𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐃𝐎𝐋| 𝐟.𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫

FIVE ┈➤ late night comforts

act one. fuel the flames
five ┈➤ late night comforts

"there is happiness
past the blood and the bruise
past the curses and cries
beyond the terror in the nightfall"

➥ HAPPINESS, TAYLOR SWIFT

The days of training dragged by, and Venus hardly spoke to Helios even outside of training. She was concerned about what he'd do in the arena. Because when he'd said that if it meant his survival, he'd kill his friends, she believed him. He'd do it with hardly any hesitation. What had twisted him so much to this point? He was lovely two years ago. And now so much had changed. Ready to sacrifice whatever it took if it brought him back to his house. What awaited him? Nothing.

Everybody still ate lunch together, pushing tables together to eat with each other instead of sitting on their own in solemn small talk or silence. Venus loved their lunches. Katniss and Peeta had begun to involve themselves in conversations too, rather than sitting next to them in silence or talking between themselves.

Everything had felt so slow the first time around. Eight years ago, training had dragged by until they'd eventually reached the individual assessments, and then finally the interview before they were being taken to the arena.

But their individual assessments had approached fast, and it felt like with a snap of fingers, they were sat in the waiting room on those little boxes. She'd sat cross-legged, not talking to Helios still. She didn't know what to say to him. Clearly, he had nothing to say to her either.

Venus wondered whether or not it was easier that she went earlier in the line up. Tenth place out of twenty four still just about scraped into the first half. Less time before meant less time to stress, but it meant that all her stress was concentrated into a small space, like the pressure was increased. It also meant less time to consider what she'd do. She'd use her blades, of course, but she couldn't fully consider how exactly she'd present the skill.

Would she throw the knives or demonstrate slashes and stabbing? Would she use the machete?

"District Five. Venus Faraday. Report for individual assessment."

Venus looked up, sighing and standing, walking towards the door and waiting for it to open. It did so, and she walked in, keeping her eyes ahead and barely sparing a second glance at Helios as he passed her.

She reached the end of the large room, coming to a stop and looking up at the Gamemakers. The Head Gamemaker was new. Plutarch Heavensbee. Replacement for Seneca Crane after last year's mistake in the arena resulted in Crane's murder/suicide.

It was all quiet, of course, nothing ever made it into the public, but it wasn't hard to understand what had happened. Jobs like these weren't ones you just quit. You had to be killed to leave. There was the odd retiree, but they weren't all too common.

Frankly, Crane's career as Head Gamemaker was a rather short one, only three years long. But when you make mistakes, corners are cut, as are heads.

Venus looked up with a slight scowl on her face. "Miss Faraday," Plutarch addressed. "You have ten minutes to present your chosen skill."

She nodded slightly and got to work, grabbing a holster of sorts and pulling it over her shoulders, slipping the machete in, followed by the knives. She moved towards the pad for the simulation, tapping the keys and rolling her head as she pressed start, grabbing a knife from the holster.