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PROMPT #2: AT ODDS → JYDIA

TAGGING → Justin Evans & Lydia Pierce.

TIME FRAME → Wednesday night, 1/29.

LOCATION → Justin's "room" on the train.

NOTES → Lydia attempts to talk strategy with Justin, on Sam's behalf, and it doesn't go well at all.

Lydia knew things were getting down to the wire. While she had worked out an alliance with another District, it was a career District. In her eyes, they typically started together in the beginning of the games over the past years. One just didn't seem interested in taking part of that and not just because one of them fought with both of the Evans'. It was simply just that - they didn't seem interested. Occasionally small talk had been exchanged here and there, but that was the extent of it. If they had other stuff worked out and that's why they didn't care to be in an alliance with their District, then so be it. It was no skin off her back. However, she thought it was extremely stupid to pair off with other District's as of now. And if one wasn't working with two or four, is that what they had done? Without even seeing them in training? Stupid. Again, it really wasn't her concern. Her concern at the moment though, was Sam's request and how to deliver the news to Justin. Truth be told, she didn't know how he would take it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, maybe he would reject it right away. Going in search for him in his room, she heard his shower running and smirked. Moving over to the sliding glass door of the shower, she banged on it. "Nice to see you're finally deciding to bathe!"

Justin had been minding his own business for the greater part of the day. That meant having breakfast and going back into his room to continue sleeping. He was so anxious to get off the train already and arrive at the Capitol to at last meet the other tributes. One in particular that he wanted to rip to shreds but he kept promising himself he would try to be as civil as possible unless provoked. It was about time he got up and went in for a shower and so he did just that. With the intention of seeing Lydia afterwards but apparently she had other plans to catch up to him beforehand. Naturally the banging on the shower's glass door startled him. "What the hell!" He yelled, huffing when he finally acknowledged it was her. "What are you doing in my bathroom? I know you want to see naked but this is uncalled for." He smirked as he began to rinse off his hair. "And I shower regularly for your information."

Lydia was still aware that her and Justin hadn't talked game strategy or anything along those lines. Stupid of them, really, but they had been so wrapped up with their other... stuff, it hadn't been the first thing on their minds. Even now, it would be so easy to just let go and pal around with him instead of sit and talk business, but it had to be done eventually. They barely even spoke about how he felt after his own altercation with the dick from District one, she just distracted him from it. She let out a laugh when he reacted, obviously startled. Truth be told, she hadn't even thought about the fact that he was naked just behind the shower door and it really wasn't a good idea for her to be around him when he first came out, but she was curious to see. Leaning her back against the side of the shower, she shook her head although he couldn't see it. "I had to talk to you about something and I don't know how you're going to feel about it." Maybe if she made the conversation serious, she could get dirty things off her mind.

Justin had no idea why Lydia would show up in his bathroom while he was in the middle of a shower but whatever it was, he assumed it had to be a good reason but none came to mind. He was doing his best to get rinsed off completely so he could step out of the shower when she finally spoke up again revealing why she walked in on him. His brow furrowed as his hands ran through his hair and he reached to turn off the running water. "Talk to me about what?" He asked, standing there for a moment as he thought about how he was going to step out with her still there. Not that he cared at all if she saw him nude. He reached out blindly reaching for his towel he'd left hanging outside and wrapped it around his lower region before finally stepping out.

Lydia hadn't known that he was in the shower, she had just thought that he was being a lazy ass on his bed as usually. If he wasn't eating, or annoying her, that's usually where she could find him. Then again, once she realized that's where he was, she could have left and came back. There was such a huge part of her that wanted to jump in along with him. A fleeting feeling of just wanting to be that close to him, but before she could potentially act on it, she heard the shower shut off. It was a relief really. If they were going to be together in that way, she still wanted to stick to waiting till they were where they would be staying. It suddenly dawned on her that they would be there tomorrow and she wouldn't have any other excuse to keep it from happening. It took her a second to realize he had stepped out with just his towel on in the appropriate place. "Oh, um..." She turned away, so that he could change if he wanted. And also to keep herself from wanting to jump him. "About.... okay, I don't want to talk about your brother while you're naked so, yeah."

Justin was more than amused by how she was reacting. He hadn't even noticed up until he stepped out of the shower and saw the look on her face that spoke for itself as if she had just realized he was practically in front of her naked. Nevertheless, he still tried to maintain a straight face but he couldn't help the small tug at the corners of his lips when she seemed to be flustered as she turned around. Reaching for a small towel to dry off his head with, he began to shag it around when she decided she wouldn't speak to him like this. "Oh c'mon. I have a towel on and I'm shirtless on a daily basis. You're overreacting." He teased. Knowing she wouldn't give in so easily, he sighed and dropped the towel to grab his pair of boxers. "So what's up with my brother?"

Lydia hated how worked up she was getting. Ironically, it was less about the fact that he was naked and more about that fact that him being naked was putting thoughts in her head. Things such as them both naked. Together. Maybe in the shower, or not. Either way, she was trying to push the thoughts from her mind knowing he was probably getting a kick out of it. She hadn't been able to hide much how it was making her feel. "I'm not overreacting. I just don't want to see it before I... see it." She said the last phrase in a different tone, indicating that she did plan on actually being with him in that way. "He wants one of the girls from District one to be in our alliance." She blurted out. At least if she got the conversation started, he would stop teasing and focus on speaking.

Justin was definitely having himself a good time teasing her. It was obvious that it was working and he'd never had this much of an upper hand before. At least not one that lasted long enough because she usually fought her way out of the teasing by either physically attacking him or jabbing at his ego but now she seemed to flustered to do either. That and the fact that she was clearly trying to get a point across at the same time. He raised a brow at her explanation which made sense to him and he nodded, smiling to himself as he reached for his pair of pants. Now he could be sure of it when she said she did want to be with him. His expression changed for the worst with the next words that came out of her mouth. "What? Is he stupid?!" He practically yelled, seizing his movements altogether. "Why would he want that? That asshole guy's from District one. What makes him think this isn't some kind of scheme for her to be their eyes and ears? He's out of his mind." He shook his head in disbelief, grabbing his towel as he walked past her back into his room.

Lydia had originally anticipated him flipping out about it, but there was part of her that thought maybe he would be accepting of it - provided the girl proved herself - because she did come from a Career district and one more person in their alliance, meant one less person in theirs. Nevertheless, he proved her first thought true and she couldn't blame him. He also wasn't wrong, as he yelled and booked toward his room. "Justin..." She trailed off with a sigh as she went after him, her hands wiping down her face knowing she was in for a rough time. She still wasn't even convinced herself it was a good idea, but that's why she needed to talk to him. If he was deadset against it, at least she could play devil's advocate and maybe they could come up with the best solution. "Well, if you don't at least attempt to consider it, you're going to lose your brother. Either way he's going to try and protect her. What if we spend training telling her stuff that isn't true and if it gets back to District 1, we know we have to cut her loose? She doesn't need to know our actual plans, she can just stick by us..." Moving around him to making him come to a halt in his room, she reached her hands up to cup his cheeks. "I know, I get where you're coming from, I do. I already said this stuff to him. You don't need to say yes right now, it's just... I think it's something we should talk about."

Justin didn't want to hear it. Point blank. It didn't make sense to him why his brother who went at it with someone from District one as well would even consider allowing someone from that district into their alliance. Sure, she was a girl but did that really change anything? As far as Justin knew, she hadn't proved herself to him and so he had no reason to think this was a good idea at all. There was obviously a reason that Lydia was telling him this and not his brother. Knowing Sam, he probably knew he wouldn't be okay with this and so he sent Lydia thinking he'd take it any easier. He stopped short in his room as he thought of this strategy she suggested which was a fairly good idea. He still didn't open his mouth and refused to look into her eyes as she cupped his cheeks, shaking his head slightly as she went on trying to convince him. "Are you saying you're on board with this?" He simply asked with a stern look, finally meeting her eyes as he folded his arms over his chest. "Why does he want her to join us in the first place? Is he messing with this girl? She could be trying to play him for all we know!"

Lydia didn't want to fight with him over this, but at the very least - he wouldn't punch her in the face. Which is what he might have done to Sam, then Sam would have fought back, and it would have just been a disaster. No, this was the better option even if he was still flipping out. Lydia wasn't stupid, she could see the appeal in it... provided she proved herself as much as she could within the next month before the games. Sam wasn't thinking straight, because it seemed more personal for him than strategic, but she could see the potential strategy in it. Her hands slipped from his face after he shook his head and gave her a pointed look. "I'm just saying I'm not totally against it. It's not like it's a sealed deal yet or something." Then again, she didn't really know what Sam had told the girl, but if Sam wanted to have her back that was on him. It didn't have to fall on the rest of them unless they agreed. "No, he's not messing with her. He.. I don't really know. He's... oddly developed this desire to protect her. I don't really understand it but..." shaking her own head, she trailed off. "We're going into this with two separate career packs, it would be smart to at least attempt to recruit someone from the other pack."

Justin could understand why Sam would want to do such a thing. Sam was always the more receptive twin. They both did have something in common however and that was how protective they could be. If he disagreed to this, he knew he would more than likely still stick to wanting to be on her side and he didn't want to make a dent on his relationship with his brother. Not at a time like this. There would be sacrifices needed to be made at some point throughout the game anyway and he was well aware of that. Lydia had made her point by pointing out that nothing was set in stone just yet and that did relieve him. "Just like that dude's oddly developed this desire to protect that other Marley girl even if they're not together?" He raised a brow. At her next statement, he sighed and threw his hands out. "Whatever. Let him do whatever he wants. But if this girl flips on us, its on him." He reminded her.

Lydia knew that Justin would be the hardest to break out of all of them. She figured if she could get him to accept it, then she could work on officially doing so as well. However, part of her didn't know if he would simply agree because she was talking him into it, or if because he was accepting it. Did she really have the right to talk him into something he knew was a bad idea; that she knew was probably a bad idea? His words caused her to furrow her brow, and although she didn't know, nor did she care about what was going on between the nice girl and the district 1 jerk, but the words still hit her. "So, what are you saying? You can only have the desire to protect someone if you're with them?" It sounded like he was saying they were together. After all, he had said countless times he would protect her. Biting on her lip, she didn't know whether this was a victory or not. "Or it's on me, you mean." She was the one that was trying to talk him into it.

Justin was trying his best not get worked up over this. No one was threat to him so far. This shouldn't be anything that would faze him at all. It wasn't him he was worried about her turning on. It was everyone else he was trying to protect. The bottom line was, he had yet to meet this girl and while he knew he didn't have to give them a straight answer just yet, he couldn't help but be bothered by this idea. His own brow furrowed when she seemed to be turning what he had said around. Making it obvious what she was thinking. "No. That's not what I'm saying. You can have that desire even if you're not with them. Who knows? Maybe he likes this girl, and this isn't the time to let his feelings drive him in a crazy direction and put us all at risk. That's what I'm saying." He explained himself confidently. He hadn't expected what she said next and so he licked his lips, breaking eye contact as he plopped down on the edge of his bed. "Why are you trying to get me to agree to this when you're not even sure about it yourself. You know you aren't." He raised a knowing brow at her. "You think I'm stupid? Why didn't he come to me about this? Because he thinks I'm more likely to give into you than him and apparently you think so too." It wasn't that it wasn't true. It definitely was. What bothered him the most was the fact that it was now obvious Lydia was the chink in his armor.

Lydia was amazed at how somehow things always went back to their feelings for each other. Maybe not directly, but it appeared that it seemed to be such a focus for Lydia. She knew that wasn't good. She couldn't let herself be distracted by it when they had to discuss things. And she had been the one to broach the subject to begin with, so she had to follow through with things. "Right. It's not the time to let feelings put people at risk, I get that." She couldn't help but relate it to their own situation. Or maybe just her situation, since he didn't seem to think along those lines. She watched him take a seat on the bed, not knowing which move to take next and so she remained standing in her spot. "I don't know?" Her arms flopped to her sides, "Because if there's a chance that he feels a fraction for this girl the way I feel for you, who am I to tell him he can't feel like that?" She explained softly, shaking her head. "Of course I don't think you're stupid... I'm not trying to.. make you seem weak here, or anything." She said defensively, feeling like she was in trouble with him. "I told him I'd talk to you, that's it. I can go find him if you would rather talk to him about it, if that's what you want." She continued, taking a few steps back.

Justin knew that somehow what was going on with this girl and Sam was easy to relate to their situation but not completely and so he couldn't put himself in their shoes. With the way she had phrased herself, he could tell that she was definitely implying the same with whatever they had going on and he didn't agree. "Its not the same with us. We're together in this. She's from a different district. We haven't even really met her yet." He argued his point with a shake of his head. Even if she wasn't trying to convince him with the thought that she definitely had the upper hand on him, he couldn't help but see it that way. He'd always been the one to hold up a front but ever since he let things with her run its course, he found himself letting it down and now it was easy access for her to get past it. Meaning if anyone knew she could get through to him, they could use her to do that if they wanted to but he also knew Lydia wasn't stupid either. "Its different, Lydia! And that may not be what you're doing but its what it looks like to me." He exclaimed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. That was until she suggested to get Sam to talk to him and he lowered his voice. "No. Let him do whatever he wants. Like I said, its on him." He replied with a reluctant shrug.

Lydia knew that the situations weren't exactly the same. They obviously didn't know each other the way her and Justin did. They hadn't even met yet, which he had pointed out. Her feelings for him had somehow managed to make her more susceptible those times of feeling in general, ultimately clouding her judgement an making her seem weak herself. She knew this wasn't the time to let romantic feelings make her soft, but she didn't think Sam would bring danger on them. At some point things had taken an awful turn between them. It wasn't just about the problem at hand, but clearly he was bothered for other reasons. Other reasons that were now causing them to fight. She didn't want to fight with him and she didn't even know how to begin to reply to the fact that he seemed to think she was trying to emasculate him. "What's different?!" She exclaimed in return, trying to get angry back instead of hurt. "I'm not trying to make you weak or pick at your armor! And so what if for two seconds, around me, you let your guard down? It's just me! I thought things were happening between us, but I guess I was wrong." She didn't even bother to answer the part that got them started on all of this. She was mad, but most of all she couldn't believe he thought that she was trying to break him down to get him to give into her demands.

Justin couldn't imagine Lydia trying to get to him all because she knew he was more prone to giving into her than anyone else. That, he had surely made obvious and it didn't bother him at all that she made him drop his guard sometimes. He admired that she was the only one who could do that because it made him realize if he was falling in love with anyone, it had to be with someone who could treat him the way she did. Someone who could make him react and be a different version of himself. A better one, of course. It wasn't that he thought she was trying to get in his head for Sam but the fact that Sam had more than likely tried to get her to talk to him because he thought he would listen to her. "I don't have feelings for someone who I don't know and have never seen before! That's what's so different. I trust you. I don't trust her!" He threw back, giving her just as much as she was giving him. His brow furrowed at what came next and he failed to respond immediately. Instead, he shook his head and leaned down to bury his face into the palms of his hands. "I don't want to talk anymore."

Lydia could tell he was too mad to try to make her feel better or, at the very least, take back the things that he said that that bothered her. Even if he wasn't, she knew it was pretty stupid of her to think that he was going to try to make her feel better. However, the other night he had done just that when she had been upset. This was different, though. Last time she hadn't annoyed him. "I get that that's different! I don't trust her either. I get all that, alright?" She sighed, hating the mess that this felt like now. Not just with what to do with the alliance, but she hated feeling like she disappointed him or let him down. As if he was the leader and she knew sticking with him would keep her alive for as long as possible, so why question him and jeopardize that? "Is this how it's going to be every time I suggest something you don't like? You're going to shut me out and tell me you don't want to talk anymore? That's not going to be an option when we're in the games, Justin. So, whatever, do your stupid brooding thing." Turning on her heel, she walked away.

Justin didn't understand how quickly the mood had changed between them. He'd gone from teasing her one minute to completely wanting to zone her out. It wasn't her fault to begin with and he was trying to remember that but as she stood there still trying to reason with him, he couldn't help but feel she was in this too. He was always confident about his choices and decisions and hoped everyone took them into consideration. Of course her trying to convince him despite the fact that she understood him made him feel like this would be an issue in the games. "You don't trust her but you still think we should let her in. Okay." He nodded passively. His head didn't raise to meet her eyes as she spoke down to him and as he felt her walk out from the corner of his eye, he didn't bother chasing her.

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