thecapitol | Nobody expects the Strider Inquisition

Dave has no idea how far luck is on their side tonight. He's dressed up from top to bottom in lazy looking black clothing and his trademark shades are missing. If he got caught, the last thing he wants is to have them confiscated. Instead, he's wearing another style of eyewear solely because red eyes are not condusive to being subtle, oddly enough. Before entering, he and Bro had worked out the basics. They'll sneak in all sneaky like, but the place is huge. They'll need a map or some sort of listing to figure out where they're gunning for and assumedly whatever kind of key they need will be on a Peacekeeper.

They'd made it in easily enough. Years of training don't fail the fact that Bro can replace whatever you're holding with something else before you even know it and Dave is his prodigy. When they make it to what looks to be the computer systems, they're a little understaffed, what with about six or so other teams busting in. Fighting through isn't impossible and the last leg is a guy sitting by his logged in computer, Bro serves as a distraction while Dave slinks past to rummage through the computer to find the information they need. By an act of god, it isn't something he can't access, assumedly because the guy had it pulled up to make sure who would be headed where.

Dave turns when he hears a thud on the ground and reels away when he sees Bro stripping down out of his clothes. He protests, but the guy is making a swift change into the peacekeeper's uniform and with a freshly acquired keycard they're legging it toward Rose. For a more convincing look between Dave and a supposed Peacekeeper, Bro drags him as they power walk through to Rose's cell. Bro swipes into the cell and Dave is the one scrambling in to check on Rose. The moment he sees bandages he can feel disgust and anger building in him, but there's overwhelming worry building more than anything.

"Rose- jesus, are you alright?" Did you really just.. "Fuck, don't answer. Hurry, C'mon." He's not really good at crisis mode, because he's going to grab her by the wrists and try to haul her out as quickly as possible while Bro keeps guard.

Edited 2014-08-10 02:23 (UTC)

As the night goes on, Bro is waiting for their luck to run out. He's got enough confidence to think they can actually do it, but there's still that pessimistic side of him that's wondering when it's going to go to hell. Or maybe it's just that he knows what the Capitol is capable of, and he's trying not to underestimate them.

The one thing he does know is that if it does go to hell, he'll do everything he can to make sure Dave doesn't get punished. Bro doesn't feel bad for putting Dave in this situation, simply because he knows there's no way to stop him in the first place, and because he's goddamn trained Dave for shit like this. He knows Dave can handle it. It would be unfair, and an insult to him to try and prevent him from getting involved. But if it comes down to it, he'll claim he forced Dave into this. The Capitol can do a lot of things, but it can't fuck with his family. Especially not Dave.

One of the highlights of the night is when he forgets to let Dave in on the plan to change into peacekeeper clothing, though it comes second to seeing his own ass in the uniform. As much as he hates the bitches, he thinks he might take this little number home. Overall, he's feeling pretty good about it all by the time they make it to the cell holding Rose. They've done well, he and Dave make a damn good team. There's something great about working together on something like this, it's a far cry from having to help Dave the entire way like he had on the ship. He can't help but feel pride in Dave's skills and ability to pull something like this off. They make it out of this, he's buying Dave a big damn pizza or something.

Once they've made it, Bro hangs out near the door, keeping watch to make sure they aren't about to get swarmed in peacekeepers. There's a strong burst of anger when he catches sight of Rose with the bandages, but she's alive. That's all that matters to him. "Come on, motherfuckers," he urges from the doorway, getting the sense that Dave is starting to lose his cool a little. They need to get out right the fuck now.

The days have all started to blur together, even as Rose tries her best to keep track. She's certain she's taken out once a day, for more questions she doesn't answer for the poking and prodding of checkups and for one pitiful meal. But there's no way to be certain, no sunrise or sunset to mark the hours not down here and she finds it difficult to trust the routine. It would be just like them to change it, keep them from using it to predict things.

It's funny, for a girl whose never been afraid of death, whose seen her own countless times and knows when her path will end and how, Rose hadn't realised how much this would all affect her. She thought herself stronger than it all, and in ways she has been. She hasn't spoken a word of what she truly knows, not even through the beatings and waterboardings not even when they grabbed her by her hair and proceeded to half drown her in salt water. Her hair still reeks of it, dried stiffly around her cheeks and it makes her stomach churn.

But she had broken in other ways. She feels more disconnected than she ever has, eyes unfocused and thoughts lost. She has no more true pride left, feeling more like a shell than a woman. But at least she doesn't cry, aside from the tears of agony when they had branded her and she's not sure if that's a good or a bad thing. She's not sure if that means she's broken beyond repair and not for the first time she wishes her brother was here. She goes to sleep with desperate dreams of him saving her yet again and all the same she loathes herself for them.

So when Dave bursts into the cell, where she is slumped against a wall, half dozing and more so waiting she doesn't look up, not straight away. It's just time for another beating, though this one seems earlier than the last. She raises her head slowly and then. Everything just seems to stop, everything freezes and she feels herself finally crack, shattering like a glass vase as she looks up at Dave, her perception of everything confused and for a moment she thinks it's her Dave, the brother her age, the brother who knows her back and her voice is a crack through parched lips, tears half forming in her eyes. "I knew you'd come."

Bro's voice, behind that helmet is distorted to her, and Rose is sluggish as she turns her head to him and it all clicks back in, a puzzle she only has half the pieces to and can you blame her if she uses the last of her strength to try and pull herself up, bring herself between Dave and this peacekeeper, an almost lost fury sparking to life as she snarls, "Get the fuck away from him."

Edited 2014-08-12 06:24 (UTC)

Confidence isn't exactly what Dave is feeling right now. He doesn't feel safe or assured, he feels like people could burst in any second. Yet, somehow, he can't help feeling a little proud. His last arena was a fucking embarrassment, but who cares? There's no pride in playing their games well, but he can feel a little good pulling a fast one on them when it means he's doing something he genuinely gives a fuck about. It's almost all he gives a fuck about right now, so Bro is right to think that he's losing his cool.

He's seen his sister through a lot of nasty shit, that's no secret. He's seen a lot of death and he's had to die a lot to get where he was in the game, but there's levels and depths to this place that he's never had to deal with. Things he's never known and never expected to know. It's hard to imagine this sort of situation when you're drifting through deep space, but he knows he can't play the usual part of hanging around uselessly until the last minute. It's go time for everyone, even more so when the reality of what they've done to her hits him. There's shit he can't even begin to fathom and he can hear it just in her voice. There's a bittersweet feeling running through him when she speaks.He knows damn well he isn't the you she's referring to, but he knows that any possible combination of either Dave or Rose would be guaranteed to pull shit like this for one another.

He chances a small smile through his concern, his grip tightening for a moment before he lets go entirely when Bro speaks and she moves. "Woah, woah woah. Rose- hold on-" He grabs for her waist, trying to lean in as best he can before she throws any punches. "He's part of the family." It's cryptic, but he hopes she gets it. "We can't hang around anymore, we have to blow this hotdog stand before this family reunion goes global. Trust me, alright?"

Perhaps it's silly of him not to expect it, but he doesn't know what all Rose has gone through os it's a little jarring when she's suddenly getting all firey and protective of Dave. His kneejerk reaction is to feel a little offended, until he realize that he's still wearing the peacekeeper uniform and he probably looks really fucking dangerous right now. He can't very well say much when it could blow their cover, since he's gonna pretend to be escorting them away.

Or at least try.

"Yeah, just take it easy," he says, holding up his hands in surrender. "Just come on, everything'll be cool."

She's already wavering on her feet, feeling her ankle ache under her weight when Dave grabs her and she can't help the way she leans back into him. She hates it, she hates how very weak she feels, and how easily anyone can tell just by looking at her. But she tries to hold herself up, tries to stay between the peacekeeper and her brother, still sluggish as she glances back to Dave when he speaks.

Part of the family. Her brow furrows at that and she looks back to the peacekeeper, still uncertain, still protective. But she recognises that voice now and it all clicks together, Rose sagging a little more against Dave as she snorts softly and tries not to cry.

"You idiots." Because they are. Such idiots, risking it all for her, when they were both safe as far as she knows. As far as she had forced herself to believe despite hearing their screams on repeat in some of their sessions. And now they're here, and they're taking such a risk and it's all for her and how could they be so stupid? "You. You shouldn't have."

Dave doesn't think much of the way she leans against him, it isn't a burden to him to help her out. He'd be crazy to think she wouldn't be a little roughed up when he found her. He's still riding the wave of relief he feels at knowing she's still alive, he'd been fearing the absolute worst.

Still, he can't linger to think on it and Bro is right to be urgent. He can see the clarity hitting Rose and he gets her closer to Bro, giving him a discreet nudge as if implying things might go better if maybe he picked her up or something.

"We can argue about how there was literally no other option for us later." There's urgency in his voice and he darts his eyes between them.

"Like I've never been called that before," he murmurs quietly, though he knows she doesn't truly mean it so his feelings aren't even bothered. Mostly he's just trying to keep the small talk going so that she doesn't feel threatened by him and his peacekeeper uniform, because that would just make the situation difficult.

It doesn't take long for him to get the hint from Dave, and with a brief nod he's putting the helmet back on and moving to pick her up. He knows carrying her probably looks hella suspicious, but at this point they don't have very many options. "I think I'll skip that conversation, because from my point of view this was the obvious course of action and I don't gotta defend myself. Also I'm a grown-ass man and can do what I want."

With that, he'll heft Rose up into a more comfortable position and set off at as fast a pace as he can without jostling her too much. "Eyes peeled, bro." He can't keep as good of a look out with Rose in his arms as he could before, so he's gonna rely on Dave here more than he has the last few hours.

"There were other options," she says, faintly, and she knows in truth that it's a lie. She knows that Dave would never consider the option she means, knows it like she would never consider it for anyone by her. Rose knows she's expendable, she knows what call she would make, but she knows Dave doesn't have it in him to turn his back like that. And in truth, there's something in her that likes that. That likes being reminded that someone out there, even if it's just one person, thinks she's worth saving.

Well, two people now, she realises, as Bro moves closer and while she can't help the way she stiffens at his touch she doesn't fight him. It's just hard being touched in general, when the past few... days, weeks, she's no longer sure but time has passed, and that time has been hard. So she lets him lift her, doesn't protest that he shouldn't bare her weight or that she can walk. Arguing that will just waste time and so she looks down, away from white and helmets and hidden faces, focusing on her own hands and her voice is barely more than a whisper as she says, "Thank you."

A hellishly confusing journey and some dashing through a back alley finally has them slinking in through the discreet doors of a club into the spiderweb of dressing rooms and supply closets. They're herded into a dingy little room by one of the mother hens, not wanting too many people to see that they're there. It's stocked full of wigs, costumes, make up and mirrors. They've been left a little food and water and some drinks because that's clearly an appropriate requirement at a time like this. The music is pumping and there's the sounds of chattering and catcalling all around, but it's a far better sound than the storming of peacekeepers or something equally oppressive.

Dave makes himself comfortable in a chair, keeping as close to Rose as possible or at least watching her as best he can. He's tired, but he's scared to drift off. They aren't in the clear yet, he's pretty sure as soon as he sleeps someone is gonna burst in and haul them out. Every so often his head hangs down and he snaps awake again, rubbing at his eyes so he can give Bro a bleary eyed look.

"Think maybe you should change out of that?" He nods at the uniform and then toward a pile of questionable costumes, casting Rose a small smirk in the hopes he can make her feel better.

Rose is still lost, even here, in apparent safety. It all feels too fragile, and with what she's gone through she doesn't know if she can trust this. It's laughable, almost, because she's so used to only trusting what she sees. But her time imprisoned has showed her that not even that can always be trusted. They have ways of making her think she's seeing other things, hearing other things and so Rose finds herself unable to trust anything.

She moves around the room in slow routine circles, picking things up and putting them down, trying to keep herself busy because she's all too conscious of the drinks in the corner. And it's clear she's aware of them, her glances nowhere near as discreet as she'd like but fuck she could use a drink. She could really use that numbness alcohol has always brought, a way to switch her mind off for just a few hours. But she's too aware of Dave in the corner, and there is some part of her that knows how dumb that idea is.

As aware of Dave she is she still jumps when he speaks, hands shaking slightly as she puts her newest item down. And only now she glances to Bro, and it's clear how the very sight of the armour affects her, her body tensing, Rose having to look away quickly after that, fingers tapping out a rhythm on the dressing table.

Of all the places Bro imagined he would end up while evading the law, it was never a drag bar. And let's be honest, with all his questionable decisions back home, he definitely imagined the kinds of places he would end up while evading the law. Somehow though, this seems like the best place. Men dressed as women. He would make a hella fine lady, he's sure of it. He'd be gung ho to find out just how good he looks, if it weren't for the fact he's still enjoying the way his butt looks in the uniform.

He's spacing out, staring at it in one of the mirrors in the room they're in, when he hears Dave speak up. Neither of them can see due to the mask, but he looks from Dave, to Rose, to the pile of clothes. It doesn't take long before he realizes Dave has Rose's sanity in mind, and one look at Rose is enough to solidify that. He remembers the ferocity she had when she first saw him in the cell, so he knows she isn't exactly thrilled with peacekeepers, and he can't even begin to blame her for that.

So he gives one last look at his booty, before tugging the helmet off. "Yeah, might as well," he says, moving over to the pile of clothes in question. "Man what am I even supposed to wear? I don't think this shit is gonna fit." He glances back at Rose, wondering if he ought to ask if she's alright or something, but he doesn't know how to even go about it. There's a part of him that feels awful for their last meeting before her getting taken- it hadn't ended well. They're gonna have to talk about it eventually. But not now.

"Y'know, we're gonna have to think up drag names," he muses, picking up something frilly. "I'ma be Sis. Just Sis. It totally fucking works for me."

It isn't the safest place to be, Dave is sure. But it isn't prison. If they can make it here a few days maybe they can find a way out further and deeper. Is this what it's going to be now? Running until they inevitably run out of places to hide? They don't know this place, they don't know the people. Anyone could double cross them and they could misstep any second now. His heart is sinking and his stomach is knotting just thinking about it.

So much is weighing on him that he's barely aware of the alcohol, of what it could do to Rose, but a glance to her has him thinking about what she might be looking at over there. He does his best to remain impassive while also making it clear that he knows it's there.

"I think if you tried hard enough you might find yourself a nice slinky gown. They're kind of tailored for dudes anyway." He gives his shoulders a heavy shrug. "Super inconspicuous too, you have this in the bag." He stands up too, a little closer to Rose as he moves to open a drawer full of various shades of lipstick. His hands are going straight for the red and he's popping it open to look at it without actually using it. "I want one of those joke names, like Ivana Kiss. But less lame. Probably."

"Go old school Bond," she says finally, and it's soft enough you could miss it. Especially since she stays turned away, head down as she studies the vanity top for the umpteenth time. "Pussy Galore, Holly Goodhead..." And she drifts off again, though at least she looks up, glancing back to them.

It's better now, since Bro is changing and she feels a little more at ease as he sheds the helmet. At least now she knows it's him, even with the rest of the white uniform. At least now she can see his face, see his responses and reactions and it's not just another faceless someone here to extract information she won't give.

She shifts, all her movements slow and cautious and goes to take the lipstick from Dave, while also going to pick out another one and hand it to him. "That one's got too much of an orange tone, it'll look weird." It's a distraction and she'll take it, anything to keep her hands busy as she tilts her head at Dave. "You'll need a pencil too, red looks weird without pencil underneath."

"Yeah, maybe," he murmurs in response to the gown comment. "But fuck me, I don't know how to tuck my junk in like these bitches, I'd be so obviously a dude." And it occurs to him that he's gonna have to shave his sideburns off, and fuck that lie. Drag was fun in theory and now he's realizing how difficult it's gonna be. Or maybe he's just over thinking it because his dick is rebelling at the idea of being tucked and his sideburns are growing furrier at the idea of being shaved off.

He'll keep on looking through the clothes until he finds a gown that looks like it might fit him. It's pink. He could totally rock pink, he's pretty sure. He holds it up to himself as the two of them muse about drag names, and he has to let out an amused scoff at the suggestions that the two of them throw out there.

"Frita Goodholme, more like," he says to Dave, because that's clearly the best name for the younger Strider.

He'll raise an eyebrow at Rose as she starts talking about makeup and shit. "What?" he asks, raising a brow quizzically. "You mean you don't just put this shit on and... y'know, magic happens? Because it looks like fucking magic to me."

"I never fancied myself an old school girl." He murmurs, wondering why his self-proclaimed name isn't up to their standards. Since when were they experts on drag queens? Maybe they spend too much time around those stylists. He doesn't know how they do it, Oceana consistently decimates his self confidence with a nose crinkle.

"I don't want to know about your junk and fuck you. Just put the shitty dress on and shut up, mister-sister." He gives Bro his own nose crinkle before letting it fade when Rose speaks again, looking calculatingly at the lipstick and back at her. He takes it, despite himself, cheeks heating ever so slightly. "I wasn't gonna put it on." He mumbles under his breath.

"Wear something loose, no one will notice," she says to Bro, glancing up from where she's been going through the lip liners, trying to find the best match for the colour she's given Dave. And really, if anything it's going to be the sideburns that give it away, that or his very obvious male build, nothing like many of the slim or curvaceous queens they've seen around. "It could all be your shtick, the blurring of the two genders, feminine and masculine." A slight shrug, but she's slowly coming back out of the shell she's built over the past week, feeling a little more at ease with herself.

Still, she can't help the little glance she gives to the alcohol in the corner, or the way she keeps her back to the mirror and her gaze away from any others. But she looks away, back to the pencils and picks one out, uncapping it and testing it on her hand. Bro gets a slightly amused look as she finds a sharpener and uses it. "You caught me. It's actually a skill only witches of the most satanic and lesbian can learn. And I just happen to be High Priestess, guess you're in luck."

She really doesn't care that Dave's trying to act like he wasn't going to do it, not when she can push that button and see where it goes so Rose tilts her head slightly, her way of beckoning him over as she holds the pencil steady in her hand. "Old school or not, what's the harm in trying? Bro might not be able to blend so easily but half these queens here can't be that much older than you, you'll fit in." And it will mean that one of them can at least leave this room if needed.

Bro has to admire how knowledgeable she seems about all of this. It's kind of weird. It's almost like she's a girl or something?? Who would have even thought. He look back at the dress he picked and wonders if it's loose enough- he guesses the only way to find out is to try it, right? And then Dave so eloquently tells him to do it, so whatever.

He'll just start stripping right then and there as Rose goes on about makeup and then about him blending in. He shoots her a dirty look as she says he won't blend in easily. "Now it's a challenge and I'm gonna be the fishiest goddamn queen in this club."

Don't challenge a Bro, you will lose. Now it's a pride thing and he's just going to nakedly put on the dress and tug it down until he's all kinds of covered and whatnot. Yeah this dress is pretty loose, he feels pretty covered. He's also hyper aware of how hairy he is compared to most of the queens there so now he's reevaluating the whole shaving thing in honor of beating the new little challenge that's been set.

"Where the fuck is the bathroom, I need to go de-hair," he grumbles, shooting a withering stare to no one in particular. He has no one to blame but himself for his competitiveness. "Y'know, while you put on your face like a good little girl." Because if he's going to suffer then Dave is going to suffer too.

It feels good to be easing back into some casual talk. He does so like it when they collectively pretend nothing is happening and focus all their energy on embarrassing each other. Like a real family. Warms his heart and all that jazz.

He doesn't really know what fishy is, but he regrets flicking his glance back to Bro because he did NOT need to see that. He squawks initially, but hushes himself into a choked sound of disgust. He snaps his head back to Rose and crinkles his nose when she beckons for him.

"Hell no." He says, but he's taking a little step forward anyway. A tiny little baby one, like a duck who isn't sure if he should trust the bread being waved at him. They have points, very valid points, but he's a little bitch on so many levels. "You're enjoying this way too much." He points out, but it seems like he's relenting to letting Rose do as she pleases with his face.

"I look forward to seeing that." She honestly does, because now she's curious to see if he'll actually have it in him to go through with losing the sideburns. After all, they will need to go if he wants to win this challenge he's set himself.

Rose may have had the sense to avert her gaze as soon as she saw Bro starting to strip, but that doesn't mean she can't tease. She can tell enough by Dave's little squawk that Bro's gone commando and so she can't help but snort, smirking faintly to herself as she reaches to tug Dave a step closer than his baby duck step. "Thank you for that display Bro. Freud will be so proud of me, I'm sure that seeing the genitals of your paternal genetic provider is part of some theory of his, I'm glad I could fulfil it."

She waves him off all the same with a soft, "Call if you need assistance." and then her attention's all on Dave. Taking his chin in hand she studies him critically, turning it this way and that before she goes to work. "Part your lips slightly for me." And as soon as he does she's applying the pencil, in efficient, smooth lines to make the shape before she colours this in. "This should be somewhat easier than the last time I did this at least."

Only Rose could make Bro getting naked creepy.

Well. More creepy than it is by default, which isn't too creepy in his opinion. Everyone is naked under their clothes, it's not his fault he just has to take them off in order to put on his stupid little pretty dress! Geeeeez. "It's not my fault you looked," he says pointedly. At least Dave had the decency to ignore it completely, save for the squawk.

"I'll be sure to call anyone but you, I'm sure you would find some way to make shaving awkward." It's strange, feeling like he's the one getting trolled for once. Is this what having an older sibling feels like? Or an older daughter, rather? It's weird. "But whatever, I'm out. He better be beautiful when I get back."

And with that, he'll disappear to go shave.

Both of you are creepy and Dave thinks you need to stop. "Shut up oh my god." He hisses that at both of them, but it's definitely aimed more at Rose. And here a younger Rose had the nerve to imply he was the one with weird Freudian issues.

"Don't call me either." Dave calls out after Bro, thinning his lips almost pointedly for the request before he relents and parts them. The lip liner tickles when she applies it and it's hard not to lurch away, his lips twitch to reflect this.

"I'm gonna look dumb. None of the boys will dance with me."

It's what she does. It's not anywhere near close to fun if people aren't feeling weirded out by whatever she's chosen to say or do. It's funny, really, and that is the entire reason why she does it.

Still, she just smirks at both them and their responses, looking more like her usual mysterious self again. And she drops it, after one finally hum, glancing to Bro as he leaves. "I have my reputation to upkeep, is it that surprising? And I'm almost insulted that you think that he wouldn't be."

"Keep still," she says softly, looking over him critically. Really, he still needs foundation, and she should have started with that. Oh well, no time like the now and Rose pops the pencil back down, glass bottles of foundation clicking together as she studies the shades available. He's not as fair as her she thinks, but he's still on the ridiculously white end of the scale.

"Stop insulting my ability," she says with a snort, popping a dab of foundation on the back of her hand and testing the shade on his jaw line. Too dark, and so she moves to next shade down, smirking slightly when it blends better and she sets herself to the task of applying it to his face with her fingertips. "If I can make a man in his 30's look like a natural born woman I can do the same to a teenager. All the boys will lining up with the desire to touch your padded booty."

Edited 2014-09-19 06:54 (UTC)

"I am still." He says, moving his mouth in a way that suggests otherwise. He's being way too complacent about this, but unfortunately she has an undeniable point about him being the only one who can really pull this off.

He watches her hands suspiciously, unsure as to what she's doing. He knows absolutely nothing about make up, he has no idea what she's doing or why she's looking at weird cream. Oh- okay- now it's going on his face, he should have seen that coming and he grimaces.

"This feels so gross. I don't know how juggalos do it, but I guess they're used to that feeling." Aw snap. Wait, what? "Do I really have to pad? Can't I just be an uncurvacious wallflower?"

She just raises a brow at that, though how effective that is she isn't sure. They need a tint, or some pencil put through, but she doesn't have the resources for the first and the second means staring in the mirror. Staring at that brand.

She wishes they had left the bandages on. Somehow that had been better, even though she had know what lay beneath them

Rose focuses entirely on her task, burying her other feelings and thoughts down. She's got a task at hand and she'll make sure it's an excellent job, her fingers quick and light as she works the foundation onto Dave,

"Liquid always feels strange when it first goes on- close your eyes." She'll do his eyelids then, fingers lifting to give him a look over before she glances down to the other supplies, picking up an eyeshadow brush and palette. "Keep them closed until I say so. And no, of course you don't, but there is something a touch more believable in a drag queen that pads. Unless you're going for the market that likes to know their queen is a skinny twink." She works the shadow on with care, not pressing too firmly as she goes."

Dave can't help thinking the brand needs treatment of some sort, he doesn't know how much it hurts or what Rose would like done with it. Maybe they need new bandages and disinfectant and maybe those are things he can acquire once he learns to blend.

He manages to give her one last bitter little look before he scrunches his eyes shut and then realises that won't help anyone. He exhales through his nose and lets his eyes uncrunch for ease of application.

"I'm not marketing to anyone, I'm just trying to look like I belong there." He grumbles under his breath. "It isn't like I'm getting up on stage or whatever."

It aches every so often, a dull pain she can mostly ignore, that grows sharper if she stretches her mouth too wide in either expression or speaking. She's had time though to learn that, so she knows to be careful, just like she knows there's no point complaining right now. Nothing they can do, and it's already starting to heal. At the very least they had kept it clean, they did want their mark to be clear on her after all. To show the world what she was.

"And you'll look like you belong better if you try and make yourself look as genuine as possible." She finishes the shadow and pauses to look over it critically before nodding to herself. Putting the eyeshadow down she moves onto eyeliner, stretching the skin of his eyelid slightly as she draws the perfect line and wing on. "It's about blending, and people who half ass it don't blend very well do they?"

Coincidentally by the fifth day, Dave is starting to slowly gain more and more confidence that they've gotten away with it. He doesn't know if he'll ever really feel safe again if they stay out here. Alas, the Peacekeepers are storming in eventually and it's impossible to put up much of a fight before their sorry asses are brought back to jail and their cell. With no idea how long they could be here for, it's hard not to feel a little, tiny bit absolutely devastated.

They're brought back and forth for interrogations a few times, but it seems like torture isn't on the menu this time. Even so, the Peacekeepers are brutally good at their job and a few threats and lights shone in Dave's face have him admitting the bare minimum of what he knows about an anonymous Capitol man who convinced him that this would be a good idea. Once he's brought back from his session he's tired and desperately wishing they'd turn the lights off for a few hours. He lets his head hang back and he sighs loudly to himself. He's never been touchy feely, but being utterly cut off from touching anyone makes it suddenly seem important.

He hasn't quite begun to slip into the desire to ramble, but it's bubbling up as the awkward, bitter silence starts to wear on his resolve.

Somehow Rose isn't surprised they find them. After all, luck is anywhere but on her side these days, and even as Rose tries to fight, tries to yell for Bro and Dave to run, leave her, there's no use. Unconsciousness comes with a hit to the head, and she feels sick to her stomach as it takes her, having to watch her family be beaten down in her last moments awake.

Interrogation is an old hat to her now, though it's seems clear they've worked out Rose won't speak. Still she feels dread in her stomach, because with Bro and Dave here they have an ace up their sleeves they didn't before. It keeps Rose more on edge than she was before, keeps her pacing in their shared cell even though it makes her whole body ache. She's worse when they take Dave, and it's only her last shred of common sense that keeps her from throwing herself at the forcefield, though she does beg, once or twice for them to take her, not him because Dave doesn't know anything. Dave can't know anything.

Her relief when he returns is clear and while she waits till the peacekeepers leave the cell, she moves as close as she can to Dave's space, the warmth of the forcefield almost painful as she tries to look him over, her voice soft when she speaks. "Dave. Dave, what did they do?"

It's funny how Bro kept waiting for their luck to run out during the actual break-out, yet it never happened. By the time they spend a few days in the club, he's with Dave in thinking that they've gotten away with it. But when the peacekeepers do come, he can't say he's terribly surprised. Pissed the hell off, but surprised. A club isn't the most low key place to lay low, it's only logical that someone would spill the beans eventually.

When they do, he tries to get Dave off the hook, insisting that he'd made him do it and that he isn't at fault. It becomes clear quickly enough that it isn't going to work, so he just ends up shutting up. He won't beg, he won't plead. He's too prideful for that. It's painful in a lot of ways, watching Rose do it, because a part of him wants to as well, while the other part knows it's futile. It's sickening to watch Dave get taken away. But, as it turns out, torture doesn't seem to be on the agenda. Just some heavy interrogation. He knew that was coming, at least. It only takes a few threats towards Dave to get Bro spilling everything he knows, because he's the one who put them in this situation and like hell Dave is going down for this shit.

Bro massages his temples, giving a small grunt of annoyance. "Rose, calm down," he says quietly. He's seen her lose it a lot the last little while, and he can sympathise to a point. But he doesn't want Dave getting stressed out over the mama bear-ness. "Hell, I think we'd all benefit from a chill pill. Maybe do a little yoga, I hear it's calming."

Dave can practically feel the air tense the moment they take him in and the moment he returns. It only makes him feel all the worse for saying all that he did. He's young, he gets it. He's been through shit, but it'll never be enough. They're older than him, they're stronger than him and they can deal with things he can't even wrap his head around. He doesn't want to be the scared little boy tailing behind his brother and sister through everything, but he knows they won't believe any facade he tries to throw up. He might as well be sitting between two mirrors for how everything seems to reflect back on him.

His eyes raise to look tiredly at Rose, a little desperation showing as he searches for something more believable than 'nothing'. He wants to tell her to lean away from the force field, but he doesn't want to nag her, looks like Bro is doing that anyway. He's in-between two people with very different methods of expressing concern as well as two people who won't let him take any of the weight of the situation.

He draws in a breath, choosing to deign Rose's question with an answer. "Pretty standard interrogation. Like they were reading lines out of a B rated cop movie. They got all heavy with the light shining and leaning so now not only do you both look like heavenly, blurry blobs of light but I think I can safely say that he enjoys a little too much salami on his sandwiches." He nods his head as if that was a particularly deep thought, then he turns to Bro before he can so much as admit that he said anything. "I don't trust you not to make being flexible and using positions really, fucking weird." He gives him a Look. "I think I can do the worm if I try though. Not the dance. Obviously."

She bites back her anger, swallows it down rather than snap at Bro because she knows it's not him. It's not his fault, and she's not angry at him. Fighting between each other will just cause issues and they already have enough to deal with.

Dave's answer eases her a little, enough that she knows it wasn't too intense. Light will always be a bitch of a tactic to use against him, but it's still less severe than some of the other things she's seen and gone through. She doesn't even worry about him confess anything, as far as she knows he knows nothing, nothing that's worth their time at least, and maybe that'll be enough to make them back off.

She glances to Bro when Dave does, and only now does she ease away from the forcefield. Though it's still close enough that she hears it's constant hum, feels it's faint warmth. "Broga?" Look, she knows he was thinking it, she's just saying it, and for a second there's a glimpse of the old Rose in her smirk, but it fades away all the same. "I don't think there's enough room for the dance either way."

Bro is just really on edge right now, so it's hard not to be a little snippy and impatient. But when Dave answers her question, he'll just let out a quiet and defeated sigh and listen, even if it's what he expected it was and just makes him a little angrier. Fuck the Capitol. Seriously. One day he's gonna get them for this- when he's not in a fucking jail cell, of course.

Still, despite his anger he can't help feel it melt just a little at their reactions, but especially Rose's. "Rosie, I didn't know you had it in you. Bro puns didn't sound like your thing."

He'll shrug though. "But hey, if you guys really aren't up for it, then fine. We can just sit here and stare at the wall like good boys and girls." A beat. "Because yeah, you're right, Dave. I'd make it pretty fucking weird." He lets out another sigh, just because he's really fucking bored already. "Maybe we could sing annoying songs until they get mad and let us out."

Bro draws in a deep breath. "This is the song that never eeeends..."

Now that they've both eased up, Dave is content to let his eyes fall shut for a moment. He leans his back against the wall and exhales through his nose, the tiredness hitting him enough to make him want to relax and go numb but the stress keeps him from drifting off any. He remains silent when they speak amongst each other for a moment, but annoyance flares in him when Bro starts to sing that Fucking Song.

"Nope." He snaps his eyes open and sits up. "Nope. No. Fuck that. You start singing that song and I'm going to ram my fist into the force field. One more line, motherfucker." He gives him a look of warning that implies there's some seriousness in that threat. He really hates the song, okay. "Maybe we should play a game or something. Like I spy, but less lame. Or never have I ever without the booze. The one where we viciously attack people we live with in order to alleviate the misery of being here." He nods sagely.

Her nose crinkles in slight annoyance at the diminutive of her name but Rose lets it slide this time. Just this once, just because she hasn't got enough in her to argue the point. Instead she just shrugs, brushing a hair through her hair. "I have my moments. I may have been saving a few." For Dave, mostly, but that never happened, but it doesn't mean she can't still see an easy pun.

"Not sure if that game will be as fun the second time around, I've already memorised the cracks and weird paint spots," and really she'd rather kill herself than play sing along, so she's so very thankful at Dave's little explosion, though she raises a brow at the threat, glancing over as he starts to suggest things.

"Never have I ever is boring without the booze, trust me." She shifts, moving back to lean against her own wall. "And even with it, let's be honest you, a. wouldn't really want to know that much about either of our sex lives, and b, would be the one getting drunk first, out of us three." But he has a point, and Rose considers it for a moment. "What about fuck, marry, kill? Or kiss, hug, cuddle, whatever the pg13 version is." There's that smirk again, just a flicker.

Bro shoots Dave a withering glance when he starts poopooing the song. Bitch, these are his coping methods and you're shitting all over them. He's just taking in a deep breath to start continuing the song when Rose speaks up and offers a peaceful solution to everyone's problems that doesn't involve going to blows against the forcefield.

Fine. He'll play the game, but only because this game is a guilty pleasure.

Before he consents, however-

"Itgoesonandonmyfriends!" He'll say it in one breath, looking pointedly at Dave, before throwing his hands up. "But fine, let's play Fuck, marry, kill. I'd imagine Prude Strider would rather the PG-13 version, though. But he can suck it up."

He loves you Dave, he do. "Speaking of, you can start us off, bro."

The most hateful look is shot at Bro when he bursts out that one stupid line of that god awful addictive song. It is the crack of songs, it gives him all the ill fated side effects too.

"I'm fucking sixteen. Almost seventeen. Shut up." No wonder you assholes like drag queens, always reading him. A plan is forming just from that thought, but he needs to address things before he makes his first play. "I'm not a goddamn prude, I'm classy." He says like anyone will believe, exhaling as if he needs to think about what his list will be. "Let's go with the theme for the week: Oceana, Holly and Jolie. Choose wisely. Do I have to say mine? Should I say mine? Alright, I will. Fuck Oceana, marry Holly and kill Jolie because she's, what? Twice my age?" He shrugs and looks to Rose. "Go ahead."

She can't help but snort softly at the way Bro blurts out the song, a smirk in the corner of her lips. This feels familiar, and for once she just lets herself go with it. They're in prison, but they're together, and she lets herself enjoys this brief moment of family bonding, even if it's just for a second.

"My sincerest apologises, of course," she says, the mocking clear. "Seventeen you say? Why, that's practically ancient, you must be a well lived man of many exploits by now." She shoots a glance to Bro, still amused as she rolls her eyes at Dave's continuing. "Of course, of course, whatever you say."

He at least did put out a good challenge at least and Rose is already considering it, even as she studies Dave's answers, analysing them. "Almost predictable, actually. Also what's wrong with someone being twice you age? I've never had a complaint, and I've found it just leads to a better experience in general."

She tilts her head slightly, and contemplates her decision out loud. "Holly, from what I've heard is almost annoyingly cheerful. And Oceana while quite stunning, and with a fantastic attitude, would undoubtedly not be interested in my own advances. Really the only easy decision here is Jolie despite her relationship to some of us.." She pauses for a second before nodding slightly. "Fuck Holly, because I feel she'd be enthusiastic, marry Jolie and kill Oceana. Bro?"

Edited 2014-09-08 15:08 (UTC)

Bro is hella getting tired of Dave using his age as an excuse, but he's not going to argue. But he's pretty sure that he did way more than Dave at a younger age, he's just saying. At least Rose has it in her to give Dave a bit of a hard time over it, because at this point he just can't be arsed himself.

And of course Dave mentions the drag queens. He should see it coming, but a part of him is surprised that Dave goes there. He won't show it though, and he can't deny that it isn't an interesting an interesting question. He does, however, give Dave an unimpressed look at the dig at Jolie's age, shaking his head judgmentally.

"You can't deny that even if she's old, she's aged like goddamn fine wine," he shoots back at Dave, before turning to Rose. "I like your choices, to be honest, but you're doing Oceana a huge disservice. She deserves way better. So I'm gonna say Fuck Oceana, Marry Jolie and kill Holly. I dunno, there's just something about that one that rubs me the wrong way. Enthusiastic, maybe, but she'd probably stab you in the eye if she got mad. And she'd do it with a grin. That shit ain't cute."

Guess what, Bro? When Dave was thirteen, the world ended. The pool of viable hotties drained and the idea of sleeping with someone you'd be stuck on a meteor with for years was unappealing in every sense. Now that he's here and getting eyes from people, he really doesn't know what to do with it. He just thinks that being sixteen is a reasonable age to only just be considering going all the way.

"There's plenty wrong with it. It's a crime in America, too. Just saying." He shoots Rose a look and shoots Bro one too for good measure. He isn't particularly surprised with any of the answers, but it isn't his turn this time so he looks to Rose. "Congratulations, cougar, name some names for the game."

"Oh, I'd fuck her if she was interested. But I doubt even acquiring additional anatomy of the removable sort would interest her. She doesn't seem to be so much as into hot people as she is into hot boys." She says with a slight smirk. "Perhaps I can find out after this."

She snorts softly about the comment regarding eye stabbing. If anything that just endears Rose to the thought of the Queen. She can appreciate that having done said act more than once.

Rose like Bro has grown up fast. Perhaps it was the additional memories, perhaps something else, but she's always felt older than she is. And younger some days, but all in all it made for a maturity that lead her to exploring early on. Still, she supposes she can't fault Dave too much, not when she is vaguely aware his options were limited to a. trolls or b. herself.

"Only if you both get caught," she says to Dave's response, smirking back at him when he looks at her. There's a little mockery of a half bow too as she considers names, tapping her fingers against her thigh in a faint rhythm.

"Ok. We've done those of the 'feminine persuasion' how about we lean towards more masculine types? I'm sure we're all familiar with them, one way or the other so, Thor, Tony Stark or Captain America." A pause, and she almost seems to be considering it. "It's difficult I admit, cause you could easily place them all in the same category but I suppose my answer is fuck Steve, marry Thor because then at least I get to be royalty and regretfully kill Mr Stark."

Edited 2014-09-19 07:15 (UTC)

Bro can only roll his eyes at the two of them, but especially Rose. As much as he regrets their little run in involving Jolie, he still doesn't like the idea of Rose going there. It creeps him out a little, considering he got there first. Stay away from his territory, okay Rose? Okay.

He's glad to move on, so he'll focus on the question when it finally rolls around. "Aw, hell. Are you for real? That's harder than you realize." How can he pick from the avengers? It's fucking impossible. They're all so gloriously beautiful, how is he supposed to pick?

"Fuck. Okay. Fuck Captain America, star spangle his booty all night long, y'know? And, uh. Marry Thor, cuz I imagine that comes with benefits. Probably. Then I'll kill Tony because I'm rich already and I don't need a sugar daddy like that."

Dave thinks both of them are weirdly obsessed with the woman, but she does sort of seem to encompass some mutual interests they have. Namely the fact that she's fucking weird. He had no idea they'd both go local so fast, but it saves all the prime hotties around his age for him. All three of them.

Despite his attempts to seem cool and unperturbed by the idea of fucking people twice his age, he can't help the way his nose crinkles upward at the suggestions. "Of all the people.." He grumbles, moving to bury his face in his hands when they talk about who they'd fuck, groaning all the while under his breath.

"You know two out of three of them are trying relentlessly to adopt me? Right? Captain America tucked me in and kissed me on the forehead. And I just.. I can't. Honestly say I'd fuck the guy who keeps trying to re-enact Annie with me either." He seems really at odds with himself right now, but he should probably not make a big deal of it. "FuckThorMarrySteveKillTonyit'stheonlyfairthingtodo. Bro you're next."

Oh wow, he can nearly feel the awkward radiating off of Dave when he has to choose between the Avengers. He can also feel a slight sense of jealousy at knowing Captain America tucked him in and kissed him. Not because he feels like Cap is moving in on his brorental territory or anything, but- well, where are his forehead kisses from the Captain? It's not fucking fair. He's cuter than Dave.

"That's really fuckin' gay," he murmurs darkly, masking his jealousy with insults. "It's great we both kill Tony. I feel the similarities between us just bouncing off the walls here."

He has to think about it for a long moment, before he finally settles on something Dave probably won't appreciate much more than the previous, but he has to go there. "Anna, Elsa and that guy with the majestic sideburns. Hans." And then he gives his answers before the inevitable reaction comes. "Fuck Elsa, Marry Anna and kill Sideburns." As much as it pains him to kill off such beautiful fuzzies, he has to.

"When has something being Freudian stopped you?" Rose asks, head tilted and the barest hint of the smirk on her lips. She can't help poking that, and it amuses her a little that it's even a thing she can still tease, even in situations that weren't so obvious at first. She hadn't known in fact of his relationship with the heroes, and a part of that tells her she needs to pay more attention to things. Can't have herself getting out of the loop, and having that interfere with her meddling.

"I feel a little sorry for Mr Stark in fact. He seemed to get the short stick from all of us... I suppose when you're up against an actual God and a man with the body of one you fall a little short." A small shrug, and she considers the new list, frowning slightly to put faces to names. Softly she hums, taking her time before finally. "Fuck sideburns then, marry Anna and kill Elsa. I feel she's a touch more innocent than her sister and I wouldn't want to upset her in that manner?"

Nobody expects the Strider Inquisition

Jailbreak

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Hiding Out

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jail AGAIN

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