Aries has seen him before. The forest last year, while he did nothing to help when he was held down by a peacemaker and now, he's an Avox. His tongue cut out, cleaning up a mess made by the tantrum.
Aries grits his teeth, ashamed. "I..." But there's nothing to say.
The Avox dips a napkin in some water and reaches for his hand which is now just noticing only that he'd cut himself when he smashed the dishes. Gently, slowly, Aries watches as Avox cleans his wound, he feels more guilty for receiving kindness from a slave.
"I'm sorry. I should have saved you." No reply, of course. "I should've tried." But there was a faint response in his eyes, it was soft and kind. Then he takes the tray from the room just in time for Estella to enter Aries's room, she tenderly greets Avox and whispers a thank you.
"Can't sleep?" Aries covers his negative emotions with a smirk, trying to make her forget about the scene she might have witnessed but she wasn't bribing it. She watched as Aries stood up and sat at the edge of the bed. Casually strolling ahead, embedding herself beside him and embracing him into a tight hug knowing he needed it.
That official broke Aries.
Estella's hug tightened when he broke into soft sobs, his grip around her waist hurt but the girl endured the pain, letting him flow out the emotions he was holding. Burying his head in between Estella's neck and shoulder, his cries are reserved but the droplets are heavy on Estella.
Aries wasn't alone, he who had always been alone from a young age finally encountered someone who would stay by his side till the end. That night, they slept together in each other's embrace until the next morning called upon them to start the day.
➴ ➵ ➶ ➴ ➵ ➶ ➴ ➵ ➶
Training Center - Gym.
Massive space stations were set up for archery, knife-throwing, fire-building, rope-climbing, botany, wrestling, and sprinting. The Tributes will be evaluated here. They file in now as the Game makers chat by a buffet. We find Dennis, sampling the drink cart with surprised Haymitch beside him.
They talk among themselves until they sigh, and turn: Betto is right behind them, ready to emasculate: "It's touching, your dedication to your Tributes. Makes me wonder why your tribute never win a game, and yours always seem to lose in the first hour!"
They both choose to ignore them, splitting way to head to their tributes. Dennis reaches out to Aries and Estella who are amused at how their mentor is handling the backlash. "You two will be evaluated soon. You'll just have to get their attention somehow. Should be a good fit for you, Aries cause it's the only pre-Games event that won't require you to be pleasant."
"Oh, the fun." Aries responds sarcastically which earns Dennis to nudge him brutally on his side. Estella notes the other Tributes: Cato, Clove, Marvel, Glimmer, and Bravura. The group is scoping the room out, undaunted. "That means you want us to try today?"
"Absolutely. You're very best. Get a good score, and Sponsors will notice. Good luck! And may the odds be -" Estella and Aries block Dennis from finishing the words one with an 'alright' and the other, 'shut up', you can guess who's who.
Eight Tributes are being evaluated before them most are from the Career Tributes; Glimmer, slicing a mannequin's head off with a sword. Cato, lifting a boulder and smashing it to the ground. Marvel, throwing a knife twenty yards at a target, bullseye. Clove, sweep-kicking a male sparring partner to which he goes down. Bravura, hurling a trident, another bullseye.
The clock ticks. Estella sits against a wall while Aries paces and turns a corner to find a water fountain. He was about to lean in, until: "Aries White." Estella stood up hastily, glimpsing at him in worry but Aries held no emotion on being called. Holding each other hands for encouragement before he enters the gym, leaving Estella alone for now.
The Game makers barely turn. Some of them are tipsy now, most of them eyeing the buffet to their left, most probably because it's lunch hour.
In front of him is a male sparring partner, they weren't different in size and build. Only half the Game makers are even watching but Aries didn't care, he's going to release all his anger on this sparring match. Aries waited carefully for the male to move. Boldly he rushes to Aries attempting to bulldozer him to the ground with his arms around Aries but Aries doesn't budge from his spot.
This easily caught everyone's attention, Aries didn't look like he was breaking any sweat either. Not wanting to waste more time on entertaining the game makers, Aries effortlessly kicks the back of the opponent's legs causing him to lose balance and hit the floor vigorously. The scene of seeing his opponent on the floor wincing in pain made memories and flashbacks to everyone in his district being punished, it angers him more.
Without thinking Aries stomps his shoes harshly on the male's neck repeatedly while smirking and laughing maniacally. "Get some peacemaker in here! Stop him!" The yells of horror from the matchmakers didn't bother Aries even when the male underneath him was coughing blood out in anguish.
When 5 peacemakers rushed in to handle the situation, Aries held a firm ground that they couldn't budge him at all even carrying in the pain from the hits. The game makers were panicking at the sight. There shouldn't be any kills until the game, especially from their kind but luckily that didn't happen.
"Aries!" Estella who had entered as it was her time to be judged, behold the scene. With one call of his name, he stops causing everyone to freeze.
He scoffed, shoving the peacemakers off him, walking away as if nothing, while his opponent was having an arduous time breathing in the back. He stops right beside Estella, their pinky finger clinging to each other like a whisper of good luck before leaving the place to soon be greeted by Dennis.
COUGH! COUGH!
Estella snaps her head up at the game makers, They are fixing themselves from the killing scene they witness, "Estella Perez. Enter." As she walked in she took notice in the far corner between the other game makers, Seneca was there, glaring at the man who was distinctly savoring everything.
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