thearena | we live in the shadows [closed]

Entry tags:

we live in the shadows [closed]

Who| Kankri, Signless & Venus
What| KANKRI SQUARED. Hopefully Venus won't kill his friends this time.
Where| Fourth floor cafe, where Kankri and Venus have holed up.
When| Day 2
Warnings/Notes| Probably mentions of death/torture, but besides that it should be pretty mild.

After the last couple days he's had, Kankri is feeling incredibly low. After the horror at the Cornucopia, meeting that nice human named Subaru and then hearing the announcement of his death not even an hour later, and the Capitol footage shown while he was on watch last night...well, with Venus gone on an exploratory patrol, there's nothing to distract himself with, and he's just lost in his own awful thoughts.

Still, even if he's moping, he's still on edge enough to hear when someone steps just outside the cafe. Quickly he tucks himself under the counter, hoping whoever it is will just take some pastries and leave.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well. He's definitely going to take a pastry, but the Signless doesn't plan to leave immediately. He's been on the move since the Cornucopia: especially in such an enclosed arena, presenting a hard-to-hit target seems like a sensible plan. Maybe he'll scoot himself into a hiding spot inside the cafe and rest for just a little while he eats.

Of course, that's going to be a problem if someone is already hiding under the counter, especially if that someone is also him.

"Hello."

Kankri's holding his breath as he hears those footsteps come closer and closer, desperately hoping that whoever it is will go away. Venus would have announced herself, and there are too many others it could be who would want to kill him, and he huddles in on himself. As the other Tribute comes around, Kankri tenses, prepared for the worst-

-and abruptly lets out the breath he was holding all at once, startled. He almost wasn't expecting to see Signless around here, but it's certainly a relief.

"Hello," he replies, scooting out a little. "Are you hungry? There's more here than we can eat before it spoils."

He nods, holding up the swiped pastry and settling himself down next to Kankri. It's good to see him still alive, honestly, but he knew Kankri wouldn't be stupid enough to run into the bloodbath. If his past life is anything, it's cautious.

"Not as hungry as I could be, but I don't feel like starving unless it becomes necessary. Food is much easier to get here than last arena; I'm going to take advantage of that."

Kankri rummages in his bag and produces a slightly smushed muffin, which he proceeds to nibble at as Signless settles down with him.

"What was it like, last Arena?" he asks. "If it's all right to ask. I know it was probably awful."

"Not like this at all. It was all outdoors, in a jungle full of dangerous beasts and plants, and almost all of the foliage -- at least, that I ate -- was poisonous." Signless doesn't add that he knows this mainly because even though the initial discovery was accidental, the second time eating the plants was on purpose.

"This arena is worlds better, so far."

"Ah." Kankri nods, processing that information. He's quiet for a few moments, chewing on his pastry. He's been a lot more quiet than usual these past few days; it's difficult to be his normal self when he's trying to hide and make sure no one finds him.

And of course, the Arena isn't all he has to think about. The footage he's seen... "They show things on this floor," he says softly. "At night. From the Capitol, I suppose. I have...I have some questions for you, if that's all right."

"Oh," says Signless, suddenly becoming very interested in a patch of floor. "That's... fine, yes. What am I here for if not answering your questions."

What could he have seen, though? Signless tries to think back to anything the Capitol might have found particularly worth showing to anyone who happened to walk by. He'd been being so good after the last arena, or at least, he thought he had.

Kankri, too, is seemingly fascinated by the ground in front of him. He curls his arms around his knees and stops even nibbling at his muffin; his appetite's gone.

"What you told Karkat," he says at last. "About how you- we died. About our, our symbol. Is it true?"

His voice cracks just a little on that last question.

Oh. That, really? From so long ago? They must have played it on purpose. They must have known.

This place is awful. He starts to twist the cancer sign ring around on his finger.

"I haven't experienced it personally, but the trolls who are from further along the timeline say it is. And I don't think my Disciple would have any reason to lie to me, not about something that hurt her that deeply."

"Your Disciple. Your- Meulin." He trips over the name slightly, in mild tones of disbelief. "She got mad at me, before. It's rather jarring going from being the freak to being suddenly the third-rate freak. Too many people thought I was you. Or Karkat."

He pauses for a moment. "I was confused, until I saw the videos, about how anyone could like him. He's been nothing but abrasive to me, because I'm just the not-as-good version of you." His voice is kind of bitter. Kiiiiiind of.

"He's nothing but abrasive to most people," Signless says. "They're good people, Kankri, they're just tired and worn down and so they feel the need to protect themselves from new or potentially upsetting things in favor of keeping close to what's comforting and familiar. That doesn't mean they think you're third-rate or somehow less of a person. It just means that they're uncertain how to deal with you and it's easier to push you away than it is to try to reach out and understand you."

He knows about this intimately, especially right now. After the arena that was all he did, push people away because he didn't know how to deal with them or the things he was feeling. It's good to feel like maybe he's starting to open up again, even if it's just to another version of himself.

Kankri stares down at the floor again, turning that over in his head. Along with everything else.

"I just wish I knew what to do," he mumbles at last. "I am a pacifist. I can't and won't betray that. But I still want to live, even though I know that means other people will die. Nothing makes any sense here."

He rests his chin on his knees glumly.

"I understand, really I do. And you don't need to ever betray what you believe in to survive here, remember that, even if it seems like the only avenue left to you." There's a certain bitter edge to his voice as he says it. Without really thinking about it he leans his shoulder against Kankri's, a sort of supportive gesture.

"They've put you in a game you're not really equipped to play, so the odds are against you from the start. But there have been victors who won nonviolently before, by luck or cunning, so it can be done."

Venus has grabbed a change of clothing for Kankri from the giftshop downstairs. She tried to choose thoughtfully - not someone he might have to fight, not someone who might kill him, certainly not something of her or of someone the Sponsors would want to see Kankri in a relationship with - and has ended up with a red hoodie modeled after R's trademark attire, a t-shirt that says #TEAM BAKERSTREET and some sweatpants with a dinosaur print.

It's not much, but it's relaxing for her to browse through the aisles and remember that they're a brand, and that this is all only as real as what the cameras see, and it helps her to feel useful to be fussing over Kankri. A fresh change of clothes always helps the mood.

She grabs a blanket with a stylized image of Maximus' pet tiger, too. It's all tucked into a tote-bag with President Snow's face on it. Then she takes the elevator, holding her breath before each floor and ready to kick her way through whomever might show up on the other side. When no one does, she hustles over to the cafe, and starts outright sprinting when she hears quiet voices from behind the counter.

She stops at what she comes upon.

"I'm not seeing double, am I?"

She'd be wittier, but she's tired and out-of-breath and her ribs hurt.

Kankri glances up, a little startled at the sound of running, but then relaxes and smiles when he sees Venus, waving a little and patting the ground next to him invitingly. "Technically you are," he says, and wow, he sounds almost cheerful. "This is, ah, well, the Signless." He trips over using a title, but it's easier in this case. "He's who I grew up to be in another life."

To Signless he says, "I don't know if you've met Venus. Don't worry, she's my friend. She's been looking out for me this whole time, I don't know that I would have lasted this long without her help."

He holds out a pastry to Venus, while scooting a little closer to Signless.

After this long as a tribute the Signless is fairly quick and learning faces. He remembers seeing her around in the Capitol, and he certainly remembers her on what few recaps of the last arena he managed not to avoid. She killed the Disciple, of course he knows her face.

But everyone just wants to survive. He can't be angry at her for doing what she felt she had to. And anyway, Kankri seems to like her, and he doubts she'd be taking care of him while not in the best shape herself if she planned to use him because, well, it's not like he's all that useful.

"Nice to meet you," he says to her, scooting over a little himself so she'll have room. "Thank you for looking after him. It was a relief to find him all in one piece."

"Alternate universes, huh?" Venus acts like she'd be saying something like 'went to school together' or 'dated my ex-girlfriend after we broke up'. As if there's nothing unusual about that at all.

"Don't sell yourself short, kiddo. I'd probably still be half-dead in that front seat if you hadn't found me." She strides past Signless and Kankri - although between them, making sure there's distance between the two just in case Kankri's universal twin isn't as mild-natured as his progenitor would predict - and tosses the tote into the pantry.

"I got you clothes."

"Oh!" Kankri says, startled and pleased. "You didn't have to, but I do very much appreciate it. Thank you."

He scoots to take a peek into the tote, pulling out the hoodie. "Oh, it's red." He sort of hugs it against himself. His blood color is important to him, after all.

"So." He glances back at the two adults, settling in to get comfortable again. "Do either of you have interesting news of what's been going on beyond here? I confess I'm beginning to feel quite cooped up, even if it is for the best that I stay out of most people's way."

The Signless shakes his head. "Not really. My focus has been on moving, so I haven't been in any one place long enough to learn much."

It's not the most exciting way to go about things but for him it's by far the most sensible, at least until the pool of tributes thins out a little and a person who refuses to fight back isn't in such constant danger.

"So it is," Venus says, betraying that she didn't manage that intentionally. "It's a good color."

She takes a seat and runs her hands through her hair. Without straightener, it's starting to curl at the tips.

"Everyone will be settling down soon. You might want to get on that, Vantas Senior."

"It's my color," Kankri says softly. Not that he really expects Venus to understand the significance, what with all humans sharing the same hemochrome, but it's significant to him nevertheless.

He turns his attention back to the other two. "Is that how it usually works?" he asks. "People laying claim to various areas of the Arena?"

"Usually, from what I've seen, though it often depends on the Arena itself. One like this seems best suited for everyone holing up in their preferred space, but that also doesn't seem like it would make a very interesting show."

If everyone just settles in, it's inevitable that something is going to flush them out again, or someone is going to eventually get restless.

"Mine too." It's an aside to Kankri, but not without its own weight.

"It's how it sometimes works. People like to know the lay of the land. They like familiarity. They like the illusion of safety that comes with coming back to a home base."

Venus is well familiar with the fact that that's an illusion and nothing more.

"So." She turns to Signless. "You know where we are, now. Is that something I need to worry about?"

He shakes his head.

"No, not at all, unless you're seriously opposed to the occasional visitor. I'm not a violent person and I pose no threat to either of you."

Unless one of them attacks him first (Venus, he knows Kankri wouldn't), in which case he plans to make at least some kind of effort not to die. Truthfully even then he'd barely count as a threat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

we live in the shadows [closed]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject