Aries snaps at that. Katniss wasn't being open-minded and pointing fingers at everyone and that tone on Estella was something that made Aries's blood pressure rise. He ignores Estella who is telling him to hold it in. He stomps his way closer to Katniss, Haymitch blocking between them sensing his bloodlust was slowly leaking out.
"Aries, please. I'm tired, let's go back." Estella's tender voice was what stopped him from ripping Katniss's thick skin of hers. Taking in a deep breath before letting it out, he glances at Haymitch and then Katniss, "He makes you look weak? Good. Make a show. Prove them wrong. Get an image. Win and go home. Isn't that what you want."
Aries sneers disgustingly at Katniss as he strengthens his posture, causing his body to tower over most of the people there, "You're not going to win with that attitude, he's putting good words for you. If I was Peeta, I would have stabbed you in your sleep." Katniss becomes speechless, she doesn't know how to respond to that, and Haymitch too.
Peeta was surprised that Aries out of everyone was backing him up. What he didn't know was that Aries didn't fully like him, but if Estella called him her friend, then Peeta was someone he would cover for.
Estella took in a deep breath, her hand reaching out to hold onto Aries's arm, glad that his tone had calmed down but he was still snarling at Katniss. With her warm skin against him, he was able to calm down more, "It's called a survival script. Use your fucking brain." Aries stepped back from them, going closer to Estella and placing an arm around her shoulder before leading them away.
Estella waved goodbye to them while Aries kept his eyes straight ahead.
"... You have quite a batch there, Dens." Everyone turns their head to Haymitch, wondering who he is talking to but behind him stands the District 5's crew: Dennis, Iphigenia, and Poppy.
Dennis who would always have a strong front broke a smile. "I know. They showed me my place from the first day." He remembers the scene on the train clearly, the short mini-fight he handles with Estella and Aries while Iphigenia stares in surprise. "I'll go make sure they don't cause more." Iphigenia signals for the crew to follow after her even Poppy, leaving behind Dennis.
Haymitch and Dennis shook hands, before splitting ways additionally.
"You don't like trusting people. I know that. But this time you should. Especially your partner, Katniss." Haymitch spoke out, Katniss stared deeply between Peeta and Haymitch then Effie. Not saying anything, she left them backstage as she stomps out, her anger still flaring in but subtle as Aries's words scar her mind.
➴ ➵ ➶ ➴ ➵ ➶ ➴ ➵ ➶
Night. Estella, alone.
It's the night before the Games, she is in dreamland, a terrible one. As she kicks and moves on her bed, sweats break out from her forehead of the memory being shown in her illusion. The day her parent was shot in front of her, "Estella, run! Run! Please!"
10-year-old Estella watches with wide eyes, fire is happening everywhere behind her, beside her. Her parent was bruised badly after being tortured by the peacemakers, hands tied behind their back and on their knee, as a crowd gathered in a circle around them.
"Is that the best you can do, pansies!" Estella watches, his father scowling heatedly at a peacemaker even spitting out some blood at his feet which earns him a hit from the end of the gun. Her mother had been screaming for her to go away, to not look at them in such a state, blood drizzling down her head almost covering her view, lips busted, and arms blue. "Arie! Arie! Get her out!"
Who is Arie, Estella wondered. Who is this person her mother is calling? The noise of a gun being loaded snaps Estella's mind back to her parents, two peacemakers standing behind her parents each, a gun being pointed behind their heads.
Her view was blocked by a figure of a young boy, in his 12s as he kneels to be at Estella's height, hands gripping tightly on Estella's shoulder. He seemed like he had run a mile to reach her. "Stellie! Estella! Look at me, please." The voice seems similar to someone in Estella's mind and that nickname but her focus remains on her parent as the figure becomes a blur to her eyes.
Her father held eyes with her, he didn't look scared, and he didn't look terrified. Her father had the usual grin that he would have to tease her, smiling brightly as if it was the best day yet, "... I lived my life to the fullest... I don't regret this ending, so you shouldn't too..."
BANG!
Estella winced hardly even the boy in front of her who had his back to the scene, she observed with a gape as her father's body went limp on the ground, "No!! A-Alex!!" Whimpers came out from her mother before she controlled her emotions, slowly her eyes locked with her only daughter. "Estella! Let's go! Please! Estella!" The boy shook her so much, trying to get her to look at him, not the scene.
BANG!
The second gunshot was fired, just in time for Estella to wake up with a harsh gasp and sweat running down her. She looked around her until the mirror caught her appearance, she looked horrible. Slowly reaching up, her legs wobble causing her to land vigorously on the floor as her mind reminded her of the dream.
Silently, tears fell first before soft sobs went out, she never dreamt such things nor remembers the exact thing that appeared that day, for it to dispense up now, frightened her. She thought her subconscious had disremembered such a scary event, but she was mistaken. Five minutes later, her waterworks flowed at the memory, and she gradually stood up and left her room.
Hoping to find something to drink for her sore throat, what she wasn't expecting to see was Aries sitting in the maintenance room, gazing out at the view as his back was open to her. Estella stares at herself first, if she is suitable to be greeting people. In a huge white tee and gray shorts, she marches her way to him slowly not to break the male's concentration on the outside world.
Once closer, she can see Aries's appearance, his hair a mess with a black tank top and sweats, and his eyes look out of the universe. But one thing that took her to notice more, it the alcoholic drink in his hand, a bottle of whiskey.
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