Work Text:
Listening to the car engine was more productive, Barcode mused playing with the fabric of their skirt. After the many years they've spent in the lab they mastered the skill of seemingly listening and being somewhere else with their thoughts. They really didn't need to be reminded of the rules that their handler for today was repeating, they boiled down to 'don't do so much as even think about running away'. It was a rule that was ingrained in their mind. This wasn't the first event like this Kalocorp took them to.
They could at least enjoy dressing up instead of wearing the blue clinical robes. Their skirt reached just past their knees and was a deep red shade, they wore a black button up shirt with a white ribbon tied by the collar that matched their gloves. The flats the lab gave them were pretty comfortable too. Barcode's hair was pretty much the only thing that didn't look as presentable, but to be fair it was difficult to make the brown and white mix that was their hair to look neat. In its entirety the whole outfit was dark, but pretty comfortable and that was all that mattered to them.
Barcode would be looking at the city landscape they could see passing by through the corner of their eye if it wouldn't make the fact that they were ignoring their handler obvious. Even that much was nice. Anything other than grey tiled corridors and similar cells was nice. Including the dark clouds and dirty puddles. A few minutes later the car stopped in front of a large building, Barcode put their hands in their lap and waited until someone opened the door for them. They would do it themself if there was still a door handle. A consequence of their actions when they were younger, the lab probably didn't expect a child to jump out of a moving vehicle, but precautions were taken after that. They should have waited a few years, maybe if they had the knowledge and stamina they had today they could have escaped the lab. Though they aren't sure if they would be so willing to try as back then.
The door opened and they followed their handler for today, a middle aged woman wearing something akin to a suit, but with a pencil skirt instead of pants. The two of them were directed to their seats by a long table covered with sweets on those tiered plates they wanted to have as a little kid. In front of each chair was a plate with a small piece of cake too. Maybe they'd get away with putting it on their handler's plate? Just a bite of it would make them nauseous and the whole thing, no matter how small it was, would have them puking their guts out. Just the smell of all the food was making them feel slightly unwell. There was always a chance she didn't know about those food problems or just didn't care if she knew. It could be that Kalocorp went 'actually screw you' and Barcode would have to eat it anyway. So many possibilities, how lovely.
"Are you allowed to drink that, 008?" Their handler whispered and pointed at a thin glass with some golden looking fizzy liquid inside next to their plate. Barcode glanced over at it, the woman's half empty glass and back at their handler. So maybe she did know about their dietary restrictions? "I don't know how your usual handler feels about it, but I won't have one of the subjects drinking underage under my watch."
Maybe they spoke too soon.
"I'm eighteen" they whispered back, just turned eighteen to be exact. And birthdays were supposed to be special. They didn't even remember about it until the woman brought up the underage drinking thing. She turned away from them and went back to chatting with people next to her. Barcode took the glass in their hand and took a small sip, it was good. They haven't had anything fizzy in ages so they were careful not to drink too much at once and get a stomach ache.
Barcode listened to what their handler was saying with half an ear, any information could be useful even if it was something as trivial as the doors creaking. Their thoughts were somewhere else entirely. What they wouldn't give to be back home and make themself sick drinking too much soda way too fast. They would have the lamest looking birthday party with a friend or two, childish decorations and they would get stupid gifts they would pretend to be mad at, but would still love them. Their parents would be there, they could share their first drink with them and grimace at the bitterness of the alcohol. It was all only a fantasy, they knew that there was no chance to escape the lab, but it was still a nice scenario to think about. After all, their thoughts were the only thing the lab couldn't truly control. Yet. There was no guarantee they wouldn't figure out technology which would make that possible.
They noticed with mild amusement that in their fantasy there was no birthday cake. It was hard to imagine themself eating anything other than meat without feeling bile rising up their throat. Or maybe it was just the smell of all the sweets laid on the table, how was no one else even slightly nauseous?
"Why aren't you eating that? You know damn well you won't get anything else after this is over" the woman hissed and when they tried to explain she lightly kicked their leg under the table. "I won't have you embarrassing me, because you're some sort of picky eater."
Barcode decided to throw up on her shoes later as they took the little fork in their hand with an almost invisible frown. Nobody would be able to prove they did it on purpose and their usual handler could point out that in their file it was noted that they were unable to eat things other than raw meat.
They looked at the cake and took a small bite in their mouth. It tasted ashen, like most things did nowadays, but even if it tasted good the texture was awful. How were these people eating it? It was too wet and too dry at the same time, which they tried to cover with icing. It had the same issue, being runny in some places and nearly solid in others. Barcode took as little bites as they possibly could in order not to get sick too quickly, they'd wash the taste down with the champagne if not for the fact they drank it all. They managed to get through about half of the cake until the feeling that they were about to throw up was impossible to ignore.
"May I go to the bathroom?" they whispered to the woman, who glanced at them and gave a short nod. There was no need for someone to watch over them when they knew better than to try and escape.
They walked the short distance to the bathroom and locked themself in one of the stalls. Barcode knelt by the bowl and promptly began retching, it was a good thing their hair was short. The taste of vomit in their mouth made them really want to get rid of it, but that was a little difficult while they were still vomiting. Barcode felt themself tear up, later they'd blame it on the puking. A person's eighteenth birthday was supposed to be special, the first step into adulthood. You gained some privileges reserved only for adults, but a few responsibilities too. Most people were excited about it anyway, they had no reason to. They were stuck in the lab and would probably die there. All Barcode got for their birthday was dressing up fancy to go to a Kalocorp event and drinking a glass of champagne. They heaved again.
They wanted to go back home, have the lamest birthday party in existence, maybe hug their parents. But they would never get that. After this event was over they'd go right back to the lab and right back to being experimented on. How lovely.
"Happy birthday..." they muttered while getting up to go and rinse their mouth in the sink.