Imperia Bachmann, 18

District Six Female

"Cheers to the beautiful alliance we've built together." Imperia grinned and held up her glass of wine to Jude.

He appeared amused as he clinked his glass against hers before downing half of it immediately, making Imperia rolled her eyes as she took a more moderate, ladylike sip. Their mentors were two complete pushovers that did whatever Jude and Imperia requested, so their simple request of a bottle of wine to split was no big deal at all.

It was almost laughable, really. Imperia had hoped for someone that could pose more of a challenge to break down, but she'd take what she could get.

In an odd way, their current setup reminded her of back home, when they'd shut themselves away from everyone else and throw on shitty old movies and hang out with Jude's cat. Even without the cat, this felt familiar enough that Imperia almost believed that they were instead back home, above the world and everything in it.

Even now, Jude had taken the remote from Imperia's bedside table and was scrolling through the selection of movies, making a few disappointed comments when they didn't have whatever he was looking for. Imperia sighed wearily and swirled the wine around in her glass before taking another sip, tilting her head back until it hit the headboard. Finally, Jude picked a movie to throw on and settled down on the floor, dragging a few of Imperia's pillows with him. She frowned at that but ultimately couldn't find it in her to chide him for it, instead grabbing the rest and throwing them down on the floor to join him.

"This movie looks terrible," she commented immediately, noting that it was one of those movies where it was all about the experience and not an actual plot. "What's the point of it?"

Instead of trying to fight back on it, Jude just shrugged. "Hell if I know. I got tired of looking through channels and just turned one on."

Heaving another sigh, Imperia leaned across him to snatch up the remote again, determined to find something that at least had an intelligible plot. Capitolites were so easily entertained, but Imperia refused to find something that wouldn't at least challenge her on some level.

"You were with Crush for a while," Jude finally spoke up again.

Imperia paused on a channel that appeared to be some kind of documentary before shrugging and putting the remote down. "She's very… interesting. She'd be a fun little experiment if I ever got my hands on her. Besides, I had more luck with her than you did with that Eight girl," Imperia jibed.

"She wasn't interested in anything I had to say," Jude said with a groan, leaning his head back. "I figured they were both long shots, but I was hoping to get at least one of them on our side. It's still a shame Nine got that Five girl."

Gritting her teeth, Imperia brought her wine glass to her lips and swallowed another sip. She was still mildly infuriated by the impertinence of the Nine boy swooping in to steal her target like that. The only thing he'd truly gained was an enemy, and Imperia Bachmann was not to be trifled with.

"Whatever. We don't need her in the end," Imperia responded.

Jude let out a soft laugh, in a surprisingly good mood compared to normal. "I guess you're right. We just need the others to take us into late Games and beyond."

At that, Imperia shifted slightly where she sat. "I had an idea about that."

He faltered and looked at her, a sudden bout of insecurity likely rising up. Imperia almost rolled her eyes, as surely he knew by now that they were in this until the end.

"What is it?"

"I want to start moving in on Kyra," Imperia said simply.

"This early?"

There was a hint of nervousness in Jude's voice that Imperia didn't particularly appreciate, making her purse her lips. "If we send her out in the bloodbath, the Careers won't pay us any mind going forward," she said. "We'll have an alliance of four, which is enough of a safety net that we'll be fine and not too many that'll make us a target."

Imperia knew she was right, which was why she frowned as Jude hesitated and took longer to answer. "I guess you make a point," he said slowly.

"The party will be a good time to start, right as she's nervous and anticipating the score reveal," Imperia murmured, staring down into her dark red wine. "I don't think it'll take much to see her crack."

"Not long at all," Jude mused. "I still think it would be more fun to wait a little longer."

She was perplexed by the way he was pushing against her tonight. "This is why I'm the one in charge, not you,"she parried, frowning over at Jude.

He rolled his eyes and let out a harsh laugh. "I thought we were both in charge. For equality's sake."

"This whole thing was still my idea."

"And you've gotten so bossy because of it," Jude shot back.

Imperia grinned at him. "You're just mad that I'm always right."

"Maybe that's why I can't stand you," he muttered, draining the last of his wine in one go. "You're a know it all."

"Oh Jude," she breathed, watching him shudder as her hand ran down his arm. "Lies are unbecoming, you know that?"

Imperia wasn't sure how much of her wine had gotten to her, but she was about to start up the dangerous dance that they always came back to. No matter how much they tried to insist there was nothing between them, they were always running from the truth. Or, maybe that's how Jude felt. Imperia didn't care either way.

"You're insufferable," he tried again.

This time, Imperia just smiled. "I know," she murmured before leaning in to meet his lips with hers, feeling the way he didn't hesitate before kissing her back.

She pulled away after only a moment, picking up her wine glass to finish it off. "I think you're the troglodyte in this relationship," she said with a laugh.

"This is why I think you're insufferable," he pointed out again.

"Don't mention it," she muttered under her breath, leaning against her pillows until she got comfortable.

The banter between them wasn't as lively tonight, but Imperia wasn't bothered. Jude was just a familiarity to her, a taste of home that she would drag around for the next few days and into the Games. She didn't know why she felt so nostalgic tonight, as if everything was in danger of slipping out of her grasp, but she couldn't help but slide her fingers through Jude's until they were holding hands.

His hand was cold in hers, and Imperia resisted the urge to squeeze it just a bit tighter. She didn't want to think about how they were entwined forever and, for the first time, Imperia wasn't sure what to make of the future in front of her.

Merix Joss, 15

District Three Male

The night air was warm and almost muggy, nearly choking Merix as he tried to finish his last pushup. Nash and Lilith didn't pay him any mind as he did them on his knees, occasionally offering him pointers to make his form better so he could "get a good workout in."

They were nice. Painfully so. Even Lilith was nice. Sure, she still intimidated him when she looked in his direction for too long, but then her eyes would soften and he'd remember that she was just a kid like him. A bit of an older kid, but a kid nonetheless. They were… they were his friends, and Merix already knew he'd do anything for them.

His arms practically gave out as soon as he pushed himself up one last time, and he let out a weak groan as he laid on the ground. Distantly, he could hear a soft chuckle from Nash, but he knew it wasn't out of malice. The ground was oddly comfortable, and now that his arms felt like noodles, he wasn't sure if he ever wanted to get up. Maybe the gamemakers could just leave him here until he had to be in the Arena.

"You did a good job!" Nash encouraged him from where he was, a few feet away. "See, it's not about whether or not you do them all the way or push your body to its breaking point. It's about finishing what you started!"

Merix mentally filed that away for later, to put in his little notebook of every shred of advice Nash had given him so far. He could probably remember it all if he put his mind to it, but there was something about having all of Nash's lessons written down that made him really feel like he was beginning to understand.

Strong people never give up. Strong people fight for what they want even when it feels like they can't. Strong people are strong of will and heart, not just of body.

There were plenty more in the notebook already, but Merix put a little star next to each one he particularly liked. He didn't want to forget anything that could help him later.

"Is the ground comfortable?" Nash asked more gently, and closer this time.

Raising his head, Merix gave him a nod and registered that Nash was holding out his hand to help Merix up. Strong people know that accepting help doesn't make you weak, and so Merix accepted his offer.

"More comfortable than these exercises." Merix staggered to his feet, giving his arms a little shake as he tried to get them to work again. "You do this every day?"

"Most days! Breaks are always important, of course," Nash said, rubbing the back of his head. "There's no use in pushing yourself until the breaking point, especially when there's no need for that."

Nodding his head, Merix mulled over that for a minute. "So it's better to know your limits and go from there?"

"Exactly!" Nash gave him his familiar blinding smile and nodded. "You can always push yourself, but not to the point that it's unsafe or dangerous. That's just foolish."

"You guys talk an awful lot for training," Lilith finally cut in, glancing up at them in the middle of her own pushups. She barely seemed out of breath as she went, easily surpassing the amount that Merix and Nash did.

Nash just laughed warmly and sat down on the ground, stretching his legs out in front of him. "That's part of why it's fun! It's not just training, now we're just… together. Like friends should be."

Every time Nash used the word friend, Merix noticed that he and Lilith had similar reactions. There was a brief sense of discomfort, immediately followed by a realization that this friend thing was… really nice. Lilith almost seemed to get shy every time Nash used that word, fixing her eyes firmly on the ground as she kept doing her pushups. Merix just let his hair fall in front of his face, hoping his hair would camouflage the red his face was turning.

"What's next?" Merix asked, looking to Nash for guidance before realizing the Five boy had laid down, resting his hands behind his head. "Er… what are we doing now?"

Nash shrugged lightly, his eyes fixed on the sky. "Come join me if you want. You too, Lilith."

Hesitating for a moment, Merix caught Lilith's eye. She looked as confused as he was, but she finally rose to her feet, flicking her hair over her shoulder and out of her way. They seemed to be sizing each other up, wanting to see who would make the first move. Merix felt his feet start moving before his mind could catch up, and before he knew it, he was laying down next to Nash, squinting up at the dark sky.

He heard soft footsteps and knew Lilith was doing the same on Nash's other side, a comfortable silence falling over the trio. Merix crossed his arms over his chest, feeling a cool breeze come from nowhere and wash over him, making him shudder.

Night had fallen over an hour ago, as they'd decided to meet up past sundown. That was Nash's idea, and while Merix didn't understand at the time, he figured he was about to. Most nights around this time, he'd just be back at home with Agoura, playing games and hoping he wouldn't have to go to school. This was a welcome change, one that he appreciated more and more as time wore on.

This whole thing had started like some awful nightmare, sending his home life into chaos as everyone realized he wasn't the quiet, frail little girl he'd been masquerading as. Merix still shuddered at the idea of having to go back and deal with his own cowardice and weakness, and he didn't want to have to tell Nash about it, as it all seemed quite embarrassing now.

"Do you see them?" Nash asked, his voice hoarse as he spoke.

Merix flinched at the sudden noise, tilting his head to look up at Nash out of curiosity. "See what?"

"The stars," he whispered in response, pointing up at the sky that was partially illuminated by the light all around. "I figured it would still be too bright up here, but… but I wasn't sure if I'd get to see the stars in the Arena at all."

He turned his head back to the sky and squinted, catching a glimpse of a few dim lights here and there. Merix wasn't one to go out and stare at the stars often, as Three was full of too much buzz and technology for him to ever feel at peace that way. The Capitol was much too bright as well, the lights of the city choking the life out of the stars.

Merix couldn't help but feel like he was missing something as he stared at the night sky, and his endless curiosity made him clear his throat and ask, "Do you watch them often?"

"As often as I can," Nash said, glancing over at him. "I'd go out at night with… with Seiren, and we'd wait until all the lights in the city shut off for the night to conserve power. There were always so many, I was impressed that light pollution didn't suffocate them like it does here."

There were so many more questions Merix had now, and he tried to pick through Nash's words to figure out what to ask about first.

"Who's Seiren?" Lilith wondered aloud, and Merix nearly held his breath in anticipation of Nash's response.

For the first time since Merix met Nash, the Five boy seemed at a loss for words. He firmly fixed his gaze up at the sky, his jaw clenching as if trying to keep words from spilling out uncontrolled.

"My best friend," was what Nash finally settled on, but the slight quaver in his voice told them that there was infinitely more to the story, more than they'd ever know. "I'm not sure if he'll be able to stomach the sight of the stars anymore. All I can hope is that he's not entirely crushed by my leaving. He was always a pessimist at heart."

This was the most emotion Merix had ever heard in Nash's voice, and he squirmed at how nearly uncomfortable it made him. He didn't understand this whole friendship thing, and he wasn't sure if he ever would, but he knew Nash needed some kind of support right now. For all that Nash had helped him, it was time to do the same in return.

"Do you know any constellations?" Merix asked, trying to force eagerness into his tone in an attempt to change the subject and distract his friend.

"A lot," Nash said with a soft chuckle. He moved his hand up to his face briefly, and it registered in Merix that Nash was wiping away a tear. There wasn't any attempt to hide his pain or sadness, and Merix distantly made a note that strong people also know how to be weak. "This might sound stupid, but ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to go to space. I guess it's a shame that won't happen now."

"Space would be lucky to have you," Lilith added in from Nash's other side. Her silence was usually a comfort, something that could be counted on, but Merix has noticed that she wasn't as afraid to speak up. She didn't do it often, but that made whatever she said that much more impactful. At least, that's how Merix felt.

Nash finally cracked a smile again. "Thanks, Lily Bean," he teased.

"You're ridiculous," she shot back immediately, but Merix noted that there wasn't any heat in her words.

A more comfortable silence descended once again as Nash lifted his hand and started to point out where different constellations would be if the sky was dark enough for them to see. Merix and Lilith merely nodded along as Nash started devolving into telling grandiose stories about each constellation and how they appeared in the sky.

Merix felt tired and weary and wasn't even sure if he could pick his body up enough to get back in the elevator and make it to his bed, but he also knew this was one of the happiest moments of his life. He wouldn't trade this moment for anything.

Jaqueline "Jack" Carmichael, 17

District Eight Female

Jack was tired of feeling cooped up in the same spot, but after her encounter with the Six boy earlier, she didn't particularly want to go out either. It wasn't that she completely resented the idea of having allies - though she was certainly quite picky about whom she was willing to work with - but that alliance was too big for her taste, and full of too many potential annoyances. Besides, the Six boy just wanted to prattle on without stopping and she didn't appreciate that at all.

So that led to where she was now, pacing around her room as if it was the track down in the training room. Her room seemed smaller than normal tonight, making Jack feel like an animal trapped in a cage.

Jack had hoped that her mentoring sessions would help her feel less stuck in the same place, but they didn't help her much. It wasn't that Ariadne wasn't helpful, she just… well, Jack couldn't put her finger on it. There was something distinctly off about her mentor and the way she felt distant and unattached at all times, but Jack didn't have it in her to ask.

In fact, Jack had hardly spoken at all since arriving in the Capitol. It made her wonder if she'd make any noise at all if she opened her mouth, but she didn't feel inspired enough to try.

Before she could think better of it, Jack headed towards her door and opened it, intending to wander aimlessly without a goal in mind. She was merely a mirage, an eidolon as she floated down the hallway, stepping into the elevator that was seemingly waiting for her, beckoning her, ready to lead her to wherever she desired.

Jack pressed the button for the first floor, hoping there was something interesting besides the training center down there. Surely there was more, as it's not like the Capitol wanted to let their darling tributes waste away out of boredom in their last days alive. If they were kept engaged, they would do better as they fought ruthlessly against each other. At least, that's what Jack figured.

When she stepped out, she knew if she made her way to the right, she'd find herself in front of the training center, but instead she turned left and headed down a long hallway. There were a few scattered doors around, and Jack peeked through the window in one to see a pool on the other side. Out of curiosity, she turned the handle of the door only to find out that it was locked. She frowned before realizing there was a sign up that said a mentor or trainer had to be there to make sure there weren't any "incidents."

Whatever, Jack didn't particularly want to swim either way. It wasn't that she had any issue with the concept of water or swimming, but it just sounded… uncomfortable at best.

As she kept going by the rooms, she saw what appeared to be a game room (also locked for some reason), a dark room full of chairs that puzzled her, and then…

Jack pushed the door to the library open, nearly sneezing as the slightly musty stench hit her nostrils. Instead, she just waved her hand in front of her face and willed the dust away before freezing as she heard the light chatter of voices from somewhere in the room. She hadn't been around any of the other kids enough to be able to identify them solely by hearing their voices, but she was pretty sure it was a boy and a girl.

Either way, she felt like she'd gone too far to go back empty handed, and the further she stepped into the room the more she realized it was less of a library and more just shelves of books. It didn't appear to be regulated by anyone, though she did catch sight of a rather visible camera in the ceiling. Jack mustered up a glare to shoot at the camera before making her way down one of the towering aisles of books.

"I'm heading up for the night," the boy said, his voice quiet and hard to hear despite Jack getting closer to the source. "Here, you take these and I'll take those and we can go through them during training tomorrow."

Jack picked up a book off the shelf and turned it over in her hands as she heard the light shuffle of paper behind her. It seemed to be some kind of manual for identifying different kinds of stone, which made Jack shrug and tuck it under her arm. She didn't have a clear goal here; after all, she was just satisfying her own curiosity.

"Good luck during your private session," the girl told him, and Jack paused as she realized it was the Five girl that she'd been with for part of the first day. Naturally, she'd found another alliance to be a part of, someone better and probably more talkative than Jack.

The boy laughed, and Jack realized she was more actively trying to figure out who it was. She'd seen Five - Eleanor? - turn down the Sixes and their group, so it wasn't any of them. It clearly wasn't the Careers. There was that odd little trio that had formed out of Eleanor's District Partner, the scrawny Three boy, and the offputting Nine girl, but Jack had yet to see Eleanor be part of that group. Whoever it was, he seemed to be doing a rather fine job of flying under the radar.

"You'll see me again tomorrow," he said easily, his tone light. "You'll have the chance to tell me then."

"I know," Eleanor replied simply. "But I thought maybe an extra dose of good luck now couldn't hurt."

Out of nowhere, Jack was hit with a wave of longing and loneliness that nearly made her double over in shock. She'd never been bothered by her lonesome life before, but being here was making her realize more than ever that she wasn't just alone, she was lonely, and it hurt. The ache deep within her heart wasn't the closed off wound she always liked to tell herself it was; rather, it was open and raw and bleeding and Jack didn't know how to make it stop.

Maybe the girl's sentiment just reminded her of something her father would've said before his new wife showed up. Maybe Jack was just getting soft. Or maybe it didn't matter at all and Jack was just longing for something she'd never have because she was too foolish to want it in the first place.

"Thanks, Norrie," the boy said softly.

Jack made a mental note that the girl went by Norrie, though she doubted she'd have any reason to call the girl by name, and kept her head ducked as the boy walked by. His steps never faltered, so either he knew she was there and didn't care or he didn't spot her in the first place. Jack couldn't find it in her to mind either way, but she was suddenly restless in this alcove and quickly stepped out.

Before she could make it more than a few steps, she ran right into something and heard a sharp squeal before she was falling, barely getting her arms out in front of her to brace herself. Her breath whooshed out all at once, and she struggled to get her bearings as she looked around, trying to figure out what just happened.

"I'm so sorry," Norrie apologized profusely, one of her hands knocking into Jack's shoulder. "I didn't even see you there, I- oh, Jack? Is that you?"

Freezing at the prospect of being recognized, Jack slowly lifted her gaze to Norrie, who had also fallen to the floor, and nodded. "I, uh… hi, Norrie," was all she could manage.

"It's good to see you, even if it's like this," Norrie said with an awkward laugh, beginning to gather up the books she'd dropped. "I really am sorry for running into you; I guess I wasn't looking where I was going."

After a moment of trying and failing to get more words out, Jack cleared her throat and responded hoarsely, "You're fine. It was probably my fault, really."

"Well, I'm still sorry," Norrie insisted. "We can share mutual blame on that one."

Jack nodded and reached for the book she'd dropped, her hand bumping into Norrie's before she snatched it back. Norrie paused and read the title before smiling sheepishly and picking it up to hand it over to Jack. Without a word, Jack accepted it and tucked it under her arm once again.

"I hope training's been going well for you," Norrie said, and Jack remembered how the other girl often tried to fill silence as if she hated being surrounded by it. "Sorry I had to ditch you on that first day."

"You too."

She wanted to curse herself for her short answers, but Jack had never been particularly good at pleasantries or small talk or anything without much substance. Her throat was beginning to close up, causing any words she wanted to say to get stuck instead.

"Well… good luck with your private session tomorrow," Norrie said before starting to head towards the door again.

Wait, wait, wait, Jack wanted to say, but the words were trapped in her throat as Norrie turned away from her again, ready to leave her behind for good this time. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to get out any words at all, and so her hand just opened and closed uselessly at her side.

"Wait."

Blinking in surprise, Jack looked up to see that Norrie had turned back to her, offering her a light smile. "I, uh, kinda wanted to ask you back on the first day before the whole hassle with Imperia and then Thay, but… well, you seem like a hard worker and someone I definitely wouldn't mind spending my last few days with, so… would you want to ally with me?"

Jack couldn't help but be thoroughly stunned by the offer, and she was sure her face portrayed that obviously enough. In response, Norrie flushed and tugged on one of the curls that framed her face nervously.

"I'd have to ask Thay to make sure it's okay, but I'm sure he won't mind, especially since he said the main thing he's looking for in allies is someone that can be useful and smart," Norrie blabbered on, the silence getting to her once again.

"Okay," Jack breathed, the single word probably too quiet to be heard. So she tried again, clearing her throat again to force out, "Okay. I'll do it."

Norrie's entire face brightened and Jack was granted with a smile that made her feel odd, but she was pretty sure she liked it. "That's great! Maybe we could meet in front of the elevators tomorrow? Er… well, I wasn't planning on leaving just yet, so if you wanted to look through books with me some more…"

"Sure," Jack said before she could give it a second thought, hugging her lonely book to her chest. "I was hoping to find a couple things to read still."

The ambience of another person talking to Jack was unfamiliar, but she soon determined that it wasn't necessarily unwelcome. Norrie didn't seem to mind as Jack only offered up a few one word answers here and there, didn't try to drag anything more out of her. She appeared to be perfectly content with what Jack was willing to give right now, and Jack was grateful for that even if she didn't have the words to express it.

It began to dawn on Jack that maybe her old philosophy that she didn't need anybody was nothing more than a lie.

Kano Pacifica Arledge, 18

District Four Male

The Twos' floor was full of their alliance, all crowded into the living room. Phaedra and Justus had taken up one of the couches, Makani and Alila were in the other, and Shai had stolen the only chair with a wink and an offer for Kano to sit in his lap if the floor wasn't appealing enough. For half a second, Kano had been tempted to take him up on his offer, to continue with this odd push and pull dynamic they had. But thinking better of it, he'd instead settled down on the floor in front of Makani, who was threading her fingers through his hair.

He was the most relaxed he'd been in ages, though thoroughly kicking Shai's ass during training today had probably helped. Shai was some kind of enigma that Kano could barely begin trying to wrap his head around. At this point, Kano was beginning to wonder if he was all bark and no bite, but he didn't want to let himself let down his guard.

Now, he watched as Shai leaned forward and smugly turned over his cards to show a full house, causing Justus to squawk in indignation at his own two pair. Shai just grinned and scooped up the pile of chips he'd won from this bet and leaned back in his chair.

"He's definitely cheating, right?" Makani asked from behind Kano, directing her question at Alila, who was the only one left that hadn't gotten tricked out of most of her chips.

Despite his competitive spirit, Kano had opted not to play, claiming he didn't even know how to play poker. That was true, but it was mainly because he didn't have the patience or the poker face for learning it. Makani had gotten out long ago, and Phaedra was only still in because she had stopped betting at all, frowning down at her cards and folding as soon as she could.

"He has to," Alila muttered back, watching as Phaedra shuffled the deck of cards.

Kano leaned his head back to glance up at Alila and whispered, "Only sometimes. If you watch his face when he gets his cards, he looks particularly smug when he gets a good hand, and then he manages to keep his face blank. When he cheats, he gets increasingly smug as the game goes on and he manages to get others to bet more."

At that, Alila nodded and leaned back. Kano could practically see the gears turning in her head as she intently watched Phaedra pass out the cards, glancing at Shai's face as he picked up his cards. She flipped through her own cards, tilting them just enough so Makani could see them and let out a disapproving hum.

He almost snickered at the little show they were putting on, registering a while ago that Makani had gotten out first to actively test how the others played, taking the heat so Alila could lay low and come back in the end. Kano had to admire the strategy they'd picked out, especially considering none of them knew what they were doing until they got up here. It made him wonder just how close the two girls had gotten during training, but he was just glad they seemed content to let him tag along with them every once in a while.

Kano intently watched Shai for most of the round, admiring the performance he was giving. He barely seemed to flinch as the others kept driving up the bids to the point where Phaedra was all in, and Justus and Alila risked going out if they kept going. Shai must've seen it as a chance to end the game here, as he kept going along with their bids, but Kano second guessed what his goal was when the One boy caught his eye and winked again.

This win was easily taken by Alila. She shot a sheepish grin and a soft apology towards Phaedra, who might have actually won and made a comeback if not for Alila's overwhelmingly lucky hand. Phaedra just shrugged, appearing largely unbothered by her loss as she leaned into Justus's side.

Even Justus's strategizing couldn't save him from getting out in the next few rounds, and Kano felt himself get more and more content as the next half hour wore on with Alila and Shai locked in a lengthy battle. The chips surged back and forth, making it impossible to determine who was going to inevitably come out on top.

After a bit, Kano rose to his feet and made his way into the kitchen, wanting the chance to stretch his legs and get something to drink out of sight of the others. He briefly caught sight of one of the Two mentors whispering intently to someone - Callan, if he remembered right - before stepping into the kitchen and grabbing himself a glass.

He paused as he heard a commotion in the living room, likely signaling a winner even if he didn't know who it was yet. Kano figured that Alila's strategy of laying low before coming in hard at the end would play out in her favor, securing her the win, but there was no telling how the cards would fall when it came down to it.

Leaning against the counter, he took a long sip of the water he poured for himself, relishing in the momentary peace and quiet.

"You should've stayed," Shai said, and Kano turned to see him leaning against the doorframe. "I lost right after you left, so maybe you were some kind of good luck charm for me."

"Aw, pretty boy can't handle his games without me?" Kano teased, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips. "What a shame."

Shai let out a laugh and moved into the kitchen area, brushing past Kano to get his own glass. "I just needed that extra bit of luck."

As Shai poured his own glass of water, Kano frowned as he watched Shai fish something out of his pocket. "Where'd you get that?"

"Convinced 'stelle I needed it," Shai said, bringing it to his lips before letting out a puff of sweet smelling smoke. "Why, want some?"

Kano didn't even let himself mull over the option before sticking his hand out, catching Shai's sly look as he handed over the device. He turned it over in his hand a couple times, part of him registering that this was probably a completely stupid idea before he lifted it to his mouth and breathed in.

Immediately, he almost choked on whatever was in it, taking it away from his mouth to cough into his elbow. Kano was pretty sure some of the smoke managed to come out of his nose, and he expected to get annoyed with the way Shai was laughing at him, but he found himself chuckling as well.

"I'll try that again," he muttered sheepishly, slowing his breathing down now that he knew what he was in for.

"Breathe in slower," Shai instructed, watching his face carefully. "Don't get so tense, this is supposed to relax you."

"I've got it, I've got it," Kano said, waving him off. "Don't get your panties in a twist."

"I think you're the one that needs to worry about that."

Ignoring him, Kano lifted the device to his lips once more and took in a slow breath, trying to think about it less. Whatever he did this time worked as a sweet taste filled his mouth and lungs. He held his breath for a moment before he exhaled, watching in fascination as the smoke curled around in front of his face. He couldn't put a finger on what flavor it was, but whatever it was, he liked it.

"Mango," Shai said as if reading his mind. "It's my favorite, so I got Estelle to pick it up for me."

"It's good," Kano commented absently before taking another drag from it. "I assume you did this back home?"

"Got myself a fun little addiction," Shai winked before taking his device back. "I already told my mentors what to send me if it looks like I need something to fight the drawbacks of not having it in the Arena."

That didn't surprise Kano, as he could already feel his fingers twitch and itch with the urge to take it back, his head slowly filling with a delightful fuzziness that he wasn't sure if he'd regret later. But for now, he couldn't bring himself to care at all.

He met Shai's dark eyes again as the other boy breathed out more of the sweet smelling smoke, barely able to latch onto the confusion that had been feeding him all day. Kano was less and less sure what Shai wanted from him, especially as he shifted from a somewhat antagonistic force to one that was… actually fun to be around. But Kano could barely linger on his concerns before they floated away again.

"We should get back," Kano finally blurted out, "before the others start worrying."

Shai hummed at that and tilted his head curiously. "Why would they be worried? We just went to the next room."

Even though he wasn't sure how or why, Kano felt like he was being led into a trap somehow. His entire body felt tense as he finally broke his gaze away from Shai and shrugged before heading through the doorway and back into the living room, mostly full glass of water still held tightly in his hand. The low murmur of voices had been traded for the quiet thrum of the television as Alila flicked through channels, taking input from the others as she went.

Kano moved past the empty chair and sat down in front of Makani again, leaning his head back against one of her legs. Instinctively, her hand moved back into his hair, picking up the familiar pattern from earlier.

"Ooh, that one!" Phaedra called out. The television was playing the beginning of what Kano recognized as a cheesy romance movie, based off of some old fairytale about a poor girl and a shoe.

"Is this good with everyone else?" Alila asked. When no one voiced their disapproval, she shrugged and put the remote down on the coffee table.

Kano watched as Justus ducked his head to whisper something to Phaedra, who blushed lightly and laughed before waving him off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shai come in from the kitchen and make himself comfortable in the chair again, feet thrown over one of the arm rests.

"You took a while in there," Alila commented quietly, not trying to accuse Kano of anything but clearly curious.

He didn't really have an answer to offer besides a shrug and a curt, "Got distracted."

As he settled back against Makani, he couldn't help but grow comfortable even as he felt the undercurrent of tension in the room. As close as they all were now, friends or not, this would all end sooner or later.

Kano just had to make sure he came out on top.