thecapitol | and dream of a place called home

As soon as he leaves Kurloz with Meulin, Derek heads straight for his room, looking for Chuck. Not that he wouldn’t have done that anyway, it’s around the time that he and Chuck would be ready to turn in for the night, but now he’s got a specific purpose in mind.

Okay, a different specific purpose than he’s had in mind pretty much every night since they first started this.

He still can’t help the way he lights up a little when he sees Chuck, though, and he closes the door behind him before he leans in to give him a kiss in greeting. Because he can.

“Need to talk to you.”

The day's been a fucking busy one,. One Chuck got through with a bitter taste in his mouth and a building fury. This was supposed to stop, the Quell was supposed to keep their district's kids safe. So as Derek's taking care of Kurloz, Chuck is trying frantically to figure out their best option. They should have known Aang wouldn't listen, should have made sure he didn't cause trouble, and now--

Well, now, Chuck's pacing the breadth of Derek's room, waiting for him to return. Right now Chuck wants the reassuring presence of his best friend, wants to make sure they're alright. So Derek comes back, lights up the second he sees him, and Chuck can't help the way he smiles in relief. Crosses the room to Derek's side, leaning up into the kiss, thrilled still.

"Yeah?" Chuck hums, chases Derek's mouth for another kiss even as he draws him backwards. "Y'got an idea?"

One of the good things about having to curb Kurloz's rage is that Derek's own anger has already been given an outlet. He works better when he has something to focus on, when he's been able to calm down and come up with a plan and start working on what he needs to do to enact it. Derek is a planner, he always has been.

It was a near miss for Chuck, enough to fill Derek's veins with anger, but it wasn't him, and that keeps him from losing control the way Kurloz had. For the moment, Derek's world is still safe - he just has to take some more steps to make sure he stays that way.

Derek gives a pleased rumble when Chuck moves in for another kiss, sliding his arms around Chuck and stroking one hand down his spine. It's okay, I'm here, it's okay, we're safe.'

"More than one," Derek replies, smile quirking just a little bit mischievous in a way that he wouldn't have before they were together like this. Then he goes more serious, pulling Chuck down to sit on the foot of the bed.

"Need to make sure they don't think we knew about this. Make sure they know we don't support it."

In truth, as long as one of them is relatively calm the other will follow suit quickly enough. They know how to handle each other's rage, and in a situation like this -- well, really they've never dealt with a situation like this. Maybe they've been away from the Capitol too long.

Still, Derek reaches for him, curls his arms around Chuck and kisses him, and it's good. He shudders, fingers gripping tightly at Derek's shirt, holding him close. The stroke of Derek's hand down his spine is soothing, the reassurance he needed, he wanted. His anger is still there, but the edge of it is curbed.

Derek's alive. They're safe, for now. But Derek is right, of course.

Chuck returns that mischievous little smile, thrilled still at seeing Derek lit up like this. But he goes easily too, settling in next to his best friend, head cocked as he listens. There's a nod, slowly, urging Derek on, knowing he'll spill soon. Maybe right now he just needs an audience, working through his thoughts. Chuck has no problem waiting for him. There's no point in saying we didn't or we don't. Derek knows, and the Capitol will do whatever it wishes irregardless.

They have been away from the Capitol for too long, but really, it gets its clutches back in you so damn quickly. Maybe they should have known, should have been prepared, but they will be next time. They will be now, even if what they got is damage control.

And at least Chuck's here. It's easy to relax against him, hold him close and rumble at him when he shudders and grips tightly at him. They've always been able to soothe and calm each other, but somehow it's more like this, now that part of that includes getting to kiss Chuck whenever the hell he feels like it.

Even if it also comes with an added distraction, because the way Chuck returns that smile steals a part of his attention, makes his mind skitter over some really nice mental images before he brings himself back to focus again. Damn it Chuck.

"We should get a place. Not here, away from them." He makes a vague gesture at the door, trusting that Chuck will understand he means away from the Tributes - specifically, away from the ones like Aang. "We needed to focus on us, up our training, but now we need distance." They already have upped their own training and decreased the amount of time they're training the Tributes as a result, but it'd be good to have a place to make that more official.

...and he just wants to be with Chuck, to have a place that they can call their own, but he assumes Chuck will get that. If he doesn't, he'll clarify in a moment, after he goes over the next bit.

"We need to withdraw our support from him. Work the sponsors, get them to put their money towards Mollusc and the Capitolite kid instead. Show them we know where our loyalties are."

His hand tightens around Chuck's at that. He knows exactly where his loyalties lie, and every one of them is etched into the man at his side - but that means they also have to be for the Capitol.

It's a bit like riding a bike, if that bike was actually a corrupt government. You don't forget how to wade through the politics and the culture, not easily at least. So yeah, maybe they should have been prepared, but they are fully capable of running damage control. They've got too much to lose if they don't.

Especially now, with this new twist to their relationship distracting them soundly. Chuck wishes they had more time to figure this out, peace and quiet, but they were never going to get that.

So he listens, perking up a bit at Derek's plan, immediately figuring out what he's saying. It'll be nice -- like being back at District 4's Victor Village, without the occasional parental supervision. Sounds perfectly fine to him, really.

And it has the added benefit of drawing a line in the sand, showing the Capitol just where their loyalties lie. Well, sort of. But Derek's hand is tightening around his, and Chuck knows he's not unaffected by this. He laces their fingers together tightly, leaning against his shoulder as a show of support. He knows, he knows. Derek's loyalties are etched into his bones, and Chuck's own are mirrored within his. The Capitol is their best option for security, as flimsy a notion as that is, and they'll take it. Because they have nothing else.

"Shouldn't be too hard." He frowns, thoughtfully, "People're hesitant, but giving them a couple Panem kids to back should ease it. It's familiar, yeah?"

He's just pissed that they have to, that their District's children aren't safe when they should have been. The Capitol might have brought them back, but it won't for all these kids.

They were never going to get that, no - but that doesn't mean they can't do their best to carve it out for themselves anyway. Like tonight, because once they've settled on their plan, Derek's planning on taking the rest of the night to figure it out a little bit more.

He can't help but light up a little when Chuck perks up at his plan, pleased. Of all of the components of it - that part's the most personal, born more out of a want to be with Chuck than anything else, and just shaped to fit the way things have gone.

Derek gives a grunt of agreement. It's familiar, and people don't like change, especially Capitolites. Oh, they pretend they do, with the ever changing fashions and people falling in and out of favor, but most of them are accustomed to the way things have always been and will cling hard to that.

"They're mad," he murmurs. Derek's mad, and he knows Chuck is, too, but that goes without saying. They both know that just because their kids were supposed to be safe doesn't mean that they should have ever assumed the Capitol would have followed through with that.

But they might have, or at least they might have for longer, were it not for Aang.

"Remind them who's to blame. Remind them backing Panem's always the better choice. They'll flock to it." Derek ducks his head a little, curling his free hand around Chuck's neck to pull him in closer. "You're good at that."

Maybe Derek came up with the plan, but he knows when it comes to actually talking to the sponsors, it's going to be mostly Chuck.

It’s the next morning by the time Derek and Chuck are both finished talking things over and in any kind of shape to leave Derek’s room. Then they have Tributes to work with, as well as their own training to do, so it’s not until they break for lunch that they have time to track Anna down to suggest it to her.

Derek’s already mentioned it to Kurloz and Meulin - though granted, before he got Chuck on board and it became a sure thing, so he’s going to have to let them know again - but she’s still the last one they need to get on board.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take too much effort to find her.

“You need to pack up your stuff,” Derek informs her by way of greeting.

Anna's relaxing in her suite, sprawled across the bed with a book (crappy) and a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies (delicious), wearing her pajamas still even though it's lunchtime and she really ought to be up and dressed right now. She's been taking every available moment to relax, though, knowing that once the Arena starts she won't have much time for it.

So when Derek bursts in and informs her she needs to pack, she sits bolt upright, brows furrowing. "What? Why? Am I being kicked out? I didn't do anything, I swear!" This would all seem a lot more dramatic if she didn't have half a cookie still in her mouth. She swallows thickly, shifting to cross her long, spindly legs into a pretzel, her book falling to the wayside.

Given it's Derek's idea, Chuck's letting him take the lead. Besides, it makes him feel like he's important and Chuck's sort of indulgently amused with that. So Derek bursts into Anna's room -- and really, princess? Pajamas at noon? -- and Chuck simply saunters in after, casual. The surroundings haven't changed much since the last time he was in here, but he doesn't pay it much attention anyway.

Simply crosses the distance so they can talk easier, eyeing her plate of cookies before ducking in to quickly steal one. What? He's hungry, and Derek can handle this anyway. So Chuck takes a bite, brow raised at her immediate protesting.

"Ain't your fault." Fuck these are really good cookies, though. "And nobody's kicking you out."

Oh, don't think that Derek can't tell that Chuck's over there with his indulgent amusement. This is not helping, Chuck. Derek's supposed to come up with the plans and then Chuck makes them work while Derek growls in the background, that's how this works.

But fine, all right, Derek can pick up the slack. Even if he's going to steal one of those cookies, too.

"Don't be stupid."

Never mind the fact that it's somewhat of a reasonable reaction to them storming in and telling her she needs to pack her things.

"We're all leaving. Need our own place, for the District Four staff. Away from the Tributes."

Anna doesn't bother to swat the hands away from her cookie stash; sh's more than happy to share, even if she'd appreciate a please or a thank you now and then. They'll have to work on that. But now that her throat is clear of cookie crumbs, she can try and fully comprehend the situation.

"So wait, you're...asking me to be your roommate?" Anna's face lights up with the question. "Really? Really really?" Her expression turns a little bit fond. "Aww, you guys! I knew you liked me!"

They're not so good with please and thank you's, really. But maybe they'll try. Maybe. Instead, Chuck scrunches his nose, not entirely sure how to handle her sudden fond and happy look upon her face. But he can't help the way a corner of his mouth curls up with faint smirk.

"Yeah I guess." He teases, easily amused, obviously in a good mood. "I mean, you could stay here."

He drawls, fully expecting Derek to growl at him for that.

Oh shit what did they get themselves into. Derek glances over at Chuck, eyebrows raised as if to say he can't be held responsible for what he might do if she starts being like this all the time.

But Chuck's right, Derek does growl a little at the suggestion, before he can help himself. Anna doesn't need to be anywhere around Aang, especially not if Derek and Chuck and Kurloz aren't going to be here. She's nice, and the Capitol doesn't understand kindness. They might mistake it for complacency, when Aang's revealed to be a traitor. Because Derek has little doubt that he will be, at some point.

So yeah, very funny, Chuck.

"Told you, we're a team. Me an' Chuck, you, Kurloz, Meulin. It'll be easier this way."

Anna can't help it; at confirmation, she begins bouncing up and down ridiculously, squealing with outright joy. "Ohmygosh, this is gonna be so fun, we can decorate and watch movies and snuggle on the couch and bake cookies and have game nights and eat ice cream--"

Someone stop her, because she will literally go on for ages.

and dream of a place called home

For Chuck

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For Chuck and Anna

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screams omg i never got a notif for this????!!!!? fuck

dammit notifs!!!

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