Forbearance • A Cato Hadley Story

2.20

This was it. The morning that Livia and Cato would be sent into the arena for the second time now. The day that she was sure would be her last. She knew there would be no coming out of the arena for both halves of the couple this time around. Everyone going into the games this time was experienced in the area of killing whereas Cato and herself had simply just gotten lucky. But there was no time to think over last year. She needed to think about this year.

When Livia and Annette arrived in her changing room she could see that the attire she was mandated to wear was much different then the year prior. Last year she was meant to wear a jacket and jeans, meaning it would be a bit cooler. After touching the material for this year's attire, Annette could tell it was much thinner, meaning the arena would likely be a good deal warmer this time around. "The suit is light, not thermal. So I'd guess tropics or desert." she said.

The blue haired woman handed the suit to the teen who shakily took it. The teen walked into the bathroom and slipped on the suit along with the shoes which were, in her opinion, definitely not the prettiest but it wouldn't matter what the shoes looked like once she was in the arena. As she finished pulling on her outfit she stared at herself in the mirror. It was like staring at a completely different person. She looked nothing like she did the year prior.

Even though she hadn't changed much besides the fact that her hair had gotten slightly longer and she had grown a bit taller, a bit only being half an inch, she had changed a lot as a person. And if Livia was being totally honest with herself, she was happy to leave this Earth as the person that she had become- of course, if this was the way she was going out. She had her father and sister, she had Augusta, Annette, Enobaria and Brutus. And she had Cato.

Her fellow tribute, ally, friend, lover, 'fiancé', and 'husband'. She couldn't have asked for a better family. And as she looked at her mother's necklace and the ring Cato had given her, she knew where she had to be by the end of the games. She had to leave one and reunite with the other so the one left behind could live on and thrive. Livia knew it would hurt both physically and mentally but it needed to be done. Finally after a few minutes the blonde walked back out of the bathroom and sat in front of Annette so she could have her hair pulled back properly.

It was dutch braids that the stylist had formed in her hair. A reminder of the previous games and a reminder of her victory. The pair then headed to the room next door with the launch pad that would send the girl into the arena. She was nervous. She was scared. But she was ready to fight. Just as her and the blue haired woman arrived at the launch pad was when the first call came through the speakers in the room. "Sixty seconds till launch." the monotone voice announced. Livia turned to her stylist and grabbed her hand, trying to force on a smile that wouldn't appear.

"That dress was beautiful. I think it's the best one you've ever made." she complimented, not worrying about whether or not the sentence sounded sentimental or not. She simply just wanted to make her goodbye's as quick as possible so she wouldn't lose it just before she left. "I thought you'd like it." the woman said as she gave the teen's hand a squeeze. Livia looked down to her feet, not wanting to make eye contact with the mother-like figure in front of her or she assumed she would break down and start crying, begging and pleading that she go home.

"I just wanted to tell you because I don't know-" Livia tried to go on before the older woman halted her and stopped her from speaking. The Capitolian woman didn't want to hear it. She too was sure that if Livia went on that it wouldn't end well for either of them. "Stop. Remember I'm still betting on you, Golden Girl." the blue haired woman spoke as she placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead and the same monotone voice spoke again, warning that the tribute only had another ten seconds before she was meant to be sent into the arena.