Cinna

I waited inside the Training Center with Annette and Finnick, as the parade came to an end. Cora and Ronan would return soon, hopefully after leaving enough of an impression. The screen on the wall let us watch them.

"They look great," Finnick declared proudly. And he's right, they do. Cora appeared to be enjoying herself- waving to the crowd and grinning- and the crowd was loving it. Ronan raised his head proudly to them, and thrust his trident into the air. He gave off a presence of confidence, that was for sure. But Cora had an air of gentleness and light. Like an ocean and a river, different in their strengths, but strong nonetheless. Finally, the chariots pulled in. I extended my hand to help them down. Ronan leapt out on his own, but Cora took my assistance. Once her hand was in mine, I could feel that she was shaking terribly, and I held her a little tighter.

"Thank you Cinna," she said with a slight smile. Finnick slapped them both on the shoulders.

"You two were great out there. Especially you Ronan." The boy smirked at his mentor's praise. "Such confidence!" Finnick went on. Cora cast her eyes towards the ground, saying nothing. I couldn't help but feel bad. Ronan put on a good show. But I if could get Cora to shine just a little more- maybe, she'd have a shot.

After the tributes have changed, Annette and I made our way up to the apartment. Dinner was already laid out, with almost everyone present. Finnick sat next to Julietta, who was currently fawning all over him. To his right, Ronan was eyeing the food impatiently. Annette took a seat next to Julietta, and I sat beside her. Glancing to my left, I noticed a remaining seat. As if on cue, Cora came dashing down the stairs. Her hair was still wet, and she's changed into a simple silver sweater and dark pants.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized to Finnick. "I didn't hear you calling. I was in the shower." Turning to Ronan she added, "Did you know you can change the way the water smells?" We all laughed. The Capitol was different than the Districts in so many ways, but I couldn't help but find it amusing that this girl chose to focus on the water. A hint of embarrassment creeping into her cheeks, she slid into the seat to my left. We ate, and chatted, and Finnick flirted with Julietta. I stole a glance at Cora, who had pushed the remains of her roasted potatoes to the edges of her plate. She noticed me, and turns to catch my eye.

"Thanks again for tonight, Cinna," she said. "Without you, I don't think I would have made much of an impression at all."

I shook my head. "Of course you would. You shine. You just needed a little extra sparkle." I teased. She blushed, and directed her attention back to the food. The light banter continued, jokes were made across the table, and Cora even laughed at some of mine. Finnick and Julietta praised the costumes that Annette and I put together.

"Oh Cora," Annette said suddenly. "You're last name is Sweetgale right?" Cora turned wide-eyed to face my partner.

"Yes. It is."

"Didn't you have a brother in the Games? A few years ago… oh what was his name..."

"Tyde." Cora finished for her. "His name was Tyde." Finnick chimed in from the other end of the table.

"He was in the 69th Hunger Games. Almost won. But his partner took him out. Pretty rough stuff." He chuckled. Cora stood up, almost knocking her chair over in the process.

"I don't feel so good." She announced. "I'm sorry. I'm going to get some air." She headed for the balcony door. The eyes of everyone at the table followed her as she went. I volunteered to go after her.

I found her standing silently on the balcony, staring out at the city.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly, not wanting to startle her.

"I'm fine." Her voice said just the opposite. What could I say? What could I do for her? I knew nothing of losing a sibling, or being sent to a strange city full of strange people.

"I'm sorry about your brother- Tyde." I knew it wasn't enough. I wanted to understand this. This girl who was in pain before me. Where did that pain come from? What was it like, for her to lose her brother here, and then to be reaped herself?

Cora took a deep, slow breath. "It's not your fault. It's just… How can you look forward to this each year? Watching children die? Fight each other to death? This whole "celebration"… it's awful." She spoke with a quiet anger. "It's repulsive. Despicabe." Revelations came one after the other, crashing like waves of doubt to the shore. There had been times I harbored suspicions that the Games were much more than that to those who lived outside of the Capitol. Now I felt certain. Tributes were afraid. How could we have not seen that?

"I'm sorry," I said once more. "We must seem so horrible." I certainly felt horrible. It was true then, the thought that I had entertained in private. The Hunger Games were brutal. Children, who had no connection to the rebellion were killed, as entertainment for those of us in the Capitol. As punishment for something they couldn't even remember. How could I not see that? Cora turned away from the city, her gray eyes shining, worry etched on her face.

"Cinna, no… I don't mean…" she stopped, pulled at her sweater. "You. You aren't repulsive. You're not that bad. You helped me tonight." I'm wasn't repulsive. I'm wasn't that bad. In a way, felt relieved. But the fact remained that I was the one preparing her for the Games. Readying Cora to be led like an animal to the slaughterhouse. And another thought came through, clear and urgent. No. I would do all that I could bring her out safely. The Games could kill her. I'd seen tributes die before, and while I'd felt a distant sadness from time to time, I had never had reason to wish so strongly for one to survive. But I could save her. Something welled up inside of me. I wanted to save her.

"I'm glad you think so," I replied, mustering up a smile. Neither of us seemed to know what to say next. We stood in silence, and when Cora spoke, she threw me off guard.

"Have your eyes always been magenta?"

It was such an abrupt subject change, that I had to suppress a laugh as I shook my head. "No, they're just contacts. Many people here permanently change their eye colors… but I wanted to be able to go back if I wanted to Here, anything can be changed. Far more than just hair or eye color." Cora inspected my face, and I watched the path of her eyes, curious.

"How did you used to look Cinna?" she inquired sincerely. I was speechless. How did I used to look? I couldn't believe this girl was asking me that. And yet, I wanted to show her. She had shown me the most vulnerable parts of herself tonight. I owed her that much. I fumbled around in my pocket for my phone, and scrolled through the pictures until I'd found it. Finally. I turned the screen to show her a picture of myself from a few years ago, before I became a stylist. It was one of the few I had in which every part of me was natural. For some reason, I felt more nervous as she inspected this face. There was striking contrast. My hair was a little shorter, its original shade of brown, and my eyes, green. There was not a trace of make-up, and rather than the carefully designed outfit I had worn for today, the me of the past had on a plain dark golden shirt. I waited for Cora's response, and when she looked up, she wore a smile.

"I think you look better there," she murmured "You look so…" Cora stopped abruptly, flushing again.

"Really? You think so?" I laughed. No one had ever said such a thing before. Few people in the Capitol put value on things being natural.

"And I like the color," she offered. "You look good in gold." It was clear she was beginning to get anxious out here, and I wasn't quite sure what to say anymore either. I wasn't sure I trusted myself with my words.

"Come on," I told her instead. "I think there's cake inside."