blood and fire > Aliss Noren - District 12

still looking for job opportunities in the states btw, just because of my love for you. <3333

This is hurting my heart. I LOVE EVIE BUT WE’RE TOO FAR APART. </3

“At least we have each other.” Aliss supposed that they did, and she was glad for it. She trusted Artemis, but when she thought about it she had to wonder why. Why was it so easy to talk to her and be around her, when all her life she'd relied on very few people? Maybe it was the fact that Artemis really could be the difference between life and death that was changing her habits and her attitude. Tris would be proud, she thought, but her mood soured when her friend popped into her head. She would probably never hear him say it - even if she did survive the Games.

"Don't be silly," she said with a weak laugh, half-hearted, but despite the turn her thoughts had taken she was still relieved to have Artemis by her side. Aliss leaned against her for a moment as they walked, smiling. "I'm gaining a friend. A pretty badass one, too." Aliss was making a presumption based on a single conversation and a sudden alliance, but she was starting to think a friend was more important to have at this point than an ally.

She frowned at the tone of Artemis' voice, and the unwittingly harsh comment. Aliss felt shame turn her stomach over, and as they stood in the elevator, their arms still linked, she didn't think once about letting go of her. She looked sideways at Artemis as she backpedalled. She was what she was, and so was Max. But it was still annoying that Artemis could somehow make her feel bad about something she'd done so routinely that it was normal practice back home. She wrinkled her nose and looked away from Artemis to jab the button for the twelfth floor, not entirely sure if she should take Artemis there, or if it was even allowed. The thirteenth was too crowded, and she wanted some peace to talk more strategy with Artemis. And a part of her just wanted to relax for a moment with someone she actually liked.

"We are thieves," she said after a moment. "Max is probably better at it than I am, so you don't have to worry about him not pulling his weight." For one brief moment she could sense the Career in Artemis, and it didn't put her on edge as much as it might have if it was anyone else. "Trust me."

We Are Young | Artemis & Aliss

Artemis mustered a weak smile at Aliss’s statement. She shrugged and nodded. “At least we have each other.” She wanted to believe that a 10 didn’t mean anything. It was hard to believe that, considering how she was trained to kill. But then again, Artemis was too. Yet she had scored a simple 5. “The only thing you’re gaining by allying with me is a weak load.” She laughed at herself. After seeing what Aliss was capable of and what she could do herself, she saw them as equally skilled. The only thing that would determine how long they lived would be their sponsors, if they received any.

She started to head towards the exit, her arm linked through Aliss’s. “Your floor is a lot closer than mine from here.” She stepped into the open elevator and smiled. Artemis had to hide a look of jealousy when Aliss mentioned having another ally, her district partner. It almost hurt hearing her say that she wanted to keep him safe. She smiled a tight lipped grin and stared ahead.

“Honor among thieves, huh?” Artemis immediately regretted her words. It made her sound like the rest of the Careers, cocky and unempathetic. She didn’t unlink her arm from Aliss’s, wishing that she hadn’t had said that. “I didn’t mean that, I meant that you two. I mean that the two of you are…” she stumbled over her words and found it hard to make an excuse for why she had said that. Truthfully, she was jealous. She hated how Aliss made her feel: weak, horrible, and envious. She wouldn’t have cared that Aliss had an ally other than her if she didn’t feel so much for her. “What I meant to say is, great, another ally we’ll have to watch out for.” She hoped that her words didn’t come out too cold.