Chapter title comes from the song "Little Dark Age" by MGMT
General reminder that Theo's pronouns are she/it!
VIII.
For What You Stand to Gain
When Theo returned to training the next day, it was delighted to see the twins run up to it and ask if it was okay. Truffle and Saffron had been worrying, apparently, and despite Char and Bellatrix explaining, Saffron had still cried quietly in the corner of the training room yesterday and convinced herself that Theo was mad at her. Theo made sure to give the twins a little kiss on each forehead when they ran up to greet her, reassuring them that she wasn't mad, and everyone basically crowded around Theo and Bellatrix as Theo ran through some self-defence drills with her.
According to the twins, there was neither hide nor hair of Cyanea and Khoi yesterday. The career pack was left alone entirely, Bellatrix and Char able to focus on themselves, and Theo couldn't help the twinge of disappointment in her gut. Even today, as it ran through drills with Bellatrix on how to flip someone using their weight against them, it kept glancing around in search of the duo. But they both stayed by the foraging station and kept to themselves, never even giving the pack a glance. Khoi's face was far less swollen, that was for sure, but their wrist was wrapped in a bandage to the point where only one hand was actually usable.
By the time the third day of training came to an end, Theo was disappointed to find that the alliance didn't grow two sizes. She'd been so confident that things would turn out okay, that Cyanea would understand Theo's intentions a bit better, but it supposed this was how things were sometimes. Theo was just glad to see Khoi improving, and it hoped that they did well enough during the private session tomorrow morning and that their face stopped swelling in time for interviews.
If only Theo could talk to the duo confidently. She had some tricks for reducing swelling that didn't involve ice baths…
It was when Theo and Char were about to leave the training hall for the District Two lobby that someone did stop the group, and Theo had her hopes high as she turned to face whoever had called out. It wasn't Cyanea, but the person jogging over was just as sought after for the alliance.
Fortuna had her hair tied up in twin buns, and some loose strands were stuck to her forehead from the hard work she'd done during training. Theo hadn't seen which station Fortuna had been at, too focused on trying to see where Cyanea and Khoi were at any given moment, but it looked like she'd worked up quite a sweat at her station today. She doubled over and tried to catch her breath, and Theo didn't hesitate to offer her the water bottle it'd been given by the trainers midway through the day. She took the bottle and panted out a thanks, and Theo watched as Fortuna chugged the remaining water in one breath—three massive gulps that would make a competitive eater jealous.
"Thanks," Fortuna said again, sounding less drained. Bellatrix was approaching from behind her, and Theo saw her flexing her hands to try and keep them from going stiff. Before Bellatrix could pass her by, Theo stopped her and held her hands up to its face to inspect them. No blisters, which was good, but the palms were a bit red from all the work they'd been put under this week. "Should I wait until interviews, or…?"
Theo was still holding and staring at Bellatrix's hands while it replied, "No, no, you can stay. I just have to…"
Her words trailed off as she checked between each finger. Pretty alright… It didn't look like Bellatrix would injure herself on the weapons any time soon. The blacksmithing really did her favours.
"Will I ever hold a hammer again, Doc?" Bellatrix asked. It was easy to tell her tone was joking, but Theo still felt the urge to correct her regardless. Theo was the farthest thing from a doctor around here. Maybe one of those nurses who used old wives' remedies for little things, but certainly not a medical professional.
"Why wouldn't you?" Theo replied.
Bellatrix smiled at her, a half-grin that gave up on the joke with Theo's question, and Bellatrix shrugged and pulled her hands back. "Maybe I want to be dramatic. How scandalous would it be, for the Capitol's blacksmith to hang up her anvil at the ripe old age of eighteen?"
"Eighteen is young," Theo mumbled. It looked at Fortuna and smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Did you call out for something?"
Fortuna glanced between them. Behind Theo, Char tapped its shoulder and whispered that he was heading back for a shower. Theo nodded, not even turning around, and waved over her shoulder at him.
After a few seconds of silence, Fortuna seemed to be lost for words as she threaded her hands together and bounced them on one of her thighs.
"I… don't know," she admitted. Theo blinked, mildly surprised by the answer. Surely Fortuna had an idea of something she'd called out for. Was she ashamed to say it out loud?
Behind Fortuna, Theo spied the figures of Khoi and Cyanea talking with a trainer about something. Theo could hear the figurative lightbulb above its head flicker to life, and it looked back to Fortuna with a bright smile.
"I completely forgot," Theo laughed softly. "Thank you for the other day."
"What?" Fortuna looked at it with a puzzled expression. Bellatrix was just as confused, staring at Theo with wide eyes.
"For getting Khoi out of the bathroom," Theo chirped. Fortuna's cheeks began to turn red, her gaze dropping to the floor in record time, and Theo didn't miss the way Bellatrix tensed up beside it. "I was worried about how to get them out without Montresor stopping me. And you testified about who instigated, didn't you?"
Fortuna opened her mouth, only to shut it and puff out her cheeks anxiously. Eventually, she said, "How do you know I sided with you about it?"
That was a good question. Theo rocked back and forth on its heels as it gave its reasoning.
"Well, the Gamemakers never asked me what happened," she explained. "And Khoi was the victim in it all. But you were the one who prioritised Khoi instead of anyone else I attacked, so I figured you were more concerned with doing the right thing."
"Hold on a second." Bellatrix held up a hand, silencing Theo. She didn't look very pleased. "Sorry, but I don't buy that Little Miss Luxury had good intentions with what happened. You had every chance to sit out of the hazing, missy, and from what I hear, you were just standing there and letting it happen the whole time."
Fortuna glared at the floor. She pursed her lips, and Theo couldn't help noticing how pink they were. Was that their natural hue? They'd look so nice with gloss coating them, Theo thought idly.
"Look, if you did put in a good word for Theo, I'll thank you for it," Bellatrix went on. "But the fact remains that you condoned the action in the beginning. You might have Theo eating out of your hand, but don't think I forgot how you treated it when it jumped off the chariot for your sake."
That just made Fortuna look even more remorseful, her pained glare glued to her feet as her knuckles turned white. She was holding her hands so tightly together that Theo was worried they'd pop at the joints.
Theo wanted to say something nice, to reassure Fortuna, but all it could think to do was reach out and lightly hold Fortuna's hands in her own. Fortuna flinched, but didn't pull away. Eventually Theo felt her grip relax in the other teen's hands.
Fortuna let out a steeling sigh and nodded slightly.
"Yeah," she agreed. "I was pretty complicit with that. And it's no excuse, but… When you grow up being told to just let boys be boys and that you'll never be taken seriously if you lash out when you don't get your way, it becomes so easy to just keep saying no but let yourself be dragged along regardless."
Theo's thumb rubbed Fortuna's fingers gently. Fortuna slowly began to untangle her hands, and she instead grabbed onto Theo's and gave them a hopeful squeeze.
"But you know what?" she asked Theo and Bellatrix. She finally looked up from the floor, and Theo wanted to scream in delight at the fire in her eyes. "I'm sick of worrying about looking like a bitch just to save this bastard's ego from being damaged. And I'm sick of him acting like he owns me—like I owe him my time just because I dared to be pretty in his presence."
Fortuna gripped Theo's hands tightly as she looked up into Theo's eyes. From its peripheral, it could see Bellatrix shift on her feet and prop a hand on her hip. "It may not have been a big deal, what you did, but it was a wake-up call for me," Fortuna went on. "You jumped right in and kicked some ass for the sake of someone you barely knew, and you looked damn good doing it. And I don't think anyone would call you a bitch for it. So why can't I do the same? I put in a ton of hard work at the Academy. Why should I just let that prick do what he wants, all because he's upset I rejected him?"
"This pity party is getting old—" Bellatrix muttered.
"This is a cry for help," Fortuna cut her off. "And I want help squashing the other career pack. Just as long as you leave Montresor for me to finish off."
Theo couldn't help it. She looked at Bellatrix, still holding Fortuna's hands, and she let out an excited squeak.
Bellatrix rolled her eyes and didn't say anything.
"Training score cocoa!" Birdella cheered. "Come get your training score cocoa!"
They held a platter of mugs in their hands, six towering hot chocolates topped with whipped cream and chocolate sticks held out to the group on the couch. Ajax sat the farthest from everyone else, sulking on the arm of the couch as he took his hot chocolate quietly, but everyone else was gathered in the middle and curled up around pillows as they waited for the training scores to be announced.
Private sessions had gone relatively well. Theo had showcased its skills with a spear, mowing down training dummies with a magari yari before showing her precision throws with the forked spear confidently. Char had challenged a trainer to a duel, and apparently he'd cut at the trainer's armour a few times before the duel came to an end. Bellatrix, not to be left out of her skilled teammates' showcase, had picked up a giant sledgehammer and smashed her way through bricks and cinder blocks with relative ease. They didn't get to see the District One half of their alliance after their turns were over, but Truffle had been very confident and was hyping up Fortuna while Saffron chewed her nails down to fine points. Theo had had to take care of the performance anxiety on Saffron's part, and the redhead had been a bit more confident when it was her turn to show off her skills.
It was hard to get a read on Ajax, but even Theo could tell it was obvious that he was unhappy with his score being deducted for his conduct on the first day of training. Theo had tried to approach him and tell him to do his best, but Ajax had completely ignored it and sulked with his own alliance until his turn came and went.
"Any bets on who got what?" Desdemona asked the tributes.
"I bet Ajax got a one," Char said airily. Ajax coughed loudly and took a large swig of his hot chocolate.
"I think the three of you got elevens," Birdella chimed in. "And that, if we're to be generous, Ajax got an eight."
"Is that before or after the points are taken?" Gunner asked, curious.
"Depends how nice I'm feeling." Birdella shrugged and handed the last of the hot chocolates to Theo. "Right now, I'm saying after the deduction."
Theo blew on its hot chocolate and piped up, "Can we please be a bit kinder? Ajax worked hard today."
There was a small grumble from Bellatrix, but everyone seemed to quiet down and focus on the TV instead. It just felt unfair to be making fun of Ajax right in front of him, especially when he was already under a lot of stress and not sure of how many points would be taken from his private session score.
The TV played the program as scheduled. The host and the announcer were in high spirits, excited about taking a peek at tribute scores, and Theo could feel their enthusiasm. Despite missing a day of training, Theo had worked hard yesterday and today to make up for it and did her best to make sure she didn't fall behind the others. It wasn't a full week of training, but the week leading up to the arena launch was coming to a close. After these scores were revealed, all tributes had to return to their stylist teams and prepare for their interviews tonight with Vinay Ranjan in front of a live audience.
The opening segment was the same as every year—the host would announce how excited they were to the announcer, and the announcer would try to push the host to the topic of the hour as quickly as possible. Their usual song and dance lasted for all of five minutes, like it always did, and Theo sipped its hot chocolate as they began to run through the tributes by the pairs.
They started with the twins, talking about how good it was that Truffle had blonde hair so that they could tell the twins apart. They showed a picture of Truffle's face first, and underneath it flashed a nine—her skills with a sword were almost on par with Char's from the looks of it. Char let out a similarly impressed sound, and he smirked as he looked at Theo.
"I might have some actual competition," he mused. "Hope you don't hold it against me, Teddy Bear."
"As long as you have fun," Theo joked.
Saffron's picture was put to the front next, and Theo couldn't help noting that she'd done her best to smile the exact same way Truffle had for their picture. The host hummed and nodded to himself, and then he declared that Saffron had scored an eight in training. Not bad, not terrible—but not the best a score could be, given that Saffron's specialty was throwing knives and daggers. It was the lowest score a career could get, but it was still an average career score.
Following the twins came Montresor and Fortuna. They displayed Fortuna's first, and the host made absolutely certain to preface by saying that Fortuna's weapon of choice was unorthodox and impressive all the same. And when her score, a solid ten, appeared on the screen, Theo briefly recalled the twins' mention of a meteor hammer. Those things required a lot of skill to wield—not because of the mace attachment at the end, but because of the chain length that had to be kept track of and manoeuvred properly so the weapon didn't hit the user. A ten was impressive.
Theo let out an interested hum, and Char glanced over at Ajax. Ajax didn't seem to react, eyes glued to the TV while his face was blank.
Montresor's score was next, and despite the hopes that he was all talk and no skill, there was no denying that the twins' information about him had been right too. They'd called him the top volunteer, the same title that Theo was granted in Two, and his score of eleven made it very clear that he was a threat to keep a close eye on. Ajax let out a low breath, seemingly relieved, and the trio on the couch tensed up in turn. And then, with a mournful expression, the host announced that "uncouth behaviour" during training pushed Montresor's score down by two. The eleven blipped into a nine, still higher than Saffron, and certainly still high enough to be sponsored.
Theo's only grievance was that showing the original score first barely served to punish Montresor for his transgression. The sponsors knew what he was supposed to be given, and Theo was certain that being told he was losing points for being a bad sport didn't make a difference when the original score was an eleven.
Still, it thought, at least the Gamemakers were being transparent about Montresor being punished for breaking the rules. Theo liked to think sponsors didn't appreciate rule breakers as much as strong contenders.
District Two came next, and it seemed they were saving Theo and Char for last. A picture of Bellatrix appeared on the screen, with Ajax minimised in the background, and Birdella and Desdemona both got excited as the host gushed about Bellatrix's talents and work for the Capitol. Even Theo couldn't deny that Bellatrix's work was excellent—she'd pointed out to Theo just the day before that a spear she'd wielded at the spear station was made by Bellatrix, and she smaller girl had even pointed to the signature on the pommel that she put on all of her blades.
When the host finally got to Bellatrix's score, Theo could barely process it before hearing Desdemona cheer and jump up from the couch. She was chanting, "Ten, baby, ten!"
Birdella joined her, though they instead clung to Bellatrix from behind the couch and ruffled her hair in approval. For a career with no training, a ten was a miracle score. Theo puffed out its chest and felt proud of itself. It liked to think that a lot of the work Theo had put into preparing Bellatrix over the past few days had played a big part in it all. She looked at Bellatrix and beamed at her, and Bellatrix smiled back with a shy blush as Birdella continued to cheer.
They barely quietened when Ajax's image was put at the centre, but Theo paid attention. It watched as Ajax was given a solid score of eight, and Theo wondered just what Ajax had done to get the same score as Saffron. She'd seen him hover near the archery station, so maybe that was what he was proficient with. But then Theo's expression dropped as the host groaned, and Ajax's score blipped from an eight to a six.
Ajax didn't even wait for comfort, not even when Theo called after him. He jumped off the couch and stormed to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him, and Theo felt a tug at its heart at the sight of his outburst. He'd worked hard to at least contend for this chance, and now he was being given a below average score because he'd done the wrong thing. Certainly, he deserved repercussions, but seeing his hard work be reduced to a six was enough to make Theo pity him.
A hand landed on Theo's shoulder. Char shook it out of its glum stupor, and Theo tried to smile at him. He looked doubtful, and Theo figured that was why he told her, "He would've kept the eight if he'd stayed out of the bullying. It's like you said—he had to face consequences before he seriously hurt someone."
Theo chewed its lip. It supposed… But the sight was no less difficult to watch.
Ajax's face disappeared from the screen, and then it was Theo and Char's turn. Theo was displayed first, and the host seemed impressed with the score on his notes. He looked at the announcer, nodding in approval, and underneath Theo's picture the number eleven appeared. Theo blinked, in a daze, but the number quickly sank in when the host announced this score wouldn't be deducted. Theo jumped up to her feet, mindful not to drop her hot chocolate, and let out the same cheer that Desdemona had before. Even Gunner was on his feet—standing on the couch, of course—as Char let out a howl of laughter and congratulated Theo.
"I was so close to a twelve," Theo gasped. So close, that perfect score just a breath away. This could've been so much better, so much more accomplishing, if Theo had gotten that perfectly rounded score.
"Oh, you don't want a twelve," Desdemona informed Theo. "They give those to the tributes they want everyone else to kill on sight. Eleven is the highest legitimate score."
Really? Even the Gamemakers were prone to dirty tricks like that? Theo furrowed its brows and took a sip of its drink, just in time for the host to pull Char's photo to the forefront.
He had his signature dimpled smile in his photo, and Theo idly thought that Caeneus would be adoring the photo from the comfort of home right now. Char was on the edge of his seat, anxious and waiting to see what his score was. The host raised his brows and adjusted his glasses, and he let out an incredulous laugh when he announced Char's score: An eleven.
Everyone in the lobby erupted into cheers. Desdemona was laughing as she swung an arm around both Char and Theo and pressed kisses to their cheeks. Birdella was chanting, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" over and over in excitement, only breaking pattern to say that District Two was a shoe-in for victor this year. Gunner, awkward as he was, did a little dance on the couch as he clapped every few seconds. Even Bellatrix was joining in, laughing the hardest Theo had heard her as she watched Gunner dance with joy on the other side of the couch.
They completely missed District Three's scores in their celebration. They also missed part of District Four's scores, only tuning back in when the first pair was done being evaluated. The excitement of the scores had gotten them carried away, and Birdella was the only one who really had anything to do now that the scores were announced for the District Two team. They hurriedly headed for the door, a phone in their hand and dialling a number with their thumb, and Birdella called to the mentors to inform them of any outer District threats with scores higher than a nine.
Everyone calmed down a little more after that. The hot chocolate was finished off as the second half of District Four's scores were revealed—a five for Khoi, very low for a career, and a typical ten for Cyanea. Theo did feel disappointed that the plan to recruit the duo for the alliance, and the career pack would definitely feel less complete—less rounded—than if Cyanea and Khoi had agreed. But as a consolation, now there was a guarantee that they'd be independent and never interact with Montresor's pack in the future. Hell, if Cyanea was the protective type, she'd probably defend Khoi from the pack with her two bare hands.
And that was enough to reassure Theo that there might be a chance. If they could just get more ranged fighters with a spear and a trident, everything would be evenly rounded out.
If only.
After hours of prep that Theo had never believed would need to go into an interview, she was stunned by her reflection in the mirror. The ballgown that had been chosen for it was something to admire from afar under normal circumstances, but the way it fit on Theo made it seem like it was made for her. And to be fair, it quite literally was. But the way Theo looked like a pink rose in bloom, like royalty about to walk onstage—it was enough to boost even Theo's already high confidence to greater heights.
The sweetheart neckline was maybe a bit much, but the detached sleeves reaching its elbows and the large skirt layered like petals were so gorgeous that Theo almost wanted to take the dress home. How nice would it look if they altered it to be a wedding dress? Could people back home style Theo's hair up in a low and loose bun like this if they tried? Could they get the rose wreath crown just the same?
Theo stared at her reflection and admired the eyeshadow and lipstick with a small smile. Even the pink diamond earrings she wore were luxurious, and the stylists had been kind enough to repurpose Theo's velvet crochet yarn as a bracelet while Theo wore its father's signet ring. In its place, a pink diamond necklace hung around Theo's neck, and Theo felt even more like royalty as it watched the gemstones glisten under the light. The stylists were thankfully not forcing her to wear high heels, so Theo was still its usual six-one as it twirled on the spot and watched the skirt flare out.
The door to the dressing room opened, and when Theo turned around, she saw Char waiting for her in the doorway. He was busy buttoning up his blazer, eyes down on his suit—it was the same shade as soft pink that most of Theo's dress was, the only accents being his black bowtie and the patterns on his loafers. When he looked up, though, Char paused and stared at Theo with his mouth agape.
"Is it okay?" Theo asked, nervous as the silence stretched out. The stylists hovered, hoping to hear feedback, and Char quickly shook his head and cleared his throat.
"If Betty doesn't eat you right up when we get home," he declared, "then I might just have to negotiate a throuple with Caeneus."
Theo snorted a laugh. "You're both gay," she reminded him.
"And the only 'taken' our friend will be at this point is 'for granted'." Char walked into the dressing room and held out an arm for Theo to take. Theo linked its arm around his smoothly and he pressed a kiss to its cheek. Theo leaned over and did the same, unable to hold back her broad smile. "Let's go wow the crowd. And maybe my sister, while we're at it."
"I feel really pretty," Theo confessed. "Do you think this is how people who put in a ton of effort in the morning feel?"
Char grinned. "Yes, that is how I feel."
Theo let out another laugh. Char was in good spirits tonight—and to be fair, so was she. They walked out of the room together and followed the hall towards the stage, Peacekeepers watching their every move, and every so often they'd spot someone else walking the same path. Theo was quick to notice that each pair had to stay together throughout the whole interview, and Birdella had done a good job of letting the team know that there'd simply be twenty-four pair interviews rather than forty-eight solo ones.
Theo did spot Fortuna and Montresor in the distance, Fortuna dressed in a gold form-fitting gown that looked like wings wrapping around her body. Montresor was in all white, hair slicked back and a stern expression on his face, and he didn't even spare Char and Theo a glance as they walked near each other to the line. Fortuna waved around Montresor to them, and Theo waved back—and then Montresor tried to slap her hand back down, she grabbed him by the wrist and bent it backwards without a shred of hesitation. Montresor scowled, and Theo didn't miss the bruise on his wrist from all the other times Fortuna probably had to do that.
Bellatrix and Ajax were standing next to each other sourly by the time Theo and Char made it to them. Bellatrix's dress was a lovely white dress with black embroidery over the bodice and along the front of the skirt, while Ajax wore a blue, black and white three-piece tuxedo. They didn't quite match, not quite coordinated together by the stylists, but Bellatrix didn't seem to mind. She kept to herself until her friends arrived, and then they stood together with Ajax just a small distance away while the interviews began.
The twins were the first to go out on stage with Vinay Ranjan. They waved and curtsied at the crowd, and their dresses reminded Theo of their chariot outfits with how bedazzled they were. The material looked like it'd be nice to touch, and Theo hummed as she debated asking them later to feel their dresses. It looked like the material was velvet, but Theo couldn't be entirely sure.
Vinay was as energetic as usual, their excitement over twins who did the same thing together giving him something to grasp onto with the interview. Despite getting the bare basics out of the twins—who volunteered, what made Saffron pick Truffle to bring with her, how their lives back in One were—Vinay kept returning to their twin gimmick. Theo watched the screen above the entrance to the stage, and it didn't miss the way Truffle got uncomfortable as Saffron continued to brag about how they were both one person.
When the topic came to Truffle's hair and how their parents had forced them to bleach it, Truffle cut in nervously and said, "A—Actually, I asked if I could bleach it. I guess they told Saffron she wasn't allowed to do the same since they could finally tell us apart once I changed my hair colour."
Saffron was appalled, but not in the way Char seemed to be expecting. She hugged her sibling tightly and told them that when they got home, they could bleach Saffron's hair together and spite their parents. It was a touching moment, but Bellatrix and Char were looking at each other uneasily as the scene came to a close.
"What's wrong?" Theo asked them.
Char pursed his lips and coughed softly. "I don't think Truffle is happy about being Truffle and Saffron."
"I think she'd prefer if they were just Truffle and Saffron," Bellatrix agreed.
Theo gave them a confused look. They'd said the same thing, only emphasising different words, and it didn't help Theo to understand what they meant. It tugged on Char's arm, brows furrowed, and Char leaned over to whisper, "Truffle might not like being the same person as Saffron all that much."
Oh. Well, if Truffle wanted individuality, it made sense. But all of that would be easier if they just opened up to Saffron about it, Theo thought. And then Theo backtracked. Maybe Truffle had a hard time saying it outright for the same reasons Theo struggled to tell Betty it liked her outright—Truffle wasn't ready for whatever reaction Saffron might have, good or bad.
That wasn't good for the alliance. As much as Theo hated it, she'd have to make sure the twins didn't talk about the interview and its topics for as long as possible.
Montresor and Fortuna were next, and in the beginning Montresor took over the conversation. He bragged about how skilled he was with weapons and how he was the strongest from District One, and when Vinay pulled out a large piece of paper with the tribute relationship chart on it, he pointed to the duo's and noted that it was the only one with two different colours—black and red. Fortuna's expression soured immediately, and when Montresor tried to explain that they once had a fling, Fortuna was quick to cut him off and take over the conversation.
"I rejected you because you stalked me before asking me out," she said loudly, and Vinay was quick to drop his jaw in surprise as he continued to grin, excited for the truth to come out. "I told you no, repeatedly. You just didn't listen. Are you stupid? Is that it? Are you so stupid that you don't know how to handle rejection? I'm not your mother. You want to be treated with unconditional love, you go find someone who's dumb enough to love you."
No matter how hard Montresor tried to salvage the interview, the next ten minutes were filled with Vinay rebuking Montresors attempts to paint himself as a simple lovesick boy. Fortuna said you stalked her. Fortuna said you were rejected. Why did you pick Fortuna to bring with you? You weren't thinking of punishing her for rejecting you, were you?
It was more than apparent that what little support Montresor had following his training score announcement was reduced significantly after he walked off the stage with Fortuna. Vinay even had to yell out to the Peacekeepers waiting on stage right to keep an eye on Montresor, just in case he got upset.
And then it was Theo and Char's turn.
Vinay hyped them up—declaring that the Quell's highest performers were about to come out and wow the crowd—and Theo rubbed at the velvet crochet yarn around its wrist. Alamo's ring felt heavy on her finger, impossibly so, but Char held Theo up as they walked until Theo eventually could stand tall on its own. It gazed out to the crowd, once again enamoured by the size of it and the amount of faces smiling at the sight of her, and Theo beamed back at the crowd as they whistled and clapped with the duo's entrance.
Vinay sat them down on the couch next to his chair, and Theo was surprised to find the cushions comfy through the dress. Char fidgeted a little when he sat down, though, and Theo helped him to adjust the cushion until he was comfortable. It must've been all of the layers of the dress making it easier for Theo.
"Theodora Vanek-Haddad and Charles Bennet," Vinay said, and their eyes were bright as he looked at the duo—not just from the stage lights, either. "I don't think I've seen a pair as hyped up as you two!"
Char grinned back at Vinay and wrapped an arm around Theo's shoulders. "We're just that cool, Vinay," he bragged.
"And you look like a lovely pair. You both wear pink so well! Is it a favourite colour?"
Theo shook her head. "I like yellow more," it told Vinay.
"I'm partial to purple," Char agreed.
"You do look good in pink, though." Theo beamed at Char, almost proud of how well he cleaned up. He was handsome under normal circumstances, but the Capitol's resources made him practically glow. "I bet Caeneus is fawning over you back at home."
Vinay chuckled and pointed to the two of them. "Now, we had your escort correct an error in the relationship chart provided by our very excitable host. You two are simply friends? I take it Caeneus is a sweetheart back home?"
"Well, we're best friends," Char corrected Vinay. "But Theo is like the mom of our group in Two. Always has a spare sweater when it's too cold, always carries sunscreen during the summer. I think we're pretty spoiled."
"I don't spoil you," Theo laughed, giving him a playful shove.
"You do," Char fired back, equally playful. "And I know my boyfie is going to be in good hands when you win. I bet you'll even buy him flowers every year for our anniversaries."
She would've. But Theo just smiled and shook its head, denying the playful jab all the while.
Vinay didn't miss the way Char had phrased his statement, though, and he was quick to ask, "So confident! Do you think you won't win, Charles?"
"Please, Vinay, just Char is fine. Unless I've been naughty, then it's the full government name." Char winked at him, and Vinay let out a bark of a laugh as the crowd cackled. "And I'm not tooting Theo's horn or anything right now—we're just keeping a positive outlook on the Quell. Theo's got the skills for battle, and so do I, but we don't like to use 'if' statements when it comes to the arena. A positive attitude towards goals is half of what makes them come true!"
"Then, do you believe Char can win, Theo?" Vinay asked.
"Absolutely." Theo nodded enthusiastically and felt almost at home now that she was able to gush about Char. "I've known Char since we were younger—if I can't win, I know he will. And knowing Char, he'd feel like he was letting me down if he didn't take the win for us both."
"So you're each other's Plan B," Vinay surmised. "What a unique plan for District partners. Is that why you chose Char to go with you?"
Theo opened her mouth. Then paused, and it looked at Char with a soft smile. Char returned it, and he nodded encouragingly.
"Partly," Theo admitted. Vinay leaned forward, intrigued, and Theo cleared her throat. "We also wanted to go together because… Well, it's easier to be with someone familiar in the arena, when everything is on the line, right?" Theo rubbed at the yarn as subtly as possible. "And if we were to die, I kind of like to think that… Ah, how do I phrase this… It feels more comforting to die with someone you care for nearby. And it feels less scary to die by the hands of a friend than by a stranger. At least, if my friend kills me, I know they don't hate me in my final moments. And I know that if I die for them, they'll make it for the both of us—and vice versa."
The crowd was silent, but a few small awws could be heard from the back. Vinay was nodding along as Theo spoke, engrossed in its words, but when no one else jumped in to speak, Theo felt its cheeks warm up and she quickly looked down at her dress.
"S—Sorry, Vinay," it laughed nervously. "I'm not used to talking so much. I'm more of a listener. Did I make sense?"
"Oh, perfect sense, Theo," Vinay reassured it. "It's just so touching, I was lost for words for a moment! The sheer amount of trust between you two, why, it's no wonder our lovely host thought you were in love! Whoever is waiting for you at home is a pair of lucky people!"
Char hummed and nodded, but he was grinning mischievously when Vinay brought up significant others. He leaned back on the couch, patting Theo's shoulder, and Theo blushed even more as she bit back more nervous laughter.
Vinay didn't miss the flustered response. "Oh? Oh? Theo, do we have someone back at home that you're soft on? Oh, you have to tell us! Nothing is more romantic than a public confession on live television?"
"You think so?" Theo asked.
"I know so, sweetheart!" Vinay gestured to the cameraman nearest to Theo, and Theo saw him move closer and zoom in on Theo on the couch. Oh boy, this was really happening… The crowd was whispering excitedly to each other, delighted to see some romantic speculation in the interview. "Quiet down, everyone! This is a big moment! We're about to witness the birth of a beautiful couple!"
Char leaned forward and said straight into the camera, "You hear that, Betty? Yeah, I'm talkin' to you! Put down the giant bowl of nachos you're stress eating and listen up!"
"Char!" Theo squeaked. She buried her face in her hands and kicked her feet up a little.
"Char knows the crush!" Vinay gawked, eyes shining even brighter.
"I sure do! My useless lesbian sister!"
Theo shook Char with a whine and begged him to stop, face so hot that it felt like summer inside the room. Char giggled, as did some of the crowd, and Vinay quietened everyone down again so Theo could say its piece. It looked at the camera, all of a sudden lost for words, and despite Char spelling it out with Vinay just before, Theo still felt afraid that Betty would misunderstand.
And then Theo thought of Montresor, of how he'd apparently stalked and harassed Fortuna before she'd rejected him, and Theo felt very afraid.
Char's hand slipped on top of Theo's on its lap. Theo gripped it tightly and sucked in a long, steeling breath.
Betty wasn't like that. Betty didn't hate people for how they felt about her. Betty wasn't repressed like Fortuna was.
Theo looked into the camera and smiled, relaxing somewhat.
"I'm sorry you have to find out while I'm away from home," Theo started. The camera didn't waver, and Vinay shifted on his seat as he propped his chin on his fist. "I tried to find ways to say it sooner, but I always got so scared. It's silly of me to worry about, but with me and Char being the outcasts before we found our group, I guess I was scared that I might rock the boat too much and ruin everyone's dynamic. And the last thing I wanted was to make you uncomfortable."
Theo licked its lips and tasted raspberry from the gloss. The words seemed to come out a bit easier, the more it spoke.
"I waited until now to say something because I wanted to prepare myself for your answer," Theo went on. "It's not that I expected you to reject me. You're always so kind to me, so I know you'd never find me disgusting or repulsive for… for feeling something I wasn't used to. You're quite literally my first love, so everything was so new and scary, and you know how I used to be with unfamiliar things."
Theo laughed softly, and Char squeezed her hand. Under his breath, she could hear him telling her she was doing great.
"I know you probably already know what I'm about to say, but I still want to say it." Theo sniffed a little and felt the words spill out from its lips like liquid, tumbling to the floor in every direction. "Betty Bennet, I think you're the loveliest girl in the world. And even if you don't feel the same way I do, I still want you to know that I've been in love with you for a while, and that if you'd allow me to, I'll make you the happiest girl in all of Panem. But only if you want me to. And if you don't want a romantic relationship, then all I ask is that we continue staying as friends. Because you're one of the most important people in my life, and I'd never forgive myself if I sabotaged one of my friendships for any reason."
There was enough silence in the room that Theo could've heard a pin drop. It looked at the crowd, beyond the camera, and then it glanced over at Vinay. Vinay was still watching her, eyes alight with intrigue, and when Theo looked at Char, all she could see was pride in his expression.
So when the silence stretched a little more, Char leaned forward and kissed Theo on the cheek, and then he yelled, "That's my future sister-in-law, Panem!"
The rush that flowed through Theo as Vinay began to clap and the audience cheered was enough to have her breathless. It laughed, kissing Char back on the cheek, and it could feel its heart hammer away in its chest as the action finally sank in. Theo confessed to Betty. Theo finally got the words she'd wanted to say for years out of her system. Theo could brace itself for Betty's reply now, and that in itself was enough to have Theo doubling over and laughing.
Despite the fear that had prevented Theo from ever voicing the joy that Betty made her feel, all of it felt so trivial now that Theo could say it out loud and acknowledge in front of more than just her friends. Theo's love for Betty grew even greater, even warmer, and Theo was excited for the day it went back home and heard Betty's answer.
It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Like everything else that would come in the arena would be trivial compared to this.
Theo was ready.