Preying on Tributes gives Stephen pause for a moment -- have I? But the middle of a fight isn't the time to check himself. Jason is all up in his face, trying to send him scuttling away like an Avox, and Stephen finds that running from Jason now would leave him disgusted with himself.

"Or you'll do what?" he challenges. "Give me a black eye, too? Throw me out? Are you sure you want to go there, Compson?"

Stephen doesn't particularly want to stick around. But he also doesn't want to be the first to back down. He'll leave, but his gut is telling him to leave on his own terms. If he can make Jason hesitate, it'll be enough.