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

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb glanced over at Carlos. He noticed that he scooted half a foot closer to Kaleb. "I can only imagine" He said, feeling the hand run down his arm, and turned his head. "I can only imagine how much mischief and trouble they could cause anywhere" Kaleb wasn't sure where he was going with the specific places. He didn't really understand what Carlos was hinting at.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Carlos bent forward, hand out to touch his own painting. He was going to miss this color. He was going to miss this design. It was The Design after all. He had been working on it for actual years off and on. He didn’t know the answer to finished it was going to be a man he barely knew. A man he wanted to know. But he couldn’t know him here. There were too many eyes. He knew better than to ruin Kaleb’s life even if he didn’t plan to be here much longer. He pointed to the middle two silhouette people. Their hands were clasped together. “Anywhere,” he repeated, quieter. “Do you think, maybe, if you were to find this crazy person who likes having the guard’s attention, you’d want to give him that attention?” He stared at these two little people. Blue people from his simulated light. “Not here.” He touched his painted mountains. “Do you think someone might remember to dream if someone went dreaming with you?” He finally looked back at him.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb looked at Carlos who had reached a hand out to his painting. He watched as the man pointed to two silhouettes with clasped hands. His eyes watched as he listened to him. He could hear what he was saying, but it was a weird feeling that led him to question his words. "Maybe. I'm not sure." Kaleb said softly. Which was true, he didn't really know. Kaleb had never had these feelings and he'd never been asked these questions. "If they went dreaming with me, perhaps things might be worth dreaming." Kaleb admitted.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Carlos wanted to just say everything, but they weren’t safe within these walls. There weren’t a whole lot of places they could go where they weren’t seen or heard by someone else. Of course, Carlos knew how to be sneaky. He knew the places to be to meet up for unsavory things. But now, he didn’t want to just find a place for them to be. He wanted to talk here. Plainly. He closed that gap again. No one was around. He was good at checking. He put a hand on Kaleb’s chest. Searching. “Let me dream with you, Blue Eyes. We never got to have that dance. I’ll dance anywhere.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb had been looking over the mural again when he felt a hand on his chest. Kaleb looked at Carlos and sighed heavily. He heard him, his eyes wide as he bit his lip. How could he take this man away from this? Here was safety, albeit with a messed up system and guards that loved to punish even the little things. "I can't ask that of you." Kaleb said simply. "I won't. You have a good night." He added, backing away from the contact on his chest, his blue eyes dimmed a little as he looked at Carlos one last time. He was leaving. Tonight. The temptation to bring this man with him was high and the sooner Kaleb was gone, the sooner they could go back to their lives.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

This felt like a goodbye, and Carlos was having none of it. What was here for him? This mural? He looked at it briefly, taking it everything that it was meant to be. He turned his gaze to Kaleb as he stepped away from him. Dismissed him. No. There was no going back after this. Kaleb may not be asking him to leave, but what he was doing was asking him to stay. Asking him to keep suffering but now with the knowledge of how things could have been. He could not accept that. This was not how this got to end. This was the first time in his whole life that he was actually excited for the next day. He had a reason to do what he did. There was a greater purpose other than shaking up the world, because he was bored. He would not take no as an answer. “You’re not asking,” he said firmly. He confidently stepped forward. “I’m telling.” Because that was how this was going to go. If Kaleb was going to chicken out, then Carlos was going to do it for him. He could not stay here, and Kaleb could not go alone. Carlos couldn’t bear that. Not his officer. Not his blue eyes.

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb had taken about five steps away from Carlos when he froze, hearing him. The officer turned around, looking at Carlos with wide eyes. "No. You are not go. I'm leaving to.." Why, why was he leaving? What made him want to leave now that he'd found a potential something. He was leaving because he was a coward. He couldn't break the rules and have a relationship with a civilian in the QZ. He wasn't like that, it didn't feel right. He couldn't stay here and he knew what would happen to him out in the country. He was going to make it as far as he could before he met his end. Alone like he'd been ever since he was born. After all, no one had wanted to be friends with the son of a general. "I'm leaving because I want to be alone. Just me." Kaleb finally finished his sentence. He turned around again and kept going.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Carlos was shaking his head before Kaleb finished his little speech. “No.” He was wrong. This had nothing to do with wanting to be alone. This had everything to do with wanting to be out. This place was a sinkhole of despair and sadness. They were surrounded by ruins, they were treated like less than people, and they were all just a little bit starving. This was no place that anyone would want to be. And then, after all these years, someone finally made the world a little brighter. Except it wasn’t just a little. It was so much brighter. “Don’t lie to me, Blue Eyes.” He followed him, refusing for even a moment to believe this. He moved quickly to catch up and step in front of him to get him to stop. He pushed both of his hands against Kaleb’s chest. “You don’t want to be alone. I don’t want to be alone. I am going with you.”

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb had ignored the shaking of the man's head. He shook his own head as he moved. "I'm not lying" He managed to get out. Kaleb looked at Carlos when he felt hands on his chest. "I do want to be alone. You don't know me. Stay here. If you try and follow me.. I'll.. " What, just what would Kaleb do? Rat him out to Dumont? Get him punished or worse? "I'll make sure my group keeps you here" He finished, placing a hand on Carlos' shoulder and moved him to the side. Kaleb was being very stubborn and adamant about not allowing Carlos to join him. In the end, he couldn't stop him, but he was trying his hardest.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Carlos shoved his arms across his chest and shook his head. What was this guy trying to do? Save him from getting in trouble? It would be easier for him to get out and survive with a friend. Let me be your friend, Blue Eyes. Why do you cordon yourself off like this? What are you afraid of? He pushed his way back to in front of him. “Kaleb.” A word fraught with a pain he shouldn’t have. How can it hurt when there was nothing there to cause that pain? “They don’t want me here.” It was a statement. A harsh but true statement. “I don’t belong here.” He smiled not because he was happy about that but because for the first time ever, someone didn’t seem to be bothered by him. “And you don’t either.” Take me with you.

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb stopped short when Carlos was back in front of him again. He heard the pain when he spoke his name. It pulled at his heart and he hated it. This was what he'd been avoiding. He didn't want this connection with someone. It was all too easy to find that someone who wants to be with you, but out in the country he could lose him. "Carlos. Move. Aside." His words were clipped, trying to ignore the simple sentences, the ones that said they belong together somewhere out there. "Now!" Kaleb was getting frustrated, upset and he didn't want these strange feelings that he was having.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Carlos didn’t move. He would not move. He shook his head again. “No.” Kaleb was going to be loud, so Carlos would be soft. They could be equally insistent. “You move around me. If you want me to stay so bad. If you want to be alone. Do you?” He studied those beautiful blue eyes too dark for who he was supposed to be. “Do you want me to stay?” In case he was not sure which question he was asking. “Do you really want that?” He shouldn’t ask, because Kaleb was stubborn. He could tell. That’s one of those things he liked about him. A stubborn person could say all sorts of things. A stubborn person could lie. But he had to ask. Would that change his mind?

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb clenched his fists together at his sides. He didn't want to be alone, he didn't want Carlos to stay here. He wanted to leave, with him, together. Just the two of them. Where they could travel and survive and be a pair. Here they couldn't have that, here it was forbidden, here he was an officer. Kaleb did, he moved around Carlos again. "Stay here. That is what I want." He said. Liar. Kaleb was a liar, he wanted to bring Carlos with him, but he couldn't do that. Kaleb started walking again. He was running out of time if he wanted to leave tonight.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

“Liar.” There was no way he wanted that. You know how he knew? Because he was always around. He was more than willing to talk just a little bit. He gave Carlos extra ration cards. He looked at all of his art. He came back to this one. This one was made for him in so many ways. This one was a question. Is this how you feel too? And Kaleb answered. Yes. So Carlos turned and ran, because if he was going to pull this off, he didn’t have much time. He didn’t know what Kaleb was planning, and he didn’t know how he was going to find him again before he left, but he would. So he ran out of sight and back to his little room where all those people kept asking him questions. He ignored them. He threw whatever he could find quickly into the backpack he commandeered. He left the art. He left the pencils and colors. He left the paint. He left this life behind. He didn’t stop to do anything for any of the rest of them. No explanations, no words, not even goodbye kisses like he might have at another time. He just left. Now how did he find his defecting officer?

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb heard that as he walked off, but he ignored it. He heard the footsteps running away and he nodded to himself. That was what he wanted. No it wasn't, but it would have to be. Kaleb walked back to his bunkhouse, most of the officers were sleeping, only one bed was empty and that was his officer on guard duty. He pulled out his backpack silently, changed into a pair of civilian clothes, and tossed his medical stash, some supplies he had, a flashlight and that was it. He left his uniform on the bed. Goodbye Officer Price. Hello Kaleb Price. Kaleb turned and walked out of the bunkhouse, bag on back. Kaleb made his way to a part of the QZ that was fairly abandoned, not often patrolled and he could duck through the fencing to get out.

"Sir?" A voice behind him made Kaleb pause and look behind him. "Officer Bradford, what can I help you with?" He asked, trying to be casual. She tilted her head and gestured to his clothing. "I'm leaving. Don't tell anyone please?" He said, looking at her. She sighed, crossing her arms but she nodded in the end. "Please be safe sir." She said, holding her hand out. He shook it and nodded. "You keep being good. If you guys want to follow me, you're welcome, we can get away from FEDRA." Kaleb offered. She shook her head. "I can't. They won't either you know that." She told him. He did know that. "I wanted to extend that offer though." He told her before he backed up, turned and headed for the fence.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Understandably, the crew was upset. Angry even. Maybe furious? Definitely furious. He could hear their screams behind him as he ran down the hall and out of the building. He moved so quickly, because he was afraid that if he missed Kaleb coming out of the guardhouse then he was certainly never be able to find him. Someone would stop Carlos. He would leave in a different area. They would be horribly separated due to collapsing infrastructure or storms or something. Even if their interactions were few and minimal, he hates the idea that they were this close. This man was meant for him. He was meant for Kaleb. They were Kaleb and Carlos. He couldn’t explain it, but he knew this was how it had to be. Blue eyes and strong arms.

Naturally, he ran to the guardhouse first, sticking to the sides and hiding around corners. Listening. Waiting. He was worried maybe he took too long. Maybe he spent too much time trying to dodge questions instead of just leaving. But then he saw him. He was so quiet, so confident. Carlos followed like you do. Followed at a reasonable distance for now. Waited as the other officer spoke to him. Huh. Interesting. Waited until he moved away from other ears and then decided he didn’t feel like waiting anymore. “Okay, so you’ll take literally the whole guard with you but not me? I should feel hurt by that.”

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
High-Ranking FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Kaleb had reached the fencing, bending down to roll it up enough to slide out when he heard the voice. Kaleb lost his grip, cutting his palm on the metal and cursed. He stood up and whirled around, hand fisted to stem any potential blood from the cut. "I've been with them for ten years, it's a little more personal than a guy I met a few days ago." Kaleb snapped. "And what are you doing here, I told you to stay." Kaleb said, eyes narrowed as he looked at Carlos. A little part of him was happy that the man hadn't listened and that Carlos seemed so determined to join him. "Go away." Kaleb said, turning back to the fence and using his other hand to try and roll the fencing up.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Trouble-Making Citizen | 23 | Current location ;; Denver Quarantine Zone

Carlos didn’t move as Kaleb struggled. He would have liked to take that hand, hold it in both of his, kiss away any paint- you know, usual things you do to men you only just met- but he didn’t. He had self control. For now. He would give himself maybe a couple more hours. If he was lucky. It was already dark though. Who knew what could happen in the dark. The stubborn part of Kaleb was by far one of the most attractive parts of this man. Well, other than the part where his body might have been a masterpiece. Carlos would love to have to see the two people who created such a stunning visage. That was beside the point. He was not going to get distracted by that. Instead, he moved up, crouched down, and rolled up the fence. “I didn’t listen.” Obviously. “Well, let’s go. We don’t have all night is some horrible guard might see us, and we certainly don’t want that.”

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Colorado

Kaleb had huffed as he tried to move the fencing with his good hand. He wasn't expecting to have Carlos come in and roll it up for him. "I had it" He huffed out. "Clearly you did not listen, I said you aren't coming." Kaleb told him, squeezing himself through the fencing. Once he did that, once he was free, he didn't have much say over what Carlos did or didn't do. He wasn't happy that the man was dead set on coming with him though. Kaleb started off, straight. He had no idea where he was heading, but he was official a deserter from FEDRA. If he ever came back he'd be killed on sight.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; Colorado

He tried not to laugh. He really did. It would be rude to laugh at someone else’s suffering. He laughed anyway as he moved through the little hole and quietly let it back down. He watched Kaleb move for just a moment, a visual for himself, then skipped to keep up with him. “I don’t know why you’re shocked by this,” he began. “I have yet to follow the rules since you’ve known me. And you’ve been a fan of that.” Don’t lie to me, Blue Eyes. “So really, if you’re going to be upset with anyone, be upset with yourself.” Having positioned himself right beside Kaleb, he reached over and ran a finger under his chin. “You like that I misbehave. Don’t deny it.”

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Colorado

Kaleb sighed, then chuckled a little. “Yes. You definitely seem to have a problem following rules.” He said as they walked. He reached into his pack with his good hand and pulled out a rag. He wrapped it around his hand, putting a section in his teeth and tied it off that way. Kaleb glanced over at Carlos who was now beside him and his eyes widened at the comment. He did, and he wouldn’t deny it. He felt that same shiver run down his spine at the finger under his chin. “Unfortunately you are correct.” He grumbled as they walked into the Colorado wilderness.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; Colorado

He grinned as he barely concealed a chuckle. He knew he was correct. He was always correct. That was not remotely right, but he liked to think that he was usually correct. He was correct about Kaleb in every way. He was more than a guard with striking blue eyes. He was more than a beautiful face. There was always more to someone, and he wanted to know what it was about Kaleb that was so interesting. “Mmm, gorgeous and resourceful.” He shook his head and also the very strong feeling away. “I love that you’re so grumpy,” he said with a grin. “It’s beautiful how you hide from yourself.”

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Colorado

Kaleb rolled his eyes at the man beside him. He wasn't going to entertain him, he had a goal and that was to get as far away from Denver as possible. He looked over at Carlos and huffed. "I wasn't going to leave my medical stuff behind." Kaleb said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He paused in his tracks, watching the man beside him. "I'm not grumpy and I do not hide from myself, whatever that means." Kaleb said, before he continued walking.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Carlos Da Silva
Aspiring Artist | 23 | Current location ;; Colorado

Now that they were outside of the dangerous zone of potentially being horribly reprimanded for even looking at each other, he had no qualms with speaking exactly what he was thinking. This was what many people liked about him. It was also what people hated about him. Kaleb though- he was going to love it. Carlos decided. He smiled as Kaleb huffed. “I never said you would,” he replied. His smile widened when he caught Kaleb’s attention enough for him to pause. Good, that was exactly what needed to happen. “That right there is you doing exactly that. Masking the real you behind the officer part of you. It’s so cute though, so don’t worry about it.”

​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Kaleb Price
Former FEDRA officer | 25 | Current location ;; Colorado

Kaleb looked away from Carlos again, not wanting to listen to him. Kaleb wasn't much of a talker, he was very quiet and rather withdrawn. He did turn look at him again when he said that he was masking himself. Was he? Kaleb had never thought about how ingrained the officer part of him was. But it was. He used it to hide himself. It was how he survived that QZ for 25 years. He had to be his dad's perfect officer, the pride of the generals family. Being the only son didn't help either. He felt his cheeks flush red at the end of his sentence and looked away again.​