The Burning Wing Chapter 14: Shake it out, a hunger games fanfic

The Burning Wing

Chapter 14: Shake it out

The feeling of being watch woken me up as I slowly opened my eyes to stared at green eyes. Slowly remembering what happen last night and stiffened. The Quells were read and the tributes were being pulled from the victors and….Cinna and I had sex. I remained still taking a deep breath and continioud to stare at Cinna who seemed lost in thought.

"Good Morning," he breathed tucking a strand of hair off my face.

"Mornin'," I sighed closing my eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired," I said listening to his breathing. "Wishing that airplanes in the night sky be shooting stars."

"Whys that?" he asked entwining our fingers together.

"Cause I need a wish right now."

"And what do you wish?" he kissed my knuckles.

"That the Quells were different," I choked.

Cinna stopped his demonstration and held my cheek in one hand. "Are you going to volunteer?"

"No…." I sobbed letting a lone tear fall. "I'm letting fate decide."

"You mean Effie's hands," Cinna pointed out.

A chuckled came out on his correction that I couldn't retained. Off course fate in District 12 was the overly manicure nails of Effie Trinket. A little laugh helped me some, though it didn't change the fact that all tributes for this year's game shall be the victors. Cinna sat up and adjusted our position that I was in his arms again crying. I don't want to go back into the arena. When I'm in the arena I lose myself and become something darker. Once I was able to calm down Cinna kissed the tear off my cheek.

"Everything will be okay." He assured. "Trust me."

"There's nothing you can do." I whispered.

A small smiled graced his lips as if he knew something that I didn't know. I hated when he does that, but let it slide for what's the point. Sighing, I looked down and blushed covering my chest. Cinna hands grabbed my arms pulling them down.

"There's nothing to hide, Blaine. You're beautiful."

"It was my first time," I confessed.

Something in his eyes changed. If it was something I had to decipher I would suspected it was gratitude and honor. Last night was amazing in the hurt I was in and how Cinna comfort me gently. How he touched and caressed me like lovers do in romance novels, unlike what I hear most men do to woman. He made sure I felt pleasure instead of pain, in fact I can't recalled if it hurt at all. I looked at Cinna and noticed how define his body was, completely toned and flawless until I laid eyes on a few scars. Some look like someone heated up metal stamps and branded it to his skin, others laceration. I placed my hand over his chest and looked him in the eye.

"What happened?"

"All in the past," Cinna assured removing my hand and getting out of bed fetching his clothes. I sighed, slightly disappointed though concern when looking at his back to see a long scar down his back followed by a tattoo of a black bird.

"Cinna," I gulped.

"Yes," he asked putting on his pants.

"Did you by any chance send me any sunflowers the past few months?" I asked hoping he says yes.

"No," Cinna said eyeing at the desk. On the desk was a vase with seven sunflowers in them. Instantly I jumped out of bed to find the card to see the same insignia with another message.

Exile the Jabberjay yet they continued onward.

What the hell does that supposed to mean, Exile the Jabberjays and yet they continued onward? Whoever is giving me these flowers is probably somebody who knows me and liked to give riddles. The first person that comes to mind was Xavier Varick, but that's impossible for I killed him. But he is the only one who spoke of freedom and gave me sunflowers. It had to be somebody a close friend of Varick to know this.

"Is everything alright?" Cinna asked wrapping his arms around my naked form and took the card out of hand. "Seems you got yourself an admirer?"

"Not what you're thinking," I breathed leaning into his form. "Does 4-17-7 remind you of anything?"

"No, but they do sound familiar." Cinna said and kissed my neck. I shivered a little still new to the intimate side of a relationship. "You don't regret anything, do you?"

I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck, "No, I don't regret it."

Cinna gave a small smile kissing my brown tracing a finger over the Canary tattoo on my thigh. He scowled when tracing the shackles the little yellow bird wore. Back home in the mines the Canaries were used for barometer for air quality in the mines still gives it connotations of testing and self-sacrifice. Although they symbolized freedom and intellect, they were prisoner till the ends that is why the canary has shackles. For even though I had liberty I'll forever be unhappy. Everyone one in the profit circle has one, Finnick with his shark entangle in a net, Enobaria butterfly with a limp wing, and so on. We wear these sad images to remind ourselves that freedom is limited.

"Why the shackles?" Cinna asked.

"Just because," I breathed stepping back to change into some clothes, ending discussion.

"Are you heading back to Twelve?" Cinna asked a bit wry.

"I think so, maybe in a week to….spend the last quality time with Haymitch and train the others."

"I understand," Cinna said disappointedly.

I finished getting dressed and walked up to him, with my arms around his waist. "Cinna, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. Blood is thicker than water, and like you said you're letting fate decide."

"So you wouldn't care if Katniss name be called?"

"…..Yes and no, I'm between stalemates as you are."

I frowned knowing Cinna and Katniss are friends compare to our secretive relationship. He created the Girl on Fire while I'm the Lady from the Ashes. Fire and ash can never be the same in the story for fire gets the attention while the ashes, gets the blame. A sad sigh escaped letting go of Cinna unsure how things will be during the reaping. Will he be committed to his protégé or to his…lover? The ache in my heart hurt with the doubt from the thought.

Unable to take the possibilities I turned around and left to check on Miya and prepare for last of today's schedule. Before going back to Twelve in preparation for the Arena.

.o0o.

"Stop, stop," Simon chastity at the sound booth glaring at Miya and I who somehow wasn't satisfying him on the song. Well, he should get the stick out of his ass and understand that Miya and I weren't in a pleasant mood for last night at the reading all tributes were going to be victors. I thought going to work could be a distraction and escape from reality, but it seems to insufficient.

"The songs not working," Simon spoke into the microphone. "We need something more captivating."

"How about a third singer," a voice suggested. Simon turned around to show Cashmere who had slightly puffy eyes from crying.

"We'll see," Simon said letting Cashmere to join in for the signal. She nodded entering the sound room sitting next to me as the atmosphere changed completely. Cashmere and I never gone along very well since Sapphire was her cousin who I unfortunately I killed to survive during the seventy-first hunger games. Since that day, we hold a bit of a rivalry on attention which we hold different perspective. I don't want attention unlike the career. So taking a deep breath I showed Cashmere the lyrics as we went through who sings what part. We spent hours on getting the melody right until Simon said let's begin recording as I started singing. (A/N Blaine, Miya, Cashmere, and Together.)

"Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

Every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way

I'm always dragging that horse around
Our love is pastured such a mournful sound

Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground

So I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with the devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart

'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before

The dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with the devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And it's hard to dance with the devil on your back

And given half the chance would I take any of it back

It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone

It's always darkest before the dawn

Ooh hoo oooh hoo...

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't

So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my rope

And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope

It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat, cause

Looking for heaven,

Found the devil in me
Looking for heaven,

Found the devil in me
But what the hell

I'm gonna let it happen to me

We all stopped realizing that tears clouded our eyes as I looked at Cashmere. She looked at me and I could read her face to see the regret and apologies that went on between us. Unable to say a coherent word, we just hugged each other in apology followed by Miya joining us in the hug. This was our redemption the past years we been through until judgment day.

"Beautiful. Absolutely splendid girls," Simon spoken out through the speakers, "Now let's take it from the top."

After a few rounds of singing Simon announced that was all he needed for the month and shall contact us for more information. He handed us new song lyrics and told us to prepare for an important engagement. I looked at the title and raised a brow, "Some Nights?"

"Once you read it, you'll understand." Simon assured escorting me and the others to the lobby where Hermes waited to drive us back to the Training Center.

Unable to form words Miya, Cashmere, and I stared at the window until the career spoke. "I would like to apologize for my behavior."

"For what?" Miya asked confused.

"She doesn't mean you, Miya," I corrected and stared at Cashmere. "Why now after four years?"

Cashmere took a deep breath unsure how she'll explain why she decided to apologized on a subject that she had no control of. Sapphires death was inevitable for it was kill or be killed in which the Career would understand. Gloss knew that since the beginning and yet Cashmere held a grudge against me since the victory tour.

"Because I'm considering in volunteering for the Quarter Quells and think I need to mend a few bruises." Cashmere said.

"You can't be serious," I said bitterly fisting my hand till knuckles were white.

"You'll die," Miya added in dismay.

"No I won't, because I'm going to win this," Cashmere arrogantly assure.

"And what would happen if Gloss participated in the Games?" I asked. "Are you willing to commit the ultimate sin and kill your own brother?"

"Don't go biblical on me." The career snapped.

"I'm not being biblical, I'm being logical. If Haymitch and I were in the games, I couldn't or wouldn't dare stab my father in the back. Are you willing to kill you own brother?"

Miya stayed quiet unsure if she should continue to join this conversation. Cashmere remained stern holding onto the concept of volunteer while reality struck on the idea if Gloss and she were in the quells. Would she be able to kill her own twin brother? What about her friendship with Enobaria and Brutus, can she really kill her friends, her allies of Career or will she remember her past during her games when a Career is an ally until the final eight?

"A Career is going to win this game and I'll make sure that I bring pride to my district."

And that is when I knew it has become war on all districts for the Quells, the Careers against the underdogs. History will never change.

/…/

Hope you guys like the chapter?

Shake it out by Florence and the Machines/ Glee version.

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