I Want To Paint Your Lips

Chapter 3

Evan was used to the fearful glances. The worry that darkened faces as he passed down the halls followed by the sounds of chains. Delirious grinned the whole time. He loved the attention, no matter its intent. If his ankles weren’t chained together, Evan didn’t doubt that the man would be skipping along behind him.

Fortunately, he was chained as harshly as they could while allowing him some mobility. He wore his level three jacket, with two chains linked to the buckles that strapped his arms, one wrapped around Evan’s hand and the other connected to the chains around his ankles. They were loose, but only enough so that he could shuffle along. The chain from arms to ankle was high strung, forcing the man to hunch as he shuffled. It eliminated the bigger risks of him getting out of control or doing something violent.

The walkie at the man’s hip buzzed. “Everything good, Ev?” Tyler’s voice drifted through the speaker. Brown eyes glanced back at Jonathon, his smile big as his eyes met them halfway. He shuffled quicker in an attempt to match his partner’s pace and walk beside him. Evan faltered just slightly so he could, wanting him to be as comfortable and calm during the walk.

He unclipped the device and help it to his mouth. “Everything’s A-Okay. Bryce, are you bringing Ryan to the bathrooms?” he asked through, releasing the button and waiting as Delirious bumped his shoulder with his own. He was about an inch taller than the Asian man when he stood to his full height, and the way he walked with the chains brought him just a touch lower than him. It was a little bit more comforting – his height was undoubtedly intimidating, especially when he was acting up.

“Already here,” came the youngest voice.

They got to a heavy metal door and the card swiped through the scanner, allowing them to pass through. The bathroom was huge, cut in half for mental patients and caretakers to do their business separately. Delirious was lead to the mental patient section, rounding the tiled wall to see Bryce and his patient. Bryce was a few inches taller than Ryan but anxiety reeked from. It was clear that Ryan knew so too, his lips pulled back in a smirking grin.

He looked like a predator.

Ryan, or Ohm as he preferred to be addressed as (it was the same with Jonathon preferring Delirious), was known to be manipulative, and faceless to anyone who wasn’t a caretaker. In his cell, he wore a grey blindfold, a little ohm symbol on the fabric. He also took a liking to a pair of old, grey bunny ears that tuck in behind his ears, one flopping down. He looked dopey, and odd, but was not to be underestimated. He also wore a level three jacket, but only needed to wear the collar if by instruction of caretaker.

Bryce was too scared to let him off before he properly knew the patient. It was understandable.

“Bryce,” Evan greeted with a comfortable smile, hoping to ease him out of the nervous state. He turned to the blindfolded man who was still strapped into his jacket. “Ohm, how are you?”

The partially hidden face turned to him and the grin widened with a slightly less menacing tone to it. He clearly revelled in his caretakers nerves, but didn’t have so much malice towards the other. “Evan? It’s been a long time!” he purred, his voice low and twisted with a touch of laughter. “I’ve had a lovely day getting to know Brycey, he truly is a sweetheart, isn’t he?” The way he spoke sent a visible shudder through Bryce, and he laughed aloud, his caretaker shuffling back a bit.

“I hope you’re behaving for him,” Evan remarked lightly, but held his tone strong. He was a caretaker, he had the power over the patient and Ohm would be smart to recognise that. “Anyway, Bryce this is Delirious. Let’s get you two washed up and back in your rooms.”

Delirious grinned slyly at Bryce who shuddered but stood tall. The clown-faced man winked before turning back to Evan and stepping up into his personal space. The man wasn’t unused to it and unlinked the chain that connected his arms and ankles, squatting to unlink it from the short one that restricted feet movement. That one would stay on in case Jonathon had any ideas.