Daryl sat awake at night, he knew he wouldn't sleep until he was done with the games, if he survived them. They had spent a day eating, talking, and crying. Andrea was in and out of tears, she was trying to get it together for the show with Caesar Flickerman, Daryl was pretty good at separating his emotions and how he felt but it wasn't easy seeing Andrea break down.
Andrea crept from her room and slowly made her way towards Daryl's. She knocked softly and he was at the door very quickly. "Andrea?"
Her face was tear stained, her eyes puffy and red. Daryl bit his lip and took her hand leading her to his bed. He sat back on the bed and pulled Andrea into his lap, she pressed her face into his shoulder and he just let her cry in silence. He took a deep breath and brushed his fingers through her hair. He was silent as her body shook in his arms.
The two laid back, he pet her hair until she finally fell asleep. He didn't know how to help her, hell he didn't know how to help himself. He wanted to survive the games but if he was being honest he didn't know if he would. Just because he was good at hunting didn't mean he was good at fighting. Those were two very different things, he had lived his life being a victim, being beaten and abused by his own father, so how in the world could he fight against someone his age or younger and kill them?
He let Andrea close, he would protect her the best he could, but he knew at the end she or both of them would end up dead.
Daryl eventually fell asleep, that morning they woke and were ushered off to breakfast. They tried to keep from thinking too hard about the games. They had to distract themselves, had to keep from remembering in a few days they'd be in a slaughter.
After breakfast concluded they were sent to get dressed, Daryl spun his engagement ring as they dressed him up and did his hair. "This is way better than a damn cow…" Daryl whispered as the ladies finished ensuring his suit was on, he ran his fingers over the feathers with a soft smile. "Thank you."
"Of course, glad to see you actually like."
Daryl smiled softly, while he hated being dressed up this was much better then what some of his outfits could be. He did notice they were pushing a more fenime figure and look with his own clothes. There was a feathered half skirt around the back of his suit pants, and there were more feathers in his hair as well. He followed the stylist to check on Andrea.
"You look lovely." Daryl said as he looked her over. She smiled, spinning to show the dress off, her hair was in an updo and curled. There was a peacock feather jutting out from the bun in the back.. "It's very nice."
"Look at how cool this is." She said with a grin as she popped the jewel encrusted belt, Daryl watched in awe as the long ball gown became a cocktail dress almost like a flapper dress from centuries ago, she then removed the sleeves. "This is way better than any cow based dress."
The stylists smiled. "I'm glad the two of you liked these ones better."
"Thank you again for listening to me." Daryl remarked. "She looks lovely and I like this one more than anything with that horrid print."
Their stylist chuckled. It didn't take long for Deana to reappear with a big grin on her face. "The two of you look wonderful, it's time to head down to the show. Remember, answer the questions. Make yourself a need, a desire. Make people want you to win."
Daryl took a deep breath and helped their stylist with Andrea's dress. "Make sure you show the change off to everyone. I'm sure they're going to love it."
Andrea grinned. "I cannot wait to show this off."
Daryl took a deep breath and held out his arm to walk Andrea down. They followed Deana who was just blurting out any thought that came to mind. "Alright come on now. Go sit down in your seats. It says male tribute and female tribute from ten so you'll know where to be."
Daryl nodded and stepped out, people were shouting to all the districts as well as Caesar. Daryl was looking over the other tributes, many were beautifully dressed. A few of their outfits focused on their home district while other outfits had nothing to do with their home. Daryl and Cyndie locked eyes. She had a blue dress on and faux fish intertwined in her hair along with fake bubbles. He smiled at her to let her know he was here and she would be okay.
Caesar was making small talk with the crowd, as soon as all the tributes made their way onto the stage music began to play and they knew it was time to talk and listen. Daryl planned to use this time to learn about the other tributes, he felt he needed to find out their weaknesses and he also wanted to find out some of the things his allies liked or enjoyed.
Daryl took a deep breath, this was the moment that could make or break the games. If he said something wrong there could be consequences.
Daryl watched and listened through all of the interviews until it was time for Andrea's time with Caesar. Daryl took a deep breath and readjusted himself as she made her way down to him. Caesar stood with a smile offering her arm to him, she took it with a smile and followed him down to the main stage.
"Your dress is just lovely, a peacock is such a graceful bird. You look lovely my dear," he grinned as he kissed her hand.
Andrea smiled, thankful for his admiration. "There is something special about my dress, would you like to see it?"
"Well of course I would," Caesar grinned, "would you all like to see it?"
The crowd whooped and hollered with big smiles awaiting the surprise Andrea had for them. Andrea looked over the crowd and reached for her jewel encrusted belt before she began to spin, as she spun she popped the belt and dropped the skirt to the floor.
Caesar began to clap and exclaim as he showed her off to the crowd. She removed the puffy sleeves with a large grin on her face. "Beautiful isn't it?"
"Ever so beautiful." He remarked as he helped her sit. She smiled and played with the ruffles of the feathers. "So, tell me Andrea about your family and life at home." Andrea went into detail about how her days would go, the horses in the pasture. Following her younger sister around and teaching her everything she knows. Caesar smiled before they got into a harder conversation. "So you did get a very low score after training, what happened?"
"Well Ceaser, I went for something and while I should have stuck with the weapons I am the best with I was trying something more. I mean my partner tribute had the best score.. Not that I would have known that when I went in to train but I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to let everyone know I was just as strong as Daryl."
The man smirked and Daryl beamed watching her with wide eyes. "Daryl truly is the best of the best, isn't he?"
"He is," she grinned, "I've had a hard time recently, been crying a lot… he always helps me… he let me sleep in his bed the other night and just cry. I know.. I know this is silly to say because it does make me seem weak but it is important to me that my fellow tribute while hard as a rock is still kind."
Daryl smirked at her, he wanted her to remember it was alright that she would be okay no matter what.
Caesar chuckled. "On that note I do believe it is time for us to move on to Daryl. Everyone please give Andrea a round of applause and thanks for being here."
Everyone in the crowd clapped for her, a few people wiped their tears away as she stepped away. Daryl waited to help Andrea to her chair and helped her sit. She grinned and thanked him as she sat back and let him walk. He gave Cyndie a wink as he stood in front of Caesar. They shook hands and he smiled. Even if it was a fake smile, it was a smile.
"Daryl, from district ten. He is the talk of the town now, everyone Daryl."
Daryl looked over the crowd curiously as they clapped and yelled for him. Daryl blushed a bit as he sat down across from Caesar. Caesar clasped his hand with a grin. "So Daryl, as Andrea has said you've been her rock through this. It is amazing to hear that so many of our tributes are finding solidarity with one another. Now, while I do think it is important to talk about how you got such a high score and how you've won the hearts of everyone in Panem. Tell us, how was your life growing up?"
Daryl's jaw locked. "I.. well Caesar if I'm being very honest my father was an abusive man and my mother died when I was very young. My brother did his best but he wasn't really around much either, in and out of dealing with guards and such. My father beat me, I have plenty of scars under this suit to prove it b-."
"Oh…" Caesar froze before he looked over the crowd. "Would it be too much to see them?"
"My scars? I.. I don't really show anyone the scars but if it's that important to everyone." There were screams from the crowd, people begging to see it. Negan watched from his private room with a grimace, he knew this was just Daryl trying to survive. "A..alright.. Yeah okay."
Daryl stood up slowly, he dropped his suit coat over the table and began to unbutton his top. Daryl had a certain sex appeal to the crowd and him undressing himself before the crowd was just another thing to add to why people wanted him to win. Daryl took a deep breath as he dropped the top, the tributes behind him let out soft gasps seeing his wounds. Cyndie buried her face into Morgan's shoulder.
Daryl turned slowly showing off his scars, there was a collective outcry for Daryl's injuries. Daryl took deep breath as he heard the cries and yells for his father's head, it did make him feel somewhat good to know people were angry with what his father had done. Caesar spoke to the crowd while Daryl quickly dressed himself without looking back towards the tributes. He kept his head down, Andrea's heart was breaking for her fellow tribute. Daryl sat back and then locked eyes with Caesar. "It wasn't all bad at home though, I had Paul.. my fiance."
He showed off his ring which Caesar smiled at. "I heard from a birdie that he asked you the night you were reaped?"
Daryl smirked and nodded. "Yes he did, and now from what I have been told the prodigal son has a crush too. Which, I hope he knows that if I survive this I am going to happily marry them both."
There was a collective aww that rushed through the spectators. Negan sat back with a smile on his face, his father clasping his shoulder with a grin. "He wants you too son."
"So how did this all happen?" Caesar questioned leaning forward as he examined the simple band.
"Honestly, I don't know.. I've been crushing on Paul for years… but I had no idea he felt that way about me…he came to visit me before we left and told me when I came back we were going to get married. It took me a minute to realize he had asked me to marry him, and now it seems Negan and Paul are in on it together. Which I am fine with, at first I was nervous when I heard Negan wanted me to be his.. I didn't want to break Paul's heart… It was a lot.. But now I'm excited. I plan to do my best to win this, but all of my competition deserves their own chances."
Caesar nodded and clasped his hand once again. "Everyone, once again Daryl from district ten."
Daryl stood up and waved as he slowly walked towards his chair. Andrea rubbed his shoulder as he took a deep breath. The last two districts went and had their own conversations, Daryl listened in on their deepest secrets and their excitement for if they won the games.
Once everyone was sat back down Caesar stood up and smiled looking over the crowd. "We do have something special for all the tributes." All the tributes looked upright and locked with the back of Caesar's colored hair. "This year, for each tribute right before they enter the games they will have two people come to see them."
The tributes narrowed their eyes. "I see I need to explain. These two people aren't random, not guards or people you've never met but instead will be family, friends, or future husbands in some cases."
Andrea and Daryl looked one another over before Andrea burst into tears and hugged him tight. "My sister.. I hope its my sister."
Daryl smiled, he was going to get to see Paul again and finally meet Negan face to face. He couldn't wait, because even if he died at least he would see them again. It was clear most of the tributes were in tears, it was finally setting in for a lot of them that this meeting before entering the games would likely be the last time they'd ever see those people they cared so much about.
Daryl looked up towards the box where the president and his family were sitting, and he couldn't help but feel this was a last minute choice that Negan had managed to get his father to add. He was nervous to meet the future president of all of Panem. The leader of the capital's son, but he knew whatever happened he was rooting for him and would help him through the games. Even if it was just to keep his mind off the death.