"Shut up you fucking idiot!" Clove barked, but Cato only winked and slid back into his room, closing the door behind him. She flicked back to the evening dresses and rived out the first one to eye. Give it a try. Her conscience persuaded her. She stripped off to her underwear and slid into the dress. A figure hugging blood red boob-tube with corset fastening at the back. No. No. No. No. She struggled back out of it and threw it onto its own pile in the center of the room. For hours she took out each and every dress, tried it on, and then threw it onto the growing pile of unfolded dresses, when there was only one left. It was just what she wanted. From the waist up was basically two dark green silky pieces of fabric on both her back and chest, held in place by five intertwining strips of fabric with diamonds lined down them which wrapped around her waist and disappeared in the skirt, exposing the whole of her sides down to her hips, where the two fabrics join together to create the same green flowing skirt that hid her feet. She was defiantly not wearing shoes at this rate. The dress gave her new found confidence; it made her body look, fantastic. Yes, defiantly this one. Then Cato's words played back in her mind, "Just looking for something easy to rip off" Underwear. She dived down to the drawer and wrenched it open. Clove dug around in the satin mass until she found a matching underwear set of the perfect color. Grimacing at the tiny set, she pulled her disgusted face as she slithered into them. Her hair. After seeing District 12 Katniss Everdeen's famous braid, she grew jealous, and without Piper, began to tug at her own hair. When she had finally finished, she examined the braid carefully in her own hair, it reached from her left ear and finished somewhere near her right waist. Now all she needed was Piper.
"I'm here Clove! I'm her-"Piper burst into the room and cut short at the sight of Clove. Tears welled in her eyes and Clove groaned at the reminder that all the Capitol was sensitive crybabies. She burst into tears and glided over.
"You look so beautiful!" She managed, through each gap in a wail.
"Yes I know, could you quit crying and get on with my make-up please?" Clove rolled her eyes sarcastically at Piper, who immediately composed herself and began to work on Clove's face. After around 15 minutes, Cato popped his head around the door.
"Wow, Marvel will sure like that. Have you remembered the underwear?"
"Yes." She mused, closing her eyes and allowing Piper to dust her eyelids in jet black eye shadow. Topping it with seductive dark red lipstick.
"Ready?" Cato, who had been lounged across Clove's bed in his suit waiting for the signal to go, finally got up and brushed down the suit, Clove carefully stood and made for the door.
"Clove?" Cato began, "Have you thought about wearing shoes?" Clove's shoulders slumped as she spun round on her bare heel to face Cato, who was holding up some black heels, if she wore these, she still wouldn't be as tall as the others! Clove grunted and snatched them off him, holding onto his elbow for balance whilst she slipped into them. Brutus, out of nowhere walked straight in, fastening his sea blue tie as they made a mass exodus towards the lift. The dark green contrasted so much with her pale skin, almost unbalancing herself whilst she examined this.
"Do you think it's too much?" She creased her brow in despair up at Brutus, who in return, gave her a knowing smile.
"I think it's perfect." He murmured softly. He always knew what to say. Smiling, Clove set her shoulders back and straightened her back, ready for the lift doors to ping open. When they did, Cato held out his arm for Clove to balance herself on whilst they stepped in the District One's quarters. A quick look around the living area told Clove that it was very different from their own. The wall that housed the fire place was encrusted with dazzling jewels, whilst every other wall was a dark sea blue. The wooden floor was decorated with polar bear skins, Clove was careful not to trip over the head, which was unnervingly staring right at her.
"Cashmere! We have arrived!" Brutus called out playfully. Cato and Clove looked at each other in an instant with smiles on their faces. Since when was Brutus playful? At the immediate of his voice, a woman with golden hair just like Glimmer strode through from what seemed to be a balcony. With her arms open, she embraced each of them, complimenting their stylists. From behind her, Clove saw Marvel gawking at her. No, gawking at the dress. She pulled her arm back so the full décor along her sides was on show. He moved closer, his blue suit rippling as he did so. As Cato departed for Glimmer, Clove decided to home in on Marvel, moving as he did towards her.
"You look…" He was lost for words as his hands found her waist and pulled her pelvis to meet his.
"And you look… Oh what's the word?" Tilted her head on a side playfully, looking up into the ceiling. "Marvelous." She whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Marvel's face lit up at her pun, laughing himself and pressing his forehead down on hers. His eyes closed and his lips zoned in on hers.
"PLEASE, don't put us off dinner!" Glimmer chuckled, sending a joking nudge with her elbow into the curve in Clove's spine, forcing her into Marvel anyway. As she followed Glimmer with her black eyes, she realized the food was already piling up on the table.
"Come on, Clo. There's enough time for eating later." He outstretched her hand and guided her along the carpeted path towards three doors, one of which probably his.
"AH AH AH! Don't think you can creep off before dinner, Marvel! The poor girl must be famished!" Cashmere gestured to the empty spaces along the table. With one arm around Clove, Marvel hid his slender fingers underneath the fabric on her front, hugging the curve of her waist until they sat down. Plates piled high with food were placed by the Avox children in front of Clove. Marvel's hand was resting on her thigh, drawing delicate patterns with one finger along the silk.
"Cato, pass me the salt." Clove ordered, not looking up from her plate.
"Please." Glimmer insisted, clutching onto Cato's left arm with both of hers. Clove looked from Glimmer to Cato and her eyes narrowed as Cato's eyebrows raised, grinning across the table at her with the salt in his hand.
"PLEEEASE!" She whined sarcastically. Cato then threw the salt threw the air and it landed perfectly steady in the palm of her hand. Glimmer squealed and praised him for his 'supreme talents' as Clove sprinkled it over the roast chicken and garnish. Brutus and Cashmere were privately speaking at the end of the table. They had been past victors themselves and now it was their job to guide the tributes from their districts as mentors to share the same fate. Course after course drifted through from the kitchen, and many bottles of wine disappeared. Clove was busy delving into the desert when Marvel drew close and whispered in her ear.
"Let's go." He gently bit the top of her ear. Clove sat back in the chair, bloated and full, this was no time to play sexy and seductive with Marvel, but yet, she didn't resist. Cato and Glimmer had already vanished from the table somewhere that Clove couldn't care less, making it a much lighter guilt as she departed hand in hand with Marvel. His hand found the same loose fabric as before and ran his fingers along her waist. Leading her to the balcony, he shut the door behind them. Whilst he battled with the curtains to stay inside the door, Clove found one of his spears propped up against the railing. He swore and cursed behind her, as she tossed it from hand to hand to feel the weight of it. Marvel spun around to see her pointing the head right at him, an evil grimace across her face.
"Bow." She acted playfully. He held his hands above his head and dropped to his knees, bowing.
"All hail Clove, Goddess of Marvel's Spear." He chanted, making her giggle. He winked as she set the spear back where she found it, turning her back on him to watch over the bustling city, even though it was almost midnight. In no more than a second, did it take for him to be back on his feet and close behind her, his arms around her stomach and his chin resting on her shoulder. Clove closed her eyes, and leant her head into his cheek. They stayed in silence for a while, not one spoke a word. Many things were rushing through their minds, but non dared say anything. When without any indication or warning, Marvel harshly spins her around and forces a kiss onto her lips. Regaining her balance once again, she wraps her arms around his neck and brushes her fingers through his fair curls affectionately. Clove took one step back into the rail, with Marvel following her, his hand placed gently on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. Perhaps she'd misjudged Marvel. Perhaps, she'd misjudged herself, convinced she didn't hold any feelings for him when, she did. She let out a huge sigh, as if admitting it to herself had lifted a weight off her shoulders. I love Marvel. The words made her feel funny inside. She pictured him smiling at her in the arena, spear in hand and wearing his arena attire. She smiled, it almost seemed like a memory, which it obviously wasn't. But she liked the idea of memories, memories with Marvel. She pictured what her life would have been like if she lived in 1 with him, it was almost, happy. She pictured spending her lifetime with him, planning out the future and picturing them both together in her head. She let a single laugh escape through her nose, she would love to have lived that life. Clove feels a stabbing pain inside, knowing that she could never stay like this forever, no matter how much she wished. Because in two weeks, it was the Hunger Games. And one way or another, Marvel would have to die if she ever wanted to fulfill her dream of one day becoming a victor. She opened her eyes to see Marvel's half-open gazing right back at her. She pulls away and burrows her head into his chest, silently promising she will stay until the end.
"Be mine." He whispered, his hands clamped around her. Clove didn't move, didn't open her eyes. She knew what he wanted, and she knew what she, herself wanted. Instead she clung tighter to him and fought back the tears. She didn't reply; she didn't have to. Marvel knew the answer from the moment she tightened her grip. Forever. She sang in her head.
"Clove? We have to go." Brutus was stood with half of his body through the open door. Marvel was the first to lift his head, and began to step back, but Clove wouldn't unlock her grip. Instead, Marvel scooped her up once again and swiftly passed Brutus over to the lift, where he gently set her to her feet. He backed up to stand beside Cashmere as she waved them off, and just as the lift began to excel, Clove caught the words Marvel had mouthed. 'Stay awake'. Butterflies flourished in her stomach. Cato bent down and his brow had creased in confusion.
"What are you smiling at, Shorty?" He murmured. She shook her head and passed by him when the doors opened, headed straight for her room. Piper had vanished and so was the untidy pile of dresses in the center of the room. It was up to Clove to wipe away the make-up. She viciously scrubbed at it until it was nowhere to be seen and her face was bright red. Her rushed fingers didn't take a minute in whipping out her braid. The dress was difficult though, the strips of ribbon holding the entire thing together refused to come loose. Kicking off the heels, she sat impatiently on her bed whilst the ribbons knotted even more.
"Need some help with that?" A familiar voice muttered from the open balcony door. Clove smiled, even with her back to the figure, she knew who it was. Letting her arms drop to her sides, she heard the scuffing of boots across the wood towards her. Cold fingers carefully worked away at the ribbons, occasionally skimming her waist. Clove inhaled his sweet scent, mixed with the cold air outside. Finally the hands drew away and the dress dangerously dangled from her shoulders, threatening to reveal everything to him. He chuckled from behind her, he kissed her neck.
"I won't peep." Marvel then scooted to the other side of the room, sarcastically covering his eyes with his hands.
"Good enough for me." Clove skipped over to the drawer with her night clothes in. Without even checking what it was, she whipped out an oversized t-shirt and pondered over to the distant corner of the room. Too tired to care, she let the dress fall from her shoulders and down to her ankles. Snuggling in the warmth of the t-shirt, she soon turned to find Marvel's coat slung on her bed and he was stood there in a t-shirt of his own –only it fitted- and some dark trousers. Clove watched him in the twilight, from here she could just make out the traces of his chest underneath his shirt, and his secure arms bare for her to easily make out. His eyes even seemed to glow in the dark, watching her from his spot at the corner of the bed.
"Can I kiss you?"
"Since when have you asked before?"
"Point taken." And there he was, swooping over and lifting her off the floor. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her hands caressing his jawbone. He held her waist and refused to let go, even when she unlocked her grip and slid to the floor. Silently and emotionlessly Clove stumbled in the darkness towards the bed, burrowing herself within the covers.
"Can I stay here?"
"No." But nothing she said was going to change what he did next. She heard the clunk of heavy boots bounce along the floor and distinct shuffling. Before she knew it, Marvel had also dived into the covers, with only his trousers on. Clove tightened the ball she had laid in when his arm snaked her closer.
"Get out."
"No." He challenged, settling his head down on the pillows, "These pillows are much nicer that mine."
"Why are you such a dick."
"Why are you so small."
"It's genetic."
"It's you." For some reason, Clove didn't react to him unfolding her from the ball she had formed and she obediently lay beside him. Giggling from the other side of the door suggested that Marvel wasn't the only visitor to District 2's floor tonight. That relaxed Clove slightly, to know that she wasn't the only one breaking the rules. She let her arm slip around his torso, rising with it every time he inhaled. Cold fingers on her back made her open her eyes. He shifted her entire body so she was lying on top of him. She hummed viciously in response but took no physical action. Opening her eyes she traced his collarbone with one finger. Marvel locked her there, his heels on top of hers as he played with a lock of her now wavy hair. He planted a soft kiss her head, and that was the last thing she remembered before drifting off into a deep sleep.
The next morning, it was Clove to wake up first, still lying with Marvel, she shifted round onto her belly, to realize that the shirt from last night was in a pile at the end of the bed. That bastard. She leant forward and grabbed it once again, slinging it over herself, she worked around the sleeping Marvel, and cleared his top, socks, coat, boots and trousers Since when did he take THOSE off? And folded them neatly in a pyramid by the balcony door. Marvel rolled and fidgeted in his sleep as she brushed her teeth in the bathroom. The mirror on the opposite wall reflected him tossing and turning in the very early morning light. As she was about to clamber back into his arms, her stomach let out an almighty growl. Jumping back onto the floor, she clutched it in the hope it would quiet down and not wake him up. Food. It was too early to order an Avox, so Clove ventured out into the hallway. Cato's door was slightly open, and inside she could see two figures in the bed, probably naked. She cringed and moved on towards the kitchen when two voices halted her.
"Maybe we should hold him back just a tad. She's probably getting suspicious of it by now." It was clearly Brutus. And the other voice Cashmere. She peered around the corner to find them with mugs of hot drink and their backs to her.
"Hardly! She dotes on that boy! I think he's doing pretty good if you ask me, this is Clove we're talking about and it's a hard task to get by her." Cashmere countered. Clove felt an icy chill drag down her spine at the very mention of her name. What could they be talking about? Marvel? Do they know he spent the night?
"Yes I know that." Brutus raised his voice defensively. "But we assigned him to get to know her to use her as an ally, not a lover! She's only going to get hurt." Brutus on defense. But the words rattled through every bone, shaking it out of place and then moving on to the next. Her hands balled into fists and her whole body began to shake. He's been using me… He's been using me so I would be his ally… The words echoed in her head as she took a step backwards towards her room. I'm going to kill him.