it started with the whispers (ALYSSAAAAA)

[night]

i'm a sorry sucker and this happens all the time

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IT STARTED WITH A WHISPER

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ifindoutthateverbodytalkseverybodytalkseverybodytalks

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"Three, please."

[/color] Lansing's voice was quiet, rather raspy, and the baker behind the counter leaned forward and cupped his ear, until she cleared her throat. "Three."[/color] Lansing tapped her index finger, long, skinny, on the glass shielding the small sweetbread rolls from the public. She smiled as the baker put the sweetbread into a brown paper bag and handed them to her as she slapped two coins down onto the counter. Today was a rare and rather glorious occasion: pay day. Normally, Lansing wouldn't splurge on treats like sweetbread rolls, but pay day was a day to celebrate. Besides, Lansing had decided to swing by her mother's house on her way home today, and the woman deserved the treat. Lansing still was considering letting her mother have the extra, the third.

She put the small bag in her small leather bag left the shop, flitting through the crowding streets like a quick colorful butterfly, not even needing to shoulder her way through like everyone else in District 10, not with such a small stature paired with such a light pair of feet. These days her mother joked that she would've done well in the Games -- done well, but not won, for girls good at simply hiding and running never won. No, the cruel crazies skilled in everything won, like that Anya, that Anya Weston who had won last time around. Lansing was lucky. Now she was old. Old and safe forever from the Games. Before, her mother never would have dared joke about that. Never. It was all too real then, all too likely that the name Lansing Ainsley might be called out, drawn from the bowl on the stage, written on a tiny piece of paper.

As she walked, Lansing slowed down in front the the big building dedicated to the Mayor and town meetings, the one that hosted all visitors from the Capitol. She came to a stop when she noticed a particularly dressed-up, distinguished, good-looking man, clearly from the Capitol. It was quite obvious she was staring. But Lansing had never been the type to care about what other people thought of her. As she stood there, stunning face conveying nothing but how unsure she was (unsure at what; she didn't know), she heard whispers around her, ones like "...Gamemaker...", "...from the Captiol...", and "...Hunger Games..." among so many obscenities that Lansing figured even a Gamemaker like this man didn't deserve them.


ooc: HAHAHA TIPPY I'VE TRAPPED YOU ALSO NOT A GREAT POST ALSO I JUST WENT AHEAD AND DID THIS WITHOUT THE OKAY ALSO WHATEVZ ALSO SORRY ALSO NO NOT SORRY ALSO KIND OF SORRY KIND OF NOT ALSO OMG I'VE TRAPPED YOU HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Alyssa :)]

(NIGHT YOU TRICKY GIRL YOU!!! ^.^)

Xavier stood before the group of people from District 10, feeling their eyes on him. Hearing their whispers. Knowing that he might be an accessory to the death of one of them, and not caring. He stared at the ground, wearing his usual emotionless mask.

Xavier had made time in his schedule to come to this district because he was on his usual before-Games-rounds. He would go to as many districts as he could, looking at and sometimes talking to the people living there. If you really want to know why, it's just another way he plans for the Hunger Games. He watches the people and talks to them, trying to see if his plans for the Games are destructive enough to kill them if they get picked at the Reaping, and also trying to find their weaknesses. It was especially important to visit the Career districts because each year it seemed that they trained differently, sometimes making the possible tributes worse and sometimes making them a whole lot better. In the case of the latter, Xavier would immediately go back and work to make his plans more destructive and difficult for the tributes. The same goes for finding their weaknesses--he would go back to work and plan some trap or device that would use the weakness to his advantage. So, you see, all of this is for the Hunger Games.

However, seeing as District 10 was not a Career district, Xavier found himself not even bothering to watch anyone, much less talk to them. He sighed, knowing he probably should since he came all the way here to do so. Not looking up quite yet, he became tuned into his surroundings again. Suddenly, he felt an intense pair of eyes boring into him. Bewildered by this bold set of eyes, Xavier looked up to see who their owner was. He felt his mask disintegrate and be replaced with a face of pure sadness and hurt at the sight of the beautiful creature before him. And the reason for all this? Because this woman had the same golden locks, same high and sharp cheekbones, same pale green eyes as his deceased wife. Of course, as he took his turn to stare at her now, pain still in every line of his face, she didn't look as remarkably identical as she had at first, but still enough alike that she caused him pain.

How could she do this to him? She didn't even deserve to wear his wife's beauty! She was a mere district girl! Xavier shoved his hurt away and replaced it with anger, which was good because it didn't make him look nearly as weak as sadness did. He strode up to this seemingly defiant girl, though really she had done nothing to defy him, and looked into those familiar eyes.

Finally, he spoke. "Who are you?" he demanded sharply.

(sooo much muse :D)

[night]

Lansing smiled in a friendly manner when the man noticed and approached her, smile only growing wider as he did. She noticed the initial sadness on his face, which only intrigued her more - but then it disappeared and flashed to anger. His seemingly awful mood was, of course, noticeable, but Lansing was Lansing, she would never let her own mood be affected by that of other's, even if they were scowling like the man in front of her. Judging from the amount of enemies Lansing's mother had accumulated over the years, she had been a bit of a spitfire and Lansing had decided it better to be more laidback and easygoing and not quit so tempermental and demanding. Enemies weren't something she needed, especially if the girl, who spent most of her time alone, was in such lack of friends.

She tilted her head to the side a little, smile fading but still partially remaining as the man demanded, rather rudely, too, to know who she was. It confused Lansing that he should act in such a way, especially since she had done nothing but look at him. But Lansing's temper was nigh nonexistent, and her tolerance level through the roof -- it would take far more to so much as ruffle her feathers. "Lansing Ainsley." She introduced herself with a bright smile, saying her name, the name that her mother had declared many-a-time in Lansing's childhood what should be a big star's or a celebrity's name, happily, and Lansing offered the man her hand for a shake. Then she pursed her lips, looking the man up and down (while making no effort to hide the fact that she was) and deciding that she wouldn't be surprised if the rumors swarming around her were true and he was a Gamemaker. "Are you a Gamemaker?"

[/color] Even she was surprised by the bluntness of her own question so she quickly flashed a smile and added, more softly, "I mean, everyone's been saying so. I don't mean to pry."[/color]

OOC: HAHAHA I KNOW I HAVE SO MUCH MUSE IT'S LIKE EXPLODING MAN WHOA[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Alyssa :)]

Despite his anger, Xavier couldn't help but notice the woman had a beautiful, friendly smile. It even made him feel a little bad for being so angry at her when he hadn't even met her yet. But only a little.

When she introduced herself and held up a hand, Xavier calmed himself down enough to shake her hand firmly but not enough to rip it off. "I'm Xavier Hayes," he said gruffly, but trying to be at least a little more polite. He thought it was rather rude of her to look him up and down the way she did then, but he figured it was like payback for how he'd just acted towards her.

Xavier was finally pulling his emotions back together and putting his emotionless façade back up. When this woman...Lansing...mentioned him being a Gamemaker, he answered politely, "Yes, I am a Gamemaker. And it's fine, no harm in being curious." He smiled just the right amount to show he was trying to be friendly now, not allowing any extra emotions to slip out. Especially his depression. How had he let this girl (he was realizing she was quite a bit younger than him now) see into the most hidden parts of Xavier Hayes? He wouldn't let it happen again. And especially not to some district scum much lower in rank than himself.

Feeling the need to ask her a question in return, Xavier asked the first thing that came to mind. Seeing as they had been talking about his job, he asked, "What do you do for work?" Of course, this was a rather stupid question. Everyone, especially a Gamemaker like himself, knew that all of District 10 had a job somehow related to livestock. And she might even consider this question rude, since it would almost be like he was comparing her job to his. And they both knew that there was a huge difference between the two. So much for being polite and friendly.

[night]

The handshake didn't hurt. It was firm, like Mom had always told Lansing a good handshake should be. But still, when the girl pulled her hand away from Xavier Hayes, she gingerly squeezed her right hand with her left, as if the bones in her right hand had been crushed. She nodded, smiling when Xavier confirmed that yes, in fact, he was a Gamemaker, and her shoulders, which had tensed up out of anxiety and nervousness, relaxed when his tone became more pleasant.. "I thought so!"

[/color] Lansing exclaimed with delight, even though she wasn't all that pleased that she was speaking with one of the people responsible for creating such horrific experiences for the tributes each year. The year Lily Craft had been chosen, Lily Craft, Lansing's best friend, they were thirteen. It was difficult not to remember when she was speaking to a man responsible for hurting her. "Gamemaker Xavier Hayes."[/color] She repeated. "That's a nice name."[/color]

Lansing's lips parted and her eyebrows shot up, a little surprised at his question. Was he trying to compare himself and his own prestigious job as Gamemaker to little Lansing Ainsley, who simply watched over a particular group of District 10's livestock. "Oh. Um, I mind some of the animals. Feed them and things."[/color] She nodded, pale green eyes suddenly downcast as she looked to the ground quickly. It didn't take long, though, for her to look back at the Gamemaker with restored bright eyes and happy smile. There truly wasn't much that kept her from being in a good mood. Besides, the way Lansing saw it, she had scored one of the better jobs -- minding the animals was really just sitting and making sure they didn't wander too far. What was even better, Lansing rather liked them. And the job allowed her to sit and read for the better part of a day. "I like the work."[/color] She added, just to comfort her own suspicion that he was comparing himself to her. [/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Alyssa :)]

Xavier's lips spread into an easy crooked smile at Lansing's compliment of his name. He was getting rather good at acting normal now, thankfully. He was a little confused as to why she seemed happy about him being a Gamemaker, however. Most district people hated him for it, and they barely managed to put up a smile for him when he came to visit each year before the Games. She must be a good actress, he concluded in his thoughts. ...Like me... He took a slightly shaky breath at the thought. He was starting to hurt himself now, finding things the two had in common and bringing himself closer to this female who was so much like his wife. However, his eyes didn't betray any emotion. They still stayed friendly, watching Lansing with their soft blue color.

Xavier listened to her talk about her work. He found himself frowning when he saw that she thought he was comparing their jobs. But the concerned look quickly turned to a curious one when she looked back up at him, her pleasant eyes shining brightly again. He tilted his head, quite puzzled as to how she could be so nice and cheerful when he'd pretty much just showed her that she was dirt compared to him. When Lansing spoke again, Xavier found it pleasant to know that she enjoyed her job. "That's nice," he said lightly. "A job doesn't have to pay in money, after all. It's always good to enjoy your work."

Xavier thought about his own words. He was happy to note that he did enjoy his job. For now, at least. At the moment he wasn't thinking about why he liked it. It definitely wasn't because he could kill kids. If he thought about it, he would realize he liked it because it took his mind off his wife. And that was the only reason he liked it, though it was a rather huge reason. However, he didn't think about it that deeply because he secretly knew that if he did, he would realize his wife would hate him for being a Gamemaker. And his sub-conscience wouldn't allow that to happen because it would tear him apart even more than he already was.

[night]

Lansing couldn't help the small, second-long frown on her face. Xavier's words made her a little uneasy. Did he mean that he enjoyed his own job? Did he take pride in the muttations that killed little Lily Craft? Disgusting. It was. Lansing wasn't a judgemental girl, but she couldn't help it. The Gamemaker had to be some sort of psychopath. Then again, he was from the Capitol. Everyone from the Capitol thought the District people to be like animals, bred simply for their own entertainment. "Yes." She said, "It's the best job in the District. I'm lucky to have it."

[/color] It was true. Not only was it the easiest job in the District, but it involved little more than petting and feeding and occasionally washing the animals. Lansing grinned, "Of course, they don't smell particularly pleasant."[/color] Her animals did, of course, Lansing gave them nice lives -- all they had to look forward to was the slaughterhouse.

"Not like the Capitol, is it?" Lansing had never been and never would be to the big, shining, golden, perfect city that ruled over Panem. She smiled as she spoke. District 10 wasn't too bad. They were hungry most of the time but being constantly hungry, from birth, was the norm. Lansing couldn't even tell whether her stomach was empty or not anymore. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"[/color] She smiled.[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Alyssa :)]

"Of course, they don't smell particularly pleasant."

Xavier chuckled. "One would think so," he said, his smile reaching even his eyes. He liked how carefree and happy this Lansing was, but didn't like how she reminded him of his wife. It seemed as though each word she spoke caused him pain. But he knew he wouldn't be able to stay away from her now. It was like she was his only connection to his wife, and he wasn't about to pass that up, even if it hurt him.

He dragged himself out of his thoughts when she started to speak, comparing the Capitol to District 10. "No, it's not," he said in reply, rather bluntly. "This district makes me appreciate how much I have. It's rather nice." Being someone from the Capitol, he didn't care that he was pretty much shoving his wealth in her face. It was in his nature, just as it was in everyone else's who lived where he did. Xavier was confused as to why she brought it up, however. It was as if she was proud to be poor. It puzzled him.

Xavier wanted to know more about Lansing, to find answers to these questions. But before he could ask anything, she was questioning him. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?" Xavier opened his mouth, about to answer, before realizing he couldn't without giving away his secret. "I..." he stammered. How was he supposed to respond? He certainly couldn't tell her he was finding people's weaknesses so he would know how to kill them. No, he couldn't, because then no one would talk to him and give things away anymore. But he needed to think of a response, and fast. Unfortunately, he had probably already raised suspicion. He said the only thing he could think of. "I can't answer that. I'm sorry. Capitol stuff." Xavier avoided looking her in the eye, clasping his hands behind his back and looking down at his shiny black shoes instead.

[night]

Lansing grinned when Xavier chuckled -- and the smile on his face was genuine, she could tell. That smile made her instantly like him. As he continued in replying to Lansing's statements, she tilted her head to one side, eyes slightly narrowing as she tried to decipher whether he meant it when he said that District 10 was "rather nice" or if he was just being polite. She decided on the latter, and smiled knowingly. "All the buildings in the Capitol look like palaces!"

[/color] She exclaimed, then her cheeks flushed out of embarrassment as she realized she must sound like a young, stupid farm girl. "But isn't it tiring?"[/color] She added, tilting her head to the side, "All the people and buildings and the, ah, fashion."[/color] Lansing gestured to the shiny black shoes Xavier was wearing. On her own feet were simple, old, beaten-up leather boots Mom had made Lansing when she was eighteen. "I mean, it seems a little fast-paced. Even for those of you born there."[/color] She added with a shrug.

Lansing wasn't fazed in the slightest by Xavier's refusal and inability to answer her question. She just smiled, "Top-secret Capitol business," Lansing murmured jokingly with a wink, "I understand."[/color] Somehow, though, Lansing knew that whatever reason Xavier Hayes the Gamemaker was in town would have to do with the Hunger Games -- the idea of that something something was threatening breaking her cool, calm exterior. But of course, even if it was broken, there wasn't much anger in Lansing anymore to let out. It had been nearly ten years since Lily Craft was killed and though Lansing Ainsley was the epitome of bright eyed and bushy tailed, she was truly tired of caring so much, being so angry. If the odd chance that there would be an outburst arose, it would be minor.[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Alyssa :)]

Xavier couldn't help but let a small smile, almost a smirk (but not quite) cross his lips when she made the sudden outburst about how big the Capitol's buildings were. Then her face reddened with that adorable blush, and Xavier felt a little dazed. He blinked and pulled himself together, ashamed of himself. You stupid man, he scolded himself. Admiring a different woman's beauty now that your wife is dead. How unfaithful can you get? Of course, he was just noticing her beauty. At least he wasn't having unchaste thoughts. Thinking someone was beautiful wasn't the same thing as thinking about doing certain things with them. This lightened the punishment he gave himself a bit, but he was still disappointed with himself.

"But isn't it tiring? All the people and buildings and the, ah, fashion."

Xavier's eyes followed her gesture to his shoes and he smiled. He found it amusing how out of his entire outfit--black dress pants, white jacket (unbuttoned to reveal a black vest), and abstract blue scarf--Lansing noticed his shoes. But looking at hers, Xavier could understand why. He couldn't imagine going around in such boots, which he assumed were very uncomfortable and offered no arch support. He took note of this and tucked it away in his head, perhaps to do something about it later.

"It is rather exhausting having to be so proper all the time," he finally answered. "Your clothes have to look good, or people will show their distaste. There are a million ways to insult someone, and you have to avoid all of them. It's very...strenuous, but you get used to it after a while." He gave her a smile, his kind eyes gazing into hers, soft blue meeting pale green. The soft blue that matched his scarf almost perfectly. This was partly why he wore it so proudly, and the other reason was because he was one of the few men able to pull off wearing a scarf and still look good. However, today it was getting rather warm and stuffy. But as he had said to her, he needed to look good to impress others who lived in the Capitol.

"Top-secret Capitol business, I understand," was what Lansing said with a wink. A wink that Xavier somehow managed to brush off without being dazzled like an idiot. He gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks for understanding," he replied softly.

(eeheehee so much funnnn)

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[night]

Lansing grimaced (still, somehow, good-naturedly) as Xavier explained what living in the shining Capitol was like. It didn't sound particularly pleasant -- more like walking on eggshells twenty-four hours a day than actually leading a life. She couldn't imagine something as trivial as clothes being so wildly important. Clearly, Lansing decided, they simply had everything they could ever want, so stupid things became first priority. It would be nice if that was all Lansing had to worry about, though, at the same time, she'd rather not be forced to adopt such a warped way of thinking. "No offense,"

[/color] She said with a sheepish smile, "But that sounds like an absolutely awful way to live. What does it matter what someone wears if they're a good person?"[/color] She raised an eyebrow. Then she laughed, "Here if someone wants to insult you they just say they don't like you!"[/color] She exclaimed.[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Alyssa :)]

Xavier listened to Lansing speak and was slightly surprised at what he heard. He tilted his head to the side and studied her with a curious and amused gaze. "Some Capitolists would be offended by that," he said, "and you're lucky I'm not one of them." He gave her a joking smile.

As Xavier thought about her questions, he tugged at his scarf a little. It was starting to get rather annoying and itchy, but he let it be for now. "Well...I guess we Capitolists care more about looks than personality," he finally answered, laughing a little at the jest. But in actuality it really was true, he just managed to joke about it even though he knew it was a reality. "You district people are much more down-to-earth than us." He frowned a little at the thought. "Perhaps I should stay here more often, and maybe you'll rub off on me." His frown turned up into a grin. He thought it really wasn't that bad of an idea--he would get to see Lansing again, and he would become a better man. No, not bad at all.

It was surprising how normal Xavier was acting. Lansing seemed to work like his job--it kept his mind busy and off his depression. Thinking about the conversation happening right now didn't permit him to think about the past he dreaded so much, and it allowed him to act more normal and carefree. But inside, Xavier was still a depressed, crazed mess of a man, it just didn't show through all the time.

[night]

Lansing shrugged. What she wouldn't tell Xavier is that she wasn't one to care what other people thought, especially not Capitolists, even if they were raised that way and most truly had no chance at being different. "Lucky me."

[/color] She said with a sweet smile.

"That's too bad."[/color] Lansing wrinkled her nose and frowned, though she was still pretty surprised at how easily Xavier agreed and admitted that, yes, the citizens from the Capitol were rather superficial. She still supposed that when all needs were more than met, people began to worry about different things -- like their clothing. "Maybe you should! We're not as bad as you Capitolists might think."[/color] Lansing grinned. "If you're lucky, I might even show you how to take care of the animals." She joked, knowing that any man from the Capitol would probably prefer to sit around in beautiful clothes with beautiful women at a beautiful party while popping corks out of champagne bottles. Lansing wondered if this Xavier character had even seen a cow in real life before.

ooc:sorry this isn't great :/[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Alyssa :)]

(LOL NIGHTERZ i love the whole beautiful clothes beautiful women beautiful party thing and how Xavier's never seen a cow before XD BUT IT'S SO TRUE)

Lansing was right to be surprised that a Capitolist admitted such things about his own people. She had his mom and dad to thank for that. Xavier's parents had always been different from the other people of the Capitol--they hadn't liked the Hunger Games. All they could imagine was if they lived in the districts and their son was picked. They found no entertainment whatsoever in the Games. Not only that, but they were very kind people and noticed how selfish and cruel the Capitol was a lot of the time. They told Xavier to be better than that, to be thoughtful of the districts, even if everyone else was cruel and took superiority over them. For those people living in the districts were just like them, just living in a different setting. And even though Xavier has distanced himself from his parents, he still remembers their teachings.

"Maybe you should! We're not as bad as you Capitolists might think." It seemed as though Lansing agreed with what Xavier's parents had told him.

The fashionable man smiled down at the much less dressed up woman--he was 7 inches taller than Lansing, after all. "I believe you," he said truthfully. He didn't think they were as bad as some of his people said, but he still thought himself a little higher in rank than them, despite his parents' ideas. Since he left them, he seemed to be deliberately doing and thinking the things they would disapprove of, but in this case he hadn't gone too far astray at least.

"If you're lucky, I might even show you how to take care of the animals."

"Well I have to stay for the animals!" he proclaimed with partly feigned enthusiasm. Really, he was a bit curious about the animals District 10 had to work with everyday. He thought about whether the Capitol would actually let him stay in a district at all. Well, he could always say he needed more time for work... "I think I'll stay for the Reaping, at least," he finally decided.

(see i just ramble about random things, and things you can't even work with. sorryyy X( )

[night]

"Well, I have to stay for the animals!"

Lansing grinned ruefully at Xavier's feigned enthusiasm, shaking her head as she did. She figured, and was quite sure, that the animals would look rather odd to him, and maybe even he'd have one of those, so-that's-what-my-steak-used-to-look-like moments, then, as always, one of those no-i'll-never-eat-steak-again moments. That was pretty much how it usually went. The wealthier men and women in District 10, the ones that didn't work with the animals on a daily basis, usually reacted the same way. Ignorance, Lansing supposed, truly was bliss.

"I think I'll stay for the reaping, at least."

Lansing frowned. "That is coming up soon, isn't it?"

[/color] It was still all too clear, the day Lily Craft was taken. Lansing couldn't help but shudder at the thought. There was no feigning a bright smile and pretending to be happy, not even a possibility, not at the mention of the Reaping. "I know it's a celebratory day in the Capitol..."[/color] Lansing wasn't quite sure of how to phrase her statement to the man who made the Games, themselves, "But, fair warning, it is not a fun day to be in District 10."[/color] And she was sure it wasn't in any other Districts, either, except for maybe Districts 1, 2, and 4. "Of course, you've probably seen it. They're all televised."[/color] She added this thought out loud.

(THANK YOU and that is quite all right)[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]