The Secret's in the Telling [1x1]

[malikyiaue]

This was it.

The instant the buzzer went off, Alex was off his platform, taking towards the cornucopia without hesitation; they owned the Cornucopia, his little group did. They always had, they always would; that was just how the games worked, as surely as everything. So he hadn't hesitated in making his way there, hand reaching down to grab a bag of what might've been supplies as he headed almost straight for the back. But he wasn't running as quickly as everyone else seemed to be; he didn't see the need in it.

Tributes from the lesser districts - even some of those who might otherwise have run away - came after the cornucopia. Hoping for water. For supplies. For something. It took just days to die of thirst, Alex found himself thinking. But he didn't bother stopping, even as he moved to the back, brushing past Nereus and his fresh kill and for once hardly noticing that the other boy was there, his mind focused on he wall of weapons that spread out before him, and trying to keep his thoughts from the fact that there was a possibility that his skin was melting under the jacket they'd put on him.

Why would they give them those?

It only took him a few seconds to spot it - the sword and shield combination. It was a deadly one; the sheild was useful for bashing and deflecting blows, (and, he thought, might've been useful for shade, because this cornocopia was acting like an oven), and the sword - well. That was his specialty. Once the weapons - hilts hot to the touch - were in his hand, though, he was out of the Cornucopia, out of the mouth and into the fray of the battle.

The girl from District Nine was the first he came across. She was about sixteen, he thought, and pretty enough that she'd get plenty of sponsors, and he hadn't even given it a second thought when he'd brought his sword up and through her stomach. He'd watched her big, blue eyes get wide, and her jaw drop open and little trickles of blood escape it, before pushing her off easily with the sword, her body falling to the sand not quite-yet dead but irreparable. The boy - her brother, Alex remembered - was beside her in an instant, and actually managed a good fight, anger fueling him as he threw large crates that probably contained valuable supplies at Alexander's head.

Alex managed to block them. from doing most of the damage. But he couldn't lie that there was a point when one of the chests hit his sheild right and his grip was off because he'd barely had a chance to set it right. There was a noise that he didn't want to think about, and a feeling that ran up his arm that ripped a loud, gutteral sort of yell from him. It wasn't a shriek of pain or a yelp, but a deep, growling sort of noise that would have echoed across the rolling expanse of desert if it weren't for the fact that it was drowned out by the cries of the girl from District 3 as Glitter gave a wicked smile and cut her across the throat. It'd been a slow cut - that one. Giving her the time to cry.

Giving Glitter a wicked sort of smile.

Alex couldn't think about it.

Couldn't think about anything, aside from the way his arm hurt, and how that was blinding and the sun was blinding and there was the boy from District 8, Lyon, approaching him. Getting closer as Alex made every effort to lift up his good arm, his sword arm, a tight grimace held in place on his face, his teeth digging carelessly into his lower lip to keep himself steady. One more --

Suddenly the boy'd gone down.

Crashing to the ground, with a knife stuck in his back and his own face contorted in a similar shape to his sister, who laid only feet away. It wasn't his face that Alex focused on the most though. Instead what drew his eyes were Medea's face as he stepped over him: absolutely joyful.

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Ignite The Spark]

I'm going away for a whileXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
But I'll be backXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't try to follow meXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi» [η ɇ ɽ є ʊ ȿ ] Ѳ Ѳ Ҝ Є Λ Ƞ «
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXDistrict Four Tribute
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxCareer

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It hadn’t even phased him, to be honest, the fact that Alex had blown by him in seconds and darted to the back of the Cornucopia. His gaze had been too focused on the girl as she dropped to the ground, mouth still wide and eyes still with that pleading look in them, as if even though she were dying, she was still begging for her life in a soundless manner. But he’d managed to ignore her quick enough when he’d darted back to grab his own weapons (as well as a holster that he’d found so he could wear the spear on his back), brushing by Alex once more as the Spartan of a man went bolting back out.

Just a minute or so later, Nereus joined them all out on the front of the Cornucopia, small beads of sweat beginning to line his brow as he narrowed his eyes. To his right he could see Ili bolting forward and grabbing up a bow and quiver. It wasn’t her best weapon, by far, but it was the closest she could reach at the moment so it’d have to make do. Once she had them gripped tightly in her hand she opened up a crate and began to search through it, looking for anything be it water, food, canteens, whatever… Which mean she had no idea that that skinny boy from twelve, Kruh, was coming at her from behind with a club raised over his head… If the situation hadn’t been so serious, Nereus might even have laughed and called him a caveman, for that’s what he looked like, but instead he shift and cupped his hands around his mouth.

“Ili! Behind you!”

His voice carried effortlessly across the barren plane, catching the girl’s attention and causing her head to peak up then over her shoulder… In a matter of seconds she had an arrow knocked and ready, letting it fly towards the boy. It caught his right leg, just above the kneecap, and sent him tumbling towards the ground in an incredibly ungraceful manner. The club spilled from his hands and Ili darted towards it, gripping it and finishing the boy off quickly with just a few quick blows.

To his right he could hear a downright diabolical cackle, which caused him to turn his attention towards Gold who was, quite literally, beating the life out of the poor District Twelve female… (Mentally Nereus made the note that if he had been a Captiol man, he’d have made a significant amount of money at that moment.) In just a few more minutes she fell, limp and ragged to the ground at which point Gold bent down, arms wrapped around Vatra’s neck, that resulted in a quick snap and a lifeless body.

The rest of the tributes, however, had appeared to clear out… Having witnessed others dying at the hands of the Careers and wanting no part in it. So they’d grabbed what supplies they could reach and bolted… Nereus could make out their forms getting smaller and smaller over the landscape as they bolted, searching desperately for some place to get shelter.

And that’s when Nereus finally allowed himself to take a long, slow breath… But it felt like the air was sticking in his longs, globbing onto the sides and refusing to move or escape as he exhaled… Perhaps the heat was beginning to get to him a bit. At the thought he quickly pulled the spear from his back and dropped it to the ground, taking the damn jacket off and tossing it on a nearby crate before he reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow. With a quick movement he bent over and grabbed up the spear, strapping it to his back once more before he finally made his way over towards Alex, the look of pain on his Ally’s face plan as day. Ili bolted past him and into the Cornucopia, grabbing a trident from the back wall and weighing it in her hands before she smiled… She then set to work on searching through the other crates, finding herself elated as she pulled out a few gallons of water as well as some other things that would prove essential to their survival.

“Hey…” Nereus’ voice was soft, softer than it perhaps should have been, as he approached Alex and placed a hand on his shoulder, his eyes narrowed. “That looked brutal. You alright?”


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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSee, I'm trying to find my place
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBut it might not be here where I feel safe

[malikyiaue]

How he was still standing was a mystery to him, with the way his arm hurt, but Alexander had remained on his feet. He had to; if he gave in, then he was a weakness and a liability. If he gave in, he wouldn't win. And he was determined to do that much; he could practically hear his father's voice in the back of his head, urging him on as he pulled himself to the nearest crate, the other careers having finished off the last of the tributes who remained in what was a decent bloodbath.

Not the worst he'd seen, but decent.

He let the sword fall from his free hand and stick into the sand at his feet as he looked, but honestly he was afraid to try to let go of the shield just yet; his fingers were numb, and he was pretty sure that he could feel the skin of his forearm pressing against the inside of the shield in a place they weren't supposed to touch, and he didn't want to have to deal with that. Even if it meant he'd have to keep his jacket on in the blistering heat, and that he'd have to work away one-handed.

Mid-motion, he paused and looked around the area - mostly at the other careers. It was a size-up, though he could have easily been scanning for further items. Gold and Glitter. They'd have to go sooner now, he thought to himself, because he couldn't wait for them to find out that he was injured; he'd be the next on their list, since they wouldn't have to share supplies with him if he were dead. If he could keep up pretenses until they were asleep, perhaps ...

Medea. Iliason. He had no idea how to judge them, or what their reaction to this news might me. Medea might keep him around for longer, since they were supposed to work together, but he wasn't at all sure he trusted her.

The only one he didn't spend a lot of time second guessing was Nereus, because he honestly wasn't sure he'd be good at that. He wasn't sure he'd be able to give himself a straight answer. Fortunately, he didn't have to. Only a minute after he'd turned his attention back to the crate he'd been trying to open one-handedly before, he heard the other boy's voice, felt his hand on his shoulder and fought the urge to wince at the pain it brang (not doing the best of jobs, honestly, with the way his nostrils flared and his nose wrinkled). But he turned his head to look at him, and shrugged the good shoulder.

"I'll be fine. Help me get this open, would you?" Even with Nereus, he wasn't going to admit it aloud, and he certainly wasn't going to give in to the injury.

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Ignite The Spark]

I'm going away for a whileXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
But I'll be backXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't try to follow meXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi» [η ɇ ɽ є ʊ ȿ ] Ѳ Ѳ Ҝ Є Λ Ƞ «
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXDistrict Four Tribute
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxCareer

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It was a lie. Nereus wasn’t dense, and he could easily see the way his face had tensed slightly when he’d placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder. Granted he didn’t the extent of whatever damage had been done, but he knew Alex had been hurt. However, he understood the need to keep weaknesses as quiet as possible… And injured or not, Alex could still prove to be an asset so Nereus had no need or want for him to die.

“Right.” Nereus responded with a simple nod of his head as he bent forward and pulled the crate open with little no effort. But what he saw inside completely confused him, his dark brows furrowing as he reached in. Strong fingers curled around soft fabric and pulled it up, examining it in the air.
“Are they crazy?” He scoffed… Because he was currently holding what felt like a fleece blanket. One that would no doubt keep you warm when the chill set in… But it was absolutelu blistering out here… With the landscape they were surrounded by, he doubted that the temperature would drop that much to need blankets.

After a minute he dropped the blanket back into the crate and shook his head, giving Alex one glance before he moved over towards Ili who was pulling a bunch of body holsters from another crate… The kind that could help easily conceal weapons beneath clothing. He snatched up one for his thigh and rest his back against the inside of the burning Cornucopia, ignoring the searing heat that was melting into his skin. One hand gripped the dagger and delved into his pocket, cutting a whole there that he reached through and used to tie the holster to his thigh, then pushing the dagger into it. An easily concealed weapon that could be accessed at a moment’s notice.

“Good idea…” Ili murmured as she watched Nereus and then proceeded to do the very same thing. He let out a quiet laugh and shook his head before he grabbed up some of the gallons of water that Ili had pulled out as well as a few things of food… Because it certainly looked like there would be no hunting in this landscape… At least not right away.

“Alright.” He managed after a minute. He slid his gaze from Gold and Glitter, who were stock piling weapons like mad people, over towards Medea who appeared to be going through a crate of her own, and finally to Alex where they rest for a moment… Perhaps a moment longer than necessary before he finally looked to Ili who was at his side. “We should probably find a place to get out of the heat… Somewhere in the shade. We can figure out what we want to do from there.”



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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSee, I'm trying to find my place
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBut it might not be here where I feel safe

[malikyiaue]

It wasn't a lie. That was the only reason Alex'd managed to say it as well as he had, without completely giving himself away. Because Alexander himself was convinced that he would be fine. Even if this eventual being happened after they finished in the arena and he was hooked up to all sorts of Capitol machines. He would be alright.

He would be.

When Nereus got the crate open, Alex fought the urge to roll his eyes at what he saw there. "They must be."

But that was all he could really focus on the conversation. Fortunately there wasn't much more of it he missed, as he moved between the crates, his eyes glancing at this and that. He'd picked up the sword again before heading back into the cornucopia for the scabbard. That, and perhaps a knife to strap to the edge of his shield, and he'd be set. That was all he could manage: the thoughts right now, as the heat and pain clouded his mind. Thoughts of how to survive. How to make sure that he did make it out of here.

He hadn't quite gotten that far, though, when he heard Nereus speak next, and he glanced over at him, returning the slightly-more-than-it-should lingering look, before nodding squarely and resolutely. It was, after all, the right decision. Medea was already losing clothing, rolling up her pants legs and having shed the jacket a while ago, tying it around her waist. Her shirt followed next, in an incredibly classy move where she tucked the hem up and under the lower edge of her bra. It was the sort of thing that might've been funny, were it not for the fact that Alex completely and entirely understood where she was coming from.

"Right. There's a mountain over there..." He gestured - though mountain might've been a bit generous for the bit of rock that jutted up from the landscape.

It hardly mattered; he'd given a jerk of his head to indicate that they should move out - one that hadn't really been protested by anyone. The idea of escaping this heat was just too much to resist; the cornucopia offered shade, but the metal of the structure just amplified the heat. Alex was still the only one still wearing his jacket, and by the time they made it to the rock, nearly everyone else had managed to at least take the idea of rolling up their pants. Gold had shed his shirt less than halfway into the walk.

He had, however, managed (in part by letting himself slip to the end of their little group so that no one would see his face as he did so) to pull his arm above his head, using the rather light-weight sheild as a shade source.

The arrival wasn't exactly the most thrilling thing in the world though: there was space for shade, but nothing that really offered them any protection. A low-hanging rock formation that absolutely refused to allow standing, but was fortunately deep enough for them to be able to climb under it. It did, however, present a new challenge, and Alex watched for a minute as everyone else scurried into the shade and Glitter let herself collapse with a heavy sigh, and Gold rested his back against the far wall. He croched, resting his injured arm on one knee, and moved forward rather carefully, picking his way as if the entire purpose was to keep from hitting his head.

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Ignite The Spark]

I'm going away for a whileXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
But I'll be backXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't try to follow meXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi» [η ɇ ɽ є ʊ ȿ ] Ѳ Ѳ Ҝ Є Λ Ƞ «
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXDistrict Four Tribute
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxCareer

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“Looks good.”

It was Ili who responded first to Alex’s suggestion, her blue eyes drifting in that direction as she nodded her head. Wisps of dark hair fell into her face and she let out an exasperated sigh as she dug around one of the crates quickly, grabbing a small piece of thread that had been used to tie some of the blankets together. In a quick moment she had her hair up and pulled back into a ponytail, because, for some reason unknown to her, her stylist had seen fit to leave her hair down when entering the arena…

Once she was comfortable and satisfied she stepped into line along side Glitter who was busy shedding her jacket, a move that Ili quickly copied, and like Medea they both tied it hurriedly around their wastes. Nereus had fallen in step with Gold, all but ignoring the other male as he pulled his shirt of and over his head, causing some of the weapons he’d gathered to clang loudly against him… If Nereus had any hope of being stealthy at any point, Gold would absolute have to go. There was no way this guy could be quiet.

Eventually the group made their way to the ‘mountain’, and found a low over hang that would certainly provide shade, but not much of anything else. Ili and Glitter were the first to shimmy in, followed after by Medea. Gold and Nereus entered shortly after them, and Alex was dead last… Taking his dear sweet time. The shade brought with it an immediate relief from the heat, and Nereus could feel himself breathing a bit easier, his gaze flicking towards Ili who was talking animatedly with Glitter about strategy… Apparently they wanted to go hunting for other tributes before the day was out… And while he certainly understood why, he couldn’t necessarily justify going out in this heat to search for them when they’d all scattered in different directions.

Once Alex had finally crawled in, Nereus shift and moved closer to the boy, his expression one of mixed curiosity and an overwhelming sense of knowing… He could tell by the way that Alex was moving that he’d injured his arm… But perhaps that came from having been friends with the boy for so long now, because the others all seemed to either not notice or not care.

“Hey…” His voice was quiet as he spoke, making sure to keep from being over heard. For a moment it was clear, the flicker of worry that made its way across his face before he managed to stamp it out, making every word that came from his mouth sound very businesslike. “It’s not going to do us any good if you’re hauling around an injured limb…” He managed, glancing back towards the other four to make sure they couldn’t hear him. “I don’t know what you did, or what happened… But if you let me look at it I’ll see if I can help you fix it up so it’s at least usable…”


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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSee, I'm trying to find my place
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBut it might not be here where I feel safe

[malikyiaue]

The shade was a welcome respite, and Alex found his head clearing at least slightly as a direct result. The air even felt easier to breath, crisper, if not really that much cooler. It was the sort of thing that almost felt like a miracle, after the heat they'd just endured. "Hey, Glitter. Hand me some of that water, would you?" He called across their little shelter, looking over at where the girls were gathered, Medea lounging as she listened to Glitter and Ili talking, and throwing in her own two cents every so often.

Gold seemed to be in his own little world for the moment, handing over the bottle when it was passed to him only after having taken a generous swig himself. The dearness of the water was something to watch out for - except that none of them really believed that they'd let the games go on long enough not to have access to it. There was some underlying understanding, it seemed, that the instant their water was gone, it'd turn into a literal free-for-all between them, and whoever made it out, made it out.

Until then, they'd drink when they needed to.

Alex gave a little bit of a smile - a more perfunctory one that didn't quite reach his eyes - when the bottle was passed to him, and he took a sip, setting it down between his feet and looking out over the landscape. His mind wasn't on the issues currently facing them, so much, as the ideas for where people might be hiding. He'd had a contribution to the hunting idea - and he'd very nearly voiced it. And then Nereus had settled in beside him, and his thought process took an abrupt turn, like a train skipping tracks.

It felt about as pleasant as well.

Not that thinking of Nereus wasn't nice - because as much as he tried to pretend it wasn't, it was - but because it was haluting and grinding and all-together not the sort of thing he needed to be thinking about right now. The hunting was what he should be thinking about. Still, he couldn't help but here Nereus's words, and he turned his head to look over at him. It was a relatively brief look, before his eyes went to the other tributes.

That much was pointed. It was clear: Not while they're here. He hadn't said it, but he probably didn't need to. His gaze drifted back to Nereus after a moment, before he gave his only verbal answer: "Maybe later." And his eyes fell to the shield on his arm. The one he wasn't entirely sure he could put down at the moment. Not that he had any idea when the other tributes might leave, either, but he had every idea that putting down the shield would probably hurt worse than anything else right now and there'd be no way he could hide that.

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Ignite The Spark]

I'm going away for a whileXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
But I'll be backXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't try to follow meXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi» [η ɇ ɽ є ʊ ȿ ] Ѳ Ѳ Ҝ Є Λ Ƞ «
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXDistrict Four Tribute
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxCareer

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A low, quiet breath escaped Nereus as he nodded his head slightly, acknowledging Alex’s glance as well as his words. “Suit yourself.” He managed with a shrug as he then turned and clambered back over towards Ili, Glitter, and Medea, taking up a seat against the wall along side his fellow co-tribute. It seemed he’d moved back just in time to catch the tail end of something Ili was suggesting for a hunting trip, her eyes wide and her hands moving wildly with excitement.

“I just know they moved into the rock formations… And if we could find a way to scare them out or to force them into the open… They’d be sitting ducks.” Her words were perhaps over animated, but that was part of what had always been endearing about her… Not that Nereus had time to think about things like that anymore. It was a very real possibility that he may end up having to kill her at some point, or perhaps watch as another member of their alliance killed her.

“That could work…” Nereus managed as he reached up and scratched his temple, his dark eyes narrowing for a moment as he let out a breath, glancing towards glitter who was busy sharpening knives… Knives that were already sharp and had yet to really be used.

“I say we just go in, weapons hot, and hack to pieces anyone we see.” Glitter stated nonchalantly with a shrug, as though killing were a part of her everyday life. Ili eyed her cautiously for a moment before shaking her head.

“That’s how we could end up walking into a trap… I would even say that maybe we should split up, but that could open us up to attack as well.” Her eyes then turned to Alex, the blue of her iris sparkling slightly from the light that filtered into their crevice. “Maybe if we find some of them in similar rock formations, you could use that sword of yours to knock away free rubble? Or create an… avalanche… of sorts. Though that’s not the right word…” She bit her lip lightly then and rest her head back against the wall as she thought before she sat upright and locked her gaze on Alex once more. “A rock slide! I think that’s it…”

“That could either trap them or force them into the open…” Glitter murmured as she tilt her head to the side slightly, eyes still focused on the blade in her hand that she was sharpening. “That might actually be a good idea.”



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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSee, I'm trying to find my place
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBut it might not be here where I feel safe

[malikyiaue]

When Alex spoke up, though, it was in an amount of dissent that Ili probably wouldn't like. There was calculation in his voice. "Calm down." Was the first bit, directed at her, and Glitter, and Medea - the three of them obviously chomping at the bit to get more killing done. Honestly, the Capitol probably loved them for it, but he couldn't help but think it was more than a little bit silly.

"Right now, we've got all the water, and the food. Chances are, unless sponsors send us some, we're not getting any more, so we need to conserve what we've got, and not waste energy walking around out in the sun to find possible hiding places." He shifted a bit where he sat, adjusting his legs to get a bit more comfortable. But in this, he was completely confident: strategy had been drilled into him from the time he could walk, let alone in the academy. His father'd made him read all the books, memorize it all. If there was one thing he was good at...

"Let's wait until nightfall. Let the elements kill off some of those who are too stupid to have found shelter for us. We'll need less water then, anyway, and by that point even those who thought it was a good idea to wander around during the day will be looking for a place to stay. We'll be more likely to find more people camped together." Take as many of them out at a time as was possible.

Be efficient.

Be fast.

There wasn't necessarily a lot of creativity in it - or at least none that Alexander saw. Instead he saw all of his suggestions as the rational choice - something that Medea protested loudly at his suggestion, giving a groan. "And what? Sit here in the meantime, sweltering for no reason? You're daft, Alex. Let's go do something." She'd sat up from where she'd been laying in the dirt to look at him, as if what he was proposing was the most traitorous sort of thing in the world.

It took a good deal of effort for Alex to bite back his tongue and not tell her to go on, then. Because the more they went hunting during the day, the more likely they were to succumb to the elements, and the fewer of them Alex would have to kill. The grumpiness, he realized, was just a side effect of his current discomfort talking, though, so instead, he just gave a shrug. "If we had limitless water, sure. But we don't."

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Ignite The Spark]

I'm going away for a whileXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
But I'll be backXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't try to follow meXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi» [η ɇ ɽ є ʊ ȿ ] Ѳ Ѳ Ҝ Є Λ Ƞ «
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXDistrict Four Tribute
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxCareer

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It was clear in the way that Ili’s eyes narrowed that she didn’t appreciate Alex’s quick denial of her proposed plan… Nereus reached out and placed a light hand on her shoulder just as her mouth opened, clearly ready to blast the District Two tribute with a few choice words and stopped only when she felt Nereus.

“Let him say what he has to say.” Nereus murmured quietly, arching an eyebrow at her. Ili let out a huff and nodded, folding her arms across her chest much like an irritated child would.

“Fine.”

Both then turned their attention towards Alex as proposed a plan… One that was, honestly, rather viable if they chose the right times to venture out. Nereus certainly wouldn’t point out any flaws in it, but that didn’t mean that the others wouldn’t.

“Okay. Great…” Gold shot out, one hand reaching up to pull his blonde locks from his face as he huffed out a breath, his entire body humming and ready for a fight… just as it always was. “But I honestly don’t think there will be anyone out… They can’t be that stupid.” He grunted, letting his hand drop back to the cool rock beneath them. “They’ll have find the quickest way out of the sun… and probably be asleep by the time we go out. This heat’s gonna drain ‘em.”

“Yea… I agree with Medea. I say we go ahead and get out there… The more kills we get out of the way, the more time I have to sit back and sharpen my knives…” It was Glitter who chimed in now, her fingers dancing lightly over the blades of one of her throwing knives, her eyes twinkling with the idea of a kill.

It seemed all of them had their own opinions on the matter… all except Nereus who’d remained fairly quiet throughout the entire ordeal, his gaze bouncing back and forth between his five allies as they shot answers and problems back at each other.

“Guys… guys…” He finally spoke up, shaking his head slightly. Perhaps it was the fact that he was perpetually laid back… or never really anxious, but he found how riled up some of them were getting to be unnerving… And honestly all together unnecessary.

“Alex’s plan is sound.” He stated simple shrugged his shoulders before he allowed his eyes to find Gold. “You do have a point in saying that the heat will exhaust them… But keep in mind, that if we go out it’s going to exhaust us a well.” He said very pointedly, looking from Gold, to Glitter, to Medea, to Alex, and to Ili. “How about a compromise… Right as the sun is setting we head out… It should be cooled down enough so that we aren’t all…” He paused and looked to Medea, his gaze looking her up and down for a moment before he focused on the group as a whole again. “…stripping to relieve the heat… But it should be enough time to drain the other tributes, give us a leg up.”


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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSee, I'm trying to find my place
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBut it might not be here where I feel safe

[malikyiaue]

you are my sweetest downfall
i loved you firstxx



Just because Nereus worked out a compromise didn't mean that it didn't initially get a good bit of grumbling back from the other members of their little party - Gold, in particular, was not a big fan of the plan. "Who put you two in charge? He bristled, and stopped only when Glitter's hand fell to his arm, the butt of her knife resting against his skin in a way that might've been dangerous, and might've almost been a threat to even her co-tribute. "C'mon." Though she was stopping him, she didn't sound particularly happy about the idea either.

"We'll need our full strength when we go hunting, anyway." Which meant that they needed Alex and Nereus. And if they'd decided to wait. She gave a slight huff, and tossed her knife into the ground.

The only one who seemed really appeased by the compromise was Medea, and Alex could tell from looking at her exactly why. It was obvious in the way she arched her brow up at Nereus in response to his look, and gave him the sort of smile that one generally reserved for school time crushes. "It's a pretty natural response to the heat." She told him, casting her own glance down at his shirt and then back up to meet his hazel eyes with her own. "No need to complain so much; you can always join in."

Even as she said it though, and found herself flatered by his look, she was remembering that he and Alex'd been friends. She'd never paid enough attention - unlike Ili she certainly wouldn't've noticed anything abnormal there. But it did explain more why he was willing to back up Alex's plan. Either way - if he was staying and Alex was staying, this early in the game she figured she'd stay as well. But she'd seen him earlier. He was a clear threat. With those good looks?

Much like Alex'd thought with the girl from Nine, she realized that she wasn't going to let him live very long. He'd get all the sponsors, with his reason and the like.

The thoughts passed away fairly shortly though; it hadn't been a lie. The heat had exhausted them. And Medea was honestly the first to go, her head resting up against a rock and her fingers digging lightly in the warm sand, because even though she was hot, it was hotter, and there was something slightly comforting in it. Gold was next to succumb to the need for an afternoon nap, and Glitter shortly after him, her arm tucked under her head and a knife still in her hand. It was probably, Alex thought as he looked over at them, a really dangerous way to sleep.

That hardly mattered though. His eyes were getting heavy as well, but nearly as soon as he realized that everyone else was asleep, he looked over at Nereus, and gave an upwards quirk of one brow - an invitation, or perhaps a request. "I might take you up on that offer now..." He said, the words coming out quietly. Alex was prideful to a fault; allowing for Nereus's help felt like admitting defeat in some way or another, which was why before Nereus even had a chance to move, Alex was flipping his arm - shield attached - over and working to loosen his fingers with his other hand - because he couldn't feel them, so he wasn't entirely sure he could move them.

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Ignite The Spark]

I'm going away for a whileXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
But I'll be backXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't try to follow meXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi» [η ɇ ɽ є ʊ ȿ ] Ѳ Ѳ Ҝ Є Λ Ƞ «
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXDistrict Four Tribute
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxCareer

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Of course Gold and Glitter had something to say about it… Honestly, Nereus might’ve been surprised if they hadn’t. He didn’t know them terribly well, but he knew them enough to recall that they rarely took anything sitting down, always having to throw in their two cents… But it wasn’t long before the two of them settled into their small hideout and drift to sleep, leaving just Medea, Ili, Alex, and himself… But Medea and Ili weren’t going to last long either. Granted, Ili would hang on longer than the rest cause she was well used to the heat, but not quite this much of it.

“Oh really?” Nereus responded to Medea, his eyebrow arching and his smile broad as he reached out and tugged lightly at his shirt. “I may just do so here in a little bit.” It was the first lighthearted thing he’d said really since they’d begun training… And it was honestly a relief, like he could feel a piece of his regular self sliding back into place. Not long after that Medea was out cold, Ili following shortly after… Which meant that just he and Alex were left. Nereus himself had begun to drift off before he’d heard Alex’s voice, somewhere at the edge of his mind, calling him back to consciousness.

“Offer?” The word slipped out quietly and in a slightly confused manner before the words clicked. Offer! That’s right, he’d told Alex that he’d have a look at that arm of his and see if there was anything he could do. “Right.” He replied with a nod of his head, but before he could even move Alex was attempting to pry the shield off. “No no no…” Nereus tsked as he scooted over and shooed away Alex’s other hand. “If you pry you’ll make it worse.” He managed, his tone slipping back into the businesslike manner it’d been all week. With careful movements he pulled Alex’s hand away from the strap of the shield, touching the pad of each finger lightly. “You can’t feel that, can you?” The words were quiet as he let out a huff and shook his head. “You stubborn…” He trailed off, not bothering to finish whatever he was going to say. “I really hope you didn’t do permanent nerve damage.”

After another moment he shift and began to very carefully pull the shield of Alex’s arm, pausing occasionally because he knew that this had to be absolutely painful for Alex… And judging by the way his forearm was bending (which is one thing a forearm should not do… bend.), it was clear that whatever he’d done, he’d broken it… And pretty good by the looks of it.

“Jesus, Alex.” Nereus managed as he set the shield aside and lightly lift Alex’s arm up, inspecting it for a moment… And they hadn’t even taken the jacket off. “Alright, pull your right arm through the jacket and swing it around…” He instructed. When Alex had done so, Nereus reached out and lightly gripped the jacket, offering the other an apologetic look. “Ok… This going to hurt.” He warned, but only a second before he quickly shimmied the jacket off. The fast that was done, the faster Alex could get over the pain… He was going to be in far worse, anyway, when they set his broken arm.


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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSee, I'm trying to find my place
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBut it might not be here where I feel safe

[malikyiaue]

you are my sweetest downfall
i loved you firstxx



Alex'd stopped when Nereus hissed at him - more because he didn't want to get fussed at and have the others wake up than because he was honestly concerned about what he was doing. The sheild had to come off if he was ever going to get any use of his hand back; that was that. But he didn't have much time to think about it, because Nereus was as good as his word, and was over at his side quickly, helping him with getting his fingers loose, and the whole lot of it.

"No, not really." He replied, with a thankful sort of tone. His hand didn't hurt, at least. Moving his fingers, while not something he could conciously do at the moment, didn't hurt. At the scolding, though, he just raised an eyebrow and looked up at Nereus. "And if I did? What choice did I have?" Not that he was denying being stubborn. But the point was pretty clear; if he'd let anyone know how injured he was before now - if he'd pointed out that he basically only had one arm at the moment, they would have killed him. Maybe not Nereus. Maybe not Medea. Maybe even not Ili. But Gold and Glitter? If he was entirely honest, he wasn't sure exactly how much he trusted them, except for the fact that he was useful.

That was all he'd managed, though, before the real work had started, and he'd found himself leaning forward, his forehead resting against Nereus's shoulder as he worked brow furrowed and nose wrinkled in pain, and his right hand having come up, his forefinger bent and tucked between his teeth as he bit down to keep from making any noise. The pain that sent coursing through him made the world spin again, and it took several tries for the shield to spring free, all of them hurting as much as the previous one had. It hadn't been fully on; he hadn't been expecting to be attacked like that. The edge of the sheild'd been jammed into his arm when one of the crates hit it, the sudden force snapping it, and leaving the skin with a nasty looking bruise. Not that any of that was obvious just yet.

He followed the instructions though, lifting his head once the act of pulling the shield off was done, and letting his hand fall from his mouth. Nevermind the fact that his finger would now be bruised as well; that hardly mattered. "I think you're a little late on your warning..." It was a joke. A half-hearted attempt at one, laced with a layer of solemnity that would have been hard to underscore, but it was a joke. Alex'd known this was going to hurt; that's why he hadn't done it himself. But he just gave Nereus a permissive sort of nod, and braced himself for the loss of his jacket.

His body would thank him, at least, for the relief from the heat.

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Ignite The Spark]

I'm going away for a whileXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
But I'll be backXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't try to follow meXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi» [η ɇ ɽ є ʊ ȿ ] Ѳ Ѳ Ҝ Є Λ Ƞ «
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXDistrict Four Tribute
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxCareer

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄

When Alex’s head had found Nereus’ shoulder, hazel eyes had dropped for just a moment to watch him before they’d flit back to the job at hand, and that was pulling the shield off his friend’s arm… But he certainly couldn’t deny it. At least for him… even now when he was doing something as serious as this, that strange spike in the static that had always seemed to exist between them. But he ignored easily enough and had tossed the shield aside.

One the shield was removed and Alex’s jacket off, Nereus reached out with nimble fingers and lightly touched along the crooked part of Alex’s arm, his brows furrowing. “You sure as hell did a number on this… Ya know that?” He managed, shaking his head… But he couldn’t help but smile at Alex’s joke, albeit a slightly pathetic one, but a joke none the less. At least he was able to joke, that was always a good thing. “Alright, I’m going to go back to the Cornucopia real quick… Get some wood from the crates and some rope… Keep your back to them so they can’t see your arm if they wake up.”

And with that, Nereus was gone. He’d ducked out from their small enclosure and disappeared into the bright sunlight. It had taken him a few minutes to reach the Cornucopia, a few more to gather the things, and an equal amount of time to jog back, during which he actually had taken Medea’s ‘invitation’ of sorts and pulled his shirt off and over his head. His skin was a tanned color, revealing the fact that he’d spent many days out in the sun… It also meant that he hopefully wouldn’t get sunburned as easily… Wait. Could he even get burned from the screens overhead? Who knew… Regardless, he knew that it was too hot for that blasted black shirt he’d had on, so about half way he’d paused to take it off and tie through one of his belt loops.

Eventually he crawled back into the cave and came to rest at Alex’s side, his fingers working quickly over the woood in his hand. He’d broken it down back at the Cornucopia so it wasn’t a ridiculous size… About as long as his forearm now and perhaps just a bit wider… But it could be hidden well enough by the jacket. Alex would be hot, but his stubborn integrity and ‘strength’ would remain intact.

“Alright… Now this… this is going to hurt like a b***h.” Nereus managed as he once more lightly grabbed Alex’s arm, feeling over the skin for the area where the bone was obviously broken. “I wouldn’t recommend biting on your finger this one… You may break it… Here.” At that point Nereus took his shirt from his belt and balled it up into a thick wad, offering it to Alex. It was something soft enough so he wouldn’t break his damn teeth, but big enough so that he wouldn’t bite through it. “On the count of three.” He offered, catching Alex’s eyes for a moment before he looked down at the wound. “One… Two.” And then he shift the arm so that the bone slid back into place, meeting where the part where it’d parted from in the first place. Quickly then he snatched up the board and placed it beneath Alex’s arm, using the rope to tie it off so that it would remain in place and straight.

“There… That should do for a while.” He murmured as he sat back now, his gaze admiring his handiwork before he finally looked up to Alex, meeting the other’s eyes. “You alright?”


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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXSee, I'm trying to find my place
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXBut it might not be here where I feel safe

[malikyiaue]

you are my sweetest downfall
i loved you firstxx



It wasn't just Nereus. Alex felt it too, the instant he'd gotten close enough - like every hair on his body was standing on end, just waiting for the moment when the shock came. Or like time around them was slowing down, just waiting for the bubble to burst and something that wasn't supposed to happen to happen between them, and it was the sort of thing that managed to take his mind halfway off the pain that was coursing through is arm now. And there was, in spite of all of the pain and all of the static, a sense of warm, coursing comfort that came from the touching.

"I wasn't exactly expecting crates to come flying at my head; I did the best I could, given the situation." Technically, he was explaining it to Nereus. Technically, that's who he was talking to. But really, that wasn't who he was giving the justification to; he knew that Nereus's comment wasn't any sort of judgement on how he'd handled the situation, it was just an observation, but somewhere out there, his father was sitting at home and probably cursing at the tv for Alex having been so stupid as to get himself injured on the first day.

He didn't want to think about that. Fortunately, he didn't have much time to, because then again his arm was being poked and he was letting out a hiss in response, and giving Nereus a dirty look for poking at the injury, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he'd just again done as instructed, and shifted his back so that he could feign sleep if the others woke up, and so that they wouldn't see his horrible, mangled looking arm.

Now that the jacket was off, exactly how discoloured and swollen it was was entirely and blatantly obvious. It hardly even looked like his arm, he thought.

Still, in the amount of time it'd taken the other boy to go to the Cornucopia and back, he had nearly fallen asleep, his eyes drifting shut and his mind being on the edge of it when Nereus came back and jolted him from it rather unintentionally, and he'd had to blink a couple of times, before nodding and offering out his arm. "Alright."

At the idea of putting Nereus's shirt in his mouth though, Alex'd made a bit of a face. He was a clean freak. He never wore dirty clothes, he actually did his laundry on a daily basis, and showered every time he worked out in any way (which was quite often). It amplified itself in many ways. And the expression on his face at the idea of putting Nereus's dirty, smelly, sweaty shirt in his mouth for anything caused one of those expressions. "No thanks. I'll just ... I'll keep my mouth shut." He replied. It wasn't that he wasn't grateful for the gesture; he was.

It was just that he couldn't wrap his mind around actually doing that. The thought alone was enough to make him shudder a little.

He wished he'd rethought it when he felt Nereus twist his arm. Because it'd taken every bit of effort in him to keep from letting out a yell at that; it felt just as bad as the original break had, and he had, infact, let out a bit of a grunt that maybe he should've kept quieter, but fortunately, the noise wasn't greeted by anyone waking up. Not really. There were tears in his eyes from the sheer effort of keeping himself quiet, and it wasn't until a couple of long minutes later that he actually dared to let out a deep, slow breath.

By the time he was breathing again, the arm was set, and Nereus was again asking if he was alright. Alex took a moment to look down at his arm, and the make-shift cast that the other boy'd put on for him, before giving a solemn, quick sort of nod and looking up to meet Nereus's eyes with his own. "Yeah. It's great. Thank you."

A more genuine thanks couldn't be had. Thanks for helping. Thanks for keeping it a secret. Thanks for not deciding that he was dead-weight for the injured arm. "I'll be back at full force by nightfall." It was a brash, bold-faced statement. It was the sort of statement that meant that Alex wasn't going to be content with just using his arm as much as he had to, but that he was going to continue from this point forward as if there were nothing wrong with his arm. And he completed it with a real, genuine smile at Nereus, their eyes meeting again as he took his friend in - and everything it meant to have such a friend.

Static and all.

Because it was only then that it occurred to him that Nereus was sitting in front of him half-way naked, his shirt having been discarded, and that he was actually more than okay with that. That Nereus was, in truth, a beautiful man. That Alex felt his eyes drawn towards the exposed shoulders - tanned and freckled from time in the sun - towards the chest, so toned from their years of training - and the stomach hardened by years of play in the ocean. He tried to ignore all of that. Instead he said: "Decided to join Medea, did you?"

In the land of clothes-less-ness, obviously.

Oh. Oh Crap: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx