Mini Arena 2

[etcircenses]

Tributes are woken early, and the hovercraft ride is a long one. Not the longest some have experienced, but they are clearly going far.

25 - 24 - 23

They land on the deck of the boat, and are ushered underneath, to the lower levels, quickly. Their stylists go from cabin to cabin, decking them out in over the top finery, before loading them into the pods installed into the corners of the rooms.

20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16

The platforms lift them up, and they are all ringed around a grand buffet table, loaded with a grand feast looking ready to sag down from the weight. Among the food are supplies, plenty of them, all for the taking.

11- 10 - 9 - 8

They've all been warned, don't step off your pedestal early. They have also been warned to put on a good show. That's all this is about, a good show. None of them have been told that there can be multiple winners this time around.

5 - 4

3

2

The sound of the gong plays crystal clear across the opening. The games have begun.

Comments

[youbarium]

Fortunately, there is an exposed bit of pipe up near the ceiling that Carlos can climb up to. He secures the rope as best he can -- nothing fancy, no boy-scout rope tricks, but it is a solid knot and it will hold -- then goes back to the open door.

"Okay," he says, putting a hand on the rope just in case. "You're good to go."

As Steve climbs, Carlos will be there by the opening, watching the hall to make sure no one sneaks up on them, and waiting for Steve to get close enough for Carlos to grab him and help haul him through.

[aboveangrybees]

Steve quickly starts to haul himself out the second he gets the go ahead, not wanting Carlos to be out in the open waiting on him like this. Wouldn't do to get his ally killed to save his own skin.

The help hauling him out is more needed than he'd like to admit - he hadn't realized how weak he was getting from blood loss, already tired by the time he got to the top. His arm is bandaged in his shirt, leaving him only in his vest like some male stripper. The shirt-bandage is bled through, making the white fabric a dark pink from the mix blood and water.

"Thanks," he gives Carlos a sincere, small smile before getting to his feet and looking around. "We're cutting it close, aren't we?" It's rhetorical.

[youbarium]

Carlos notices the bloody bandage first, and his eyes widen.

"You're hurt," he says, gesturing at Steve's bandaged arm, looking down at it, then back up to Steve's face with concern. "What happened?"

[aboveangrybees]

For some reason, being attacked by a shark is something he feels almost sheepish about. Really, it should make him feel badass, it would most people, but it sounds so ridiculous, like something someone would say to sound badass. So, there's no helping how the small smile becomes a bit self deprecating.

"I got in a fight with a shark," his tone is amused at his own expense. "If it helps, I won."

[youbarium]

"...are you serious?" For a moment, Carlos isn't sure if he believes it or not.

Then, he remembers how they met.

"...you know, I don't doubt it," he says with a sigh. "Can you keep going on your own, or do you need help?"

[aboveangrybees]

Steve gives him a small, but growing grin when he asks if he's serious before he corrects his own statement. There's an amused hum, because yeah, Steve got mixed up with a shark after saving someone, but Carlos of all people should, and does, understand he's that person.

"I should be okay on my own," he looks down at himself then nods as he looks back up. Steve is a dead man, he knows that, he doesn't plan to win, hasn't from the start, so it's fine with him. It's not a death wish, he just has no interest in being a victor. He feels he can do more good in the arena right now. "Go, you still have a chance."

[youbarium]

Carlos hesitates. He doesn't want to leave Steve here -- Steve has admitted that he doesn't have a chance, that Carlos should go on without him.

"Are you sure?"

[aboveangrybees]

"Yeah, I'm sure," Steve's voice is kind, but serious, a certain layer of stubbornness that says he's not saying it for play. He does pause for a second though. "There's a little girl in a yellow dress, I said I'd meet her on the deck," his tones says enough to say he might not make it, "if you see her, will you tell her I'm sorry?"

[youbarium]

Well, damn. There's no way Carlos can argue to stay now, not after a request like that.

He swallows hard, then nods. The viewers-at-home's hearts are probably breaking right now, but not as much as Carlos's.

"I will."

A beat.

"...I'll see you back in the Capitol."

It sounded better than goodbye.

[aboveangrybees]

He can feel how his body is slowing down, there's no way he'll make it to Clementine in time and he can't have her waiting for him like she wanted to. She needs to keep on without him, to fight and survive. So, does Carlos.

"Thank you," Steve gives him a nod. "See you on the other side of this."

With that, he nods for the other man to leave and watches him go. From there, he'll find who he can help before the bloodless gets to him.

[youbarium]

Carlos nods, once, firmly, and goes. He only looks back once, and then he's gone.