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THRESH AND RUE'S ODDS WERE NOT WHAT OCTAVIA HAD HOPED. Her and Chaff had watched the other district's reaping's while the tributes hid in their respective rooms.
The career districts were to be expected. The tributes made for a strong looking pack, making Octavia fear for her tributes. The boy from two was familiar, she couldn't place it on her own until Chaff spoke up.
"Remember the girl who lost her arm to your brother?" Octavia presses her teeth into her bottom lip at the mention of her brother, but nods.
"A legacy family, they always have been. It's the boys turn, now." His speech surprisingly remains at a constant pace, he doesn't slur. Octavia doesn't say much, so Chaff takes it on himself to fill some of the silence. If there was one thing that Octavia would never forget about her mentors, it was the silent understanding between them.
Most of the tributes were nothing special nor surprising. Octavia had to force herself not to stare at Finnick in the background of Four's reaping. The tape continued on, tears and screams were pointedly cut out so that the Capitol patrons wouldn't see what the reaping really does to the Districts.
"I volunteer!"
A voice screams out on the tape. Octavia leans her body forward slightly, trying to figure out what was happening. Chaff doesn't move. The dark haired girl pushes her way past peacekeepers, and hands a small blonde into the arms of a tall young man. She makes her way to the stage.
A volunteer in an outlying district was rare. It made more sense when it was clarified that the girl was her sister. Octavia wishes she could've volunteered for Augustus. She would've gone through everything a thousand times if it meant he'd still be alive.
"Can't blame her, huh?" Chaff asks. Octavia's lips press together as she tries to smile, nodding. The sound of a door sliding open makes both mentors turn their heads. Thresh and Rue emerge. Rue's eyes are red and her cheeks are flushed, she'd clearly been crying.
Thresh does his best not to look at Octavia. The history was complicated. He did love Octavia like a sister, but he couldn't look at her without remembering his brother.
The tributes sit down awkwardly in front of the mentors. Each individual waits for another one to start the conversation. Octavia clears her throat.
"How are you guys feeling?" She immediately regrets her words when Rue noticeably begins to tear up.
"Fine," Rue says with a shaky voice. Octavia looks down at her lap. Thankfully, Chaff is sober enough to understand the awkward situation. He begins to talk to the tributes as much as he can, urging them to tell him and Octavia anything that can help them in the Arena.
