Comfort

"Sometimes, you find love when it's too late."

Outside, the Capitol people were celebrating, drinking wine, throwing everything they've eaten so far up so they can eat more. But what were the tributes of the 74th Hunger Games doing? Trying to sleep. Just trying. But alas, it was useless. In less than 24 hours, they would be trying to survive, running from death, and becoming ruthless murders. Sure, some had trained most their life for that moment. But only fate knows what will happen to them in the end.

In the outlying districts, the family members of the reaped children are silently sobbing in their pillows, praying that their child will survive to some extent, maybe even win. But in the Career districts, the parents were celebrating, betting on their children like they were horses, getting ready to disown their children's dead bodies if they meet with Death.

And what about the younger siblings? Were they crying, or were they sure that their sister/brother would come home? Surely, more than one of the tributes had siblings, right?

Glimmer was amongst the children who couldn't sleep, thoughts racing through her mind at the speed of more than a mile a minute. What was Splendor thinking back home? What was her mother thinking? At the moment, comfort was something Glimmer quite lusted. And she knew where she could get it.

The hallway was eerily silent, with only the sound of Glimmer's small and light footsteps filling the air every few seconds. There was no light, only the instincts leading Glimmer to her current destination. The door to Marvel's room.

On the other side of the door, was a boy whose body was turning and spinning, trying to get some sort of rest before his big day. But all he could do was think of Emerald, his sister. Only the sound of someone's knuckles softly hitting the door got him up, to see whom could be coming at this time of night.

"Oh, hey, Glimmer." Was the first thing he said when he saw the beauteous being on the other side of the steel door confining him to his room. "Come on in." Glimmer gratefully stepped inside, looking around. The interior was the same as her own luxurious room, with a few belongings of Marvel's own to give a sense of home. Picking up a photo of he and her on his desk, a small sad smile formed on her perfect face. "This was when we were 6… the year we met."

Marvel nodded sheepishly, amazed that Glimmer had remembered when that was. "Yeah. Can't sleep, Glim?" Obviously, she couldn't. Why else would she be here? But instead of speaking, Glimmer only nodded.

"No, I can't. All I can think of is Splendor, Marv. What if I can't get home to her? What if, if I meet with…." Her normally seductive voice was now cracking, showing an emotion she had never shown. Sadness. Fear. A Career never showed fear, they were never scared… right? "with fate?" Those words were almost inaudible, having to be choked out by the angelic girl.

Marvel couldn't speak. His mouth had ran dry. Almost all his life, Marvel had known Glimmer to be a overconfident, intelligent girl, who never showed sorrow or fear. She was always the happy-go-lucky blonde that everyone wanted to be around, to be friends with. Now, what he saw was a girl afraid of the world and what was to come.

Feeling lightheaded, Marvel sat down on his bed, blinking rapidly. All he could do was mouth out 'Glim', before opening his arms, Glimmer quickly rushing into them, the tears that were threatening to fall before already running down her pale porcelain cheeks. He stroked her head, trying to keep her from crying. Anger ran through him. It was the Capitol's fault. It was all their fault. It always was, right? Forcing a girl to train for something that scared her half to death, brainwashing her to think that it would bring honor. But in reality, was killing children really honorable?

"It'll be alright, Glim.. Shhh…" Marvel continued with the comforting of the blonde, his fingertips running across her soft skin.

"I'm sorry.." Was all Glimmer mumbled out. Her sobs slowly stifled, her breathing steadying. Glimmer had fallen asleep, in her unknown lover's arms. And Marvel let her, falling asleep himself, his arms wrapped tightly around his beauty.

Though the two would never admit it, they knew they needed each other to survive. But only now did the pair realize that they were going to have to kill their significant other, only now did they realize that love will be the reason of their doom.

But just for tonight, they would pretend like everything was okay. Because sometimes, you find love a little too late.