"Don't speak." They stylist reminded him. They always said that but he never did anyway. They were lucky to get three words out of him in a day.
"Don't glare at the president. They thought you were glaring last time." She reminded him again. Why was she even here? He could very well dress himself at this point, in fact he did. Another facet of his 'condition' he refused to be touched. They could lie out the clothes or place them near him but he was not to be touched.
It killed his stylist he knew that. She ever so desperately wanted to put something to on cover his scars. He had too many they thought. Brutus and all his capitol watch dogs always clicked their tongues at 'the state of his beautiful skin.' He liked them they made it feel real. The edges kept him sane when the sedatives kicked in and the fog took his mind. He even liked the one that cut down his jaw to the center of his chin, despite everything that was said of that particular scar.
"Also remember what we talked about when you smile." She handed him his tie and he put it on while nodding. "No baring your teeth like an animal. You have to actually smile." He simply nodded again as they led him out for the parade.
This year he was not in a silly costume with false hope, this year he stood next to the President for his speech. There would be the victor from the year before as well to round out the look but Cato didn't care. He wanted to rip the elaborate suite off the moment it touched his skin. The fabric was too soft. Still he could tell the stylist had tried to make it rougher for his preference. Rough fabric was real, felt real.
"Do you need a shot?" Brutus asked before they could get to the balcony. Cato wished he could grimace at the implication. He had better sense than to beat the president to death, no matter what he might truly want.
"I don't feel like killing anyone tonight." Cato lied. "My knuckles have just closed up again." That was the truth. He had not been given capitol ointments to heal his hands in some time, they were trying to punish him by making him heal naturally but he liked it better that way.
"Good. Now go look dashing." Brutus moved like he was going to shove Cato out the door but pulled his hands back in time and waved them instead. Cato took his place next to the president. It was a revolting experience every time he was forced in the man's presence. He smelled sweet and looked weak a combination that set Cato's teeth on edge but the fact was that old man could crush Cato in a blink. It was sickening.
He was saved from having to deal with his nausea by the first tributes coming down the street. They were bright pink this year and looked like stuffed birds. Your feathers will fall soon. He thought. Two looked like golden warriors and their heads were crowned in wings. Exposed throats. Three was a glittery mess. Sharp edges to slice. Four looked so much like water. You will be lucky to ever drink again. Five sparkled. Easy to see at night. Six was rather silly to be honest. I could snap those neck with the headdress alone. Seven look like an explosion of white. You will drown in red. Eight was an explosion of color. Armor is the only worth while textile. Nine confused him. They still will never eat again. Ten was painful. No, you are the livestock. Eleven poor and tacky. Others will harvest your lives. Twelve. Twelve.
Twelve was on fire. Useful.
The cameras seemed to agree because they hugged the twelve pair. The boy seemed nervous but also ready to play the game. Soft. But the girl, the girl who wasn't dead she knew. It was in her eyes and in her face. She was not misguided like those in front or weak like those in the middle. She knew the real game here, the ones that weren't being broadcast and she was ready to fight back.
"Katniss!" The crowd shouted at the girl on fire. No that couldn't be her name it didn't fit. Not a weed. A survivor. A winner. A killer.
This would have been up all in one day but then Game of Thrones happened and I had to fangirl about that for a while. (Stannis I love you! Peter Dinklage deserves all the awards for that episode alone.) So two chapters in two days rather than one. Next chapter you will be getting some Cato and Haymitch interaction and maybe just maybe a Haymitch point of view.
Charlee-Maree, Sweetie16, Eyrie, essiesense – Thank you for the reviews.
If I do not update to your preference come bother me at bookbabble(.)tumbler(.)com -E
