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Title: Right Here
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games, but I do own Damien and Thea.
Warnings: There's strong language here and there, but that's pretty much it.
A/N: I didn't know what I was going to do with this. I wrote this POV for my Fear of Falling story, but it didn't quite fit anywhere, so I decided to just post it as a one shot. If anyone was interested to read it.
Incase you aren't aware of Secluded Minds or Fear of Falling, to explain, Thea is the victor of the 5th Hunger Games and she is currently 19 years old. This is set in the Eighth Hunger games, and Damien is a character that no one has met yet, he's the escort for District Four and he is the brother of Aleah who was featured in Fear of Falling. Oh, and in this verse, District Four is a really poor district in these early games. So...in case that confuses you.
But everything else should be pretty self-explanatory. Yeah...Idk. I guess this is just a cute little one-shot then. Yah.
I hope you like it?
Right Here
Damien Reynold, 21 years old, District Four Escort
I want to leave this life.
I want to be happy. I just want to be with her, and only her.
When I see her leaning against the mahogany table, with her brunette hair curled and draped over her shoulders, my heart stops, a smile appears on my lips, and I realise, once again, why I stand where I am today.
Thea has a way of making my body do strange things; things that are more than just bizarre, love-struck, hormones. She makes this entire job almost worth the heartache it entails.
Despite popular belief, I do feel something, when the tributes I've grown to know, fall at the first hurdle. It hurts, and it makes me hate this job even more.
Some sick people, my sister included, dream of being one of the many faces of The Hunger Games. For me, it's just a job that pays reasonably well. It doesn't bring me pride or joy. But it does get me laid, and that something I'm not going to complain about.
I guess all jobs have their perks.
Still, I want so much more out of life, and I'm determined to do anything and everything in my power to make my life the best it can be.
I just need to give it time and, in time, my wildest dreams will come true. I'll make sure of it.
As she approaches me, trying hard not to trip over her trailing emerald dress, her eyes manage to light up the room.
My name leaves her voice in a gentle whisper as she wraps her small, fragile, arms around me and buries her face into the nook of my neck. From her figure, you would have never guessed that this woman won The Hunger Games, she looks too small, too innocent, but I know that she has a strong, fighting, spirit, deep in her soul, something that makes me admire her all the more.
Why can't Capitol women be like her?
Thea pulls away from me with a glistening smile. "Hey."
"Hey," I say softly. "You look...different."
She giggles lightly, cupping her face with the back of her hand. "Do you like it? It's 'Shining Beauty by Leonerd'." She rolls her eyes. "He's making all the mentors wear it as some strange promotional tactic."
I smirk. Leonerd, the main arsehole of all the victors, the guy who snatches any opportunity available to get his face plastered around Panem. Somehow, everyone seems to love him, but coincidently, everyone I associate with can't stand the guy. I do wonder where his 'adoring fans' come from.
Thea's voice is so full of sarcasm that it hurts not to laugh, but that's why I admire her so much. She has gone through so much, she has been so close to death, she has killed, and she has lost all but one tribute she's mentored, but she still somehow manages to be her own sarcastic-self.
She hides all of her troubles deep inside that heart of hers. She brushes it all aside, and tries to forget about it all. But that doesn't mean I don't worry about her. It only means that I worry more, but I've learnt not to bring it up, otherwise I enquire an anger-filled rant.
"Why District Four and Twelve then?" I ask. "You know they won't win, right?"
Thea purses her lips together and nods her head slowly. "I know, but, we can always hope, right? After all, someone has to mentor them."
Having only eight victor's means that some have to mentor more than one District, it's only fair, but Thea always seems to pull the short straw. I just go wherever she goes. I do anything to spend time with her beautiful face.
I nod my head slowly, before wrapping my hand around hers. We begin to walk through the poorly decorated halls of the justice building, towards the door. "I'm sorry Thea, but, with these Districts, you're going to need some sort of miracle."
Being an escort, I'm not allowed to bet, but all my friends back at home do bet in the games, and they've told me that the tributes from District Four and Twelve need to do something exceptional to impress the sponsors, whereas tributes from Two or One just need to turn up with a smile on their face. The Capitol is full of stubborn individuals who hold grudges exceptionally well and, in all honesty, I'm no different. It pains me that I have to work for District Four this year, but, unlike some others, I plan to do it with a smile on my face.
Thea lets out a deep sigh. "I know, but I'm not going to give up on them. I mean, I won and I was pretty awful, I don't see why one of these kids can't win."
"It was different back then and you know it," I whisper.
There weren't any careers in her games, no one knew what they were doing, and the arena killed more tributes than a knife that year. I hate to say it, but Thea wouldn't win if she was pushed into the arena this year.
When Thea shoots me her warning look, with her eyes narrowed like daggers, I know it's time for me to shut up. I always have the tendency to be far too negative for my own good, but I can't help it. I don't want Thea to get her hopes up, and I don't think I could cope seeing her broken-hearted yet again.
We stop outside the main doors of the justice building. "I really don't want to do this," I mutter under my breath.
In just under ten minutes, I have to choose the fate of two unlucky kids. Some as young and naive is as my sister, some even younger. I've been doing this for two years now, but I still never know what to do with my hand, whether to dig deep or choose from the top, whether to pick the first one my hand meets or the last one. I never know, and it can get me quite worked up. "You got that vodka?" I ask.
Thea smiles softly as she nods her head and reaches into her pocket. "Here." She passes me a small bottle of vodka and I quickly take a chug of it, dwelling in the sharp, burning sensation, which runs down my throat.
Smacking my lips together, I take a deep breath; in and a deep breath out. "I guess it's show time then?"