Wait for it. (Treech)

Wait for it?

Just this morning, you had kissed your mother and father goodbye, unknowing if you'd see them again. The effects of the hunger games were taking a toll, every year more. Your mother would begin to cry even harder. Your father's face hardening, slowly over time becoming even more colder of the doomsday.

It's something every single year, your parents would prepare the night before for. They'd get you a new dress, new shoes. Your mother would plan what hair style to do that would make you the prettiest out of the tributes, your father would train you with an axe in combat, his face falling at every blow you missed.

"District 7 boy, Treech." You could feel yourself begin to sweat. Treech.

Treech and you were not close, at best you were friends as children, when he and his friends would chase you and your other friends around the woods, childlike giggles sounding and echoing as your parents would all go to chop wood. You could see his jaw lock, his throat swallow as he slowly, and yet calmly makes his way onto the stage, his olive skin going pale from shock. His eyes met yours, he attempts to offer you a smile, one that made you reminiscent of the one he offered after he had fallen and scrapped his knees.

Slowly. The leader of your district reached your hand into the pot again pulling out another name. Your stomach knotted up again as you shut your eyes tightly.

"District 7 female... y/n."
No.
No no no.

You could feel your body physically stop, you can't move. Vomit was rising into your mouth as you could only stare in shock. The girl next to you reaches out gently pushing your back to start your movement.

You begin to approach the stage, your body moving slow, but you felt as if you were going at a hundred miles an hour. As you made it to the stairs, a hand stretched out. Treech. He held a hand out to help you up, which you gratefully took. As you both stood on the stage staring out at your district you couldn't help but noticing all eyes, were filled with pity, and dread. Treech still held tightly onto your hand, giving it the occasional squeeze.

You turn to him, his smile he once offered no more as he began to stare solemnly at the ground, his face screwed into a tight ball. He reached up with his free hand pulling his hat further over his eyes. You then squeezed his hand for the first time, trying to comfort him back, which seemed to go unnoticed.

Before either of you could even react, or fight back. Four peacekeepers approached you, grabbing your arms and forcing you off the stage and towards the train station. Your once interlocked hands with Treech, were yanked apart. Only then did he begin to pull from the peacekeepers grip, earning him a sharp hit on the head with the butt of the gun as he was forced into the trains compartment, you soon followed, tossed in without a care, like a waste of space.

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"What the fuck be careful! Don't throw her!" Treech snapped as he pulled you next to him sat in the corner of your compartment. The peacekeepers only sniggered, slamming the doors shut leaving you in pitch black. You turn your body to face Treech as he hissed rubbing his head. "Are you ok? God I can't believe they hit you. They're insane you could be concussed.." you frowned reaching your hand up to turn Treeches face to the side, looking where the bruise was gently forming. He pulled his head away pulling his arms around his knees. "I'm fine."

You both sit in silence for a long time. Something uncommon for Treech. Normally when you looked to where Treech was cutting wood, he would be laughing, and joking with his friends, and in recent years attempting to sweet talk some girls he had found an interest in, girls who were never you.

"I'm scared, and I think, you are too." You hear him whisper into the darkness you look at where Treech was curled up. He lets out a scoff. "It sounds stupid to say. I've never felt scared, even during the reapings. I always knew that, it wouldn't be me. That there were so many other people to choose from." He continues on, his voice cracking once at the end. You see him aggressively rub his eyes and let out a quiet sniff. "Your gonna be ok Treech. You're gonna be just fine. Your strong, your fast and you know what? Your smart. You will survive." You smile gently. "If I survive that means you won't. It's just not fucking fair!" He snaps letting out a violent groan at the end before turning to you. "On that stage you were scared. Everyone could see it. Why the hell are you now so calm?" He snaps leaning closer to you before grabbing your arm shaking you a little. Your eyes widen in surprise as you hit his hand of your arm. "Don't shake me! And I think I'm still in shock, tonight will be different when we actually get there." You let out a stifled yawn as your head leans against the wooden back to the cart you were stuck in. Treech seems to pause for a minute before offering out, "you can lean on my shoulder if you want. Get some sleep," he mutters leaning his head up giving you space to rest your head.

"What a gentleman." You roll your eyes scootching closer to him before leaning your head firmly on his shoulder.

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Within the next few hours, the train comes to a thumping stop, throwing you and Treech from where you sat across the cart. The door suddenly flung open, as one peacekeeper stood in the open, holding a similar gun that had been used to hit Treech. "Up and at em. Let's go!" He snaps walking away from the door to give you and Treech room to exit. You swallow nervously as Treech stands up jumping down from the cart, holding two hands up to you to get you down. You smile gratefully as he helps pull you down. The peacekeepers nose wrinkles in disgust at the two of you before pulling the door back shut with a slam.

You took a look around, the station was huge, built mainly of stone and marble showing the capitals wealth and beauty. It was very different to back home, where the station was made of wood, and some large stones placed together to form a pathway. You look around noticing another dozen tributes climb off the train, your eyes are drawn to one in particular.

The girl who climbs down is wearing a rainbow dress, layered with all kinds of colour, her corset was laced with a pink ribbon, embroidered with bright, high contrast flowers. Your eyes widened, you'd never seen anyone wear such bright colours.

The next thing that drew your attention to her was the man who was greeting her. He wasn't a peacekeeper, but someone important based on his uniform. He wore a sharp red one, his hair curled and light as snow, his skin fair and smooth. His eyes a deep blue, you think he almost looks handsome. Scary, but handsome.

Your attention is bought back as peacekeepers begin to escort the tributes to a large van, one covered in dirt and smelling of it too, each pair is pushed up to the doors and forced inside. You watch as one of the boys attempts to run, only to be grabbed by the foot and thrown sharply to the ground. You turn your head from the site, your fists clenching tightly in fear as you and Treech approach the van.

Treech climbs up into the van reaching a hand for you, yanking you up into the van and guiding you to a seat. You sit down carefully next to an even younger girl, who sits happily smiling to her tribute partner sat on her other side. He notices your gaze raising a brow, you nervously smile turning your attention back to Treech. "You ok? Your heads really staring to bruise now." You question taking his hand that was lingering by his side. He nods his head. "I'm feeling kinda tired though, I want to go home and back to my bed." He says exhaustively.

Suddenly a flash of red appears in the corner of your eye, bolting across the van near Lucy Gray, the strange man appears, as the doors then slam shut and the van begins to shake as it starts up. He stands tall dusting himself off as he stairs unsurely at everyone in the van. He then smiles. "Hello."