AN: SHOOT! I was doing Camp NaNoWriMo all through August so I couldn't update (my novel crashed and burned, haha) but I forgot to post a notice on this fic and I'M SORRY GUYS! Here's a nice fluffy chapter for you to hopefully enjoy to make up for my terribleness 3
"Going for the diamond approach this year?" Peeta asks Cinna. Briyo looks amazing in black trousers and a silver shirt with shining silvery jewels in an intricate pattern scattered across it, but it is Zinnia that steals the show in a silver catsuit with the same detailed pattern of gems all over her body.
"Yeah, I thought it'd make District 12 memorable without re-using your fire," Cinna says with a pointed look at the other tributes. They've all chosen to steal his idea in some way- from the reds and oranges used by the Careers to the burning logs of District 7, they all have some aspect of fire in their outfits. Peeta laughs at the stupidity of it all.
"But as amazing as they look, coal doesn't even make diamonds," I interject, having to make sure that he knows the truth. Peeta evidently didn't as he looks at me with raised eyebrows and wide eyes.
"Now, I know that, and you know that, but the fools out there don't. This will make you seem... precious. Like a light in the darkness- literally." Cinna grins as he starts to turn away from us.
"Literally?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Literally. You'll see in a minute," he replies knowingly before returning to Portia's side. I wonder what Cinna has done for our district this time before turning to Zinnia. She looks so nervous, she could vomit. I remember my own terror in her position and put my arm around her. I want to speak, but I know that nothing I say will reassure her fully. I settle with, "You look stunning. Don't worry, Cinna knows what he's doing. At least you aren't on fire!" She gives me a small smile but she still frowns with worry. I see movement from the corner of my eye and tear my gaze away from Zi to see that the first of the district's carriages have started to move already.
"Oh God," Zinnia mumbles as her eyes follow mine.
"It's ok, honest. Now quickly, onto the chariot," I say as I try to help her up. Briyo, already there, takes Zi's hand and hoists her in by his side. We both smile gratefully and he nods in reply.
"Remember- look strong!" Peeta urges. "Use the crowds in your favour; act like they're lucky to have you in their presence." The two tributes nod grimly as the chariot lurches into action and they are pulled forwards. As soon as they are out of sight, all of the mentors and prep teams are shown to their luxury boxes lining the tops of the two sides of the long path down which the chariots ride. It is all coordinated so that we arrive as our district's tributes can first be seen by the Capitol citizens, and when we reach our box the cheers are deafening. I gasp when I see them. The diamonds on their outfits glint and gleam, reflecting every single one of the many lights they pass- those held by members of the raucous audience, those flooding the causeway from above, even those on the outfits of other districts in front of them. They are literally dazzling.
"Wow," Peeta says over the racket. "It's almost impossible to look at them!" I laugh.
"Hopefully that won't put people off!" We join the crowds in cheering like maniacs for our shining tributes. They are pulling off the superior look perfectly, keeping their heads high and their expressions showing just a hint of pleasure and a whole lot of pride. We scream for them until they disappear at the other end of the long pathway; our throats are raw by the time we stop and fall into silence, occasionally punctured by relieved laughter at how smoothly everything went tonight. We hold each other loosely even as we are seen to our "home". I guess it is our home for the next few weeks. It is the weirdest sensation to walk into our lodgings; everything from the couch to the table decorations are exactly the same as they were last year, but they are all different colours to what they were. Where the colour scheme used to be soothing greens and browns, it is now vicious fuchsia and black. Peeta mocks shielding his eyes from the bright sofa cushions, making me laugh and shake my head in- not disbelief, as the bright colours are completely normal for the Capitol, more amusement at the stark change.
"It's kinda disorienting," I remark. "It just doesn't seem... right."
"When does anything seem right here?" His tone makes me look up at him; I see a terrible sadness in his eyes that is quickly replaced with a steely mask. "Come on, let's get to bed."
"Shouldn't we wait up? Zi and Briyo-"
"Are already in their beds, hopefully sleeping. It's the first day of training tomorrow and we'll all need to have our wits about us." He kisses the top of my head, sounding a lot gentler when he says, "You look exhausted, sweetheart."
"Thanks a lot!" I push him playfully but don't have the strength to affect him at all. He just laughs softly and leads me to our rooms, both of which contain even bigger beds than the tribute rooms that seem twice as soft. I change into the nightclothes provided for me and sit on my bed, ready to drop. I see Peeta's bare feet padding onto the plush carpet of my room- our room- and then feel his weight shift the bed beside me. His lips brush mine.
"Is this ok? Or would you rather I stayed in my own room?" He smiles kindly.
"Peeta, of course it's ok. We're together, I'm not ashamed of that." He brushes his lips against mine as we lay down together and he pulls me into his arms.
"I love you," he murmurs. I love you too, I want to respond, but I can't do it. Not yet. Instead I nuzzle my head closer into his chest and manoeuvre so that we can pull the duvet over ourselves. We're asleep within moments.
