semifreakingnormal | ( 030 ) Ω ( VIDEO )

[The video clicks on, and Scott looks better than he has in a month. There's no perpetual droop to his shoulders, no hooded eyes, no cloud of doubt hanging on him. And what's more, he's not in his room, where he kind of ended up barricading himself at the end there. He is, in fact, in the Enclosure, standing on a lacrosse field. And he's smiling. It's small, a little apologetic, but very present.]

So last month....uh, it sucked. A lot. And I just want to say, to everyone I talked to or should have talked to, that I'm sorry. [His smile turns in a way that says he knows it wasn't strictly his fault, and he's not going to beat himself up over it, but he does wish he'd been able to beat it sooner.]

But I think we should all try to get past that, like, as quickly as possible, and I know there are some new people on board, so...Does anyone want to play lacrosse? We've still got a bunch of room on both teams. It's great for things like, working out aggression and...figuring out tactics? [Scott, never become a salesman.]

Plus, it's a ton of fun.

[He has resolved to be better and more available and throw some unrelenting optimism at everyone, look out Barge!!]

[Private to Clementine]

Hey. Um - I just, I want to apologize. For being so totally and completely useless. It's not gonna happen again.

[Because he's going to be better. He'll be stronger. Because he can't let anyone down again, and most importantly, he can't let anything happen to her.]

Wanna get something to eat?

[Private to Dean]

Hey, uh, I dunno if you don't want to hear it, but....thanks. I couldn't...I wasn't thinking straight. But I'm really glad you were there for her.

[Good job being a friend, Dean, now let Scott ooze gratitude.]

[Private to Cassel]

I've been thinking.

[He's been thinking about this on and off for a while, ever since Cassel and Chris got back from dinner at his mom's house. A lot of it is guilt: Mickey warned him, but Scott didn't go with. He let their heads get messed with.

But the part that bothers him most is that it was Cassel's mom. That she could be that twisted up, that she could do that to her own son. He knows how strongly Daneca felt about working, how she struggled with it, and the idea of someone - an adult, someone who should be completely trustworthy - not caring about it even half as much, has not sat well with him.

So he's been thinking about this a lot, because he wants to do something. Because he has to. Because Cassel is his friend, one of his best, and if he can do anything to make sure this won't ever happen again, then he has to do it.

Not to mention the other thing. Scott shrugs his shoulders.] ...About taking a trip back to your home.

[Private to Katniss]

I'm sorry if I freaked you out. I wasn't really thinking straight, when we met. Actually, I've been meaning to say hi for a while, I just....[He shrugs one shoulder apologetically.] Got distracted, I guess. I'm sorry.

[Private to pack + friends]

I'm going to be leaving the Barge for a bit. Just a day, two tops. I'll be back before you know it, but don't freak out if you can't find me for extra lacrosse practice or something.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He nods, understanding - then reaches up to pull the shoulder of his shirt down. There's clean, smooth skin, no scar, no mark that she hit him at all.]

And look, it's all healed.

[She eyes it for a moment, then frowns deeply. Even though it's a relief. Now that whole thing just feels like one of her nightmares.]

How?

[He rubs his hand over the spot, then rights his shirt.]

Oh, uh. It's just something I can do, I...[He laughs a little self-depreciatingly, wondering when he got used to people knowing.]

I'm a werewolf. I heal pretty quick.

You're a-- what? [She's seen a few things that shouldn't be real. Like ghosts and demons in that power. But a werewolf? She's heard the name before, but she's not even sure what it means.]

Yeah, it's like....somewhere between a man and a wolf? [He ducks his head, still not sure how to really explain it, even after all this time.]

It's not a big deal. I can just do a few things other people can't.

Like the wolf man from the stories? That ate the little girl's family? [She means little red riding hood. Her pop culture knowledge is lacking.]

What else can you do?

Ss....sorta. But I don't eat people. None of us eat people.

Uhm - here-- [To hell with it. He closes his eyes for a moment, lets his facial hair and ears and teeth grow. When he looks at her again, his eyes are red.]

I'm faster than I used to be. Stronger. And I can take away peoples' pain?

[They're talking over video, but when his face shifts into half animal, half man, she gasps and takes a step back. Now she gets why she thought he was a Mutt back at the arena.]

You look like a Mutt.

[This piece of information interests her, though. And it's stronger than her shock and curiosity.]

Take pain away?

[He cringes a little at her reaction, looking down and away so she won't have to see the worst of it head on. It fades again quickly, because there's no point in making her look at something she hate.]

Um, I guess dogs and wolves are pretty similar, yeah....[He hasn't caught on to the capital M there. At least the question is easier to field.]

Yeah, so - when I touch someone, I can take their pain. Just stop it from hurting.

Not dogs. Mutts. From the Arena. They had the faces of the tributes. But the bodies of huge dogs.

[She still can't really wrap her head around people not having seen the Games. Not knowing what she means.]

Can you heal them?

( 030 ) Ω ( VIDEO )

Re: [private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]

[private]