Caged Nightingale [Hunger Games Fanfic]

Interlude: Scary Moments

Horror Movie:

Typically, when they went looking to watch a movie while curled up under a blanket on a Friday night, they usually didn't choose to watch a horror movie. They also usually didn't have guests.

"Brutus...why exactly are you here? And so late?" Seneca raised an eyebrow at the victor.

Katniss just ignored the both of them, setting up their things so they wouldn't have to go continuously to the kitchen. There was a bowl of chips, an extra bag of chips to refill, finger sandwiches, and a pitcher of iced water to refill their glasses.

"Well, I wanted to visit. And then I found out you guys were gonna watch a movie, so I wanted to stay longer and even join you guys!"

And by Brutus' beaming face, Seneca could see that the other man saw absolutely nothing wrong in that.

They also didn't usually choose horror movies, and Brutus had the luck to decide to join them when they decided to watch a classic –The Exorcist. All three of them settled down on the couch, with Katniss in the middle, and the movie was turned on.

It started okay, normal and nothing going on. Then the strange occurrences started to happen. When it was only just stuff about weird noises and happenings in the attic, Brutus was just jumpy. Then the small talk of an Ouija board had him whimpering, and probably recalling his own experience with one. When flashes of the demon started showing up and the girl started to act strange and pee on herself, Brutus' hand shot out and grabbed hold of Katniss'.

Now, Seneca wasn't going to be easily jealous. He knew how Brutus was like with occult stuff now, and that it really freaked him out.

But when the really freaky stuff started happening...

When the girl crawled down the stairs like a spider, he'd turned sideways and clutched onto Katniss completely, staring wide-eyed at the screen. And when the girl's head turned 360 degrees...Brutus screamed, scrambled in place on the couch and practically over Katniss, with his arm shooting out and snagging Seneca around the neck as he hauled him closer to he and Katniss, and had clamped onto them both.

After the movie was over, Brutus ran to the bathroom and threw up (much like the people who'd watched in theaters in history), whimpering and pleading to stay over when he was finished. They relented, though they didn't expect Brutus to sleep at the foot of their bed like a dog. They didn't have the heart to kick him out.

"Well, at least he'll be too out of it to realize we sleep in the same room," Seneca muttered.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "He probably thinks we're too scared to sleep alone, like him."

Ghost Stories:

"Now this is the legend of Jack Sparrow –" Cashmere smacked Finnick upside the head.

"Wrong story, idiot."

Finnick grinned sheepishly. "I know. I don't actually know any Capitol ghost stories..."

Katniss was disappointed. She'd actually been looking forward to hearing some.

"What about you, Seneca? You're the actual Capitol citizen here. Born and bred too," Gloss called him out.

Seneca shrugged. "It wasn't one of the things I looked into or was interested in."

"Aw man, I guess we'll all have to do some research so we can have something for next time," Finnick practically pouted.

Brutus looked mildly pleased and relieved, but they all ignored it for his sake.

"What about you, Katniss? Do you know any ghost stories from District 12?" Annie asked curiously.