The Pros And Cons Of Breathing

They had let him out of the institute, if only for a brief amount of time. It was easier to convince them he was alright when he was Lance. The natural calm and sturdiness exuded by him was reassuring enough for them. For now. He had decided that it would be nice to go for a walk, see the outside world again, he was determined that he wouldn't be shut away forever. After all, what was wrong with him? Nothing, as far as he was concerned. He was solidly Lance, and that was that, no worries.

And so now he walked, gazing at the blueness of the sky with a fascination that left him to blink only rarely. It was so blue, so rich. It had been so very long since he had last been able to even glimpse the sky, and now he was able to feel it, to breathe it in. It was peaceful, tranquil, calm. It was like him. And yet there was the bubbly joyfulness of Liam there too. Of course, Lance was the only one of the four of them that realized the others existed. Liam, Logan and especially Levan had no idea that more than one of them shared this body.

Perhaps he should do this more often, for in this gentle atmosphere he felt free and whole. Well, almost. You could not be whole after living in an asylum for eight years. Another thing about Lance was his love of knowledge. He always wanted to read, to discover and to view and experience. He was the most observant and nearly the most inquisitive. That role belonged to Liam. His knowledge far surpassed any of the others, and the people who ran the institute were excited to encourage his reading.

His eyes widened as he caught sight of a bird, gliding gently on the breeze that had slowly grown stronger over the course of his walk. Quickly he identified it as a Mocking Jay, the bill and body shape giving it away. The little bird looked as though it was enjoying itself immensely, swooping and soaring, diving and rising. It looked so free, so happy. Free, and happy. It made him smile.

It also made Liam stir slightly. But no, it was best he stayed as Lance for this walk, otherwise he would most likely not be allowed out again. Even though Liam wouldn't cause harm, he would rather not get lost or do something foolish. Plus, it was best to keep up the image of his regularity. If there was any sign he was different, let alone that he should be in a mental hospital, he would draw attention.

And for him, attention was usually not a good thing.