thearena | open;

Who| Joel and YOU?!?!
What| Joel has found the TLOU store and isn't pleased. Alternately, Joel has found a copy of his biography and is REALLY displeased.
Where| The TLOU store; the bookstore.
When| Week 2 yo
Warnings/Notes| Cussin', possibly violence, references to body horror and torture/murder etc.

[ Option A; the TLOU store ]

He stumbles upon it early the second week. They've been scouring every shop and store - anything might have useful items, after all, and even if they don't, potential hiding spots are good to have as well. So it's a shock when he makes his way into the next shop on his list and finds -

Toy plastic gas masks. A neon colored flamethrower. Artfully tattered backpacks, bandanas, plaid shirts. Dawn of the Wolf posters.

The scowl on his face deepens as he wanders further into the shop, not liking any of this one bit but wanting to be thorough, too. And then, there they are. Ugly as sin, and even knowing they're fake, made of rubber, enough to get his heart racing a little faster - clicker masks.

[Option B; Story time ]

Later in the week, he's making the rounds and ducks into a bookstore for a breather, not expecting to find anything of interest. That is, until he picks up a book at random and sees his own goddamn name on it. It's like watching a train wreck, really - he starts flipping pages, unable to look away. The story itself doesn't bother him. Even the exaggerations, the blatant inaccuracies, the clearly biased point of view - he couldn't give two shits.

But the fact of its existence is just one more reminder that the Capitol seems to know everything about them. Things they shouldn't have any knowledge of, they know about. Enough to twist it all around to suit whatever their purpose happens to be.

There isn't much that frightens Joel, but this is kinda scary.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I kind of worry about the people who live in the Capitol." Only kind of though. They don't seem right to her but at the same time they let the Games happen and enjoy them when they could object. The Games wouldn't happen if people didn't want to watch them.

"Sure are a lot of flannel shirts in here."

"Mm," he grunts in response to her first statement. He doesn't worry about any of them, honestly - that would imply he cares. He knows the people of this world are oppressed, in some ways similar to how the people in his own world are oppressed by the military regimes of the QZs.

But if he bothered to worry about that, he would be consumed with it. And that way lies madness. He doesn't have it in him to worry about anyone beyond his small circle.

"I think they think it's some kinda fashion statement," he finally says, responding to the flannel thing. "Stupid, but at least I won't run out of warm clothes."

Clem smirks, "Can you imagine them in a flannel shirt? It'd look like someone stuffed a poodle in there." A multi-coloured poodle. One of the little ones.

Amused at her own joke she let's herself chuckle before finally asking Joel a more serious question, "So you've been okay? You and Ellie?"

"I'm pretty sure a few think it's funny to try and grow their beards out like mine," Joel comments, shaking his head a little.

"We're fine. No major injuries so far. Stickin' close, mostly - Ellie and Tess are one or two shops down. In earshot. What about you?"

"You know I've seen people wearing my hat in the Capitol? It's so weird." Clem didn't like it one bit. The hat was special, it wasn't just a fashion accessory (okay it was originally, she didn't remember where her dad had got it though) but a connection to her family, her past. There was a reason she didn't wear it into the arenas.

It's a relief to hear they're doing okay. "I've been alright. I've stuck with Mindy and Chibi-Usa, mostly."

"Doin' alright without a grownup?" Joel asks, then holds up a hand. "I know, I know, you and Mindy can take care of yourselves, but there's some high-up places around here, and Chibi-Usa is real little."

"We're doing okay." she doesn't say great, she knows Joel wouldn't believe that. Okay is best, okay is accurate. "We found a place and blocked it up so only someone our size can get in. And we figured out a system for who does what and everything."

Clementine wants to reassure him as much as prove herself capable.

"Good. That's good, sounds like you're bein' smart," Joel says encouragingly. Kids need encouragement, that much he knows. To be told they're doing a good job once in a while.

When he compliments her Clementine smiles. It feels good coming from Joel, he's as pragmatic a survivor as she's ever met so she knows that if he gives her a compliment he must think she's doing the right thing. Sometimes he really does remind her of Lee.

"It's been pretty easy so far. It's weird." she admits. "I don't like it."

"Yeah," he agrees. "Too easy. Don't let your guard down, not for a second."

open;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject