Ariadne Valade, 24

District Eight

Victor of the 117th Hunger Games

Being a Victor, and by extension a Mentor, was all about the ability to build connections, creating a network of people that would eat right out of your hand and throw money at children that otherwise might die without the added help. In theory, anyone could win the Games - or, at the very least, that's what the Capitol wanted everyone to believe - but not everyone was built for the cutthroat world of sponsors and pledges.

In truth, Ariadne usually didn't feel like she was cut out for it. She'd known the Capitol considered her charming ever since she first sat for an interview as a tribute. After her three minutes were done, she dizzily rushed off the stage to a flurry of applause, later finding out that she was one of the tributes who had accumulated the most sponsors, behind only a few Careers. Growing up in the slums of Eight couldn't have prepared her for the life she led now, but maybe she could thank it for something. She'd always been good at getting what she wanted with a careful smile and a few choice words.

As one of the few living Victors for Eight, she was sent out to win over sponsors and direct them towards her own kids that largely didn't stand a chance at all. It was a miracle that year after year she managed to get some Capitolites to sign on as sponsors, but they often weren't interested in the miniscule chance that an outer District kid could go far. They usually just wanted some small payment like dinner out with a Victor in exchange for what was essentially mere pocket change to them.

It was ridiculous, honestly. They could just say they wanted the free publicity from being seen out with a Victor, but Ariadne knew that most Capitolites were too stubborn to admit such a thing.

"How's your kid this year?" Oberon asked, the light from a nearby chandelier making his skin gleam. "It's… Jacqueline, right?"

Ariadne took another sip of her drink, starting to get restless due to the slow pace of the evening. Judging by the dark clouds gathering outside, she was going to get stranded if she couldn't get Oberon to pick up the pace a bit.

"Jack," she corrected lightly, remembering her tribute's preference. "While she's not exactly talkative or charismatic, she is an exceptionally hard worker."

He nodded and took another bite of his salmon, chewing thoughtfully. "Any allies?"

"She's more of the lone wolf type. She has claws when she wants to use them, so you don't want to get on her bad side, but she largely wants to deal with problems on her own."

Every story required a bit of embellishment. Ariadne couldn't truthfully say all that much about her mentee, only that she was definitively a loner and that there was something… sad about her. She was quiet and bitter and full of resentment towards something, and Ariadne hoped more than anything that Jack would find an ally or two that could deal with her.

That hadn't happened yet, of course.

"Well, you know I'm not the biggest fan of loners," Oberon said slowly, mulling over something. "But I am always soft on the outer Districts. This year especially, they need all the help they can get."

Ariadne's smile faltered as years of resentment built up towards the Careers washed over her again. They always found a way to ruin everything, to train and to kill and to steal away what everyone else had worked so hard for. Even being… familiar with some now didn't ease the ache as her tributes were torn apart year after year.

She wouldn't beg for sponsors though, Ariadne was beyond that. She'd take what she could get, even if it was nothing compared to what a Career could scrounge up.

"Ah, the Two girl?" she remarked, casually swirling her drink. "Phaedra, was it? Even if that prophecy does come true, the payoff won't be nearly what it could be if you focus most of your funds on someone like Jack."

This was the hardest part of every sponsor meeting; trying to sway the minds of Capitolites that were probably just looking for a way to prolong the conversation, to turn it into a friendly meetup instead of a professional meeting. Ariadne was weary of it all, but after a year of throwing herself a pity party after she'd won, she realized the only way was to make the best of it.

Besides, she felt her stomach twist every time she heard about the poor Two girl and the prophecy that loomed over her and cast her further into its shadow the more word of it was spread. It was cruel enough that Phaedra had to live with that kind of burden at home, and while Ariadne couldn't be sure who had leaked word of it to all of Panem, she had her suspicions. The gamemakers didn't take kindly to those who considered themselves "above" the Games, and Ariadne could only imagine the fate Phaedra had in store, destiny or not.

"I do feel bad for the poor children, of course," Oberon said, now lowering his voice as he continued. "Sometimes I wonder if it's all a bit… too much."

The most Ariadne could do was blink in surprise, though she kept her face a careful neutral. She couldn't believe that this idiot was trying to get her to talk about something like this out in the open while they were still at dinner. The idiocy of Capitolites never failed to impress her, but at least she knew exactly how the rest of her evening was going to go now.

Tilting her head to the side and hearing her earrings tinkle as they shifted, Ariadne raised an eyebrow, keeping her smile up to appear as if she was intrigued. "Oh really?"

It was two simple words that truly added nothing to the conversation, but they were enough to make Oberon smile in relief and start talking again. A sudden rush of hushed words washed over the table as Ariadne kept eating her food, offering hums and nods here and there. She didn't say much, as they were still in public and she was no fool, but enough to get as much information out of him as she could.

Quiet whispers of rebel plots weren't uncommon, but they were quickly squashed whenever they arose. Whatever was sitting in front of Ariadne was a rare opportunity, and one that she wouldn't take for granted.

Oberon wasn't the kind to have an abundance of information; whatever he was to the plot, he was only an accessory. Ariadne was quietly taking note of the way he seemed truly passionate about his mission, how his eyes gleamed with excitement as he had the chance to tell this to a Victor, someone who would surely listen.

"And you understand, right?" he hissed, growing increasingly urgent. "I saw your Games, and all those trained kids that-"

"Of course," she answered smoothly, cutting him off. "But I don't think this is something we should discuss here. Maybe we could go somewhere a little more… private?"

His eyes lit up as he nodded quickly. Ariadne slipped her hand down into her purse to shoot off a message before standing up as well. Oberon went and paid for their dinner - his treat, he insisted - before they headed off down the street.

"A Victor was the obvious choice to join our group, and my first thought was you," he chattered excitedly, looping her arm through his as they walked. "Someone on the inside that hates the Games, someone that can help us out."

He made a lot of assumptions for a man that only interacted with her every few months, but Ariadne just had to keep smiling and nodding. Even though she still held that resentment towards Careers, there was a twinge of regret as she thought about the decent ones she'd met. But the first person that came to mind had blonde hair and kind brown eyes and Ariadne didn't let herself linger on that thought any longer.

The walk was long, but Oberon didn't seem to mind. Ariadne just wanted to keep him talking, hoping that her earrings were recording most of the conversation for later.

A little more…

"Who else is in on this?" Ariadne asked as she unlocked the door, keeping her gaze off of Oberon.

He hummed in response, standing a bit away from her. "Well, I uh, don't exactly know. They haven't shown their faces."

Ariadne opened the door, gesturing for him to move into the dark space before she made a noise of disapproval. "What a shame."

"Hm?"

For the instant that she saw the confusion on his face, Ariadne couldn't help but feel bad. But everyone had a role to play, and this was hers.

"It's a shame," she said, "that won't be able to offer any helpful information in the end. If you're as on the fringe as you seem to be, you could've stayed under the radar for a good while longer."

The lights finally flickered on, and Ariadne watched as Oberon was immediately surrounded by peacekeepers, the "apartment" only a bare husk of a room. It was like rewatching the same scene a thousand times; Ariadne could practically recount the script at this point. They pleaded, saying it was all an act as the peacekeepers arrested them for high treason against the Capitol. They'd be carted away, never to be seen again, and Ariadne would be thanked for her service and loyalty to the Capitol.

It was odd, to be a Victor and yet this powerless. Being a Victor was all about building connections, and Ariadne must've gone wrong somewhere along the way to be stuck in a position like this. All she could do was pave the same path time and time again, stuck in a loop that she couldn't escape from.

"Thank you for your help again," one of the peacekeepers said. His words were not comforting, nor were they wanted, but Ariadne just stared at the mask covering his face. "What would we do without you, huh?"

There was always another role to play, and Ariadne just let her familiar smirk slide onto her face as she glanced over at the man who had been knocked out, flicking a strand of red hair off her shoulder. "It's only a shame I didn't get my sponsor money from him. I'll send you the recording of what I got later."

He nodded his head in thanks and the room cleared out, Ariadne unable to look at the door to see Oberon for the last time before he was taken away forever. She didn't know what happened to the people she turned in. She didn't want to know.

Ignorance was blissful, but once it was gone, you were never able to get it back.

Teagan Kinsley, 14

District Ten Female

All things considered, Teagan was pleased with where she stood. She had an alliance now, as well as a District Partner that followed her everywhere. And even if he wasn't actively following her around, then she made sure to seek him out so she was glued to his side, playing the part of a helpless fourteen year old that just wanted an ally to help her out.

She sighed wearily, flicking through the channels on the television in her room. One of her favorite activities since arriving in the Capitol had been figuring out every piece of technology available to her, from the frustratingly intricate shower to the fake window that she'd set up to look like the meadows of Ten. Deep down, she missed home more than she was willing to admit. No matter how hard she kept trying to brush it off, the sense of longing gnawed at her until she couldn't ignore it anymore. Her feet carried her over to the window, and she marveled at the projection of tall grasses and delicate flowers blowing in a gentle breeze, the bright blue sky nearly enough to blind her, even if it was a mere projection. If she closed her eyes, she could hear the wind whistling through the grass and the soft whinny of a horse.

She stretched her arms up over her head as if to catch the breeze in her hands, tired after sitting around at different survival stations all day. Teagan was familiar with the outdoors, having spent plenty of time running around her parents' spacious land when they weren't parading her around amongst the upper class of Ten. Having land and enough money to hang onto it was a blessing in Ten as large-scale farms who hired masses of workers began to take it over. The elite few were those that still hung on to the land they'd been distributed ages ago, making enough of a living to keep their hands on it. Teagan had been to enough lavish parties held by the mayor to know that the upper class of Ten relied on those elite few to keep the rest in line. They were all desperate enough to keep their land that they'd do anything to please the mayor, trampling others beneath their feet to clutch their own riches tighter.

She wanted to laugh at it all, at the way she was sure the same themes appeared in every District in one way or another. It was evident in everyone's eyes as they took in the Capitol during their stay, admiring everything from the high ceilings of the training room to the elevator. And that's also why Teagan knew how to navigate this, she could use the same tricks she'd seen play out before her very eyes for years. In the end, she just had to be… charming. Enough to play nice and divert the attention to others while making sure she was still the one in control of her own fate.

Teagan had gotten this close to freedom, and she didn't want to give it up just yet.

Faint conversations trickled under the door, and Teagan tilted her head to the side, catching hushed whispers about Thea's family back home. Teagan instinctively bristled as she recognized her mentor's voice, irritated by the way Thea had been all but ignoring her ever since they'd reached the Capitol. Just because her mentor's sister had died - been murdered, or so the reports claimed - didn't mean she wasn't supposed to do her job.

Letting out a growl of frustration, Teagan threw the remote in the general direction of her bedside table, barely flinching at the way it loudly ricocheted off the wall. The Capitol was richer than she could ever imagine, and they could easily replace the remote if she managed to break it. Teagan had bigger problems on her hands; Ten only had a few Victors left, and with the way Thea was treating her, Teagan was starting to worry that her already minute chances of getting out alive were getting smaller by the second.

With a shudder, Teagan sank down onto the floor. Liam was still with his mentor, and she had to be ready to smile and act unbothered by the fact that he got a mentor that cared. Even if he caught wind of her underlying resentment, he'd just smile and say that they could share sponsors. But… Teagan didn't want to share. She was already frustrated by how nice Liam was around her, even though she couldn't explain why. She'd gotten everything she wanted, right?

So why was she still so unhappy?

Bitterly, Teagan wondered if she'd ever truly been happy. Even when she snuck out to frolic in the meadows against her parents' wishes, she only felt a thrill because she was doing something she wasn't supposed to do. Maybe her friend Mary only ever stuck around because their parents were friends and she felt like she didn't have any other options. It's not like Teagan ever really had anyone else, anyway.

Sighing wearily, Teagan rose to her feet. It wasn't doing her any good to sit around all evening thinking about things that didn't matter in the end. That was all in the past, and now Teagan had… well, not friends but allies, and hopefully ones that would leave her alone long enough for her to gain something from this useless alliance before running off on her own. Her goal was to outlast as many as she could before taking off, since she didn't really trust anyone there besides Liam. Hopefully being the youngest would give her enough of an edge since, after all, what kind of threat did she really pose?

Hopefully, the answer was not much, as Teagan had no way to defend herself.

Teagan wouldn't know the first thing about a weapon, and watching the Careers was enough to put a healthy dose of fear in her. There was everyone from the Two girl that looked unstoppable with her sword and shield to the One girl that looked as agile as a dancer with her fans to the Four boy that didn't even use weapons most of the time, opting to take down trainer after trainer with nothing more than his bare hands. Seeing their clear expertise made all of her survival training feel meaningless. She again felt herself missing the way the sun beat down on her face, this Capitol building trapping her inside, making her feel caged in like livestock, pampered until the moment she was released and sent to die.

It made Teagan morbidly wonder if she'd feel what it was like to be cattle, if her last moments would be filled with pain and fear as a knife carved her up.

"Hey Teagan?" came a voice, accompanied by a knock at the door. "You in there?"

Finally shaking herself out of her stupor, Teagan took a step in the middle of the room, trying to ground herself again. "Coming!" she called.

Teagan couldn't start over, but she could at least keep going and hope she came out the same on the other side.

Makani Allard, 18

District Four Female

It had only been a day, so maybe Makani was overthinking things a bit, but she was getting used to the idea of having a friend in the Capitol. Training with Alila was a great deal more fun than training was back in Four, even if she got her ass handed to her time after time. It felt oddly productive, like she still managed to learn something every time Makani's back hit the floor or she got disarmed. Alila's general demeanor had changed from vaguely cold and standoffish to warm and almost caring as she laughed and helped Makani up to try again. Even when Makani apologized endlessly, since surely Alila was wasting a training day pursuing this useless endeavor, Alila just shrugged it off with a grin and said there was always something new to learn.

She'd never mention this to Alila for fear of the idea getting shut down quickly, but it was almost like having a sister.

Alila had even picked up on the way Makani hesitated on her way to the elevators, suggesting that Makani visit her floor once they'd both eaten a bit and showered. Makani was beyond weary, feeling like her body could betray her any second and collapse to the floor without a second thought, but once she was showered and dressed, she dragged herself to the elevator anyways.

"Where are you headed?" Kano asked from the couch as she hit the button for the elevator, sprawled out so he was taking up more than half the couch on his own. "Don't we have-"

"Visiting Alila," she said quickly. Then, before she could think better of it, she added, "You can come visit in a bit if you want."

He looked pleased by the offer, and she suddenly remembered that while she'd been having a good time training, he'd been followed around by Shai the whole time. Several times when she looked over, it appeared as if they were having a decent time, but occasionally Shai would say something with a smirk that would make Kano snap back at him before they moved on. Maybe he just needed a break as well.

"Yeah, uh… maybe in a bit," he said lightly, resting his arms behind his head.

Makani stepped into the elevator as it arrived, and it quickly took her down a few floors before opening on the One floor. The gentle blues, greens, and purples of her floor were replaced by metallic golds and silvers, and Makani realized that each floor was probably individually themed for each District. She wondered what that meant for a District like Twelve or Six that didn't have easy themes to work with, but the Capitol probably made it work somehow.

She took a few steps into the room, nearly in awe at how the Capitol could afford so much finery. Not every floor would be allowed the same luxury as this one, but the Capitol made it count.

"There you are," Alila called, barefoot in the hallway outside her room. Even though she'd showered, she was still in workout style clothes compared to Makani's flowing top and casual shorts. "In here."

The living room and dining area were both clear, and Makani let out a soft sigh of relief at that as she passed through. She was hoping to avoid Shai as much as she could, recognizing that his talent for searching out failure and weakness could set him in her direction if she wasn't careful.

Alila's room was cozier than the cold common areas, the metals swapped out for shades of warm gold that made the whole room glow.

"It's… nice," Makani said lightly, letting the door swing shut behind her.

She felt a bit lost as Alila disappeared into the bathroom momentarily, still hovering just inside the door. Everything in the Capitol was completely foreign to her, but these new friends were probably the strangest of her new experiences.

"Sit in front of the bed," Alila directed as she came out, holding something behind her back.

She sat quietly, pulling her knees up to her chest as she felt the bed dip behind her as Alila sat down. Her spine naturally stiffened before relaxing as she felt a brush move through her hair, gently working out tangles.

"You looked really stressed earlier, and this is what usually helps me relax," Alila said, her voice soft. "At home, I braided my hair every morning, and sometimes my sisters' if they wanted. I always considered it peaceful, a good way to start every morning with some peace and quiet. My… my brother Thee and I, that's something we have in common. We like the peaceful nature of it."

Makani made a note of the name Thee for later, feeling her eyes drift shut as Alila continuously ran the brush through her hair. After a time, Alila paused, then began to separate Makani's hair into different sections. "I can see how it's peaceful," Makani murmured, unsure whether or not Alila wanted to converse with her through the process.

Humming in response, Alila tied off a smaller braid and dropped it down by Makani's shoulder before moving on to the next one. "If you'd like, you could come down in the morning and I could braid your morning then too."

"I'd like that."

She was glad Alila couldn't see the light flush that overtook her face or the giddy smile at the thought of being able to bond further, to partake in a ritual that Alila typically carried out with her siblings. It made her feel included, which had been her concern, no matter how silly it seemed now.

The silence wasn't suffocating; rather, it was just as relaxing as Alila claimed. Every minute or two, another braid was dropped down by Makani's shoulders. Once enough of Makani's hair had found its place in the smaller braids, Alila pulled all of her hair back and started weaving the strands together. It was a great way to clear her mind, and behind her, Alila appeared as focused as ever.

"There," Alila finally said, draping the braid over Makani's shoulder. "You can go look in the mirror if you'd like."

Excusing herself for just a moment, Makani got to her feet, playing with the end of the braid as she headed into the bathroom. Alila had taken multiple smaller braids and incorporated them into one large braid, which didn't feel tight on her head at all despite how secure the braid was, with no extra pieces hanging out.

"You're very good at this," she commented as she moved back into the room, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed.

Alila just shrugged, a slight smile turning up the corners of her mouth. "Lots of practice would do that. I'll make sure none of it comes out during training tomorrow."

"You said you do this for some of your sisters as well? How many do you have?" Makani prompted, hoping to learn a bit more.

"Well, I have around thirty siblings in total-"

"Thirty?" Makani cut her off, mouth agape in shock. "How… How do you even have that many?"

Laughing softly, Alila gave her a slight shrug in response. "Only four of us are biological, and the rest are all adopted. Kids of rebels or some that were just displaced and needed a home, that kind of thing. That's why I appreciate the silence of the morning so much, because the rest of the day is full of chaos."

"That's insane," Makani breathed. "How do your parents take care of that many kids?"

This time Alila paused briefly before responding with, "They enjoy the chaos, they have to. I actually have four parents, so there's more of them to deal with everything that happens around the house."

"I can't even imagine living with that many people," she muttered, tilting her head back. "These days, it's just Bastian and I around the house."

"Most days I'm glad to get away from the craziness and train for a bit," Alila admitted. "Actually... do you want to move into the main room? We can take over the couches in there. I know Shai is out for a bit doing who knows what."

"Sure," she agreed, feeling more than a little relieved that Shai seemed to be out of the picture for a bit.

As she headed out into the hallway, she nearly ran into one of the mentors, skidding to a stop before she could run the blonde woman over. Her blue eyes stared down at Makani, and there was some shift of recognition before she glanced away.

"You're Makani, Bastian's sister."

Swallowing hard, Makani nodded and hoped that the woman didn't press for more. "I am."

The look in her eyes was unreadable now as they stared at each other, Alila hovering a few feet away and watching them with a curious look. This Victor had to be older than Bastian and Estelle, so she tried to remember who the other most recent One Victor was, finally coming up with: "Asteria?"

Asteria's face stayed as blank as ever as she responded, "Do your best in the Arena. I'd hate to see what the loss of a sibling would do to a Victor."

And with that, she moved on, and Makani could only blink in response. Her thoughts stuttered to a halt, and before she knew it she was sitting on a couch with no idea how she'd gotten there.

"Makani?" a voice asked, and she glanced up to see that Kano had decided to show up after all, making her stomach twist as she realized she never actually told Alila he might come.

"Sorry," she whispered, unsure who it was directed at.

"What're you here for?" she heard Alila whisper.

A pause, and then Kano replied with, "I was supposed to grab her for mentoring, but I don't know if that's the best idea right now."

"Not right now," Makani muttered, not wanting to leave Alila behind just yet.

She was sure that the other two shared a glance, likely coming to some kind of peace treaty before they sat down on either side of her, each giving her a bit of space. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kano snatch the remote and start flicking through channels before landing on some shitty Capitol "reality" show.

"What?" he asked when Alila gave him a look. "It's completely mind-numbing, they're stupid, and it's entertaining."

Makani's gaze darted up to Alila's already exasperated face, and she couldn't help but let out a soft giggle at that. Thirty siblings and she was already weary of interacting with Kano.

"Maybe it'll be fun to make fun of them," Makani suggested hopefully, watching Alila's face as she considered the idea. "I mean, what's the harm in it?"

Alila finally conceded, folding her arms and leaning back against the couch as if she wasn't entirely used to watching television in general. Her shoulders gradually relaxed as she began to point out odd things that the various Capitolites did, and Makani couldn't help but grin as she cracked a few jokes with Kano, who really wasn't that bad when Shai wasn't hanging on him.

It was… calm. Peaceful, maybe, even if it wasn't the same kind of peace that Alila was used to. Makani had never enjoyed being alone with only her thoughts as company, so the distraction was a comfort to her, one that she appreciated.

As for Alila and Kano, well, she was just glad to have people she could call friends. If she didn't come back from this, at the very least she could say she had fun before it all ended too soon.

Her whole body still ached from training, and her mind was weary from the overload of information, but her heart couldn't help but be full, knowing that for now, she was content.

Phaedra Nikostratos, 17

District Two Female

"What did Callan say?" Phaedra asked, leaning her head on Justus's shoulder as they sat together on the couch, her feet pulled up on the cushion as she relaxed after a long day of training.

Justus hummed, running his thumb over her knuckles before lifting her hand to press a kiss to it. "He congratulated me on being the leader but told me to make sure I didn't let up on the others. I told him my worries about Kano and Shai and he told me to keep an eye on that, but as long as it's contained they shouldn't present a huge issue. He did say I should have some kind of bonding night soon," he mused, tilting his head back to stare up at the ceiling. "Not tonight, though."

"Why not tonight?" Phaedra glanced up at him curiously, entranced by a lock of golden hair trying to slip onto his forehead. There was something about Justus that continuously drew her in, making her feel warm in his presence even now.

She'd heard the news and knew all about how District Two was the sun this year, and Phaedra couldn't help but agree, at least when it came to Justus. He'd been her sun since day one, bright and shining when she was still stuck in the frozen blizzard of her past. Phaedra only hated that here in the Capitol, he was only referenced as her District Partner. They were equals, but no one else saw it that way.

But no matter what everyone else saw, Phaedra and Justus were together. No one else had to see all of the training and dancing on rooftops or the Fortuna Equestris because they would always be together and they would always be equal.

Phaedra wouldn't let anyone put her on a pedestal again.

"I don't want to be with anyone else tonight," Justus said, finally looking back down at her with a crooked smile. "I'd rather spend the time I have now with you."

"My hair's a mess," she said with a laugh, tugging at her ponytail but knowing that taking it down would only make it worse. Sweat had made some of her hair curl into ringlets, tugging them out of her carefully done ponytail.

Justus just smiled and cupped her cheek in his hand, giving her a careful kiss on the forehead. "I think you look more radiant than ever," he said, his tone purely honest.

Despite herself, Phaedra flushed and let out a quiet laugh. "You're too sweet."

"But I'm right," he insisted, wrapping his arm around her. "Just like how I got more names right today," he teased.

Cracking a smile, Phaedra tried to wrinkle her nose at him. "You definitely cheated."

"Maybe I'm just a better listener," Justus sniffed delicately. "You were close, though. I think we both did a great job."

After a morning of sparring, they had spent the afternoon at the med station, going back and forth naming tributes until they ran out. Their chatter had been hushed, quiet laughter ringing through the empty station. Even though they'd seen some tributes here in the morning, it was vacant except for them when they returned after lunch.

Phaedra was all too used to feeling alone. Even with Justus by her side, she couldn't help but feel as if she was scaring everyone else away. Together, they were a fire burning more brightly than ever, but she worried that they were gaining too much attention from everyone else, that the others were running away, hoping not to get burned. After a lifetime of being shoved into the spotlight, Phaedra just wanted the chance to blend into the background. Only around Justus did she feel like she was on the same level as someone, as if they were equals, partners. He never looked at her as if she was someone to be exalted, she was just Phaedra. The child of gold had grown up knowing only coldness, but Justus had shown her that there was warmth in the world as well.

"It's almost like a normal day of training back home," Phaedra muttered, her eyes growing distant. "I miss Nevida and her jokes and the way she could make even Renji laugh."

Justus hummed, his head leaning back against the couch. "I bet they're doing just fine back in Two. I wonder if they've finally figured it out yet."

Ducking her head to hide a smile, Phaedra tried not to snort. Renji and Nevida were almost as oblivious to the other's feelings as Phaedra and Justus had been - maybe even more - and had been dancing around each other for years, childhood friends with the lingering possibility of something more. Phaedra had talked it through with Nevida once, and she'd never forget the way Nevida's face turned as red as her hair as the normally unashamedly confident girl stammered her way through a few feeble explanations before giving up the act. In the weeks leading up to them leaving, Phaedra had convinced Justus to talk to Renji as well, in the hope that something would finally happen between them.

Phaedra hoped it had; she couldn't help but see herself and Justus mirrored in them. Nevida and Renji clearly cared about each other - it was obvious to everyone else - and yet they couldn't bring themselves to admit their true feelings.

"If they haven't yet, I know they will," Phaedra said confidently. "I'm glad we're here and not them."

Beside her, Justus's head popped up in surprise. "Huh?"

Biting her lip, Phaedra shrugged. "I just… want them to have the same chance that we did. And if they get more time, then I'm happy for them. Who knows what would've happened if it was them instead of us. They deserve to find their happiness."

Silence fell between the two, and Phaedra shifted uncomfortably, worrying that she'd said something wrong. Her mouth fell open to give her classic response, an I'm sorry already on her lips before Justus simply smiled.

"I love you."

She felt a hot flush rising on her cheeks again as she let out a soft laugh. "I love you too," she murmured, feeling her heart beat faster in her chest as she relished in the words she'd heard time and time again.

"I know something that'll make it feel more like normal." Phaedra grinned as she sat up, a sudden thought hitting her. "There's a roof, and as long as no one's up there-"

"We can dance just like old times," Justus cut in, his eyes bright and warm as he gripped her hand and tugged her to her feet.

Phaedra let out a surprised laugh, allowing herself to be pulled along as they rushed into the elevator. They fought quiet giggles as they nearly ran into Callan, who just raised a surprised eyebrow at them. Justus offered a sheepish grin before stabbing at the elevator button and sliding inside as soon as the doors opened. Reaching forward, Phaedra pressed the button to take them to the roof, her grin widening as she saw Justus's infectious smile again.

"How long have you been waiting for this?" Justus asked teasingly, letting go of her hand to rest his arm around her shoulder.

Offering him a wink, Phaedra replied, "Ever since I figured out there was a roof to this place. I thought it would be a good place to get away from it all. After everything today…"

She watched as Justus's smile faltered momentarily, and her heart ached at the sight. Phaedra wasn't a fool - she knew that there was something going on - but she wasn't going to force him to talk about it if he didn't want to. Even though she didn't understand why he'd keep something from her, and even though it hurt that he was internalizing it instead of sharing, she wanted to be able to support him as best she could.

If it was all she could do, Phaedra would put her whole heart into it.

The elevator dinged and Phaedra let her hand fall from Justus's as she took a step forward, her own face falling as she moved under the canopy protecting the elevator from the downpour of rain. She didn't know how she'd missed it, but the steady rain was impossible to ignore now. Her shoulders slumped as she stuck a hand out to feel the rain on her hand, fat drops that would soak her in seconds if she went out from under the canopy.

"I'm sorry," she muttered dejectedly. "I hadn't realized it was raining outside."

She didn't hear anything in response, and all Phaedra could think of was how much she'd messed this up. This was all supposed to make him feel better, but now the only thing waiting for them up here was grey skies and rain that would never cease.

"A little rain won't hurt," Justus said beside her, interlocking his fingers with hers once more.

As she watched, he stepped out from under the canopy, his head tilting back as he indulged in the sensation of rain hitting his body. A lock of blonde hair fell down in his face as it got soaked by the rain, and Phaedra was overcome with the desire to brush it out of the way.

Before she'd even realized it, she'd taken a step out from under the canopy as well, shuddering as rain hit her relentlessly, the drops almost cold against the heat of the early summer weather. Her hand reached up to move his hair back into place, and she ended up gently caressing the side of his face as he opened his eyes again to smile down at her.

"See?" he murmured. "The rain can't stop us. Nothing can."

Phaedra laughed and stepped closer to him, uncaring as she felt herself get drenched by the rain falling around them. Their arms slid around each other in a familiar way, the natural state of two people that were bound together. Justus leaned his forehead against hers and together they swayed in the rain, soaked to the bone. Nothing mattered besides them; the entire world could disappear and Phaedra wouldn't care as long as she was here with Justus.

But despite how happy she was in that moment, Phaedra couldn't help but shudder as a wave of cold washed over her even though summer had just begun. Her grip tightened on the back of Justus's shirt just enough for him to pause and give her a look.

"It's almost fall," she whispered.

Because after every season of her life, Phaedra knew that fall always found a way to come again.