Hello there folks it has been a minute since this has gotten an update. Sorry here it is though. If you want access to these updates earlier or to read exclusive stuff I have written check me out on under Helghy's Stories.
Thanks to Dragonkw213 who remains part of the investor tier and continues to help me greatly through that support.
On to the story.
Chapter Sixteen
The Coming Game
Naruto sprinted with every bit of energy he could dredge up within his body. He ignored how hard his breath was coming, the tug of thick grass as he cut through the overgrown area that separated the Victor Village from most of the district, but most especially he ignored the call of his name from Haymitch somewhere behind him.
None of that could be on his mind at the moment when he had seen what was being done to the people of the Seam. He knew better than to head toward the Hob. There would be far more peacekeepers there in a much smaller area. Rather he headed for the shanty towns near the edge of the roads that headed toward the mines.
Those were densely packed but there were so many that whatever Peacekeepers and vehicles sent to crackdown on them would be spread more thinly. He could probably actually help a few people slip past the new enforcers without catching beatings or worse at the soldiers; hands.
That was of course if he could actually get into the area. One of the mine shifts had ended just as the transports for the peacekeepers had rolled in and hundreds of miners were heading back into the residential and market regions just as the men with guns and batons began dragging people out of homes and businesses and cracking them.
He made the connection immediately. It was planned for this time. If Snow wanted his men to have an easier time of pacifying the district then they would have done it during the main day shift of the mine. Most of the men of the district would be not only away from home but deep underground and unable to do a damned thing about it. Instead this was happening just as they came home for the day.
Too tired to fight properly, but still present to try.
A stranger's voice spoke over the loudspeakers spread across the settlement. Usually only used by the local commander of the peacekeepers or one of his lieutenants, they seemed to have been replaced.
"Orders are clear, burn all contraband. Clear out restricted areas." A man's voice repeated loudly and Naruto could see the men in white jumping to work.
A ways from him the Hob was already in flames, piles of debris filled the streets and walkways between homes and shacks. Some was actually considered contraband, a lot was simply the personal property of people being shoved into piles and set alight.
It didn't take long for the first of the miners to try and jump in as they saw someone they knew being drug out of their makeshift home. That man was rewarded with getting clubbed viciously over the head by one of the soldiers before they shoved him into the mud and threw the woman into him. The pair of peacekeepers then turned back and started tearing the hovel apart in a ruthlessly methodical fashion.
Naruto stopped then as he realized there wasn't really anything he could do here to help. Everything was already burning, people were fleeing or being beaten until they joined the others. Several of the miners that chose to fight were beaten down then restrained and dragged off toward the town square and the Justice building.
Several particular offenders were being steadily loaded into trucks to be taken in with the line forced to their knees beside the vehicle as they were loaded up one by one. Naruto moved to step over to them but felt a hand grab onto his shoulder and stop him. He spun around ready to fight but drew himself up short as he found himself face to face with Haymitch.
"You are going to just make it worse for them and us if you jump in." He managed to get out between breaths. The older man wasn't nearly in the shape Naruto was, but for an older drunk man he was shockingly fit still and had managed to catch up faster than Naruto thought he could have.
"I can't just stand here." Naruto ground out lowly.
"I know, come on. We'll go to the square. Try and talk to the new guy in charge." Haymitch suggested.
Naruto knew that Haymitch would have preferred that they just return to the Victor Village and wait the whole crackdown out, but they both knew that Naruto couldn't do that. It wasn't just against his nature, this whole thing was like reliving the exact moment that had made Naruto hate the Capitol in the first place, only this time instead of two people it was an entire community.
"Fine." Naruto snapped while trying to keep his breath in check and retain whatever bit of calm he had still.
Haymitch seemed surprised but also very happy that Naruto was listening to him. Though he did flinch as he turned slightly and saw all three of the Everdeen women catching up to them. It had taken some time to break Katniss out of her funk evidently but once they had all three came running.
Naruto didn't wait for them, which Haymitch expected and the young victor led their little group through the chaos of District Twelve toward the Justice building where people were already being pressed onto their knees before the bloodied mayor and a much sterner and angry looking Peacekeeper commander than any of them had seen before.
"All of you are here before me because you have violated the laws of our nation knowingly or helped others to violate them. Even your mayor is complicit for having ignored the likes of your 'Hob'." The commander spit the word out like it was rotten.
"For that you will each receive varying degrees of corporal punishment to properly fit your crime. I sentence the seven of you to five lashes each." He continued before the line of kneeling prisoners was forced back to their feet and dragged off to the cages being used to house the now overflowing number of prisoners.
Naruto stormed directly through the watching crowd and attempted to brush past the pair of Peacekeeprs trying to stop him before kicked one's leg out from under him and drew a knife from somewhere under his shirt on the second.
Of course in the instant he had done it a dozen gun barrels had lowered at his head, including the pistol of Commander Thread, the new administrator of District Twelve.
"Let him go now and I'll let you off with thirty lashes, boy." Thread growled as he closed in on Naruto.
"Woah, hey everyone calm down. Naruto, calm down, let the peacekeeper go." Haymitch said as he rushed in behind Naruto to try and stop things from getting worse. He stepped between Commander Thread and Naruto as he did so causing the Commander to shift his attention to the older man.
"He's a hot head, but you knew that coming in right? I'm sure they told you about Naruto and Katniss right? Stupid kids bound to make a scene and cause some trouble? Look, your man on the ground is fine and Naruto is going to let the Peacekeeper go now!" Haymitch said as he held his hands up in surrender. His last words were directed more at Naruto than the commander and enunciated to sound very much like a command.
"Agitators will not be tolerated, no matter who they are, and that little shit is threatening the life of one of my men. I should have already shot him." Thread said as he kept his pistol pointed just at Haymitch's temple.
"You're right, but we both know how bad that would look. Don't we?" Haymitch asked.
Thread eyed him for a moment before his eyes shifted to where Naruto still stood with his knife pressed into the gap between the Peacekeeper's armor.
"Goddammit kid, listen to me for once in your life!" Haymitch shouted spurring Katniss, her mother, and her sister into action instead of Naruto. The three women moved forward and quickly began gently coaxing him into releasing the soldier.
The moment that he did, Naruto predictably caught a fist to the face that sent him stumbling into the arms of Katniss and the others before he regained his footing and prepared to launch himself at the man. The rifle barrel staring him in the face as he looked back up stopped him though.
"Drop the knife." Thread ordered.
Naruto resisted and had to be told by Haymitch to do it before the blade fell onto the pavement of the square. Slowly Katniss guided him away from the square only for three more Peacekeepers to stop her.
"Restrain him." Thread ordered.
"Wait, wait." Haymitch began to say but the guards moved faster and had shoved Katniss away and overpowered the now disarmed Naruto and shoved his wrists into cuffs behind his back and placed him on his knees before Haymitch could make a case to Thread.
Not that the man was going to let him.
"I have special orders for him, and for her. Lucky for them but not so much for you three." Thread said as he turned to scowl at Haymitch, Corrinne, and Prim.
"For attempted murder of a peacekeeper, usually that's death. You Victors are special cases though, plus you reminded me I'm not supposed to harm either of those two. The President himself favors them." Thread said as he nodded for a pair of Peacekeepers to grab haymitch and drag him toward the pillars that Naruto's own parents had been beaten to death against.
"You'll get twenty lashes and thank me for being merciful and be happy the President cares about you. The rest of you will watch and can collect him when I am done." Thread said, ignoring the cry that came from Corrinne.
"Make sure he watches. Time to learn about consequences." Thread said as Haymitch's shirt was stripped off of his back and the commander drew out a wicked cat-o-nine tails. Each individual length of the whip ended in a tiny barb meant to rip and scour the flesh as it struck.
"Go get the first set of prisoners ready to follow this one. I want to streamline this so we are finished before the new curfew." Thread said coldly before stepping up to Haymitch and striking as hard as he could.
Naruto had never thought to hear his mentor make such a sound. A scream like he had heard only in the games. He caught the sight of Katniss, Corrinne, and Prim out of the corner of his eye, refusing to look but the Peacekeepers behind him kept him facing forward. The only way he could avoid watching Haymitch be tortured would be to close his eyes and somehow that felt like he would be wronging the man.
He watched for the entire length of the punishment and when his cuffs were removed he was by Haymitch's side before anyone else. Haymitch was sobbing softly from the pain and Naruto could only blame himself as he tried to help the man along without worsening the mutilated wounds stretching across his back.
"Bring him to our house." Corrinne ordered before she and Prim practically sprinted away to get things around to treat Haymitch.
Hopefully others could handle the massive number of other people who would need treatment after their own lesser floggings or whatever beating they had gotten from the peacekeepers earlier. She would have her hands full with just the one.
The Everdeens had done what they could for Haymitch in the aftermath of his flogging. Naruto had stayed with the man, and stayed silent the entire time. Predictably Katniss had done the same after essentially forcing him to hold a pack of snow against the swelling he had from the punch the guard had given him.
Haymitch was still asleep even hours later and that was partially thanks to the drugs administered by Corrinne to keep him both sedated and to actually help with the pain. The injuries weren't deep and the biggest worry was infection, but they also prevented Haymitch from moving much without immense pain and so he remained laying on the table in the Everdeen home with a sheet of bandages across his back.
"He didn't even argue when that bastard had him drug down to the pillar and chained up. Only when he thought I was going to be punished." Naruto said with an exhausted expression on his face.
"This is more of that same stuff when the black shirts came. They hurt people we care about to keep us in line." Katniss replied softly.
"It works. Makes people either too afraid to do anything or isolates them from everyone else." Naruto said before turning his eyes toward Katniss realizing she was staring at him.
"You alright?" He asked her.
She stared at him a moment before opening her mouth to speak before slowly closing it again. Naruto nodded at that. He could understand that kind of confusion right now. The amount of emotional turmoil and adrenaline that they had run through today was more like something from back in the games.
"You could be dead right now. Running down there like that could have just gotten you killed." Katniss pointed out causing Naruto to shrug which in turn made her scowl and stand up.
"We need to go into the other room." She said sharply before stalking into the living room.
Naruto ran his hand down his face but followed after her and closed the door behind himself as he did. It wouldn't be perfectly sound proof but hopefully with the combination of the door, them keeping their voices down a bit, and the medicine Haymitch would remain asleep for now.
Rather than raise their voices though, both Naruto and Katniss just stared at one another for a while. She looked ready to explode, but Naruto, he looked simply ready to collapse into a chair and sleep.
Finally Katniss took a breath and seemed to iron out what it was that she wanted to say.
"You could be dead right now. Really dead. Just for running off half cocked or whatever it was you were thinking and in the end it changed nothing. No, it made things worse. The only good thing is you aren't dead. If that peacekeeper hadn't hit you I would, to try and make you see sense." Katniss hissed as quietly as she could while still making it clear she was beyond livid with him acting so uncaring about his own death.
"Wouldn't be the first time either of us had to be worried about dying, in or out of the games. I just wish I hadn't gotten Haymitch drug into it. You are right that it didn't change anything." Naruto replied, a much calmer tone that seemed to catch Katniss off guard.
She was silent for a while again. Before slowly she tried to meet his eyes.
"Before the crackdown. What Snow was saying and-" Katniss began.
"We are getting married soon, but I kind of imagined we would eventually after everything we've done." Naruto awkwardly shifted himself.
"And Gale…" She said, bringing his eyes back into focus as they settled on hers.
"Gale." Naruto nodded his head as he spoke. That was something he had successfully shoved into a corner of his brain during the chaos of everything. Now though, he wasn't sure how to feel. Angry didn't seem to fully encompass it and sad didn't cut it at all.
"I didn't want to tell you about what happened because I was worried what you might do to him." She said, causing him to blink.
"What?"
"He tried to say that you and I aren't really…but then he tried to force me to kiss him and I shoved him away and left. I knew if I told you…" She trailed off as she saw Naruto's face scrunch up in a nearly animalistic snarl.
"I would kill him? Fair enough." He blew out in a sigh almost as quickly as he built up his anger realizing he was doing exactly what she had been worried about. Not that the fucker was getting off scott free for that.
"That's it?" She asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I believe you if that's what you mean. Snow wants to cause problems, he won't directly hurt us outside of the games though, instead he just hurts everyone around us to keep us in line and tries to push us apart. Despite everything, he is afraid of us. It would be funny to think about if it wasn't so stupid." Naruto said a bit angrily.
"It doesn't feel stupid. It feels like being in prison without the bars, or like walking on eggshells. It's frightening." Katniss replied.
"Yeah. Yeah it is that." He agreed.
"What do we do?"
Naruto turned a bit to lock eyes with Katniss before pulling her in closely and pressing his forehead to hers. He hated that he didn't have a good answer. There was no simple plan to make to navigate this whole thing. It wasn't like the games had been. He couldn't just kill or hide or something.
Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as they heard Haymitch stirring in the other room and rushed to check on him.
The man twisted his head around to look at the couple as they came in but he didn't make a move to get up. Instead he stayed as still as he physically could to try and not irritate his injuries.
"My mom says that they are shallow so they should heal quickly." Katniss said as she stepped forward and knelt by the table to be eye to eye with the man.
"Yeah." Haymitch said before twisting to get a better look at Naruto.
"Why is it every time you pull some stunt I am the one catching the beating?" He said. His tone was playful but there was an undertone of bitterness to it as well.
"I'm sorry." Naruto breathed.
"You're sorry?" Haymitch scoffed.
"You didn't whip me. I jumped in there because I wanted to. Not that I wanted to catch this kind of punishment, but that's the Peacekeepers for you." Haymitch said with a scowl.
Naruto and Katniss shared a look and slowly Katniss stood to get some more morphling for her mentor. Naruto turned his attention back toward the man and stared at the red stained bandages draped across his back.
Katniss wasted no time in injecting some more of the pain medicine into Haymitch, just enough to help him return to sleep.
"Things are changing. Snow is scared and he is making mistakes it seems." Haymitch said softly as his eyelids became heavy again.
"Things are changing." He almost laughed as he slipped into sleep again.
Naruto and Katniss could only just share a look at their mentor's words.
President Snow scowled at the screen as it showed the events in District Twelve. Heavensbee sat beside him watching along as well as they saw his little plan fall apart right as it had begun.
"That is where the broadcast cut off. The next thing everyone saw would be Abernathy being whipped followed by the rest of the town." Plutarch said.
Snow glared at the screen. It showed Naruto come barreling out of nowhere to knock a Peacekeeper off of his feet and put a knife to the throat of another and a dozen guns point his way. It wasn't exactly the image of Naruto and Katniss embracing the Capitol while everyone else suffered.
"It probably would have been better if Thread hadn't whipped Abernathy. It would be easier to paint all of the Victors in the same brush." Plutarch continued as they watched Haymitch be chained to the pillar and Thread personally begin flogging him.
"It was necessary. Thanks to those two…children, the Victors seem to be thinking that they are untouchable. That is a problem. We could go from two or three symbols to a dozen by tomorrow. They will all have to be dealt with at this rate." Snow said as his features softened into the false grandfatherly figure he typically maintained.
"If you cannot contain them, Plutarch, that leaves me no choice but to terminate them." Snow said as he shifted to look at the man.
"I understand. There is a way to still win for us. It's what we game makers like to call a wrinkle. It's almost time for the announcement of the next games." Plutarch said with a saccharine smile.
Haymitch had recovered some. It was quick, just as Corrinne had said it would be but the man was still uncomfortable wearing a shirt and he still ached all of the time. At the least his wounds had scabbed over though and he didn't bleed through every piece of clothing he put on.
He had joined Naruto and the Everdeens to watch as the next Quarter Quell was being announced. Required viewing for every citizen of the districts.
The crowd roared on the projector as the voices of the hosts fell away and President Snow began to stride up to the podium to speak.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Seventy-fifth year of the Hunger Games. It was written in the charter of the games that every twenty-five years there would be a Quarter Quell. To keep fresh for each new generation, the memory of those who died, in the uprising against the Capitol. Each Quarter Quell is distinguished by games of a special significance." Snow spoke clearly and calmly with that usual old man's smile on his lips.
Haymitch sneered at the screen and ignored the glances from the others. He had lived through the last one. He had won the last one. Where double the tributes had been taken.
"And now, on this the Seventy-fifth anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion we celebrate the third Quarter Quell." Snow continued before opening a small envelope and drawing out a card.
"As a reminder that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of The Capitol. On this the third Quarter Quell games, the male and female tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of Victors in each district."
Snow's voice fell away as Katniss began to shake and Naruto and Haymitch bolted to their feet as if to fight the man on the screen. Corrinne broke down begging for it all to be a nightmare while Prim simply stared at her sister in shock.
Katniss slowly stood and made for the door before being caught by Naruto and pulled in tightly and held.
She wailed into his chest. Fear and grief mixed together and she could barely hear him trying to comfort her over the beating of her heart in her ears. It was like a deafening roar, one that sounded just like the crowd in the Capitol cheering for the Victors to be hauled out and murdered yet again.
It took an hour for her to calm down and by that point Naruto had carried her upstairs to her bedroom where he had just held her in the comfort of her bed. Slowly though she realized something. She had to go. She was the only female Victor of Twelve still alive.
But Naruto wasn't the only male.
She moved to try and get up but he held her in place. She twisted around to look at him but only found him smiling sadly at her.
"Already did the math, Katniss. It is you and me again and that is just the way it's going to be." Naruto said with a look in his eyes that dared her to argue with him.
"It doesn't have to be though." She said. She felt sick. Nauseous from all of the adrenaline running through her system and being dumped back out over the last couple of weeks since Thread had taken over the District.
"We'll survive. We will." Naruto said before kissing her tenderly and they both let the conversation drop there.
On the day of the Reaping, Commander Thread along with nearly a dozen of his men came to escort them all to the town square. They marched them through the streets of the Seam and the town itself while the people slowly meandered along nearby to the same destination all coming to watch as their Victors were stolen away again.
It was likely a bittersweet feeling. Grief at the thought of Katniss and one of the blond men being put through the ordeal of the Hunger Games again, but also relief. This year there would be no young innocent taken away to the Games. This year just those already spoiled by it were lined up to be taken again.
Upon reaching the square, it was packed even more so than normal. Families that had no children of age to be Reaped usually didn't attend the event. They just watched from home or one of the communal screens. Today though it was a mix of everyone. All of them come to see Naruto, Katniss, and Haymitch.
The three of them were led through the center of the crowd and up to the stage. Effie stood there like the year before but the two large jars on podiums stood practically empty. One holding only two slips of paper and the other half that number.
The woman looked off center as she smiled weakly at Katniss and the others. Still she did her job to the best of her ability and began the ceremony while all of the cameras filmed her.
"Welcome, Welcome. As we celebrate the Seventy-fifth anniversary and third Quarter Quell of the Hunger Games. As always, ladies first." Effie's voice cracked a bit at the end as she turned and approached the jar holding Katniss' name. It was a formality but one that they had to contend with.
Her lip quivered but it didn't change her voice as she spoke. "The female tribute from District Twelve, Katniss Everdeen."
Katniss slowly walked over to her, a couple of tears running down her cheeks and now Effie's make up was smudging at the corners of her eyes. She had to clear her throat once before continuing.
"Wonderful." Effie said. "And now for the men."
As she stepped over to the jar though, Naruto stepped forward and caught her hand with his own and nodded at her. Effie blinked before squeezing his hand and slowly returning to the microphone.
"The male tribute from District Twelve, Naruto Namikaze." She announced.
"The tributes from District Twelve. Katniss Everdeen and Naruto Namikaze."
No one cheered. Hundreds of people were gathered and it was quiet enough to hear the front row breathing from where they all stood on the stage. Then just as Effie began to speak again Corrinne and Prim held up the same three fingers that had gotten people shot in District Eleven during Naruto and Katniss' triumph. Slowly others joined, including Gale Hawthorne, until all of District Twelve held up the salute.
Naruto and Katniss simply returned the gesture themselves. Thread and his men then dragged the pair off roughly toward a car making it clear that this time, there would be no goodbyes with their loved ones. They were getting straight onto the train.
Even as Effie tried to argue and found herself being dragged alongside them, there was nothing to be done. The Capitol got its way.
The train ride to the Capitol had been better than those in the past. Like the one that they had taken in for their first run through the games it was short, considering the distance traveled. By now all of them, Effie included, had come to see one another as a sort of team. Effie had even insisted on getting them all little tokens to show off that connection. Little baubles of gold like Katniss' Mockingjay pin.
Whatever attention might have been spent on that though was quickly rushed away by the changes made due to this being a Quarter Quell. Just as Effie had explained on the train no expense was spared.
New training centers, new living quarters, new everything really. All brought up to a higher standard than even the previous opulent show that had existed before. That also meant that the arena would be particularly special this year.
Which correlated to meaning particularly deadly. Any details on what might be out there ahead of them was being kept very quiet. To the point that there had been practically no leaks of details on the arena's environment. Typical of the Capitol perhaps but people like Effie were used to being able to get at least a hint of what was coming up.
There was nothing this time though. No idea of climate or terrain. Nothing. That was a bad enough sign.
The increased Peacekeeper guard details around their new living quarters was another.
What was perhaps worse for Naruto and Katniss is that they wouldn't be facing other teens who felt lost and terrified. Not that all of those that they had faced in the previous games had been like that, but the fact remained. They were now squaring off with the likes of other Victors. Killers and survivors like themselves, but perhaps more ruthless being as some of them had no doubt had to kill their own fellow tribute from their District.
On top of that, many of them had known one another for years, Katniss and Naruto were the new kids. The outsiders. That could be just as dangerous as anything else in these games. Only time would really tell for how that would play out though.
As they settled in for their first dinner in their new Tribute Quarters Haymitch began giving them the rundown on what to do.
"I want you guys to forget everything that you think you know about the games. Last year was child's play. This year you are dealing with all experienced killers. That means even more focus on getting allies. Thresh was a good friend to have last year but don't rely on other Victors having loyalty or honor like that kid. He was too good for this world and these games." Haymitch said.
Naruto scowled a bit at the memory of Thresh being dredged up but said nothing. Haymitch was right. The boy had been too good for the likes of the Hunger Games.
"You are also starting at a disadvantage. The others have been friends for years. My friends for years. We all have been through the games and we understand what that means, even the careers. If you try to go it alone that makes you unpredictable and that makes you a bigger threat so they will hunt you down immediately." Haymitch explained trying to impress the weight of what he was saying onto the two young tributes.
"How are we supposed to trust these people?" Katniss asked.
Haymitch shook his head at that. "You can't. Not really. Like I said, these people aren't like Thresh was. That's fine though, you don't need trust. You are doing the same for them that they are doing for you. Helping you survive in return for the same."
"As usual your District One and Two tributes are your biggest threats. Vicious and well liked in the Capitol. They will get a lot of sponsors and they each won their games the old fashioned way, by killing as many as they could until the games were done. District Three could be dangerous but in a different way. Beetee Latier won his games by electrocuting six other tributes at one time."
"District Four, kind of a mixed bag." Naruto commented as the next pair came onto the screen.
"Finick Odair and Mags Flanagan. Finnick is probably more dangerous than the careers. Youngest victor in the game's history and I can promise you he hasn't let his edge slip in the slightest. His only real weakness would be Mags, the woman who practically raised him after his victory." Haymitch explained.
"When the chips are down though, he won't risk everything for her. She won't make it either way." Katniss remarked.
"Maybe. However if she is ever in danger he could leave himself a bit exposed and try to help her. Remember you two changed the games. Two Victors from the same District can walk away from this thing now. That can make all the difference."
He let that sink in for a bit before continuing to break down the others that they would be facing. It wasn't a lot to go on. Some of them were older, none quite as old as Mags was, but several were closer to Naruto and Katniss' age range like Finnick and the District One Victors.
"You both have a medical physical in the morning and a bit after that we all get to enjoy the wonderful parade to show off how skilled Cinna and Portia are. Then everything gets tense." Haymitch explained before dropping down into his seat beside Katniss and tilting back a drink.
Katniss picked at her plate before setting her fork down. She had barely eaten but didn't feel very hungry. If anything she just wanted to sleep.
"I'm going to bed. Early start with the medical teams tomorrow right?" She said as she slid out from her place at the table.
"Yeah, try to get some rest Katniss." Haymitch said softly.
Naruto looked like he was going to stand but he seemed to have more of an appetite than her so Katniss gently pressed him back into his seat before heading for her room. Meanwhile she couldn't help but think about how much she had changed since her first time coming as a Tribute.
She had so readily begun to mark people in her head as easier or harder to kill. She felt like guilt should be gnawing at her stomach but besides a bit of nausea she didn't feel anything. Her goal hadn't changed since boarding the train. She and Naruto would be surviving the games together. Even with Snow against them, and no doubt shifting the odds against them too.
It really felt like she should be more anxious but instead she just wanted to curl up on the bed and sleep. As if that would help anything.
By the time Naruto had finished and cleaned himself up, Katniss had already fallen asleep and he simply joined her in bed adding a bit more warmth to the cool sheets she had wrapped herself in.
The physical had been quick. A few tests and some drawn blood and Naruto and Katniss found themselves once more at the tender mercies of their stylists. As before Cinna and Portia outdid themselves presenting Naruto and Katniss almost like demigods as they made their way out to their chariot before the parade.
They weren't the only ones getting ready for it of course. They were however the ones that Finnick decided to approach, or rather Katniss was. Naruto felt that the man was a bit off when it came to introductions, or maybe he just didn't like someone walking up and offering Katniss a sugar cube of all things.
"It's supposed to be for the horses, but who cares about them right? I mean they've got years to eat sugar whereas you and I…if we see something sweet we better grab it." Finnick said while grinning at Katniss.
"I heard you tend to hand your sugar out to everyone in the Capitol already." Naruto said as he injected himself into the little interaction.
Finnick only grinned at him and looked him up and down. It definitely seemed like he fit the playboy demeanor he was known for but by now Naruto and Katniss both had gotten somewhat well versed in reading a person by their eyes. Finnick Odair was not her trying to get into Katniss' panties or push Naruto off center.
Well not just to do those things.
"I think you've already seen on the screens that Naruto and I are already involved." Katniss said, trying to play diplomatically, just like Haymitch had asked.
"Ah, a shame, then again two for the price of one…" He drawled out before chuckling at the look on Naruto's face.
"Figured. Oh well, it's a real shame about this Quell thing the two of you, especially you could have made out like bandits in the Capitol." Finnick said, returning his eyes to Katniss. To her credit, she had long since lost most discomfort of someone's eyes on her like that. The first time through the games had taught her that most people saw others as nothing more than a thing to either want or want nothing to do with.
"We've got more money than we could ever spend." Katniss shrugged.
"Oh, money is just a means to an end really. I mean I have more than I could need too, honestly I haven't dealt with anything like that in years." Finnick said, stepping a bit closer toward Katniss but bumping shoulders with Naruto.
"So if not money, what does a high class whore cost?" Naruto bit out causing Katniss to jerk her head around to look at him in shock.
She didn't say anything but a sudden yank on his hand told him to dial it back. He would, if he could. She knew as well as he did that simply being here was riling him up and Finnick was pushing just perfectly into a space that was going to piss him off.
"Well, secrets." Finnick said with a grin while his eyes locked onto Naruto's for a moment.
"Secrets." Naruto almost chuckled.
Finnick stared for a moment before he stepped back and popped the sugar cube into his mouth. He didn't crunch it down with his teeth just choosing to suck on it making sure the motions his mouth made were clear to both younger Victors.
"You are no actor are you. Just everything up front and center. That's something to note, not exactly something good though. Anyway congratulations on the upcoming wedding…if the two of you pull out the otherside together." Finnick said before stepping away and returning to his own chariot.
The couple mounted up into the chariots just as everyone else did. Katniss had been given instructions to remain cold and uncaring toward the crowd and to press a button Cinna had given her to activate his creation for the parade.
"Ready?" Naruto asked.
"Are you? I thought we are supposed to be making allies." Katniss said as the crew hurried to finish the last touches on each of the horse drawn chariots before they headed out down the Avenue.
"We can't trust any of them and if they think that we are weak or might be able to be broken up somehow, then they won't ally with us, they will just kill us and move on. The strong ally with the strong and they eat the weak." Naruto said as the first of the chariots began to leave the hangar they were in and start the parade.
"So that was all strategic, huh?" Katniss asked doubtfully.
"Oh, no. I think I am just the jealous type and that dude is in annoyingly good shape." Naruto said with a scowl.
It turned into a grin as he felt Katniss laugh softly beside him.
"It was a bit ridiculous right? The sugar cube thing?"
"I bet it gets Capitol girls all the time." Katniss replied.
Naruto barked a short laugh before they both prepared themselves as their chariot began to move. It was time to make their first impression for this year's games.
They really had gone all out this time around. It made the previous year look pathetic in comparison. Drummers lined up along the avenue and fountains sprayed water as they rode past and an even larger audience than she recalled their being the year prior had gathered to roar out their cheers in sending two dozen people to their death.
Just as instructed both Naruto and Katniss remained stoic as they rode, though Naruto and Katniss had wrapped an arm around one another's waist showing that they were just that much closer than their competition was to their fellows from their own Districts.
Around halfway down the avenue Katniss activated the change for their clothes. The glittering black dress and suit they both wore appeared to burn away, though of course it wasn't real flames and neither felt any heat wash over them. They both seemed to be pillars of flame as they rode on past people chanting their names and cheering for them and the other Tributes.
As they rode past the Presidential podium they could feel Snow's eyes hanging on them as they passed by. His smile faltered just slightly.
Well shit meant to write a different story but hit a roadblock and decided to see if I could write anything or if I was stuck in general. Hammered this out in just under a day which was kind of surprising. I hope you enjoy it. We are coming up on the games quickly and some other big events as well, obviously.
Anyway
Till Next Time