Die for You | Catching Fire

chapter eighteen

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chapter eighteen
ROMEO AND JULIET

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tw: mention of forced prostitution
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Returning to The Capitol two months after the Games has plagued Sage with nausea for at least a week. It's a ghostly feeling, lingering beneath the surface, the flutters of her heart and the sourness of her stomach barely there, but nevertheless still there. The furnishings of Ten's condo blends with the tenth floor of the Tribute Center. Taura and Mateo never stepped foot in this building, and yet, they haunt her at every corner.

"Oh Sage, you look so pale," Tatiana tuts, pinching the girl's clammy cheek. Zelia continues to adjust the skirt of her gown.

Orion, who just added the final touches of Sage's makeup frowns at Tatiana's comment, inspecting his work with irritation. He clicks his tongue to the roof of his mouth. "If I put anymore blush on her she'll look like a clown."

"She'll be wearing a mask!" Zelia pipes up. "Perhaps a little bronzer couldn't hurt."

"Oh, she's just nervous to see Ptolemus..." Philo beams from his stool, inspecting the mask her Stylist carefully crafted for her. He playfully hovers it above his purple features and grins. "Again."

Sage would eyeroll if she could, most of her energy focused on not throwing up right now. She hates throwing up. However, her body seems to betray her, the queasiness mounting in her gut at the idea of being back here again. Her clammy fingers play with the skirt of her dress as she swallows the bile back down. The shimmering purples, golds and blues ease her nerves, almost resembling the canyon skies she yearns to sleep under tonight.

"I knew better than to believe those tabloids," Orion asserts with superiority. He dusts some glitter along her collarbone and shoulders.

Zelia puckers her fuschia lips into a melting pout with starry eyes. "I can't believe he snuck off to visit you in Ten! How romantic!"

"He didn't sneak off per-say," Philo interjects. "Deverra contacted me to arrange it all. I needed to be persuaded, of course, after all Sage, you were so upset. And then I had to collaborate with my superiors." The tone in which he speaks causes a muscle in her cheek to twitch. As if he ever truly understood the depth of Sage's heartbreak. "But once I knew his intentions were pure, I couldn't help but oblige in the name of love!"

"So admirable," Sage mumbles under her breath. None of them hear her.

While Sage was and is still grateful Ptolemus managed to make it out to Ten, it didn't come without a price. After all, traveling between the Districts for citizens, even Victors, is forbidden unless for good reason. Good reason usually implies for The Capitol's benefit, and in this case, it's all for their entertainment. Of course, Deverra ensured paparrazi would retrieve a picture of Ptolemus on Ten's train platform for the tabloids to run with like a pack of wolves.

"LOST ON THE WAY HOME? THE LEGACY VISITS TEN!"

"BACK TOGETHER OR SIMPLY SEEKING CLOSURE?"

"PANEM'S VERY OWN ROMEO AND JULIET!"

"COULDN'T WAIT UNTIL THE MASQUERADE FOR A REUNION!"

At least no reporters crept to her windows for a glimpse of the two— that Sage is aware of anyway, the sole picture being of Ptolemus boarding the train to leave Ten and return to Two.