freeze me | {of ice and men} blitz

It's not as if training amidst a crowd of desperate, sweaty bodies is anything new to me -- but it is rather depressing. 

I've always held a sort of utter disdain for those who can't handle pressure; I spit at those who break down, clawing against the unforgiving earth in an attempt at digging up even just a miniscule amount of sanity. Searching high and low for something to believe in, oblivious as their worthless worlds slowly fade to ash. It's pathetic, and the screeching of shuffling feet and raspy breaths is practically  pushing me to the very edge of a ripreddamn headache.

I groan, running a hand through my locks of brown. I take the time to let my eyes flit about, possibly trying to pinpoint the weaklings that reek of diminutive self-confidence, or maybe it's an attempt at picking out someone that could actually be of use to me.

I'm not ignorant, and I certainly understand how crucial allies are. It's honestly not my fault that hardly anyone speaks out to me, nor that  I had to wake up really fucking early today, and that I'm pretty much in a pissy mood. Everything irritates me -- every lowly little wannabe that tries to swing a sword using the wrong stance, every awkward sneeze, and-...

I blink when the male from Four strides over and outreaches a hand to me, introducing himself. He goes on to remark on how I was checking him out, and I furrow my brows. (Had I been glancing over at him during my slip from reality?) I open my lips to speak, but when he comments on how he prefers to know the names of those who gawk at his perky little  ass, I nearly gasp.

"Excuse me?" I ask, face somewhere between repulsion and respect for his humor. "The name's Hedvig, babe -- and don't go flattering yourself. I can't help that you're one of the few decent people here. Sad as it is. "

Arrogant and coy as he may be, I'd gladly take one of him in favor of a thousand of these other annoying fuckers.

"Oh, that warms my heart," I drone, disregarding whatever significance his petty list of favorites could possibly mean to me. It's not necessary, but childish as he might come across, at least he's being friendly enough -- at least he's not running around like a chicken with his head cut off.

I cross my arms when he asks if I'm not up for training, raising a brow with a purse of my lips. I'm not sure if he's aware of the fact that one needs nary a weapon to hone their skills. Taking note of the trident that he left behind a few strides away, I find it rather likely that he knows little of  the combative field.

"I'm training, yeah," I state, starting to circle around him, somewhat enjoying his urging for me to show him what I've got in return for his own. I take a reckless chance, and I allow myself to begin liking the overgrown child with the perky ass.

If I am to keep him, however, I'll have to see his worth, and to see that, I-...

It happens quickly, when I lash out a palm that collides against his adam's apple. I take advantage of his recoil, kneeing him in his stomach, twisting him as I bend my body in synch with his own. In a matter of seconds we're on the ground, and seeing him pinned beneath me brings a smirk to my face.

"Bet mine's sexier than yours," I tease, giving into his little game, not ashamed in the slightest to have my form so close to his own.

"Your turn, little man."

Immature as he is, I never expected him to counter my attack. When he lifted his leg up, spinning us around and pinning down my arms before I could even squirm free, I had nearly snarled in disbelief.

Nearly.

Shocked as I was, he's certainly not the first man to ever hold me down. Not only that, in this stance his stomach and nether regions are vulnerable. One raising of my knee and I could easily reassert my dominance; I could easily wipe away his smug smile, but-...

As much as I hate to be shown up, and stubborn as I may be, for some reason I didn't seem to mind the boy. Sure, his childish actions and remarks were almost enough to set my skin aflame, but at least he had the decency to look at me with a certain form of  respect. I wasn't a piece of meat to him -- well, possibly so, but more a living wolf than a plucked chicken.

His following dialogue brought a small smile to my lips,  though I really didn't bother with replying until he helped me to my feet, albeit a tiny bit reluctant to accept his hand at first.

He comments once again on how I had showed interest in him, and before I can rebuttal about how I did not waste my precious time by checking him out, he asks if I've noticed anyone else worth checking out.

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. "Oh? Because I'm a living encyclopedia on our fellow tributes?" I ask, a bit too bitter. "Most of 'em are weak as shit, but-..." I twist my lips, pondering a certain  thought. 

I'm going to regret this, I think to myself as I find my eyes lingering on the girl from Seven. Lowly as she is, and as hilarious the thought of careers allying with someone from an outlying district might be, I'm not against giving credit where credit is due -- and the chick's got some talent, it seems.

"Hey, Seven! C'mere a second!"