Branded in Twilight

Omg reviews!!! Holy shit! *start hyperventilating* lol kidding anyway thank you for reviewing. Here we go.

Chapter 3: Fiery Debut

Caden POV

When I woke up I was alone. Zeph's warm body wasn't against mine which was a bit disheartening. I crawled out and went into the bathroom. I had only taken a shower once, and that was after my mother's execution when the mayor showed me kindness by letting me use the shower in his home. He had also provided me with clothes and the assurance he would buy my strawberries.

Anyway I stood under the water and let the scalding hot water boil my skin. I quickly pulled plain black pants and shirt on and fastened my token on my shirt. I walked out into the car with the food.

Only Zeph, Katniss, and Haymitch were present. They stopped talking and looked at me for a minute. Haymitch then took a swig of some red liquid and said

"Finally you lazy brat. Get in here and listen in." I quickly loaded all kinds of food on my plate. Eggs, wild rice with roast, and the same stew I had much earlier in the morning, and a cup of orange juice. I sat down and munched on my food as I listened in to the conversation.

"Well anyway, now that you are here we can explain exactly what we want you two to do. Since you are partners we want you to seem extremely close. Hugging, leaning close too each other, those kinds of things." Katniss said. I nodded and Zeph nodded as well.

"We will be pulling up to the Capital in about half an hour. After that you two will be in the hands of Cinna." Haymitch said taking another swig of the tart liquid.

"Just remember, be close." They soon left us to our own devices. I nibbled on my roast while Zeph just stared at me like he was thinking about something.

"So are you alright with all of this?" he said. I quickly nodded my head.

"Ya, ya im cool with it." I really was ok with it…well almost ok with it. I was afraid to grow close to this boy. I mean what if I grew really close to him but then he dies in the arena? What would I do then? The thought was too painful to think about.

At least the roast and rice were superb.

"Caden." He said. I looked up at him expectantly.

"About last night…" I shifted uncomfortably.

"Just so you know…well I…damn it how should I go about this…please don't take that as some kind of act of affection. I was just watching your back as usual. It wasn't anything…sensual." I nodded in understanding. I got what he was saying and that's all it should have been.

If that's all it should have been then why did it feel like he stabbed me in the heart?

"Caden?" he said sounding worried. It took me a minute to realize I was clutching my chest to the point where my fingers were turning white. I had to pry it off with my other hand and tried to look at him calmly.

"Yes?" I said but my voice broke at the end.

"Caden…" he said warningly. I just nodded my head up and down. I quickly got up and left, not wanting to look at Zeph for the moment. I went into another car and sat down looking out the window.

"Hiya!" I turned. Saffron was grinning happily at me; Rose was behind her looking emotionlessly out the window. I just stared at her for a minute then looked back out the window.

"No need to be an ass." she mumbled. She turned and sat next to Rose in silence.

I sat watching the cloudy skies and I couldn't help thinking this was a bad omen. Finally the marvelous city came into view. It always looked incredible on the large screen in the square back in District 12 but seeing it in person…words can't even describe.

Soon Effie was calling us all together. I wasn't looking at Zeph because frankly I didn't want to. But I knew we were supposed to seem happy so I scooted closer to him. I could see outside the door the crowds of cameras and Capital fans with there strange hair and skin. Without warning, Zeph wrapped an arm around my shoulders and smiled.

"Remember smiles." He said. Then I felt Rose's arm tangle up in mine. I looked at her surprised.

"What…"

"We are supposed to be BF freaking F's remember?" I saw her grab Saffron's hand and then turned toward the door. I brought up my smile just as the door was opening.

(One hour later)

"Ow!" I yelped in surprise.

"Stop yelling! Im almost done…such a whiner…" a plump woman with blue skin named Octavia said. It wasn't a deep blue, more of a sky blue. My stylist name was Cinna but I hadn't seen him once this whole time. I could see Zeph sitting in nothing but tight dark green briefs watching me with amusement.

"Oh enjoy." I cackled but not in happiness

"You're next." His smug expression got even smugger which proved to really piss me off.

"Alright, last strip." Before I could even ask her to be careful, she ripped the strip from my last area of hair…my ahem pubic hair.

"AHH!!" I nearly screamed. Actual tears formed in my eyes.

"Well I'll give you that one." She said sadly. Octavia gave me a minute to get through the pain, even Zeph tried to help me. Soon I was feeling a little better though my whole body was throbbing.

"Don't worry no more painful improvements!" Octavia said happily. She soon got to work on my nails, trimming them to be perfect curves. Then she gave me a small haircut, just a trim really. Then she had me stand up and painted my body with this light gold glitter which seemed to make my skin glow. Then she gave me a robe and told Zeph he was next. I couldn't help but grin evilly at the pain he would have to go through. Octavia made him stand straight then told him to remove his briefs. He did and I couldn't help but let my mouth fall a little.

His butt was curved and shaped perfectly, his, ahem, man area was, how should I put this, huge. Yes huge is a good word.

"You know you keep staring your eyes are going to fall out." Octavia said, making me blush and look away.

"No, its fine, he wants to stare then go ahead…I must say it's hard not to look at." Zeph chuckled.

"Fine, fine…oh I wish Venia and Flavius were here. I need someone to talk too…but I suppose the girls need a prep team as well." Octavia said sadly to herself as she got to work on Zeph. Apparently Zeph isn't as hairy as I was so he gets done with that part much quicker. He didn't even whimper, he just gritted his teeth and took it a lot better than I did.

Damn I guess I just have a low tolerance for pain.

She trimmed his nails perfectly and left his hair alone. She covered him in the same weird golden glitter as me then handed him a robe and simply said.

"Cinna will be here in a few minutes, I will order some food for you, you look half starved!" she said looking at me. Then she was gone.

"I feel like a damn plucked bird. With seasoning." I growled. Zeph chuckled.

"That wasn't nearly as bad…" I glared angrily at him and he never finished that sentence.

A few servants came in with a decadent selection of food. Shrimp in some kind of cream sauce, fresh cheese, plump firm oranges, apples, that stew I loved with the wild rice and cooked onions. I quickly loaded up a plate and ate until I felt like I was going to explode. Zeph did the same though didn't completely stuff himself.

Soon a strikingly good looking man with little makeup came in. I took a wild guess and came to the conclusion that he was Cinna.

"Well then lets have a look at you two." He had me remove my robe first and looked me over intensely. I resisted the urge to cover myself and tried not to look at him.

"Hmm." Was all he said. He then had Zeph stand up and looked him over with the same intensity.

"Well I have the perfect look for you two." He said with a small smile. Everyone at the games knew to trust Cinna. His costumes are always highly raved and he is constantly praised and I must admit, his costumes are very beautiful.

"Lets start with you." He said pointing to Zeph. I quietly sat down and watched him help Zeph into tight leather pants and a sash type thing that went across his chest and hugged him tightly. He then gave him a pair of leather heavy looking gauntlets. Cinna then turned to me.

"Your costume will be a tad different." I stared at him confused for a minute. He just smiled.

"I am having Zeph wear this to show off his muscles. I want them to see he is strong and powerful. You however are smaller and not as muscular." I frowned.

"But." He said with a smile.

"You are most likely fast and graceful. Are you not?" I nodded. Im not sure about fast but I am quite graceful, I am good when it comes to my feet. So I stood up and soon was decked out in a pure black body suit that was incredible slimming and left only my head, neck, hands, and feet exposed. It was strangely movable. I was able to bend and do all kinds of things in it. He handed me a pair of black boots that seemed to go with the suit perfectly. He smiled.

"Boys, enlighten me, what does coal do?"

"Burn." I said without thinking. Cinna smiled.

"Exactly." He pressed a little button on Zeph's sash and soon the whole think was on fire. I yelped in surprise. Even Zeph seemed a little taken aback.

"Don't worry, its artificial and cannot burn you." He said. As I watched the fire literally spread to his gauntlets and the back of his hand burned brightly.

"Good it works." Cinna said. He pressed a button and soon it almost immediately disappeared.

"The power packs will only last a good two hours, though it will be enough time I don't want to risk using it all up." He said with a smile. He turned to me.

"Now your turn." He pressed a button and my whole suit caught fire. I stood frozen, waiting for the burning sensation, but nothing came, just a small buzzing feeling.

"Whoa." Zeph said wide eyed. I turned to catch myself in the mirror. The fire was just burning at a low lever as to not completely overtake me. I was having great difficulty taking my eyes away. The costume was genius.

"Cinna…this is…brilliant." I said.

"I am glad you think so." He said pressing a button that extinguished the fire.

"Now let us go to the chariots. It is about time." Soon the three of us were in an elevator and to the entrance to the training center. Our Chariot was black with red fire painted on the sides.

For the first time I got a good look at the other 44 contestants in the hunger games. Most of them didn't leave an impression except a very tall boy with golden hair and cruel looking eyes, a girl with strange bright blue eyes that seemed like they could pierce your soul, and a few others I don't have time to describe.

"Here you go." Cinna said gesturing to the chariot.

"Remember, be close and smiles."

"Well I don't have anything to smile about." I said.

"Well then fake one." Cinna said. He turned and left. I sighed and stepped up onto the chariot.

"Is it so hard to fake a smile?" Zeph said moving up next to me.

"For me? Yes, yes it is." I sighed. Saffron and Rose came into the chariot next to us, wearing similar clothing but modified for there bodies.

"Alright boys, lets give these people a show!" Saffron growled and pressing a button on her suit, causing her to burst into flames.

Rose did the same and then Zeph then I followed suit. All the other Districts went first until it was our turn.

You could hear the gasping and cheering from the audience. Cinna hadn't used actual fire in his costumes since Katniss and Peeta. I was guessing Katniss had something to do with the choices but I didn't have time to think about it. I felt Zeph wrap his fiery gauntlet around my shoulders and he was waving happily. The cameras were all on us. I couldn't help but stare at myself in the giant screen. I was brilliant looking.

I couldn't help but wonder in a moment of weakness what my family and friend thought of all this. Would my grandma love the costume? Disapprove? So many things I wanted to know.

We circled around for a second time then stopped in front of a large podium so President Snow himself could tell the history of Panem, blah, blah, blah. When he was done we circled around one final time then we were back in the training center.

"Ha! We had them eating out of the palm of our hands!" Saffron cackled happily. I just gave her a little smile and Zeph started laughing. Rose did the same and smiled sheepishly. We were all escorted onto an elevator and soon arrived in a extravagant place. Soon the other elevator walked in and Cinna, a woman I didn't know, Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch, and Effie walked out.

"Brilliant! You all were brilliant!" Effie wailed happily running up and hugging each of us.

"Oh Portia thank you!" Saffron said, running up to the girl I didn't know and hugging her.

"Don't thank me dear thank Cinna! I really just helped make the fire and a few other minor things."

"Well we can all agree you did a good job but training starts tomorrow so I suggest you get as much sleep as possible." Haymitch said actually seeming sober for once. Katniss or Peeta must be getting him at least half sober for these games.

"Well goodnight then…and thank you." I said with a small bow and leaving into my room. The room was very comfy looking and had one very large bed.

"I guess the room is just for me." I thought to myself. I stripped off the suit, leaving me only in the tight green briefs, and crawled under the warm covers. I turned on the large TV and watched the replay of our fiery debut. We were absolutely brilliant. Surely some people were already atleast considering sponsoring us?

My door suddenly open and Zeph walked in yawning like crazy.

"Damn im bushed." He chuckled. He stripped down to his briefs and crawled in next to me.

"Um Zeph…" I said a bit stunned.

"I don't have my own room, we are sharing. The girls have there own room they are sharing as well." He said with another yawn.

"Anyway like I said. Night!" I just sighed and turned off the TV and fell asleep.

(few hours later)

I woke up in a cold sweat. I shot up gasping for are and shivering like crazy. I had the same dream with my mother and father again except it was ten times more real than usual. I started sobbing.

"Whoa hey." A voice said next to me. Suddenly a lamp was lit up and Zeph was looking at me concerned.

"Are you ok?" I just turned towards him about to answer but all that came out were sobs. He quickly shut off the lamp then grabbed me against him like he did on the train.

"Just sleep."

"Are you gonna leave me?"

"No."

"No?"

"No." I snuggled closely to him and cried myself to sleep once again.


Alright well sorry this took so long and sorry for the shortness. I had planned for it to be a lot longer but eh I felt bad for not posting and I promise the next chap will be up much quicker! =D so anyway thanks for the reviews and maybe more reviews? =P