Chapter 3: Getting to Know You
Pollux POV:
Two day after the shoot, Cressida invited me over we could go over the final cuts and program. "Well, it looks like we can submit it and expect it to air next week." Cressida said. I nodded. She typed a quick email to the people in the Communication Department in the Capitol. "Oh - um - Pollux?" She asked. I raised my eyebrows. "Um -" She paused. "I forgot if I thanked you for helping me - you know - after my bike fail, but um - thanks." I smiled.
You thanked me. I watch out for you. I signed giving Cressida a mischievous look. She laughed. Even though I have been an Avox for ten years, there are still times I wished I had my voice back. This was one of them. I wanted to say it in a half playful half serious voice. I felt like I could never tell her everything I really wanted to say through signs.
"Are you ok?" Cressida asked noticing I probably had a distant pondering look on my face.
Thinking. She smiled.
"You're good at thinking. If you need anything, let me know." I nodded. "Oh - by the way, how are you adjusting to living in Twelve? I don't know if I asked you that." Cressida asked. I paused and thought about it.
It's getting to be closer to home. Cressida nodded. I fiddled with a wound up cable on her desk in what we called our District 12 Headquarters which was really her home office. Peeta had suggested to open up more to Cressida if she asked me questions that didn't pertain to work. This would help her get to know me.
"Um - would you like some tea or anything? Heather made extra." I nodded. We went downstairs to the dining room. Sae was at the dining room table working on some accounting stuff from The Hob. "We won't bother you if we sit here, will we?" Cressida asked.
"Oh no - go on." Sae said. "In fact, I'd love to invite this strapping young man to dinner tonight." Sae smiled at me. I willed myself not to blush and was failing. Cressida was also blushing.
Thank you. I mouthed. I sat down and Cressida brought tea for both Sae and me. Living with Peeta is nice. Living across from you is nice too. I signed after Cressida sat down. She smiled.
"I'm glad you found a place where you can settle in." Cressida said. "I admit, I was wondering how you'd lug around all your stuff if you were always on the go with this job or your other job."
I don't have much stuff.I signed shrugging. I sipped my tea slowly.
Cressida POV:
Heather told me to try and talk to Pollux about more than work. To my surprise, I enjoyed chatting over tea. I realized we were friends even though I was his boss. My heart sank a bit when he told me he didn't have much stuff. Even in District 13, he only had his District 13 clothing and what he needed to film "Well, you probably don't have a whole closet of shoes like some women do." I quipped.
Two closets. Pollux signed shaking his head in disgust. I cleaned a house of a woman who had two closets of shoes once. I raised my eyebrows.
"Well - I never went overboard with that stuff. I was too busy collecting electronic trinkets." Pollux smiled. He mimed taking a picture. "Yeah - I had about five different cameras as a kid - not all at once - but - in succession." I suddenly felt flustered. Here I was gloating about what I had to a former slave of the Capitol where I had lived for so long. "I - I guess - even that was a bit much." I admitted.
I grew up in the Capitol too. We all were a bit excessive.Pollux signed. He smiled reassuringly and reached over toward me. He put his hand on top of mine, and I smiled trying not to stare bug-eyed at him as the electricity from his touch shot up my arm. Castor and I collected movies. We also had a video-camera. He grinned slyly. My first video shoot was when Castor and I secretly filmed our neighbor doing a terrible purple-dye job on her hair. Both of us started laughing. We were 11.
"I bet that must've been hilarious! Did you ever show her?" I asked.
I put the video chip in an envelope and put it in her mailbox. We chuckled some more and I high-fived him. I should go start dinner. Pollux signed.
"Ok - well - if you want - I made - ground beef stew." I paused trying not to blush. "Um - it's up to you."
"Yeah, Cress got carried away and cooked tons!" Heather said coming through the door. I restrained myself from chucking my tea-cup at her. My roommates wanted me to confess my undying love to Pollux ASAP. "So pull up a seat."
I need to see if Peeta was planning on telling me anything during dinner. Pollux signed. The tea was very good.
"See you soon!" Sae called as the front door closed.
"So, better get the plates out and make the table nice for your dinner date!" Heather squealed.
"HEATHER! He's eating with all of us I don't think it constitutes a date!" I yelped.
"Close enough." Heather said. I opened my mouth to protest when the door opened again.
Am I still invited? Pollux asked. I nodded. Peeta and Katniss were there and I would've just been the third wheel.
"Well, four's company!" Sae said once I got done translating. "Pull up a chair!" I pulled out my stew grinning to myself. I had planned having Pollux over for dinner since he had casually mentioned that Katniss had began eating over at Peeta's house more. "Wow - everything literally melts in your mouth." Sae said. "Cress let this soak for most of the afternoon." She explained. We passed around the mashed squash. Suddenly I wondered if Pollux could sense that I cooked everything especially for him to swallow easily and I wondered if that made him feel weird.
"Well, I'm terrible at estimating how long stuff needs to cook, and so I didn't want to be serving dinner at midnight." I explained. That was also true.
"Yeah, once we had breakfast for lunch - unintentionally of course - because Cress forgot that the cinnamon rolls had to rise." Heather pointed out. Pollux laughed.
This is very good.He signed as he took second helpings of everything.
Pollux POV:
Dang. Cressida can cook! Sure, I figured that she made easy to swallow food for me, but I didn't take it as pity. I was sort of flattered that she would do that. Looking back, I realized back in 13 when she would order rations for us on missions, she made sure we had some soup of some kind or mashed potatoes with vegetables or meat in side them on hand. Castor and I would split the stuff, I think so I wasn't the only one eating them. I did eat regular food at the dining hall, but it was nice having effortless food on the go. Sae and Heather had started to pick up on my signs, because Cressida didn't have to translate for me the whole meal. Though around her friends, I can still get a bit shy and not talk as much. We finished the meal, and I tried to help clean up, but her roommates insisted Cressida as the cook and I as the guest should relax in the living room while they tidied up.
Cressida POV:
I tried to find something to talk about while Pollux and I let our dinners digest as we hung out in the living room. Pollux kept on smiling at me which would make me mildy flustered and giggly. I finally settled on breaking out the checkers that were in a box under the coffee table. Soon we were engrossed in a game. Seeing as I was still distracted, Pollux beat me spectacularly. I giggled and tried to supress a yawn as he moved his last piece to my end of the board. I should go to bed. I work my piping job tomorrow. Pollux signed.
"Ok." I said. "Thanks again for staying for dinner."
Thanks for cooking. You're amazing. I smiled.
"I - well - thanks." I stammered. Pollux gave me a quick hug and I walked him elbow in elbow to the door. "Um - come by soon? Just - to visit?" Pollux eagerly signed yes before walking across the street to his and Peeta's house. I could hear my roommates snickers as I kept the door open until he was well inside. I'd yell at my roommates later for teasing me, but right now, I was too much in a giddy mood to think of anything else.