Abel Evans

It was an arena of emptiness. Desolate, with wind bitter cold, blowing the snow across barren earth and stone. Mahlon recognized it for what it was. After all, there were no cement walls, no endless tower of tributes stacked two high, but it was a prison all the same. An arena not designed to be drawn out, but one that called for brief, shocking brutality.

Just after he’d parted ways with Damien, hoping he was doing better now than when he’d met him first, Abel tried for higher ground. He wanted to find his people, make sure none of the canons belonged to them, wanted to give them one last hug, make them smile one last time before it was too late, and time was ticking, it moved faster inside the metaphoric walls of the arena, and so slowly at the same time.

After meeting and talking with Gage, they had gone their separate ways. Joules still needed to find Abel, but he was glad to have seen someone else that he didn't have to fight with. She was nice, and kind, and better than this arena. So many people in here were better than it, and didn't deserve to be here. Still, the conversation with Gage had given him the motivation he had needed, to not give up and to keep going. He was walking, and that was when his eyes feel on the bright red suit with a yellow Nine on its back. And Joules went sprinting towards it.

Abel was walking, desperate to find someone he could hide with, hide for as long as he could until— until the inevitable happened. He didn’t want to spend his last few moments alone.

Damien was still bleeding. He needed to find shelter. But the Gamemakers had chosen a color for their wardrobes that made shelter seem impossible, particularly from the distance that he was able to stagger, bleeding, away from the Cornucopia.

Abel was alone, he’d run once he’d picked up the dried fruit, terrified of having to fight again. He didn’t even really want the fruit, but he felt like the other tribute was looking for a fight, and he thought maybe if he grabbed it from him it would distract him enough so he could flee. It seemed to work.

“Never not crazy around here” Abel answered easily as he swirled the remaining liquid around in the bottom of the clear glass bottle he’d made a fair attempt at across the day. This was him taking it easy, but he was about to enter an arena and he knew he’d be very unlikely to come back out, so he couldn’t let it go to waste now, could he?

"A fair point," Lee agreed, knocking over a small stack of glasses on his hunt. He harrumphed and officially gave up, choosing instead to stand and walk behind the bar for an easier search.

Abel watched the bottles fall but didn’t flinch. His body was heavy with the weight of the poison he’d filled it with, but always with the load of his impending death that sat heavy on his chest.

Abel laughed out loud, hiccupped and then tried to cover up his reaction with a cough when he realised she was being serious.

sapphira frowns as he laughs. why is he laughing? now is certainly not the time to be laughing!

“I was young and naive back then. I didn’t know what I was doing, and somehow with a lot of luck, I made it out— s’not going to be the same this time. I don’t want my friends to die for the sake of my life” he admitted.

He frowned when Cain didn’t blindly agree to his request. He thought maybe he could play the sympathy card— drink with me ‘cos I’m about to die. But it hadn’t worked, and he sighed at the prospect of more learning, more exercise, more pointless preparation for a fight he’d never win.

"People." He had never been particularly religious, spiritual, whatever it would be called-- though he envied the comfort it must bring. Maybe that was why he clung so tightly to the idea of rebellion. It was his own sort of hope that transcended reason.

“People— I like that. I believe in people too” he smiled. Maybe people would get them out of this mess before it was too late. As defeated as he might’ve been these days, he always had a little tiny glimmer of hope burning within, he wouldn’t be Abel without it.

“Maybe” Abel nodded into Joules’ shoulder. Maybe. That would be nice, or would it? Postponing only meant delaying the inevitable, elongating this feeling of purgatory, the wait before inevitable death— Abel didn’t know how long he’d be able to handle this. “Cancelled all together would be nicer” he decided, only realised he’d said it aloud when he heard himself laughing.

Joules chuckled when he heard Abel laugh, the idea....of the games being canceled was....nice....very nice, but they both knew that wasn't going to happen, not until the streets of the Capitol were all in all-out war, which clearly wasn't the case, they'd be able to hear it.....feel it....see it. Still, Joules wasn't going to say that and ruin the mood. "Yeah, canceling it altogether would be really nice."

“We could go on a real date then” Abel hummed in thought. He hadn’t been on a date in years. Usually he’d just find someone in a club and end up in their bed, sneaking off the next morning because it was never not awkward. He’d like to take Joules on a date though, pick his brain, see how it worked.

There was no fight as his body entered the water, the water dampening him so that his hair dripped down his face once they were up and able to take a breath, both from being submerged, but also from each other’s mouths.

Joules casually used his hand to move Abel's hair from his face, before he looked over at the guard and chuckled a little, probably the first time he laughed since the Reaping. Shrugging his shoulders at the statement,

Abel smiled at Joules’ reply. When he’d first met the other tribute, he’d assumed him to be a bit of a prude, with all the fancy clothes and polite speech, so this was surprising for him, a good kind of a surprise though.

Abel kept nodding, trying to take in all of what Cain was giving. He watched Cain move and went for his wrist. He got it, tightened his grip so he could pull Cain to one side.

“Maybe” Abel nodded, but he didn’t think it, it didn’t feel like a storm, he was no weather expert, but usually there was more signs, he was sure of it.

Abel frowned for a split second. She could smell the drink, and maybe it wasn't all that surprising, but he'd been so good at convincing himself that he didn't have a problem, he was under the impression that the general public were of the same opinion-- including his team. "I am serious" he said then, through gritted teeth.

sapphira watches as his expression changes. she doesn't mean to upset him at all, but she needs him to take this seriously as she said. the escort doesn't wish to watch him perish out there, and odds are he would if he continued down the path that he is currently on.

Abel laughed out loud, hiccupped and then tried to cover up his reaction with a cough when he realised she was being serious.

After his interview, which had went as well as it possibly could have, he found the nearest bottle of anything-- vodka-- not his go to, but he'd take just about anything at this stage, and downed almost half in just one gulp. His hands were shaky, vision foggy, and the thoughts in his head were magnified, flashbacks to the cells of his first arena, Eli dying on the screen in front of him, he couldn't let it linger any longer, so he downed more of the bottle just before the power gave out.

Joules' eyebrows furrowed together, Abel was slurring his words and he could smell the alcohol on him. Still, he held him in the hug, maybe Abel needed this more than him. This was his last night before going back into the arena for a second time. Hand moving to the back of Abel's head, he petted at it lightly. "Shhh, I got you. Who knows maybe.....maybe the games will have to be postponed or something?" It was a silly idea, there was no way that would happen this games was supposed to be a show of force.

“Maybe” Abel nodded into Joules’ shoulder. Maybe. That would be nice, or would it? Postponing only meant delaying the inevitable, elongating this feeling of purgatory, the wait before inevitable death— Abel didn’t know how long he’d be able to handle this. “Cancelled all together would be nicer” he decided, only realised he’d said it aloud when he heard himself laughing.

Abel just laughed. He knew he looked weak, he was thin, the bags under his eyes were evident, and he was a kind of pale that had him looking almost translucent. But Joules seemed nice, so he wouldn't call him out on his lies just yet.

Joules nodded his head when Abel repeated the word allies, glad that he was on board with it and nodding his head back. He blushed, deeply when able said that there wasn't dumb about the kiss before leaning his head against Joules' smiling a little more, he leaned in again, kissing Abel a second time. Joules would be dead soon, so why not? Why not have a little bit of fun before the death came. Gripping Abel's hands, he pulled him into the water with him. Smiling as they resurfaced.

There was no fight as his body entered the water, the water dampening him so that his hair dripped down his face once they were up and able to take a breath, both from being submerged, but also from each other’s mouths.

At least the lights were back on. They may have awoken Lee at a bright and vibrant 3:30 am, but power was back, and that was a good thing, for now. But even with the lights now tamed and extinguished, Lee wasn't getting back to sleep.

“Never not crazy around here” Abel answered easily as he swirled the remaining liquid around in the bottom of the clear glass bottle he’d made a fair attempt at across the day. This was him taking it easy, but he was about to enter an arena and he knew he’d be very unlikely to come back out, so he couldn’t let it go to waste now, could he?

Abel mustered up a smile because he could tell Cain might be holding back some frustration, maybe some judgement, but ultimately, he was humouring him which was all he could really ask for.

Abel kept nodding, trying to take in all of what Cain was giving. He watched Cain move and went for his wrist. He got it, tightened his grip so he could pull Cain to one side.