Blue Belittled Chapter 7

Villay came to get us at that moment, chattering on and on about how amazing we looked. He continues to yammer as he guides us into an elevator and presses the button to our floor. I don't really listen; instead I look out of the crystal walls of the elevator and watch everything shrink as we shoot up the side of the building.

He leads us to our rooms, which happen to be right next to each other. Katniss joins us as he is about to leave and the two exchange and friendly smile before our escort is gone. Katniss looks at us, then whispers. "Don't be afraid to be caught sneaking into each other's rooms." She winked, making it clear that that's exactly what she wanted to happen. I knew she meant it so the audience would see how in love we were with each other. Both Iro and I nodded, smiling to one another.

I went into my room, giving Iro one last smile before I shut the door. I investigated the entire place, which took some time because it was huge. I enter the bathroom, strip down and press the buttons to the shower. Getting in, and let the automatic functions do everything for me as I think. My mind kept coming back to that kiss. I knew why I did it, but I didn't know why it meant so much. Iro was just my friend, there's nothing romantic between us. If that was true, why did that kiss make my heart race and my blood pound?

Stepping out of the shower, now perfectly clean, I was blow-dried by more automatics and I placed my hand on a box to send an electric current through me, settling every hair on my head into a glossy black curtain. I go to the closet and program it for an outfit I like. I finish dressing as Villay knocks on the door. "Kiar, it's time for supper."

I nod, though he can't see me, and make sure to fasten the pin above my heart. I will only leave if off when I die, or it I somehow make it out alive I will give it to Feya, as a reminder of her brother.

I exit the room and see that Iro is standing outside of his room too. We walk to the dining room, Villay guiding us there. Katniss, Vinec and Hista are waiting for us there. The gaze over the Capitol from a balcony that is attached to the room. They turn around as we enter, and all of us sit at the table. Iro and I are beside each other, as always. I don't speak, but I watch him out of the corner of my eye.

Katniss looks as though she has been attacked by a stylist as well, she's all groomed and there is make-up to outline her eyes and lips. Though she is a little over forty, she looks to only be about thirty.

When we reach the dessert Villay turns a television on, I didn't even know the thing was there. We watch the recap of the opening ceremonies, taking in the costumes of the other tributes. I admit, Iro and I look pretty stunning, the flickering from my fire setting off against his blackness very nicely. And then, they show the kiss, I watch as our lips meet and the fire from my cape leaps to his, starting the transition from coal to fire. Katniss turns to look at us. "Great job you two, that looked so real and it sent a plain message of rebellion too." She sounded somewhat distant, as though her mind was somewhere else.

Then I remembered, in her Games she had acted in love with Peeta Mellark, the male tribute from our district, however he had died from an infected wound. She must be thinking of how we were like that, but I wasn't going to Iro die. If anything, it was going to be Iro who lived, not me. Katniss' gaze came back into focus and she smiled to us. "You two will have your first training session tomorrow, you should rest up. I'll talk to you about presentation in the morning." It's clear to see we are dismissed and Iro and I walk out.

I'm about to enter my room when Iro puts a hand on my shoulder. "Wait, Kiar... I uh... Villay told me about this place. We can go on the roof, and no one will see us or hear us. I-if you want to that is." I looked at him, trying to keep the curiosity out of my gaze, Iro was never usually nervous with me; it was odd to hear him stammer and mutter.

I shrugged, "sure." There was no harm in it, Iro was my friend and I had heard rumours that there was a force field around the roof, so there could be no suicides. He led me up stairs, and up onto the roof. We went and sat at the edge of the roof, side by side as we watched night fall over the Capitol.

He turned to look at me. "Kiar. About that kiss..." He Hesitated, unsure whether to go on or not, I just met his gaze, but kept silent. He continued, "did... was it alright?"

I paused, my mouth falling open slightly. What could I say? I couldn't say it was horrible, because it was a lie, and I knew it would hurt him, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to let him know that it was amazing, he might decide to kiss me again. I look down, then back into his eyes. "I-it it w-was..." I tried to choke out the words, but they wouldn't come.

Suddenly Iro's eyes widen as he realizes something. "Th-that wasn't your first kiss, was it?" I only just managed to nod. His eyes are huge now and they are filled with horror. "Oh my... I'm so sorry Kiar... I didn't..."

He keeps spluttering, but I try to speak, opening my mouth a couple of times before I finally manage to say. "It's alright, I... it was all I had expected." My words stop him, and I wish I could add, more than that even. It was amazing, but my tongue wouldn't work, so I settled for looking at my hands.

Iro put an arm around my shoulders, his voice barely a whisper as he leaned towards my ear. "Really? D-do you forgive me?"

His breath tickled my ear and I kept from rubbing it. Once again I looked into his soot-gray eyes, we were really close now, and it wasn't too far to move to press my lips to his... I stopped myself, afraid of what I would do, of letting into these feelings. I nod. "I was never angry. I-I even enjoyed it." My voice shook, I had finally told him, my face burned as colour rose in my cheeks.

Iro flushed too, and then he quickly moved away, I knew what he was thinking. We were about to be pitted against each other, forced to brutally murder one another. Now was not the time to discover... discover whatever this was. "Come on, we should go down to our rooms, get some sleep."

He walked me down, waiting until I went into my room and shut the door to enter his own. I went to the closet and asked for a nightgown, coming up with a nice white one that was only a little too long for me, it was light but it would keep me warm. I turned off the light and climbed into bed, closing my eyes.

I dreamed I was in the arena, I was surrounded by careers, none of them were the real tributes of this year, all of them from previous years. They were about to kill me, probably bash in my skull or chop me into pieces, when Iro cut off one of the male careers head. The body fell over top of me and blood sprayed into my eyes. When I finally got them clear I tried to wriggle from under the corpse. I manage to get far enough out to see Iro. His throat had been cut and his blood pooled beneath him. I screamed. "Iro! No, Iro!" I went over to him and shook him, knowing it was no use...

Someone was shaking me awake, I blinked my eyes open to see a wide-eyed Iro standing over me with only a shirt and boxers on. I blushed at the sight and he relaxed slightly. "Kiar, are you alright? You were screaming."

I blinked at him, remembering my dream. I threw my arms around his neck and felt a tear drip down my face. "I-I dreamed you..." I couldn't bring myself to say it; I tried to push the image of the dead Iro from my mind. "I had a horrible dream."

Iro wrapped his arms around me, holding me securely in his arms. "It's okay. Nothing's happened, I'm still here." Then he smiled, I knew he smiled because I heard it in his voice. "That worried for my safety? I'm touched." I just scowled and let go of him.

He released me, watching me with gentle eyes. I sighed, wiping away the tear that clung to my cheek. "If you tell anybody about this..." I threaten, clenching a fist as if I was going to hit him.

He just grinned at me. "Oh I don't need to, I'm sure the whole building could hear you screaming." He sobered at my nervous look. "Don't worry, you weren't actually that loud. It was more like a call than a scream. You're just lucky I was next door."

I supposed I was, he woke me from the worst nightmare I had ever dreamt, and I hadn't even gone into the arena yet. Was I too weak for this?

He put a hand on my shoulder, giving me a comforting smile. "It's alright. Get some sleep, if you can. You can't be tired for training." With that he left my room, going back to his own and heading right to bed.

I sat up for a little while longer, then I lay down and tried to fall asleep, but the image of his bloody corpse was imprinted on the back of my eyelids. Sighing, and clenching a fist, I got up and quietly exited my room, shutting my door and opening his with the utmost care. Gently, I climbed into bed beside Iro, pulling the cover over me. I had my back to his, his warmth chasing the haunting images from my head as I closed my eyes. In moments I was asleep, the presence of my friend keeping any nightmares from me.