Ebb and Flow [Safina x Tide]

[D'Arcy Mason d6b [Tyler]]

[googlefont="Cinzel Decorative"]

Safina Roy

Ebb and Flow - I

Tide Evros.

The boy from District 4, the very image of a Career tribute. It was written in the muscles that hug his body like vines. It was there even in the way he carried himself among the living dead; how relaxed he was with the stations. How the looks around the room didn't carry the same stench of fear, the same darting around like a prey animal noting the possible avenues of escape from the predators busy licking their lips. He was by all accounts someone who I could see easily robbing me of my final breath, the space I occupy leaving his mind the second my heart stops beating. So when Serelis mentions his name, it takes a minute for me to process the new label against the data I had previously collected, the conclusions I had already made.

Ally.

Somehow this girl, one of the youngest here, has managed to make an ally out of a Career. A million questions begin to run through my mind, the itch to get answers unbearable with none in sight to scratch it. It was clear that there was more to my District partner than I had thought. Evidently, more to this Career boy as well.

Aligning with Sera was proving to be the right choice.

So now I found myself walking towards the mighty boy from District 4, my mind filled with calculations. As an enemy he is fearsome, as someone on my side, he would be powerful. We would cover some important bases; his might and battle strength, Sera's endurance and nimbleness, and my wit and ingenuity. We would be a true force to be reckoned with. I let my mind toy with the word contender. I can feel the seed of hope start to sprout in my chest. I let it grow just the tiniest bit.

There is still an important step before the vision Sera has crafted can truly come to fruition. There is still the matter of Tide and I sizing each other up. Can we trust each other enough? If we both want to align with the girl full of mysteries, we may not have a choice to do anything but.

As I walk up to him, it's her that I know has the best shot of uniting us.

"Looks like Sera's won over the pair of us," I start, "so we'll probably be seeing a lot of each other." I throw in a playful little wink that would make Dina proud and terrify the version of me that first entered the room. "Think we can trust each other too?"

[WC: 435]

[d9 kristof parks {ems}]

Tide Evros

Sometimes it's best to simply show off, to let people in, and this is one of those moments Tide just doesn't care what people thinks anymore. The crown is his, and he will do whatever it takes to make sure it's placed on top of his head when the games are over. The celebrations will all be for him, and nobody should even try even those who want to ally with him. It's fun to think about, and maybe the cockiness is what will get him killed - but what they don't understand is that I am prepared. Every moment of every single day is spent trying to improve upon what he has, making the best out of everything. It's the entire purpose, the reason, everything. Winning this game is all he desires, and if turning on those he cares about - which isn't anyone, really - becomes too much to ask for, Tide will make sure he comes out on top.

Not that it doesn't stroke his ego when another tribute walks and mentions allying with him. Of course, it's simple, it's everything he wants and hopes for. People to do his will, to keep him alive when everything seems lost and broken. All of it is part of his plan. Use the weak, make sure they're strong enough to at least survive for one day, and then when the time comes, toss them to the curb like they're nothing. Maybe they're smart enough to see it coming, but maybe they aren't.

"Think we can trust each other too?"

Trust is such a funny thing. While it's important to have a tiny bit of trust in everyone, Tide knows the only person he trusts is himself. Nobody else has his best interest in mind, and he has to remember that. He has to make sure he stays focused on everything before him in order to give himself the best opportunity to make it out of here alive.

Of course he doesn't trust anyone.

I would be stupid to.

"Do you really think you can trust me? Do you really think that I care?"

He's never been one to beat around the bush, to make sense out of everything, and maybe his words will scare her away.

"If it means not having two people want to target me right away, then I don't see why I wouldn't trust you enough."

I could kill them both easily, and I won't hesitate to do it.

He shrugs and looks around for a moment trying to take it all in, to figure it out, to really just understand why people want him as someone they can rely on.

"But maybe I should warn you that while I might be good with a weapon, my survival skills might be subpar."

He holds out his hand and flashes a toothy grin.

"Maybe you can help me there?"