Chapter Thirteen.
Tribute House, Part Four.
Ryland Mercer, 18 years old;
Sector Four Female.
Time was flying by faster than any of the tributes cared to admit.
Ryland found it hilarious how they were all playing house with each other. She hadn't really said or done much since joining but that was mostly because everyone was so damn fascinating that she spent most of her time observing from the sidelines. There were those that were so clearly fake, wearing their plastic smiles, and those that were acting all buddy-buddy around a campfire toasting marshmallows when in a couple days-time they'd end up stabbing each other with the hot poker.
Ryland didn't mind, though. It was her element. Sure – she wasn't about to roll over and let herself be shivved because someone had smiled at her, but there were pleasant enough people here. Tolerable.
"Do you reckon anyone has fucked yet?" Ryland said casually, oil spluttering from the pan as she turned the heat down.
The boy opposite her, whisking something in a bowl, looked up and blinked confusedly. She chuckled.
"Huh?"
"Fucked. You know – in, out, in, out, shake it all about. Sex."
"Oh," he looked at Ryland with a quizzical expression, as if he weren't sure the words were supposed to be coming out of her mouth, when Ryland couldn't be more serious. What else is there to talk about? "I don't think so. I mean – I haven't y'know, heard anything."
"Some people might be quiet about it. Think about it – you're gonna die in a few days, one quick bang before you kick the bucket. Get it out your system."
He blushed and Ryland realised maybe she was pushing it with a stranger but she didn't really care. When had she ever really watched her tongue or done her best to monitor the questions or curiosities that poured out of her mouth? If someone had a problem, walk away. She wouldn't take offence. But that would only prove some people were boring and in their last few days on this earth, why not try to be something more than just… dull.
I have no intention of dying, but if I do, why not ponder the deep philosophical ruminations of nutting before one's death? It was serious talk.
"I'm making eggs," was all he had to say in response.
Ryland laughed and carried on making her dinner, though her mind was still whirring, and here was someone who didn't seem too bothered by standing that close to her.
"What's your name?" Ryland asked. "I'm Ryland."
"Brodus. Marcano. Brodus Marcano."
"Twelve right?"
"That's me."
"Cool."
Though she enjoyed the frivolous nature of just chatting with kids that would be fighting to kill her shortly, she wasn't really the type to engage first in conversation unless she was so damn bored there was nothing else to do. Brodus wasn't really giving her much so her tongue seemed adjacent to her mouth, with its own mind, rather than holding back and letting him cook his dinner in peace.
"I swear I recognise your name," Ryland said. "You sure your last name is Marcano?"
"Yep," he said, rather quickly at that, and Ryland knew for sure that there was definitely something there. "Brodus Marcano. That's what I said. Clear as day."
She didn't push. Why beat a dead horse? "Ok. Fair. Well, nice to meet you, Brodus Marcano."
He simply smiled at her and when Ryland went to turn around, she felt it, and the world seemed to slow down in a painful reduction of time. A single plate, ready for her lovely dinner, a dinner she only wanted to eat peacefully in the corner, rotated once as if to mock her, and then shattered into tiny, fragmented shards all over the floor.
The noise was what made it worse. And then that cheer people made when something broke, coming from the couches, as Ryland's eyebrows knitted together in frustration and she glared in the general direction of whoever had tried to make her feel embarrassed for something that she then shrugged her shoulders at.
"Oops."
Footsteps. And heavy ones at that.
"Tribute."
Brodus had his back to Ryland as if he was trying his best to sink into the kitchen counter, avoiding the Peacekeeper that had marched over to Ryland at the speed of light, baton by his side, visor down as if he'd catch some illness from her, though she could definitely feel the glaring eyes scorching into her own.
"Peacekeeper," Ryland said, grabbing another plate from the cupboard, doing her best not to feel the heat rise in her cheeks. "How are you doing this fine eve?"
"Clean that up."
"Can I eat first?"
Maybe it was cliché of someone like Ryland who had made it her goddam mission in life to be unapologetic in who she was, especially growing up in a District that spat out the weaker of minds, but she'd gotten into some altercations before with people like Peacekeepers. Or anyone in authority. Teachers especially despised her but that was okay because she despised them equally.
Mutual hate was better than it being one-sided.
The Peacekeeper paused, as if to say this bitch for real? and shook his head at her. "Did that sound like a question? Clean that up."
"Maybe you should watch your inflection because your tone raised at the end, so my poor unfortunate District ears misconstrued that as a question. My fault. Dirty, dirty District-scum, aren't I?"
She couldn't help it. Her wall had been permanently down for a long, long time, and the filter had shattered way before Ryland had even had the intention to volunteer for the Hunger Games.
The Peacekeeper closed the distance and she felt his arm press into her neck, pinning her against the cupboard.
Ryland saw red.
The edges of her background seemed to blur into one mish-mash of the white kitchen, the blue sky outside and the green tinges of grass. She pushed back with all her strength, heart in her throat, gut twisted, and by pushed back, the Peacekeeper flew, and flew hard against the wall.
Brodus was there instantly. Ryland almost – almost – pushed him too. But it wasn't his fault. She took a deep breath and looked in his eyes, genuine kindness there, and she nodded, smiling. "Sorry. I just – it's a plate. A fucking plate. Go to the shop and buy a new one."
The Peacekeeper was on his feet in seconds and Brodus stepped between the two of them. His hand was on Ryland's chest, whilst his other was out in front of the Peacekeeper, but he didn't make contact. He was smarter than Ryland but she'd never really prided herself on being smart. Intelligence wasn't her forte.
"I'm sorry and I'm sure she feels the same. Please. I'll help her clean it up."
"She—"
"We'll all clean it up."
Ryland and Brodus looked over their shoulders as Kasiani and Tayte arrived. Ryland met the eyes of Kasiani and the girl nodded her head, a smile as genuine as Brodus' on her face, and the tension and anger and something close to fear that Ryland refused to admit went away. She looked at the Peacekeeper, eye to visor, unclenching her sweaty hands and dangling them by her sides.
"I'll clean it up. But if my dinner is cold, you can make me another."
"Ryland."
That was Tayte's voice. She didn't know him, but he was all buddy-buddy with Kasiani, and she'd spent some time with her over the past couple days. He seemed like one of those annoyingly nice tributes. The sort that made her wonder why the fuck they volunteered for a murder-game. Each to their own.
"If a single speck of that plate is left on the floor, so help me god, I'll—"
"There won't be," Kasiani interrupted. "I'm a waitress. I've cleaned up my share of broken plates."
The Peacekeeper went to speak again, but with three tributes in his face, and not just tributes, but Careers from District Two who represented a place that the mindless Games fanatics seemed to revere, he relented and stormed off back to his colleague by the hall doors.
"You shouldn't provoke people like that. It's not worth the aggro," Kasiani said, instantly in the Peacekeeper's absence.
"Yeah, well. I didn't mean to smash it, did I?"
Brodus had returned to where his dinner was and plated it up, carrying it past the three of them, when he turned back around and looked at Ryland. "You okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine."
"You're not a woman of many words are you? Unless those words are sarcastic or – never mind."
"I guess that's me," Ryland said, shrugging her shoulders, and then laughing. The laugh came from somewhere in her stomach and rattled her bones and in the wake of such an explosion, it felt good as both Kasiani and Tayte giggled in one chorus of thank fuck that's over laughter.
"You can stay, if you want," Kasiani said in Brodus' direction.
"Yeah," Tayte said. "Nothing has been made official or anything, but Ryland, you're eating with us and don't even question it. And you stopped there from being an actual fight which might have been fun to see, but wouldn't have been good for her. So, why not join?"
Ryland once again looked at Kasiani and when the girl from Sector Five just shrugged her shoulders, Ryland knew that she was now a part of something that whilst hadn't been concretely set in place, had been on the cards since they had eaten breakfast yesterday.
Kasiani was fun. Tayte was with Kasiani which meant he couldn't have been bad at all. And Brodus had… yeah, he saved my ass. She conceded whatever hostility had once been in her and looked over at the kid from Sector Twelve – the kid who she recognised but couldn't put a history to.
"You should sit with us."
He shook his head rather quickly, but not unkindly, a delicate smile from ear to ear. "I'll think about it. That's not me saying no. I do appreciate the offer."
"If you walk away from us, we'll kill you first."
Kasiani and Tayte looked at Ryland in absolute shock. Ryland's eyebrows were knitted together in fury, Brodus gawping at her, and for a moment, just a split second, something rippled through the air between them all.
And then Ryland laughed again. The atmosphere snapped in two.
"I'm kidding. Think about it and let us know. Meanwhile, it's food time."
Kasiani and Tayte.
Hm. Better than going it alone.
Soon in her future, it wouldn't be that simple, but right now, why couldn't it be? As Brodus walked off and she went to eat her dinner with her new allies, Ryland's spirits were genuinely high, and not just because she was enjoying all the twists and turns of being in a cramped space with her competitors.
They were good people and whilst, yeah, it did confuse her why good people were volunteering for this shit, she also realised that she wasn't a bad person either.
There was a grey area in-between and that was okay.
For the road ahead, that area would be very much where Ryland would be spending her time, teetering between both sides.
She was ready for it.
Otherwise, what's the fucking point?
Kaia Wilder, 18 years old;
Sector Six Female.
Not for the first time in her life, Kaia was woken up abruptly by an invading presence.
Blurrily, she opened her eyes and realised she had fallen asleep under the stars, a swathe of glittering jewels in the sky. For a city like the Capitol, it was surprisingly unpolluted. It was like a different world painted above her. In its serenity, Kaia felt the corners of her lips tug into a wistful smile, and then another jab and reality felt like gravity forcing her back to the ground.
"Hello?" she said, her voice still claggy, so she cleared her throat and repeated herself again. "Hello?"
A stick had been jabbed into her gut by none other than a Peacekeeper. She bolted upright onto her elbows, her gaze meeting the lifted visor of a woman who seemed to be the complete opposite of the jovial attitudes she'd observed during her stay in the Capitol so far.
Seriously – a lot of these tributes are getting along surprisingly well. Better than expected. Something told Kaia maybe she should be wary of that, but that side of her was also the side that required too much effort on her part, so sleeping in the garden had proven much more desirable.
She wasn't stupid though. A Peacekeeper could have kicked her with her boot, but instead was poking her with what she now realised wasn't a stick but a baton. She supposed that was better than what she'd seen some Peacekeepers do in her lifetime.
"There's something going on in the training facility. I've been asked to spread the word."
"What do you mean?"
She didn't look like the sort of woman that enjoyed answering questions, and typically Kaia wasn't the sort who enjoyed asking them. But her curiosity had been piqued and for that she felt surprisingly inquisitive.
"Tributes organising some sort of competition. My commanding officer has given permission for the event and I was asked to gather up anyone who might be interested."
Kaia tilted her head to the side. "So, does that make it compulsory or can I go back to sleep?"
"If you wish, you may go back to sleep, but not on the grass. Look – it's a message. Ignore me if you want."
She almost made a comment that might have resulted in a baton being smashed against her torso, instead of a rather irritating poking sensation. Kaia yawned, stretched her arms out, and forced herself shakily to her feet. In the eyes of the woman in front of her, she could briefly see her mother, a solid, fearful character who Kaia knew deep down was really not so bad. Maybe this woman broke the mould of what so many thought were horrible, power-hungry dickheads. Kaia felt a question on the tip of her tongue and swallowed it back down.
Now was not the time nor place to make friendly with a Peacekeeper.
"I'll go check it out," Kaia said, stumbling away, before stopping and looking over her shoulder. "Thanks, by the way. For telling me."
If the Peacekeeper had anything to say, Kaia didn't wait around to hear it. There were tributes who clearly weren't interested in whatever this competition was lounging around the couches, talking either in hushed tones or rather loudly about this and that and more unimportant drivel. Kaia enjoyed it, though. She'd found some kindred spirits here – those that had jumped on the opportunity to enjoy a semblance of normality, before the Games began.
She was ready – readier than she'd ever been for anything else in her life. But that didn't mean Kaia couldn't take her time to kick her feet up, stretch out, and let time tick on by at whichever pace it chose.
The training hall doors were already open and there was a commotion coming from not too far away. In the middle of the facility, various stations had been bunched up together, and a throng of tributes were gathered around haphazardly, though most clung to the allies they'd made during the past two days.
It had happened so quickly, but this wasn't a normal situation. Kaia wasn't sure if she was jealous or confused why they were playing all nice with each other. She liked Palatine but the kid was a reaped nerd and sooner or later, he would die because that was just the way it worked for people like him. It wasn't her trying to be cruel or ill-intentioned; it was circle of life bullshit, and if Kaia wanted to win, she had to forget about him.
Two victors or not, she doubted he had it in him to go all the way.
"—ok so I know this is strange, but I thought since we're all cooped up together and the majority of us have had some training, why not put together some sort of mini-competition."
It was Viorica Dain speaking, her puppy-on-a-leash Valdis by her side, smiling out at the tributes who had gathered to see what all the fuss was about. In the wake of Viorica's suggestion, Sivan Arcuri left immediately as did Reyan, Manfred and Aurelian. Phobos, their final ally, stayed however. It was something Kaia picked up almost straight away.
Though her favourite past-time was putting in little effort, it lent itself to watching the world drift on by, and by watching, she meant closely observing. Little ticks here and there that she'd stored away somewhere in her mind just in case she needed them. A data-file almost, locked tight.
"The Peacekeepers have gone back on what they said earlier and we are allowed to spar together. I've set up three stations – archery, close-combat fighting with just yourselves, and swords."
Kaia slid in closer towards the pair from Sector Seven. As tributes moved around to the various little stations she'd set up, Kaia couldn't help but laugh, and Viorica's eyes landed on her.
"Oh, it's you."
"Yep, you is my name, nice to meet you again."
Valdis chuckled brightly. "Are you here to join in?"
"What exactly is this?"
Viorica interrupted Valdis before he could reply. Kaia had seen this in them before – she'd heard it behind her in the Chariot Rides, and during her time milling around the Tribute House. They'd grown close, very close. Both were spirited people, Valdis maybe even more so, but Viorica took her training very, very, seriously. And she was competitive.
Of course, she'd pull a stunt like this.
Kaia was actually impressed.
"I do wish more had turned up but I thought it might be fun just to see what the others can do," Viorica stated, proudly watching as tributes began to line up and engage with one another. It wasn't a huge turn-out as Viorica had acknowledged, but clearly some tributes were eager to impress. "You wanna help us judge?"
Kaia pointed to herself. "Me?"
"Yes, you. If that is your real name."
The three of them laughed and as Kaia nodded, she turned on her heels to watch as Viorica headed off towards archery, Valdis towards the sweating heap of tributes punching each other, which left Kaia to observe the sword-fighting.
If Tavius from Sector Eleven was trying to intimidate, it was working. His huge stature made him a clearly impressive threat but his competitor was none other than Palatine himself. For a moment, Kaia's actual heart began to thud in her chest and it confused her briefly. Why do I care?
Palatine's allies were a mixture of amused, concerned and distracted. Kaia had taken an immediate dislike to them. She didn't like bitchy, stereotypical mean-girls. They didn't like Kaia's lax attitude and she didn't like their manicured insults that came across rehearsed.
Palatine's sword swung once, and he held it surprisingly well in his hand, not a quiver in sight, but Tavius was clearly stronger and Palatine dropped his on impact. Tavius smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder kindly.
"Good try."
"Yeah," Palatine said, nodding his head calmly. "I suppose I can spend tomorrow brushing up on my sword skills. Thank you for the minute it took to disarm me."
Svanna and Syrella chuckled, the latter clapping him on the back, as the group moved aside. Kaia wasn't even sure what the scoring system was that she was supposed to be checking but as more tributes moved around, she started to see how uncontrollable a group of Careers like them actually were. Confined in a social space, most enjoyed breakfast with their feet up, splashing around in the pool and some of the bigger boys flashing their muscles as if playing a game of who's got the bigger dick.
In an element like this, where years of Academy training came flooding back, where the reality of their situation rippled through the air because in a few days time they'd actually be murdering each other, Kaia saw the tension as a tangible object before the first fist flew.
And it wasn't a friendly, competition-based fist.
"What the fuck was that for?!"
Juliet grappled with Phobos who had gone bright red in the face, leering up towards Juliet who was about the same height, both muscular kids with clear skill behind them. Though Juliet seemed a bit rougher round the edges. Phobos threw a punch that Juliet swung his head to the side to avoid and Viorica shrieked, moving towards them as a huddle of Peacekeepers overwhelmed the area.
As quickly as it had started, Viorica's little game unfurled and tributes bolted. Some to the far corners to continue training without the pressure of watching eyes, others back to have dinner or sleep or whatever it was they preferred doing.
When Juliet was finally pulled off Phobos, both boys glared at each other and went their separate ways. Briel fidgeted around Juliet, though with a pointed look, not a comforting expression. Phobos was by himself as he disappeared towards another station, murder in his eyes.
With a little bit of real pressure, this group is going to snap, and I'm going to do my best to avoid the inevitable fallout.
"Well that went fucking brilliantly," Viorica said, huffing next to Kaia, arms crossed. "I thought it'd be fun."
"You're telling me that wasn't fun?" Valdis chuckled.
"He's got a point," Kaia replied. "Maybe us three can just practice instead?"
Kaia wasn't sure what made her say it, but perhaps it was watching Tavius clearly wipe the floor with Palatine, or the flicker of murderous intent in Phobos' eyes, or how quickly everything had fallen to shit, that made Kaia realise momentarily her attitude needed an upgrade.
She could enjoy the stars, the grass, the pool, the food, but at the end of the day, she was here to win the Hunger Games and to do that, she had to kill the very tributes who would quickly succumb to the boom of the cannon and the thrill of the chase.
She arched an eyebrow at Valdis who had already said yes, staring intently at Viorica.
At the sight of both Kaia and Valdis, she took a deep breath, and nodded her head. "Sure. Why not?!"
She wasn't sure if the word alliance needed to be thrown out there, but as they began to train and spar together, she realised that she was actually content to be in their presence. They were good friends and she was the clear third wheel, but that didn't mean she couldn't find her place. When the inevitable had to happen, Kaia was ready, but that was in the future.
The present was what she was focusing on and she had two decent people around her, helping her train, keeping her mind on the game, and reminding her of why she was here in the first place.
There will be plenty of time to star-gaze when I get back, Kaia thought to herself as her sword connected with Valdis'. You're here for a reason.
It was the most serious Kaia had ever allowed herself to be.
And what a strange feeling it is.
Sivan Arcuri, 17 years old;
Sector Twelve Female.
Her fist knocked against the door before she could convince herself to walk away.
What am I doing? Sivan stood awkwardly as the lights dimmed behind her, footsteps began to disappear towards the tribute rooms, and more and more of them began to settle for the night. A Peacekeeper stood rigid not too far from where Sivan was but she did her best not to make eye contact.
There had been enough Peacekeeper action for one day. Luckily for her, she'd done her best to stay as far from the commotion as possible. It was doing her good, keeping her head underneath the waves, away from the spotlight. In fact, she was finding it hard to get along with any of the other tributes. Not only had so many of them most likely dismissed her as a reaped tribute and therefore insignificant, but there was too much falseness in the air. Too much of these tributes pretending to be anything other than what they were.
She'd seen it in her own Academy and had begun to hate it.
Sivan did not want to be here.
The door creeped open and Sivan was met with the bleary eyes of Jasper. When they settled properly on Sivan's abrupt presence, she rubbed them tiredly and yawned. "Sivan?"
"Sorry. I just – I needed to talk to someone and I don't know who else there is."
Jasper hesitated for a moment and Sivan couldn't really blame her. She hadn't exactly gone out of her way to be liked in this house and that sat fine with Sivan, she was content to let people think whatever they wanted to. In a few days time, it wouldn't matter anyway.
But something else was stirring inside Sivan and she didn't like it. If she didn't speak to someone, she feared for what might happen next.
"Come on in," Jasper said, pulling the door backwards. "It's not like I've been that good at sleeping recently anyway."
Sivan just smiled a tad awkwardly and shuffled into the room. It was a bit messy but she wasn't one to judge. Aside from a few meetings here and there with other tributes, and the meals to keep her going, no one had really seen Jasper. Sterling was even more reclusive.
A part of Sivan was thankful for that. As she stared into the beautiful eyes of Jasper, crinkly hair in waves down her back, she saw the District One girl immediately and couldn't help but think of her sister. It had happened so quickly. Death in the blink of an eye. A fallen rose petal.
District One had killed her sister.
But it wasn't Jasper's fault. And Sivan was trying to be anything but her sister. She was here to win because she'd been forced to be here anyway against her will. If she had to play dirty, she would play dirty. Breaking a nail would be the least of her worries.
"What's up?" Jasper asked kindly.
Sivan continued to feel as if she had invaded a place she wasn't supposed to see. She didn't know where to sit so just hovered in the middle of the rug, not able to meet Jasper's eye any longer. Outside, the gentle hum of conversation had stirred again, and she wondered who was not getting any sleep.
"What do I do?" Sivan blurted out, and by saying that, the question was out there, and with that question, all the emotions Sivan was trying to keep down came out. But it's not like I've ever been good at holding back them back anyway. "I feel so – I don't know. I know I've got training. I know that I'm not incapable. And I know it doesn't count for everything. But I just feel so – so – so worried about what's soon to happen. I don't know what I'm saying but I feel as if I'm choking and I don't know how to make it stop. I see them all and I wonder why they're acting that way when maybe it's me in the wrong." Sivan paused, blushing, and the rage inside her body compelled her hands to shake by her side, but so did a sad, lonely tear that rolled down the bridge of her nose. Every emotion had always played at the edges of Sivan. She was right – she could never keep them at bay. "And I'm scared. I don't want to be scared."
She felt Jasper's hand on her shoulder before she attempted to look back up again. Sivan didn't like being seen as anything but strong. Being weak reminded her of her sister, it reminded her of the insults she'd fought against, it reminded her of a life she was trying to leave behind. It was why she hated the tributes that strutted around as if they weren't totally transparent. And it made her mind think up thoughts that were darker than Sivan liked. Thoughts about what Sivan might one day, very soon, have to do to those tributes if she wanted to win.
And those thoughts weren't completely impossible either. Which made Sivan even more scared of her future.
"I think you need to accept that being scared is ok. District Two doesn't mean you're immune to fear, or anxiety, or any emotion that some people outside of this room might construe as weak," Jasper said. "And those tributes that say they aren't scared are kidding themselves. They're probably perpetually in fear and they can't accept it. Own your fear and maybe you'll see that it'll do you some good. Believe me."
Sivan blinked again and refused to cry any longer. Her fists unclenched and she nodded her head, looking straight into Jasper's eyes, and seeing the District One in her but also the Victor that had come out of her Games. She had a strength about her that Sivan envied.
"I can see what you're doing, y'know. When all the Districts are done, you're back here, with the two tributes that win this Games. It's in every look you give us when you're outside your room. And it's in your words – though you might try to hide it."
Jasper smiled sadly and nodded her head. "I survived and I guess I intend to keep surviving. Which means whichever two win here, now, this week, or whenever it ends, will have to die so I can do that. And I'm supposed to help you. It's fucked."
"Fucked is too nice a word," Sivan said, chuckling morosely, her shoulders relaxing. "Thanks, Jasper. I'll let you get back to sleep."
"I'm here if you need me. Honestly."
"Thanks."
When the door closed behind her, Sivan took a deep breath and patted down her creased top, closing her eyes for a second and letting the emotion rush through her, but not fighting it either. It was who she was.
Own my fear.
Before Sivan even registered it herself, she was sat in an armchair, opposite Brodus who looked exhausted yet had a serene sort of smile on his face. Sivan didn't mind Brodus. She knew his story coming from his area – the fact he'd changed his name because of his parents who had been executed for trying to burn down the very Academy Sivan had trained at. But Brodus had volunteered. There was a war behind his eyes and if anything, Sivan sympathised with that.
"Can't sleep?" Sivan asked.
Brodus just shrugged. "I don't think I've been able to sleep for ages. Even before coming here."
"That's deep. And sad. Sorry, Brodus."
He laughed and shrugged again. "Don't be. I have a lot to think about."
"Yeah. I saw earlier you—"
"I hope we aren't interrupting."
At the sound of a new voice, Sivan almost turned around to snap in their direction that they in fact were interrupting. Something caught her tongue, however. Not because it wasn't like Sivan to argue or fight back, but because with the fear dancing on the edges of her nerves, she didn't have to snap. There was little to gain and more to lose.
"No," Sivan said, softly, in the face of two tributes standing and gazing down at her. "You can sit if you like."
Brodus shuffled uncomfortably as Ozias and Vinicius sat on the couch to their side. He stood up as they settled into the cushions and Ozias raised a hand kindly, with a peaceful sort of smile on his face. "You don't have to leave on our account."
Brodus shook his head. "I know what's about to happen and it's not for me. As I just said to Sivan, I've got some things to think about. Good night all."
With Brodus leaving and the weirdly ominous atmosphere now hanging between them all in the wake of what he just said, Sivan pulled her legs up to her chin, resting her head against her knees as she stared at Ozias. He was oddly warm with an expression that demanded attention and a presence that made him seem even higher than the more withdrawn Vinicius by his side.
But it was Vinicius that Sivan was actually more compelled by. Because he's reaped. He bears a title that so few of us do. And in that, I see a fear in his eyes that only myself and those very same few scan understand. She smiled and Vinicius did the same.
Ozias cleared his throat and both snapped to his attention. "I know it's late. We won't keep you for long. But my friend Vinicius here wants to say something."
He kindly nudged him with his arm, grinning, and Vinicius seemed to open up slightly, enough to make Sivan realise that the two seemed to genuinely understand one another. It was odd – especially because Ozias had volunteered.
Vinicius looked between Ozias and then Sivan, clearing his own throat with an awkward cough. Ozias seemed to disappear into the cushions at that. The focus entirely being on Vinicius. It worked because all Sivan could do was look at him. And in those eyes, she saw herself.
"I'm terrified because I didn't choose to be here. And from what I've learnt over the past few days, I actually think I am the only tribute this year who has never trained before in their entire life," Vinicius confessed. "Correct me if I'm wrong, of course, but you have?"
Sivan nodded and felt an odd sense of guilt. Is he really the only person here to be entirely untrained? Whatever fear she was trying to accept, it must have been burning inside of him.
"Ozias volunteered but for reasons that are intended to help. Juliet and Briel—" Why are they not here? Was it tactical, or am I reading into something that isn't there? I can't tell. "—they volunteered, but again they aren't the typical kind that is infesting this place. I wanted to ask you to join us because I am one of the only people here that can understand what you're going through. And I want to help. I really, sincerely do."
Sivan thought about what Jasper had said. If Vinicius had the confidence to confront his fear and anger and use it to find people like Ozias, Juliet and Briel, then it went hand-in-hand with a strength that was building up inside of him.
All Sivan wanted to do was prove herself to herself. Deep down, she didn't mind what people thought of her. The world could go fuck itself for all she cared. And though sometimes it was hard for her to accept that, she could see in Vinicius' expression and within his words, that he wanted her to find her own strength. He wanted her to accept the fear and fight with it, not against it.
"Okay," Sivan said.
Ozias now leaned forwards from the cushions. As he did, the entire focus went back on him, and Sivan could see it so clearly in the way he held himself. This was someone special.
"We can all introduce ourselves properly tomorrow. Thank you for joining us, Sivan. And as I said to Vinicius yesterday, I am sorry for what's happened to you. You might not be here by choice, but I will do everything I can to help you in the Arena. I swear to you."
Coming from him, she sensed no dishonesty, and when the two of them left, Sivan sunk into the armchair, head nestled into the cushion, and closed her eyes calmly.
A serenity washed through her. A stillness that embraced her fear and with the two blossoming inside of her, she suddenly felt a sense of acceptance.
Sivan was ready for what was about to happen.
Own my fear.
She slipped into a world of dreams, falling asleep there on the armchair, the world of the Hunger Games nothing but a distant reality.
She dreamt of her sister.
She dreamt of Ozias and Vinicius.
She dreamt of winning.
A dream that would hopefully come true.
Please go and check out TitanMaddix's newest SYOT! It promises to be a very fun story with a great idea behind it!
Confirmed alliances:
Tayte + Ryland + Kasiani
Kaia + Valdis + Viorica
Ozias + Juliet + Briel + Vinicius + Sivan
Once again, thank you to everyone for your support! Not too long left before these kids start dropping. I'm excited and not excited. I love this cast and it'll be sad to see them start to go.
Let me know what you thought!