Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games
Rating: for mentions of death and abuse
A/n: I always wondered how the tributes felt about their district partners. This is quite different from my original idea of exploring that question but I hope you enjoy nonetheless.
At Death's Door
I. Marvel Hoffmann and Glimmer Wetes
On the last night, he is tired and she is upset. When they reach the doors to their rooms, they look at each other, clearly searching for something to say.
"Nice dress," he sneers, looking her up and down almost mechanically. Comments such as these have been his staple throughout the last week because he hates her for looking like the girl he loved. "Last time you'll look pretty before you die. I guarantee it."
"Pity you never looked pretty in your life," she replies without energy. She holds her own against him, usually. He acts exactly as every boy in District 1 has done towards her.
"No. I'm handsome. Pretty would never apply."
They scowl at each other and then, unpredictably, burst into hysterical giggles. It's one of the few times they have laughed with each other. The sound echoes down the hallway as their doors click closed.
II. Cato Eliker and Clove Dakin
All of their training flies out of the window when they meet each other. They pretend otherwise to everyone, including each other, but no one is fooled.
On the last night, Clove has the courage to hug him goodnight. He looks at her carefully.
"What's that about?"
She falters. "Checking what muscles you have so I know how to paralyse you."
"Yeah?" He lunges forward and tickles her. "Another weakness. Excellent."
Once she's stopped giggling, she blinks at him. "That was the last thing I expected you to do."
"Well, I didn't know you could giggle." He opens his door and smirks. "See you tomorrow, Clove."
III. Liev Otol and Sulia Davisun
On the last night, he knocks on her door. He is apprehensive, as he always is when he speaks to her. He's tried to speak to her before but it's difficult because he's a naturally awkward person and she's ... Sulia. But it hasn't crossed his mind not to do this. Maybe it's crazy, maybe it's something tributes aren't supposed to do but he has to do it because he is Emre's brother and she's ... Sulia.
The door opens and her face appears in the gap. There is no emotion in her expression apart from the flicker of fear in her eyes.
"Did I wake you?" he asks. She shakes her head, no. Sulia rarely speaks. He rubs his cheek nervously. "I just wanted to say – good luck."
"Thank you," she says. Her gaze is directed at his shoes. Sulia never looks people in the eye.
He pauses. Her arms are bare and, as always, he notices the small scars that pepper them. "He was supposed to volunteer, you know," he says quietly. "To save me. I was the prodigy and he was just ... Emre."
She is silent for so long that he thinks he has scared her. But then he hears the whisper of her voice.
"I'm glad he didn't."
He smiles for the first time. "So am I."
She looks at him then. He doesn't think he's ever seen her eyes properly. "I didn't really know him but ... you're a lot like him."
He looks again at the scars on her arms. The legacy of a family that didn't care about her and probably don't care that she is going to die. He always knew that those scars were there but he's never really noticed them before now. No one did. No one noticed how hungry she was, how downtrodden she was, or even how real she was. Except Emre Otol.
"That," he says quietly, "is the biggest compliment I will ever receive. Especially because it came from you."
He leaves.
IV. Kornel Aster and Zita Wend
On the last night, they don't say anything to each other. Kornel rarely speaks and Zita has given up trying.
V. Birch Parker and Menna Vale (Foxface)
Their mentors jointly send them to bed on the last night. They walk together in silence. Birch is jumpy whereas Menna is calm. Birch always wants to say something whereas Menna likes to sit in silence. She only lets him speak to her at dinner and only then because she can't stop him.
Birch looks at her shyly as they reach their doors and it's obvious that he wants to say something because he's Birch and he has to talk. She sees this and, after a moment, pauses, nods at him, and then enters her room. He grins but continues to resist the urge to say anything before entering his own room.
VI. Rodery Stem and Jane Berry
On their final night, Rodery says, "Remember the plan."
"Which one?" Jane asks. They have come up with several since that first night on the train, none of them serious.
"The one where we don't die."
"We're not going to die. We're team awesome, remember?"
They laugh but it's strained. She holds out her arms and they hug tightly. When they part to go to sleep, they both think how glad they are that they decided not to fight each other.
VII. Ash Tanis and Runa Cress
Ash and Runa continue their well-established routine of trying to freak one another out. They part on the certain terms that if they see each other the next day, they will kill.
VIII. Mal Zeno and Ivy Yaznikov
When their mentors tell them to go to bed, they walk in silence. They are not friends but they are not enemies: Mal is too good-hearted to fight her while she is simply not aggressive. Ivy wonders what they can say to each other now, when the Games are a few hours away. Their conversations have always been both pleasant and painful, filled with rich detail and pictures that remind them both of the home they will never return to.
As she thinks, she absent-mindedly hums the tune her mother always sang to her when she was going to sleep. Mal, hearing the tune, smiles and sings along, letting his words and her song fill the awkward silence. When it's over, they bid each other goodnight and lie awake in their rooms with the words of home flitting through their heads.
IX. Luke Eldern and Elana Shar
On the final night, she can't sleep and nor can he. He finds her sitting in one of the shared rooms. He could turn and leave her to her contemplation but he's an Eldern and Eldern is a by-word for trouble in District 9. So he keeps going.
"Go away, Luke," she says when she sees him. "Tomorrow, you never have to see me again."
He starts to curse at her and then stops. "You know what, Peacekeeper's girl?" he says instead, referring to the rumour (not so much rumour as unspoken fact) surrounding the identity of her father. "You're not as prissy as I thought you'd be. You got a spine."
She rolls her eyes. "Yes, thank you, Luke. My life is complete now that you have informed me that I do, in fact, have a vital part of the human anatomy inside me."
"It's stuff like that that makes me hate you," he remarks. No matter how much he has tried to bully Elana, she always fights back. He grins. "Before you die, make sure you take one of 'em Careers out, alright? Go for the giant. In fact, I'll share him with you. District 9 and all that."
She hesitates and then smiles. "Thanks, Luke. I'll bear it in mind."
"But if I catch you-"
"I'll kill you."
He laughs. "You still got it, Peacekeeper. You still got spine."
The door slams behind him (because he always slams doors. Always) as he wanders out and back to his room again.
X. Dema Fen and Jasmine Alwood
At the end of it all, they simply don't have much to do with each other. They opt to train separately. They talk politely at dinner. They slip into their rooms in the evening. Their mentors encourage this behaviour because everyone knows it will be easier if they don't know each other.
On the final night, she goes to bed first. He smiles at her and tells her that her interview was outstanding. They catch each other's eye but neither can think of what to say next and so she leaves after muttering a quiet Thank you.
XI. Thresh Jonasson and Rue Malinka
They don't speak to each other much. There are six years between them and Thresh is not talkative anyway. It doesn't matter. They both know who the other is and they both know that neither of them will kill the other unless there is no one left.
On the final night, Rue hugs Seeder, Chaff and their district escort as Thresh shakes hands. They hesitate when they look at each other. Thresh's chest rumbles as he laughs at the awkwardness, clasps her shoulder and walks away to his room.
XII. Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen
They don't say goodbye at a door; they sit on a rooftop and talk.
Fin