This is my longest chapter yet. And with this, I'm breaking 10k words overall. So celebration!
And I think you guys will like the end of this chapter. Please enjoy!
Jeff wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, his unconsciousness lacking their usual dreams. He felt rested enough as he sat up in the cushy bed he barely remembered crawling into last night. The clock on the bed side table told him it was almost ten in the morning.
The interviews weren't until later in the week. The opening ceremony would start around sunset tonight, chariots filled with tributes wheeling into the center of the Capitol, stylists having prepped tributes to perfection in order to attract sponsors.
He got dressed, taking a shower first although he wondered if the stylists would shower him when they got a hold of him. He'd heard prep team horror stories, the plucking and scrubbing and make up that went into looking perfect for all of Panem.
Walking out the room, he saw no one in the hall. The smell of food; sweet, spicy, and a variety of other aromas hit him all at once as he stepped fully into the hallway. Following it landed him in the common room, much bigger than the one on the train.
The ceiling was higher, the floor plan more spread out. There was a table covered in breakfast foods on one side of the room while the living area was connected by a few steps and an open door way. He saw the top of a head over the back of the couch as the large TV screen showed a message from President Snow.
Jeff piled a plate full of food, covering it in almost one of everything the table had to offer. Different varieties of meats and eggs, pancakes and waffles – all food that his family would never be able to afford back home. If he was going to fight to the death, he was going to stuff himself now so he would have a little more meat on his bones in the arena.
Tina turned to look at him as he rounded the couch, fork already in his mouth.
"I see you aren't wasting any time," she muttered, scooting over to make room on the couch that could probably fit twenty. The two and a half feet she moved really didn't make a difference, but he appreciated the gesture.
Sitting next to her, they watched the message in silence. Well, silence other than the sound of Jeff's loud chewing. Snow was going on about the Dark Days, the importance of the Games, how excited he was for the games to begin and the high hopes he had for the tributes his year.
His smile was crooked at best when he signed off, his eyes shiny with intent that Jeff couldn't place. No one really trusted Snow. Or any of the Presidents before him. Behind closed doors and away from the ears of the Peacekeepers, most citizens of Panem wished death upon Snow's head - though they would never act on those thoughts. The only thing that would result would be their own death.
"May the odds be ever in your favor," Tina mocked as the screen switched to the symbol of Panem "He's so full of it." Jeff strained to hear the last bit, knowing Tina meant to be quiet with it. The Avoxes in the room were loyal to Panem and would be quick to report anything they heard.
"Do you have a plan once we're in the arena? Anything you're keeping from me?" Jeff asked, watching Tina's face for a reaction of any sort. He placed his now-empty plate on the carpeted floor under his feet, pulling his legs up to sit cross legged.
"No. I honestly never thought I would get reaped. I only had two more years to make it through. Two more years and I'd never have to be part of a reaping ever again. I don't have a plan other than to try my best to stay alive."
She sighed, moving her body to look at Jeff fully. "We should team up. At least for the first few nights so I can make it past the first half of the deaths. Then we can break up any alliance we have with each other. Hell, you can be the one to kill me if you want."
"You and I both know I can't be the one to kill you. How would I go back to 7 after they all see me kill you? I'll try my best to protect you Tina. But know that my safety is first. If it's you or me, I'm picking me. No offense." He shrugged, being as honest as possible. He wasn't going to save her if it would mean his life. He had family to get back to the same way she did.
"Same. If it's you or me, I'm saving my own life first. But I promise not to be the one to kill you either," Tina nodded, leaning back on the couch cushions.
"TRIBUTES!" Witmate yelled as he entered the room, Partante walking slowly behind him. "Big day! First real public appearances. Makeovers. And exposure to all of Panem. We have a few hints before you are taken over by your stylist." The two stood in front of them and listed off things to remember for the interviews.
Things like 'confidence is key', 'never sound like you are questioning the Capitol', 'pick a personality and work it', and 'for the love of all that is holy, smile' stood out during their ranting. Jeff and Tina nodded, both turning when the elevator doors dinged.
Two people walked out, both dressed in what could only be described as 'Capitol Attire'. The blonde female worn a dress covered in colors ranging from purple to blue to green, that puffed out just above her knees. Her face was covered in the same colors, her eyes as bright as her hair as she smiled and walked over. The male followed behind, his outfit toned down, but only by Capitol standards.
The blonde came over to Jeff before got a chance to get a better look at the male's complete outfit, only catching the mix of green and orange as the man went to Tina.
"Hi Jeff, my name's April. I'll be your stylist and head of your prep team. I'm sure your mentors have told you what I'm here to do," she said, shooting Witmate a less-than-friendly look before smiling at Jeff again. He caught the look, wondering about the story behind it but saying nothing. He should probably be worried that she knew his name without introduction, but with Capitol it was hard to be surprised.
"William is Tina's head stylist, so you will probably be seeing a lot of him too. Well, let's go get you kids pretty." April wasn't as hyper active as Jeff would have guessed her to be. The clothes made him think she would sound like a five year old when she spoke. He was pleasantly surprised at her subdued tone. William said something quietly to Tina, the girl nodding before they piled into the elevator.
"Are we going to see the other tributes?" Jeff kept his tone even, not wanting to hint at the purpose of the question. He wanted it to seem like one of those 'Oh, I'm just curious' kind of things that pop up in conversation.
"Oh no, not until the ceremony tonight. You'll have a few minutes before the parade starts, though you won't get the chance to talk to the others until training tomorrow," April smiled, then began going over what the plan was for the day.
They went down below the ground floor, the B on the elevator controls blinking as the doors slid open. Jeff and Tina were escorted into the hall, turning left to walk down the metallic halls. They went their separate ways down the hall, Tina giving her fellow tribute a short look before her stylist put his arm around her and led her elsewhere.
April opened a door and Jeff noticed a few people walking around and what he assumed was a doctor's chair in the center of the large room. Tables with various tools were near the chair, Jeff's concern growing rapidly.
"Um, should I be worried? Are you planning on operating on me or something?" April laughed at the question and walked him over to the chair. "No no no. Most of that will be for females, but all the rooms are set up the same. They are going to clear up your rough patches before I get you all dressed up." With that, she took a step back and two of the others stepped forwards.
The two of them looked like any other Capitol citizens. Dressed in bright colors, their faces painted with makeup and who knew what else, their hair just as colorful as every other part of them. One was male, the other two in the room female. They looked harmless enough until one of the females grabbed a pair of tweezers.
The next two hours were probably some of the worst of his life. And that included the time he got stuck in a tree overnight because the rest of his team had left him. The stylists had washed, plucked, shaved, scrubbed his face, cut his hair slightly, and done who knows what else while he was distracted.
"Perfect." April stepped forward again. She had spent the last two hours directing the others, but not laying a hand on Jeff herself. The others seemed pleased with themselves, grinning as they got a final look at Jeff. He turned to look in the large mirror on the wall and cocked his head slightly as he took himself in.
The change wasn't great, but it was there. His eyebrows were more refined, his hair less shaggy while the blonde was brighter, his face clean and unblemished, any trace of tiredness or weakness gone from his features. For people who knew him, it was a large change. For Capitol citizens, he would probably look the same as their first sighting last night.
"You guys can go. We won't need you guys for a while," April waved the three of them off, turning to look Jeff up and down. "You and I need to talk." Her demeanor changed as the door shut. "You are hiding something. I'm not going to pry and ask what – I'm sure I'll find out soon enough – but you can't keep it off your face. You look… nervous, for lack of better wording. You need to keep a confident face. At all times. In judging, the interviews, and in the arena; confidence can mean life or death."
Jeff nodded, April continuing on without allowing him to comment. "Today is just the parade. Will and I have come up with your outfits, based on the whole District 7 lumber thing. Will wanted to go with something plaid, going with the idea of lumberjacks, but I told him that wouldn't work. I was thinking movement. The tools you guys use more than the trees." She went to get the sketch pad on the table, flipping it open for Jeff to see an outfit that looked like someone had taken a chainsaw and turned it into clothing.
"It should be here soon, but we don't have to put it on until later. Tina's outfit is similar, just a dress instead of pants." April seemed proud of herself, looking Jeff up and down for what felt like the hundredth time. "You need to smile or something. Pretend you are honored or at least happy to be here. Wit told you about sponsors."
"I'm honestly getting sick of hearing about sponsors. Everyone knows that Capitol citizens favor tributes from 1 and 2, or anything they consider 'different'. I'm just another kid who will probably die the first night." Jeff didn't know why, but he trusted April. "What's the point?"
"The point is that there are winners from every district. This could be 7's year and I see you winning far more than I see Tina winning. There is a fire in you, I can feel it." She put her hand on his shoulder. "And I'm not just saying this because I'm your stylist. I know you will make it through the first night at the very least."
Both of them whipped their heads around as the door opened, an Avox bringing in a garment bag. The man nodded, hanging the bag before leaving, his steps silent as April grinned at Jeff.
Before the parade, the tribute area was a mad rush of bodies trying to put finishing touches on outfits and giving advice. Jeff craned his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of a certain brunet, but seeing nothing in the mass of colors and people.
"Come on, on the chariot." Witmate nudged Jeff up with Tina and the horses were led over to the line. He could see the teams in front of them, outfits reflecting districts in the most ridiculous manners possible. As the first district's chariot started to move, Will hopped up next to them, pressing a button on the inside of each of the tributes collars, before getting down. The chains on the outfits began to move, looping around Jeff and Tina's bodies.
He had to admit, Jeff was impressed. The outfits were inconvenient, but better than some of the simpler garbs the other stylists had come up.
As their horses moved he heard a final 'Remember to smile!' from Witmate, the stylists and mentors stepping back. The pace of the chariot picked up, rocking the tributes slightly as light began to seep in from the end of the tunnel, the noise of the crowd following close behind. By the time they were out of the tunnel, the cheers from the spectators were deafening.
It took Jeff a minute to take it all in, one hand grabbing the chariot as the other rose up, forcing a smile to meet the request of his team. In his peripheral vision he could see Tina doing the same, her smile a little more genuine.
As the chariots broke out of line, gathering in front of the Gamemakers and President Snow, Jeff took his chance to look at the other Tributes again. It took all of ten seconds for his gaze to fall on the mop of brown hair in chariot for District 2.
Nick. The name had been floating around in his head for days and now the boy he had gone so long without was only about thirty yards away. He heard President Snow begin speaking and his attention shifted to the aging man high above them. He spoke, welcoming, congratulating; nothing Jeff hadn't heard before.
It was over quickly. The chariots turned and headed back to the tunnel, tributes smiling and waving as the crowd threw flowers and toys at them.
Once inside again the mass of bodies engulfed him again as tributes were ushered back to their floors, cheers for a great presentation flung between stylists and mentors for nearly every district. Jeff was too distracted by his thoughts to notice the groups moving. What if I have to kill Nick? Or Tina? Or anyone…
Before he knew it, they were back on the seventh floor and the mentors were telling the tributes to change for dinner and come back promptly so they could all watch the reviews of the parade.
Changing, dinner, the show; it all went by in the blur. He heard Caesar Flickerman talking about each team's outfits, noting the movement in 7's, the sparkle and shine that went into 1's, and making smaller notes about the others.
"I'm kinda tired. I'll head in early." Jeff stood, eyes watching the screen as faces of tributes rolled by.
"Training begins tomorrow morning. Your outfit is already in your closet. Be ready by eight." Partante reminded him, waving as he walked down the hall to his room.
When he got there Jeff lay down, his eyes drifting shut without him realizing it. When he woke again, the lights of the hall were out and his clock said it was just after midnight. The others would all be in bed and as much as he tried, Jeff couldn't get back to sleep.
"Guess I can explore…" He remembered seeing something in the elevator earlier, and went to go look. Tiptoeing out of the room, he slipped inside and smiled when he saw the button. "Why would you give a bunch of kids access to the roof?"
He took the elevator up, climbing the short staircase the rest of the way only to see the door was already propped open. He stepped forward slowly, stopping only when he picked up a sound. "You're kidding..." he breathed, recognizing it instantly.
Slipping through the doorway, he followed the voice to see Nick leaning against the railing, a force field only a few inches in front of him as he sang quietly to himself.
"You know, they always said you were the better singer," Jeff said loud enough for the other boy to hear. Nick nearly jumped out of his skin as he spun around. When he looked at Jeff, you'd have thought he'd seen a ghost; the blood and emotions drained from his face so quickly.
"Jeffie?" the brunet asked in a breathless voice.
"Hi," Jeff said, instantly feeling stupid. How many years had it been and the only thing he could say was 'hi'? "Um, I didn't think I would run into you until training…"
"Same." Nick took a step forward, reaching a hand out before pulling it back to his body. "I have no idea wh-" He was cut off as Jeff wrapped his arms around the boy, Nick's arms instinctively returning the hug. "Jeff… I feel like there are rules against hugging other tributes"
"There aren't any about hugging the best friend you haven't seen in three, hell almost four years. What happened to the letters?" He remember how heartbroken he had been, waiting day after day for a letter or package or something.
"I sent them. You never sent back?" Nick looked at him for a moment before it dawned on him. "Father… I can't believe that asshole." He pulled out of the hug and raked his hand through his hair. "I sent stuff. He must have intercepted. He always talked about breaking all our old connections."
"I figured as much. I never held it against you." Jeff shrugged.
"God, Jeff. It's so weird seeing you. This isn't how I imagined our reunion." Nick chuckled, walking back over to the railing. "You know, my father is the reason I'm here. As soon as we got to 2 he put me into the tribute academy. He let me get a few years of training in before telling me 'Nicholas'" He dropped his voice a few octaves to match his fathers. "'You need to volunteer. Go into the Games and win. Bring further honor to the Duval name.' He's so paranoid about losing his position in 2 that he wants me to do this for him."
"I saw you volunteer. All I could think was 'that's not my Nick. He would never volunteer to kill others'. Your father was always kind of a prick." Jeff joined him against the railing, nudging their shoulders together.
"I saw your reaping. I thought my heart stopped when I saw you climb onto that stage." He shook his head, turning to look at the blond. "We shouldn't be talking like this. We can't go back to being friends. In four days, they are going to send us into that arena to kill each other."
"I know. I'll make you the same promise I made Tina. You don't kill me, I won't kill you. If I see you need help once we are in, we can form some sort of alliance. I don't want to see you die Nicky. Losing you the first time was hard enough. At least I knew you were alive, off happy somewhere."
"I wouldn't say I was happy, but I know what you mean. Okay, I promise not to be the one to kill you. The other twenty two are free game." They shook on it, smiling gently, as if they were kids again making a pact about their club house rather than talking about the act of murder.
"What if it comes down to the two of us…?" The thought struck Jeff hard, an image of the two of them facing off in front of the Cornucopia appearing clearly in his mind.
"Maybe they'll allow two winners?" Nick suggested. Jeff looked at him as if he had grown an extra head.
"There have been sixty eight games before this and there has always been one winner. They don't care if we are friends – they wouldn't care if we were brothers. In the end, if it's just you and me, we'll end up fighting to the death." It was more of a resignation at this point, if by some chance the impossible happened and Jeff made it to the end.
"We'll cross that bridge if we get to it, I guess." Nick pushed off the rail, looking out at the large Capitol buildings surrounding the tower. "I think we should hide this though. Friendship is weakness. If the other careers find out that we have anything deeper than a general knowledge of the other's existence, they'll use it against us."
"I know. The only real alliance that ever works out from the start is the careers. Are you gonna work with them?"
"Yeah. I need to keep up appearances. Keep my sponsors if I can get them. Once we get down to the final seven or so I might break away from them. But until then, I'll be with them."
As much as Jeff didn't like the idea of Nick working with the others to hunt tributes, namely Jeff himself, down, he knew it had to be done. "Okay. I'll do my best to stay out of the way then. Just… hold up your end of the deal." He smirked, clapping Nick on the back.
"It's late. The mentors will wake us early tomorrow for training. We should get back to our rooms. See you tomorrow." He turned to walk away, only to be stopped on Jeff's hand on his shoulder. Before he could comment he was pulled into another tight embrace.
"I really missed you," Jeff said into the brunet's shoulder, his voice weaker than he would have liked.
"I missed you too Jeffie." Nick gave him a light squeeze before pulling back. "We'll figure this out. Meet me here tomorrow night?" He waited for Jeff to nod before taking a step back. "Um, we should wait a few minutes. Let me go first, wait for the elevator, then you go. Don't want to look too suspicious." With that, he turned and headed down the stairs to the elevator.
The second Nick was out of earshot, Jeff started berated himself for looking weak. He knew this could turn on him in about a million different ways. You couldn't trust anyone in the Games. But this was Nick. His Nick. His best friend. The boy who might as well be his twin brother. Nick wouldn't hurt him – would he?
This was slowly getting more and more complicated and Jeff was starting to worry that he wouldn't be able to keep up. One thing was sure in his mind. He wouldn't – he couldn't – hurt Nick. Seeing him again proved that.
Now he had to figure out if it was possible for both of them to get out of this alive.