Deja Vu Battle | Hunger Game 3 (Part 1)

20.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

"𝕎𝕖𝕝𝕝, currently, that's my only other option. But if you manage to conjure up a third and secure Coin's support for it, I'm all ears." Paylor gestures for Katniss to enter. "Come on in, Mockingjay. And, by all means, bring your friends."

Aries snaps back to reality, pulling himself from the mental reverie that had engulfed him in the midst of the current situation in District Eight. Initially reluctant to join the revolution, he harbored a deep-seated aversion to discussing the war. However, witnessing the harrowing scenes of suffering among the people, the lifeless bodies being carried, and even the involvement of young children in wielding weapons, a wave of shame washes over him. Despite this, he refuses to deny that his moral compass remains resolute. The war, in his view, only perpetuates suffering, mirroring the ruthlessness of the Hunger Games.

"I'm not going," Aries asserts with a quick, commanding tone that brooks no disagreement. Stepping away from the group, he strides purposefully towards an undisclosed destination. The collective gaze of the remaining group shifts to Boggs, their unspoken queries hanging heavy in the air – Should someone like Aries be left unsupervised? What does this decision mean for the cohesion of the group?

After a thoughtful pause, Boggs breaks the silence, his voice carrying the weight of authority, "... I'll go with him. Everyone else stays with Katniss." The directive is clear, yet it leaves an undertone of tension, echoing through the group as they grapple with the division of forces. A sense of uncertainty lingers, a testament to the delicate balance between the exigencies of their mission and the individual journeys that unfold within the larger tapestry of their shared struggle.

Boggs found himself reluctantly admitting that even in the brief span of three seconds when he lost sight of Aries, the task of locating the elusive victor proved to be a challenge. When he finally spotted Aries, it was in an unexpected location.

Dennis had previously cautioned Boggs about Aries' emotional state, describing it as a ticking time bomb since the separation from Estella. The importance of exercising caution in both actions and words around the young man had been underscored. Of particular concern was the warning that Aries, when angered, might unleash a torrent of pent-up emotions.

Yet, contrary to expectations, Aries was perched on a pile of stones, gaining a vantage point to survey the destruction of the district. His legs were drawn up, arms hugging them tightly, and his face buried between his knees, occasionally peeking through his eyes as he scanned the surroundings.

Boggs hesitated, contemplating whether the intervention was necessary. Ultimately deciding to approach, he walked up to Aries and silently took a seat beside him, carefully placing his weapons within reach but maintaining a respectful distance. As he observed the young man, Boggs broke the silence with the first question that had lingered in his mind since the start of their journey, "Why aren't you carrying a weapon around?"

Aries turned his gaze toward Boggs, his eyes revealing a complex mix of emotions, prompting Boggs to wonder about the layers of vulnerability concealed beneath the exterior of the seemingly resilient victor.

"I'm not bringing carrying like that," He glares at the gun between him and Boggs, "in a place like this. War is the last thing they need." Boggs nods his head, he understands at some level of Aries's thinking but still, this was a dangerous zone. And this weapon was the only protection for them and the people here from the enemy. But Boggs kept it to himself, he knew when to speak up and when not to.

"But that doesn't mean I'm unprepared. If anything, I could be hiding a hand gun in my pants," Aries laughed out, his laughter carrying that same maniacal quality that had a tendency to send shivers down everyone's spine. Boggs hesitated, caught between the impulse to join in the laughter and the unsettling realization that Aries' eyes conveyed a seriousness beyond the seemingly light-hearted comment.

The decision to keep quiet lingered in the air, creating a momentary solemn atmosphere that hung between them, a precursor to the serious query Boggs was about to pose.

As Boggs prepared to broach a more earnest conversation, he delved into a revelation about his past. "I watched your first Hunger Games. I rooted for you from the start. I grew to love Estella along the way, but my support continued for you." The mere mention of Estella's name caused Aries's ears to perk up. Her absence cast a shadow over his emotions, a mix of longing and loss that lingered in the void left by her departure.

Curiosity etched Aries's features as he inquired, "Where are you getting at?" His question carried a genuine tone, lacking the usual snarkiness or rudeness that often accompanied his inquiries. He had already discerned that Boggs was someone who spoke with intention, a trustworthy individual whose words held purpose – all good, nothing bad.

Boggs began to unravel the suspicions that had been brewing within him. "I had some suspicions. You kept talking about a childhood friend who forgot you. And Estella would have these nightmares where I could conclude something about her real parents. When we sent you to the graveyard, it didn't take long to piece the puzzle together."

Aries shot a glare at Boggs, not entirely fueled by anger but rather annoyance that someone had caught on to the intricacies of his connection with Estella. "... Estella is your childhood friend... Your first love." The weight of those words hung in the air, a revelation that Aries had always known since the inception of his bond with Estella. Yet, hearing it verbalized by someone else brought a strange mix of emotions, prompting Aries to grapple with the complexity of his feelings in a way he hadn't anticipated.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶