Karkat Vantas ♋ carcinoGeneticist (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
crabmunicator) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thecapitol2015-04-22 05:55 pm
crabmunicator) wrote in thecapitol2015-04-22 05:55 pm
(OPEN) a vial of hope and a vial of pain
Who| Karkat and OPEN
What| Karkat finally returns after the Binding plot.
Where| Around the tower.
When| Around when Sigma's announcement happens & afterward.
Warnings/Notes| Mentions of police brutality and brainwashing.
It's a little after Karkat has stepped back into the Tower that the announcement comes up over some monitor or several, demanding attention. He should have expected this, but he's feeling disoriented enough that it takes him a moment to process what it is. Sigma is no one he's ever met, so that part doesn't matter, but the subject of rebels and anti-Capitol plot filters through and tethers his attention.
He can tell the Capitol slant in how it's worded and presented, and a part of him still hates them for it, but the sharpest part is what he already knew: the Initiate brought this all. As much as he wants Panem to change, as much as he wants freedom for his fellow Tributes, he's never going to forgive the Initiate for trying to turn it into something for him to take over.
He shudders at the end and turns to move forward.
A. The Lobby
It's a bit hard to miss Karkat on his return. Though washed and dressed in fresh, clean clothing, he walks with a noticeable limp and a slight wobble besides. For all his gunshots to his right thigh were finally tended in the end, you don't go three days with little more than scraps of your disguise to bind them without having a lot of soreness left over. It's only by virtue of being a troll that he didn't come out worse for it. But beyond that is a general soreness, left over from the roughness of the Peacekeepers during his imprisonment. His sleeves are long, his pants covering, and they hide the extent of the bruises he bears.
Still, a tired, limping, dizzy tribute is not a steady one, and if not spotted on his own - either during the broadcast, or after as he makes his way to the elevators - then he's bound to get attention when he bumps into people.
"Shit, sorry," he mumbles. He's not trying to hit anyone, but his legs just won't cooperate.
B. District Six
Eventually he makes it back to his district. He's been missing for three days, easily noticeable for the lack of grumping, shouting, and orange horns going around. And it's here for a while that he stays, aiming first to shuffle off to his room to lay the fuck down, if no one stops him first - but it's not like no one can knock on his door.
Sooner or later, though, once he's feeling less of the weird nausea that's bothered him since the end of his imprisonment, he heads back out into the kitchen and then the common area. Winces and swears come from the former as he digs through the fridge for an orange, and eventually he settles himself on a couch in the latter, picking off bits of peel and pith with a claw. Some inane talk show plays on the television, but he's not watching it. Not really.
C. First Floor Restaurant
It's later after his stomach has shown that it can keep the orange down that Karkat decides he wants a real meal. Three days of bread and water will do that to you, and so after another limping trip down, he brings himself in to the restaurant off from the lobby and sets to ordering something.
"Yes, just the soup--no, no bread--no crackers--no sandwich, just the soup, alright? If I'm still hungry I'll order something else," he huffs at a concerned-looking waitress, who had been trying to ply him with are you sure?s and you look awful hungry. Good intents, to be sure, but he doesn't want to touch bread for a week. He doesn't dare tell why.
D. The Roof
With being stuck onhouse tower arrest until the next arena, Karkat ends up spending a lot of his time on the roof. Furnishings inside may be comfortable enough, but it gets stuffy, and he's had enough of being stuck inside to last him for a good while. The roof at least has fresh air and a view of the sky, and he heads up day or night to sit, watch the city, and most often read.
Did you want that other chair? Too bad, because he's too busy tugging it over with his good foot so that he might prop his right one on the seat. It feels better for his leg, and the less soreness he has, the better he can enjoy the trashy romance novel he's currently stuck his nose in.
E. District 9 (Closed)
Between everything else, sometime after making it back to his floor, getting some food and drink in him, and laying on his actual bed for a while, Karkat gets back up to visit this District. He's still sore and tired, but those things are weighed out by the need to visit his important people and communicate the fact that he's not dead or Avoxed. Three days may not equal the week he was gone after last arena, but it's three days after the Initiate's plan went off and the broadcast from Sigma Klim can't have eased worries.
It takes him a while to get up - most of his time in jail was spent sitting around to keep from worsening his wounds, so he's not yet used to walking on his hurt leg - but get there he does. Elevators help, thank fuck; he doesn't want to think about stairs for another week. And from there it's not too far to one of the doors he intends to visit.
He knocks with the back of his hand, but doesn't call any greeting. There will be time enough to talk once he's inside and sat down.
What| Karkat finally returns after the Binding plot.
Where| Around the tower.
When| Around when Sigma's announcement happens & afterward.
Warnings/Notes| Mentions of police brutality and brainwashing.
It's a little after Karkat has stepped back into the Tower that the announcement comes up over some monitor or several, demanding attention. He should have expected this, but he's feeling disoriented enough that it takes him a moment to process what it is. Sigma is no one he's ever met, so that part doesn't matter, but the subject of rebels and anti-Capitol plot filters through and tethers his attention.
He can tell the Capitol slant in how it's worded and presented, and a part of him still hates them for it, but the sharpest part is what he already knew: the Initiate brought this all. As much as he wants Panem to change, as much as he wants freedom for his fellow Tributes, he's never going to forgive the Initiate for trying to turn it into something for him to take over.
He shudders at the end and turns to move forward.
A. The Lobby
It's a bit hard to miss Karkat on his return. Though washed and dressed in fresh, clean clothing, he walks with a noticeable limp and a slight wobble besides. For all his gunshots to his right thigh were finally tended in the end, you don't go three days with little more than scraps of your disguise to bind them without having a lot of soreness left over. It's only by virtue of being a troll that he didn't come out worse for it. But beyond that is a general soreness, left over from the roughness of the Peacekeepers during his imprisonment. His sleeves are long, his pants covering, and they hide the extent of the bruises he bears.
Still, a tired, limping, dizzy tribute is not a steady one, and if not spotted on his own - either during the broadcast, or after as he makes his way to the elevators - then he's bound to get attention when he bumps into people.
"Shit, sorry," he mumbles. He's not trying to hit anyone, but his legs just won't cooperate.
B. District Six
Eventually he makes it back to his district. He's been missing for three days, easily noticeable for the lack of grumping, shouting, and orange horns going around. And it's here for a while that he stays, aiming first to shuffle off to his room to lay the fuck down, if no one stops him first - but it's not like no one can knock on his door.
Sooner or later, though, once he's feeling less of the weird nausea that's bothered him since the end of his imprisonment, he heads back out into the kitchen and then the common area. Winces and swears come from the former as he digs through the fridge for an orange, and eventually he settles himself on a couch in the latter, picking off bits of peel and pith with a claw. Some inane talk show plays on the television, but he's not watching it. Not really.
C. First Floor Restaurant
It's later after his stomach has shown that it can keep the orange down that Karkat decides he wants a real meal. Three days of bread and water will do that to you, and so after another limping trip down, he brings himself in to the restaurant off from the lobby and sets to ordering something.
"Yes, just the soup--no, no bread--no crackers--no sandwich, just the soup, alright? If I'm still hungry I'll order something else," he huffs at a concerned-looking waitress, who had been trying to ply him with are you sure?s and you look awful hungry. Good intents, to be sure, but he doesn't want to touch bread for a week. He doesn't dare tell why.
D. The Roof
With being stuck on
Did you want that other chair? Too bad, because he's too busy tugging it over with his good foot so that he might prop his right one on the seat. It feels better for his leg, and the less soreness he has, the better he can enjoy the trashy romance novel he's currently stuck his nose in.
E. District 9 (Closed)
Between everything else, sometime after making it back to his floor, getting some food and drink in him, and laying on his actual bed for a while, Karkat gets back up to visit this District. He's still sore and tired, but those things are weighed out by the need to visit his important people and communicate the fact that he's not dead or Avoxed. Three days may not equal the week he was gone after last arena, but it's three days after the Initiate's plan went off and the broadcast from Sigma Klim can't have eased worries.
It takes him a while to get up - most of his time in jail was spent sitting around to keep from worsening his wounds, so he's not yet used to walking on his hurt leg - but get there he does. Elevators help, thank fuck; he doesn't want to think about stairs for another week. And from there it's not too far to one of the doors he intends to visit.
He knocks with the back of his hand, but doesn't call any greeting. There will be time enough to talk once he's inside and sat down.
no subject
The rest of it... Terezi listens, but she doesn't understand. The story behind it all doesn't make sense. The Capitol caught them in the act, why would they let them go? She doesn't believe the brainwashing story for a moment, but perhaps it was something that the others had told them. Kurloz himself, maybe... She could imagine that: Him playing the villain to buy the others' freedom, though it hurts her heart to think of it. She doesn't want to consider the alternative that someone threw him under the bus.
Either way, despite her confusion, she doesn't dare disagree with the story. Not while their every word was likely being monitored. "I'm glad you're okay," she says finally, mixing concern and relief equally in her voice. She doesn't let the confusion show.
"There was a broadcast a little bit ago. They... They avoxed him. I thought for sure that they were going to do the same for the others that were missing." That much is true, at least. She was so scared that there would be more broadcasts. More avoxes.
cw: description of violence
He looks away as he nods. "I saw it; it happened right as I got here. And you don't have to tell me--I was scared shitless the whole time that they were going to cut my tongue out or execute me. If they hadn't figured out what he did..."
A shudder runs through him, and it reminds him of every sort spot on him. He remembers the spectacle they made of Brainiac 5, his brains shot out on the tower steps. He remembers the sharp, sudden pain of the bullets in his leg, the knowledge that they could have hit somewhere much worse. The casual disdain from the Peacekeepers, the way they looked down on him for being 'less than' human. The tasers, the dragging, the punches to his gut. His posture has curled inward, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I'll be alright," he says, and it's as much to himself as it is to her. "If I don't heal by the arena I'll be fine after."
no subject
He didn't do anything that I wouldn't have done a hundred times over, if I could is what she wants to say, but the words are locked away where the Capitol can't hear them. It all feels like too much, trying to process what happened to him and what happened to Karkat at the same time. But she tries.
"Hopefully before," she answers, resting a hand lightly on his shoulder. She doesn't rest too heavy or squeeze too tight, just in case. "If you need anything, let me know. I'll be glad to get it for you."
no subject
He glances back at the touch of her hand.
"Thanks." There's no smile for her, but a kind of weak look of gratitude despite the circumstances. "Right now I'm just tired. It was a stressful three days, you know?"
He hasn't slept at all between the mission and now, and while normally a few days isn't bad, considering how long he can go, the injuries and the worrying made it weigh that much heavier.
"I think I'm going to lay down and try for some sleep. With any luck I can get my head to shut the fuck up and give me some actual rest out of it."
no subject
"Try not to yell at it. It will probably make it worse," she suggests, moving to slide off the bed and stand on her own feet. She fidgets with her hands for a moment, feeling like she should do something else, but there's really nothing to be done. "I'll be on floor three like usual, if you want to call down later." Going outside and facing those people isn't something that she feels up to, either.
no subject
He looks up then, aiming to catch her eyes. He doesn't know her thoughts and doesn't feel safe enough to ask them, but having her matesprit avoxed has to be hell.
no subject
"It's alright. You've been through enough. I'll be okay." She doesn't need to dump her emotions onto him in addition to everything that's happened. Especially when she's still unsure of how he feels on the matter. His words still ring in her ears a bit, but they're not words that she wants to question with eyes and ears all over the place.
She forces a smile as she steps away from the bed, catching the light switch as she reaches the door. "Get some rest. We can talk later."