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Tweak says, "Let's live in the solution."

Elijah Jacob Voorhies (drifting_embers) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2023-02-25 22:54:00

Entry tags:

elijah voorhies, will scarlet

WHO: Elijah Voorhies, Will Scarlet
WHEN: Friday night
WHERE: Fight ring
WHAT: Getting to know you
WARNINGS: Violency stuff

It had been a few days since Elijah had received a new roommate, and as far as they went, Will wasn’t so bad. There was something about him that Elijah couldn’t quite put his finger on, but he wasn’t going to focus on it too clearly. He had spent the last few days explaining how everything worked - the showers, the exercise equipment, the fact that it was impossible to tell day from night because the time they spent in their cages and in the common room was never really the same.

It was common room time now though, and he had finally been able to catch up with all the new prisoners, showing them the ropes too. All of them seemed relieved to know the fights could be thrown in their favour if they needed it. It looked like every single one of them was in agreement, and that was a relief to Elijah in turn.

He took a seat on one of the benches in the common space, intending to relax for a moment, when he was approached by one of the older prisoners. “Eli,” the man whispered to him, though it was loud enough for Will to hear, considering the other man was quite close by. “Can I talk to you?”

Elijah glanced at Will, and then back to the man. “Of course you can, Robert.”

Robert took a seat on the bench too, and he leaned in close. “They’ve been setting me up with the Gang for every fight. It’s been a week. I’m starving, man, you gotta- Can you do something? Get them to change who I’m up against? I can’t win against them, they’re too strong.” Robert did look awful, bruised and sore.

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 10:00 am UTC (link)

Will didn’t want to be the weird new guy, tagging along with Elijah like Mr No Friends, but finding out the basic information was pretty useful. Elijah seemed to be pretty universally respected by anyone who wasn’t one of Them, and had earned himself a place in a position of leadership. Will couldn’t help but admire that. He tried to observe the wider picture, see who was doing what, and when Robert came over, he tried to give some space by looking away. He could tell people looking towards them, and Will folded his arms as he leaned against the wall. He wanted to at least visually align himself with Elijah, even though he was a new arrival.

He glanced at Robert, taking in the shadows under his eyes and the sharpness of his face, and then at Elijah. Did Elijah have the power to change the running order like this? Pretty impressive if so.

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drifting_embers
2023-02-25 10:03 am UTC (link)

Elijah blew out a breath, and then he reached out to pat Robert’s shoulder. “Take a breath and rest,” he told Robert, and then he glanced around the complex, clearly looking for someone specific. He was watchful and quiet for several minutes then, his gaze travelling around the common room, then glancing upwards. Getting the guards to switch up who was paired with who wasn’t a power he exercised often - beyond days when new prisoners arrived. It took a lot of bribery, and a word in the ear of the right person.

“Robert, go back to your cell and close the door behind you,” Elijah said to the older man. “Try to sleep, if you can. Leave this with me, alright?”

Robert let out a breath, clearly grateful. “Thank you, Eli,” he said, reaching for the man’s hand, though Elijah was quick to step backwards.

“Shhhh. Keep this quiet. Go now. Will,” Elijah turned to his roommate, “I am assuming you heard that?” If Will was willing to help, Elijah could use the cover.

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	rouge_rogue 2023-02-25 10:16 am UTC (link)
	“You assume correctly.” Will stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankle, and raised an eyebrow at Elijah. It was useful putting himself in a position to be helpful. Fortune had smiled on him, putting him right in Elijah’s path. Except for poor old Seth. “What are you after doing?” (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	drifting_embers 2023-02-25 10:18 am UTC (link)
	Elijah wasn’t going to answer until he was sure Will was willing to help him. “Are you willing to help me? I could use someone to stand in front of our cell, blocking the view at the very least. I need to grab something. Can I trust you, Will?” Of course he wouldn’t, not completely. But he was going to ask anyway. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	rouge_rogue 2023-02-25 10:25 am UTC (link)
	Will was tempted to be facetious, treat this like a joke and keep the mood light, but Elijah had this dead-serious look to him and Will still needed to be part of this whole thing. He shrugged and nodded, unfolding his arms and leaning forward. “I’ve been called a road block before in my life,” he said, getting to his feet. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

drifting_embers
2023-02-25 10:29 am UTC (link)

Elijah’s mouth lifted a little at the corners. A road block, hmm? He stood from the bench then, and he headed back towards the cell he shared with Will. Once there, he gestured that Will should lean against the bars in front of Elijah’s desk, blocking him from view. Then, with Will in position, Elijah pulled open the drawer of his desk.

There wasn’t a false bottom as such, that was far too fancy. But he’d fashioned something like it out of cardboard, and placed magazines on top. Under the cardboard was where his hidden contraband was. Most of the prisoners ended up with something eventually, but Elijah had more than most. And he had money. It was useless to the other prisoners, sure. There wasn’t a commissary here. But it was not useless to the guards. Elijah grabbed some bills and a few cartons of cigarettes and he slipped them in his pockets.

Once he straightened up, he went to lean against the bars beside Will. His voice was low as he said, “see the guard over there? The one with the black beard? That’s Travis. He’s bribable if you have the right price.”

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	rouge_rogue 2023-02-25 10:45 am UTC (link)
	Will nodded once to show he’d heard. “And what’s the right price?” he asked, his voice low as well. “What’s old mate Robert gonna do for you once you fix this for him?” How did this economy function, when things needed to get done? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

drifting_embers
2023-02-25 10:47 am UTC (link)

Will asked a lot of questions. Elijah glanced sideways at him, but he tried to keep his expression neutral. The idea of price was something Will had said on the first day too. That he hadn’t wanted to owe Elijah for fixing the fight, so he’d given him the potato and a Coke. Elijah wondered what kind of past Will had come from that everything had to come at a price. Sure the guard had to be bribed, but Elijah didn’t.

“He’ll eat a meal in his cell,” Elijah said, watching for Will’s reaction. “Why would he need to do something for me? You heard him, he needs a meal.”

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 10:59 am UTC (link)

“Very altruistic of you.” Will didn’t mock Elijah. He was a Merry Man, his whole jam was giving to the poor, but he was written that way. Very few regular humans were just that generous. “What’s to stop them abusing the system, then? If you are always fixing things for other people? How do you pay for it? Everyone here needs a meal, mate.” He wasn’t being disparaging, he genuinely wanted to know, but he had to admit to some degree of scepticism.

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drifting_embers
2023-02-25 11:01 am UTC (link)

“Tasers,” Elijah said, shrugging. He leaned off the bars then, and looked back at Will. “Do you want to come with me? Travis’ price is usually a couple hundred. I should have enough.” He would have to get more soon, but he could worry about that later. “I don’t know why they’re setting Robert up for failure, but let’s end it. Then we have to find someone who ate last night. They’ll be much more willing to let Robert win.” Neither Will nor Elijah had, though Elijah would do it if there was no one else. “Or I’ll have to do it. I’m supposed to have a win tonight, but Robert needs it more.”

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 11:06 am UTC (link)

Tasers? The fuck did that mean? Will frowned but he nodded, willing to go along with this anyway. “Aren’t you worried someone will find out about your gig and come for you?” he asked. He could see now what the price of asking for a favour was: being expected to return it. If Robert got this win, he’d be hitting the mat for someone else at a later date. But if the actors were too obvious- if the guards sold out for a higher price- if someone was setting Robert up for a brutal fall and was going to notice an unlikely win- Will needed Elijah, he could see that clearly, so he was going to have to watch the man’s back for him. Funny how he ended up in this position so naturally. “You think they’re gonna buy you losing to him?”

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drifting_embers
2023-02-25 11:11 am UTC (link)

“No,” Elijah said honestly. He didn’t think anyone would buy it, but it also didn’t matter. No one cared as long as they got to place their fucking bets and watch the grisly fights. “They don’t care, Will. Everyone knows I do this. They let me because it benefits everyone. Maybe not all at once, but- it works.”

Elijah led Will over to Travis, and he said, “can I have a word?” as casually as possible. Travis immediately looked interested.

“That depends,” he said, “how much do you have?”

Elijah reached out his hand and shook Travis’, the money exchanged easily. Travis took a second, and then he nodded. “I want you to stop setting up Robert against the Gang. Can I come back to you with a name? He needs a win, Travis.”

Travis glanced out over the common room and then he said, “word is they want him out.”

“There’s easier ways to do that than starving him,” Elijah hissed. Like..they could let him go. Or let one of the gang kill him. Not that Elijah wanted that! But it would be quicker. “He’s got four months to go. Come on.”

Travis heaved a sigh, but he finally nodded. “I’ll get it done,” he said. “Get me the name. Now fuck off.”

“Gladly,” Elijah said, stepping away, Will beside him. “So that’s Travis,” he said, once out of earshot.

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 11:13 am UTC (link)

Will had known guards of that nature in prison. They might be self-interested arseholes, but at least you knew where you stood with them. “Yep,” he said, hands in the pockets of the grey trackpants he’d been provided with. He had so many questions circling his head, but he was trying to judge the best time to let them out, so as not to piss Elijah off. He pursed his lips in thought, his silence heavy.

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drifting_embers
2023-02-25 11:16 am UTC (link)

Elijah took a second then, surveying the common room to figure out who had had a win the previous night. And figuring out which of them would be most amenable to fixing a fight for Robert, in exchange for some cigarettes. “Hmm. I think Rowan over there is our most likely choice. We’ll try him first. Cigarettes are like gold in here, and he’s a good guy.” Elijah glanced over at Will. “You smoke by any chance? Makes you feel less hungry. Most guys here would do a lot for a pack of cigarettes.”

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	rouge_rogue 2023-02-25 11:24 am UTC (link)
	He shook his head. “Nah. Not for me. My body is my temple and all that.” Will had no problem with other people doing it, and it left more cigarettes for barter. He kept back a step as Elijah approached Rowan, trying to look relaxed as Rowan kept glancing at him and trying to figure out why he was there. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

drifting_embers
2023-02-25 11:27 am UTC (link)

“You got a partner now?” Rowan asked as he held his hand out for the cigarettes. “What’s his deal?”

“He’s just my roommate,” Elijah explained, handing the cigarettes over. “Replaced Seth.” His deal was…Elijah wasn’t quite sure. He couldn’t work Will out. The man wanted to know how things worked, and he presented like some stuck up rich snob, but then he did things- Honestly, Elijah had no idea. “And he’s not why I came over. Thanks for doing this, Robert really needs the win. You enjoy those,” he said, moving back away from Rowan so he could enjoy his smoke.

“How are you doing, Will?” Elijah asked, as they headed away. “Can you go another night without a win, or do you need one?” The first few months were always the hardest for people, as they got used to being in pain all the time, and feeling hungry most of the time.

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 11:30 am UTC (link)

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Will kind of wanted a reputation for winning. Yeah, it was selfish and vain, but he’d worked hard for his skills. But on the other hand… it’s what Robin would do. And it’s what Tuck would do. And it was what he would do too, when he was done being selfish. Losing and making it look believable though…

“I’m fine,” he said. “Just miss my protein shakes. Gonna lose definition.” There were some of the Gang doing pull ups on a rack in the corner, and he eyed them up for a moment. He wasn’t about to go over there and fight them for use of the equipment.

Anyway. He had his little egg cup with its… adequate never-ending foodstuff. It stopped his belly being empty, even if the smell of oatmeal did make him feel off. “Who do you want me to lose to?”

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drifting_embers
2023-02-25 11:34 am UTC (link)

“I- I honestly forgot protein shakes even existed,” Elijah said, chuckling a little bit, despite himself. Protein shakes. Of all the things. He glanced at Will, his expression inching ever closer to a smile. “I didn’t have anyone in mind,” Elijah explained, “it was more…I was wondering if I needed to ask someone to throw a fight foryou. I have a few more cigarette packs, and there are people I could ask.” If he was fine though…

“I can’t quite work you out, Will,” Elijah finally said, being honest about it because why not?

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 11:36 am UTC (link)

With a surprised laugh, Will shook his head. “Nah don’t do that to anyone. Save that favour for later.” He looked back at Elijah with an enigmatic smile. “What’s to work out? Hit rock bottom, now I’m here.” Maybe Elijah was cleverer than Will had given him credit for. Maybe Will wasn’t that good of an actor. He’d always been more of a showman anyway. Although if Elijah wanted unconvincing drag to distract a guard while he snuck around and stole things, Will was his guy.

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	drifting_embers 2023-02-25 11:45 am UTC (link)
	Elijah wasn’t sure he bought it, but if Will was going to keep pushing that story, it wasn’t fair to pick at it. “Here is definitely worse than rock bottom,” Elijah nodded. “Sorry you ended up here, man. Sucks. I’ve been here nearly two years now.” (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 11:53 am UTC (link)

“Well if my fucking uncle hadn’t kicked me out, I wouldn’t be here.” Will rolled his eyes and looked around the room. “Two years, man. Two fucking years because my fucking family wouldn’t step up like they are supposed to. For family.” He was trying to play up the entitlement a bit, remembering his backstory was supposed to play a part now he was almost being called out.

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drifting_embers
2023-02-25 11:53 am UTC (link)

That sounded rough. Elijah didn’t know what Will’s uncle needed to step up for, but it still sucked feeling left behind. “That’s shit,” Elijah said, though all of this was shit, really. “I should put the rest of these cigarettes back then. Unless- I’m going to check on Robert. Tell him he’ll get something to eat tonight. Maybe he could do with a few cigarettes too, to be honest. Want to come?”

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-25 11:50 pm UTC (link)

“Well I got nothing else going on.” Will followed Elijah, still keeping his eyes peeled to take in everything that was happening around them. Maybe he should grab a cigarette, if only just to have a reason to stand with people and eavesdrop. Over by the bathrooms, a guy was slipping inside, looking around a little too furtively to see if anyone was watching. Will decided to give him the decency of looking away. Let him have his moment in peace.

Robert was suitably appreciative of being rescued, but Will knew he was getting looks, even though he wasn’t standing too close. Elijah was too much of the man around here for someone new following him around to not get noticed.

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drifting_embers
2023-02-26 09:07 am UTC (link)

“Here, Robert,” Elijah dug a few cigarettes out of his pocket and he passed them over. “Have those if you feel you need them. Or trade them for an extra bite. Our gruel should be here soon anyway,” Elijah said, the bit about the gruel came out grumpily. “See you tonight, alright?”

“Thanks, Eli,” Robert breathed. He glanced up at Will, but only for a moment before focusing on hiding the cigarettes.

Elijah stood and headed back to the cell he shared with Will, intent on hiding his cigarettes again. Once in there, they were away from the common area, and less likely to be overheard. “You know I’ve been thinking about staying,” Elijah admitted, his voice quiet. “Once my two years are up. I hate it here, but I worry about the rest of these people.”

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rouge_rogue
2023-02-26 10:44 am UTC (link)

Will was leaning by the door, arms folded as he waited, but when Elijah spoke, he looked around with a frown. “Stay? Here? Their whole deal is to kill you. They don’t want you to leave. You’ve more than earned your freedom.” He didn’t speak too loudly, not wanting to be overheard. “I’ve only known you a few days but shit, you can’t let them win like that.”

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