Warnings: mention of drugs/sedation, will contain detailed description of same in later chapters
also I'm really bad with longfic and may not actually ever finish this :Db
Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!
"I have a proposition for you, Suoh."
What Munakata's not saying is a lot more telling than what he is. Standing in the doorway, back straight, hands folded behind his back – he cuts an imposing figure, sure, but underneath it he's more uncomfortable than Mikoto's ever seen him. Whatever this is, it's probably not a rehash of the "renounce your throne" speech, and whatever it is, he doesn't want to share it.
Which means Mikoto sure as hell doesn't want to hear it, but he's kind of low on options at the moment. He stretches, yawns – pretends not to notice that Munakata's wound even tighter than usual – and, finally, sits up to give Munakata his undivided attention.
Bickering with Munakata's the only entertainment he's got down here.
"Thought I told you I wasn't interested in your little 'proposition'."
"This one is… different."
It's hard to imagine what Munakata could find so distasteful, given what he's already done. Has his patience run out? Is he going to draw that fancy sword of his, execute Mikoto here and now? It'd save the both of them a whole lot of trouble if he did.
"Well, spit it out, then."
"I believe the safest way to ensure you remain exactly where you are would be to employ chemical restraint."
"'Chemical restraint'?" It takes him a second to figure out what that means in layman's terms – and when he does, he almost wishes he hadn't. No wonder Munakata's so edgy about this. It doesn't sit right with Mikoto, either, wouldn't even if he wasn't the intended target. "You want to drug me?"
For just a moment, there's a crack in Munakata's impassive facade; then he reaches up to adjust his glasses, and by the time he's done his mask is whole again. "If you must put it so crudely… yes. You would be kept sedated, under medical supervision. Not permanently, of course. But until a better solution can be found."
He finally steps further into the room, a few long strides bringing him close enough to touch – but he doesn't, this time. "And it would ensure your safety, as well."
A nap he won't wake from screaming. Restraints he can't break.
The bastard knows exactly what he's offering, and Mikoto can't even bring himself to hate him for it.
There's lots of things he could say, lots of witty comebacks to throw in Munakata's face like nothing about this situation fazes him at all. At least if I'm asleep I can't die of boredom, maybe, or How do I know you won't just slit my throat while I'm out?, or –
"Yeah," Mikoto says, staring down at his lap and the shackles that couldn't possibly hold him if he truly wanted to break free. "Yeah, okay."
Sleeping for days, or weeks, or however long it takes Munakata to find his perfect solution… doesn't sound so bad, really.
He's so fucking tired.