Light shivered in his bed. He reluctantly brought the scratchy wool blanket up to his chin and huddled into a ball in the dark moonlit room. He shut his eyes tightly and let silent tears fall, 'I didn't do anything wrong… Why am I here? I'm fine. It isn't my fault… This isn't my fault... Is it?'
"Light! You're running a fever! It won't do you any good to go to school today." Light mother called towards him as he stopped at the front door.
"Mom, I have a super important test, I can't miss it." Light groaned as she fretted more over his health, "It's just a low grade, I'm fine, I really have to go. I have never missed class I don't intend to start! University doesn't wait for you to feel better, mom." He pulled away from her and ran out the door glancing at his watch, 'If I keep this pace I won't miss my bus.'
The door opened and a nurse came in, "Good morning Raito! Let's get everything settled into the computers and get you set up. Hmm?" Light opened his eyes and shivered looking over to the heavier set woman with chocolate colored tresses in purple scrubs. He nodded silently and sat up. "I'm going to check your vitals, okay?" Light nodded silently again.
She gently lifted his wrist and watched her watch. "Good, I'm going to touch your torso now, alright?" Light nodded wordlessly again, watching the floor listlessly. She gently laid her stethoscope on his chest and listened, "Good."
She placed her stethoscope on his back from under his shirt, "Deep breath in, please." Light obliged. She smiled at him, "Alright, sweetheart, let's get you into some warmer clothes, this damned building is drafty!" She grinned at Light warmly.
He nodded and followed her, she smiled, glancing back at him. 'He had arrived late in the evening, most of the patients were in their rooms And most of the staff had gone home at that point.' Light eyes wandered at all the different patients walking around. She led him to a closet and unlocked it, "For now, unfortunately, until the doctor can talk to you, your initial report, states you are to be in orange."
Light gave her a disheartened stare, "Do the colors mean something?"
She nodded and handed Light the clothing, "Green is low risk, which honestly, I think you belong in, but what do I know, I'm just the caretaker here. I only spend everyday with the patients." She chuckled lightheartedly.
"Yellow is moderately low risk, it's mostly just patients who have minor issues in the past with the staff or have particular restrictions. The majority of this floor is made of of yellow or green. Don't worry, dear, after the doctor can assess you better I can assure you, they'll drop the risk factor on you."
"Then there's orange, that's where you are now, they're medium risk patients, they just require a little more attention by the staff members, more love as I like to say. But, they aren't dangerous or anything." She smiled warmly, "Are you alright, Raito?"
"Light… Please, call me Light…" His voice was soft and trembling slightly.
She nodded, "Very well, Light." She winked and smiled, "Then there's red patients, they aren't bad either, they just… March to the beat of their own drummer, so to speak. There's two red patients in this wing, one of them is an absolute doll once you can get him to talk to you, the other… Well, he's a clam. Good luck." She laughed loudly, "But neither of them are violent, they've just caused more trouble and need to be watched fairly closely."
Her voice took a warning tone, "Then there is the black. They are not to be approached. There's only one in this wing, he's generally kept in solitude and when removed he's usually had tranquilizers."
Light blinked a couple of times in shock, "Is he dangerous?"
She nodded gravely, "He's restrained and requires guards. You shouldn't have to worry about him. Black is code for violent. You'll only ever see him in the group therapy sessions, or, to and from his appointments."
"If he's that dangerous why would he be in the group sessions?" He timidly responded.
She shrugged, "He's usually so drugged up, he probably doesn't even realize where he is most of the time. Something about it being good for him to be around others. I've only had the opportunity to speak with him once or twice. He's dangerous, Light. Avoid him." She smiled, "Alright, get changed, I'll turn around, don't worry, I won't see."
Light stared at her with a raised eyebrow, "Uh… Do you have to be?"
She turned around facing away from him and nodded, "Unfortunately, I have to be present." Light glanced down and changed out of his clothes. He cleared his throat and she turned around with a smile, "I'll take those. Don't worry, they'll be in your personal locker. Let's go get your band."
She rested her hand on Light's shoulder and led him from the clothing closet, as they stepped into the hall the door at the end of the hall opened. Light peered down the hall curiously as two security guards lifted a young man up by his upper arms. He was restrained by a straight jacket. "Oh… That's him. Light, that is Beyond. He's a level five patient." She pressed her arm against Light's chest to keep him far out of the way and against the wall.
The guards started down the hall with the young man's feet dragging against the floor. Light watched in both anxious fear and curiosity. The young man lifted his head and made direct eye contact with Light, from in between his jet black bangs, before rolling his neck and hanging his head again. Light widened his own eyes, 'Red? Were his eyes red?'
The nurse handed him some warm socks with grippers on the bottom of them, "Put those on." Light nodded and slipped them on his feet, admittedly, they were very warm. They were simple, plain white. "Would you like to come on my rounds with me after getting you all set up?"
Light nodded and followed her into a plain looking office, she sat herself at the computer and typed into his file, "Seems they aren't requiring any medication at this time. That's good news! Let's see, no obvious restrictions… I have to ask, do you ever have thoughts of hurting yourself or others?"
Light looked up to her shocked, "No."
She nodded, "I thought so. These bands help the staff distinguish your name, but whether the patient is violent, has any allergies, restrictions, on any medication regimen, the general stuff." She handed a plain band with his name on it as well as a barcode. "See? Nothing to be worried about. I have to put it on you now." Light handed it back to her and held his arm out scanning the walls and reading the positive posters on the wall. A humorous picture of a kitten clinging to a tree branch with bright yellow words under it, 'Hang in there.'
Light smiled slightly at it and got up to follow her out. "Nurse?"
She glanced at him, "Call me, Aimee."
Light glanced around at the interesting patients, his eyes landed on the two red patients of the hall playing chess together. Aimee approached the two of them and pulled out her clipboard, "Good morning, boys, this is Light. He'll be joining us."
Two sets of eyes instantly landed on him, one set as deep as the ocean, the other were grey like a stormy sky. Behind messy onyx hair a tiny smile spread, he sat oddly, he was haunched over and he moved his piece, "I'm L." He held out his hand and gave Light's hand a gentle shake. He pulled his hand back and looked over to the blonde opposing him, "That's Caspian. He doesn't talk to very many people."
Light looked over at Caspian who seemed to be studying his every feature. "It's nice to meet both of you. I'm Light." He gave a nervous bow.
Aimee smiled and led Light to another group sitting around the television. A boy with fiery red hair played on a small hand held game, he was in green, another boy sat on the floor playing with toys, he had bright white hair, he was in yellow. And a blonde watched the television dully, he wore orange. She cleared her throat, "Boys? This is Light, he's new to our wing, treat him well."
The blonde looked up and held his hand straight up into the air, "Hi, I'm Miheal, call me Mello. I don't like my first name." Light smiled and shook his hand and bowed slightly. "I like him. I'll be nice, I'm always nice, Aimee!" He landed a hard kick on the red head startling the boy's attention from his game.
He glanced up, "Hi. I'm Matt." He glanced back down at his game once again.
The boy with white hair was staring at Light, "I'm Near."
Light bowed to him. "Nice to meet you, Near."
Aimee turned happily, "Come along, Light, let's make sure breakfast is well on its way!" Light nodded and followed behind her. They walked past a few more groups of others wearing either green or yellow scrubs. Light kept pace with Aimee as they walked into the cafeteria. "Okay! If you haven't guessed, this is the cafeteria, everyone eats together, with the exception of solitary patients, that's really more for the general population's well being more so than the singular."
Light nodded and looked around the room. Aimee smiled at him and walked into the kitchen, "Wait there, Light. When signaled you can just grab a tray and get some food." The brunette waited looking around more watching the cooks bring the food out in large pans and setting it in the steam table of a line. Light felt a tug on the back of his shirt.
He turned around to see a young woman with blonde pigtails dressed in green scrubs, "Hi, you're new, my name is Misa."
Light blinked a couple of times, "As in the famous model? I'm sorry, my manners, I'm Light."
She nodded, "Nice to meet you, Light. We'll probably only see each other around meal times, they keep the males and females separate, would you like to eat with me today?" She nervously fidgeted with her hair.
Light nodded, "Sure."
She smiled brightly and pulled him towards the line, "It's first come first serve here. So, let's be first." She flashed another smile. The cook whistled and Misa nudged Light forward, "You're new. You go first."
Light nodded placing several items on his tray, "So. What's the real deal here? Everyone seems really happy…"
She shrugged following behind him, "It's a nice place, they have some pretty strict rules, but if you're not breaking the rules then you're fine."
He nodded and followed Misa to her usual sitting place near a window. Aimee watched from the kitchen with a smile as the rest of her residents went through the line. Her smile faded as the sound of chains was heard. She took a deep breath as one guard collected food onto the tray, "Why is he here? He normally eats in his room…"
The guard shrugged, "Doctors orders…"
Aimee gave an unsure nod and looked at the young man, "Please. Sit wherever. But, you know the rules…"
His scarlet eyes landed on her before darting around the room again, he silently held out his wrists and the guard grabbed the chain hard, pulling him in, "No fucking funny business." Unlocking the chains and shoving a tray into his chest.
He kept his eyes down and sat in the corner of the cafeteria alone, hugging his knees, resting his chin on them, staring at the tray apathetically.
L walked up to the table with the others, "Hey, Misa, so you met Light?" Light was staring at the solitary young man.
Misa nodded, "He's very nice. All of you in wing six are… I wish I were a boy so I could be in your guys wing, the girls are mean."
Matt smirked, "They're just jealous you have so many guy friends."
Mello sat next to Misa, "I'll cut a bitch for you, you just point and say go!" He smiled at Misa's laughter.
"Oh, boys…"
Caspian sat at the table next to Light and across from Mello, Caspian held his hands out and Mello clasped them. They both bowed their heads. L rolled his eyes and set his tray on the other side of Caspian, "How are you adjusting?"
Light snapped his eyes over to L and shrugged. Near sat on the other side of L and started eating his breakfast. "I like everyone I've met so far…"
Misa dabbed her mouth delicately with her napkin and smiled, "I'm glad!" Light glanced back over to the boy in black. "Light… I can tell you're a really nice guy. But some people here aren't as nice as everyone else."
Light glanced back to her, "Have you talked to him?"
She shook her head, "I don't have to. I watched him bite his last guard a few nights back..."
L nodded, "Last time he was free to the general population he lifted one kid up by his neck, all he did was say hi."
Mello snickered, "He all but threw Near across the room… For a little dude, he's got mad strength."
Light nodded slowly thinking about this new information. "I want to see for myself." The young man stood up and took a step before having his wrist caught by Caspian.
Everyone at the table stared at him including Light, Caspian shifted his eyes up to the brunette, "Don't ask him personal questions. Keep your conversation brief and impersonal." Everyone's eyes went wide at the sound of Caspian's baritone voice, it was rough from the lack of use.
Light nodded and Caspian released his wrist. Light timidly approached Beyond. Aimee went to stop him before a voice called to her, "Nurse."
She gasped and turned around, "Dr. Mendez." Her eyes landed on a tan man with shining hazel eyes and slicked back jet black hair.
"Let him go. I'm interested. His mental state has stabilized significantly, this is why he's been reintroduced to general population. This will be an appropriate test."
Aimee looked down, "Don't use my patients like that…"
He smirked, showing the scar running along his bottom lip to the corner of his jaw. "They're my patients. Your charges. You think I'm not aware of what he's capable of?"
Aimee averted her eyes from his scar, "I'm sorry."
Light came into view and was instantly followed by scarlet eyes, though he never moved, if anything, he seemed to tense at Light's presence. Light sat down silently and smiled softly, "I'm Light. Nice to meet you."
Beyond stared at him blankly, "Beyond. What are you doing?"
Light sighed, "You looked lonely…"
Beyond raised an eyebrow, "I'm pretty used to it by now…"
Light nodded, "Uh, how are you?"
Beyond ran his thumb over his bottom lip studying Light, "I'm as well as they come. As I'm sure you've heard. This is my first day back into the general population…" His eyes studied every feature of the younger male.
Light nodded, "I wanted to meet you for myself."
Beyond smirked slightly and let out a deep menacing chuckle, "Very brave."
Light shook his head, "Curious. Not brave."
Beyond's smile seemed to widen, "And honest. I like that." He outstretched his hand, "Well. I'll be honest with you as well."
Light gently reached out his hand, as they touched Light mentally flinched, 'His hands are much warmer than I would have imagined.'
Everyone back at his original table seemed to be holding their breath. They watched the two others closely, they breathed a sigh of relief when their hands recoiled from each other. Matt chuckled, "New kid's got a set on him."
Light sighed, "Just thought I'd come say hi… I don't much care for rumors. You could always come sit with us…"
The raven looked over his shoulder at the table who all gave a guilty glance down. "No… I'm not sure that would be wise."
Nodding, the younger man offered a compromise, "If you want I can come sit with you."
Beyond shifted his glance to the guards, "No. Best if you returned to your table alone. You're making everyone nervous."
Light glanced around, "Am I making you nervous?"
Beyond shook his head, "No. I very much enjoyed your company."
The brunette nodded again, "Well, if that's what you want, I'll go."
Beyond sighed and lifted his fork, "It's for the better…" Light smiled softly and stood up, walking back over to the other table. Beyond smirked at the boy as he walked away from him, "Interesting…"
Light sat down and chuckled at everyone, "What?"
Misa blinked, "Light… That was dumb."
Light sighed, "You think? I think he's nice."
Mello smirked, "You're the first one he hasn't assaulted… That's badass! What did you guys talk about?"
Light shrugged, "Nothing really." He started eating his food quietly. "I invited him to sit with us… He said that wasn't a good idea…"
Caspian lifted his tray, "He won't come to us. We'd have to go to him… Group will be interesting today…"
L gave a tiny smile, "Indeed…"