Perfect Insanities

Guardians

After lunch, Graser was pulled into his room by one of the nurses, who kindly requested that he sit down. She was a plump, young woman who had been there even longer than Graser had. As soon as she was sure that he was settled, she sat down across from him.

"I know this may be a lot to take in, but I'll go slow in case you have any questions," she began, giving him that usual sickly sweet smile.

"Go for it, lady," he grumbled. The faster he got this over with, the faster she'd leave. She was the thing he could stand the least about this hospital. Every second with her made him want to cut a little too deep so he'd pass out and stay that way.

Ignoring his curtness, the nurse proceeded to speak. "The doctors have decided that you are stable enough to be released from our facility." She stopped, and waited for a response.

Graser looked at the nurse like she was crazy. "What the hell did you just say?" he asked, eyes wide and crazed. He couldn't believe what his ears had just processed. He was...leaving? When had they made that decision?

"Zachary, you're going to need to watch your mouth," the nurse said with a sigh, but quickly brushed it off. He was improving, so she didn't want to push her luck. "You're going to be released in a few days," she repeated.

"...For real?" Graser managed to say. He knew, and everyone around him knew that there was no way he should be going out on his own, especially not at this stage in the game. Just yesterday, he had managed to slice himself open with his fingernails. At this point, he was just getting clever; he didn't stop the self harm, he just stopped getting caught.

"We'll have your usual medications prepared for the next few months, as well as a few new ones that we'd like to put you on. That, and-"

"Look, lady, I don't need any goddamn happy little pills. The kid that really needs them is Wil-"

"Graser." The boy shut his mouth, not wanting them to change their mind on his release. He wasn't going to push his luck, either. "We're giving your guardian a plan to make sure you two are up to date on your therapy sessions, and how the household should function overall," the nurse explained.

Wait...guardian? "I...don't have any parents," Graser said slowly, as if the nurse, who had been dealing with him for almost two years, had forgotten that. "Besides, I'm seventeens years old, what makes you think I need a damned babysitter?" he spat, narrowing his eyes at the woman, who involuntarily took a step back.

"Graser, I'm sorry, but you're still not considered completely recovered. Until you can live on your own without presenting danger to your well being, you are going to have to have a guardian preside over you at all times."

"That's fuc-"

"Look, Zachary, you're not going to sneak your way out of this one. You're either staying with him, or with us. So, do us a favor and take your pick."

"Do you think I'm dumb? Of course I'm going with him," Graser said with a smirk. "Anything that keeps me from having to come back into this hellhole, y'know?"

The nurse sighed heavily. "Zach, you know you're going to have to clean up your act before you meet your guardian. He is a well respected, proper gentleman."

"Yeah, yeah, lady. Are we done here?" Graser asked.

Without saying anything, the nurse simply shook her head and left the room. This kid was going to be a handful no matter where he went.

Graser bolted into Kiingtong's room, swinging the door hard enough for it to slam against the wall and shoot back closed. Tomahawk was already there, and the two stared at him as he danced around the room, laughing and swearing cheerfully to himself.