A/N

Apparently Tuesdays are the new Sunday? What mad times we live in.

Anyway, regardless of the day, we are back with a second day of training! I do love writing training chapters, they're a lot of fun. Hopefully fun to read? You tell me.

Peach Bellini, 18, District One Female

It was everything Peach had dreamed it would be.

Of course there were a few unexpected features such as the introduction of Frankie, and the questionable states of Cephus and Circe, but the rest of it –all the grandeur –it was worth every droplet of sweat and every tear that Peach had shed to get to where she was.

And the best part? Beau was there beside her.

"Do you think I should go and talk to her?" Peach asked her best friend, her eyes glancing over towards Circe. "She's barely said a word to anyone."

The distant girl from Four was a little more engaging than she had been during the first day of training, when she had spent most of the day sat on the floor hugging her knees to her chest, and was currently in the middle of a simulation. Her feet were a little unsteady as she moved her trident around her, thrusting its three points into the centre of the holographic enemies, but her aim was commendably accurate.

"Maybe let her come to us first?" suggested Beau, touching his bare arms with a slight unease. Despite his toned and muscular shape, Peach knew Beau to prefer concealing himself beneath large sweatshirts and black jeans, not the slim-fitting and short-sleeved training outfits they had been provided with in the Capitol. Peach herself quite liked the outfit; it felt easy to move in and when she had caught a glimpse of her own reflection she had been subtly satisfied.

Peach nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. I don't want to smother her before she's ready. She just look so sad, you know?"

Beau opened his mouth to reply, but barely had a chance to speak before their quiet moment was interrupted.

"Did someone say something about smothering?" Cephus' ever-excited tone reached Peach's ears. "I would love nothing more than to be smothered by the two of you –if you're offering."

Beau's eyebrows rose quickly.

"We were not offering," he said abruptly whilst smoothly dodging Cephus' attempt to pinch his rear.

Cephus sighed with melodrama. "What does a sexy slice of hot stuff have to do to get laid in the Capitol?! My body aches for meaningless physical affection –oh, or is that fatigue from the pill-less void I find myself in? Honestly, I don't know how people remain sober for so long, this shit is worse than being hit by a cart filled with barrels of raw fish on a summer's day –trust me, I know how that feels and I can warn you that the smell doesn't leave you for weeks!"

Peach held in a giggle.

"You know what, Cephus," Peach beckoned them closer with a manicured nail. They took the bait, their eyes widening in anticipation to hear what she had to say. "I heard that Ragnar was looking to tackle the agility course with someone, if you feel like beating his ass at it."

"Oh I'd beat his fine ass any day," commented Cephus, before their dreamy gaze turned into a burrowed frown, ripe with suspicion. "Hold on –you're trying to get rid of me, aren't you?"

Peach knew Beau was rolling his eyes without even needing to look at him.

"No don't answer that," they quickly continued, wafting their hands in Peach's face. "I know that you're simply desperate to witness a spectacular display of raw talent. Did you know that my ancestors were related to angels? I must have inherited the angelic genes, you can tell by my natural weightlessness and the halo that floats above my head."

Beau pulled a sceptical face.

"A metaphorical halo," Cephus insisted, shaking their head in disappointment. "Honestly, you are so oblivious to the wonders of literature. Do they not have poetry in District One?"

Peach assumed the question was either rhetorical, or Cephus had become distracted by something else, as they suddenly took off with their narrow hips wiggling from side to side, leaving Peach where she felt the most herself; in the company of Beau.

"I know one poet back at home," said Beau, a slight smirk on his pink lips. "In fact, you could say that I know this poet very well."

Peach pouted her lips back at Beau, knowing that he was referring to her own amateur poetry which she shared with Beau and Beau only. Poetry was one of Peach's greatest passions; she adored the way words could be placed together so eloquently to convey the most real of feelings, whilst also creating a beautiful sound when spoken aloud. But she could never share her words with anyone other than Beau; exposing herself like that would be to cut her own heart out of her chest and place it in another's hand. Peach felt as though she could trust Beau to hold her heart, but no one else. She had read one of her poems to her mother once, who had condemned it as frivolous and stupid –Peach never made the mistake of opening herself up to Minerva again.

"Oh shush, you," Peach nudged Beau's arm playfully. "Let's go and rescue Frankie from Riddle –the poor thing looks like she's about to be eaten alive."

"I know you're only trying to help her, and that's because you're a kind-hearted person, but do you not think that it's a mistake keeping Frankie with us?" Beau expressed as the two of them walked over to one of the weapons stations. "What are we going to do in the arena? We can't keep an eye on her like she's a child…"

"She is a child," Peach reminded him. "I can't just abandon her, it feels wrong. But I hear you, and I know that you're right."

"Just be careful, promise?" Beau held his pinkie finger out and Peach wrapped hers around it, squeezing tightly.

"I promise."

"Good," he nodded. "Remember that in the arena, you're my priority, no one else."

And you're mine, she thought, not needing to say the words aloud for Beau to know that she felt the same way.

As the two of them approached Riddle and Frankie, Peach waved a hand in greeting, a warm smile filling her face as she came to stand beside the young girl.

"How's training going?" she asked Frankie with encouragement.

"A small improvement," Riddle answered for her. "Frankie needs to relax a little more; her shoulders are too tense."

Frankie remained silent, pulling her arms closer together in a shy movement.

"I'm sure you're doing great," Peach beamed at her. "Wanna show me what you can do?"

Frankie chewed her bottom lip. "Erm, if it's ok, Peach, I think I need a little break from fighting. D-do you mind if I try some of the other stations?"

"Oh that's ok!" Peach tried her best not to seem disappointed in Frankie's desire to drift away. "You do whatever you want to do, you don't need our permission. Just as long as you're ok, yeah?"

Frankie nodded. "I'm ok, thank you. I'll erm, see you at lunch?"

"Absolutely!"

Frankie then muttered a thank you to Riddle before slipping away, heading towards the other side of the training centre. Yesterday Riddle had expressed concerns over Frankie's presence in the pack, which Peach had done her best to subdue. But Peach couldn't help but worry about the younger girl; she wanted to help her as much as she could, even though she knew that eventually she couldn't help Frankie without giving up her own life. As kind as Peach was, she knew what she had volunteered for, and when it came down to it, she knew that the only person she would give up her life for was standing right beside her.

"Spar with me?" Riddle suggested, looking towards Peach.

Accepting graciously, Peach retrieved the rapier she had been training with earlier, though she did miss the one she usually trained with back at the Academy which had been a gift from Beau's family.

Riddle was a ruthless fighter; persistent, yet consistently accurate. Peach held her own well though, managing to parry Riddle's strikes and muster her own signature moves which she performed with elegant precision. After the two girls had completed a few more rounds, Riddle called a break and Peach looked over to where Beau had been stood watching them.

Noticeably, Beau's gaze had drifted away from the sparring match and towards a nearby station where another tribute was skilfully handling a pair of daggers. As Peach walked quietly towards Beau, she took note of the number three displayed on the back of the tribute's vest where his sculpted back was tensed.

"Boo," Peach whispered sharply down Beau's ear, startling him. Instantly his cheeks began to flush a gentle shade of pink as Peach raised a teasing eyebrow.

"Now there's a face I've seen before," she smirked, pinching at Beau's cheeks.

"I'm not making a face," Beau insisted, clearing his throat quietly.

Peach laughed. "Oh yes you are. That's your 'I fancy the pants off them' face."

"Oh shut up, shall we spar?" Beau deflected, turning away from the boy from Three. "Where's Ragnar?"

"Stop deflecting," Peach walked faster to keep up with Beau's hastened pace. "Hey, he's cute, I can see that. And you know, he actually looks like he can handle himself."

An idea hit her.

"I know, why don't we invite him to train with us?" she suggested. "If he's any good then we could bring him into the pack. Better to have someone like him on our side than against us, right?"

Beau shrugged, trying to act casual, though of course Peach could see straight through him. "If you think it's smart, then sure, whatever."

"I do think it's smart," Peach lifted her chin high, an accomplished smile on her lips. "Hey, Riddle!"

Flagging her ally down, Peach winked at Beau as Riddle walked over, with Ragnar beside her, having wandered over from the agility course. Seeing the group coming together, Circe drifted towards them, much to Peach's surprise, shortly followed by Cephus who must have noticed the gathering as well and couldn't stand to be left out.

"Ooh is this a secret group meeting?" Cephus asked with enthusiasm. "I'll go first –never have I ever kissed ten people at once."

There was a moment of silence.

"I see you sea urchins are shocked that I haven't done that," presumed Cephus. "I have of course kissed a lot of people at once, but we only reached nine in number. I do remember how awfully cramped-"

"Cephus," Riddle hissed. "Can you stop talking for two minutes?"

"Well, no, actually I cannot."

Riddle's eyes flared.

"Cephus," hearing Circe's voice surprised Peach as she laid a hand on her twin's shoulder, whispering in their ear. Whatever she said seemed to do the trick as Cephus allowed Peach to speak.

"I was thinking we should invite the boy from Three to train with us," she told the rest of the group. "He seems like he's got some experience behind him; he could be an asset. And if not, then at least we've scoped out his strengths and maybe any weaknesses. What do you guys think?"

Riddle nodded slowly. "Sounds like a smart idea to me. Ragnar?"

Ragnar shrugged with nonchalance. "Sure."

"He does have a juicy looking behind," commented Cephus. "You won't hear me complaining about improving the scenery!"

"Circe?" Peach looked towards the quietest of the pack.

"I agree," she said, in such a hushed tone that Peach could only just manage to make out her words.

Smiling with contentment, Peach addressed the group. "I'll speak with him after lunch then!"

As the pack disbanded, Peach caught Beau's eye.

"Remember what I said," he said to her as he went to retrieve his chakram.

Peach just nodded, following a few steps behind.

In the arena, you're my priority, no one else.

It was always that way, and would always be that way. Nothing, not even death, would stand between Peach and Beau. Of that, Peach was certain. Of everything else, she supposed she would have to wait and see.

Lunete Vinter, 16, District Ten Female

All Lunete could feel was death.

The sound of scraping metal as blades collided screeched in her ears, and each time she heard the thud of a weapon piercing a target she felt her heart jumping as though her body was being punctured over and over. Everywhere her eyes flitted she could see another way to die –endless racks of threatening weapons, colossal weights that could crush a human body like an ant beneath a boot; even the plants that gathered in the centre of the room could stop a heart with one bite.

She felt exposed; without the layers she usually cocooned herself inside, Lunete felt cold. Goosebumps lined the top layers of her skin, shivers running their bony fingers down her spine.

Was this how Cait had felt, that cold December night? Cornered; nowhere to run as death came for her from every angle?

Was she scared? Could she even feel the icy chill in the winter air as her heart pounded beneath her chest?

Did she even have the time to know what was about to happen?

Lunete felt herself slipping, the kindling dropping from her trembling fingers as she gasped for air. Clutching her hand tightly to her chest, she felt her fingertips brushing against the smooth, circular ring that hung from a chain around her neck. Her father's ring, the one he had gifted to her the week before the reapings.

You'd have a part of me with you.

Closing her eyes, Lunete began to gently rub the ring between her thumb and forefinger. She reminded herself of the times she had spent with her father, of the cheesy grin he would plaster onto his face just to make her feel like there was some happiness left in the world, even if it was just a single grain in an endless desert.

After a few moments, Lunete pulled herself back to the present. The present was arguably bleaker than it could have been, but for the time being she was still alive and her fight was not yet over.

"You've got this," she whispered under her breath, picking up the pieces of kindling she had dropped.

Placing the handful of thin twigs and dried leaves on top of the small pile she had constructed, Lunete began to strike the flint, her hands gripping it tightly as she did her best to create a spark. After a few minutes of constant striking, a spark finally leapt from the flint, landing itself on the tip of a twig where it then began to climb along, slowly but surely growing into a small flame.

A small victory in a world full of losses.

As Lunete tended to her compact fire, keeping the flickering flames alive, her large eyes swept the centre like a doe in the woods. She spotted her district partner, Valak, whom she had ensured to maintain a distance from. In all honesty, Valak terrified Lunete, and his presence back in the apartment only intensified her already choking anxieties. Valak was with the girl from Eight he had been training with yesterday afternoon, the two of them stood close together as they threw various weapons towards a row of targets. Valak's accuracy sent a shiver down Lunete's spine, so she quickly averted her eyes in an attempt to settle her rising heartrate.

The small girl from Six caught Lunete's eye next; she was scaling a net that reached far above the rest of the centre, her frame was dainty but her movements were swift. Further down, at a station beside the agility course, the second of the younger tributes stood with a shortsword in his hands. Making a feeble strike towards a target, he stumbled, nearly dropping the weapon completely. Lunete hoped she didn't appear as weak as him, even if she felt it.

Drifting back across the room, Lunete's gaze fell upon the solid structure of the boy from Eleven. Just two days ago, Lunete had overheard his conversation with his district partner in the dressing rooms before the parade. His kindness had been somewhat thrust back into his face carelessly by the boisterous girl, but he had maintained a calm exposure. Throughout the first day of training Lunete had kept her eye on him –Logan, she had learned was his name –watching as he spent a lot of his time at the strength stations, as well as offering a helping hand to anyone he came across who seemed like they needed it. He seemed the type of person Lunete wished she could be –kind-hearted but strong enough to stand up for their own self. She had contemplated approaching him, but her nerves had gotten the better of her and she had remained in the background; present, but never truly there.

Just like she had been back at home.

Shaking her head gently to prevent herself from disassociating again, Lunete noticed that Logan was no longer where he had been just a few moments ago. Glancing around, in her peripheral she caught a glimpse of movement as a tall figure seemed to be heading towards her. With a mild panic, Lunete looked back down at her fire, tying her best to busy herself as she poked at the flames with a stick.

"Hi."

Lunete froze; a deer in the headlights.

"You seem pretty good at that," Logan created conversation. "Could you show me?"

Turning her head slowly, Lunete sucked in a deep breath as she shared eye-contact with the boy from Eleven. But his welcoming smile and soft eyes made it easier for Lunete to nod her head and shuffle back from her little fire.

"Hey, what's your name?" asked Logan as he began to collect some firewood. "I'm Logan."

Lunete swallowed before she managed to say her name just loudly enough for him to hear.

"That's a real pretty name," smiled Logan. "Makes me think of the moon."

"I suppose," she shrugged, but she couldn't stop the small smile that formed on her lips. After so long without socialising with other teenagers, it felt strangely comforting to exchange a few words. It was even better to talk with someone who knew nothing about her life; there was no emotional baggage like there had been between her, Cyril, Dee, Felix and Wilbur at the Justice Building. It was a clean slate.

Lunete could be whomever she wanted to be.

"Isn't there a berry called a loganberry?" said Lunete, as the two of them crouched beside the small pile of wood.

Logan laughed. "You know, I've never actually thought about that before. Can't say I've ever eaten one."

"Maybe you should ask your mentor if they have any in the Capitol?" suggested Lunete.

"I actually might," Logan chuckled. "What would you ask for?"

Lunete pondered for a moment before replying, "blueberries, or something with cinnamon."

"Mm," Logan tilted his head back. "You're making me hungry now –is it nearly lunchtime? Please tell me it is before I wither away to bone."

Lunete looked down at the watch on her wrist; it was an old one gifted to her by her father; another piece of him she held closely.

"Maybe another hour?" she told him.

Having just started her own, it didn't take long for Lunete to show Logan how to light his fire. Content with his new knowledge, Logan dowsed the flames and took a wide scope of the centre.

"Do you want to stick together for a while?" he asked, to which Lunete nodded eagerly. "Oh great! Where do you fancy trying now?"

"I guess," Lunete bit her lower lip. "I'd like to try some archery?"

"Archery it is then," Logan agreed with a hearty wink, walking beside her as they walked over to the archery station.

It wasn't a far walk, but Logan continued to chat away to Lunete all the same. He had a cheerful voice; it was deep, but there was no harshness to his tone, not like the coldness she would hear from her mother's pursed lips. Despite having just met him, Lunete almost found that she could trust the boy. She could never truly trust a stranger, as she wondered whether Cait's killer had been someone she knew, but she certainly felt a little less afraid when she was stood beside him. In a way Logan somewhat reminded Lunete of Felix; her friend and Cait's boyfriend who had been exceptionally sweet and caring. Perhaps that was what had drawn Lunete to Logan as an ally, she was unsure.

The archery station was already occupied by the two tributes from Seven, though there were plenty of targets and space available to share. As Logan went to collect two bows and a handful of arrows, Lunete allowed herself to watch the pair with curiosity. Whether they had known each other before the reapings or not was unclear, but was what apparent was their closeness now. It was a pleasant sight among all the darkness, though Lunete felt a pang in her chest as she was reminded of her own friends; how she had pushed them away, only to reconcile at the last moment.

Lunete may never have the chance to really make up for the time she had lost. It was a harrowing, painful thought that sunk her heart even further down into her inner turmoil.

"Here you go," Logan handed a bow and one arrow to Lunete. She thanked him with a small nod, notching the arrow as best as she could.

Taking aim at one of the targets, Lunete pulled back the string and then released it, watching the arrow cut fairly cleanly through the air. It hit the target, a little close to the edge, but she was impressed that she had even struck it at all.

"Oops," Logan snorted beside her, pointing at his own arrow which was lying on the floor, a fair distance away from his target. "I guess my aim is pretty off. Not like yours though –damn that hit the target first try!"

"Beginner's luck?" Lunete shrugged, notching another arrow.

It was not beginner's luck. The second arrow hit the target; again not a perfect shot, but she supposed it was something that could be improved with enough attention.

Logan however, appeared to be struggling.

"Oh shit," he covered his mouth as he stared across the area, Lunete following his eyes to see his arrow on the floor barely metres away from the pair from Seven.

Instantly, Logan began to jog over to the two, and Lunete found herself following.

"I am so sorry," Logan apologised, retrieving the arrow and holding his hands up towards the Sevens. "My aim is totally off –sorry if I scared you."

The girl laughed. "You did startle us both, I can't lie there. But no harm done, right? I think we're both in one piece!"

"I hope so," said Logan, with a grin. "Hey, Livvy and Cameron, right? We met briefly yesterday at the plant station?"

The girl –Livvy- beamed towards him. "Yes, I remember! Logan?"

Logan nodded. "Yeah, yeah. This is Lunete, from Ten."

Lunete waved a cautious hand in greeting.

"Hi, lovely to meet you, Lunete," Livvy came towards her, Cameron practically glued to her side.

"Hi," the boy, Cameron, greeted Lunete shyly, though he had a kind look about him.

"Do you wanna join us for lunch?" Logan asked, looking towards Lunete for approval. "I think Lunete and I were going to do some more archery afterwards as well, if you both fancy it? I could definitely do with some more practise!"

Livvy looked towards Cameron, who nodded in agreement.

"We'd love to," Livvy returned. "I think we're starting to get the hang of archery, we spent a few hours here yesterday. I know it's not anything amazing, but every little helps, right?"

At that moment, the announcement came for lunch.

"Mm, I hope they have those lovely pies again," Logan commented as the four of them began to walk towards the exit. "I could eat the entire plate of them, I swear."

Livvy returned Logan's words with cheerful ones of her own, with Cameron adding a few comments between. Lunete, however, remained quiet, simply listening as they headed towards the lunch room. The casual chatter reminded her all too well of the days she would spend with her friends back home; the giggles with Cyril over her crush on Dee, the teasings they would throw at Wilbur for his smartass comments. It felt like another life to Lunete entirely. A life she wished she could have back.

But even if she survived, Lunete knew she could never have that life again. As long as she lived, as too did the memory of her sister, and with that only came pain.

Matthew Kwon, 18, District Three Male

Matthew kept his head low as he crossed the training centre, though his senses were sharpened.

He treated his situation as a mission, and with it he applied his usual meticulous methods. An intricate assessment of all factors; a cautious evaluation of the evidence; and then a detailed plan to maximise the efficiency of the execution. Flawless.

Matthew's strategy for the three days of training was simple: he would keep a low profile initially and scope out the competition to label those worth remembering and those he could disregard. He would learn what made the other tributes tick; their quirks and their nuances. To know one's true strength, you must also know your enemy's strengths –then, you could truly exploit their weaknesses.

Through ducking under the radar, Matthew hoped that he had drawn little attention to himself. The only exception to that was when he had spotted the boy from One glancing towards him on a number of occasions, and had decided he would display just the smallest of samples of his skills to see if he took a bite of the bait.

It seemed as though he may have, as Matthew stood at the basin, watching the clear water rush between his fingers, noticing the presence of the boy's other half. The perfect appearing girl from One had drifted over towards the refreshment area not long after Matthew had arrived, and as subtle as she tried to make her entrance, Matthew was attuned to it before she even opened her mouth.

As he took his time to clean his hands, Matthew avoided striking up a conversation, his curiosity awaiting to see what would unfold.

"Got to keep hydrated, right?" the blonde girl from One broke the silence after a short time, holding up her empty bottle.

Matthew nodded once.

"You can really work up a sweat in here," she continued, eager to entrap Matthew into a conversation. He wasn't one for small-talk, but he was intrigued enough about her intentions that he played along.

"Yes, it can be a good workout," he replied carefully, stepping away from the basin and picking up one of the precisely folded towels to pat his hands dry.

The Career girl thanked him sweetly as she stepped forwards, beginning to fill up her bottle; her eyes still focused on him

"So you're from Three," she observed, though of course that was obvious from the copper coloured number that appeared on his clothing. "What's it like there?"

Matthew shrugged. "Nothing too exciting. Lots of technology, I suppose."

He paused, then realised that the conversation may run itself dry without inviting the girl to respond.

"What is it like in One?" he asked. "Is it as grand as people say it is?"

The girl pondered his question, withdrawing her bottle from the stream of running water. "It's not as grand as the Capitol, but it's nice. The Academy is especially beautiful; it's near the top of a hill and if you come out at just the right moment you can see the most incredible sunset."

"Sounds lovely," replied Matthew, placing the towel down on the table where he proceeded to fold it neatly as he had found it. "Perhaps you will be able to return there."

He realised the moment that he said it that his choice of words could have been more carefully selected, but Matthew was not used to idle chats; he usually had his encounters meticulously planned out far in advance. This was almost unchartered territory.

"That's what we all want, right?" the girl seemed unbothered, a gleam in her bright eyes. "I'm Peach, by the way."

"Matthew."

"Lovely to meet you, Matthew," Peach held out a hand, which Matthew reluctantly accepted. Her hands were slender, yet there was an admirable strength to them.

Matthew's eyes glanced helplessly towards the basin, where he contemplated rewashing his hands. It wasn't that he believed Peach to be dirty –in fact, she smelled very sweet and well-perfumed –but he felt as though a tiny fragment of his meticulous method had been tainted.

"Oh, so we couldn't help but notice earlier that you seem to know your way around some weapons," Peach filled the short silence that had elapsed, her persistence even more intriguing to Matthew.

So her district partner had noticed him. Interesting.

"I've got some experience," he replied casually, though the irony was almost amusing

"You should train with us –the Careers, that is," said Peach with an inviting smile. "I think we could do with someone new to spar with. It gets predictable when you train with the same people all day. What do you think?"

Matthew took a moment to consider the proposal, though he already knew his answer would be yes. After observing the competition over the past day and a half, Matthew's interest had been piqued by the Careers more so than any of the other tributes and he was hopeful that his subtle display of skills when only they were watching would be enough to lay the foundations for a potential alliance.

"I'd be honoured," he answered at last, forcing his lips into a small smile.

"Oh excellent!" Peach seemed pleased, directing him towards the combat area where she waved at her allies in an almost triumphant manner.

Matthew followed precisely two steps behind Peach, tucking a strand of hair that had fallen from the rest back in place. The Careers from One and Two had gathered, though he noted that the young girl who had unexpectedly entered the Games was not among them.

"This is Matthew," Peach introduced him to the pack. "I've asked him to train with us for a bit. Matthew, this is Beau, Riddle and Ragnar. Over there are Circe and Cephus –I'm not quite sure what Cephus is doing, but I'm sure they'll make themselves known soon enough."

The first to stand forwards was the girl from Two, Riddle, whose judgemental eyes looked him up and down, though gave nothing away.

"Hello," she greeted him rather formally. "I hear you've got some decent skills."

"Not too bad," Matthew replied modestly, treading carefully.

"He's being modest," Peach laughed, with a gentle nudge to Matthew's arm which took him by surprise.

"I'll believe it if I see it," commented Riddle. "But if you're any good then it's better to have you with us than against us, right?"

"Right," Matthew agreed. As he rose his chin a few millimetres higher, his eyes caught contact with Beau's for a fleeting moment, who had been silent since Matthew's arrival, even though he had been the one to initially notice Matthew.

"Well then, should we see what you're made of?" Riddle seemed eager to test Matthew, her eyes fierce.

Matthew opened his mouth to accept, but Peach was a step ahead.

"How about you spar with Beau?" she looked between the two boys with an illuminated smile. "You can then judge from a better perspective, Riddle, as you won't be focusing on your own moves."

Riddle shrugged, seemingly accepting the proposal.

"Fab," Peach clapped her hands together. "Ragnar, do you fancy a round?"

"Yeah, sure," the brooding boy from Two nodded, spinning his warhammer in his grip.

With Riddle directing the group, they separated into their pairs. Taking his offensive stance, Matthew drew his two daggers, looking with interest at Beau's unusual but elegant choice of weapon. On Riddle's cue, they began to move, taking cautious steps as they watched each other's movements. It was slow at first, neither boy wishing to make the first move. It seemed as though Beau's fighting style would likely be more of a strategic one, making use of effective counterattacks. Matthew wasn't quite sure what his own style was, as his opponents were never usually able to fight back.

In the end, Matthew took the plunge.

In a smooth stride, Matthew closed the gap, aiming his dagger towards Beau's chest. He deflected it perfectly, bringing up one half of his weapon to swipe away Matthew's blade. As Matthew's arm skimmed past Beau, he felt a gentle breath from his lips tickling his bare skin.

Matthew turned around, just in time to dodge a counter-strike from Beau. It was a very near miss as Matthew felt the heat from Beau's body through the thin material of his vest. An unfamiliar flutter rippled in the pit of his stomach, though Matthew put it down to the intense focus he had on proving his worth.

The next few movements mostly alternated between the two of them, each of them making strong attacks, but never quite hitting. Matthew was convinced that Beau was going easy on him, until he misjudged one of Beau's steps and found the curved blade of the chakram at the centre of his throat.

Matthew swallowed, feeling the blade lightly brushing against his exposed skin. He looked at Beau, whose dark gaze did not falter.

Neither boy said a word, Matthew refusing to break eye-contact, whether through stubbornness or simply a desire not to, he was unsure.

Beau's lips were held together firmly, a pale pink shade to their smoothly curved shape. Matthew's own lips felt dry as he felt his heart pulsing beneath his ribs.

"Alright, so Beau takes that one," Matthew was dragged back into the present as Riddle stood with her arms folded beside them. "But you held your own well, Matthew. I'm impressed."

Clearing his throat quietly, Beau withdrew the weapon from Matthew's neck, taking a step backwards. Matthew ran a hand through his hair, adjusting the strands that had fallen loose during the sparring match.

"So if you're interested, fancy joining our alliance?" Riddle asked, assuming a leadership role.

Matthew nodded. "I –I'd love to."

He glanced over to see Beau's reaction, but the boy had already walked over towards Peach and Ragnar. Matthew felt an unfamiliar disappointment in his heart for a few moments, before he pulled himself back together with a harsh reminder.

Matthew had built himself something good at home, and he knew what it would take to get back there. He had already learnt the hard way what happened when he allowed himself to become distracted. He would not allow that to happen again because this time, his own life depended on it.

A/N

Another day of training has come to an end; what are your thoughts on the interactions we've seen so far? Anything expected, any surprises?

Peach seems to be taking the role of the mediator here, bringing the alliance together as much as she can. Whilst Riddle's approach is harsher, Peach adopts a more caring side, though Beau airs his concerns about where her priorities should lie. Frankie seems to be drifting from the Careers a little; is she simply overwhelmed, or she keen to leave the pack? Where does this leave her when she is already in a vulnerable position? Through it all, Peach and Beau's bond seems to remain, but will their friendship become strained or will they grow stronger as the arena approaches?

Lunete is trying her best to manage her own fears and sadness. It is clear that she is still unable to escape the traumas of her past, but she has not given up hope and will go down with a fight. She decides to continue to avoid Valak (with good reason lmao), and has noticed Logan (confirmed: yes, she was the tribute hiding behind the plant watching Logan just before the parade!). Logan notices Lunete, and in his naturally friendly manner, approaches her. Will Logan be able to offer the support Lunete needs? The two of them then bump into Livvy and Cameron, and the four of them decide to sit together at lunch. Is this the start of a larger alliance, or just some friendly encounters, taking into account their gentler natures? Will Lunete be able to see past her own pain?

Matthew is treating his time in the Capitol like his missions from home; is he overly confident in his abilities, or is he justified in his thoughts? As we saw in Peach's pov, Matthew caught the attention of Beau, and Peach follows up on her suggestion to bring Matthew over to the Careers. Riddle is keen to put Matthew to the test as she continues to display herself as the leader of the pack - will she be able to mould this pack well together? Playing matchmaker, Peach pushes Beau and Matthew to spar together, and then Riddle invites Matthew to join the Careers. Will Matthew be able to fit into the pack, as he usually works alone, and what will his place be? Where does the future of the Career pack lie?

Thank you for all the reviews, comments and just your general presence! I'm having a blast writing these pregames and I hope you're all enjoying reading! We still have one more training chapter left, which may see a little friction between some of our tributes...

Until next time!

Firefly