#odds:start

something about the tribute gala felt so sickening. like they were plumping up livestock for the slaughter. oslo was unable to escape the reality that in a few short weeks, most of the fresh faces around him would be airlifted from the arena. throughout the night, he nursed at least one drink, sometimes two. the only way he was going to survive this evening was to cave into absolute belligerence.

the clock ticked past twelve and the gala was still raging as oslo stumbled into the backyard, stomach gurgling as he gripped the railing of the extravagant staircase as he emptied his stomach into the bushes. sweating and gasping for air, he turned around to feel the cool night on his face. he swiped the hair from his forehead and apologized to the figure that was stepping down beside him, "my apologies, how unbecoming." oslo recovered quickly, rising away from the banister and approaching, "are you enjoying the event or trying to make a quick getaway"

by no means was aphrodite thrilled about plummeting, warp speed, on a train, to her death. amoreena had trained all her life and didn't make it, such was the case with many other career tributes. but aphrodite wasn't planning on taking this laying down. she didn't know if she could win, but she knew she was going to try, and she knew the power a smile and a carefully calculated touch. some capitol soiree was the perfect chance to assert herself and do what she did best with a touch of charm.

aphrodite paused in a chrome type of pillar where she could see her reflection. she adjusted her hair, rolled her shoulders back, and headed in the direction of refreshments. she could see drinks and all sorts of snacks unfamiliar to her. taking advantage of her own ignorance, aphrodite walked up to the table, walking her fingers across the edge, grabbing the foreign hors d'oeuvres and examining it for a brief moment. "it's beautiful." she stated plainly, turning to the person beside her and immediately making intense eye contact. her own sort of siren song. she broke eye contact to look at the floral cake in her hands, "i have to admit, i'm not sure i want to sink my teeth into this just yet." aphrodite's gaze flicked back to the other as she curiously inquired, "want a bite?" of her, or the treat, would both be fine.

"I think I could get away with stealing the president's pajamas." thimble declared after what appeared to be a genuine moment of reflection. they were standing in one of the hallways just outside the bulk of the party. "for no particular reason at all, I think if I could figure out which room is his, I could get into it. when I get into it, I can easily find them and then take them. who would think to stop me? why? what would they do if I got caught? kill me? seems a bit redundant, no? and frankly, quite petty over pajamas. besides, we all can extrapolate they don't want us to die yet, right? that's why they've got the whole energy field over the tribute center to prevent a hop, skip, and jump. so at worst, it looks like I would be punished extra during the games, and at that point... wouldn't it just be funny to have the president's pajamas?"

when there was no immediate response, nor even a reaction, at the somewhat outlandish statement, thimble narrowed both eyes. they lifted a finger and prodded the shoulder of the figure they'd been babbling to who appeared to be made of stone. "hm." that should probably be filed under embarrassing, but as the last two statues they tried to talk to turned out to be people, this seemed to track in the convoluted ways of the Capitol. they turned away and took a sip of the cup in their hand. "so apparently the marble I've been talking to for the last five minutes doesn't have an opinion on it. do you?"

the training center was even more impressive than sparrow had imagined it to be. the shack they called home back could’ve fit in their new bedroom five times over, not the mention the rest of the luxurious suite allotted to district eleven. while their first few hours in the capitol had been spent marveling at the comforts allotted to them, the distraction had quickly faded. everything sure seemed less rosy when they started to think that their last meal before the arena would be enjoyed here, or that it might be the last time they slept in a real bed. 

once those thoughts had settled in, the place had quickly become suffocating. sparrow wasn’t sure they were even allowed to leave their rooms unaccompanied, but no one had tried to stop them when they’d taken a few steps out the door, and the few avoxes they ran into averted their gazes, hurrying on without so much as an indication that they’d seen them. they took it as validation - what else could the capitol do to punish them, anyway ? -, making their way to the elevator and pressing the topmost button.

the sight of the sunrise greeted them. from below, it might’ve been hard to see⎯but up here, near the top of the skyscrapers, there was enough of the sky to take a good look at the soft pink and orange hues of the new dawn. they lingered, walking back and forth aimlessly across the roof, eyeing the plants that grew in their pots. they were fed plenty enough here, but what could they say ? old habits died hard. 

the ping of the elevator startled them, and they turned like a frightened rabbit, half expecting to find a peacekeeper standing there. when they realized the figure who approached wore no white uniform, sparrow breathed a quiet sigh of relief. they shoved their hands into their pockets but relaxed their elbows, deliberately going for a nonchalant stance. ❛ go on. the view’s free, as far as i can tell. no one's stopped me yet, anyway. ❜ they kept the newcomer at the periphery of their vision for a few moments before adding : ❛ early bird, aren't ya ? ❜