Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.
A/n: OK, this was not technically put up on 29th September but i'm pretending it was. Hope you enjoy!
14) Darius - Tapestry
"Another freezing day," Darius mutters to Purnia as he claps his hands together. "I may go down the Hob and see if there's anything to warm me up."
Purnia smiles slightly. "I thought you said you were always hot, Darius."
He smiles. "I'm always available for warming you up if you want," he says in a fake, seductive voice and puts his arm around her. She laughs as she dodges away from him.
"Of course you're always available, Darius. You have about fifteen years left of this?"
He nods. "Something like that." He rubs his hands together, still smiling. "And I don't intend to waste a single minute of it."
"Yes, because in District 12, the fun never stops," Purnia remarks dryly.
"You're grouchy. It's because you're cold," he says, nodding wisely. She glowers at him so he stops. "You don't sound like you're enjoying life here," he adds after a few more steps in glowering silence.
"Oh, no, I love being freezing cold with no work to do, people who hate me, low pay and no husband or kids allowed," she replies sarcastically.
"You just don't see the perks!"
She rolls her eyes. "Maybe I see too clearly. Come on, Darius. You're a Capitol boy . Do you really enjoy it here?" He opens his mouth. "And answer seriously!"
He opens his mouth to tell her that he does like it but something in her expression makes him pause and seriously think about the question. He's been working in the district for five years. Five long years. Long enough to form an opinion.
It hadn't been his greatest wish in life (or, indeed, a wish at all), to become a Peacekeeper but gambling away his money had caused serious debt. He could have paid it off with a tapestry which they had saved in his family's home. An ugly thing but worth a lot. Unfortunately (or so it seemed at the time) it was worth more to his father than his son's happiness. Darius only had one option left to him.
He spent the first few months dreaming about burning that tapestry. It was freezing in winter and too hot in the summer. His fellow Peacekeepers were miserable. He didn't actually want to go around catching anyone. And everyone hated him because of his uniform.
But things did improve. He soon discovered that he doesn't actually have to work here. No more than pretending to enforce the law and catching the occasional murderer/person speaking far too loudly against the Capitol. So one problem: solved. Once he made it clear that he wasn't really bothered about catching anyone as long as they didn't commit the crimes in front of him, people opened up. A few friends, a few pretty girls. And learning more about Panem than life in the Capitol could ever have given him – maybe not for the better but it makes him think more. Which can't be a bad thing, right?
In fact, by the end of his second year, he found that life in District 12 was actually quite fun and certainly better than the boredom of the Capitol (though he had never realised he was bored, he thinks now that he must have been). He doesn't have his luxurious lifestyle and it hurts his eyes and soul to see the people from the Seam but, overall, he thinks, the day his father fell in love with that tapestry was a good day for him.
"I'll enjoy it more once I'm warm," he answers with a wink. "And I'm already hot." He walks off, whistling, suddenly feeling even happier with life. Purnia rolls her eyes and follows him, masking the slight smile which plays on her face.