[he wakes up, amazingly enough, without a headache. Just an incredible thirst and new clarity in his head, like his brain restarted after a night of drunken haze. But it's not even a haze, it's a total blank after being in a bathroom with a stranger who ran off because he got cold feet. Then somehow he made it back to the institute and back to his own bed. Didn't bother with his clothes, all wrinkled and a mess, but that's all right.
He licks his lips, tries to get some off that unpleasant taste from his mouth.]
Morning, sunshine.
[but he turns his head an doesn't find John there. Huh. Slowly he drags himself from his bed, makes his way to the book on the other boy's nightstand. He picks it up and laughs in a quiet exhale. That's what they're making him read, like it'll ever work.]
the following day
He licks his lips, tries to get some off that unpleasant taste from his mouth.]
Morning, sunshine.
[but he turns his head an doesn't find John there. Huh. Slowly he drags himself from his bed, makes his way to the book on the other boy's nightstand. He picks it up and laughs in a quiet exhale. That's what they're making him read, like it'll ever work.]