want no more than this / [krueger & larissa]

Larissa knew what trouble looked like. People would've been quick to think of someone like Perry or Xaamina and sure, they both had their own qualities worth mentioning which could contribute to that argument. But they weren't trouble for someone like Larissa, who had dealt with people virtually just like them for all of her life. She knew that when Perry started mocking the person from Eleven, she was supposed to cross her arms over her own chest, lean back, smile maliciously like she agreed with everything Perry was saying. She knew that when Xaamina made a point of putting her heels on the table and making eye contact with her that it was a display of dominance, a pissing contest Larissa wasn't interested in participating in, so she kept her distance and decided she would let the scores decide which of them was the more impressive career, rather than worrying about it like her escort seemed to be doing.

This boy smelled like trouble. Volunteer from a lower district, a mean stare, and enough confidence that he hid any insecurity he may have felt, even when he didn't realize people were watching. And be assured, Larissa was always watching. Though she was acutely aware that he had his reasons- Larissa herself had volunteered- she doubted they were worth it. It sounded selfish to say, but even if it was for the sake of some dying older relative or to escape some crazy man demanding payments, or even to try and get a bit more grain on plates for some family in some farmhouse no one else would spend money to live in, Larissa knew her own reasons mattered more. Because they weren't just her interests- they were the interests of everyone who'd had enough.

Her reasons for wanting this ran deeper than money, or glory, or fame. Power. She wanted power. And it was assured if she won here- Aunty Eury herself promised to hand it all over to her if she came back with a pulse. And she knew it was what was right. She knew it.

She could smell the smoke of it burning to the ground.

But there the boy stood anyway, daring to exist, daring to have his reasons. And to make matters worse, he spoke to her, asking for help but in the sort of way that made her question whether he was being genuine or not. Was he trying to..? What, throw her off her game? Intimidate her? Or maybe the guy was just genuinely not very good at throwing axes- why did all of them think that was the type of thing they could just do. Like, what kind of luck would it be if someone could just suddenly be an expert marksman without dedicating any time or effort into the actual study of it. But that was the strange thing here. His form, his strength, his follow-through... He was even missing in the same precise area, strayed far from the bullseye of the target.

Like she said: trouble.

"You could try aiming for the red dot this time."

Oh. Shit. Wait- was he maybe flirting? People her age liked to flirt normally. The thought didn't pass through her mind at all until she'd all but completely blown him off, but even still, what would that have accomplished in a place like this? Love was the last thing she needed to experience for the first time in the actual Hunger Games while the entire country was watching. She made it a point to never look directly in his direction. You know: let 'em down easy.