A Million Fireflies | A Hunger Games x KOTLC Fanfiction

Part 1 of Chapter 2

Light peers through my window and I yawn and sit up, stretching my arms.

Today I shall go down to the market with the triplets and we can look at the jewellery, I decide. Then I'll help Edaline bake her famous mallowmelt cookies and we can have a picnic in the shade of the trees. . . I turn in bed, eyes half open, and see Dex. Suddenly everything rushes back. Frustrated and close to tears, I throw my head back on the pillow.

After a few minutes, I get up and walk to the bathroom. Dex is still sleeping. Somehow, the reaping dress I wore yesterday has disappeared, replaced with a silky teal blouse and a white skirt. Fresh underclothes and a pair of small white heels have been put on the shelves beside it. A silver chain is resting on the sink bench, and a pair of little silver earrings sit beside it. I stare in confusion. My ears aren't pierced.

I point this out to Effie twenty minutes later when I walk into the main compartment for breakfast. She sighs and says, "your stylists should take care of that."

My eyes widen. People from the Capitol punching holes in my body? No thanks.

Effie glances up to see me and gives a squeak. "What?" I say, panicking for a second.

"That shower was well overdue, darling! And that teal colour looks incredible on you!"
I blush, my face turning hot. Effie beams at me.

When I've had enough of gawking at Effie's bold yellow hair I sit down at the table, now covered with breakfast foods. Cereal, fried meat, eggs, and lots of delicacies that I've never laid eyes on. I'm still surveying the table when Dex walks in. He's changed into a crisp white shirt and black trousers. "Good morning," he says, attempting to be calm. Then the hunger pulls him under and he rushes to the table and starts chowing down. This makes me laugh.

Errol trails in next. He's wearing the same clothes he was wearing yesterday. The dim gray look in his eyes is still there. The haunting grimace on his face is still there too. I try not to look at him. I think I'm embarrassed about my conversation with him yesterday. I think I was too nosy.

My appetite is now gone for some reason, so I get up to look out the window. I intake sharply.

In front of me a huge modern city towers above. Beautiful fountains and white buildings are gleaming in the early sun. The whole city is silhouetted slightly because of the recent sunrise, giving it a fairytale kind of aura.
"Dex," I say. "Look!"

He scrambles to see, and his expression mirrors mine. All we can seem to say is simply, "wow."

Soon the train pulls into the station. Hundreds of screaming Capitol citizens wave their hands. Dex breaks out in a grin. "Sophie, I think they're cheering for. . . us."

He starts waving and smiling. I watch him from back in my seat. No one can see me, I'm out of range of the window.

Dex looks so, well, natural there, waving at the crowd. He looks tidy and handsome after a shower, and the smooth, clean clothes help too. Maybe his saving grace in the Games will be good sponsors, sending him the things he needs to survive.

Dex turns and raises his eyebrows. "Come on, Sophie. Wave!"

I get up and join him there, my best smile decorating my face. We wave until Effie drags us away.

We find our way into the building for the tributes. The elevator rises rapidly and I feel giddy, never having ridden one before. It's over quick enough and, exhausted, we stumble into the apartment.

We enter our rooms, which are breathtakingly beautiful, but it's not a surprise.

Effie sets up a large TV in the living room and puts me and
Dex in front of it. We have to watch the reapings in the other districts now.

First we see our own reaping, and Dex starts shaking. I grab his hand and smile encouragingly. "It's okay. It's gonna be okay." Dex nods and stops shivering, but he still looks scared.

From District 11, a girl named Linh Song is picked. She's pretty, what with her dark silver tipped hair.

Out of nowhere a boy with silver tipped bangs, like Linh's, started shouting and screaming terrible words.

"I volunteer!" he screamed desperately. "I volunteer!"

The Peacekeepers let him through and Linh was pulled off the stage. She's in shock, crying and screaming for the boy who volunteered. The Capitol representative is trying to explain to this boy - named Tam Song, apparently Linh's twin - that being a boy he can't volunteer for the girl, but Tam is so determined that she gives up and chooses another female.

We binge-watch the rest of the reapings. The ones that stick in my mind are a girl named Marella Redek and Jensi I-forgot-his-last-name from 7, a large girl named Stina Heks from 5, and finally, the Careers. The first two Career reapings for 3 and 4 aren't really interesting, except for a twelve-year-old girl picked from 4.

From District 2, a monstrous girl went out of her way to volunteer. Muscles bulging, she forced her way onto the stage. Then a boy is chosen - Keefe Sencen. He has tousled blonde hair and a strong lean build. A smirk rested upon his face, but the moment he heard his name, it vanished. His face paled but he struggled to keep cool as he made his way onto the stage. A speech is given, mentors introduced and then it skips to the reaping in District 1.

A beautiful girl with shiny dark hair and incredible teal eyes is called. Biana Vacker. She walks onto the stage, managing to hide her shock. She already scares me.

Then the representative reaches his hand in the bowl and slowly, dramatically pulling out the name of a boy.

"Fitz Vacker," the powerful voice booms. It echoes through District 1's stadium.

A boy with dark glossy hair and teal eyes steps into the stage. Dex and I both gasp. Brother and sister! In the same Games!

It has happened before, but only once in the last 79 Hunger Games.

He looks confused but confident as he joins his sister. Then another speech is given, and the television cuts out.