Elliott-Blair was expecting Gabriela to react poorly to his interrogation, but her outburst still made him wince.
She spoke the truth; people were going to die. Baring some sort of miracle, only two people made it out of here alive. Whoever manages to get ten kills first, and the last one standing. Therefore, if you wanted to make it out of here, trying to avoid killing was just delaying the inevitable.
Kill or be killed, as the master of opening ceremonies had said.
At any rate, trying to temper her with a "killing is bad" moral wasn't going to work. He needed to switch tactics, "So you're going to earn your freedom by killing ten others, condemning the rest of us to a watery grave."
"Condemning me to a watery grave."
(now that was just low elliott why would you say such a thing gabby's your friend)
But the words kept coming out, "Think, Gabby. What chance does someone like me have out here? I've got no strength or stamina to speak of, I'm asthmatic, I don't have any survival skills, I barely watch this damn show... I could find my teammates, but what good would that do? It's as you said, teams haven't really worked out."
"Could you really leave me to die?" Could he really leave her to die?
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Elliott was… what the hell was he trying to say? The way he kept talking about this, about how he was going to die, how Gabriela would be abandoning him. She started to feel sick, her guts twisting into knots with every word. She also started to get angry.
“What the fuck Elliott?! Are you… are you trying to fucking guilt trip me or some shit?” Gabriela shouted, taking a few steps closer toward her friend, staring him down. She wasn’t particularly tall, but even so she still had a few inches on Elliott.
“Do you think this is my fault? That I’m, like, responsible for you? Like you’re some little kid or some shit? You… you…” She lost her train of thought partway through the rant. Where was this going? What was she supposed to say?
Gabriela felt a sense of dread, a fear that her friend might be playing at… something. Trying to manipulate her or something like that. Too bad for Elliott, he wasn’t very good at it, at least not with someone who’d spent so much time with him.
Another sign that he didn’t have what it took. Those parts of what he said still rang true.
“Just… fuck off Elliott. I don’t give a shit. I’m… no. I’m going.” She muttered, tuning away from him again. Gabriela didn’t want to be here anymore. She didn’t want to think about Elliott anymore.
“What the fuck Elliott?! Are you… are you trying to fucking guilt trip me or some shit?” Gabriela shouted, taking a few steps closer toward her friend, staring him down. She wasn’t particularly tall, but even so she still had a few inches on Elliott.
“Do you think this is my fault? That I’m, like, responsible for you? Like you’re some little kid or some shit? You… you…” She lost her train of thought partway through the rant. Where was this going? What was she supposed to say?
Gabriela felt a sense of dread, a fear that her friend might be playing at… something. Trying to manipulate her or something like that. Too bad for Elliott, he wasn’t very good at it, at least not with someone who’d spent so much time with him.
Another sign that he didn’t have what it took. Those parts of what he said still rang true.
“Just… fuck off Elliott. I don’t give a shit. I’m… no. I’m going.” She muttered, tuning away from him again. Gabriela didn’t want to be here anymore. She didn’t want to think about Elliott anymore.
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Gabriela was upset, alright. Rightfully so.
She was only a few inches taller than Elliott-Blair, but in this particular moment she towered other him. His guilty conscious, which had been quietly protesting moments before, now came to the forefront.
What was he doing, hiding behind her like he was some kind of child? Why was he fine with using her as a human shield? That's not how you treat friends!
But it was his specialty to push friends away. He did it with Rashmi, he can certainly do it with Gabriela.
Gabriela's face suddenly twisted, and Elliott-Blair knew it was over. She cotton on to what he was scheming. Such a thing was inevitable, really. He was terrible at playing with people's emotions; he should have just been honest and tell her his plans right from the start.
It occurred to Elliott-Blair that situations such as this were the ones he enjoyed the most on SOTF. It was almost laughable.
She turned away from him, announcing that she planned to leave.
"I—" what, that he was sorry? He was willing to sacrifice her life in order to save his, who would ever forgive him for that?
Elliott-Blair in turn looked away, examining the official SOTF t-shirts scattered across the floor. Watched how they soaked up the water overflowing into the boat.
He was expecting to cry, but no. Right now, he only felt anger.
So what if he burned this bridge? He'll just go find his teammates once he stops being a sad sack of shit. Gabriela and him weren't even on the same team, anyway.
Elliott-Blair spun on his heels. If Gabriela was ready to leave, then so was he.
She was only a few inches taller than Elliott-Blair, but in this particular moment she towered other him. His guilty conscious, which had been quietly protesting moments before, now came to the forefront.
What was he doing, hiding behind her like he was some kind of child? Why was he fine with using her as a human shield? That's not how you treat friends!
But it was his specialty to push friends away. He did it with Rashmi, he can certainly do it with Gabriela.
Gabriela's face suddenly twisted, and Elliott-Blair knew it was over. She cotton on to what he was scheming. Such a thing was inevitable, really. He was terrible at playing with people's emotions; he should have just been honest and tell her his plans right from the start.
It occurred to Elliott-Blair that situations such as this were the ones he enjoyed the most on SOTF. It was almost laughable.
She turned away from him, announcing that she planned to leave.
"I—" what, that he was sorry? He was willing to sacrifice her life in order to save his, who would ever forgive him for that?
Elliott-Blair in turn looked away, examining the official SOTF t-shirts scattered across the floor. Watched how they soaked up the water overflowing into the boat.
He was expecting to cry, but no. Right now, he only felt anger.
So what if he burned this bridge? He'll just go find his teammates once he stops being a sad sack of shit. Gabriela and him weren't even on the same team, anyway.
Elliott-Blair spun on his heels. If Gabriela was ready to leave, then so was he.
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Gabriela soon realized that Elliott wasn’t making any further pleas for help. He was just going to let her leave. Well, that was fine with her. It was the way shit needed to go, actually. She had to focus on saving herself. That was the point of this show, after all.
She silently made her way back towards the jetties, eyes fixed forward, but before she could step off of the boat, she stopped short.
“Motherfucker...”
Gabriela turned around and made her way back towards Elliott, pointing at him, her face stern.
“Look, if you want to do this, then quit the weird manipulation shit. You’re not good at it and I think I deserve at least a little fucking respect as a friend who might - and I fucking mean might - be doing some big shit for you.
“Second thing is that if we do this shit, you’re sticking with me. I’m not going to run around alone doing everything just so you can go off somewhere alone and die of a fucking asthma attack. Got it?” She listed off the demands quickly, nervously, though her expression didn’t waver.
The call that Gabriela was making was a stupid one, she knew. Part of her already regretted it, and yet saying those words to Elliott almost brought a sense of relief.
She silently made her way back towards the jetties, eyes fixed forward, but before she could step off of the boat, she stopped short.
“Motherfucker...”
Gabriela turned around and made her way back towards Elliott, pointing at him, her face stern.
“Look, if you want to do this, then quit the weird manipulation shit. You’re not good at it and I think I deserve at least a little fucking respect as a friend who might - and I fucking mean might - be doing some big shit for you.
“Second thing is that if we do this shit, you’re sticking with me. I’m not going to run around alone doing everything just so you can go off somewhere alone and die of a fucking asthma attack. Got it?” She listed off the demands quickly, nervously, though her expression didn’t waver.
The call that Gabriela was making was a stupid one, she knew. Part of her already regretted it, and yet saying those words to Elliott almost brought a sense of relief.
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Gabriela made the motion to leave first. That was fine by Elliott-Blair. He'll wait a few minutes after she leaves in order to minimize the risk of running into her again, his former friend who would be all too happy to shoot him. Odd that she wasn't using this opportunity to shoot him now.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Gabriela halted just short of the jetties. Oh, fuck, she was actually going to do it, wasn't she? Elliott-Blair felt his body tense up, ready to bolt out of the boat should she make any sort of movement.
So when she loudly swore instead, he turned to the noise, thus being caught flat-footed as she marched right up to him and...pointed at him?
She rattled off her list of demands rather quickly. First, he should knock it off with pretending to be some kind of master manipulator, because he wasn't. Fine, sure, this whole conversation has provided unambiguous proof that he didn't know the first thing about how to manipulate people. Besides, as her friend—
Wait. "As a friend"? She still considered him a friend? And a good enough one that she was willing to kill ten people for him.
Elliott-Blair was so caught up in what Gabriela had said that he nearly missed her second demand: To stay by her side and not wander off. He was a little disappointed with this, as he was still of the mind of working with his teammates, but she raised a good point. His survival rate was abysmal; he would most likely get himself killed first before ever meeting up with a teammate.
"It's all I ask," Elliott-Blair replied dumbly, still processing everything Gabriela demanded.
That said, "Maybe we should, um, avoid anyone on either other our teams," Don't put all your eggs in one basket et al.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Gabriela halted just short of the jetties. Oh, fuck, she was actually going to do it, wasn't she? Elliott-Blair felt his body tense up, ready to bolt out of the boat should she make any sort of movement.
So when she loudly swore instead, he turned to the noise, thus being caught flat-footed as she marched right up to him and...pointed at him?
She rattled off her list of demands rather quickly. First, he should knock it off with pretending to be some kind of master manipulator, because he wasn't. Fine, sure, this whole conversation has provided unambiguous proof that he didn't know the first thing about how to manipulate people. Besides, as her friend—
Wait. "As a friend"? She still considered him a friend? And a good enough one that she was willing to kill ten people for him.
Elliott-Blair was so caught up in what Gabriela had said that he nearly missed her second demand: To stay by her side and not wander off. He was a little disappointed with this, as he was still of the mind of working with his teammates, but she raised a good point. His survival rate was abysmal; he would most likely get himself killed first before ever meeting up with a teammate.
"It's all I ask," Elliott-Blair replied dumbly, still processing everything Gabriela demanded.
That said, "Maybe we should, um, avoid anyone on either other our teams," Don't put all your eggs in one basket et al.
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“Of course I-!” Gabriela began, rather irritated at Elliott’s obvious remarks, before remembering that he didn’t watch this show. “Yeah, I’m not going after people on my team. They don’t count for the ten.”
She looked Elliott over carefully, trying to see if she could get some sense of hesitation from him. However, he just seemed surprised that she actually made the offer at all.
“And, uh, your team… we’ll figure that out when we come to it.” Gabriela continued, not certain what to say there. If she was really going for all of those kills, she really couldn’t afford to be so discriminating in her targets.
Still, best to just leave this as it was for now. Gabriela wasn’t keen to dispute the nature of whatever sort of partnership she’d just formed with Elliott. After a moment, she spoke up again.
“So, let’s just get moving, alright? Make sure you’ve got all your stuff.” Gabriela’s voice came out a bit more distant than she expected. She knew she was doing a crap job of reassuring him that sticking with her was a good idea, but she’d fix that later.
Or something.
After waiting to make sure Elliott was all set, Gabriela turned and led her friend off, all the while trying to ready herself for whatever encounter was to come next.
((Gabriela continued in And They Called It a Disaster))
She looked Elliott over carefully, trying to see if she could get some sense of hesitation from him. However, he just seemed surprised that she actually made the offer at all.
“And, uh, your team… we’ll figure that out when we come to it.” Gabriela continued, not certain what to say there. If she was really going for all of those kills, she really couldn’t afford to be so discriminating in her targets.
Still, best to just leave this as it was for now. Gabriela wasn’t keen to dispute the nature of whatever sort of partnership she’d just formed with Elliott. After a moment, she spoke up again.
“So, let’s just get moving, alright? Make sure you’ve got all your stuff.” Gabriela’s voice came out a bit more distant than she expected. She knew she was doing a crap job of reassuring him that sticking with her was a good idea, but she’d fix that later.
Or something.
After waiting to make sure Elliott was all set, Gabriela turned and led her friend off, all the while trying to ready herself for whatever encounter was to come next.
((Gabriela continued in And They Called It a Disaster))
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Gabriela gave Elliott-Blair good news and bad news. The good news was that she won't be going after anyone on her on team, as even if she did, they didn't count for the ten. Which was a good thing; the more of her teammates survive, the better her chances at making it to the endgame.
Elliott-Blair supposed he should be relieved, but he was still processing Gabriela's offer. She was willing to throw away her life for his, even after he attempted to manipulate her. Because she's your friend, but still...
That's when the bad news came, in the form of Gabriela's hesitation to spare members of Elliott-Blair's team. They were the backup plan, the people for him to turn to should she—should Gabriela...
At any rate, he likely wouldn't win any favors from his teammates if Gabriela were to target them. She just said that killing one's teammates doesn't count for one's kill count, but that wouldn't stop his teammates from declaring him a liability and offing him anyway.
Gabriela mentioned that they should keep moving, but she sounded distant. She was probably wondering if such an alliance was a good idea. Or at least, that was the case on Elliott-Blair's end.
Still, it's as what he thought moments ago. Even if they encountered a teammate of his, he had a better chance at survival if he just stuck with her.
Elliott-Blair examined the spyglass, briefly considering to pack it away. No, it was better to keep it on hand. It was still useful for scouting out places beforehand. A pity his outfit didn't contain any pockets.
Giving Gabriela a nod, she led the way out, with Elliott-Blair meekly following.
((Elliott-Blair Østergaard continued in And They Called It a Disaster))
Elliott-Blair supposed he should be relieved, but he was still processing Gabriela's offer. She was willing to throw away her life for his, even after he attempted to manipulate her. Because she's your friend, but still...
That's when the bad news came, in the form of Gabriela's hesitation to spare members of Elliott-Blair's team. They were the backup plan, the people for him to turn to should she—should Gabriela...
At any rate, he likely wouldn't win any favors from his teammates if Gabriela were to target them. She just said that killing one's teammates doesn't count for one's kill count, but that wouldn't stop his teammates from declaring him a liability and offing him anyway.
Gabriela mentioned that they should keep moving, but she sounded distant. She was probably wondering if such an alliance was a good idea. Or at least, that was the case on Elliott-Blair's end.
Still, it's as what he thought moments ago. Even if they encountered a teammate of his, he had a better chance at survival if he just stuck with her.
Elliott-Blair examined the spyglass, briefly considering to pack it away. No, it was better to keep it on hand. It was still useful for scouting out places beforehand. A pity his outfit didn't contain any pockets.
Giving Gabriela a nod, she led the way out, with Elliott-Blair meekly following.
((Elliott-Blair Østergaard continued in And They Called It a Disaster))
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