some kind of warrior

My name is Tatiana Owel. I am seventeen years old. I killed children in the 75th Hunger Games. I am in District Thirteen. I am beyond redemption.

[shade-barrow]

[tiberiuspentelic]

He moved into her arms easily, like it was second nature because in a way it was—almost as close to breathing since they worked as a single entity. A District Two machine that no Thirteen citizens could ever alter or get in between. Tiberius threw a leg over her own toned and muscular one, huffing out a sleepy breath that was as content as he’d be that day—before they had to make an appearance and give a damn. His metal arm lay awkwardly both under and to the side of him, yet another assurance that it was unnatural for he never was subjected to the lack of circulation such a position granted. Tatiana never judged that he still didn’t like the thing; though he was glad when she stopped getting that guilty shaded look in her eyes every time she looked at it (‘What, am I rusting?’ He asked her one evening as a joke, to lighten her up again because the tension was thick and unbearable. ‘Shut up,’ she answered him back before muttering an idiot and tossing her pillow at him.).“‘ime is it anyway, Ti?” He felt like a cat the way her nails scraped his skull causing a shiver to run down his body and his arm to tighten around her hips. 

[tatianaowel]

Their legs tangled together, Tatiana's fingers slipped into the shorn stubble on his head, her free arm holding his shoulder. It was a little uncomfortable, but she didn't mind. "Half-six," She murmured against his skin, wishing to never let go lest his warmth leave her again. He burned like a furnace, and if she weren't still half-asleep, she might have checked his temperature. Technically, they weren't supposed to be doing this-- whatever it was. She looked after him, that was that. But they needed healing in ways a good doctor could never provide, and he had helped her just as much as she did him. They didn't often kiss, or cuddle or hold hands, but it made every private moment that much sweeter when they did. Her lips pressed to his forehead, to his temple and cheekbone, before she kissed the tip of his nose. Tiberius' good arm held her hip tightly, and pulled her close. "I dreamed about you again."

[tiberiuspentelic]

To say the dried droll on his chin or the mused blonde hair that is normally—yet oddly— put together was one stick short of unattractive, was putting it mildly. Ty, normally a dead to the world sleeper on a less than stellar mattress back home was living it up on the comfortably firm military grade District 13 mattress. A sharp ‘Ty' roused him out of his dream of weightlifting twice his body weight without breaking a sweat—in his dreams, he thought bitterly as the dream settled into his subconscious to be forgotten like all others before. “Morning,” he mumbled back, stretching his arms and back till the synovial fluid popped in relief and his mechanical arm fluidly moved like a greased part. “..What?” Because of course she was giving him ‘that look’ that only she could pull off and only seemed to do with him. “What?”

[tatianaowel]

"You sound like a chainsaw when you snore," She muttered, rubbing sleep from her eyes with a laugh in her voice. He moved like a newborn calf in the morning, and more than once had misjudged the weight of his arm and toppled over. Tatiana reached her arms out and moved onto her back. She was still yawning, still half-asleep, and probably had morning breath, but she wanted him at her side. Was it so much to ask, after all they'd done? "C'here."

[tatianaowel]

In District Two, Tatiana usually woke to the sound of pickaxes off in the mine, or her mother busying herself around the kitchen. Definitely not this, the snoring that would have infuriated her if it weren't for the perpetrator. Ty slept on his back, one arm splayed out, the steel clutched to his chest. From across the room she could have thrown her pillow, maybe a shoe, but she wasn't that cruel. "Ty," He stopped then, and slowly woke up. "Morning."

[tiberiuspentelic]

Tiberius hovered outside the tattoo shop, the random buzzing grating on his ears and made his skin crawl. But Tatiana thought it would be a good idea to get one, said he’d look badass with sleeve of art. Said it might even be fun and in a moment of weakness he agreed, but upon reflection and wincing faces…he was singing a different tune. Turning to her, he absentmindedly leaned towards her with a look that said ‘this is not a good idea’. “This is not a good idea, Ti.”

[tatianaowel]

Yeah, it was probably a bad idea. Who knew what kind of sterilization techniques they used, or where they even got clean needles from? But when she passed the so-called 'black market' of Thirteen, Tatiana couldn't quite shake the sound of the needles buzzing. "You're chicken shit." Which was only a half-lie, considering she was this close to backing out too. "You don't have to get one. You can just watch." She slipped her hand into his, clutching tightly as they were beckoned inside. The girl with the tattoo gun watched the pair with raised, pierced eyebrows, and she had to remember that she was from district Two, and no one, not even some pierced girl from Thirteen holding a needle, could scare her.

[haul-morgan]

I thought as much since you were made a medic here, and everything.

Eleven is huge. I haven’t even been everywhere there. And it’s typically hot for most of the year, and when it’s not everyone freaks out. Heh. No six-legged wildebeest that I’ve ever seen. We do have these super fast rabbits that liked to eat all the crops… At least they seemed like they were super fast.

Maybe they were just annoying…

[tatianaowel]

If I'd actually gone to class, I might be of more use.

They said it was big but I can't really imagine it. I don't know where I got wildebeest from, then. Do the rabbits have six legs?

[haul-morgan]

And if you graduated from your academy but didn’t get to volunteer are those the people who became Peacekeepers? Or did you get to pick?

I don’t know where all these questions are coming from. I just have realized none of us really know about what it’s like in each others Districts. And that feels really stupid.

[tatianaowel]

Yeah. Five years of Peacekeeping, then you could choose if you wanted to change. But I was supposed to be a doctor like my Mom, so... yeah.

It is. How big is Eleven? Do you really have six-legged wildebeest? 

[haul-morgan]

Really? You could just blow that stuff off if you wanted to and they didn’t do anything about it?

[tatianaowel]

They only got mad if you didn't train. And if you got kicked out of training, you had to work in the mine all day. So we all went to training.

[haul-morgan]

I always thought that was sort of… all your schools included. Sounds pretty stupid now. But I finished. We graduate at sixteen then we’re sent out to the fields, so that was a few years ago. What about you all?

[tatianaowel]

It's not stupid. We have training from sunrise until midday, then class or working in the mines until dark. But they never really yelled at us if we didn't go.

[haul-morgan]

Usually. I took some days off to work on my families farm though. Same with a lot of kids in Eleven.

[tatianaowel]

I used to skip school to go to training-- I'm sorry, that was a crappy thing to say. Did you finish?

[haul-morgan]

No. Not for me, either. 

At least they get to attend actual school though, for a little.

[tatianaowel]

Didn't you?

[haul-morgan]

I think it’s safe to say the kids in Thirteen are the most well behaved kids I’ve ever met in my life. But only when one of the soldiers come around…

[tatianaowel]

Its not that much different from home, when you think about it.

[ginsbcrg-deactivated20170213]

  Just maybe. 

One down by the kitchens behind the can racks, and another in this classroom they don’t use anymore for anything but storage. There’s a few broom closets if you get lucky. My personal favorite is one down by the hovercraft pads. 

[tatianaowel]

No, not maybe.

If I stay, can I ask you some questions?

[lakepilchard]

Or both.

I’m sure you’re managing fine. I haven’t heard anyone mention any of you career tributes since you were given… this amazing freedom we all have in Thirteen, since you were let out of prison. That’s a good sign.

[tatianaowel]

I'm not sure about the others, but I keep my head down. Though I can't say the same for you.

[lakepilchard]

Unless they expect me to fill up the entire shower with water, it’s not even close.

[tatianaowel]

I suppose they think anything larger than a tub would be wasteful to them. I thought adjusting here would be easier, but now I really just want a bath. Or an ocean, either or.

[lakepilchard]

Oh yeah. Oceans are much bigger than lakes. They pretty much have no end, they’re much deeper, and have saltwater instead of fresh water.

Usually it’s more dangerous too. But the beach is great.

[tatianaowel]

I can't even comprehend that. I doubt the guard could have either.

[lakepilchard]

Oceans? …I think there are a few, but you can’t really see them all or anything. There is only one off the coast of District Four.

[tatianaowel]

So, there's a difference between an ocean and a lake?

No pun intended.