moving past the fear.— [six/avriel]

[Deleted]

Self-defense was something that Six had always struggling with. Even growing up as a kid whenever his brothers wanted to play wrestle he would let them win to avoid hurting them. His default self-defense techniques were two ancient ones that humans have used since the dawn of time. These techniques were the abilities known as "flinching" and "cowering". Rather than dodge or hit back or move or anything Six's instincts were to flinch or cower depending on the situation. He knew that doing that during the Hunger Games was likely a death sentence but he couldn't help it. He was genuinely trying not to but before he did any sort of self-defense he always hesitated first. In that moment of hesitation, he would be dead.

His lack of control over his reflexes was annoying him. He wished he wasn't doing that, but he was having a hard time. The issue was, was the threat felt too real. Yes he wouldn't get hurt training, but he'd get hurt soon. Soon he'd have to fight to the death and likely lose limbs, if not his life. He had a feeling of impending doom in regards to that future. And that feeling? It came to life as he couldn't even defend himself. Standing up for himself was never something he could do. Meanwhile as he looked around, other people seemed to be doing fine. The guy who he was pretty sure was from district nine seemed to be really owning this station and honestly it seemed like any combat station he saw him at. Six felt tempted to ask him for help.

But he didn't. He was too scared to. Asking for help would be a sign of weakness and that's what he wanted to avoid. Right now, Six was an easy target. When people saw him they saw nothing but fodder - an easy kill. He wanted to prove he was more than that. He wanted to prove he was just as strong and brave as the rest of them. But right now? Flinching every time something came close to him? He didn't feel strong. And he sure as hell didn't look brave. This station reminded him of how truly helpless he was. But he was tired of being helpless. He wanted to show that he wasn't just some farm boy that couldn't defend himself. Yet, this station seemed to be doing the opposite.

[gamemaker kelsier]

a v r i e l .

"We forgot to talk about Heaven
And leaving
And what it would mean
And how I would grieve"

Probably the first thing Avri ever learned how to do was take a punch. Nine isn't kind, no matter where you look and Av spent his first few years of school scrapping in the yard at recess. No matter how many kids would come back in from break with bruises or a bloody nose, the teachers would always look away.

What were they going to do? Tell a classroom full of kids that they didn't need to know how to fight?

It felt like the closer the reaping loomed, the more frenzied his classmates would get. Some of the tougher kids started taking it out on the weaker and Avriel was eight years old when he decided that he didn't want to be that. Scrapping was bothersome, even then he was happier figuring out shortcuts and Avri would set little traps for the other kids. Tripwires and pitfalls were his forté and got him sent to the principal's so often they stopped notifying his parents.

And the tough kids always wanted payback, Avriel had learned through a lot of practice. The moment he'd understood the trick to getting hit was the moment that kids had stopped hitting him so much. It's not fun when your target doesn't cry right?

Avriel is taking a break from taking hits when he sees Six, the kid from Eleven possibly doing his best to become invisible.

"Hey," he says to him. He looks like he could be Duke's age, "You're doing it wrong, stop cowering and let me show you." He doesn't owe this kid anything, hasn't spoken to him once, but he can only hope that if Duke is ever reaped, some older kid takes as much pity on him.

"Don't run from the hit, take it," Avriel says and he gestures at his trainer to hit him again, "Use your legs to take the blow."

Avriel drops his body a bit lower and holds his arms up in front of him, elbow to elbow and vertical to protect his face, "Protect your head, always, you take a hit too hard there and you're toast."

[Deleted]

Avriel and Six had lived very different lives. Before now the closest Six had ever been to a fight was his brothers wrestling, but it never got that serious. Occasionally they'd accidentally get hurt, but nothing the first aid kit in the house couldn't fix before their parents found out about it. He couldn't imagine growing up somewhere like district nine, maybe that was just the farmboy in him. And right now when he was training, that farmboy was really coming out. It was clear he didn't know what to do - which made him grateful for Avriel.

He wasn't sure why Avriel had decided to help him, a total stranger. But he was thankful for it. This guy obviously knew what he was doing. The guy looked like he was about Hook or Props age, maybe he was the same age as Lock and Four but he doubted it. He was guessing Props age if he had to choose, so seventeen. He wondered how Avriel knew exactly what to do and why was he so confident? Maybe he really was like Prop - a troublemaker. Though being a troublemaker isn't always bad, he loved his brother despite him being a bit of a rebel.

Six watched how he used his arms and elbows to shield his face. It seemed to work, but what would happen if your arms broke as a result? He decided not to thing about that. He also elected not to think about what would happen if they used a sword or an axe instead of fists. Six had seen enough limbs get chopped off as he watched previous Hunger Games growing up. Though, a chopped off arm was still better than a decapitation. Plenty of victors were missing limbs - Flynn Garner even elected not to get his ear reattached.

He took a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. Then he gave the trainer a signal to hit him. He copied what he had seen Avriel do. His arms were shaking, he made a small squeaking type sound out of shock when the fist made contact with his arms, and he flinched slightly. But he did it, he took the punch instead of just backing away. It was still rough and any harder of a punch would've broken through his defenses. It was a start.

Six looked up to Avriel, he wasn't sure who this guy was, but he was thankful for him. "Uh thank you... for helping me out I mean."