Those Who Rise Shall Fall Again (Hunger Games fan fiction)

Back to the old ways

Chapter Two: Back to the old ways 

Lucy awoke the next morning to find herself in a state of shock, she had once again had nightmares...but somehow she had slept through them. How, she didn't know but when she looked down to the floor she saw Marvel who was fast asleep. He had promised to stay with her and he hadn't broken that promise. 

She got up and stepped over Marvel then walked to the bathroom and glanced at her reflection and quickly looked away, she didn't like what she saw. So, she quickly brushed her teeth then scurried back into her room and chose a simple outfit, then ran back to the bathroom and slipped it on. Next, she opened the palm of her hand and saw the necklace she had picked up from her bedside cabinet. It was the necklace that once belonged to Marvel's mother but Marvel had given it to Lucy as a good luck charm in The Hunger Games. 

She un-did the catch of the chain on the necklace then put it on and fastened the catch. Lucy then opened the locket and looked at the pictures inside, one was of her parents and the other was of Marvel. Marvel himself had put the pictures in the necklace for her before he had given it to her. 

Lucy then headed downstairs to her kitchen and started to make breakfast for her and Marvel. She began cooking almost immediately to try and take her mind off things but no matter what she did she couldn't. Cooking breakfast wasn't really helping relieve her of all the bad thoughts that sprung in her head and were beginning to get worse. 

So, she switched the oven off leaving the half cooked breakfast, washed her hands and sat down on her piano and poured all her bad thoughts out on her piano. The tune came out strange at first but then it seemed to fit the emotions she had been feeling when she was in the bloodbath in the 74th Hunger Games. She closed her eyes and continued to play. 

But it wasn't until she heard Marvel trying to quietly walk down the stairs did she realise she was singing too. She opened her eyes and slammed down the lid of the piano and stared at Marvel who was trying to cover up the fact he had been listening to her singing and playing the piano. 

"Morning," Marvel said awkwardly and Lucy narrowed her eyes. "Did you sleep well?" 

"Very much so," she lied and stood up, resuming her position in the kitchen where she continued to cook breakfast. Marvel planted himself down on one of the kitchen chairs and waited for Lucy to say something, but she never did, so Marvel cleared his throat and she turned around. "Can I help you?" 

"You're lying to me." He said simply. "You didn't sleep well last night." 

"How can you tell?" Lucy thought she might as well give up on lying now because sometimes she was such a poor liar. 

"I just know." He shrugged as Lucy looked down in shame. "Well, I have known you for a while anyway." 

Lucy nodded and then smiled slightly. "When we were best friends." 

"We are still best friends, but best friends who love each other." Marvel confirmed. 

"I loved you when we were just best friends...just, not in the way we love each other now. I guess I loved you just as a friend." 

Marvel smiled but didn't say anything as Lucy served his breakfast on a plate and put it down in front of him. She didn't think it was her best effort but Marvel seemed to enjoy it all the same. 

"I wonder what happened to Gloss?" Marvel asked suddenly. 

Lucy and Marvel hadn't seen their mentor since the night before they went into The Hunger Games. His absence had worried and confused the two while Cashmere, his sister, filled in for him. The only thing they'd heard about Gloss on the day they became Victors was that he had to return from the Capitol and go back to District 1 for 'urgent reasons.' Yet, he had not been seen at any celebrations and when asked about his whereabouts, no-one knew. Not even Cashmere.