It turns out his shoulder blade is fractured and his shin is at risk of infection. They insist he stays in the clinic until he heals….and then they leave. He doesn't know how long he's in there, seemingly sharing Dark's aversion to typical sleeping habits, though he's laid down, staring into space almost the entire time. He has never felt so alone.
He has no visitors, save for the doctor who seems to purposefully avoid looking at him whenever he swings by. All he has is the time for it to sink in that he's never going to get home.
It takes a few days, the doctor noting some kind of mildly accelerated healing, before anyone comes to see him. Bim tells him that he can leave the clinic now, that he can have his own rooms and beyond this he's free to do whatever he wants to do. The guy seems genuine and kind but this just seems like he's being brushed aside. Though he says nothing out loud, he guesses he's not going to see any of them ever again.
The room is simple. There's a bed, a couple book cases but beyond that there's nothing. He just lays on the bed and does nothing for a few days. He doesn't want to do anything, doesn't feel like he can. Bim comes back four days after, seemingly upset. Apparently Bim has tickets for something and wonders if maybe he wants to go. He turns the offer down but Bim doesn't take it.
"You can stay here and be a miserable Murray or you can suck it up and come and have some fun."
So he goes. It's some kind of show and he doesn't really follow it, instead looking at all the people around them. Back home, he's grey, he could never do something like this because everyone would be staring, pointing, maybe a person or two might try and attack him, but here he's normal.
He's actually smiling as they head back to the building and Bim is babbling about all his favorite parts of what they've just seen. Maybe it isn't so bad here after all.
"Does this world have hair dye?" he asks and Bim looks at him in shock, as though he wasn't expecting those words to come out his mouth.
On the way home they call in somewhere and though Bim tries his best to make suggestions as to colors to go for, he knows exactly what color he wants. When he picks it out, Bim gives him this strange look as though he isn't sure, but he insists. So Bim buys it for him, insisting that if he doesn't like it, Bim refuses to be held responsible.
Bim waits outside the bathroom continuing to talk about his favorite parts of the show, talking about the swelling music and the performances and just gushing about how much of a good time he's had. Every once in a while Bim will pause, and he'll respond with a generic response, a little more focused on the scissors in his hand as he cuts the longer sides of his hair, and works the dye into the top, but not wanting to discourage Bim's obvious passion.
It's a long while before he comes out the bathroom, and he's smiling wide. Bim tilts his head in curiosity and admits that he had his doubts but it's undeniable. The red suits him.