The morning of the reaping dawns clear and bright, with a soft, warm feeling to the air. I wake up, padding down the hall of the beautiful mansion here in the Victor's Village. Every morning of the last four years we have spent here, in this way. I walk to the kitchen, a smile on my face as I prepare the morning pot of coffee, popping two slices of cheesy bread into the toaster, and pulling the left over ham from last night's dinner from the refrigerator. I am deep in thought. This year is my last reaping, and then Jo and I can breathe easier. I sigh softly to myself. I have no money, no means for anything, and I am a mere eighteen years old. Jo is twenty, and much more experienced at life, and love, and everything that I am not. She is a Victor, though we both agree it is not something to be proud of. This is the last morning we will spend together for at least a month, if not longer. I sigh softly, as I watch the birds out the window on the feeder that Jo made me for my last birthday.
"Good morning my love." I giggle as Johanna wraps her arms around me, and the scent of pine and citrus fills my nostrils. I turn, and wrap my arms around her, my lips colliding with her own. Her moan of surprise makes me giggle softly.
"Good morning Sexy." I kiss her softly, my hands tangling themselves in her long dark hair. "My Angel." I look into her eyes, a grin on my face. "Oh Jo, I made your favorite this morning." I smile as the light I had missed returns to her eyes. "Jo, hey..It's gonna be ok. Sweetie..It's my last reaping. Next year.. nothing stands in our way."
"Yeah. Sure." Johanna pulls away from me, and I rush to her side, frantically pulling her back into my arms. "Sage..I can't take the chance of losing you. You and Jack are all I have left. I can't bear the thought of life without you." My eyes well with tears. I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen Johanna Mason cry, and now she has thrown herself into my arms and is sobbing against my shoulder. "You are my heart, Sage. You are my heart."
"Shhhh...my Jo..My beautiful Johanna. It's ok. It'll be ok...I'm not leaving you. I'll be here, waiting for you." I hold her close, rubbing her back, smiling when she playfully kisses the spot below my ear that makes me melt every time. "Jo-!" I giggle, my legs feeling weak as I lean into her.
"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere ! STAY THERE!" I laugh as Johanna dashes up the stairs, her robe fanning behind her like a hawk's wings. I chuckle. She's my hawk. My beautiful bird, wild and free. I adore her. She's been my everything, ever since we were kids together, running through the forests. It broke me when she went into the games. I didnt sleep the whole time. I collapsed into her arms that day when she got off the train. That was also the first time I kissed her.
"Ok. Ok. The moment you've been waiting for." I turn and see Johanna standing in front of me, her head cocked nervously. "Sage Eagle Benson. You were the reason I survived the hunger games. It was the thought of returning to you, telling you how I felt about you- you saved me. I knew then that I wanted to spend every moment of the rest of my life with you. So-" My heart leaps from my chest as I watch Johanna sink to her knees before me, reaching one hand behind her back.
"Oh God- Johanna-" I start, unable to see because of the tears in my eyes.
"Shh..let me finish Baby. Let me finish." Johanna looks into my eyes, and smiles the most brilliant smile I have ever seen on her face. "Sage will you marry me?" The look of doubt in her eyes as she waits for my answer melts my heart. I launch myself into her arms, a my lips colliding with her own in a kiss of passion and longing.
"Yes, Johanna Brittney Mason. I will marry you. I love you more than life itself. You are my heart. Oh Johanna! We're getting married!" I smile, leaning against her as we get up off of our spot on the kitchen floor. "You're going to be my wife."
"Oh, and one more thing. I made this for you." I watch as Johanna pulls a small, wooden ring out of her pocket. She places it on my ring finger, placing feather light kisses up my arm,and across my neck until she reaches my lips. I giggle as she catches my bottom lip in her teeth gently. "I carved our initials into it. " I smile at her, my hands caressing her face.
"How did I ever get so lucky to have such an amazing and beautiful girlfriend?" I ask, laughing as she flips me over, gently pinning me to the ground, tickling my sides, attacking me with kisses.
"Eww Gross. Josie, keep it to the bedroom." We both raise our heads as Jack, Johanna's twelve year old brother enters the kitchen, already dressed in his grey suit and the red tie that I made him for his birthday.
"Shut up Jack!" Johanna laughs, and soon the two are running, wrestling on the living room floor. I watch, laughing, enjoying seeing the bond between the two most important people in my life. Johanna has raised Jack, with my help, since the winter after her games, when her mother and father both died in the same freak accident when their lumber cart rolled backwards down the hill crushing them both, as well as her grandfather and cousin. She lost everyone but her brother that day. My heart still breaks for her when I think about it.
"Breakfast time!" I call out, setting the coffee, and ham egg and cheese bagels on the table with a pitcher of Orange juice, the only luxury item from the Captiol Johanna allows into her home, mainly because I've become addicted to it ever since she brought it home the first time.
"Alright! FOOD!" Jack shoves Johanna aside and slams himself down into his chair, a wild grin on his face as he digs into his sandwich, every bit the twelve year old boy. Johanna, however, sits down beside me, and pours herself and I glasses of orange juice and steaming mugs of coffee before taking a knife and fork and carving small, bite size pieces out of her sandwich.
I smile at her, lifting the bagel to my mouth, taking out the egg and tossing it on Jack's plate. "Here ya go Buddy." I smile brightly, ruffling his hair. Johanna scoffs at me.
"You made the damned food. Why add the egg if you know you don't like it? Why not just leave it out?" To anyone else, her tone would have been taken as aggressive and frightening, but I see the teasing gleam in her eye, and it warms me even more than the coffee I am drinking.
"Because JOSIE" I tease, sticking my tongue out at her, knowing how much she truly hates her childhood nickname. This earns me a kick under the table. Her legs wrap around my foot, trapping me in her vise like grip. I laugh. "Finish your food weirdo."
"You're the weird one. God, you can't even eat right." I see the happy gleam in Johanna's eyes, and it makes me blush. "I love you guys."
I smile widely. "I adore you, my beautiful wifey." I kiss her cheek, taking both of her hands in my own. "You are my heart. Oh Johanna." I smile softly. "You're the most beautiful woman in all of Panam."
"Hmm" Johanna blushes. I think that's the cutest sight in the world. "I think that title belongs to you, my darling." I look into her beautiful eyes, again, shocked at how lucky I am.
"Hey, Guys, I'm still here you know! Go take your cooties somewhere else." I laugh out loud at the expression on Jack's face, indigence and embarrassment. "Geez...go to your room."
"What a good idea!" Johanna looks at me, a seductive smile on her face. "What say we go get undressed to prepare for the reaping." I blush crimson from head to toe.
"JOHANNA!" I squeak.
"Well, it's not a lie, we DO have to get ready for the reaping . And technically, undressed before we put on our actual clothes." Johanna smirks at me, glad to be tormenting both me, and her little brother. I shake my head,
"Johanna Mason. You are impossible. Absolutely Impossible. " I giggle, my lips meeting hers as I stand up. She laughs, and picks me up in her strong arms and carries me up the stairs to our bedroom, leaving behind a most likely scarred for life Jack.
"You look beautiful my love." Johanna smiles at me as I turn to look at her, dressed in the dark green and brown dress she bought me for this past Christmas. My hair is ties back in two braids that meet in the middle of my shoulder blades and turn into a single braid, fanning out into curls at the end. I smile at Johanna, in her simple form fitting black pants and black shirt that shows off her boobs nicely. Her arms wrap around me, and I lean into her, my lips ghosting across her collar bone. "I can't ever quench your thirst can I Sage?" Johanna asks lovingly, her tone teasing, her eyes so full of love, and passion and longing that it makes me want to rip that outfit right off her back and lay her back down on our bed.
"No matter how many times I have you it will never be enough my darling." I whisper into her ear, sighing as she teasingly grabs my bottom. "Jo- we can't .. We have to be in the square in fifteen minutes."
"I know." She sighs, settling for another deep, passionate kiss, arms wrapping around me all the tighter. I never want this moment to end.
"Come on my love. It''s the last one ." I say gently, taking her hand in my own as we walk down the stairs and out to the square. Jack takes her other hand, and we walk as a unified force, a team. My heart pounds, and Johanna's mouth is set in a thin line as I take my place on the front row. Both of us wrap our arms around Jack as he moves to stand with the other twelve year-olds. Johanna whispers something in his ear but I can't make out what she says. I know it must be important, because Jack holds his head higher and nods fiercely to his sister before going to stand with the others. I watch with pride as he hugs one of his crying classmates. He truly is my beloved's brother.
Johanna wraps her arms around me, kissing me deeply before the cameras, "I love you Sage." She whispers as she moves to stand with the two male victors, her eyes never leaving mine as Precious, our Capitol escort plays the video, and begins the ceremony.
"Ladies first." Time seems to stand still as she pulls out the name. Johanna's expression is unreadable, but I see the fear in her eyes. "Sage Benson." With Shaking legs I move forward, my eyes never leaving Johanna's, the thought that in a few moments I'll be a hand's touch away from her bringing me the courage to move my feet. I practically race up the steps to her side, and the cameras watch us embrace, my face buried in her chest. I can hear her heart beat racing, can feel her pent up sobs. Precious is saying something about unfortunate circumstances but I can't make out what.
"Now for the boys." I watch, my hand clutching Johanna's as Precious pulls out a slip of paper from the boy's bowl. I choke back a sob as i hear the name. "Jack Mason."