Nothing /// Mullette Asylum Fic

9 - Washingdad Gives Advice

Lafayette
He didn't put up a fight. What was the point?
The inspector dragged him down a flight of stairs to the rooms filled with screaming patients, wailing and banging on the doors.
Lafayette's breath came out in puffs of steam, the air getting more frigid as they advanced.

The inspector opened the door to one of the rooms and flung Lafayette inside.
The boy hit the ground with his side and rolled once. He curled up in a ball when he heard the door lock.
The room was dark, damp and empty, not even a bed in it since the Charles Lee incident.
Closing his eyes and shaking from cold and fear, Lafayette tried to sleep.

Alexander
Hercules wasn't the same; pale, quiet and depressed.
Apart from the headband Mulligan always seemed to wear, you almost couldn't tell he and James apart.
They didn't know whether to discuss Lafayette or let it be.

Alex sighed. This really didn't help his anxiety. He felt numb.
Panicking suddenly, he went to find John.
Laurens was sitting in his room, reading.
"John", Alex whispered, opening the thankfully unlocked door.
John looked up at him. "Watcha need?"
"I-I'm worried about Lafayette", Alex stammered.
John immediately threw his book to the other side of the room and beckoned for the younger boy to join him on the bed.

He enveloped the smaller boy in his arms, resting his cheek on his hair.
Alex put his head on John's shoulder and breathed shakily.
"He-He's down in solitary all by himself! That place is crazy. Even it's name is threatening; this is supposed to be a hospital, not a prison! What about Hercules? They clearly like each other and now Hercules is being affected by it and I'm just so worried..." Alex rambled.
John let him talk, knowing it calmed him. That, and writing.

"Hercules'll be fine. He's strong. As for Lafayette..." John trailed off. Of course, he too was worried sick about the boy. The three had been close friends for years.
When John was sent here by his parents, Lafayette was the only one closest to his age. He remembered the skinny twelve year old curiously peaking at him from behind George's coat where he was hiding.
The two became close friends and when Alex arrived two years later, they became fast friends.

Over the years, the people that were there when they arrived were either sent to the floors above if their condition worsened, like George King and Samuel Seabury, or let go to live like a normal human once more, like John Adams.
As far as Alex was aware, the only reason Lafayette wasn't sent up a couple of floors was because George was basically his father and didn't want to leave him alone.

Which was just adorable.

Alex had significantly calmed down, breathing regularly.
John said nothing, and they fell asleep like that, limbs intertwined.

Hercules
Hercules paced around his room, trying to think of anything but-
Lafayette. Fuck.
He sat down heavily on the bed, head in his hands. Then he immediately got up and paced again.
This had been happening for some time now; think of... him, sit down, stand up, repeat.
Sighing, Hercules ran a hand through his short hair.
Maybe it would be wise to talk to George.

Leaving his room behind him, he marched to George's office.
He knocked loudly on the door, entering when he heard the small reply from inside.
He stepped in, glad that the inspector was nowhere to be found.
A tired-looking George greeted him. "What do you need, Mr. Mulligan?" he asked gently.
"I just- I need to talk", Hercules mumbled.

"This is about Lafayette isn't it?"
Hercules winced at the sound of the Frenchman's name, but nodded. "I can't help worrying about him", he blurted.
George gave him a strained smile. "None of us can, Hercules. But, like I said, unless I listen to Mr Schmidt, this place'll be shut down."

"Why?" Hercules asked suddenly.
"Pardon me?"
"Why is he ordering us around? You're in charge, he's just supposed to observe, inspect. It's literally his title!" Hercules said angrily.
George sighed. "Apparently he has a right to 'make certain adjustments' if needs be. Which it doesn't, but I haven't got any other option."

"What's Lafayette's full name?" Hercules asked after a few moments of silence.
George chuckled. "He still hasn't told you?"
Hercules shook his head.
"It's Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette."
Hercules' mouth dropped open. "What?" he asked faintly. "So his name is Gilbert?"
"Among other things, yes. Never call him that, by the way. He'll stop talking to you for a month."
"Duly noted", Hercules grinned.

"Do you know when he's getting out of solitary?"
"Afraid not. If he's not out after a week, I'm putting my foot down."
"What's so bad about solitary?"
"This place used to be a prison", George started. "So downstairs are holding cells. Inside, we put people who are unable to be helped or are too dangerous for even the top floor. Those people scream things that get into your head. Doesn't help that it's constantly cold and wet down there. Lafayette is the tenth person we've ever sent down for 'extreme misbehavior'. Only two people have ever emerged with their sanity or life."

Hercules stared. There was a 20% chance that Lafayette would get out unscathed? And he had already been beaten by the inspector.
"Isn't it illegal for the inspector to beat the shit out of people?"
"Yes", George said bluntly. "But it's not like anything's gonna happen to Schmidt if I report him. The Department of Something to do with Inspecting Places doesn't care what happens to our patients."
Hercules nodded, angry.

"Thanks, George", he said quietly, getting up to leave.
"Hercules?" George said.
He turned to face him. "Yeah?"
"You like him don't you? Lafayette."
Hercules blushed and coughed, stuttering.
George laughed a little. "That's all I needed to hear. I won't tell, don't worry. Be good to my son, won't you? Actually, don't answer that. I know you will. Or else. Bye bye."
Hercules left in a hurry, face blazing and heart pounding.