kill for your love - the hunger games

(026) don't you like your victors' quiet?

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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act two.

(chapter twenty-six, don't you like your victors' quiet?)

training centre, 75 ADD.

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FOR WHATEVER REASON, NADINE had summoned Juniper to tell her that the sessions she had planned that day to re-teach her and Brent Capitol customs and manners had been cancelled. She stated it was because the pair had been in the Capitol multiple times before, they had to have memorised their traditions by now. 

Juniper, however, found this odd. She supposed it was by order of Lucy Stevens, who didn't really seem to be in the mood to tell the Hale woman what to say because she knew she wouldn't even listen. But Juniper didn't mind the cancellation and nor did she do much that day except drown in the unwanted anticipation of the interview she was required to do with Caesar Flickerman the next day.

It had been three years since she was required to sit down with the man. She didn't have a post-Games interview, or a Victory Tour, and no District Ten tribute had won since her so she wasn't required to say anything, but with the realisation that she would have to answer questions that Caesar would throw at her all whilst trying to keep her composure made her fearful. 

But she was forced to swallow her anxiety down as the next morning, she was whisked away by the three lanky men that were her prep team. She remained silent the entire time as they took her into a separate room and began to ready her for Yara, rubbing moisturisers into her face, oils in her hair, and creams into her legs. And Juniper was quiet. She was so quiet that the only thing anyone could hear in the little room was the sound of the men's breathing and the whir of a fan overhead. 

And suddenly, as Juniper laid on the metal bench, the coolness sinking into her skin, she had a thought. She realised that every Victor would try and call the Games off during the interviews. They had to. No-one wanted to be there and they would do anything. Cashmere would probably cry. Finnick would be his usual self that the Capitol adored. Beetee would probably question the validity of the Quell. And then Mellark and Everdeen would twist some sick, romantic story to make everyone feel bad. 

Yes. 

Yes, they would do that. Anything to call the Quarter Quell off. But that begged another question... what would Juniper do? And it sparked an idea in her as the three men started to work on her hair and face as she sat up. 

She would stay quiet. 

Yes. 

Yes, that was perfect. Juniper Hale would be silent. Quiet. Not speaking because didn't Snow like his Victors' quiet? Weren't they supposed to not speak out against the Capitol, whenever they were supposed to please customers? Wasn't Victors' supposed to say quiet about their horrors? Snow had made that perfectly clear. She was to be quiet and not say a word. So, that's exactly what Juniper Hale was going to do. 

She was just following orders anyway. 

"Ah, don't you look somewhat nice." The door creaked open to reveal Yara waltzing in with a white garment bag with Juniper narrowing her eyes at the woman. "Oh, don't give me that look. I think you'll like this dress."