"🆂🅺🅸🅻🅻🆂?" Aries sarcastically questions more and warns Iphigenia to choose carefully her words. Estella didn't respond as she carefully scanned the room, the place was teaming with support staff to clean, bring towels, etc. But something odd about them though, both take notice of it as Iphigenia continues, with no help from Dennis, "A talent that might be of use in the Arena. Anything."
As Estella walked past Aries, she made sure to gently tap his back telling him to cool down. She knew he was going to respond with something more sarcastic and it would hurt Iphigenia who is trying her best to mix her speech. "Anything long-rage. I rather be far from the scene." she spoke, giving Iphigenia a soft smile.
Estella is slowly growing a heart for the woman despite her sometimes lack of sense of the surroundings around her. "Then please don't go near one until Evaluation Day! Right, Dennis?" Dennis nods absently, not genuinely fascinated by the topic, understanding that Aries and Estella would know at least that part if they wanted to survive.
Iphigenia has to continue when the silence grew more between them, "No need to let your competition know your strengths, you see?" Aries smirked now focusing on the conversation, he glanced at Estella who took notice of the plan obtaining in his brain. "Isn't Stellie my competition too?" Estella chooses to ignore the sudden nickname being used by the 2 years older male.
Iphigenia sighs, waiting for Dennis to pounce saying how teamwork is important. Forget it, no matter how close the pair are becoming they both know that only one winner is allowed to survive, at one point they would have to kill each other with their own hands.
Dennis glanced at them with subtle pity and quickly looked away, earning Iphigenia to sigh at the lack of mentoring he was doing, "No. She's not. As of tonight, she is your partner." When they were no response at all, Dennis doing his own thing, Aries and Estella stared at her motionlessly, wondering what excuse Iphigenia was going to use to avoid saving that only one winner is allowed. "The crowd loved you two as a couple up there. And where the crowds go, sponsors follow! So, from now on, you'll be joined at the hip, all through your Training Period."
The pair glance at each other, Aries of course finding the method highly entertaining and humorous as he was able to stick to Estella's side and aggravate her the most he can. Estella on the other side groans but no refusion comes out which earns him to snigger amusingly.
"Aries, there shall be no fighting or wrestling with other tributes. It's not allowed. Confine yourselves to knot-tying or something." Aries grunted, turning his body far from Iphigenia as the woman had burned all of his fun, his mind was filling with ways to get Cato shaking like a child.
Two custodians transpire by, pushing carts. Again, something odd about them, a dullness in their eyes. Aries sharpened his eyes on them while Estella had a feeling she wasn't going to be pleased with the answer if asked. "As you can see, there are Avoxes all over the Training Center. They're here to make your stay more comfortable. So, don't hesitate to-."
"What's an Avox?" /"Avoxes are..." Iphigenia was cut through her explanation by Aries with a heated scowl sensing something wrong with them. Estella glanced at Dennis who already had his eyes on her, the look wasn't good for anyone, Iphigenia likewise hesitated to reveal.
"Criminals of the State... Traitors. They work, and they don't talk, mostly because their... t-tongues have been cut out."
That sickened Aries so much that his knuckles turned white, exhibiting his displeasure. Estella suddenly takes a second look at the towel boy she'd just walked past, his eyes lifeless. She so much wanted to speak out that she saw no traitors in any of their eyes but knew better, she/they needed to survive, and to do so she needed to keep her head high for now and aspire to be less sympathetic to everyone that broke her heart.
Thinking prompt, Estella wraps her hands around Aries's arm, carefully leading him far from the sight, whispering something to the male's ears that no one could detect. Iphigenia and Dennis glance at them then the Avoxes. They felt guilty but spoke nothing, following after their tribute to the elevator, going to their floor.
The car starts to rise, quickly. No one spoke anything, letting the silence brainwash everyone, Aries kept close to Estella who kept her eyes ahead.
➴ ➵ ➶ ➴ ➵ ➶ ➴ ➵ ➶
Now nighttime, in Aries's room.
A clean, well-appointed room that's bigger than his family's entire house in District 12- and contains enough rooms to house the tributes' mentor and escort, and possibly their stylists and prep teams as well, as the latter will be a regular presence in the apartment before the Games commence. Aries enters, miserable, dinner is waiting here for her.
On a silver tray. Steak, rice, salad, and a scoop of ice cream.
Due to his anger issue, he's been controlling thanks to Estella. He smashes the plates to the floor then backs away, reeling, hands rustling through his hair harshly in frustration. But that quick, his door opens, and a random, anonymous Avox enters with a tray. The Avox kneels to clean up the mess, and Aries turns feeling embarrassed.
"I can do that. It's my ..." The Avox originates cleaning and gathering broken pieces, Aries can't take it anymore seeing the scene, bends down, and starts helping with the clean-up. Two males, silently fix a mess, a mess Aries created.
Until something takes his breath away.
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