𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐚 ➸ 𝐅.𝐇

𝟎𝟓. 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧.

"Orphan tendencies minus the billionaire perks."

(Edited)

[KALOSPIA]

— "YOU hate so many people."

"Yeah,
It's not hard."

— WHEN THE NEXT MORNING rolled around, Julien had already been awake in his bed.

     The entire night he spent relentlessly rolling left to right in his bed until he settled onto his side, staring out the window through a broken blind.

    He had come home late the night before, his head pounding, the lingering taste of cheap liquor still in his mouth. Julien had managed to con a nearly incoherent man—who looked one drink away from waking up in a ditch—into buying him something to drink.

     That single sip, which most people would handle with ease, had hit Julien like he'd downed eight shots of whiskey in one go. He had briefly considered sending the man for another round, but before he could, a young woman had yanked him away, scolding him about his wife's worry and disappointment. She'd thrown Julien an awkward smile, apologizing for the man's condition.

     Seeing Lila in the state she was in had been amusing, sure, and Julien knew he'd save that for later in their next argument. He had been relieved to find her in the psych ward and not in a straitjacket as he'd half-expected. But that relief didn't last long. As soon as the patients caught sight of him through the small window, panic broke out, triggering a whirl of panic and fear from everyone in the room that struck him like a ton of bricks.

    Back home, Julien had opted for a long shower despite the danger of slipping and cracking his head open on the edge of the tub. He scrubbed every inch of himself, hoping to shake off the paranoia and unease that clung to him after visiting the nuthouse.