Flower Power

The flowers in River’s hair were not dancing, but it wasn’t as if he could believe that with all the chemicals dancing around in his brain. “You should lie down and rest.” She suggested.

“This isn’t going to be pretty, is it?” Shiro asked.

“I’m unsure,” She admitted to the crimson eyed male. “Everyone is different in their responses to the chemicals. Why did he do that?”

“Because he’s been starved for years and Loreen isn’t in here…” Shiro snorted.

“Loreen?” River frowned. She knew that woman - the newest medic that was rather bossy.

Riley nodded “they would give me this nutrient paste so they only needed to feed me a couple of times a week” he giggled “sometimes others would sneak me snacks but then I'd get punished. They tricked Loreen into putting a chip in my head that was slowly killing me.”

“I see,” River replied, tilting her head to the side. “Well, we get real food here.”

“real food sounds amazing what's it like” he asked patting the bed for her to sit down “what's life like here?”

River frowned and set down a small plate in front of Riley. “Eat this.” She said. It would bring him back to reality.

Riley studied it for a moment “You're nice and pretty so I trust you” he said giving her a smile before eating.

River watched in silence as Shiro slowly ate his own bowl of snacks.

Riley slowly returned to his normal self and blushed feeling embarrassed as he remembered everything “I'm really sorry miss River is there anyway I can make it up to you?”

“Don't do it again.” River said as she returned to the cart.

Shiro chuckled. “I think you got lucky.”

Riley sighed chastising himself for giving such a bad impression.

Shiro watched as River finished her rounds and left. “I don’t think she’s mad at you. If she was, you’d know…I hear River has turned people into plants before when they piss her off.”

“I've been treated like an animal all my life” he replied “i don't want to prove Thrane right i should be able to control myself around food.”

“You can’t help it. Just try to keep yourself under control next time.” Shiro said with a shrug. “I only learned because I was forced to starve myself in order to face the world…”

Riley nodded before laying back down in his bed to rest. “The real world is confusing.”

“It’s why I didn’t want to come out to it, but…meh.” Shiro shrugged and finished his food before lying down to rest.

Riley pulled the blanket over himself “I feel lost”

“So do I…” Shiro said before he soon fell asleep.