Her Eyes Are Like Champagne [Open]

[celebrityskinned]

WHO| Venus and Joly, Venus and Kankri and Julian, Venus and open
WHAT| Venus is starting to unravel in the Arena
WHEN| Last day of Week 2
WHERE| Fourth floor
WARNINGS| Mentions of injuries and psychiatric illness.

Her fingertips are going numb. She sits in the pantry on the fourth floor, rubbing her hands together and rocking herself on the tile floor. With Kankri gone, she can be a little less put-together, but there are still cameras to consider. She hasn't let her pretenses down for anything but sleep in the last three days.

And even that sleep isn't much. Venus' mind is on fire. It's not an inferno, but it's the crackle of embers that leaves her wild-eyed and pacing, even though she isn't supposed to put weight on her injured leg. She stays put for only a few hours at a time, and doesn't feel rested when she wakes, only like she's lost time.

Kankri can tell something's wrong. He tries to fuss at her to eat more, and she forces a meager amount down just to keep him happy even though it makes her feel ill. She's snippy and restless and unfocused, and keeps insisting on doing the supply runs, on patrolling the perimeter, on checking on Enjolras' friends, on doing anything to keep from being cooped up in this pantry. She argues that someone will find her here, because it's a place where people will look for food, even though days ago she decided it was an ideal hiding spot.

She stops trying to be quiet when she patrols. It would be impossible anyway, with her leg as injured as it is and her breath heavy through her mouth by necessity. She practically drags it; the injury is puffy and leaks pus that she tries to hide from Kankri, and her leg is red and swollen down past her knee. The gash dividing her nose and cheeks is no more pretty, though uninfected.

And rather than keeping her knife in her pocket, she holds it in her fist.

She goes to check on the Amis. It's painfully dark for midday, thanks in no small part to the stormclouds visible outside the windows. With the fanfare of thunder, they suddenly split open, bulleting the windows with harsh rain and illuminating the fossils on the fourth floor in brilliant lightning strobes.

Comments

JOLY

[celebrityskinned]

Re: JOLY

[medecin]

The glimpse of the weather outside had been enough that Joly's nerves,already badly worn by all of this had started actively fraying, like the edges of an old scarf, or the hem on Bossuet's favorite coat, but so long as he'd tried distracting himself, with the cheerful thought that at least he was not out in it, and trying to stay dry, he had managed to keep alert enough to do his job of guarding the others. It was not IDEAL of course, but he was coping well enough.

That was, until that clap of thunder burst forth. Joly was old enough, mature enough that he didn't scream the way he wanted to, but he certainly felt his heart beginning to beat faster in his chest, and it was loud enough, fast enough, and violent enough that it was interfering with the natural rhythm of his heart. He could not even count to take his pulse,which had intensified along with the storm, and his lungs burnt with the effort of trying to take in even a breath.

It felt as though he'd never manage to take in air again, that the sheer fire in his chest and lungs would never cease, and they'd come back to find him here, his heart finally stopped from overwork. It was an awful thought, to know that there was something so completely wrong with him, that it could not, would not be fixed, and that they were going to watch him here and now as he sputtered like a fish out of water, shaking violently, and hunched himself back into a corner of the tent. No one had ever told him waiting for the end could feel like this, with gasps, and wracking coughs and no, all of this was too much. He needed to get out of here, he wanted to go home or for this just to end.

He did not even notice anyone approaching as he tried, and failed, to force a few deep breaths in now.

Re: JOLY

[celebrityskinned]

The trip to the elephant seems to take forever and a toll on her injured body. She doesn't call out for any of the Amis, instead resting on the counter of the elevated elephant diorama to catch her breath. The sound of rain outside is oppressive, and the whole floor seems to howl with the wind.

Because of that, it takes her a few moments to realize there's the sound of gasping and coughing not far from her. It takes a moment longer to click that she remembers that cough from earlier.

"Joly?"

She gets down to her knees - giving a squeak of pain as she puts weight on that thigh - and kneels next to him. He's pale as a sheet, even with his medium skin tone, and his eyes are wide. She can see him shaking. She's sure she isn't the most pleasant face to see when panicking now, but there isn't anyone else about.

"Joly." She puts a hand over his shoulder. "Joly, are you alright? Are they alright?"

Is he panicking because something happened to Courfeyrac, Marius and Cosette?

Re: JOLY

[medecin]

Breathe. Joly tries to tell himself sternly. He is doing no good to the others like this, would hardly be able to mount any defense should they be attacked at all. All he has to do wis inhale and exhale, but right now? That is too incredibly difficult to properly manage.

If it was anyone else in this moment, coming upon them, they would certainly have an easy shot. He is as much a liability, just now, more than a liability, really, as Marius had been during his times of being unable to sleep. But it seems impossible to even force anything through his head, especially as a burst of thunder rumbled loudly again,and he felt his heart jumping.

It was not until the touch, and his name being called that he could even register anything else. "They at least are safe..." He manages, before being wracked by coughs again. "For now. The storm though." He forces out. "Storms and the heart. They have...a terrible effect."

Re: JOLY

[celebrityskinned]

They're safe. Good. Venus tries to draw meaning from the rest of what Joly's saying and seems to be coming up blank - she's fairly certain he comes from a time before pacemakers, and that's the only connection she can draw.

But she knows what this looks like, because she's seen it before, in herself and in others when she was brought to a ward after suicide attempts two, three and four. She's practiced breathing exercises and self-meditation and all sorts of things to pull herself out. She knows that look of panic and the trembling and the gasps that seems to never be enough.

She settles down next to him. "Alright. Alright. I'm right here. Don't get mad at me for being a bit forward." She settles a hand on his chest, feeling that heart beat slamming away.

"I want you to close your eyes, alright?"

JOLY

[medecin]

Really, it's a self diagnosed weak heart that may or may not actually be true. It could very well have just been the result of Joly checking his pulse during a time of great stress that gave him the idea in the first place. Either way, he's never liked storms, and so to put the two together, they have this.

Usually, he manages to hold together at home, under even most circumstances. He was certainly more composed at the barricades, but then, he knew what to expect there, for one example. Storms usually make him twitchy, give him a bit of trouble breathing, but not to the state of this. Musichetta and Bossuet know the ways to head off the panic before he makes himself as ill as this suggests. Without them though, well, there is the result before you. Sorry you have to deal with this, Venus,honestly.

"Enjolras..." He manages, with a little series of gasps and shaking that increases whenever a new crash or flash of lightning slips through.

"I should think him...the one ...worries that you...forward." Are the comprehensible words of what he chokes out next, and then he IS closing his eyes. He does trust her this much, at least.

JULIAN AND KANKRI

[celebrityskinned]

When she's done talking to Joly - which takes longer than she anticipated - she limps and drags her way back to the fourth floor cafe. By the time she gets anywhere close to where Kankri might see her, she's forcing herself to walk straight and put weight on her mess of a leg.

Kankri isn't back yet, so she slips into the pantry and crawls behind the plastic barrels of flour and sugar to the little sleeping spot they've made of blankets and towels. She lays down; she figures Kankri will want to hear she's been sleeping when he returns.

But she doesn't sleep. She stares at the ceiling, picks at some of the scabbing edge of her face wound and watches as time seems to slip by in slow motion.

[privilegecheck]

"It's not far," Kankri tells Julian, fidgeting in the narrow space of the elevator. "And it should be safe, the cafe is right outside of the elevators and we patrol the area regularly. If you want I'll see you back to your encampment afterwards, I very much appreciate you coming to help."

The doors open with a ding. Kankri checks the little area where it opens cautiously before stepping out, motioning to the doctor to do the same. "It's just over here. Venus?" he calls, softly but enough so his voice carries through the empty cafe. "Venus, I'm back, I brought a friend."

[asklepian]

Julian didn't really know what to expect--knowing this place it could be anything. And from what Kankri had told him, the only thing he could expect was for it to be entirely unpleasant. Human bite wounds tended to be easily infected, due to the sheer number of microorganisms that naturally occurred in the mouth...

'Concentrate, Julian.'

"I should be fine to see myself back, don't worry." He smiles--he's tougher than he looks, though that isn't exactly saying much considering he appears to be the love child of a normal human and a cooked spaghetti noodle.

As they stepped into the cafe, and Kankri announced his presence, Julian felt it prudent to follow suit, so she wasn't surprised. Hard to tell what she would do otherwise. "My name is Julian Bashir, I'm a doctor."

See, not a threat.

[celebrityskinned]

"My name is Venus Dee Milo. I'm not."

There's a rustling in the pantry and she comes out, looking fragile but not shy. With the slash across her face drawing attention, it's almost easy to ignore the dark circles like bruises under her eyes, the tightness to her lips, the flush from her fever.

Her limp is fairly evident, though. She opens the door to the pantry and gestures that Julian can come in.

"Safer in there. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Kankri can vouch for me there. You came in last Arena, didn't you?"

[privilegecheck]

Kankri goes to her immediately, helping her back into the pantry. "Venus, you didn't need to get up," he murmurs to her. "You shouldn't be straining your leg."

He throws a pleading look back at Julian. He's been so worried, and so lost about what to do, that having someone who knows what's going on is an intense relief.

OPEN

[celebrityskinned]

Re: OPEN

[callmecharles]

Trudging through halls Orc was on the verge of just shouting for Howard. Surely his voice would echo in this place wouldn't it?

But that was just begging someone to come kill him. Or worse, Eponine would hear him and be upset that he was still looking for Howard.

Thinking of Eponine made him worry that maybe he shouldn't find Howard at all.

Stopping at a drinking fountain he bent over and started slurping refreshing cool fluid, savoring the feeling of it on his lips.

Re: OPEN

[celebrityskinned]

Venus stops when she hears heavy footfall. Orc may be many things, but he isn't good at sneaking. She lowers herself behind a display and peeks around, surprised to see another face she doesn't recognize. There must have been an influx of newbies recently.

She could run, but that would mean ceding part of her turf here on the fourth floor. She's injured, but aside from the cut on her face, she can fake being uninjured for just long enough to make a brief appearance. The boy outweighs her but as she looks at his body, he isn't defined muscle so much as fat and with a huge frame.

She stretches up to full height and walks out from behind the display. She folds her arms.

"This is my territory. Get out."

Re: OPEN

[callmecharles]

Orc stopped short and squinted in the dim light. That sounded like...

"Venus? Is that you?"

The girl he had had more then a couple fantasies about sense they met. Foolishly he felt himself blush with embarrassment for stumbling into her territory.

Re: OPEN

[celebrityskinned]

"Orc?"

She tilts her head slightly and steps forward, forcefully keeping from wincing as she puts weight on her bad leg. "You got a makeover?"

[designatedfreak]

She's seen the woman limping around the camp, checking in with the men, but never staying too long. Max isn't concerned for the group, not really, but they are a great barrier against others. After another 'meeting,' Max decides to speak with the woman.

"You're going to die." They all are. That's the point. The difference here is that Max can see the infection in the woman's leg marking her as an easy target. "You will be attacked and they will try and help. You're going to get one of them killed."

[celebrityskinned]

Venus stops. She's seen the kid around, assumed that the boys had the same soft spot for Max that she has for Kankri and didn't ask. Now she's thinking that might have been an oversight.

"Are you trying to guilt me about it? You're better off telling them not to try and be heroes." She lifts her chin slightly. "You're the one who set those traps, aren't you?"

[designatedfreak]

"They're..." Not soldiers. They didn't seem to understand the necessity of turning people away. This had worked in her favor, but recently she found herself wishing they would be more picky on who they brought to their little camp.

Max nodded. "You evaded them." They were just noise alarms to warn the unprepared group.

[celebrityskinned]

"They're idiots at this. I know." She folds her arms. "I'm not as helpless as I look right now. And if anyone's going to attack me, not only will they regret it, but they'll do it out of earshot of three grown men."

She's surprised the boys have stuck together so long, honestly. Most alliances cap out in groups of three in the Arena.

"Where'd you learn how to set a trap?"

[acroodawakening]

He wasn't sure whether or not to approach her. On the one hand, they'd struck a strange note of camaraderie the few times they'd spoken.

On the other, he'd caught footage of the previous games and she seemed utterly ruthless.

In any case, she was hurt and that was just enough for him to begrudgingly want to see what he could do to help. That was why he stepped out of the shadows. He was wearing clothes stolen from the dioramas and a strange sort of black headdress with long strips of black cloth he'd made from a hakama as camouflage.

"Sooo," he said to catch her attention. "You look really hurt and I have one of those medicine things that I don't even know how to use so I might as well give it to someone else. On the other hand if you're just going to use it to beat me to death afterward I might just cut my losses and run now. So this is me just testing the waters here."

She looked hurt so he could probably outrun her.

[celebrityskinned]

"Guy."

She recognizes him by voice, even as he's dressed in some strange outfit. Sometimes she leaves the Games running while she falls asleep in her bedroom. It's sick, she supposes, that she prefers the sounds of people suffering and dying to being silent with her own thoughts, but she isn't about to knock self-medication that works.

She comes to a stop and brings her hands in front of her. "I won't hurt you and I don't want your stuff. Not looking for a fight right now, anyway. Just checking in on my people."

She takes a deep breath that makes her wince in pain. "Thank you for the offer, though. Mind keeping me company while I catch my breath?"

[acroodawakening]

"Sure," he said gently. "I can do that."

Guy settled down to sit off to the side a bit, so they weren't just sitting out in the open.

He still kept the spear in hand in case someone came upon them - or in case she changed her mind about a momentary truce, but it was clear he didn't intend to use it unless he had to. Right now, she seemed frazzled and he was good at people people safe places to breathe. He'd done the same for Katniss Everdeen in his first arena.

[celebrityskinned]

"Hell of a storm outside."

She staggers over to behind a display and sits down. Her leg is in the ort of pain that would leave a lesser person shrieking, but Venus is used to holding her very molecules together. This is nothing. Still, the body responds as it does, and that means her eyes are tearing.

"Wish we had better lighting in here. This place gives me a migraine."

[acroodawakening]

"I hate the dark," Guy said slowly, looking up at the dark ceiling. "Reminds me too much of when I was a kid."

He pressed his lips together.

"And of course making a fire in this place makes a horrible, scaldingly cold, evil rain fall down."

He held up his arm, strips of black cloth sliding a way to show a nasty scald mark on his skin, a cold burn.

"I won't be surprised one of these times if I open one of the gift eggs and have a swarm of frogbees fly out instead of food being in there." He paused and then sighed. "I shouldn't have said that out loud while they're all watching, I probably just gave someone the idea."