thearena | a ѕιтн and a lιar worĸιng тogeтнer

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a ѕιтн and a lιar worĸιng тogeтнer

Who| Starkiller and Hans
What| Meeting again for the second time!
Where| Elevators and then possibly other floors
When| Backdated to mid week one
Warnings/Notes| None!

His first few days have been... frustrating. Frustrating but thankfully not very dangerous. For as much as he could, he stayed out of people's way on the higher floors. His goal, overall, was to wait for everyone else to kill each other and then see who was left in the end. If he were attacked, he would defend himself as necessary and if that meant killing someone, then so be it. When it was just him and whoever was left, he would kill them.

So far, that was working out pretty well. The only problem is the isolation with the only noise being his shoes breathing is absolutely maddening. They prevent him from being able to relax at all. Every shift makes it seem as if Vader is right behind him and he's jumpier than normal because of it. Jumpier and grouchy and not having a good time at all.

Especially because once more, he's getting hungry. The little stash of pastries he took a few days prior had been depleted and he found he had no choice but to leave the floor he'd been on for this whole time and try and find something to eat. So he took to the elevator, his shoes making him feel like a target the entire time.

As he rode down to a floor below and it stopped, he moved to get out- only to crash into someone coming into the elevator. Starkiller stumbles back and immediately assumes a defensive position, ready to defend himself if need be, only to realize-

"You."

He doesn't sound angry- actually, he sounds surprised, as if Starkiller expected him to be dead already.

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For Hans, the first few days had been a strain on even his abilities to be cunning, but above all odds he's managed to survive. To a satisfactory degree even. He has two swords, one for his own use and one he hopes to make use of in another way. It's risky business, trading weapons, but if there's anything he trusts, it's himself. Along with his swords, he'd been gifted a spool of wire and a folding knife, much to his surprise. The knife is hidden quickly, leaving him with three blades, but one less obvious than the other.

He hadn't gone looking for Starkiller when he'd entered the elevator, but he'd been on his mind. As intimidating as he was, he'd been surprisingly amicable. It's a trait Hans is always happy to use to his advantage. He doesn't much like traveling alone, nor does he appreciate the company of walking liability. If he's going to come out of this looking clean, he needs someone else to get their hands dirty.

There's a grunt of surprise as Starkiller crashes into him and he takes a few steps back, holding his sword in an equally defensive manner before recognising who he's happened upon.

"Hello!" He chirps, perhaps a little nervously, eyes still wide from surprise from the bump.

Hans' reaction reminds him of the day they met- minus throwing food at his face, at least. It's the kind of reaction that cements his surprise that Hans is even alive. So quick to be friendly when he should be quicker to attack. It's exactly why once more, Starkiller isn't going to kill him. That can be someone else's job, not his. Not now.

"The elevator is yours," he says, pushing past Hans but quickly turning around to keep him in his sights. "I wouldn't recommend the top floor, it's no longer very safe and there isn't food there."

At the very least, he managed to lift his sword defensively. He'd only be a little bit dead if it had been someone legitimately scary and not a big pushover like Starkiller.

"Thank you.." He moves to the side as Starkiller pushes past, letting the elevator shut and leave without so much as a step toward it. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something, if that's alright?" He inclines his head as he asks, edging a little closer.

And then he'll start before checking if it's actually alright despite asking. "I'm sure you've noticed, traveling alone isn't exactly ideal.."

Starkiller is a little surprised when Hans doesn't move to get out of the elevator. Despite not viewing the man as a threat, Starkiller tenses a little, wondering if he could possibly attempt to try murdering him in here. In such close proximity, a fight would end only in death.

But Hans doesn't- instead, he brings up traveling alone and the hint there is obvious. Well that certainly is unexpected. "It... isn't, no," he agrees after a moment, uncertainty in his voice. While he's used to being alone, he can't deny it wouldn't be useful to have someone to help look for supplies and whatnot.

Of everyone he could pick to accompany him, however, Hans isn't entirely his first choice. But- no, the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes that initial thought isn't quite right. Hans could prove useful, it's true. It would be something akin to throwing a pound of meat to a pack of angry wolves; it would distract them so he could run.

Hans is, of course, the meat in this scenario, the other tributes the wolves.

"If I'm interpreting you correctly, you're saying you want to form an alliance?" He finally asks after a moments silence as he thought it all through.

Hans is well aware of how easily this could lead to a fight, but he feels like he's kept his act up consistently enough that his more than competent swordsmanship will prove to be an unexpected twist.

He's a little surprised at how agreeable the other man is so quickly, but he had always been strangely amicable. Of course, there's a large chance that it's a ploy, but Starkiller really isn't pinging any of his suspicious senses. Well, more than the initial ones at least. He's of no value to Starkiller, he wouldn't expect great sacrifices or infallible protection. It would be foolish to assume the best of anyone in a situation like this.

"Something like that, yes." He's certainly toned down the doe-eyed innocence in favor of his more authoritative princely demeanor. "I can offer you a weapon in exchange for the trouble, I'm sure you understand that it is by no means a small gesture of generosity."

Starkiller had noticed the fact that Hans did have two swords, but he'd merely assumed Hans is the type to fight with two weapons. He's met plenty of people in his world who use two lightsabers, so the idea isn't an odd one. So to hear that Hans is willing to part with one is a bit of a surprise.

He also knows that no, it's definitely not a small gesture. While he's been skulking around trying to avoid people, most things have been picked clean by now. So it's not lost on him how big of a thing this is.

"It was never my intention to form alliances with anyone," he says, sounding as if he's still deliberating on it. It's very tempting, yes. But he also knows how bad it would be were it to go wrong- mainly, blood on his hands that he doesn't have a desire to have. But still, the pros are outweighing the cons.

So after a moment, he extends a hand. "But I am willing to make an exception in regards to you."

Assumptions make an ass out of you and me, Starkiller. Hans hopes you're feeling the ass-end of your negative thoughts. He, on the otherhand, is brimming with positivity and delight. Everything has worked so nicely so far, regardless of whether Starkiller is compliant it's Hans who will have the advantage.

He at least puts on a show, drawing in a breath as Starkiller admits his intentions, though it's obvious he's considering it. Hans is sure he would be more dismissive if he truly weren't at all interested.

There's a slight tug at his lips when Starkiller complies and holds out his hand, but he retrains the urge to smile and simply nods and moves in to shake it. "I'll consider it an honor." No harm in a little schmoozing. He's taking the sheathed, smaller sword and passing it on to the other man dutifully.

You know what, he's fine with being an ass if it keeps him alive. And he's never going to get used to the way Hans is always brimming with positivity the way he always is. They're in a murder arena, how is it possible to be so damn happy? But whatever, he doesn't actually care all that much.

Starkiller scoffs lightly in response and takes the sword from Hans. It's much heavier than he's used to, but he can make it work, he's pretty sure. He steps back and gives it a few swings, trying to get used to the heaviness of it.

"So out of curiosity, how is it you've made it this far?" he asks after a moment, turning his attention back to Hans. "Have you been hiding, or are you deadlier than I've given you credit for?"

Hans isn't happy, he's polite and pleasant! Normally he's more inclined to mirror a person, but with Starkiller he feels he'll need someone a little different to himself to truly get along with him. That of course doesn't mean he won't occasionally emulate his expressions and gestures, but he isn't doing a personality overhaul when Starkiller is the opposite of charming.

"A little charm gets you a long way." He points out, he can't help being a little annoyed that his skills are being called into question. "Along with being resourceful." A small smirk tugs at his lips. "How long were you going to go without a weapon?"

It's true. Starkiller does need someone a bit opposite him in order to really form a solid alliance. Why else would Juno have appealed to him so much? She was his conscience. And let's not even talk about how his best friend is a cheerful homicidal robot bent on killing him.

So basically his best friend is Hans.

"I have no need for charm, I've made it this far without it." But if there ever were a touche moment, it would be when Hans mentions him going without a weapon. "I would have found one eventually. It was all part of my plan."

They've stayed in one spot for too long now, so he's going to start heading off. "Did you ever manage to find any other food aside from pastries?"

Hans will very eagerly take on the role of best friend. He's not sure how acceptable bonds between different districts are, but he doesn't particularly care for any of the people he's met from his own so far. Besides, the forced space between them might become useful over time. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all.

"I wouldn't call this far." He points out ever so helpfully, raising a coy brow at the other man. It's barely been a few weeks, but he doesn't have a particularly solid scope of how these things should go. The unfortunate issue of arriving so close to the beginning is he didn't get much time to snoop out answers.

He'll follow without a moment of hesitation, shaking his head a little forlornly at the question. "If it weren't for all the running I've been doing, I'd be worried about my pants fitting by the end of this." He follows that with a soft laugh. "I suppose that's the first order of business, then."

Starkiller almost scoffs at that first statement, but for the sake of their alliance, he keeps it in. But to be honest, anything more than a week is "far" to him as far as Hans goes. Taking a pastry to the head isn't exactly something that instills a sense of faith and skill in Hans. But obviously he's having to rethink his initial evaluation of the man and he's starting to like what he sees.

So instead, he nods to the second part. "Yes, I agree. If we can't find food then we might as well present ourselves on a silver platter to the next passerby."

He'll be damned if hunger is going to be the winner in the Hunger Games. So he's gonna set off in a vague direction and hope he finds a cafe or something that hasn't already been salvaged.

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