Fandom Life in a Quarantine Zone { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb listened at first, it was hard not to. His eyes went down to his leg as Carlos finished wrapping it up. He looked away the moment Carlos mentioned Jade. "I didn't say that she was better than me, but clearly I'm not the first person you've found fascinating and so I'm sure I won't be the last, so why bother caring?" Kaleb snipped. He saw the hand put out for him and he looked at it for a minute. Kaleb did accept the hand, only because he couldn't get up himself.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Carlos helped Kaleb up because that was not only the right thing to do but also the right thing for him to do. He would have it no other way. When Kaleb was standing, Carlos took the moment to bring themselves close together, eyes quickly searching the other man’s face. “I am so sorry that you can’t see this. Of course other people in this world fascinate me. People are fascinating. But you are beguiling.” I love you. He reached out to stroke his cheek whether he thought he wanted it or not. “I know you can’t, because that wall is so tall and so thick, but I’m going to make sure you always remember this. I did not know you for many years of my life, and I will always know that they were leading me here. To you. I wish you could feel that like I can.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb was going to move away the moment he was standing but Carlos brought them close together. Kaleb again, that small piece of him that cared, listened. He didn’t understand it, that others fascinated him. That he’d known a lot of other people in such personal ways. Of course Kaleb had grown up in a very traditional family. Mom, Dad and him. Dad never looked at others and neither did Mom. So that shell went up because it was something so vastly different to Kaleb’s life and he felt that he had to protect himself.

Kaleb felt that stroke on his cheek and looked away, tears watering his eyes. He hated this.. hated how he got when he was protecting himself. He hated that his walls would go down, he’d enjoy that beautiful moment of peace and love, but then one word or phrase and it was stripped away. Back behind that wall he’d go, lonely and on his own. “Let’s just get moving.” He whispered, feeling those traitorous tears rolling down his cheeks.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Tears meant that he was breaking through to something, and that was better than nothing. Those tears betrayed the Officer who wanted to make it seem like nothing meant anything. But something hurt Kaleb. That was why the Officer was out. Something Carlos did hurt him. Was it about Jade? Because Jade was just Jade. There was nothing about her that was any different than anyone else. Yes, they were close at a time, but he didn’t have anyone else. He had her, Basira, Salim, and no one else. He craved that attention and affection when he had no one. He wanted someone to love him, so he found a way to love everyone. Everyone deserved love. Beautiful men with gorgeous blue eyes too. “Okay.” Don’t turn away from me, my sweet. He wiped away the tears even though Kaleb tried to hide them from him, and put out his arm to help him move.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb heard that word, felt those tears wiped away. He wanted to knock this wall away, permanently. But he didn’t know how, didn’t know what to do and he felt so alone. Even the glimpses of a life filled with love and Carlos, he couldn’t stop the wall from rising. He was effectively trapped, his body doing what it had to in order to protect him. Help A small part of him whispered inside. Kaleb wanted to hug Carlos, apologize and finally allow himself to love someone again. But instead, he took the arm for support and nodded, ready to be helped out of the room.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Carlos walked them out of that room and into the next room. He was quiet for a moment as he let everything sink in. The sting of this attack still hurt more than any physical hit he’d ever taken, which was a lot since he was the leader of the trouble in a QZ. People said all sorts of things to hurt him, and they all did just a little. But nothing hurt like this. How could he not care? He cared so much. He cared so much that it hurt without Kaleb’s words. No. Not Kaleb’s. The Officer’s. He could not let him touch him like that. He could not afford to let that bring them down. In the next room, he smiled at the first thing he saw. He peered around, not seeing or hearing anything dangerous immediately. “Well, look at that,” he whispered to his charge as nodded forward. A whole pile of goodies. “Someone left that here just for you.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb moved with Carlos, silently. He didn’t have much to say right now. Kaleb’s mind was whirling, thoughts swimming through it. The silence was deafening, and it made him uneasy. Kaleb was so lost in his thoughts that he wasn’t paying much attention to anything. So when Carlos spoke to him, it startled him free from his thoughts. His eyes moved to see what Carlos had been talking about. Huh. “Can you pick them up? I can’t exactly bend down well.”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Carlos grinned at him. Words were good. Well, words that didn’t question his entire being. He nodded before very carefully extracting himself from holding Kaleb up. “Careful,” he said as he bent down. “Someone left their things. That may mean we’ve got a friend near. The question is whether that friend is alive but a bit out of sorts or if that friend is not so much with us anymore.” He pocketed several parts and materials he could use to create some fun exploding things and lifted several bullets and additional materials for Kaleb. He stood and narrowed his brows. “I’m going to go find them. I’ll be right back, love.” He kissed his cheek quickly before Kaleb could protest and bound away without a further thought.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb didn’t want to think about just where the supplies had come from. He would’ve been fine grabbing the supplies and running from the room. Kaleb had adjusted to use the wall, fortunately this one was clean. Kaleb took the items that Carlos handed him, pocketing them in his pack. As he heard Carlos say he’d be right back, Kaleb flushed at the kiss on his cheek. “Be careful.” His voice was soft as he watched Carlos bound off. He would worry until Carlos came back.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Carlos moved quickly through the room, searching for any signs of someone who may have been the owner of the supplies. This room was pretty worse for wear, everything looking like it had been chewed up, spit out, and abandoned for nature to reclaim. The outside world really did not fair as well as inside the QZ. Maybe those walls were good for something. Seeing nothing interesting, he swept by Kaleb, with a “Not in here. Let me check that last room. I’ll be right back, beautiful. Don’t have any fun without me.” He squeezed a hand as he ran past with a smile and a chuckle. He moved to the next room, eyes vigilant and ready. Ah, another stash. Good. So, who were you. He moved through the room, searching. Until he found him. There he was, doubled over like he was in pain. That was a terrible way to go. He wondered if it had anything to do with the clicker down the hall. With a sigh, he moved up behind him and wrapped a strong arm around his neck until it broke. As the runner fell, he reached down and touched the tags around his neck. Firefly. Interesting. He moved back to Kaleb to report his findings. “All is well. I found him.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb remained stable against the wall, keeping pressure off his leg completely. His eyes searched the room and he listened for anything but nothing made itself known. Kaleb caught sigh of Carlos sweeping by, squeezing a hand. While Carlos was gone, he grabbed his pack and pulled out a few things and his pistol. Shifting so his back was against the wall, Kaleb took a bottle, his knife and some tape and set to work making a silencer that he could screw and unscrew onto his pistol. He nodded, screwed the silencer in place and moved to holster his gun as Carlos came back. "Oh. Well alright then. Shall we continue on?"​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Carlos swept over and held Kaleb’s hand for just a moment as he swung it before letting go. “Sure. He’s dead. A Firefly I think.” He eyed the pistol he just holstered. “Do anything fun without me?” He asked with a sly grin. “You know that’s illegal right? I am the party you know.” He held out his arm so that Kaleb could use him however he needed for support. Of course, if he had his way, he would just scoop him again. Carry him off into the sunset. That was in no way reasonable, but really this constant traveling around in search of… something? Was also a bit strange. So what did it matter if he carries Kaleb everywhere?
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb felt Carlos hold his hand for a moment, swinging it and then letting it go. "Good. Probably did something dumb and got himself killed." Kaleb said in a bitter voice. He still held resentment towards the Fireflies for his mother's death. Kaleb hear Carlos ask if he had any fun without him and realized that he'd seen Kaleb holster his pistol. "No nothing fun. I just made a silencer for it so I can use it without alerting infected with a gunshot." He explained. "And I'm sure you know every single thing that's illegal." Kaleb added, taking the offered arm around his back and Kaleb threw his arm over Carlos' shoulders. "Shall we continue on?"​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Oh. So we don’t like Fireflies. Well obviously. They were supposed to be terrorists right? He had never met any Fireflies. Salim may have talked to some on the radio, but he was not sure. They didn’t go around telling everyone who they were. Perhaps at a later time, he would investigate this. As he walked them out of the room, he chose to continue talking instead of not since they were running out of rooms anyway. “I do not know every illegal thing. There are plenty of things that are questionable.” Like what he was and was not allowed to do with Kaleb now. That was why he was going to continue to push his luck until he figured that out.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb heard that and tilted his head a little. "Is that so? Why don't I believe you?" He asked, before he thought for a moment. "And what would you consider questionable?" Kaleb asked as they walked out of the room. He might regret asking about that but at the moment, his mind was more occupied with trying to destroy walls versus thinking about what he was saying out loud.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

This was the closest they had been to something reasonable for a while, so when Kaleb asked the question, he didn’t even hesitate to make the decision. Could this end badly? Maybe. Did he care? Yes, but this was what he did. “Like whether or not this is illegal,” and before he could change his mind or Kaleb could do something that would stop him, he twisted himself around, arm around Kaleb’s back sliding around to brace him on the side, to kiss him quickly and then move back into position like he never moved.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb heard those words, it took about a second for it to click in his overworked brain, before he felt Carlos move. He froze at the quick kiss, and once again those walls just crumbled around him. That physical affirmation of Carlos' love just knocked them down each time, faster and faster. Kaleb, not allowing himself to think, stopping the ability to build those walls back for a few minutes, and turned. He wasn't as fast in his movements and his other arm held Carlos' shoulder for support, but he faced him and kissed him back, longer.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

He was not expecting that, so when Kaleb was suddenly kissing him, he gasped. Instinctively, he tightened his grip around Kaleb’s, back and side. Carlos froze for a moment before he settled into the kiss, working himself in before it ended. “Okay,” he breathed, eyes closed a second or two longer. “So that’s not illegal.” He smiled, bringing up his free hand to rest on Kaleb’s shoulder before he gently pressed into his neck as he remembered how to breathe. “That’s good to know.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb had heard the gasp, and felt the tightened grip. That made him kiss more, feeling Carlos kissing him back now. When it ended, he heard that 'okay' and let out a small breathless chuckle. "No.. definitely not." He affirmed, feeling that hand on his shoulder and press into his neck. Kaleb let out a shaky sigh, as he felt tears escape again. Kaleb leaned his head down onto Carlos' shoulder and felt those walls stay down, for now. "I'm sorry.." He whispered, tears falling down his cheeks again.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Carlos readjusted again so that he could wrap his arms around Kaleb. “You don’t have to be sorry,” he whispered as he held him close. “You never have to be sorry when you are the one hurting.” One arm wrapped around and up so that his fingers wove through his hair. “Especially when I am the one who hurts you.” He rested his head on top of Kaleb’s. “I don’t ever want to hurt you.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb felt those arms wrap around him, that whisper and being held close. He hated being the one that hurt, because it meant he shoved everything away from him. Those fingers though his hair had Kaleb letting out a small shaky sigh. “It’s not you that hurts me. It is my past that thinks you might.” Kaleb admitted. Could he ever figure out what could cause the wall to go up time and time again? Probably not, but he’d fight to tear it down. Every single time. Because he hated being alone and didn’t want to be anymore.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Carlos was not expecting this kind of answer. He expected Kaleb blaming himself and not Carlos. Maybe even expected a noncommittal something because it was Carlos who caused it. But not blaming the past. Not making it like proactive instead of reactive. “Tell it that I won’t do whatever it’s afraid of to you. That you’re safe in my arms.” He pulled himself away enough to bring his hands to Kaleb’s face but was still close enough to support him with the rest of his body. He looked at those beautiful blue eyes. “You’re always safe with me, because I love you. Tell the Officer that. I love you, Kaleb Price. I have never loved someone like this. When we talk about other people I knew before or might know later, I will never love them like I love you. And I love all of you. Both sides of you. Walls or not. Officer or not.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

Kaleb heard the first sentence of love and safety and he felt those walls start to creep up. No! The walls slammed down when Kaleb felt hands on his face. Kaleb was quiet, eerily so as he stood there. His blue eyes looking at nothing yet open. He was battling himself inside, one side pushing the wall down and the other trying to raise it up. Kaleb was fighting hard to keep that wall down as he heard Carlos say he loved him. He wanted to say it back, but every time he’d get close to shoving the wall down for good, it would creep its way back up. Even in his state, he heard every word, tears slipping down his cheeks as he remained frozen, that battle waging in his mind and heart.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; New Mexico

That right there was a wall. A wall that the Officer slammed forward so fast that it could have run Carlos down if he tried at all. But it was just a wall. It was a barrier to hide behind. He was a layer of security meant to protect Kaleb, and that was good. It was good because then nothing else could hurt him, and Carlos hated anything that could hurt his Kaleb. His sweet and wonderful Kaleb who defied not only FEDRA but also his father and that hardened part of himself to do something good. Tears meant he could hear him. Tears meant he was listening. And that was good too. “I can be patient,” Carlos continued as though those walls never shut him out. They were merely windows he could open. “I know I don’t look it but I can be. I can be patient for you.” He kissed him again, as softly as he could manage. “I will prove that to you every day.” He looked into those blue eyes that wavered so much. “You protect yourself inside, and I will protect you out here. And then one day, you’re going to trust that I can do this. I can show you the love that you deserve.” He kissed his forehead. “But I can be as patient as you need.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; New Mexico

All Kaleb could think was Please. Wait for me. As he fought against the walls. Kaleb could feel the tears continuing their tracks down his face. Why was this so difficult? Carlos was everything that he wanted, that he needed. So why was his mind trying so hard to shut him out. Kaleb felt that kiss on and he felt his body shake a little. A small indication of what he was fighting inside. I do trust you.. I just can’t get myself to listen to me. Kaleb thought as he heard that. The kiss on the forehead echoed in his mind, reverberating around him. It made his body shake just a little more, but his eyes softened slightly. Kaleb was at war within himself and that kiss gave Kaleb strength to fight harder against the walls, against the Officer as Carlos called him.​