RATED M! Ok this is kinda different it has Thresh's POV so that's new…and this chapter contains the FIRST LEMON! So don't read if you don't like sex I guess Thank you for reading!
Rianne POV:
Blocking out the interviews was painfully easy. I didn't want to hear what the other had to say, the less I heard the better; the last thing I needed was growing to like the other tributes. Liking them would only result in making them harder than it would already be. That is I was doing a great job until she got on stage. Ceaser wasn't holding back at all as he questioned Tala about Thresh. She remained cool, calm, and collected. You never knew who had the upper hand as this tricky battle raged on.
Tala deflected most of the questions and held out until the last moment before she was forced to confess Thresh was the object of her affection. She did this skillfully and I had to give credit where it was due, she also had impeccable taste. Thresh was incredibly sexy, he was bronze and muscular with sharp features. He was definitely a God among men. They were a fitting pair; she was after all the most irresistible girl to ever walk the earth. Hell, by the end of her interview I was questioning my sexuality. Then I looked at Peeta and was certain once again that I was straight.
For an unnaturally long time I looked back and forth between the two but suddenly it was my turn to go.
"So Rianne what was up with that low training score?" Ceaser asked, done with beating around the bush.
"I guess I'm just not as talented as some of the other tributes," I whined innocently. I batted my eye lashes to portray wide eyed oblivion and I heard a snort of laughter from the tribute side of the stadium. I knew that it was Peeta. I guess I couldn't fool everyone with this routine; even him, especially him.
"Aw well you never know things could turn around for you yet," Ceaser promised without hope.
"I certainly hope so." The rest of the interview continued in much the same fashion, him reassuring me I still had a chance and me sniffing my half-hearted agreement. When the buzzer finally sounded I scampered off stage, eager to be done.
"Be sweet," I hissed to Mallard as he stood up. Mallard was charming and child like just as I had instructed and once his interview was over I let myself zone out. These tributes would make jokes, I would laugh and BAM! We had a mild connection making it harder to slaughter them.
It wasn't until District 11 came about that I paid any sort of attention. Thresh had all but literally killed himself on that stage—or the more accurate comparison would be him jumping in front of a spear aimed at Tala. My natural reaction was is there no end to what men will do for a hot girl? But I saw something in Thresh. Maybe he really didn't see her as the sex symbol the Capitol perceived.
Thresh POV:
I wasn't sure why my anger flared when he referred to her as my accomplishment. I shouldn't care so deeply for the beautiful girl with the sinister smile. I shouldn't be so furious that her designer put her in that outfit, and I shouldn't be in love with her. The word "love" brought me up short even in the console of my own mind but that didn't detract from its truth.
"Well Thresh getting off that touchy subject—what are your major talents? Anything in particular that could persuade some sponsors to pick you?" Well that was blunt of him.
I knew what my mentor would have me say, and I knew what would help me gain sponsors but as I thought back to Tala's interview—and the lack of reasons why a sponsor would choose her I knew what I would do.
"I can fight. I'm strong, and I know how to feed myself. But my main goal will be keeping Tala alive. If you really want a decent investment put your money on her. She's going to make it until the end," I vowed in an unwavering voice. Gasps of shock sounded around me.
"Even if it kills you?" Ceaser exclaimed in disbelief.
"That's what I'm counting on," I countered. My eyes wandered to Tala only to find tears coursing down her pretty face, and her head shaking back and forth in a sort of stubborn denial.
"That's an extremely bold statement Thresh. Didn't you kind of just sentence yourself to death?" Ceaser practically whispered.
My first thought was haven't your people kind of done that anyway you powder blue baboon? But since I still retained a small fragment of reasonable sense I answered more appropriately.
"Better me then her," I muttered just as the timer sounded.
Rianne POV:
I watched the girl from District 12 with great interest, she was after all Peeta's companion and I wanted to see her angle in this competition. Her interview was that of a bubbly, immature little girl as she twirled and giggled in that pretty dress.
She was undoubtedly pretty and I felt she would be fierce competition, after all her training score was unheard of, but something about her rubbed me the wrong way. I felt some sort of unexplainable animosity towards her, maybe it was the fact that she got to spend so much time with Peeta and I was denied the chance to even get to know him. I clapped and laughed and smiled at all the right moments but I still felt like a clone until he walked up.
He had this aura of confidence. From the moment his mouth opened he had the audience. Ceaser was laughing and joking with Peeta like they were old friends. I watched in fascination as he answered the questions with ease, until the very end.
"So Peeta is there any lucky girls back home that captured your interest?"
"Yes, just one girl to be exact."
"Ah well let's hope you can win and return to her."
"Well in my case winning wouldn't really help," Peeta whispered.
"Oh and why not?" Ceaser exclaimed.
"Because she came here with me." Whoa huge bomb dropped, crowd going insane, my heart: plummeting.
I looked over at Katniss, she was flushed. I couldn't breathe, my vision was blurring, I blinked back the unshed tears with determination. I would not show emotion, I would not show weakness. I looked Peeta straight in the eye. His expression showed remorse but I didn't care, I smiled to show my congrats at his new forbidden love. His shoulders sagged when he saw my forced grin.
I would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd broken me with that simple sentence. He looked at me with longing and I couldn't take it. How could he look at me like that but confess his undying love for her? Holding in sobs I stood, smiled weakly at him once more, and bolted. Once I was out of sight I ran for the elevator. I ran blindly, not being able to see through my now falling tears. I was almost to the elevator when I felt a sharp tug on my elbow.
"Why are you following me?" I hissed at Peeta.
"As if you don't know Rianne."
"No I don't know so why don't you inform me," I snarled.
"Rianne your amazing ok but me and Katniss need each other. If we work together one of us could make it. I'm strategizing here. But I care about you more then you could fathom… isn't that enough?"
"No Peeta…it isn't," I murmured, getting into the elevator and leaving him there, stunned.
Tala POV:
Tears fell steadily onto my borrowed jacket. My hands shook with unyielding terror as I recalled what had just happened. I ran towards the elevator, my escape. I had just reached the door when I felt a strong hand grab my wrist and yank me backwards, I fell hard against Thresh's chest. I jerked out of his hold with ease since he wasn't trying to keep me against my will.
I punched the button to the elevator and turned my back towards him.
"Tala what I did might earn a lot of things but I really don't think I deserve this. I did it for you…" he spoke softly, taking a step in my direction.
"If you really wanted to do something for me you would have used your interview to earn you a fair chance in the Games. You went out there and sentenced yourself to death," I hissed, still refusing to meet his eye. I heard him sigh in a kind of amused defeat before his arms encircled my waist.
"Does what I want count for nothing? Because I don't want to live one more second without you." He whispered in my ear. I guess the kiss we'd shared earlier had dismissed any inhabitations he'd once possessed about succumbing to what he felt. I let my eyes close and my head fell against him.
"Maybe you won't have to," I murmured. I heard the elevator doors open and interlaced his fingers with mine, dragging him into the elevator with me. "Press four," I ordered Thresh before I shoved him against one of the walls. I didn't watch as his fingers raked the numbers. I began trailing hot kisses down his neck, slowly returning to his lips and moaning in pleasure as his mouth captured mine.
I loved that I could feel his smile as he kissed me. As he ran his tongue along the curve of my lips I parted for him immediately, savoring the feel of his tongue exploring my mouth, claiming everything it touched.
"Door…open," he panted out. I raised my eyebrow and looked towards the open doors. I knew what would happen if I pulled Thresh along with me, and I knew that this decision might ultimately hurt me…kill me in the Games. As my eyes darted from his face to the now closing elevator door I made my choice. I clasped hands with him and began to lead him to my room.
"Come," I beckoned softly. I could just make him out in the dim lighting the hall offered. All the while I didn't take my hazel eyes away from his golden brown orbs. He seemed to be paralyzed with lust as he studied me. "Thresh," I said softly when he made no move to follow. I noted that this came out as a moan and smiled inwardly when he began to move towards me. Thresh walked swiftly, as he always did, but now in the silent night his heavy footfalls sounded exceptionally loud, and made him seem extraordinarily powerful.
I let my hand lock around the cold steel of the door knob and twist. The door swung open a mere second before Thresh's lips came crashing down on mine. I patted the wall to my right and blessedly found the light switch quickly. My other hand fell from the wooden door and traveled upwards to thread itself in his silky black hair. I felt my legs press against the edge of the bed and didn't complain when Thresh nudged me down. I fell with a slight thud on the plush bed and watched as Thresh kicked the door closed. "Shirt. Off," I was really starting to appreciate this whole 'communicating like cave man' thing and when he obeyed with a slight smile I started to really appreciate it. I stared openly at the tantalizing planes of his astounding six pack abs. The light was much better here than it was in the hall and I could see with perfect clarity the God that stood before me.
He leaned down until his lips were directly next to my left ear. I felt his warm breath tickle it softly as he repeated my comment in a voice I would never be lucky enough to master. "Shirt. Off." In the presence of his flawless body even I felt a slight twinge of doubt as his warm hand hooked the hem of my shirt and slowly raised the fabric above my head. A blush colored my cheeks as he gazed at me openly but the adoration in his eyes made mockery of my modesty. It seemed for a moment that he would be content to simply look at me for the rest of the night but after a few seconds I felt his soft lips on mine once more and couldn't deny how his kisses made me forget all about my severe troubles. We were silent for a moment; the only noise that could be heard was the sound of his alluring lips moving in sync with mine.
"Pants…off," I gasped quietly, turning my head away so his mouth was pressed against my cheek, when my burning loins couldn't take it any longer. I could feel his smirk against my skin as he raised himself up just far enough to strip off the rest of his clothing. When he discarded it carelessly to the side of the room I felt my body tense in anticipation. Thresh's skilled fingers brushed the skin of my neck, slowly traveling lower until his fingertips pressed lightly into my abdomen and inserted themselves into the waistband of my pants.
"Your turn?" he asked almost inaudibly. I closed my eyes tightly and with a decisive shake of my head gave him permission to remove my Capitol made, unfamiliar dress. I lifted my hips as Thresh slid off my slutty garment, taking his sweet time to remove my black laced underwear. After extracting this article of clothing with almost painful precision he ran his hand down the length of my leg stopping only when he delicately touched the small bundle of nerves that yearned for him so desperately. My hips bucked without my permission and one of those special, seductive smiles Thresh saved just for me appeared on his face, washing away the previous look of intense concentration.
"Why must you always look so serious?" I said breathlessly. He began to lower himself once again and as he kissed my shin kindly I found myself completely enthralled with a part of him directly south of his devilishly appealing face. Why oh why does this have to be my first time? There is no way in all hell he'll fit! What was I thinking? Honestly? I think I'd rather die a virgin. That would be better than not being able to sit down tomorrow! I tore my eyes away from the intimidating specimen only to find that Thresh had been keeping pace with my thoughts.
"I won't hurt you. I'll be gentle," he promised in such a loving voice I lost all fear right then and there.
"I trust you," I whimpered honestly as he positioned himself at my entrance. He looked up at me from under dark lashes and gave me one last smoldering kiss before slowly pumping into me. HE LIED! Was my natural reaction and it came instinctive and strong. It hurt and hurt bad, but somehow I knew he wasn't trying to cause me pain.
"Are you ok?" he asked instantly alarmed by my tensing muscles and lack of witty remark made to ruin a heartfelt moment. You're gonna die soon anyway. Might as well make his last few days spectacular…I thought grimly as I met his pleading gaze.
"Fine," I assured with a smile (that probably looked very much like a grimace.) When he still looked unconvinced and began to pull away from me I clutched at his arm with desperate fingers. "Please Thresh just…don't stop," I said through clenched teeth. His eyes locked with mine and I knew he understood. I needed this, to make him happy, almost as much as he needed me. With a brief nod of his head he continued with his ministrations on my tightly strung body. For the first agonizing fifteen minutes or so I was incapable of seeing past the searing pain but as time lapsed on I began to feel past the discomfort. I began to meet his slow paced thrust instead of leaning away from them. It still hurt but I could see past that now. I moaned when his palm closed around my bare hip as he shoved into me; for a moment forgetting his careful, timid interaction and letting his animalistic side take over. The sound of my moan just seemed to encourage him further and I bit my lip to keep silent as a different kind of bliss spread over me. I arched my back and clasped the sheets with a new found desperation.
"Thre—shh" I moaned. The whole 'biting my lip' tactic had failed the second his thumb found my sensitive bundle of nerves. At the sound of my plea he jammed his thumb in harder and started to rotate it counterclockwise. "Oh GOD!" I called out in ecstasy. I could feel my walls clenching around him and the surprise that I could even do something like that was overshadowed by my intense pleasure.
Apparently this was what he needed because Thresh gave his own grunt of delight, thrust into me a few more times and then collapsed beside me.
I turned to lie almost on top of him and kissed his naked shoulder as I waited for his breathing to slow. He graced me with another rare smile and placed a kiss on my forehead. I touched his cheek and noticed his entire body had a thin layer of sweat coating it. With a grin I ran my hand down past his cheek until it rested lightly on his moist chest.
"Tala?" he said in a husky voice that sent vibrations up my spine. It had been so quite up to that point any sound rather than moans of approval and grunts of satisfaction startled me.
"Mhm?" I asked, already succumbing to a pleasant haze that would fog my mind and make sleep possible tonight.
"I love you," he whispered back, running a finger up my exposed back. I don't know why it seemed like such a natural thing for him to say but my stalling brain didn't seem to find it odd at all.
"I love you too," I confided with no reluctance at all. And I did. Shit.