dead_black_eyes: "Catapult" (As hollow as the day after a tragedy)
dead_black_eyes ([personal profile] dead_black_eyes) wrote in [community profile] thecapitol2015-04-24 12:20 am

I Know Explosions Make Debris, and Catching it Kind of Suits You [Open]

Who| Linden and Stephen, Linden and OPEN
What| Linden and Stephen do another blindspot conversation about rebellion stuff. Also a catch-all for Linden
Where| Lots of places
When| Before (for Stephen) and after (for everyone else) the Binding!
Warnings/Notes| Bidding mentions/implications, profanity, descriptions of injuries and sad stuff.



[a]. [for Stephen]

Linden is a lot less recognizable than he usually is today. Despite the nice weather, he's bundled up in several sweaters, and doesn't appear to be perspiring. He's got a few books under his arm as he strolls down a busy Capitol street, getting a few glances and murmurs of "is that...?" from curious appreciators of reality television. He's not wearing anything around his neck and his scar gives him away to attentive fans of the Games, and who in this part of Panem isn't?

He's not planning to hang out on Main Street, though. Linden Lockhearst is going into the seedier parts of the Capitol, striding through streets he is seldom if ever seen and ignoring casual midday offers for scantily-clad companionship. Eventually, he makes his way to a dark, isolated and unbugged alley, turning past the rougher edges of an older building than is typical in the Capitol. It's clean enough, unremarkable and nondescript, and when he sees his District's Escort, he approaches. Since Cyrus began cleaning up Stephen's image, he's been wearing clothes that are more subdued than any he's likely ever worn in his entire life. Traces of glitter remain, but ultimately the aesthetic is reminiscent of Cyrus's, sharp, clean-cut and professional.

"It took me long enough to find this place," he says; even with the confidence that they won't be overheard, he keeps his voice low and the movement of his lips minimal.

[b]. [tribute center rooftop]

Linden is off Morphling, clean for weeks and counting. The world is sharper, brighter, and a lot more hateful than the one he remembers cultivating for himself after his Games; that being said, he's found other ways to stimulate and soothe himself when either of those effects are needed. One such method is hanging off the guard rails by the back of his knees, dangling his body over the edge of the tower and gazing down through the forcefield at the street many stories below as blood rushes and sings in his ears.

The Sun's setting soon. From Linden's current vantage point, it'll look like it's levitating and being absorbed into a strange, solid, silver skyline composed of jagged skyscraper teeth. He tries to focus on this instead of the depressing revelation that Panem and especially the Capitol are falling apart, and even if he has to do some pretty shitty things to contribute to a cause that has actually succeeded in lighting a fire under him, he's on thin ice. It would take so little to slip and fall, and the precision of a tightrope walker to succeed; it makes hanging off the edge of a building seem dull and unadventurous by comparison.

The building has a safety net, after all; the rebellion doesn't, and anyone willingly involving himself with it carries the welfare of everyone he cares about on that wire with him.

[c]. [upscale Capitol bar]

The Binding had shaken up a lot, and for good reason, many staff members or people who are otherwise closely affiliated with the Games have been extra careful not to arouse suspicion. In this classy, upscale establishment, Linden actually looks like he (or more likely, 6's stylists) have put some real effort into his appearance tonight. He looks like a caricature of himself, dressed in close-fitting black vinyl with silver accents. It covers every inch of him below the neck, but is skintight on his extremely thin frame. His hair looks artfully tousled rather than slept-in, and his dark makeup accentuates the hollowness in his eyes and cheeks rather than attempting to soften, conceal or apologize for it.

For as little as he really looks like himself, absolutely no one could mistake the strikingly larger-than-life Victor as he currently appears. Even his scar is exaggerated and accented with makeup, and it's not long before a tall Capitolite of indeterminate gender is slipping into the seat next to Linden, ordering a drink and wrapping the man's thin fingers around the frosted glass. They strike up a conversation, appearing to already know each other. From a distance, it appears that the Capitolite is getting close and cozy, and though Linden doesn't reciprocate, he isn't making an effort to distance himself from the situation, either. He sips at his drink as his companion's hand strays to the sharp blade of Linden's hip.


[d]. [d6 suites]

Linden comes in late assisted by two Avoxes, seeming to time it so he isn't seen by anyone. A long bath and approximately 12 hours of sleep later, he reluctantly emerges from his room, appearing... strange. He's had some help from stylists, clearly, but the swelling around his eye is still noticeable. Foundation light enough to match Linden's parchment-pale skin is hard to come by, so the result is a mismatched nightmare that clashes with the cool tones in his complexion and does very little to cover the mottled bruising. The same goes for his neck; what his higher-than-normal collar doesn't cover tells a disquieting story of someone breaking his rule about even touching his neck rather severely.

If he notices someone staring, either at the bruising or the ginger, painful way he moves, he'll offer a tight smile. The tone will vary depending on whether or not they're friendly, but the message is always more or less the same.

"You should see the other guy."

bravelyplucked: (ah well you see)

[personal profile] bravelyplucked 2015-07-15 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
Torin sighs. "It's easy to forget that sometimes, I think. We're lauded as heroes. Something more than human." Which has never sat well with him; he doesn't think much of what he did in the Arena was particularly heroic.
a_minute_younger: (idle thoughts)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-07-16 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Gary mimics Linden's surprise, right down to the confused blinks and quick drag of his cigarette. The recovery required for the latter action gives Linden to finish his thoughts. This is fine by Gary, who has zeroed in on the first part of his answer and doesn't care much about the rest.

"...Do we?" His head tilts curiously. "I mean, the Peacekeepers are touchy sometimes, and I guess the whole political situation is a little...weird..." Gary hesitates again and at once realizes that it is, indeed, out of fear. Maybe that's the answer. But he doesn't really want to accept that on his own. "...but we've got all this...stuff! The building, the food, the drinks, the fame, like...I've never lived so well ever! I just...I dunno."

Shit. Gary suddenly leans forward onto his knuckles and has a good think. He's pretty sure what he wants to say and he doesn't like it.

"I don't see why stuff like what happened to Initiate has to happen. You know?"
impaledqueen: (And she'll puncture you)

[personal profile] impaledqueen 2015-07-18 01:49 am (UTC)(link)
Peggy gives a halfhearted shrug. It's a question she's asked herself many times. Who would have thought that her golden age would be when she was starving and dropping out of school to feed the family? "Because that would be too kind, I suppose." And this world is anything but kind.

She looks down at her tea. "Maybe I'm wrong." She doesn't think that she is, though.
bravelyplucked: (smug)

[personal profile] bravelyplucked 2015-07-25 04:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, there was some controversy over whether or not those mutts were defective from the beginning." Torin chuckles. "But I actually do get those requests from time to time. They're...easy enough to deal with, I suppose, as long as children aren't involved."
yoknapatawpha: (Happy - Amused)

[personal profile] yoknapatawpha 2015-07-29 01:42 am (UTC)(link)
"I met get up to devilment sneakily. You don't ever know." Bayard grins even wider, handing over the box of earth. He beams with complete pride at it, not even in the presenting of the token but because of what it means, with the pride in his family and his homeland and the very territory that created him and the man he'll grow to be.

"I had it on me when they took me, I suppose. I always carry it, so I'll always know where I've come from. Ringo has one too, although he don't have earth in it so much as the badge we shot off a Yankee once, me and him. Your home ain't an object but it helps to have one to help you remember, right?"
a_minute_younger: (uh)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-07-29 09:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Gary starts again in mild surprise and fixes Linden with a wary stare. He's a nice guy and all, but Gary can't help but feel like he's being...examined. Dustin does it too sometimes, and it's no less uncomfortable in this situation than it is with the kid he's usually much better at ignoring. He starts to noticeably fidget.

"Well...yeah," Gary nods and bites his lip. "I gotcha. I've been kind of heading in that direction anyways? But, like..." He shrugs, gestures helplessly. "...Nobody else wants to? Just--so many people got in on this last run. What was I supposed to do? Tell them it's dangerous, then sit back and watch? I can't do that!"
bravelyplucked: (snap)

[personal profile] bravelyplucked 2015-07-31 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
Torin laughs. "It's not really the children that bother me. It's the parents. The ones with the most poorly behaved children are usually the ones who refuse to admit they're doing anything wrong--they blame the child for everything."
impaledqueen: (Until there's nothing left.)

[personal profile] impaledqueen 2015-08-02 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Doesn't come away with nothing? He must mean something other than the sort of things she comes away with. She knows the feeling.

"I believe you'll be alright. You've survived this long. That doesn't mean I don't want to be around to keep you company."

She takes a slow sip of her tea, trying to gauge how 'alright' he really is. "Unless you would prefer some time alone."
bravelyplucked: (hat tip)

[personal profile] bravelyplucked 2015-08-03 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's everyone's fault but theirs or the child's," Torin agrees. "At least with an animal, most of the time it's not going to go back to its owners claiming you said something to hurt its feelings."
a_minute_younger: (huh)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-08-04 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Gary winces slightly and locks his eyes on his hands. Linden's logic is sound, but harsh, at least to his ears; being ostracized is just about the worst thing he can imagine happening to him, above going back to the Arenas, above dying in them, above being punished like the Initiate was. Losing his social standing is the end for him. There's some hope in maintaining followers native to Panem, but Linden is right about that sense of camaraderie--Gary's made good friends in the Tribute Center, and having to alienate them and starting over sounds almost too painful to bear. He frowns, threading his fingers, before anxiously taking another long drag from his cigarette.

"I--I dunno," he sighs, then coughs out a weak lungful of smoke. "It's too complicated. I just wanna help and for everyone to be happy. If I petitioned out, maybe...maybe I could help? I could put in a good word or whatever for people." Gary shrugs and shakes his head and turns back to Linden, eyes wide and pleading. "Would they understand, d'ya think? Like, could I make that work?"
yoknapatawpha: (Basic - Sad Eyes)

[personal profile] yoknapatawpha 2015-08-05 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
Bayard handles them with utmost respect, recognizing them not as fingerbones but at least as totems for the deceased. He keeps them between his palms as if they were a baby bird, then looks up at Linden, trying to find the common ground to tell Linden that Bayard understands the depth of their importance.

Bayard will never know deprivation like that, will always be part of the ruling class of that small patch of land that his father based a homestead on, and yet there are some hardships a Capitol child wouldn't understand that Bayard does.

"We still keep the baby clothes from my two sisters in the study. I don't think my father could bear to part with them, no matter how long they've been dead. I never met the older one, Louisa, because she died of fever even before I was born. My mother, either - her veil is in the wardrobe still, even though she died giving life to me."

He gently hands the beads back and takes his little box of soil. "I reckon it's the most important kind of token, since it has someone's spirit with it. Your memories of them, I mean."
bravelyplucked: (ah well you see)

[personal profile] bravelyplucked 2015-08-08 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
"You know, a Sponsor gave me an iguana. I've kept it so it didn't end up as someone else's decoration." Torin sighs. Linden, you are preaching to the choir. "If the stylists want to put it in clothing one more time, I may have to punch one to get the message across.."

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