star crossed killers - cato x reader (the hunger games)

3

As soon as the train stopped, Flara ushered Jo, Jacob and I through a cleared path surrounded by bustling Capital citizens. They were all laughing and cheering just as the others before. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I forced myself to continue portraying the illusion I was enjoying myself. And I could honestly say a small part of me was.
I was never all that social a home, but I chose not to be. I was well known by District 7 though as that "poor little (L/N) girl".
They all pitied me because of my parent's death and my "bad-apple" sister, as they would refer to Ferne. I knew there were others who respected Ferne's initiative, but the pity and uncomfortable attention that it drew me made me into "a quiet person".

Infront and behind us I could see other tributes who are arriving, lead by their mentors just as stunned by commotion as I and Jacob appeared. I could see the pair behind me fairly clearly, they must have been from 8. A girl and a boy, both around 14 or 15ish. The girl's reaction stood out to me from the other tributes though. She wasn't great at hiding it, but I should know what a panic attack looks like. They're all too familiar to me.

I could tell her breathing was unsteady from the uncomfortable twitches in the motion of her chest. Her eyes were wide, searching for something to focus on.
I wanted to reach out to her, I wanted to hold her hand like Copper and Junie would do for me, but Flara noticed I was falling behind the group and yanked me back ahead by my arm, scratching me with her insensibly long nails. Once I had regained the same pace with Flara, I could hear shrieks from the Capital citizens behind us. Like everyone else was now doing, I peered back at the pair from 8.

The girl from 8 had took off, she was sprinting down the path away from the fuss. She was trying to escape and damn she was fast. Before the unloading path ended she was caught. Two peacekeepers dragged her back to the front. By the time she was passing me she had stopped kicking and screaming, she had given up. The sound of her feet dragging against the pavement and the clinking of the peacekeepers heavy armour was all that could be heard now, otherwise it was complete silence as she was the first to enter the Capital building.

× × × × ×

We had only spent a short amount of time again gapping at the size of the lobby of the Arena building, before Flara had whisked Jacob and I off to be prepped for the parade.

I was introduced to my stylist Rocky, she had long wavey hair similar to mine only it was dyed a lime green, along with her very thick eyebrows. She had some kind of green-theme to her style, it was simpler than most Capital people, but still noticable. She had matching lime green mascara that looked stunning with her artificial looking lime green eyes, she must have had some kind of aesthetic surgery done. Rocky's skin was pale and freckled, and her ears were pierced with many gold hoops.
Rocky began picking away at my hair trying to de-tangle the knots as I sat in a freezing cold tub and other stylists scrubbed off my skin and waxed every last unwanted hair.
When I was finally finished and dried off, Rocky pulled out what I would be wearing for the parade.

The district seven tributes always look the shittiest and that's on having trees as our gimic. I remember Jo's games, they had dressed her in her birthday suit. There was nothing but some mud and twigs covering the tributes genitalia that year. I shuddered. At least they couldn't dress me worse than that, or so I thought before they were preparing me in a dress composed of paper.

It wasn't completely hideous but it sure as hell was uncomfortable. It fit me nicely, surprisingly snug around my waist and hips considering it was paper. The dress ended at my mid thigh, ruffled or folded I guess like it was at the shoulders. I winced at my image in the mirror, I looked like a pathetic Capital citizen in my odd outfit composed of a paper dress, matching headpiece and heels and vibrant white eyeliner. At least the stylists kept my hair in its natural (H/T) loose down my back.

Rocky and a couple of piece keepers then escorted me to the chariot area, this was the first time I really got to see the tributes, including the career districts. Most tried not to hold eye contact with me too long as I held a fearsome glare, while others stared at me like I was a piece of meat. I could pick out the district numbers based on their costumes. Rocky and I squeezed through the crowded room, I bumped shoulders with a few stylists and tributes even, mumbling apologies but continuing to shove my way through.

Until I felt had run into a wall. Instead of letting me brush past, a tall blond boy stood in the way of the path, almost shoving me back even. The boy I'm assuming is from 2 based on the whole gold gladiator-masonry gimic. He angerly scowls down at me, I mockingly returned his scowl, not letting him intimidate me. His striking blue eyes crinkled at the corners as if he were amused and a small smile tugged at his lips. I tried my hardest not too, but I could feel the corners of my mouth turn upwards at the weird vulnerability this career was showing.
I felt frozen in the moment unable to move as we shared a smile, that was until Rocky grabbed my arm pulling me ahead and murmuring curses that we're almost late.

Continuing through the crowd we finally reach Jacob and his stylist and a large gold chariot with the number 7 engraved on the sides attached to two black horses.
Jacob wore some sort of suit composed of paper with a head piece matching mine. He looked even more uncomfortable in the costume than I. He nodded at my presence, smiling when I arrived. For a minute or two we awkwardly stood as the stylists adjusted and added finishing touches to our costumes. Jacob was directed onto the carriage and offered me help up. I grabbed his hand pulling myself up as Ceaser Flickerman's voice echoed through the arena and all of a sudden the carriages lurched forward, causing me to almost fall out.
Seeing the huge arena completely full of citizens gave me the same sick, head-spinning feeling when I heard June's name reaped and saw that boy's sign on the train; this is really happening.

"Welcome one and all, to the beginning of your 74th annual Hunger Games!"