[log] Look Away, Look Away [closed]

[rubikscomplex]

Characters: Gregory House, Stephen Strange, Claire Temple, Ecks, Rhys, Angel
Location: Building 29
Date: Night 202
Summary: Traumatized by their exciting adventure in the snow, a bunch of people turn up at a shed where House made the mistake of staying put.
Warnings: Severe injury (face mutilation), blood, burns, frostbite, narcotics withdrawal, suicidal ideations, general discussion of psychological trauma

[A small shed outside the school, going inside reveals sports equipment is being stored in here. There are hurdles, various sports balls, giant mats, and the like. There's nothing that could be used as a weapon, though, unless you're going to try to hurl a basketball at someone's head. This is the only place on the campus it's possible to stay in overnight--if you try to stay anywhere else, you'll be made to leave at 7PM. The following is written on the wall in blue ink: "This is Building 46 on the composite map. Contact @CaptSteveRogers for details." Underneath is a fairly accurate map showing the shed in relation to the school. The school is labeled "School. Food available in cafeteria; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." The shed is labeled "Shed". Behind the shed is a small army of snowmen armed with sports equipment. There's a drawing spraypainted on the inside of the shed. It has been labeled "GEROMY". The skin color has been left blank.]

Comments

[nursetemple]

[Ah. That again. Claire finishes up the cleaning job, taking out one of the rags she's got to use as a bandage, wrapping it around Ecks' neck neatly and tying it up carefully.]

Well, he was still a person, I think. Maybe he couldn't make his own choices, but he had thoughts and feelings about the choices he was made to make.

[ecks]

Oh.

[Thinking. Is thinking and feeling what makes a person?]

I didn't ask if he had any thoughts or feelings. He did the things I told him to do, mostly, except when other people had already told him to do things. It was convenient but I did not like it.

[nursetemple]

So it was like he was made to obey orders, and couldn't not. That wouldn't change the fact that he's person.

[Carefully, Claire inspects her work, making sure that Ecks' wounds are all covered.]

I think the moment you have your own thoughts and feelings, even if your choices are limited, there is a case to be made towards you being a fully formed person.

[ecks]

[Ecks lifts a hand to touch the bandages but stops short, looking to Claire for permission.]

That is like how Doctor Watson explained it.

[Multiple sources have now said it's so.]

I don't like it when there aren't choices.

[nursetemple]

[Claire nods.] But be careful.

[Then, she runs her tongue over her top teeth.]

Nobody likes when there aren't choices. It's not right, to take out someone's free will. But it doesn't strip you from being a person.

[ecks]

[She is very careful indeed as she gingerly feels out the bandages.]

Sometimes I think I could stop being a person if I stopped making choices. Sometimes I think that would be easier, but I think mostly I do not want that anymore. I know that I do not want that for Doctor House.

[nursetemple]

Imagine you stop making choices and let someone else make them for you. But in your head, you're still having these thoughts, and opinions, and feelings about what you're made to do. How could it be easier, if you disagree with the choices?

[ecks]

If I couldn't make choices, they would not be my choices. It would not be my fault. I could not make any wrong choices if I did not make choices at all.

[nursetemple]

But you could still be unhappy with what you end up doing. It's not just about the choices. It's not your fault if you're forced to do something, but you can still approve of what you're doing or not.

[ecks]

I know.

[If she were capable of sounding sad she would sound sad...but she's not, so she'll just inform Claire otherwise.]

That makes me sad sometimes because it is hard to always make decisions and sometimes I would like it to be easy instead. It would be a choice not to make choices.

[nursetemple]

That sounds like giving up, Ecks.

[Claire gives a slightly sad, but sympathetic look.]

Life isn't easy. That's part of why it makes it so exhilarating, and scary. We'd be so bored if everything was easy, wouldn't we?

[ecks]

I like being bored.

[She has a very inaccurate concept of what it means to be bored, more like.]

I don't think I can give up and not make choices and be happy. I don't think I can do that anymore, not and be happy.

[nursetemple]

Hmm, I'm not sure if you and I have the same definition of bored. [Seriously, no one likes being bored. It's a terrible state of mind, and she's not sure Ecks would enjoy it at all.]

That's good. You should find a way to make choices and be happy. Makes choices that make you happy.

[ecks]

Is being happy what is right?

[nursetemple]

[Damn, that's a loaded question. Claire takes a long time before answering.]

It's not so much about right and wrong. I don't think anyway. Happiness is a very personal thing, and it's different for everyone. It's about you, not about right and wrong.

[It doesn't even begin to cover it, really, but that's all she can say right now.]

[ecks]

What if something that is wrong makes me happy?

[For all the care Claire takes in answering, it still feels like a pit has opened up under Ecks. She could make decisions to be happy...but then maybe she will kill someone again. Would that make her happy? She thinks that under certain circumstances it might.

She shrinks away a little, curling in on herself.]

[nursetemple]

Like what? Are there things that are wrong that also make you happy?

[She thinks back of laws, rules. Your freedom ends where others' begin. It's the same with happiness.]

I think... I think something to consider is other people's happiness. If we stop to consider each other's feelings, chaos sets in. That's what anarchy is all about, everyone doing exactly what they want. It tends to break down society.

[ecks]

Maybe. Sometimes when I am angry I want to hurt people.

[Or outright kill them.]

I don't want to break down society.

[nursetemple]

[Claire has to chuckle.]

Well, that's good. I mean, anarchy has some solid points, but generally, it doesn't work long-term.

[ecks]

I don't think it could work at all. There need to be rules. People need to know the right things to do.