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persevans · 2 years

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sparksandsmoke:

[Confronting her dad or going to prom. Two very different responses, and both ones Maddie can relate to. Her own dad had slowly but surely phased himself out of her life until, at the age of eight, Maddie had all of two memories of the man. Not that she cared much– if he didn’t want to be part of her life, it was no skin off her nose. But it had broken her mother in some small, irreparable way, and for that Maddie would never forgive him. As for prom, high school dances had never been her thing. Maddie had gone through the whole parade; buying a dress, ordering flowers, getting her picture taken, and then laughed and drank the night away with her friends on the roof of a hotel overlooking the city. Not a bad substitute for prom, in her opinion.]

I’d probably confront my dad too, if it makes you feel better. Just give him a good sock, right in the face. Bastard was never good for much.

But otherwise… [She swirls her glass, thinking.] I think I would’ve tried a bit harder in school. Kept out of trouble more. Don’t get me wrong, it was the best time of my life, but… I really don’t know how my mum put up with me half the time. She deserved a break, and if I could go back I’d give it to her. [She smiles to herself, even as she hears the echo of her mother in her ear.] I’d also have spent a lot more time playing sports. I loved playing football when I was little– and rugby, god. What I wouldn’t give to get back in the scrum.

♣

[It was almost nice to have that be a shared want. Percy isn’t sure if she’d have it in her to punch her dad in the face, but that probably would’ve felt great.

Percy nods. Smiles a bit.] I wish I could’ve given my mom more of a break, too. I tried to stay out of trouble and on top of things, but there was so much going on for her... I wish I could’ve done more. [she shakes her head. She has to think, though, that both of their mothers probably wouldn’t have wanted either of them to change something on their behalves. Percy knows her mother probably felt guilty that Percy did take on almost a second parent role to her brother, that life was so tough for them at times. her mother would have cried if she heard Percy saying she wished she could have done more because she probably already thought she was doing too much. Percy signals to the bartender for another round.]

Oh, I bet you kicked ass at rugby, [Percy says with a chuckle. She thinks about it, about Maddie playing sports, but also about how good sports were for people.] We should have sports here, [she says after a moment.] Like, any kinds of sports that people are willing to teach. I think that would be a great morale booster. And yeah, I know there are the Games, but... I don’t know sometimes I think people need something more team oriented with less of a colony wide presence competing. [She doesn’t know enough about sports to set anything up. She wished she did, though.] I think it would also be great for people to just watch people play, you know? Like... I think it would feel like old times. I think that could be something that would have more benefits than setbacks.

#c: maddie #chat

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persevans · 2 years

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clove-modius:

As the Dust Settles || clove + percy [howl]

If you’ve come here to lecture me on the power of the many you’re wasting your time. I’m well aware just how strong of an effect the public’s opinion can have on a person’s life, guilty or innocent. Why do you think we’re here in the first place? I wasn’t alone in that room. Any one of the techs could have murdered him and I’d still be the one blamed. The court has long since decided that I’m guilty, they’ve just been waiting for a crime to tie it all together.

{Whatever her motives, Percy’s speech isn’t exactly succeeding at making Clove feel much better. It’s a little gratifying to know that she’s not one of the many pointing an unforgiving finger, but in the grand scheme of things, neither of their opinions matter. Kaiser had seen to that. One final act of rebellion, the consequences of which were more severe than that fool could ever have planned.}

Death comes for all of us at some point, Percy. There are no exceptions to that rule. Whether or not he was in pain is entirely irrelevant. {Of course it’d been hard to witness. The screams of agony that had filled the room still echo in his memory, the image of Kaiser dying an excruciating pain a sight Clove will struggle to forget. He too hopes that it was quick, even though he knows it most likely wasn’t. For all his crimes, Kaiser’s last moments had been both deserved and unbefitting: a slow and painful death for a man who, in life, had caused a great deal of suffering, dealt by an invisible killer so ruthless his body hadn’t stood a chance.

When she offers him the ‘friendly advice’, Clove can’t help but let out a bemused little huff. Is that what it’s come to? People are struggling to remember that he’s human? The irony of that is quite delicious, despite the bitter aftertaste.}

Is that what you think? That people have forgotten that I’m human? That all I’m capable of is listing off facts and faking a smile? Has it ever occurred to you that you don’t actually know anything about me? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen death. I know you mean well, but I’m not entirely incapable of showing at least a speck of sympathy. Who we are on the job isn’t always who we are in private. I assume it’s simply easier for everyone to pretend there’s nothing human left about us so they feel less guilty about hating us so much.

[Death comes for all of us at some point, Percy. It feels so patronizing. She tenses a bit. Why did she do this? Why did she come here to talk to him, to understand what he witnessed. Maybe she wanted to understand him a bit more, but now she’s just remembering why she doesn’t actually want to. He’s arrogant. He’s cold and distant in a way that makes her want to scream.] I’m not a child, Clove, I’m aware we can’t outrun death. I just think it’d be better to go peacefully rather than screaming into the night as your own body tears you apart in the most painful possible way.

[And its things like that why she worries for what he’ll say to the public. Why she thinks him opening his mouth to explain what happened to the rest of the colony will end with riots and his head on a spike. Because he’s so cold and distant and seems so removed from everything.]

I think they forget that we’re all human, not just you, but I do, because when have you shown them anything other than this? [she says, growing more agitated by him and his tone.] No? Because you couldn’t even show a speck of it here. I know that who we are in private doesn’t show through because I’m sure you don’t know anything about me, either. [This isn’t the first time he’s seen death. Everyone’s seen death now, Clove, that isn’t what this is about, she wants to yell at him. Things are so tense, so shakily balanced on the thinnest wire right now and whatever Clove did or said was going to send it over the edge. But one side is far worse than the other.] And that’s exactly why I said what I did. Give them a reason to feel just a sliver of compassion for the situation so that they don’t try to burn you at the stake. [She shakes her head. She’s so frustrated. Why does she even care. She shouldn’t. She doesn’t. Not about him. Just about every other person that his actions would negatively effect.]

But if you’ve got this handled, then great. I won’t offer anything else to you. I really do hope you try to tap into that private side because I know that if you don’t, this situation is only going to get worse. [She stands, smoothing her hair back as she takes a breath. Today has been a lot, she realized. Her emotional state is frayed. Maybe if she had waited to speak to Clove she herself wouldn’t have been so on edge.] And I do want you to know that I truly am sorry you had to witness that. [And she hopes his screams don’t haunt Clove for too long. But maybe that’s what he needed to handle this with more tact.] Don’t bottle it up-- what you’re feeling. Talk to someone about it because letting it fester does more harm than good to you, in the end.

#c: clove #chat

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persevans · 2 years

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who-is-jr:

BREATHS, HANDS, AND OTHER THINGS WE HOLD || jr & percy

[[ JR accepts he simply can’t know exactly what Percy is thinking, but he’d be completely off base if he were to guess. As much respect JR has for medical professionals, he doesn’t really draw any distinct boundaries between himself and them. So what if he happened to meet Percy because she was tending to his wounds, carefully helping him to relearn basic motor skills? Holding him upright when he tried walking for the first time. People meet in strange ways. This is simply two people, kissing. Exploring.

She begins with a simple kiss on the lips. JR smiles into it. Then she pulls back, continues her sentence. Places another kiss, slightly off center. It’s clever he thinks. ]] Okay. [[ He says, voice a little breathy as he shuts his eyes.

The first few pecks are more than fine. When she reaches just below his cheekbone, JR can feel himself tensing up. Is it a genuine reaction or simple Nerves. JR opens his eyes looks up, over her head at the ceiling. Percy moves, lips touching his cheekbone, the edge of the nasty scar curling over to his cheekbone. His eyes flutter shut, a gentle gasping breath as though she’s done more than kiss him.

Nothing. The feeling doesn’t subside but it doesn’t grow. He thinks they’re pushing their luck. ]] Stop. [[ His voice is a whisper, as he pulls back, hands holding Percy’s shoulder. He smiles, small but genuine. ]]

That was good. I think, for now, it’s good. [[ JR moves to kiss her back on the lips, a quick peck. ]] Was nice. Maybe next time we’ll see if I can go longer.

[She moves carefully and slowly, ready to stop whenever he says the word. She doesn’t want to go too far or too fast. She isn’t as lost in the heat of the moment as she could’ve been because she’s too focused on his reactions. She can feel him tense and it slows her even more, but she doesn’t stop yet. Though as she moves higher up his cheekbone and he lets out that breathy gasp, Percy feels her heart beat a little faster.

His voice is soft near her ear for a moment before he pulls away. Percy moves back as well, eyes scanning his face hoping he doesn’t look scared or stressed or upset. But no. He smiles. It may be small, but she can see its genuine and she returns it.]

I’m glad it was good, [she replies in the same soft voice. JR kisses her again. Percy grins against his lips as she returns the quick kiss.] Sounds like a plan. I’ll always be here to help you with any of your homework, [she says, bringing her hand up to hold onto his arm.] Or for anything you might need. [She’s quiet for a moment, her eyes glancing at his lips for less than a second.] Or want. [She says in a low, gentle voice, her fingers rubbing lightly against his forearm.] I’m here for you. I’m here for you. For anything.

#c: jr #chat

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persevans · 2 years

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sparksandsmoke:

Yeah. Strange. [Maddie never thought she’d miss the tense nights fighting with her mother or the uncertainly of not knowing what she’d do with her life. Thinking it would never get any better. There are other things she misses more, but she’d give almost anything even to get those awful high school years back. Strange.]

To pure, unfiltered nostalgia. [She mirrors Percy’s toast, knocking back a large portion of her drink in one go. It tastes awful but feels amazing– just the way she likes it. Her previous drinks have already loosened her tongue, and she imagines this will be the proverbial straw that breaks her open completely.] Since we’re being sentimental, I’ll ask: if you could go back and do anything differently, what would you do? Not just in high school, but in general. Change anything at all.

♣

[They both toss back more of their drinks then they should at once. But that’s what tonight is. Doing things they shouldn’t. It’s a good moment-- a needed moment.

Percy ponders her question for a moment, tilting her head side to side.] That’s an interesting one, [she takes another pretty long sip of her drink, which burns even more after the previous one. How serious should she get? What would she change? A lot. She would just ask to transfer colonies, no matter how long the process. She would let someone else care for her brother. And before D-Day? She had so many other things. Maybe she’ll choose one of those to address? Something a little less... dark.] I’d probably confront my dad for leaving my family, [she says, realizing that’s still pretty heavy.] But I mean, I doubt that would’ve changed anything. [Not that things were perfect when he was around. But her mother was less stressed.] Or I mean, if you wanted something a little lighter, I think I would’ve gone to Prom. I know you said it didn’t have to be in high school, but... [she shrugs.] I didn’t have anyone to go with and thought it’d be embarrassing to go alone, so I just didn’t. I think that’s one of those kinda cheesy things that I never did but now, even with everything that’s happened, I kind of wish I had those kind of memories.

[Percy finishes off her drink, glancing down into the empty cup, her mind thinking of all the things she’d do differently but never wanting to focus on any of them. She blinks and looks back to Maddie.] What about you? What’d you do differently?

#c: maddie #chat

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persevans · 2 years

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clove-modius:

As the Dust Settles || clove + percy [howl]

Does it really matter? Technicalities. People have already made their minds up about the whole thing. Even if he did make it to the infirmary, that doesn’t change the fact that I was there. He was as good as dead when they wheeled him out. But I appreciate the thought.

{Clove shrugs, arms coming to rest folded against his chest. It’s no surprise that Percy was in the infirmary when they rushed Kaiser in and he’s sure she tried everything in her power to save him, but his point stands. There was probably very little they could have done in the end; Kaiser effectively died under Clove’s watchful gaze.}

I have no doubt that you all did your best to try and save him, Percy. And I understand that this must be extremely difficult for you and all the medical staff. But as you said, aneurysms are tricky, and until the autopsy results come back we’re going to have to deal with it the hard way.

{He is surprised when she mentions her belief in his innocence. Out of all possible candidates, Percy’s name had featured quite high up on the list of people he thought might come in yelling and accusing him of murder. As it stands, there are preciously few people whose opinions Clove actually does care about, but it’s an appreciated notion nonetheless.}

Very well. He… He came in for testing and I wanted to be there to watch. I don’t really remember why, I just know that I had a reason for it. He came in and they put him in the chair as they always do, strapped him down as they always do. At one point he got angry and threw a chair at me. And then… {He sighs quietly, both hands curling into tight fists.} He died. I don’t know how else to say it. He started making these inhumane noises, and he was jerking around like he was having a seizure. I wouldn’t even have guessed he made it to the infirmary I hadn’t been told afterwards. It was very anticlimactic. There was no murder, not ploy to kill him. He died like a wounded beast.

{Pointedly he ignores her questions concerning his wellbeing. Opening up to Percy about how he feels is not something Clove has the patience for, no matter the situation.} There you have it. I don’t know enough about the human brain or aneurysms to guess whether or not he was in any pain, but from the noises he was making, I assume he was.

He could’ve fallen from a ladder and cracked his head open in front of the whole Colony and if you were one of the people present, those rumors would still spread, [Percy says after a moment.] Court of public opinion is... [she almost says ‘killer’ but that feels extremely insensitive and wrong for this moment so she quickly changes her course of action.] It’s the worst court there is. I’ve read stories about people accused of horrific murders just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and public opinion and media would condemn them for decades. Even after the real killer was caught, those people’s lives were still in tatters from the public deciding their guilt with little to no evidence. [She knows this isn’t probably helping, but then again, this is Clove. Maybe talking facts instead of her shilling out feelings would be better for the conversation.] All that to say, people are going to find someone guilty of what’s been done no matter the real evidence. You aren’t the first person to fall victim to that and you won’t be the last. This is just one of those unfortunate circumstances that I don’t think this sort of outcome could’ve been avoided.

[She listens as he recounts the event, her hands folded in her lap. She watches his body language as best as she can without seeming like she’s studying him. And its as he talks that she realizes it’s a situation that could’ve happened to anyone. And it unfortunately happened to be Clove. She knows there would still be whispers if it had been someone like her or Dante, but nothing like this. It felt like someone striking a match over an open tank of gasoline. It’s almost destined to go south.]

As I said, regardless of your feelings toward him, that’s a hard thing to witness. Not only someone dying, but dying like that. In pain. He probably was in pain. Probably the worst pain he’d ever been in. [she’s quiet, looking at Clove’s desk.] I wasn’t the biggest fan of him either, but even still, I hope he didn’t hurt for too long before his body shut down. [Because that kind of suffering, of your own body turning against you and tearing you down in the most excruciatingly painful ways... that wasn’t something anyone deserved. Not even Kaiser.]

Also, just as some... friendly advice--not me trying to get you to open up to me-- if you’re more opened about how witnessing that made you feel, the more likely people are to believe you. [Percy says.] Just for when you inevitably have to make some sort of public statement. Don’t be overly emotional--nobody would buy that from you-- but don’t just list the facts. It’s easier for it to feel rehearsed and like a lie if you’re only giving facts. Showing you feel something helps remind people that you’re human.

#c: clove #chat #howl

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persevans · 2 years

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sparksandsmoke:

It’s not as hard as everyone thinks it is. The hardest part getting your poker face down. [It comes more naturally to some than others. Maddie had hers figured out early on, courtesy of constantly getting herself out of trouble; now she only has tells when she’s intensely nervous or stressed, which she tries not to be when playing cards. At the current moment, though, she’s an open book; it’s just up to Percy to read what she wants to read.]

Oh, I’ve been called so many things. Troublesome, no-good, a loose cannon, a bad influence. And those weren’t totally wrong, by the way. I’ve calmed down some in my sunset years, but I was a real wild card when I was young. I was always doing shit I wasn’t supposed to. Some more illegal than others– although I wasn’t some criminal mastermind. Just a stupid kid with too much time and not enough brains.

[Maddie grins, tinged with just a little nostalgia.] I know it sounds glamorous, but honestly a life of reading quietly in my room probably would’ve been a lot better for me in the long run. At the very least it wouldn’t have caused my poor mum so much grief.

♣

[Percy nods along. She’s pretty sure she’s got a good poker face, so maybe she could be good at it. She uses one most of the time, especially when working. Lying was something she was good at. Maybe she should start using it for fun things like poker, and not to mask her misery.

She smiles a bit, hearing some of the names.] Well, a loose cannon and a bad influence sometimes aren’t so bad. Just a little more fun than the average person, I think. [She says. Percy laughs as she calls these her twilight years, though. A sort of solemn laugh at the fact that she’s pretty sure she and Maddie are almost the same age and she’s absolutely not ready to consider herself anywhere near her twilight years.] I think we’ve all got those times where we were just stupid kids. It’s strange that those feel like the good old days now.

Yeah. I definitely kept the side of me that wasn’t reading quietly as far away from my mother’s knowledge as possible. She had enough going on that that would’ve just been too much for her.

[Percy raises her glass a bit,] To the stupid kids we used to be, and to the hope that the decisions we make now are just a little more guided. But not so much so that we forget to have fun.

#c: maddie #chat

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persevans · 2 years

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clove-modius:

As the Dust Settles || clove + percy [howl]

I thought you’d show up sooner.

{After the day he’s had, with whispered rumours and murmured insults following his every step through the hallways of the Colony, Clove really isn’t surprised to have Percy knock at his door later that afternoon, demanding an explanation. The only thing that gives him pause is that it’s taken her this long to approach him. For as long as they’ve worked together, Clove has never known Percy to be shy about sharing her opinions or criticising his. Perhaps, considering the hostility of their latest conversation, she’d been hesitant about being near him without necessarily having to. On paper they’re supposed to be on the same side, but as with Dante, it seems Percy and himself have very different ideas of how things should work.

But these are different circumstances. Difficult ones. This time it isn’t about the mandates or their disagreements regarding testing or the treatment of the Infected population. With Kaiser’s death and Clove’s presence in the room as it happened, the entire NWRF is under scrutiny. This includes Reps like Percy who, given a choice and the benefit of hindsight, might reconsider pledging their alliance to HQ.

It’s only natural that she wants to know the truth, or as much of it as he can give her, and for once, Clove has no qualms in indulging her request. Not that he necessarily wants to discuss what happened, but she deserves to be given an opportunity to at least ask a few questions.

Setting down the book he’d been reading in a half-hearted attempt to distract himself, he gestures for her to enter and take a seat. The first thing he notices is how tired she looks. Then again, he probably doesn’t look much better himself. He certainly doesn’t feel it.}

I do not want to talk about it, but I’ll do my best to answer any questions you may have. I’m sure by now you’ve heard the rumours, so let’s get those out of the way first. Yes, I was there when Kaiser Bähr died. No, I did not strap him to a table and let them experiment on him. Yes, it was an aneurysm. No, we are not dissecting his body to further any potential cure research. Is there anything else you would like to know?

[She takes a deep breath. She’s here to be nice, to try to be nice. To understand. To talk to someone about it all. Because she knows these sorts of situations are hard, and it’s even harder when you’re involved. There’s a part of Percy that does feel bad, that he’d expected her to show up and get into an argument with him or yell at him or something. And even if she had truly believed Kaiser’s death wasn’t an accident, she doesn’t think it would’ve been Clove to pull the trigger. It would be too obvious.

Percy walks in and takes a seat. He looks exhausted, but that’s not a surprise.] I see you’ve prepared for any questions, [she smiles weakly.] I think you shouldn’t argue your case that you were there when he died-- just when he had the aneurysm. It makes it seem like you knew he would die since he did make it to the infirmary. Just... some advice for when people really start pestering you. [She’s quiet for a moment, her eyes going to his desk, looking at the book he’s closed, just sort of thinking.] I was in the infirmary when he got there. And we did try to save him. Aneurysms are... they’re tricky. And I saw him. He... That’s clearly what happened, and I’m sure whenever they’re able to do an autopsy, it’ll be proven as such. [But could the public believe the NWRF’s proof? Or would it be seen as lies to cover their asses.]

I did want to know your side of it, Clove. Not to accuse you of anything, but just to know. I know we have our differences, but... [She takes a breath, looking back up to him.] We... You’re going to have enough people against you on this. I’m not here to be one of them.

It’s hard to witness something like that. Even if you didn’t like the guy. I’m not here to play therapist or even pretend like you’d want me to do so, but are you doing alright? Not that you’d... you don’t have to tell me. I’m... It’s good to know your side of things, and if that’s all you want to share--the facts--I understand.

#c: clove #chat #howl

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persevans · 2 years

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who-is-jr:

BREATHS, HANDS, AND OTHER THINGS WE HOLD || jr & percy

Thank you. [[ Even joking praise makes him feel good, though. Whilst he can’t touch her jaw with his hand, he can kiss it. A deeper kiss, then he’s moving to kiss a line along her jaw. He can’t help but laugh at himself. ]] Maybe we should practice with our lips, first. [[ JR moves lower still, kissing down the graceful slope of her neck. He pauses, though, in all seriousness that may be a good idea.

JR pulls back, looks at Percy. He trusts her, implicitly. It’s a tangled web of reasons: being there to nurse him back to health, seeing him at his most fragile and confused. And now for the fact she simply seems to get it. Understand he doesn’t know who he is, who he was. The unspoken trust between both of them, in never poking too deep.

He is grateful she finds some joy in his presence, in his touch, or else it would feel too painfully one sided. ]] Can you try? A kiss on the cheek. [[ He asks but quickly continues. Despite the fact she probably will agree, it almost feels like too much. If it goes wrong, she’d only feel awful for it. ]] You don’t have too.

[The laugh she lets out as his lips move down her jaw is breathy. She tilts her head to allow him better access to her neck. His comment makes her laugh lightly, but it’s not a bad idea. Small steps are sometimes what’s needed to reach the desired end goal. When you’re relearning how to walk you don’t jump right back into taking steps blindly; you start with simple stretches, you start with remembering the movements, then even when you do start to walk, you have support bars and people holding on to you.

Though this was never a technique she’d ever even think to try to help someone work through something--especially not anyone else. There’s a moment where the word rehabilitate passes through her mind and it feels wrong for more reasons than she can put to words. One, that isn’t what this is. Not really. And two, she shouldn’t think of it like work when he’s kissing her neck. It felt wrong when she did. It made her think and feel too many sorts of ways about this that she truly didn’t want to be feeling.

When JR pulls back and looks at her, she smiles, watching his eyes. She sees his trust in her. She almost wishes she had that same trust in herself.]

I can try, [she says, despite him saying she doesn’t have to. She knows that, and she is worried about what would happen if it was a negative reaction. Just take it slow, she tells herself.] Let’s start here, [Percy says as she kisses his lips.] And as I move, [she kisses more to the left side of his lips, a little bit off them,] You tell me if you need me to stop, okay? [She moves to put her hand on top of his as she slowly and carefully--leaving time between each one for him to tell her to stop-- continues her trail more and more away from his lips and up across his cheek toward his cheekbone.]

#c: jr #chat

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persevans · 2 years

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sparksandsmoke:

The trick is a good poker face. I’ve got horrible luck, but I don’t need it when I can lie my way to the jackpot. [Maddie was a great liar. She didn’t do it often, not anymore, but she could. She’d done it all her life– to her mother, her teachers, her counsellors, even the police once or twice. But she’d stopped, mostly because the kind of trouble it got her wasn’t worth it, but also because she was starting to earn a reputation as a liar and once that reputation was set no one would take her seriously again.]

I’m down for just about any sort of fun. Politer people call me adventurous. But I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so let’s maybe get to know each other a bit. What do you do here at ‘22, when you’re not buying drinks for pretty girls?

♣

Hm, well, maybe I could be good at poker, [she smiles a bit. Percy wonders how good of a liar she still was. Technically she lied every day of her life, acting like she was fine and happy to do her work, but that was just normal adult lying. She used to be better at it. She wonders if she could get back to that. Would she even want to?]

And what do the ruder people call you? [Percy asks teasingly, leaning her chin on her hand, a mischievous glint in her eyes.] I don’t mind adventurous; it’s certainly better than the dullness almost everyone else here has to offer. [Including herself, most times.] Well, nothing adventurous, I can tell you that much. Either work or more work. Most of the time I find myself hanging out on my own, reading books or listening to music until I eventually bore myself to sleep, [It’s all said like a joke, and it kind of is. It’s funny in a sad sort of way that that was her life most nights. It would be nice to do something a little more interesting.]

What about you? What makes people call you so adventurous?

#c: maddie #chat

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persevans · 2 years

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As the Dust Settles || clove + percy [howl]

[She hadn’t been in the labs that morning. She knew why she wasn’t. Kaiser was going in. His testings were always more carefully watched. The people that could test him had to be unaligned. And they certainly couldn’t be people like her. People who made his blood boil. She had no problem sitting it out. There had been too many times she’d had close calls with him. Where she’d seen his anger get the better of him and had him lash out at her. She remembers the anger he showed her once, how he grabbed her by the throat. Not too hard, but hard enough. It was a threat, it was a show of power and control. Yes, it had hurt, but it had terrified her more than she let him know.

She’d spent her morning down in the infirmary, not doing much, just checking on a few people who had been in with minor injuries, just checking off charts, making sure things were fine when her peaceful morning came to an end. She heard doctors and staff clamoring, a panic she hadn’t seen since she shadowed in the ER. “He’s becoming unresponsive.” “Get Cuthbert in here now!”

Her curiosity and knowing that she was a nurse on hand, Percy went towards the commotion but froze when she saw who was laid out on the bed, his body stiff and limp at the same time. Everyone is rushing to do what they can but in what feels like too short an amount of time, Dr. Cuthbert is calling a time of death, and Percy feels like she’s been hit by a truck. She knows it wasn’t just a few seconds, but it feels like it. He’s gone before she can even process what’s happened. Her hand goes to her neck, touching lightly, absentmindedly as she looks at him, the life gone from his eyes. And she remembers times she’d seen him softer. Not someone here just to cause problems, not a violent man. But all those sides are gone in a minute and he’s gone. No loner a man. Just a body. Just a corpse.

In the following hours leading up to the announcement of his death, and the murmuring of rumors start to spread, Percy finds herself seeking out someone she’d really rather not. But answers were important, and even if she didn’t always trust Clove and his motives, she knew he was there. And maybe he’d be honest with her. But with people whispering that the NWRF may have done something to him, she had to know what happened. She had to know how they’d reached this point.

She knocks lightly on the door to his office.] Do you want to talk about it? [she asks, calmly. Softly. She’s not accusatory or even upset with him. Because as worried as she was that perhaps something had happened, she thinks it may be unlikely. She doesn’t think Clove did anything to him. She thinks he’d be the one dead if he’d even tried.] Can we talk about it?

@clove-modius

#c: clove #chat #col22rex #howl

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persevans · 2 years

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who-is-jr:

BREATHS, HANDS, AND OTHER THINGS WE HOLD || jr & percy

[[ Despite talking about something heavy, they manage their own odd level of levity. Not quite joking, not being too serious. There’s very little Percy could do wrong in his eyes. His own lenient, stubbornly apolitical approach to the NWRF definitely helps.

He wonders how someone like Percy could believe she isn’t kind. It makes him curious, but not enough to pester. If her deep seated guilt is anything like JR’s, there’s something she would rather not talk about. He also wonders if it’s why they get along, despite their apparent differences. Some deep seated guilt neither can articulate, neither of them wants to articulate.

They both have one important thing in common: and it’s their inability to simply talk. Just as he can’t resist a chaste kiss, neither can she. Percy kisses him again, barely moves back to say she likes being around him. ]] I like being around you too.

[[ He smiles, wants to not be miserable or drag her down into whatever pit of despair they both seem to be tip-toeing around the edge of. ]]

Therapy homework is great, by the way. [[ JR jokes, certain this isn’t what Dante hand in mind, exactly. He leans in, kisses her properly. ]]

[He doesn’t press her for more information and honestly she appreciates it more than he probably knows. She always does and always will. But she knows that one day he might ask, he might want to learn more. She just hopes she’s ready to share when that day comes. Because for now, for as much as she wants him to trust her, she’s not ready to be completely open with him about her past. About her thoughts and her feelings on everything going on in the world.

And she’s grateful she doesn’t have to think on all those depressing thoughts too much more. It’s probably not good that both of them had the instinct to start kissing whenever things started to get too deep. But as JR speaks and she can see his smile, Percy feels like it can’t be too bad of a thing if it makes them both feel good.

Percy laughs as he leans in, and she also finds herself properly returning the kiss. She moves closer, her hands resting on his neck, closer to his shoulders as she made sure not to touch his face. It’s an unconscious effort at this point.]

Yeah, and you’re doing so well on it, too, [she jokes in response, in between kisses that just seem to gradually get deeper.]

#c: jr #chat #//they're like that drake meme #emotional responsibility: no #making out instead #yes

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persevans · 2 years

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@candicepatton: so close to my final form 🧜🏾‍♀️🌊

#Visage || Face #//😍

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persevans · 2 years

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sparksandsmoke:

I certainly hope you do. [Not that Maddie’s looking for anything with any sense of commitment, but she’s not going to limit one-night-stands to just one if it’s a good time. Whether this will be a good time remains to be seen, but so far it’s not terrible. Promising, under the circumstances. She returns the wink slyly.] Find me after I’ve gone a few rounds at poker and I’ll buy you the whole bar.

[As it stands she raises her empty glass in a mock toast.] That is the general idea. Although to be quite honest with you, I can’t say there’s much fun to be had around here. I mean, I don’t really spend my nights at the bar because there’s a wide selection of other things to do. Perhaps you could enlighten me, though, on entertainment. You look like you know all sorts of fun things to do.

♣

[She almost pauses to wonder if this is a road she should continue down. But at Maddie’s words and the way she returns the wink, Percy decides it’s too late to be wondering these sorts of things. Besides, she made her bed going down this path, and she was more than okay to lie in it. She hums a laugh, taking a sip of her drink.] I like the confidence; you must be good. I was never good at poker. Maybe you could show me a thing or two sometime.

[Percy has to laugh, just a little. She laughs in a way that she passes off as coy, but in reality she knows that the last word most people would use to describe her as would be fun. Part of her wished she was more fun. That’s what this was, though, right? Her having fun?] I know a thing or two, sure. All my fun tends to hang around the safe side, though. I’d be happy to enlighten you, but I’d hate to end up disappointing you. So why don’t you start me on the right track? What sort of fun are you looking for?

#c: maddie #chat #//me internally chanting new face new face new face like some sort of cursed ritual #as i excitedly get to use percy's new fc for the first time for reals

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persevans · 2 years

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Col22 Interview | Persephone Evans

“I’m just pulling up your file, can you remind me where you were before joining us at Colony 22?”

I was in America; DC, in fact. Or, near enough. I was there from pretty much the day the asteroids fell until… [there’s a pause as Percy thinks, hesitates. She was there until she had to get out. Until the memories and grief and guilt overtook her and she would’ve run out into the wastes had the NWRF not shown up.] Until I got the opportunity to come here. And every day I’m grateful I did.

“Do you or did you have much involvement with Infected persons?”

I work in the testing labs, so yes, I have daily involvement with them, if that’s what you mean. [She does believe, though, that they’re implying something else. Perhaps not--perhaps she’s just grown wary of what people mean. That can happen when you spend so long worrying about saying the wrong things. Involvement with Infected persons. She thinks about her brother. About watching him every day forget she was there for him, that she was his advocate, that she truly cared about him. She thinks about nights she spends with JR, talking, holding each other, kissing him and always hoping it will go further.] I think it’s hard to find a single person without some sort of involvement with Infected people.

“As I’m sure you can appreciate, we strive to offer a welcoming environment to all of our residents. It’s our hope that we can rebuild a co-operative society, which means we discourage our residents from getting involved in any… upsetting political discourse. Do we understand each other? Do you have any concerns?”

[Percy wants to scoff, roll her eyes. But she doesn’t; she can’t. How hypocritical that would be when she’s part of the problem. Part of the reason there’s “upsetting political discourse.” Though that’s not what they mean. They’re talking about the rebels. They’re talking about radicals who want to change everything the NWRF has done.] I want nothing more than a cooperative society. I hope every day that we can go back to that. [She says. She has plenty of concerns. Plenty of reasons why she thinks what they’re after is an unobtainable goal with the current trajectory. But she doesn’t make that known. Just like all the concerns she always has, just like her thoughts on everything that’s been going on lately, she swallows in down, and just keeps her friendly, placid smile.] We absolutely understand each other, and I don’t have any concerns that come to mind. Can we move on to the next question, please?

“How do you feel you’ve been adjusting to life these last few years? Is there anything we can provide for you in the way of additional support?”

[Truly a loaded question. Something she doesn’t know if she wants to answer. She knows she has to, but... How would they look at her and think of her if she were to say anything that was true. How has she been adjusting? She’s spent almost every day since the asteroids fell in denial about one thing or another. Percy spent her every day before he died in denial about how bad her brother was, how bad her presence in his life was every single day. She told herself that no, it was good, it would be better for him to have a familiar face. But that only ever made things worse. After she died, she lived in denial that he was gone, she told herself that she did everything she could to help him, that she couldn’t have done anything to prevent it, but that was wrong too. She could’ve stepped away, she could’ve let someone else care for him. Instead, she stayed, drove him even further into his Delusion, made him feel even more trapped.

And every day since joining the NWRF she’s told herself that all they’re doing is trying to help people, that she’s not part of a problem. And every day that she continues that, like a broken, distorted record playing over and over in her head, she feels more and more guilty.] I think I’m adjusting as well as I can be, [she replies with a smile. And when it comes to support... unless they had something that could make her sleep better at night (both physically and morally)...] No, I’m doing just fine.

“The people here seem to really value the health and stability of the community. The NWRF wants to protect that. In what way do you see yourself fitting in and contributing?”

I work with them, the NWRF [Percy says plainly. As they say they want to protect the health and stability of the Colony, she feels something sink inside her like a cement block in her lower intestine. She knows they value the physical health of everyone here. But the mental and emotional health? The stability of the community? Every passing day she finds it harder and harder to wear her rose colored glasses. And every time she chooses to put them on she makes herself sick with guilt. Part of her wished it was really as easy as taking on and off a pair of glasses, seeing the morality of everything going on. She wishes it was black and white. It would be so much easier instead of feeling this way. Feeling trapped in a grey area that grew darker and darker the further she stepped into it. The more she convinced herself that she wasn’t in the wrong, that she wasn’t fueling a toxic fire.] But other than the work that they have me do, I’m a nurse. Specifically a rehabilitation nurse; all those people who come in physically and mentally changed from the wastes, I do my best to help them get back on their feet--literally and metaphorically. That’s how I best contribute. [And she wishes that was it.]

“Do you have any existing connections of significance here at Colony 22? Would you mind telling me a little about these relationships?”

[What relationships did she have here? A working relationship with Dante? A sense of the potential of a friendship with Cambie? The..... whatever it was that she had with JR? things she didn’t have before she came here. She knew no one here and that was how she wanted it. And even after months of being here, she still barely had those deep connections. Either because she was too afraid to show anyone that real side of her, or because everyone thought she was pretending to be nice. That she was just another NWRF puppet convincing herself every day that she wasn’t a problem. And she was just that. And she hated that. But maybe its for the best that she doesn’t really have any friends. Maybe it’s for the best that she’s happy she has anyone who’s willing to be around her, even if its just a few select people in a few select ways.] No, not particularly. Nothing that... stands out. [and nothing she wants to discuss with interviewer.] The thing that brought me here was my job, and in my time here I’ve... preferred that that be my main focus.

#col22interview #//didn't do this as an entrance interview but more of a 'where we are rn' thing #one bc i was trying to see how the new fc fit and two bc boy has it been a long time since i had to be in her entrance to col 22 mindset ha #//anyway first content w new fc!!#very excited

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persevans · 2 years

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Persephone “Percy” Evans | Twenty Seven; Elite

House: Delma Status: Uninfected Elite Specification: Rehabilitation Specialist and Infection Research Alignment: New Wave Reformists

History

Ever since she was a kid, Persephone’s been told she has an old soul. She could often be found reading a book (paper copies only), or having deep philosophical conversations with the adults. She didn’t have many friends her own age; in fact, many children saw her as a bit odd. And though she was quiet around most, deep down she was just a bubbly girl who wanted to help people.

The extent of her compassion came about when she was thirteen and her younger brother was hit by a train. And it wasn’t the doctors or the EMTs who practically brought him back from the dead that most impressed her, but the occupational therapists. Yes, her brother’s life had been saved by the doctors, but if he had been stuck in the state he was in after all the operations, it would hardly have been much of a life. The OTs came in and taught her brother how to eat and speak again. They helped him get used to his new leg and helped him relearn to write. They gave him the tools he needed to become a whole person again, and that’s what Percy wanted to do.

Life after her brother’s accident was hard. Insurance could only cover so much. Percy tried to maintain good grades, but there were a lot of external factors in play. Like her eight year old brother falling into a deep depression. She would often spend her evenings with him, keeping him occupied so his mind didn’t wander to those dark places. Her mother always tried to be there for her children, but it didn’t take long for the stress of working three jobs to get to her. She’d come home grumpy and tired. Percy and her brother, Samson, grew distant from their mother, relying mostly on each other for support. Percy took on the role of Sam’s mother, sister, friend, and nurse.

Percy’s father, who had always been distant, became a rare sight in the household. But it wasn’t until the day she saw her father out with another woman—and a young child—that she truly understood why. Percy, who was usually a calm and compassionate person, was furious. She was heartbroken. Not only did her father have another family, but it was one that was well off; she watched them get into a nice car, dressed in their expensive clothes, and she felt sick.

When she got home, Percy locked herself in her room and cried. But they were tears of anger; here she was fighting for her brother’s second chance at life, picking up her mother’s slack, and her father had abandoned them al for something better. Something easier. They had been played, and she vowed that she’d never let that happen to her again. This is when Percy grew colder, when she stopped caring about people as much as she once had, because she couldn’t trust them. No more was Persephone that young girl, compassionate girl, because being that girl left her too vulnerable to getting hurt.

When she was seventeen, she saw some kids she knew as a couple of Sam’s bullies, stealing from a store. It was juvenile crime, really. They’d distracted the clerk and managed to get away with a few packs of cigarettes, a handful of cash from the register, and a case of beer. But they saw her, when they were high tailing out of there, and they knew she’d seen everything. In fact, she’d filmed it on her phone. The next day at school, Percy confronted them, and promised that if they ever even looked at her brother again, she would make sure that they would not only get caught for stealing, but would find themselves pinned for other crimes too. Some that they may not even have committed. Sam was never bothered again.

It was about then that Percy realized something; she was a good liar. She was also perceptive with people. She knew how to manipulate and twist others and their words so she ended up on top. She didn’t use this skill often, but she knew the cards she had and how to play them, and that knowledge gave her power. One night, while walking home, she decided to test this theory. She had just turned nineteen at the time, and a half-cut businessman stumbling down the sidewalk had crossed her path. He’d whistled and come on to her, complimenting her body, her beautiful skin.

Percy noticed the wedding ring and the Rolex. The expensive tie clip and cheap cologne. Instead of telling him where to shove it, she batted her lashes and smiled. And then she went home with him. It’d been obvious he was rich, but entering his penthouse apartment confirmed it. And she hated him. Not for catcalling her, not for taking a young girl home, but for betraying his family, just like her father had done.

So, she went with him to his bedroom and he messily undressed her along the way. She grit her teeth against the disgust and played along, just until she had him on his back. And then she made her demands: Cash. Enough to pay off her brother’s medical bills, enough to put them both through college. If not, she would start screaming. She would scream and scream and when the police came she would tell them he’d assaulted her. They’ll never believe you, he’d said. And she’d said he was probably right. But they would believe the truth, and his wife definitely wouldn’t prefer it to the lie. And what would that kind of scandal do to his professional reputation? Nothing good, surely.

So he paid. And Percy never heard another word from him. When she came home with the cash, her mother was scared, for good reason. But Percy promised she hadn’t stolen it; that it was given to her as a charity. A good samaritan had wanted to help out their family. And, since no police ever knocked on their door, her mother had no reason not to believe her.

Eventually, Percy got a job at the local hospital. She went to school during the day, and the nights she wasn’t working at the hospital, she would entrap unfaithful husbands and bribe them. She maintained that deep down, her true passion was helping people, but sometimes helping the right people meant hurting the wrong ones.

Percy Today

It was during one of her late shifts at the hospital that the power surged, and when Percy looked outside, the whole world appeared to be burning.

Everything was in mass hysteria. Nurses and patients panicking. Sirens going off. Code blue. Code red. Doctors were called from every wing to help treat new patients. The whole time, all Percy could think about was her mother and Sam, but it wasn’t until the middle of the next day that she found a chance to slip out of the hospital. She ran home on foot, dodging fires and damage. When she arrived at her family’s small home, she found it destroyed. The parts that still stood were burning. In a panic, Persephone ran into the rubble, searching and screaming for her family. Her screams went silent and her blood ran cold when she found her mother’s body, crushed and blood. But she didn’t have time to cry. Determined, Percy went through every inch of the pile that was once her house, her room, her whole life, until she found Sam. He was miraculously alive, shaking in the remains of the fireplace and chimney. His prosthetic leg was nowhere to be found. When Percy approached him, he flinched at her touch. Back at the hospital, they confirmed the entire lower half of Sam’s body was had been paralyzed.

Persephone and Sam ended up in Colony 7, in what was once Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Life there was chaotic and always moving. Percy told the Elites of her background of study (bio-med and rehabilitation therapy) and she wound up volunteering to help with the injured and recovering survivors coming into the Colony.

It was a couple of months before Sam’s mental condition became apparent: he believed he was a prisoner, the only prisoner left alive after the asteroids hit and he was planning some sort of escape. Only, Sam wasn’t a prisoner, and he couldn’t walk anymore, despite his apparent inability to acknowledge this. He would yell at people, screaming about his innocence, begging for his freedom. And he barely recognized Percy, anymore. She was a warden to him now, someone who was masquerading as his sister. He practically despised her. And yet, she still pushed him around in his wheelchair every day, protecting him with her life. He was her whole world. And it didn’t matter to her how many people she helped if Sam ended up hurt. All her lying and cheating would have been for nothing. Unfortunately, she couldn’t keep him safe forever.

Percy was working late. She was dozing off at her desk reading through files. She probably would’ve fallen asleep if it hadn’t been for the gunshot. At first, Percy thought nothing of it; thought maybe someone had dropped something and it just sounded like that through her haze of sleep. But then there was another. Then another. And another. Persephone raced from her office to look for Sam, thinking that it had to be some sort of raid. By the time she reached the common room, she heard two other gunshots and then, she saw it. On the floor, blood pouring from his head, was Sam. Several other bodies scattered the floor, some dead, some just wounded, all bloody. As Percy approached her brother’s body, she saw the gun clenched in his fist. In his other hand was a piece of paper, scribbled with the words ‘DO IT NOW’ in red pen over and over again.

When the New Wave Reformists rose to power, they made initial attempts to recruit Percy due to the interest she took in her Infected patients—especially the Deluded. She wanted to learn how to manipulate the conversation in ways that they felt empowered enough to trust her and be honest with her. Having noticed this, the NWRF sought to exploit her skills and sensitivity to help them with research on the Infected evolutions. They wanted her to help run tests and experiments, as they saw her ‘bed side manner’ with the infected as something they could use. At first, Persephone politely declined. To her, the Infected weren’t the problem; just the Infections. It wasn’t until an NWRF Rep promised her a way out of Colony 7, that she told them she’d consider.

In the end, Percy took the chance to leave and accepted the job offer. But she made it clear that she didn’t want to do anything that might make the Infected distrust her. That was how she worked the system; with kindness, trust, and a pretty face. Now, it’s her job as an NWRF Rep to assist with medical and experimental testing in the scientific initiative to better understand these evolutions so that they might have the ability to cure, control or even use these evolutions in a more disciplined manner. But Percy didn’t join the NWRF because she wanted to eradicate or even manage and contain the Infected. She wanted to help them. She didn’t hate the people, she hated that people had to be Infected. Infections had ruined her life, so she now wants to save others from the same unfortunate situation that Sam had found himself in. She wants to give the Infected a choice.

Percy arrived recently to Colony 22 with the other NWRF reps. She likes to see herself as almost a counterweight to some of the NWRF’s brash and sometimes harsh decisions, but she knows nobody else wants her to be. Along with lab testing and experiments, she provides one on one consultations with the Infected and Deluded, and makes a sincere effort to be kind to them and convince them she’s on their side. Sure, most still distrust her intentions because of her connections to the NWRF, but she tries hard despite that. Some of her ways of gaining the trust of the Infected could be seen as unethical, due to her less than transparent approach, but she believes her intentions are good. She’s certainly unconventional in other ways, as well; she’ll purchase from the black market, she’ll let people by when they’re late for tuck-in, she’ll keep their secrets, tell their lies. Some people probably think that she’s just gaining all this information and trust to eventually get them into trouble, but the truth is she likes to take risks. She likes the way it makes her feel when people trust her, and she really does have good intentions—it’s just her methods that are a little… unorthodox.

TAKEN; ORIGINAL CHARACTER

#bio #history #about #//I’m so excited for her new fc!!#I have the app/interview questions drafted w candice as one of my ways of trying her #and I’m excited to post those when I get home #(would do it mobile but I don’t want formatting to get fucked)

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