When the world turns its back on you...

Even with the amount of product in his hair, the blonde locks bobbed along with the nod Casey offered in casual sympathy. “Yeah, the basement’s dank as hell.” Enough nights spent huddled up in the dark corners, trying to chase away invisible demons that stuck to him like a curse. Those demons were easy to shake away with a loud sigh and a forced thought of better times, and the smile that had faltered was soon back in place.

Taking the lead was easy, with a shrug of his shoulders and a deliberate path set to the balcony that was closer to muscle memory than proper navigation. Careful in his steps, heavy boots made less sound than they usually did, and a booming, bashful voice lowered into a more conversational tone as they neared the second floor where Casey knew he shouldn’t be. “Yeah? Five years sounds like hell but I’ll take the brownie points,” Throwing a grin at the taller patient, Casey pulled the wristband higher on his arm, the accessory tightly wound around his forearm before the jacket came down over it deliberately before hands disappeared in the pockets of the jeans.

“It’s great,” taking a more somber tone, even with the nonchalant shrug of heavy shoulders, “You can see the city lights and such. Real inspiring, I’ll tell you that.” He hid the fleeting smile behind a popped collar as the balcony door came into view, the fresh air making Casey blink against the shift in temperature. Eyes flitted over the scenery for guards while the toe of his boot held the door open for the new acquaintanceship. He offered no further explanation of their path when the blonde was already taking a leap at the nearby window accent. The harsh brick familiar beneath calloused hands that pulled him up enough to get a foothold to kick himself up on the lip of the roof. Another heave and a huff later, the roof was adorned by one rebel waiting for another. While the wind didn’t pick up, the exertion still made Casey shiver against the chill in the air even as the cocky, white-toothed grin welcomed the raven-haired man to join him.

“All you now, mate. Need pointers?” 

It took Cameron by surprise that the bantering conversation flowed easily between the two acquaintances. An unexpected but pleasant discovery. Although Cameron kept those thoughts concealed, a breath of laughter escaped the smirk plastered across his lips. “Hell on earth,” Came the sombre reiteration. Mistakes and regret filled his time in Thornewood, brief glimpses of a life of happiness outside this draconian existence only fuelled the burning desire to escape in one piece. “Inspiring, huh? And what does it inspire you to do?” Morbid curiosity crept into his questioning, eyebrows arching high upon a furrowed forehead as they crept through parted doorways, keeping close behind Casey as he led the way to their destination, unsuspecting of the climb that awaited him. As the blonde began a somewhat risky ascent along the outside of the building, electric hues widened with a baffled expression, watching his movements meticulously to decipher the best course of action. Hands shoved into his pockets in a moment of defiance, tempted to call Casey crazy and leave it at that, however, the rebellious need for adventure gnawed away at the young man, tempting fate seemed like the only way to subdue the ache for adrenaline. “I'm good,” Cameron called up quickly dismissing the offer of help with a narrowing of his eyes at the man now above him. Exhaling a short breath against the cool night air before climbing out onto the window ledge and assessing his next move. Outstretched fingertips found unforgiving brick as he pulled himself upwards, relying heavily on the grip of old leather-bound boots and tattooed hands to keep steady as he began the climb. Once feet hit the sturdy ground of rooftop, the air captured in his lungs finally escaped. Cobalt orbs glanced out at the miles of dense forest and city lights before them, “I ‘spose that'll do.” Cameron lightheartedly complimented Casey’s findings with a nonchalant shrug then reached for a cigarette and placed it between his lips, “Want one?”

He’d barely caught the motion to move down the hall before he already did, not waiting on an invitation to leave the accursed third floor to find some freedom, not to mention a proper drink. A hum left ruined lungs as the blonde pressed his palms against sleep-heavy eyes. While colors swirled across his eyelids, his mind went to the usual plans he had to break the rules placed before him. There were countless spots he’d hid before, dark corners and forgotten crannies that barely fit him, and a bottle of scotch. Blue eyes blinked open as his hands fell to his sides, fingertips tapping on the side of his distressed jeans before getting shoved into his pockets. Glancing over at the other patient, Casey could already tell his usual camping areas wouldn’t cut it, and being huddled too close together with someone who had nearly broken his nose was less than ideal. 

As his eyes drew back towards the way they traversed, a snort escaped in good humor at the mere suggestion that he’d choose less than ideal drinking plans. “Aw, I was thinking of sittin’ smack middle of the reception area. Grab a schnapps on Charles’ desk, hello?” The sentence faded into a chuckle, the hope that Cam knew how to take a joke more of a distant wish than a fearful prayer. “Never been caught on the roof yet, got that goin’. Easiest way up’s gotta be the second-floor balcony. Real tough gettin’ back down once you’re sloshed though.” A hand came to comb through the recently trimmed beard, as was the habit when taking thinking seriously. 

“Less guards on the green floor, I guess, but I bet a kidney there’ll be snitches. Garden’s big. I don’t know, man, I’ll drink anywhere. ”

An amused chuckle built it’s way up through Camerons strained throat, shaking his head at the sarcastic quip from the blonde. “Ah, a funny guy, huh?” He nodded approvingly before musing over the sound suggestions. “Green patients can’t be trusted, too risky. There’s too may guards patrolling the garden at this time and I refuse to spend another night in the cellar.” A hand raked through black locks as he took a moment to think over their options.

“You know what, the roof sounds like it’s got promise and I’m always up for a drunken challenge.” As the sentence left his lips, oceanic hues flitted over their surroundings, a silent attempt to locate the balcony. He couldn’t recall previously being on the roof and was somewhat disappointed that he hadn’t thought of the location before. Mildly impressed by his undiscovered findings, Cameron figured there was untapped potential within Casey.

“Take the lead, bud.” Relinquishing the lead to the other patient, Cameron kept a careful eye on their surroundings. “Y’know, five years stuck in this shithole and I don’t think I’ve ever been on the roof.” He confessed, unable to cover the hint of jealousy sullying his tone. 

mentions @ccallahann

Cameron: Displeasure oozed from each perfectly arched feature, the sharp curvature of his spine slumping uncomfortably against the sturdy headboard of Lexus’ bed as he fought off a scowl. Confusion hardened tense features, stubborn frown flickering. Casey’s name tasted like gasoline, bitter lighter fluid coating the back of Cameron’s throat in disgust. To torture him, sometimes Lexus made him say it. “Casey,” The 29 year-old grunted, “You guys...hang out?”

Lexus: She eyed her fiancé carefully, mindful to keep her expression neutral so as to ensure this was a non-issue. Shrugging her shoulders, she replied casually — as if she were talking about the weather, though the constant thumping of her heart said otherwise. “Yeah,” Lex hummed, “Pretty much. I mean, I don’t know. I’m tired of being angry all the time, y’know? It was months ago. It’s easier to let go. And he’s actually kinda fun, Cam. I always thought you guys were — I don’t know, like — ‘cut from the same cloth’ or whatever. You’re similar, at least in your hobbies.”

Yanked from an accidental nap had Casey scrambling upright from the nest of blankets he’d amassed, leg catching the poorly set linen and getting the blonde on all fours on the floor with a loud THUMP. A curse filled the silent room before the sound of him scrambling to get upright took over, blue eyes squinted against the darkness of a blackout room. Confusion was palpable, both from the sudden visitor and the absence of a guard’s booming demands to open the door, but paranoia wasn’t activated after the rude awakening he hadn’t expected. 

Navigating through the piles of clothes while kicking over discarded shirts to hide the worst of the pilfered cigarettes and lighters had became a norm and the trek to the door was an easy feat, even in the darkness. Shaking the worst of the bleariness, Casey opened the door a fraction, and a few more fractions when the light blue uniform was nowhere to be seen. Adjusting to the lighting difference gave the blonde time to process the person standing under the bright lights of the hallway, and that’s when it hit that being met by Cam was another ordeal. The Aussie opened his mouth to question the motives before his eyes caught the glimpse of the whiskey, now calling his name and morphing the narrowed glare into something more neutral, almost happy. The exhaustion weighing heavily on broad shoulders vanished in an instant, and a toothy grin took the place of a confuddled grimace. 

“Fuck yeah, mate.” Enthusiastic agreement came with a gravelly tone before he retreated into the room to grab a random t-shirt that he hastily pulled overhead, soon joined by the jacket he’d slung over the back of the only chair still standing unbroken in the room. From the confined of the dark room, a more alert voice called out to the new partner in crime.

“Bet you got the spot planned, yeah? Or are we just runnin’?”

The chaos echoing from within the room before the door opened caused Cameron’s eyebrows to arch and a smirk to form at the corner of his lips, “You good?” He choked out amongst the suppressed laughter as Casey appeared in the door way, the bated breath he’d been holding in anxious anticipation finally released. Nervous energy dissipated and only his fingers drummed against the cool leather of his jacket. 

A shrug dropped broad shoulders, “I hadn’t planned that far.” The admission brought a frown to his brow, stepping back from the door to let Casey past. “You know anywhere good?” Cautious hues glanced behind his shoulder, checking no one was loitering and potentially listening in on the incriminating conversation taking place. Shoving tattooed hands into his pockets and concealing the contraband in one swift motion, Cameron nodded his head down the hall, indicating his eagerness to get a move on. 

There was an unsettling feeling forming in the pit of Cameron’s stomach, curious as if he would be able to continue with halfhearted niceties or whether this would ultimately end up as a decision he would regret. Only time would tell. “If this isn’t already a given, somewhere that we can’t get caught would be ideal.” 

Cameron seemed moody and a bit distracted, but Finn had slowly grown used to this side of his roommate. The two of them had been like oil and water from the moment Finn had returned to Thornewood, but lately thing had been getting easier. He wasn’t entirely sure where the change was coming from, but he would take whatever peace he could get. 

“Been alright.” Finn shrugged. “Just trying to keep my head down I guess.” He noticed Cameron’s lack of appetite and tried not to think too hard about it, or how much it reminded him of Ellie. Finn took a bite of his food and tried to figure out how to carry a conversation with Cameron when it wasn’t fueled by venom and barely-veiled anger issues. “How’ve things been with you? And-uh- Lex?” He lifted his tired eyes up to Cameron’s. The hope lingered that Cameron wouldn’t snap and that this could stay civil. It would be nice to actually have an ally like Cameron. 

Heavy azure hues fell to the table, running numb fingertips over every scratch and notch in the old wood. Paying half-hearted attention to the words leaving Finn’s lips but not able to bring himself to feign interest. Cameron reflected upon the unnatural scenario he had forced himself into purely to appease a therapist that got paid, no matter what he did, progress or not. That thought alone fuelled the fire of hatred towards the system Thornewood had built up, was there any point in carrying out the mundane task set? “Mhm,” Came his muttered response, placing a fork full of food between his teeth.

“Well...” Cameron began, chewing with the intent of finishing his sentence, “I haven’t left her yet.” The remark was sharp, displaced as it erupted in the midst of a somewhat tame conversation, a clear indicator of how much the 29-year-old was not willing to participate in prosaic chatter. Resentment for everyone and everything screwed with his perception of others intentions. The inner conflict rearing it’s ugly head once more in the form of unnecessarily harsh commentaries. Sucking a deep breath through a clenched jaw, Cameron dulled the sharp edge to his tone, “Y’know, that’s kind of the last thing I wanted to talk about with you. I’m not coming over here and asking you about Ellie. And anyway, do you really care about the inner workings of my relationship?”

There’s something honorable about a man who attempts reconciliation — not that Cameron had ever been one of those men, but he admired the grit it must’ve taken to swallow one’s pride. It wasn’t a skill he had much practice in — if any — but the concept of rebuilding a bridge previously burnt to a crisp was puzzling, a litany of questions coming to the surface as a tidal wave of self-doubt swept him away. Was he the type of person to extend an olive branch? No. Never.

Yet, as Lexus’ gentle question rattled around in his brain, Cameron found himself at odds. If she had been able to forgive Casey, why couldn’t he? Easy, she was far too trusting. Nonetheless, he went with the sole intention to prove someone wrong — be it himself or his therapist, though his money was undoubtedly on the therapist. With a bottle of whiskey, a fresh pack of cigarettes stolen from a nurse’s handbag and a deep frown etched across his forehead, Cam found himself lingering outside his fellow yellow patient’s door. “Fuck it,” He muttered, banging a clenched fist against the wood. No turning back now. Attempting what he thought was a friendly smile, Cameron adjusted slightly to reveal the contraband in his pocket, blue hues hardening as the door opened.

“Hey, you in?”

@ccallahann​

Usually it took a bit more to get a rise out of Cameron. Today it seemed that it only took proximity. Finn had been walking a few steps behind the other man, paying attention only to the book in his hand. His roommate’s sudden pause jolted Finn and cause him to look up just in time to catch the flash of anger. The threat glinted off of Cameron’s clenched teeth. “Just my book.” Finn retorted, holding up the volume that was now closed around one finger to keep his place in it. “What’s got you in such a mood?” 

It seemed odd to Cameron that his roommate, of all people, chose today to start questioning his current mood. It never took a lot to get Cameron riled up but particular people certainly rubbed him the wrong way, Finn being one of those people. “What’s it to you? Gonna try and throw some fucking bullshit you’ve heard in therapy down my throat and tell me to remember my breathing?” Despite the annoyance heavy in his tone, his volume remained civil. 

Sleep had taken over at some point around 3AM, drunken thoughts finally quieting down and giving way to peaceful rest. Yet, as the sun interrupted the room, infiltrating with a bright warmth, Cameron felt far from rested. Heavy eyes peeled open, frowning in protest as disgruntled sounds fought their way free from a dry throat.

“Fuckin’ hell.”

Held captive by his burning touch, she pursued him the way Icarus pursued the sun — voraciously and without caution.

Keep Reading!

As cerulean hues traced the contours of her body, quiet apologies fell by the wayside, his affirmation allowing confidence to bloom as she stood before him. The faint chuckle of disbelief emboldened her, a delicate smile washing over full lips. Though Cameron preferred to think of himself as stoic, Lexus knew better: he wore happiness well, throwing desire into the heady mix was cruel, reducing her a swooning mess as her fiance drew closer. Purpose drove him forward, the wolfish smile on his lips darkly possessive.

Eyes lingering on the smile she knew well, shockwaves of desire shot up her shins and exploded throughout her body as Cameron closed the gap between them. Murmured compliments reddened the hue of her crimson cheeks, marooned by his kindness. Awoken from the haze of his woodsy cologne, equal parts intoxicating and tantalizing, Lexus squeaked in protest as he blew out the candle. “You didn’t make a wish!”

Still, her smirk matched his own, the implication of his words hanging heavily in the air as his hands continued to explore her body. Arching her back into his touch, expert fingertips traced the contours of her hips, serving only to fan the flames of desire that pooled between her legs. “No,” She finally answered, voice level despite anticipation rising in her bones. “I was waiting for you.”

Her innocence was his kryptonite, the terror in chocolate brown hues over something as trivial as a birthday wish effortlessly endearing. Free hand running through silky black tresses, gentle fingertips nuzzled the side of her face before resting her jaw in his hand. Softly, Cameron reminded her, “I already got everything I wanted.”

The sentiment, though sweet, didn’t dispel the lust from stormy blue hues as they admired Lex’s body. Was she wearing new lingerie? Groaning, both man an beast made peace with one another, the war at a temporary stand-still as Lexus captured the attention of them both. Electricity surged within him, well aware she hung on his every word, temptation written over her features as she leaned into his touch.

Happy birthday! || Lex + Cam

Nerves rattled within her, goosebumps covering her body — and not much else, she noted, as the source of her anxiety surged. Had she been given much choice? What else could she do? Cameron never asked for much, the allure of monetary possessions completely eluding him. Still, was it a gift if they both benefited from so-called offering?

She nearly yelped as he opened the door, crimson blush setting fire to her porcelain cheeks.

"Happy birthday," Came her whisper from the bed, gently holding up a poorly iced chocolate cupcake. "Sorry it’s not much but..." She apologized sheepishly, words spilling from her mouth like a waterfall. Shifting from one foot to the other, Lexus smiled softly from behind sweet chocolate refuge. "Happy birthday, baby."  

Cameron wasn’t sure what to expect upon returning to his room, envisioning an elaborate surprise birthday party he’d be forced to suffer through or a million stuffed teddies and roses dominating his side of his shared bedroom —  anything extravagant that screamed Lexus Hale is in charge of a birthday — but as tattooed hands pushed against the handle and the click of the door releasing filled the quiet hallway, crystalline hues fell to a scene straight from his dreams. Leaning against the bed in all her glory, his scantily clad fiancée held a cupcake. Hair falling sweetly over her shoulder in carefully crafted waves, her chocolate brown eyes melted him. Eyeing his blushing bride, a wicked grin flashed across features previously fraught with annoyance. Snorting his amusement, an incredulous chuckle fell from his lips. “Oh, baby.” He cooed, lust-filled hues trailing down the enticing curves of her body, voice thick with need.

Wrenching himself from indecent daydreams, Cameron wasted no time in eliminating the distance between them. Mouth dry, one hand found her exposed hip, fingers pressing delicately into velvety skin as his hand slowly traveled towards her backside before giving it a possessive squeeze. Eyes wide, untapped energy swirled within him as endless possibilities stood before him — wrapped in sexy lingerie, no less. “You’re so sexy.”

Nerves rattled within her, goosebumps covering her body — and not much else, she noted, as the source of her anxiety surged. Had she been given much choice? What else could she do? Cameron never asked for much, the allure of monetary possessions completely eluding him. Still, was it a gift if they both benefited from her so-called offering?

She nearly yelped as he opened the door, crimson blush setting fire to her porcelain cheeks.

"Happy birthday," Came her whisper from the bed, gently holding up a poorly iced chocolate cupcake. "Sorry it’s not much but..." She apologized sheepishly, words spilling from her mouth like a waterfall. Shifting from one foot to the other, Lexus smiled softly from behind sweet chocolate refuge. "Happy birthday, baby." 

[read more warning: scantily clad Lexus below]

She supposed that it said quite a bit about her that she didn’t have any reaction to analytical eyes scanning her over, rather desensitized to observations by this point. A neutral crystal gaze is all she gave in return, head tilting ever so slightly to the side as she glanced up and down the mystery man who’d nearly knocked her off her feet - in the most literal sense of the phrase. Birdie wasn’t one to put much weight into stereotypes, really she wasn’t, but she’d be a flat out liar if she claimed he didn’t just look like trouble. Leather jacket, nose piercing, neck tattoo? Pair those with the fact he had sought out a hiding place from security, he was like a walking, talking cliché at first glance, like the textbook bad boy from an awful romcom. 

He was cute. 

Seemed like a little bit of a prick, but cute regardless.

“Presumptuous?” The blonde couldn’t tell if he was trying to be funny or not, but it didn’t stop soft laugh from leaving her, muffled as best she could, though unworried based on how far away the retreating footsteps seemed to be now. Amusement seeped into every facet of her expression, a sweet smile finding it’s home on glossy lips as she met his eye.

“You came sprinting down the hallway and asked me to hide you,” The words were said with a certain nonchalant edge, merely repeating facts back to him, “Mixed with how relieved you just looked to hear those footsteps go by, I’m assuming that’s what you’re hiding from.” It was pretty simple, really. It certainly didn’t take a psychiatrist to figure that one out, yet she was still trying to piece the remaining details together. Originally she’d figured he’d been trying to escape, but now as his hand slid to guard something inside his jacket, she had a feeling he’d gotten his hands on something he wasn’t supposed to. 

“And considering the environment, I’m gonna take a wild guess here - call me crazy - it wasn’t your adoring fans chasing you.” 

She spared a glance over at the door, eyes locked on the painted wooden surface as she started to speak again, “By my count, the guards will loop back down this hallway in another few minutes or so before giving up and checking another floor.” You learned quite a bit about a place from hiding in a storage closet, really. “So you can either tell me, or we can stand here in terribly awkward silence.” 

She turned her gaze back to him, one brow raised though the sugary smile remained.

“Your call.”

Cameron caught the muffled laughter as a flicker of annoyance crept along his dimly illuminated features, a shadow forming over his brow bone upon glancing down at the girl. “So what? I look guilty?” He questioned, the close proximity between the two grating on him as he pushed his back against the wall, crossing heavily tattooed arms over his chest. There was more to Thornewood and its inhabitants than what met the eye and Cameron would be damned if he was the one stuck enlightening the newcomer. 

A disgruntled chuckle passed through full lips, his tongue slowly pulling along his lower lip as he shook his head, fighting the urge to offer only an eye roll in response to her deduction. “Ah, fantastic deduction, Sherlock. I’m sure you can be expecting your ‘investigator of the year award’ any day now.” And with that, Cameron attempted to turn on his heel towards exit until her remark about the guard peaked his interest. She was right, they did typically double back and he wasn’t in the mood to find another hiding spot. 

“Hey, I’m a sucker for awkward silence.” He shrugged, unwilling to give up his secrets just yet, he’d make her work for it if she was genuinely intrigued. A silence fell over them as he glanced round the room, noting cracks in the wall and chipped paint on the ceiling. After a few brief moments, a sigh escaped chapped lips, “So what’s so terrible about this? I’m actually enjoying the peace.” Sarcastic humour crept just below the surface of his words, refusing to be roped into childish ultimatums. 

Rumours circulating Cameron’s arrival staved off any unwanted visitors initially, the most daring of strangers not opting for more than a look at the then-new patient and after four birthdays in confinement passed without incident with not one candle-lit piece of cake presented to him, he’d grown accustomed to July 26th morphing into just another day. He preferred it that way, this lack of representation the only acceptable reminder of him. In a way, he admired the consistency. 

Twenty-nine would be different. Already, there was a palpable tension as the hallways were abuzz with activity, electricity coursing through the air. Today felt different...people were looking at him. Chest tightening with anxiety, the yellow patient shouldered prolonged stares from others, contended by the quiet self-assurance of insanity. No one knows, he reminded himself, staving off the feeling of discomfort settling within him. Choosing to distract himself and awaken a sleep-deprived mind, heavy hands clumsily brewed a cup of coffee. A splash of hot liquid escaped his cup, singeing his knuckle as a wince of pain crossed tired features. Bringing the blistering skin to his lips, Cameron soothed its ache before spinning on his heels to catch someone in his peripheral. Anger awakened the beast within, growing anxiety and annoyance building to a deafening crescendo. Sharp teeth flashed in a growl, jaw clenching as harsh words ripped through his throat, “The fuck’re you lookin’ at?”

The buzz of happiness still lingered, even after the carnival grounds were long gone and the ground only held muddied footprints and tossed grass. A man who mostly lounged alone, brooding and absent, dared to roam the hospital, hasty footsteps pulling him away from the incessant guards still trailing the bright red beacon disguised as a wristband. Casey didn’t have issues disappearing at the most opportune moments, no, and such was the evidence as he wandered the hallways without a clear destination. Deep in thought, mouth drawn into a contemplative pout that automatically pulled his brow into a similar expression indicated a tide of boredom.

Until his trek came to a stop, white converse halting slowly when the sound of heavy footsteps came barreling from somewhere behind him. Hands that had rested in the pockets of distressed jeans balled into fists before relaxing and coming out to hang free, ready for… Something. Adrenaline was an old friend that greeted Casey like a warm embrace when he spun around, just in time to catch the blur of pale skin and inky hair, a flash of recognition turning surprise into fear, if only for a split second. Absorbing the collision wasn’t much, the momentum lost as soon as hands came to rest on broad shoulders, Casey’s hand skidding off a leather-clad shoulder. A curse made short work of coming through, cut off by the sudden laughter and sneakers squeaking against the wooden floor. 

If it was possible to only hear static amid confusion, that’s what he heard. Only the sound of an enraged guard and pleading eyes kicked the blonde into gear, a loud whisper of shite fell through scarred lips. Rough fingers nabbed at the sleeve of the jacket, coaxing the sudden partner in crime to follow Casey’s sprint, memory serving a room only a few short breaths away. Not ready to be caught on the wrong floor, outside the rules still held over him, Casey focused entirely on the run before his fingers caught the cold handle of the door, yanking the heavy wooden obstacle open. The room greeted him with its emptiness, pristine sheets and bland furniture looking entirely unused. Blessed be, the thought passed before the blonde sidled up to the wall, taking a deep breath, eyes closed until the sound of the door closing would give him either another week in isolation, or one more moment of freedom.

The flash of fear across the blond’s features, though brief, was enough to stir amusement within Cameron. Luckily, the guard hot on his heels concealed his laughter, self-preservation kicking into overdrive as heavy combat boots thundered down the hall. For a split second, the 28-year-old doubted Casey’s willingness to hide him, their altercation in the library not quite forgotten despite the significant passage of time. Feelings of remorse eluded him, his commitment to Lexus overruling. Still, as the two trudged down the hallway, Cameron assured himself enlisting the Australian's help unavoidable. At best, his knowledge of the hospital would grant them access to a room capable of concealing the unlikely pair. At worst, Casey’s rebellious history would provide the perfect alibi for a scapegoat, should Cameron need to incriminate the red patient in favour of saving himself. 

Surprisingly, Casey threw open the door to an empty bedroom. Moderately impressed, the Camden native pressed his weight against the door, barring the entry of those searching for him. Half listening to the conversation outside inquiring about his whereabouts, Cameron hissed, “Really? A bedroom? The fuck’re we supposed to do in here, take a nap?” Tattooed fingertips gripped the back of a chair, shoving it beneath the handle as a makeshift lock before surveying the room. Devoid of colour, the unoccupied bedroom was the antithesis of the sunny perspective Thornewood’s staff peddled down patients’ throats. Poking around the room, azure hues searched for an exit, carefully surveying the drop below. 

Quiet, peaceful, well-structured, all words that the doctor had used to describe Thornewood during his long ramble about the benefits of inpatient care. The man had tried to sell it as some sort of vacation, a stress-free getaway with all the key components of a successful recovery in a matter of months, promising her parents that it would be a million times more effective than the inpatient facility she’d been admitted to a year prior.

 Really, he’d be selling it to her parents, considering by that point the young blonde didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter. 

Yet, as she found herself sneaking out of the storage closet she’d been using as a practice space, she had to say, she wasn’t seeing the whole strictly observed thing. In the week she’d been there, she’d managed to sneak off and go through just about an entire ballet class to keep her technique up without any sort of suspicion being raised. A bit of an issue, considering the staff was supposed to be preventing any sort of exercise on her part, but she certainly wasn’t complaining. 

And as a rather tall, heavily tattooed man just about ran directly into her, accompanied by the sounds of shouting and heavy footsteps not far behind, she really wasn’t seeing quiet or peaceful either.

A sharp intake of breath came as unfamiliar hands gripped her shoulders, barely managing to steady herself as she stumbled backwards. An outraged exclamation died before it could leave her lips as the wrecking ball of a man gave a hushed plea, looking as though he may actually combust if he didn’t keep moving. Truly, she should have left him to his own devices, given him up to security, it would have been the smart thing to do. But, she’d be lying if she tried to claim the alternative wasn’t far more intriguing. 

“In here,” the words were curt, a delicate hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him back into the space she’d just left, silently closing the door behind them and hearing several sets of running steps pass them by, no doubt the steps he’d been running from. The question was, why? 

“What did you do?” The words were hushed, but the curiosity was all but dripping off of them. 

Crystalline hues fell sharply to the foreign fingertips wrapped around his wrist, every part of his being wincing against the sudden and unexpected contact from the stranger. An overwhelming urge to break free from the grasp surged within his body, spine rigid and fists clenched as he reluctantly followed the girl’s lead. Short nails dug into the fleshy pad of his palms, the pain of crescent moon shaped craters cutting into soft pink skin a brief distraction from growing/mounting anxiety. 

Azure orbs studied unfamiliar features, noting her blond hair — gaudy gold even in the faint light that painted the hallway a sickening white color — and her small stature, significantly shorter than his towering 6’4”. Physical attributes aside, Cameron struggled to get a read on the girl, only surmising that he was in the presence of a newbie. Pessimism gave way to rising hope, the notion of which pulling a wicked smirk onto chiseled features despite the heavy disbelief in her ability to conceal him. Still, his mouth clamped shut as heavy boots followed closely behind feathery light footsteps on a whim, pressing an ear to the mahogany door of the utility closet she shoved him into, carefully listening for any indication of a successful escape. 

With the sound of footsteps dissipating down the hall, Cameron released the baited breath trapped in the cage of damage smoker’s lungs before taking a precautionary glance at his surroundings, a puzzled frown pulling at his brow — after five years of traipsing the winding halls of Thornewood, Cameron couldn’t be sure if he recognized the storage closet, briefly questioning his knowledge of the large property. Vaguely impressed by the new hiding spot, the 28 year old wondered if there was hope for the newcomer, irritating blond tresses be damned…until she broke the silence with her interrogation. One hand slipped into the inner pocket of his leather jacket, fingers curling around the stolen item as innate distrust in the stranger lingered beneath the surface, his steady grasp of the hidden object reassuring. Marooned lips mulled over an explanation, toying with an excuse or outright lie, or perhaps a wicked fantasy that would lead to more intrigue than genuine discovery. 

Instead, Cameron chuckled, “Well that’s awfully presumptuous of you. How do you know I did anything?”