you pick the storm or you pick the shore [Kari]

[WT]

Very few things, fortunately, are more awkward than talking to someone a couple days after you killed them.

That, unfortunately, is damning with faint praise.

There were clear reasons to talk to people in the holding cell after the Games, at least, and Wander has no idea what ve's doing here. Ve's heard of the Hailsham Institute (who hasn't) but never talked to any of the students (who has), and Bell didn't so much as glance at ver on her way to the stage; nothing but happenstance links them, and Bell has better places than Wander to look for advice if she wants it. Just because she didn't volunteer for ver doesn't mean she isn't putting her neck on the line in vis place, though. Whether or not the length of a Justice Building hallway gives Wander enough time to figure out something to say about that, it seems rude to ignore it.

Vis burst of humor in the Square faded with the adrenaline of the moment, and saying goodbye to vis family ("Back in a few. Yes, promise. Promise.") drained the rest, leaving Wander less tense than at the Reaping but unreasonably exhausted. Awareness tries to skitter over vis skin in its wake, insisting that the walls hover too close and the Peacekeepers' steps ring too loud. Ve rolls vis eyes at that—ve's in no more danger here than ve was in ten minutes ago, thank you—but still finds verself considerably more solemn the second time ve sees Bell Hailsham.

She's unmistakable—even though ve only saw her from a distance, even if she wasn't the only person behind the door the Peacekeepers open. Something about the way she holds herself matches the voice that told the country a name you won't forget.

For her sake, ve just hopes she's not right for reasons she didn't mean.

"Bell," ve says by way of greeting, stepping fully into the room but not sitting. This isn't an empty visit, but ve doesn't expect a it to be a long one, either. "Wander. Good luck in there."

Title song is "Undertow" by Stars.