in a supposed democracy

[she_sells_seashells]

Snow's death is announced on television the day after it happens. The announcer speaks of "sudden illness".

There are going to be emergency elections to replace him in three days. Without advance notice and the standard scheduling of elections, they're going to be setting up polling places in the Capitol at a limited number of sites. Some outlying neighborhoods will be served by schools and the like. But most of the city will be congregating at the Memorial Dome to cast their votes for the next president.

(There follow thirty solid minutes of campaign ads. The district imports comptroller, the chairman of the traffic control commission and former Gamemaker, the deceased Snow's personal assistant, and a handful of lesser individuals are running. Bell hates them all.)

"Suppose the Memorial Dome caught fire," she says to Sherlock and Tony, frowning at the TV.

Comments

[sicaria]

Sherlock awaits her downstairs.

[she_sells_seashells]

Shell Bell comes down with the box of unicorns, discreetly solicits the selected bra from Bar, and links elbows with Sherlock on their way out.

[ferratus]

"Aww, you got a present!"

[she_sells_seashells]

"Yeah, Matilda left us a bunch of extra unicorns," says Shell Bell. (The box now also contains the bra.) "Also, reportedly, I talk in my sleep."

[ferratus]

"Well, that's adorable. Love the hair, too."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Really? I hate it, but," she shrugs, "must blend in by looking as ridiculous as possible. On the day of it will also be curled and under a stupid hat." She transferred her Capitolish clothes to the box too and some ruffles are poking out. She produces the hat and holds it up.

[ferratus]

"It's ridiculous, but it's a cute ridic—oh my god that hat."

[she_sells_seashells]

"I know, right? It's a tweaked version of what the District Four escort wore this year. More lace, less other crap, different colors. The dress is worse." She pulls it out.

[ferratus]

"...When you take over the world," Tony announces, "I am going to call you the Empress of Ruffles and no one can stop me."

[she_sells_seashells]

"I regret showing you this thing," groans Bell. "See if I grant you an imperial title, so there."

[ferratus]

"My humblest apologies, Your Ruffliness."

[she_sells_seashells]

Bell laughs. "I wouldn't wear anything like this if I weren't trying to go undercover in the Capitol!" she protests around helpless giggles.

[ferratus]

Tony finally cracks up.

[she_sells_seashells]

"Seriously, I'm going to rule in jeans and a t-shirt and a crown made of coral and abalone and pearls," says Bell. "And everyone will take their fashion cues from me, too, because I will be in charge, and then maybe people will stop wearing this kind of eyesore nonsense." She hefts the box. "I'm gonna haul this upstairs and make sure everything fits. Back in a minute."

[ferratus]

"Okay, Your Ruffliness," giggles Tony.

[sicaria]

Sherlock glances after her, waits a beat, and then sits in Tony's lap and kisses him. Because he is a glorious impossible creature and she loves him transcendently.

[she_sells_seashells]

Bell makes sure the dress fits. It does, the hateful thing. The hat is supposed to sit on top of her hair, not around her head, so it can be skipped. Her bra fits; it goes on and her shirt - there isn't actually any dye on it, she notes, that's good - goes back on over it.

She departs her room and promptly tumbles down the stairs. Her amulet survives the fall, and so does she; she lands sitting on the bottom step facing the living room.

And staring at a most peculiar scene.

[sicaria]

Sherlock goes still.

[ferratus]

"What—oh," says Tony.

"Um. Hi, Bell! So, we have something awkward to tell you..."

[she_sells_seashells]

"...Yeah?" Bell says, blinking. "Do you now."

[sicaria]

"The awkward thing in question would be that we have been fucking since we were sixteen," says Sherlock.

[she_sells_seashells]

"Ah-huh," says Bell. "I'm guessing that you didn't plan for me to find out at all and if I hadn't fallen on the stairs there would have been several feet of distance between you by the time I got down here. That's swell." She doesn't even muster a sarcastic tone for that last remark; it's as deadpan as the rest of it.

[sicaria]

"We did not know how to tell you, or when," says Sherlock, extricating herself from Tony's lap. "Or how strongly you would disapprove."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Well. It wasn't any of my business before the other day. But 'since you were sixteen' incorporates a period of time between us getting together and having that perfunctory monogamy conversation. And I'm under the impression that even when people are not being monogamous they're at least entitled to information on the subject of how they're being not-monogamous. So there is some disapproval. Yeah. The 'when' should've been 'before saying you wanted me to hack my brain so I could date you'. Sometime before then."

[sicaria]