopped and then gave a nod, “A nurse and a vampire,” Vaughan eyed Rachel for a moment, trying to picture her in a generic nurse get up. He’d gone to the bash, done nothing and left. It was awkward, going to those places and not being able to talk. Sure telepathy was a perk in a loud room but... It just wasn’t the same as talking or whispering in someone’s ear.

“I’m sure Rachel was a very sexy nurse.” He gave a nod and then chewed on his lip, his amber eyes snapping back to the girl. Counselor? Vaughan just stared at her for a moment. What would that be for? More than enough people knew. Why would he need to go and whine about his worries to some stranger? It was all Nika’s fault anyway that Rachel knew.

Taking a deep breath. “I’m sure there are counsellors here. Probably Pilots, too.” Vaughan wrinkled his nose slightly, not that all trusting of the Pilots he’d met so far. One bashed Nika’s face in, one slit his throat, one bashed another candidates legs in, he’s been ditched and replaced and shoved off onto another Pilot that Vaughan wasn’t sure liked him or not.

Probably help if he tried to actually talk to Pilot Eftwyrd. Change of topic. Vaughan wasn’t feeling awkward, but he could tell Rachel was. “Is there anyone here that isn’t in the Military or a Pilot?” His eyebrows rose, he’d never thought of it before. “Is the janitor a Pilot or do enough candidates screw up that it’s all us?”

[Rhi-Rhi]

Thank the gods for topic changes.

"Not everyone's a Pilot here. I mean, I've seen a couple janitors and I've never had to 'sir' any of the infirmary medics," Rachel said. "And there's regular military here, too." Those she did sir. Gracies were the bottom of the food chain, here!

She started to swipe the mop over the floor again. "We just get to lighten the janitor's load when we misbehave, is all. I mean, hehe, can you imagine a Pilot doing janitor stuff? Maybe if they piss off the right person, but I think they're too busy with more important taking-out-terrorists and protecting-the-city stuff to scrub many toilets. I hear they get maids."

[Anonymous]

"I used to have a maid." Nika wasn't really sure what to say. The conversation had gone to a very awkward place and Nika was floundering. He paused, going quiet again, scrubbing at the toilet. He probably should just stay silent.

[Anonymous]

Could Vaughan imagine a Pilot doing janitorial work? He closed his eyes and... Nothing. They were all too... Pilot-ie. The maid thing wouldn't have surprised him and Nika speaking up to tell them he had a maid wasn't surprsing either. "Spoiled!"

"I lived in a house with a bunch of other guys, so we took turns cleaning the bathroom, it was always extra bad by the time it was Jace's turn since the rest of us would sort of half-ass it or not clean it at all." He wasn't half-assing it now, that was for sure. He could have had a toothbrush and he would have worked it until the bristles were bent back and it looked more like a flat brush than a tooth brush.

"What about you, Rachel? Parents or did you live alone?"

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Lucky. I want a maid," Rachel said, still moving the mop over the tiles. "I lived with my parents and brother--well, I mean, until he got drafted and all, then I got the bathroom all to myself." She gave a light laugh.

"I can't imagine sharing one bathroom with how many guys? Jeez, I wouldn't even wanna sit on the toilet!"

[Anonymous]

"Why wouldn't people clean the bathroom like they were supposed too?" Nika wrinkled his nose, not understanding the idea that people would let their home get dirty. Even without a maid, Nika was neat and tidy.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"Because boys are icky and messy," Rachel said, also wrinkling her nose. "They'd rather their bathroom turn into a hamster cage than pick up a scrub brush!"

[Anonymous]

"I don't. I like cleaning. It's very...ordered." Nika was almost done with his stall, careful to find all the little nooks and crannies that often got over looked. He paused, then carefully added, "And I'm a boy."

[Rhi-Rhi]

"And you're exactly the kind of boy us girls love," Rachel said with a grin. "Nothing worse than a slob that can't even put the toilet seat down."

[Anonymous]

"But it's easy to put the seat down. Why would you leave it up?" Nika wrinkled his nose, looking confused and appalled. Things should always go back the way they were supposed too. Order and calm control. Mess was an irritating distraction. Disorder and chaos were disgusting.

[Rhi-Rhi]

"I dunno. I never got that either. It takes like two seconds! Mom was always yelling at my dad and brother about it." Rachel finished up her mopping and wiped the back of her hand across her brow, even though she wasn't sweaty at all.

"Whew! Well, I think I'm all done here! What about you two?"

[Anonymous]

"I'm finished." Nika stood up and began to clean up the supplies and tools he had used, "Is that everything than?" He paused, watching Rachel with his one pale blue eye, "Did you want tutoring tonight?"

[Anonymous]

Vaughan was finished. Quite finished. He was confused. He'd stayed silent, hard not to when you had to actively think of projecting your thoughts to actually talk. Nika was the kind of boys girls liked? Freaks who could rape people and not feel guilt? Someone who couldn't feel guilt at all? Or maybe it was the Being Clean part. He shrugged, decided he didn't give a shit and tossed the thing he'd been cleaning with in with everything else.

He had stepped out to put the things away when he heard Nika inquire about tutoring, it sent a not-sexy shiver down his spine and he looked at Rachel for a moment before he shrugged, deciding he didn't care about that either. Whatever. It was turning into something common for him to be left out, get used to it, become a Pilot he'd be all the stronger for it and be able to... Eh, who cared. Something good would come of bad things, even if that meant him turning into a bitter person.

"As far as I knew we just had to clean the bathroom. Smells toxic, so that must mean we're done." He tried to smile before he went to wash his hands in the sink, careful to not mess it up again with a wayward soap slop.

[Anonymous]

"Then I guess we can go." Nika watched Vaughan, trying to work things out. He couldn't figure out what Vaughan wanted or really how he felt about him. There were so many confusing feelings twisting around and no real way to understand them.

Replacing the supplies, he lifted the bucket and held the door open, "Goodbye then."