Aramis Rosegold [D1 tribute] (knightofgrapes) wrote in colosseum, @ 2014-01-20 22:51:00 |
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Training was pretty interesting so far. Eli liked going around to the different stations and finding out new things, and it was good to have something to do instead of sitting around letting the prep team dress him up in fake miner clothes. And he really liked lunch, and had taken some of everything and gone back for seconds, putting food away at a truly amazing rate. Ruth was quiet, but he didn’t mind sitting with her and talking to her anyway, all the while looking around at the other tributes to see if any of them maybe wanted to join. He caught the boy from One (he was trying to remember everyone’s names, but it was hard when their names were ones he’d never heard before and would probably break his tongue trying to pronounce), the nice-looking one with the smile and the glittery hair he’d admired a ton when they’d watched the recap of the Reapings, looking at him. Eli smiled back and lifted one big hand to wave. Aramis had been getting up to get more food -- probably another roll of non-One bread from the basket full of district breads to skewer for fun -- when he noticed that the big blonde boy from Twelve was waving at him. Perfect. So far, he'd only been observing him during training, and while he was minding Pecan's advice not to waste time figuring out anyone's strengths when most would be playing their best cards close to the chest, he couldn't not notice that the boy was strong. He wasn't surprised, considering his size -- Aramis didn't think he could have got away with pretending he was a weakling anyway. But now seemed to be a good time to try and win him over -- make him the Lorcan Geis to his Pecan Glint, perhaps, but without the seduction. He believed in true love, after all, and this was not it. 'Almost didn't see you over there, Twelve' Aramis said brightly, flashing a smile of his own -- this time, he tried for one that looked genuinely warm with a touch of surprise, hoping he wasn't giving away how pleased he was. He brought his tray over so that he was sitting across from Eli, and fought the urge to shake his hand -- it wouldn't do for a Peacekeeper to throw him out for breaking the no touching rule. 'I'm Aramis, by the way -- from District One, of course.' “Hi, A-Aramis,” Eli answered, stumbling a little over the name. “I just didn’t remember your name, but I know who you are. You were really good at the bows and arrows.” He grinned right back, open and pleasant and just glad to have the chance to make friends. “I’m Eli. And this is -- oh, Ruth’s gone.” His diminutive district partner had been right there a minute ago, but if she’d gone to get more food Eli could only approve. She was too little for her age and she should eat up. But Aramis was tall, and maybe about his age, and his hair was glittery -- though it wasn’t glittery right now. Eli just remembered the glitter from when they’d watched the other districts’ Reapings. He was like a flashy bird, and Eli’s admiration was genuine. “I thought it was really brave of you to volunteer,” he mentioned. “Weren’t you nervous at all?” Aramis started to laugh at the idea that Eli could be so damn earnest like that -- part of him wanted to be wary that the boy was putting on a persona as much as he was to seem like less of a threat, but his instincts told him that he was truly this naive. Maybe he didn't need Pecan's talent for manipulation to pull this off after all. But he smiled again, this time choosing a friendly one with a touch of amusement in it. 'Oh, Eli, you know, us Careers --' (he preferred 'volunteer', but he'd have to lower himself to outlier language to get the right idea across) '-- we like to put on a fearless front when we volunteer like that, but you know what?' He leaned in closer across the table, as if about to share a secret that no other outlier would know about. 'We're just as scared as any of you, really.' Inside, he was laughing again, because he certainly didn't feel any fear back in One -- only the fear that he could never have a chance at the Games at all. 'Don't tell anyone else that, by the way -- I just thought I'd tell you, handsome blonde pretty boys that we both are. And you know, you weren't so bad with the bow and arrows yourself -- first time?' Eli lifted his eyebrows, surprised to be complimented by this guy who could do everything. Twice, even, and he didn’t think either of them were deserved. “Oh, um, yeah,” he answered after a moment’s pause. “I don’t think I was very good, but thanks. We don’t have stuff like that in my district. Listen, it’s okay if you’re nervous, though. It would be pretty weird if you weren’t.” He nodded, trying to be upbeat and reassuring, like he was with Ruth. “For me it helps to just remember, one of us gets to go home. So maybe it will be you.” Of course it was going to be him -- meaning Aramis. He wouldn't have volunteered for the Games if he didn't believe -- know -- he would be the victor. But instead of scoffing or laughing again, he simply looked down slightly, as if he did need Eli's reassurance. 'I know -- the chances aren't good for any of us, even us Careers,' he said, trying to sound a little sad, but not too sad. He didn't think the other boy would be analysing everything he said and did to the tiniest detail, but you never knew when it came to the Games. 'And it'd be lovely if I could go home, but there are so many big tributes like you this year. The odds are probably in your favour more than you think.' The thought of going home made Eli smile, though he furrowed his brow even as he did, because if he could go home then Aramis couldn’t, and they both wanted to, so how was that fair? That was the bad thing about the Games, that only one of the kids could win. If Eli had his way, they could all go home. “Maybe,” he agreed. “That’s what Addie said -- that’s my sister. She said I’d be one of the biggest ones, and I guess I am. But you’re taller,” he added, and smiled at Aramis encouragingly. “And you’re really good at weapons. So the odds might be in your favor more too.” He wanted to reach out and pat Aramis on the shoulder, but no touching, so he didn’t. 'I'm not as heavy as you are, I think, and weapons can only do so much,' Aramis said, trying to look as modest as possible -- which was terribly difficult for him, even with his showmanship skills. How did this come so easily to Pecan? 'And what a coincidence, I have a sister as well -- two, actually.' A beat. 'They're five and seven.' There, that should do it. Eli widened his eyes at the news that he and Aramis had basically the same family only backwards. What were the odds! “I’ve got two sisters, too! Melia’s the oldest one, she’s married and she had a baby last month. I’m the youngest. Yours are really little. I bet they’d miss you a whole lot. Do you miss them too?” 'Of course -- who wouldn't? Even those of us from One aren't entirely heartless.' That was probably the most truthful thing Aramis had said so far -- he did miss Givry and Fleurie, but he knew they wanted him to be here and he would see them soon enough after he won the Games. Such a terrible pity he couldn't say the same for his new friend and his sisters here. And this was good information to file away for later, perhaps. 'It's too bad we can't all win the Games and go home. It would be nice if we could all trust and help each other.' He sighed dramatically and tried to look a little lost, hoping it had the effect he intended. “Yeah,” Eli agreed readily, because that was just what he’d been thinking. It was amazing how much he and Aramis agreed about. He glanced over at the rest of the Careers, where Aramis had been sitting before. “Well, you have a bunch of friends already, right? I was watching a little and they’re all really good at the things in training. I bet they’ll help you a lot.” Eli wasn’t stupid -- or, well, at least he knew how things usually worked. The kids from One got together with the ones from Two and Four because their districts were all friends, and they usually did really well. He didn’t think Aramis had too much to worry about getting help. Aramis glanced over to where the other Careers were sitting, save for perhaps Brock, who didn't seem to have got up after Boy Six had tried to join them, and Sephora, who had left to go back to training for the afternoon already. He waved and smiled at the other three before turning his attention back to Eli, the look on his face shifting to one of concern. 'Oh, yes, the other volunteers are my friends -- we always are. But you know what? I'm sure a clever boy like you knows how much the six of us secretly hate each other.' That wasn't entirely a lie -- even if the pack didn't hate each other per se, there was no doubt that in the end, they all knew only one of them could win and rarely had the same sentimentality for their allies as the outliers did. 'And Two's never trustworthy and Four, well ... you've seen what Four's like this year.' Aramis shook his head and smiled sadly, feigning disappointment. 'I trust you though -- you're a good person, and anyone with sisters is worth trusting to me. And we both have noble reasons to go home, unlike the rest of them. Maybe we can help other so at least one of us can see them again.' Eli leaned his chin on his hand to ponder for a moment. He knew he wasn’t clever, but it was nice of Aramis to think so. And he had no idea what to make of the Careers secretly hating each other -- they seemed pretty friendly to him, but then, maybe people acted differently in the upper districts. He frowned after a few seconds’ worth of mulling it over. “Everybody’s got a family at home they want to see again,” he pointed out. “I think that’s a pretty good reason to go back home. But I know only one of us can.” He shrugged and smiled at Aramis. “Maybe we can help each other.” He glanced up; people were heading back to the training room already. “I think we have to go. But I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” What Eli had said about everyone having a family was true, Aramis knew -- but some people deserved to go home more than others, and Givry and Fleurie deserved their brother back more than ... what the hell were the names of Twelve's sisters again? Addie and Melia? He'd have to remember those for later in case they ever came up again -- it'd help make him look like he cared if he could bring up their names in a conversation. So far, he thought he had done all right playing around with the boy, even if he was definitely not nearly as skilled as Pecan was at this sort of thing. 'Oh, I think we'll be doing more than just talking tomorrow and the next week or so,' Aramis said, now smiling brightly as he stood up and grabbed his tray. The last look he gave the other boy was vaguely reminiscent of one that would be given to a well-behaved dog as a reward for doing tricks, and he was sorely tempted to throw in a 'Good boy!' in there for his own amusement. 'It was lovely getting to know you, Eli. I can't wait until we're friends helping --' (me) '-- each other in the arena.' |