Through These Bars || Mathias

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 736

Tags: @lalala145

Notes: Sorry it's so terrible. ;;

The mutant cages.

Really, more like dog cages. Crammed, right next to one another, with scarcely any room to breathe. Try to act good and kind and do what was right, if only so you could enjoy the sunshine while it lasted. Oh, and the fact that you were on show. Always, constantly being showcased for humans, hoping desperately that someone would take pity and buy you.

...Or not. It really depended on the mutant. And the human.

But it wasn't just the mutant cages, it was all of it together. Being put on display, like an animal, like some toy that people could ooh and ah over. It was the humiliating outfit, the government's attempt to both make the mutants more appealing and to humiliate them even further. It was the knowledge that you were wholly and completely helpless in the end.

On any normal day, Alfred would have avoided the mutant cages. They were despicable, a way for humans to showcase their power and humiliate mutants in the process. The fact that so many people could walk past those cages without the slightest negative reaction only proved to Alfred how deeply the idea that mutants were below humans had been ingrained in people's minds. It made Alfred's job even more important.

It also made it a great deal more difficult and a great deal more dangerous.

Thankfully, Alfred had yet to run into anyone he knew personally. He'd planned for it to be that way. He'd dyed his normally blond hair maroon for the festivities and slicked it back (though his stupid cowlick had refused to lie down). Without glasses and a pair of green contacts, it would certainly take more than the passing glance to recognize Alfred.

Alfred's goal was to talk to humans and mutants alike. Both had been brainwashed by society and the government. To convince them of a new idea...that would require patience and subtlety. Neither was a specialty of Alfred's, but he remained the best person to complete the job.

The job that he had been neglecting, that is. When Alfred and Francis had originally planned for Alfred to try to lobby people onto their side, it had been before Alfred had been interrogated. It had been before he knew his brother was alive. And as much as Alfred believed in his ideals, as much as he loved the fight for mutant freedom, it was more complicated now. With Matthew in the equation, Alfred could not simply be as reckless as he had been before, scamming the government as he saw fit. He'd seen the price for purchasing Matthew—much too high even for a short contract. They'd probably raised all the prices for this auction in particular. Alfred considered purchasing him anyways, to get him out of harm's way. Even if it was only for a month...

That's why he was near the cages anyways. To keep an eye on his brother, to ward off any prospective buyers. If he was purchased by someone who dared to mistreat him, Alfred wasn't sure he'd be able to take it.

He'd walked past his brother's cage a number of times over the past few days. Today, he'd only done it twice. He couldn't spend too much time loitering...it would be suspicious to say the least and bring unwanted attention to Alfred and possibly Matthew. So he'd stay in the vicinity, close enough just in case anything should happen.

While he was here, he might as well try to talk to some of the mutants. Talking to mutants was more difficult than humans. Though Alfred could be more honest and straightforwards with them, they were in a much more public place. People could listen in much more easily.

Moreover, it was harder to find someone he could approach. He supposed he would just have to try his luck with one of them. But who? Alfred hadn't the faintest idea. Approaching mutants was much harder. There were guards everywhere near the cages. Most people were supposed to simply walk by them, observe them like pieces of furniture.

Alfred groaned in frustration. He didn't want to do this. He just couldn't seem to drag himself over. But...why not just get it over with? Just choose anyone. Strike up a conversation. Alfred could do that.

He walked to the nearest cage and peered in. "Hey," he said casually. "What's your name?" 

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Deleted]

572

Tags: Alfred

Notes: derp herp kitties

Curled up in the floor of the cage. Well more like lounging, the cushion large enough to cover most of the bottom links in the giant metal box that displayed him to the crowds in the middle of this festival. The stands and the stalls around him tempting him in aways that were rather evil. Smells of the sweets and fried things, sights of the trinkets he wished to be out there enjoying himself and celebrating what ever the festival was for not sitting in the cage, displayed like an animal for all to see. There was no way to change how things were in the recent time. He had found out the cages were in fact bolted to the ground somehow having tried to move it from the inside. So he was stuck there in the open to be decoration for the people walking around.

It wasn't warm at all, colder than the cells underground due to being outside in the elements. The wind made everything worse but the Dane never shivered. The scraggly felt blanket draped around his shoulder loosely flapping aimlessly a gust went through the temporary square was as good as any thing not a coat. The cold wasn't the only thing that made the blanket necessary. Which ever guards in charge of him decided to be funny and degrading putting him in what could only be said was a halloween costume, flimsy black hoody and pants with the white possibly glow in the dark fabric paint to depict a skeleton that was just as good as wearing nothing considering that was the only part of the outfit. They told him it was necessary to show off to potential buyers what he could do but he quickly noticed not everyone was wearing costumes so deeming it the choice purely of the guards assigned to his crate was about as any reason besides what he was told. It was also the first time in months he'd gotten any fresh set of clothing no matter how silly or how useless they were. At least with the blanket he could hide it a little.

As he was lounging he noticed a rather odd sight, it wasn't the first time he'd seen it either. Everyday he noticed a dark haired person passing by the crates around the same time, every hour as if they were trying to make sure they were all here still. As if the mutants were ever taken away. The only crates empty were the ones that would have a fight that day and the ones that most likely lost, having to recover in peace since they were probably too bloodied to display as if they were in perfect condition. He watched them pass by every hour as if it was clockwork. It was like a TV show that came on with out fail the right time every time. Even if it wasn't so interesting to watch someone simply pass by. Then suddenly it changed, suddenly the man came close to him. Right up to his crate and spoke.

Introductions were ensued apparently. How odd and normal to introduce one's self to the mutant in the cage well ask for an introduction from the mutant in the cage. Mathias decided to give the stranger what he wanted nodding to the hello and answering "you can call me Mathias," There was a pause. "and you? what do I call you?"

made by MISSO for use only by NYX

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 583

Tags: Mathias

Notes: This is terrible, sorry. ;;

Now that Alfred had gotten past his initial reluctance, he was able to fully take in the appearance of the mutant he had approached. He looked tall, though since he wasn't standing, Alfred couldn't be sure how tall. His hair was blond, though lighter in appearance than Alfred's. There was a blanket—if you could call it that—wrapped around him in an attempt to keep out the cold. Alfred felt a little conscious of his own warm clothing.

Like all the mutants, he had been dressed up for show. It was hard to tell, with the blanket that the man had wrapped up around himself, but it vaguely resembled the skeleton Halloween costumes that Alfred had seen years ago at home. Home being, of course, America. Even after all these years, it still seemed much more like home than Russia.

"You can call me Mathias," the man replied to Alfred's question. Alfred smiled. That was something, right? At least he was finally getting somewhere...he'd gotten next to nowhere in anything in the past few days. It was an interesting feeling, being back in the job, starting back up. As odd as it was, Alfred felt a little safer now. Because he was doing something more familiar.

And, he supposed, because he was technically in disguise.

There was a pause before the mutant continued. "And you? What do I call you?"

To a human, Alfred would have answered with a lie. Albert or Arnold or James or Jonathan. George or Theodore perhaps. But Alfred was feeling maybe a tad bit reckless in his security. Besides, he trusted mutants more than humans in this case.

"You can call me Alfred," Alfred smiled at Mathias. It was nice, in a way, not to have to lie. He'd been lying so much these past few days. It was nice to get away from all of that.

He eyed the man's scanty excuse for a blanket once again. Alfred thought briefly about Matthew. Matthew had always loved the cold weather when they were younger. How was he dealing with the cold? Even his brother couldn't be doing that well in the bitter Russian winters...

Now that Alfred was here he wasn't sure what to say. It was, in a way, difficult making conversation with a mutant like this. The bars distanced and separated them, another symbol of the divide. But then again, nothing had ever been achieved by just playing by the rules.

"Doesn't look like that outfit's doing you much good in this weather," Alfred commented as he leaned against the cage, trying to get an idea of how Mathias felt about the whole ordeal. His eyes flitted over the designs once more. "Why'd they put you in that anyways?"

Why did they put any of you through this? Shame. Humiliation. Disrespect. No, more than that. Fear, mockery, entertainment. Alfred glanced towards the direction where Matthew's cage was. A wave of anger washed over him. Guilt swept over Alfred as well. His emotions had been a bit of a train wreck recently, though he forced himself to appear casual and calm in front of Mathias.

"So, Mathias," Alfred said as he flicked away a little snow with his index finger, "how are you enjoying the festivities?" Alfred was rarely sarcastic, but there was just a hint of sarcasm in his phrasing. It was the sort that one could not be quite certain of, yet just enough that it might lead to some form of conversation.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Deleted]

539

Tags: Alfred

Notes: he's teasing

To be honest the Dane wasn't all that cold, with himself originally being from the north and having adapted quite easily to the shitty cold underground cells. Also helped that he was generally the type to keep himself well fed. If it wasn't for the wind he could say it was pleasant if only because for one in his time locked up he got to sit outside. The blanket or at least the sorry excuse for one around his shoulders was really to hide the tacky hoody he was wearing.

He kept his eyes on the other as they were answering him, to get a good look, to decide whether or not it was worth being nice. For one thing he noticed the stranger was nervous cause of the slight hesitation before he learned his name. It amused him quite a bit, regardless of whether or not he knew why Alfred, was hesitating or nervous he decided it was a good thing to work with. Possibly to make his day a lot more interesting. He sat up away from the back edge of the bars to hoist himself on his feet keeping a hold of his shabby blanket like it was basically a cloak of some sort, maybe the thing could be a neat fashion accessory if anything else. A couple steps and he was probably a hand away from the stranger, the only thing really in the way being the bars they seemed to be wide enough to fit his fore arm through but beyond that it was a tight squeeze and they were steel so they were very cold to the touch.

"the outfit? Well I couldn't say it's any good, not for the cold anyways, could be worse though, they could have decided to put me in a speedo you know" There it was, his teasing sultry tone escaping through as he smirked. Wondering what exact images he could work into this stranger's head, promptly ignoring the fact that it was still the middle of winter and there were children in the crowds around him. He leaned in closer against the bars as if it was a door way or something, posing and flaunting whatever he had on him at the moment. The Dane shrugged as if to answer the question for real, why the costume "cause they can, pretty much..." He started off glancing down at the painted sweat pants on himself "the guards think it's amusing you know?"

Mathias smirked not like that sight was anything rare from him. Most people would have rolled their eyes at the question, what festivities? The mutants were part of the decorations and the entertainment and not allowed to have any fun themselves. His tone didn't change when he responded to it. "I don't know about you but, the festivities? could be better you know? I mean the whole cage thing is kinda neat but it'd be nice if they put it closer to the food stands." He chuckled though half of it was kinda true he knew and the guards knew exactly what'd happen if he could reach the food stands and they also knew that any attempts to punish would never teach the blond anything anyways.

made by MISSO for use only by NYX

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 539

Tags: Mathias

Notes: Sorry for the lateness...couldn't get it up last night.

The man stood up and approached Alfred, until they were barely standing a foot apart. The closeness briefly brought Alfred's unease back, but the man's voices penetrated his thoughts before they got much of anywhere.

"The outfit? Well I couldn't say it's any good, not for the cold anyways, could be worse though, they could have decided to put me in a speedo you know." There was a lightness to Mathias's tone, which eased Alfred's tensions a little.

Alfred briefly thought about the man's comment. "Yeah, that would be worse," he said. "God, that'd be cold." The guards wouldn't be that cruel...if the mutants got frostbite, that didn't exactly bode well for them either. Didn't want your competitors rotting as they fought.

It would be pretty humiliating too, now that Alfred thought about it.

Mathias leaned against the bars of the cage, seeming to be surprisingly comfortable with talking to Alfred. That was surprising, though Alfred supposed that Mathias was probably bored from sitting around. He seemed like the sort who would get bored pretty quickly.

Mathias shrugged at Alfred's next question. "'Cause they can, pretty much." He glanced down at his own outfit. "The guards think it's amusing, you know?"

Amusing...dressing a grown man up in a Halloween costume. Alfred's anger flared up again. His emotions had been all over the place recently. He really needed to get a better hand on them.

"Hardly," Alfred muttered as he stuck his hands in his pockets. Amusing was most certainly not the word that Alfred would use.

Mathias smirked. "I don't know about you but, the festivities? could be better you know? I mean the whole cage thing is kinda neat but it'd be nice if they put it closer to the food stands."

Alfred laughed. Clearly, Mathias wasn't being serious with him. It was the lightness of the conversation that made Alfred feel a little more comfortable though. He didn't really want a serious conversation. He probably should want one...but Alfred realized that all he wanted was human conversation. Alfred knew why he was bothering with coming here in the first place, but somehow that seemed to slip his mind.

"Yeah, I imagine. Though I hardly think the 'cage thing' as you put it is desirable." It was just a larger version of a dog pound. Dog fights and dog pounds and humans mistreating one another. It was just a whole show to flaunt power, over, and over, and over again...

Alfred wanted to slap himself. Why were his thoughts so scattered these days? He knew the answer, but Alfred needed to focus and just do his job for once. Then maybe he would leave and head home and...and what?

"So, Mathias, tell me what you would do if you were closer to the food stands." Alfred was getting the feeling that Mathias was hardly a mutant that liked to sit around and be obedient. That was important. Maybe he'd be on the Freedom Fighters' side then, maybe he would be willing to aid them from the inside. Back on the job. The thought made Alfred both relieved and oddly disappointed. It would've been nice to not think about why he was here and just hold a straightforward conversation.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia

[Deleted]

426

Tags: Al

Notes:welp I tried, with the new wordcount

"It'd be cold but," Mathias started off his tone teasing as it ever was "it'd also be kinda hot, if you know what I mean?' There was almost a chuckle at the end of that one. Wanting this new human to understand what he was going for though trying to keep his wording subtle. He didn't want the message he was trying to make to them reach the wrong ears since he was still behind bars and technically not suppose to be talking to them so casually.

There was a shrug, he wasn't really too unhappy with the notion here, being dressed up in costume for show just because it made the officials or at least the guards hired to keep them all in check amused. Amusement using humiliation was not uncommon and by no means was the outfits the worst of what was decided for them. "It's honestly not that bad you know, the whole costume thing, when you get right down to it of course."

Even with the awkwardness the bars placed the fact that with them in the way it was hard to see this as a normal one on one casual conversation. It was like a barrier that was impossible to imagine didn't exist making the whole situation to most people the equivalent like chatting through a screen door. The door was there but everything blew through it like there might as well be nothing there. Still though the barrier made it much harder to well, to get closer to them, see them, watch how they reacted. Although regardless of everything the vibe, the tone the whole thing still felt very comfortable. It had been a long while that he'd had a casual conversation with humans. The only humans he did see were the ones he never wanted to talk to, the ones that decided humiliation and fear was the only way to get cooperation, the ones that thought of him a highly as one would see a dog. In other words this was nice for once.

The question now though was 'what would he do if he was closer to the food stands'. The answer, quite obvious it was, the type of person the Dane was it should be obvious at least. He smirked, cheeky and amused himself his tone matching like it always did. "I'd take a few treats for my self you know? The deep fried snacks would keep me quite happy but knowing I'd never be able to get any you know nicely I'd have to help myself."

made by MISSO for use only by NYX

[Alfred F. Jones]

it's a

revolution

Word count: 495

Tags: Mathias

Notes: Not the greatest, but eh.

"It'd be cold but, it'd also be kinda hot, if you know what I mean?"

Alfred laughed awkwardly. There was definitely something off about the tone that Mathias was speaking to him in. A casual tone? No, not quite. Maybe if Alfred wasn't quite so anxious, he'd be able to figure out exactly what Mathias was trying to say. He really could be terrible at reading the atmosphere, and this was just proving it further.

"It's honestly not that bad you know, the whole costume thing, when you get right down to it of course." Alfred glanced at Mathias, curiosity in his gaze. Of course, the mutants went through much worse on a regular basis. Still...costumes were humiliation. Something the mutants were forced into for a show. Alfred couldn't even begin to imagine how he would've felt if he'd been forced to wear something similar. He liked being his own person. Being under someone else's control wasn't exactly a lifestyle that suited Alfred and Alfred honestly doubted it suited anyone else. He flexed his fingers, remembering that in a way, he was under someone else's control now. He'd get around that. He'd find a way. Somehow...

Mathias switched topics, answering Alfred's other question. "I'd take a few treats for myself, you know?" There was a cheekiness to the man's voice that Alfred liked. He didn't seem to be like a mutant who would just lie down and take whatever came from the guards. "The deep fried snacks would keep me quite happy but knowing I'd never be able to get any you know nicely I'd have to help myself."

"You gotta do what you gotta do," Alfred said in reply, amusement laced in his voice. "And it's food."

Alfred tapped his fingers against the bars of the cage. Click, clack, click, clack. It was awkward, holding a conversation this way. Alfred would much rather talk with Mathias face to face. It would be much easier, much simpler. It wasn't like he could hold up a conversation like this for long in public. Even being in the Underground was easier than talking this way.

Speaking of which...he didn't have much time. Alfred needed to get this conversation moving in the direction that he needed it to head in. Then he could leave. Leave and leave and leave...

"Don't you think it's unfair?" The words, much quieter than before, tumbled out. Alfred should try to be more subtle, but he didn't have enough time for subtlety. "That you're stuck this way while..." Alfred gestured to the crowd vaguely. "Not exactly what one would call a slice of heaven. Aren't you...angry? Don't you want it to change?"

It seemed the more Alfred talked, the easier the words came to him. Honestly, the exchange could go poorly. Mathias could call the guards on Alfred at any moment. But he didn't think Mathias would and to be honest, right now Alfred couldn't really bring himself to care.

i suppose

by Worldie for Leia