Thicker Than Water

Day One: Tribute Parade

Kallan was jarred by how different it was. The Capitol really had spared no expense. The room was different, though still nautical as ever. It would've been comfortable if they were returning as mentors but no, they were tributes again. Other than that, the capitol was predictable. The couch was still blue, a waterfall still rushed through every room in the place, everything a stupid ocean theme because the Capitol only knew one thing about their district.

Kallan was trying to stop being mad at Finnick since their time was truly limited now. She was willing herself to just let it go, try to treasure their short time. Unlike last time, she truly did have no prospects of coming out of the arena, even though Finnick would do anything to make sure she did.

Saffreen, unlike Dewda, didn't look so pleased upon seeing the Odairs. She looked sorry for them. She even tried to hug the numb look off Kallan's face. And Kallan knew that in a few hours she'd have to wipe it off completely and paint on a perfect victor smile. She hadn't forgotten how. She did it every year. Saffreen also looked... was it nervous? Kallan eyed her as they were ushered by their prep team, this time together, into the room they'd get ready for the parade in.

Kallan kept her eye out for her outfit, anxious to see what they wanted them in this time. Everything was different with Finnick here. They were the "Capitol Darlings" they got gawked at everywhere they went around here. She couldn't believe they were making them fight to the death again, they loved them too much. That was only proven to her when her eyes fell upon two mannequins, sporting, what Kallan couldn't believe, would be their parade outfits. She knew upon seeing them exactly whose idea that was. Because if she was lucky, it would just cover her nipples.

"You're fucking kidding me."

Hanging there were two outfits that were made of gold netting and ropes. Finnick's had a gold netting sash to drape across his torso, and not nearly enough gold ropes to cover whatever was happening downtown. Then her eyes examined her own. It wasn't better. If anything, it might've been worse. It was the same kind of netting, wrapped in almost an X shape around her front, hardly covering a thing. She knew most of her breasts would be covered, but not by much. The front was covered by a rope-type thong, and a gold net miniskirt, tied the way Finnick's was at the side. She dreaded to see the back.

"I pitched something like your victory dress, but they insisted," Saffreen said under her breath, gritting her teeth. "I'm sorry."

"Forget it," Kallan rolled her eyes. "I'm not surprised."

"I think we'll look great," Finnick said, a very pleased, very sarcastic smile on his face. "Look how comfy they look." Kallan snorted, looking at her brother, and saw his smile become real, and it helped a little. Maybe having him here, in the same situation as her this time, wasn't so bad. The circumstances sucked, but she tried not to think about what happened after these 5 days. The time with him now would hold her over until then.

The prep team went to work as the siblings had as casual a conversation they had about their fate. What their plan was for sponsors, what weapons they'd be going for.

"You want me to go for the cornucopia?"

"Well, there's two of us this time, we can watch each other's backs," Finnick told her. "They know us, they'll stock it with knives, spears, a trident if I'm lucky," he said, as the stylist continued to make his hair look perfect. Kallan figured that it was a pretty good idea. And she trusted him. She trusted him to prolong their time together as much as possible.

He was finished before her, so he headed down first. Saffreen finally finished Kallan's hair and makeup. Her hair in a high, tight, ponytail, and her makeup a pretty gold that reflected the netting. She briefly questioned the no shoes, but it made sense with the outfit. So she began to go down to the holding area after Finnick.