Hell hath no fury like an 11 year old

[smarterthanthem]

Who| Clementine and Dave, Clementine and OTA
What| Clementine finds out she's not a victor
Where| the District 6 suite
When| A few days after the Ship mini-arena
Warnings/Notes|

[Open in D6]

[The anger is palpable in Clementine's small frame. All the relief of winning the mini-arena has turned to ashes in her mouth with the revelation that neither she nor any of the other winners are Victors. They won't get to be mentors, they won't get out of the next arena. They're going to have to do it all over again after all.

Sure, she's going to get some kind of special care package in the next arena, whatever that means (and she's curious, she is, just she's so furious right now) as well as immunity but...

They didn't warn them before, they let them all believe they were safe from having to die over and over again for days, they let them believe they had a chance of escape when they were fighting for survival on board that ship.

It's amazing the new depths the Capitol can sink to.

Clementine drops the gift basket on the coffee table in the middle of the District 6 suite. She barely wants any of what's inside, better to let her district mates enjoy what's in it if they can. Especially the champagne, because really? It just shows how little concern these people have for them that they put that in her basket.]

[Closed to Dave]

[It shouldn't have been so hard for the two of them to run into each other, they were to and fro in each others Districts often enough after all. But Clementine and Dave seemed to have managed to keep passing each other by like two ships in the night (and that analogy is not a fun one right now) so far.

The memory of what happened to him is probably the worst one she carries of that day. She can't help thinking that if only she'd been stronger, if only she could have pulled herself up, if she could've just...

There had been six winners, six, and as awful as it is she wishes more of them had been her friends. Even though they didn't get to be Victors this time round it would have at least spared them the horror of dying again.

So when she opens the door out of the suite and Dave's right there she's momentarily frozen in place.]

Comments

[aintyourdad]

[ Joel tends to look out of place even in his own district suite, let alone the others. But Clem is back, and Joel knows the sharp sting of disappointment. She won, she should be a Victor, like all the people who won the last one. Those assholes.

So he makes his way to her suite, looking uncomfortable but approaching her without hesitation when he spots her. ]

Hey, kiddo.

[smarterthanthem]

[Clementine's giving the gift basket a look like it's the bully who stole her lunch money at this point, skinny arms folded across her chest.

At Joel's entrance she looks up and bites her lip before looking back down at the basket.]

... I survived, I played their stupid game and it wasn't good enough.

[It's a childish cry that follows but sometimes Clementine gets so tired of trying to be responsible, of trying to act far beyond her years.]

It's not fair!

[aintyourdad]

[ Joel just nods, sitting down next to her on the sofa - close enough so if she wants to, she can get closer, but still giving her some space to choose for herself what she wants to do. ]

Yeah, it's not. They're liars and bad people. [ So you go ahead and be mad, kiddo. Just as long as you don't say anything too incendiary. ]

[smarterthanthem]

They can't just change the rules like this! It's...

[No they can, of course they can, it's their game, the Capitol can do whatever it wants. Clementine kicks the bottom of the table and it's a good thing she's wearing shoes as she does it.]

All the stylists and escorts were acting funny when we came back, we should've known.

[aintyourdad]

[ There's not much he can say to that - the people who make the rules can break them, that's always the way it's been. He's sorry it's screwing her over like this - she deserves to get out, as much as anyone. More than most. ]

You'll win. We'll make sure of it. Next time. [ It's basically empty - words meant to comfort and soothe, rather than mean anything in particular. ]

[shenunigans]

On some level, Dave had been avoiding Clementine. He wants to pretend he isn't, but he locks up at the thought of seeing her again. By most standards he should feel like a hero for what he did, but he just feels bad. He basically dropped a tonne of bricks on Clem and Clara and there's really no way to apologise for it. He's been tuning out of the coverage whenever it's around, avoiding magazines and avoiding it in conversation. As far as he knows Clem and Clara are Victors and, even if he feels bad for traumitising them a little, he can enjoy small successes without some amount of guilt.

Still, he doesn't outright avoid District Six, his Bro is here after all. For once though, he isn't here with the intention of dragging him to the training center for a fight, he's here to face his shit like a man and restructure some of those bridges he fell onto like an ass.

He just, didn't expect it to happen so suddenly. That door opened really fucking fast, damn. It doesn't help that Clem looks about as mortified as he does, both of them are just there and staring for a long moment before he fills the silence.

"Hey." Mmm, yeah, that's warm and friendly. Try harder, ass-bandit. "S'up, Cleminem?"

[smarterthanthem]

Clementine's eyes focus on his face, a range of emotions flickering through them. There's words somewhere, locked inside her throat, words she can't manage to vocalise in this moment.

It's Dave, he's here and he's alive. Of course he was, they all came back didn't they but there's still that expectation that to see someone die meant that they won't except if they came back wrong. Her eyes feel hot all of a sudden with what she hadn't let herself do back on the ship after Dave fell away into the darkness and this time she's not going to manage to hold back.

The moment after the nickname leaves Dave's lips Clementine's moved forward and thrown her arms tight around his middle. She manages to bite back a sob but there's definite tears sliding down her cheeks and into the fabric of his shirt.

[shenunigans]

For a moment, Dave is worried she's going to be angry. He can deal with angry, at least. His life was full of people who get snippy and emotional and he can handle it by deflecting it. What's new to him is all of these people hugging him and now tears. He isn't properly equipped to deal with a situation like this.

As such, he's kind of standing there limp like a sad mop for a long moment until it becomes clear what she's doing. "Don't tell anyone I did this." He grumbles, ducking down a little lower so he can wrap his arm around Clem's head and press her ever so comfortingly into his armpit. It's probably the most awkward hug in the world, but it's the best he can offer.

"You alright?" He asks after a small silence, finding it hard to believe she'd be in such disarray just over him.

[smarterthanthem]

She laughs a little, she can't help it. If Clementine could speak she'd promise to do exactly as Dave asks.

As it is it takes that small silence for her to gather herself together enough to use her words again. Clementine takes a deep breath and pulls back enough that she can look up and see his face clearly. "I..." she starts and then stops.

Dave might be more familiar with how a second later her small fist hits him in the shoulder though not too hard. "Don't do that again!"

[shenunigans]

She can have all the time she needs as far as Dave is concerned. He has nowhere to be, he can afford to be here and reassuring of the fact that he's well and truly alive. At this point he feels like he should be rubbing her back or something, but he just hangs back with his eyes trained on her through his shades.

Aaand there we go, there's a reaction he's familiar with. The hit really didn't hurt much but he's grabbing his shoulder and hunching like he just got shot. "Ah, shit. Right in my sweet spot." He hisses quietly to add to his little show. "You're breaking my heart, you know?" His tone is accusatory, but he sucks up his pride and the act and gives her something a little more genuine. "I'm sorry. But it worked, right?"

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy had seen Clementine's victory and cheered. It was one of the first actually good things that had happened to someone she liked in a long time.

Making her way to District Six she wondered if she should knock and then simply let herself in. She didn't usually slip into other districts living areas but it's not like it was against the rules.

Immediately upon spotting the girl she can tell something isn't right and it draws a look of concern on her features.

"Hey. Congratulations?"

[smarterthanthem]

Clementine tenses up and then realises it's Sandy and oh... oh. She realises the news hasn't spread yet.

She musters a weak smile for her friend, "Thanks." and then because she couldn't lie (and because it would be common knowledge soon enough) Clem wastes no time telling her the truth. "I'm not a victor though."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy's eyes went wide and then her face fell.

"What!?" There was a cry of indignation and Sandy stormed over to support Clementine. "What do you mean? I saw you win!"

[smarterthanthem]

"I did."

Clementine looks no happier as after a moment she pulls the card explaining everything from her pocket to show to Sandy. She hadn't wanted to let just anyone see it as the mention of a special care package in the arena could draw her unwanted attention but she trusts Sandy to let her read it. "I just got this stupid basket and something in the next arena."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy read the card once, then again as her face fell from shock into irritation.

Passing the card back her anger turned to sympathy. "That is complete and utter bullcrap! You went through all that and you're not even out? It's like they weren't expecting so many winners or something."

Still at least she'd have a leg up next round. That was better then nothing.

[hit_girl_mindy]

[So call her crazy, but this? It was actually a highlight in one of the shittiest weeks Mindy had in awhile. She was rooting for Clem and for once, FINALLY FUCKING CHRIST, someone she wanted to win WON. Knowing that she wouldn't have to compete was a load off her mind, and Mindy came over to tell her so, mustering up a reason to smile].

Hey, winner! So how does it feel?

[Yes, she brought congratulatory ice cream and everything].

[smarterthanthem]

[This is going to get harder before it gets easier Clementine realises as Mindy comes in looking to celebrate. She grimaces.]

It was nice while it lasted.

[Clem shakes her head a moment after that statement.]

I'm not a victor, Mindy. None of us from that arena are.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Nice while it-

[She stops at the defeated look on her face, her hands shaking].

What the fuck do you MEAN, you're not?! The people who went into that stupid mini arena last time got to be mentors! That's how that bag of crazy is now a mentor!

[smarterthanthem]

Look, here.

[Clementine pulls out the card to let Mindy read it.]

I'm supposed to get some kind of help in the next arena, but it's just that and a stupid gift basket.

[hit_girl_mindy]

What a bunch of assholes! So you guys were just there dying for nothing? What the fuck?!

[She looks at the card and sniffs derisively.]

Why the fuck were they giving you champagne?!

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve heard what happened, that they weren't victors and it boils his blood. Yet, he's not surprised, multiple people won, so he supposes it should have been obvious that this would happen, that the Capitol would pull the rug out from under them. But Clem, Charles, they should be free of this now. They lived.

Changing the rules is foul play.

Later in the evening, Steve goes to find Clem. He can't imagine she's taking this well at all. So, when he when he finds her, he approaches and crouches down to her height immediately.]

Hey.

[smarterthanthem]

Hey Steve.

[Since he came later at this point Clementine has calmed down from her earlier rage. She's thinking more clearly but no less happily for what's happened, nothing's going to make this right but at least she's not going to spit out anything to get herself in trouble now.

It's the first time they've seen each other since the arena and Clem's happy that he's here. She guesses why he's sought her out easily enough, it doesn't mean she can't be concerned for him in return. No matter what the end result of the winning the mini-arena was at least she didn't have to die in it, he did.]

How are you?

[aboveangrybees]

I'm fine. [Steve shakes his head a little, giving her an appreciative look for her concern. Dying has never been the issue, not for him, he'd happily put his life on the line for people.

He's glad she survived this arena, even if it doesn't get her out of the rest. One less death for her to experience. One less traumatic event for this girl to survive.]

Other than these guys being lying, cheaters, how're you holding up, kiddo?

[smarterthanthem]

[She snorts a little.]

I shouldn't have been surprised at that part.

[Clementine's not sure how she's feeling in some ways, empty, exhausted. Not in body but in mind, like all the times when they'd made a narrow escape and the adrenaline wore off -- except this time it's finding out she didn't escape after all.

She could say she's okay, like she always did, like she's supposed to. Something about Steve always prompts her to honesty though.]

I'm not sure.

[aboveangrybees]

[Even if she had said she was okay, he wouldn't have believed it. This is a big blow for even the hardest of people, so even as tough as Clementine is, there's no way she can be okay after that.]

Having your trust betrayed is never easy to process, it's okay to take your time. [They might not trust the Capitol, but this - the winning and being free - that's been a constant, always true to it's word. They changed the rules to show them they have power over them, that any hope and faith they have can be taken away in a moments notice.

It was a power play. And Clementine got hurt because of it. All he knows now, is if there's a way to get her out of the next one alive, he'd die to see it happen. She needs to be free of this.]

You look tired, have you eaten?