A Part to Play // Hunger Games

6 // Peace Before the Storm

"There wasn't a plan for this part of the plan" - Liam Dunbar (Teen Wolf)

***

Aria was proud for standing up for her beliefs, but she knew that she had messed up by telling Caesar how she felt so bluntly and that she'd have no sponsors at all after that whole stunt she pulled.

Josh was shocked. He didn't think the young tribute had that type of fight in her. Although he knew that, at the moment, if, by any chance, she got out alive of that Arena, that was it for her. Snow would never let her live her life in peace after that. But he was still proud of her nonetheless.

Fae was utterly and completely in disbelief, not knowing that was how the tribute really felt about the Games. The older woman knew Aria hated the idea of the Games, but she didn't know that this hate ran so deep inside the girl. As a Capitol citizen, Fae felt slightly insulted by her speech, but she knew where the girl was coming from, and started to think about it from her perspective. She then, applauded the courage the youngest tribute possessed for telling the whole country that.

Gian was certainly interested to say the least. He, as every other tribute, didn't really fancy the idea of the Games, but he'd never go against them so publicly, he knew he hadn't got the guts to do it. He was happy though, that the Capitol's hate would now be going entirely to his District partner, increasing his own chances at going further in the competition. That sounded selfish, and he knew it, but the girl knew what she was doing the moment she opened her mouth. Besides, even if he kind of liked the younger tribute, it was the Hunger Games and in the end it was each for their own, only one would come out alive.

Caesar was sure to stay away from any debatable questions and topics for the rest of the night, trying to bring the Games to a better light again, disregarding everything Aria had said about them and the Capitol. The interviewer was, after all, notorious for turning conversations around to entertain his own purposes.

The youngest tribute spent the rest of the interviews spacing out and thinking about all of the different ways to kill her that the monarch was cooking up, and she was starting to get creative. The girl knew she needed a plan if she were to stay alive at least until the final eight - which was her main goal - and she needed it fast.

***

After all of the interviews were done, District Five's entire cavalry - both mentors, both tributes and Fae - went back up to their apartment, ready for the stressful day to be over, yet nervous about the Games that would start the next morning. The tension in the air was thick and everyone was feeling it, but none of them had the energy, or the will to do something about it.

Gian went straight to his room, too nervous to eat anything, thinking about the best strategies for the Arena, not sure whether he should take the careers up on their offer to be with them or not. He did wonder about the boy from District Two as well, he seemed odd, not having lunch and training with the other careers, staying with his own District partner instead, but he didn't have the time to be thinking about that at the moment, being way too stressed out about the Hunger Games for that.

The remaining tribute had a nice dinner with the nervous wreck that was Fae and the only sober mentor, talking calmly about little nothings, like she wouldn't go into that death Arena in the morning. She knew she was going in and there was nothing the young girl could do about it, so she decided to ignore the problem instead, enjoying her last night as herself.

Both adults knew where the girl was coming from, respecting her wish and not talking about the Games, trying to lighten up the mood instead, masking their feelings as best as they could, after all, if a twelve year old could do it, so could they.