away from it all [andal/nixie]

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kap
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away from it all [andal/nixie] Jan 10, 2023 12:51:50 GMT -5

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Post by kap on Jan 10, 2023 12:51:50 GMT -5

A new victor, as always, was quite exciting. I loved the welcome when it was me: the celebrations and cheering. The rowdiness of the crowds and the shouting of my name. It felt so good. Although, I knew not all new victors felt the same. So, I decided that when I met them, I'd give them some options. They could celebrate, or they could relax and try to get away from it all.

When Andal came through District Four for his victory tour, I found a moment to pull him aside, away from the crowds for just a little bit.

"Enjoying the celebrations, or hating it?" I asked him plainly.

I looked at him expectantly for an answer. Everyone was different, so I couldn't really say how he felt without asking. I decided to follow up what I said with an offer of sorts. It was an offer I would've loved to have when I became victor. Although, I suppose I had similar things. Harbinger had taken me horseback riding to get away from the people for a little while, and Flynn had snuck me away to get some grub. Both of those had been good times, and I actually liked the roaring crowds.

"Depending on how you feel," I started. "When you're done here, we can either go celebrate at my house in victor's village: swimming in the pool, having some drinks, maybe play some obnoxiously loud music to annoy Annie next door." I gave a smirk at the thought.

"Or," I emphasized. "We could get you away from the crowds, relax, play some card games or something. We could still have a few drinks if you wanted, and maybe just chat about things. It's up to you."

I decide to see what he says before overwhelming him any further than I probably already have.

Maybe he'd just brush me off altogether, but I wasn't one to give up easily if he did.

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napoleon, d2m ₊⊹ 🐁 ɢʀɪғғɪɴ.
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away from it all [andal/nixie] Jan 10, 2023 20:02:35 GMT -5

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Post by napoleon, d2m ₊⊹ 🐁 ɢʀɪғғɪɴ. on Jan 10, 2023 20:02:35 GMT -5

The first time he went to the sea, he came back up for the world after a few hours.

Pearl white sea foam lapping at his calves, salt perfuming his skin, so this was why they talk about the sea all the time. This was why they made Four a career district. If any young lad from Ten had a chance of reared up along such a beast, they’d be deadly in the games, body forged by the waves. As he stood there, toweling his hair dry in front of the endless blue, he thought of Katrina and wondered how far from shore she usually swam.

It was hard not to picture her here, not when she was made in the sea’s likeness, as inexorable and as powerful. He could see it clearly: Katrina, bursting out of a tide under a full moon, the most striking figurehead to be ever carved. Katrina, howling at the span of salt in a fight of dominance between her and the sea.

Perhaps their family scattered her here, gave her ashes for the inrolling tide to take.

If you’re here, I’m sorry.

For what, he didn't know; he was just sorry. He refused to say it aloud though, especially here, because dead or not, Katrina Skyes may very well rise up from the depths with her teeth bared and bury a sword in his gut.

After shaking himself dry embarrassingly like a dog, he returns to the party they are throwing for him: cheers and champagne, introductions and small cakes. His suit’s itchy, he’s starting to sweat through his gloves, and much like every party before this one, the air has become stifling, hot with formalities.

But if he behaves, they’ll let him go to the water again.

Or he could go by himself. You can do that now. There’s no leash around his neck, no matter how tight it gets in his throat at times. So what if he breaks the rules? They’ll put a bullet in him? They’ll carve out a new face for him? Replace him with a clone? Threaten his family?

He gulps. Fuck. Oh, smokes. Does it count if you swear mentally? It really shouldn’t.

A nearby presence drags him out of his thoughts. Trying his best to smooth out the distress across his face, he turns in what he hopes is a suave way, only to come face to face with Nixie Summers.

His shoulders bunch up instantly. It’s muscle memory at this point, the nerves that flare within him in the same way hackles rise on an animal’s neck at the sight of another victor, especially a career. They were his mirrors. They were his companions. But every time he met one, he couldn’t help but wonder if they saw him as the biggest monster of them all: wolf king, the boy who was turned to a mutt.

Or worse, maybe they are proud.

He nods first in acknowledgement. “Ms. Summers.” She looks polished, a mirrorball that glitters with poise and flair. He, on the other hand, feels like dull leather left out in the sun for an hour too long. “Sorta’—sort of a middle ground thing,” he says, looking around at those who have gathered. “One lady wanted me to eat an oyster, but slowly?” He raises a puzzled brow.

At the very least, the oyster was tasty.

He chuckles at her first offer, but feels his smile soften at the edges as he hears the second one. “If I were to be completely honest, I wanna’ head up to the coast again, catch a sunset there maybe. They keep me on tight leash here, though.” He cants his head lowly towards a group of white-cladded people posted at the exit, sparse enough to not draw any unnecessary attention and yet still having the numbers to hold him down if needed. “Forbidden to go ‘till I have a picture with every single politician in this room.” In these moments, he longs for his wolf skin once more to break free, to tear off.

His brow goes up again towards Nixie, this time with a curve of mischief in it.

“Know any secret passageways, Ms. Summers?”

Last Edit: Jan 10, 2023 20:23:20 GMT -5 by napoleon, d2m ₊⊹ 🐁 ɢʀɪғғɪɴ.

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kap
Retired Staff

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trans rights are human rights <3

away from it all [andal/nixie] Jan 19, 2023 8:54:47 GMT -5

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Post by kap on Jan 19, 2023 8:54:47 GMT -5

Andal's greeting to me seems a bit forced, at first, as if he's nervous.

“Ms. Summers,” he says with a nod. “Sorta’—sort of a middle ground thing,” he tells me, all the while still scanning the crowd. Nerves, no doubt. “One lady wanted me to eat an oyster, but slowly?” He seems confused about what he'd been asked to do in the situation he mentioned, and I let out a small chuckle. I knew exactly what that lady was after. She had a thing for him, no doubt.

That seemed to be a common occurrence for victors: common citizens having a thing for them. It'd happened a few times to Nixie. People tried to flirt with her or get her to do strange things from time to time, and usually, she played along. No point in denying them and making them not like her, right?

It's as if he finds my first offer amusing, laughing a bit at the thought of celebration. So, I gathered, he wasn't all too happy about the festivities, or at least not enjoying them as much as I had.

“If I were to be completely honest, I wanna’ head up to the coast again, catch a sunset there maybe. They keep me on tight leash here, though.” He makes a gesture to the peacekeepers with a tilt of his head. “Forbidden to go ‘till I have a picture with every single politician in this room.” I nod, understanding exactly what he's talking about.

Then, the young man seems to have another thought, asking me a question.

“Know any secret passageways, Ms. Summers?”

A smirk crosses my face. Growing up, I was the sneaky type. I was always slinking around the District, causing mischief. It was kind-of my thing: causing trouble, that is. I knew how to get away with it, too. I could remember when I was really young, pulling a prank on Wander Sibley, back before ve went into the 80th Games. I'd dropped a bucket of water on vis head, and ve'd actually found it quite amusing. We bonded over that, still friends to this day. Or, at least I think so... it'd been a while since I'd seen Wander.

Needless to say, I knew how to dodge the 'keepers. It was something I was a bit of a natural at.

"Sure thing," I told him. "Give me just a moment."

I surveyed the crowd and the 'keepers before making a move, and stepped quickly to the side when I knew no one saw us. I had a hold of Andal's elbow, leading him to come with me, and led us out of the area swiftly. A mere few moments had passed by the time we were in the clear, weaving between shops and heading out of the District Square, toward the beach.

"Beach is this way," I inform him while looking back at him to deliver a smile.