Revolt 13 | Y.Jw

| 33 |

The days after the game all passed in a haze. I felt like I was never truly present for anything we had to do. I mostly felt like I was going on autopilot for what my body wanted and needed me to do. The only people I really remember speaking to was Venus, Carda and Jungwon - not that Jungwon and I spoke much whenever we had the time.

It was like we had no more to say to each other, like we had already said everything there was to say. What would we talk about? The weather? The games? Our families? We couldn't talk about one topic without the haunting presence of the games hovering above it.

"You look magnificent dear," Carda rasped gently as she closed up the back of the simple dress she had made for the occassion.

Today was our last day in the Capitol. We would be crowned as winners of the 99th Hunger Games. Tomorrow morning we would get on the train to go back home. Jungwon to Twelve and I to Thirteen. Then during the winter we would take our Victory tour through all the districts in the winter and get back to our districts in time for the reaping to be mentors for the next poor souls.

"Don't let them see your emotions," Carda reminded gently and cradled my cheek as she walked back in front of me again, "you're stronger than anyone watching would ever be."

"People hate me," I whispered and Carda's eyes immediately softened.

"The only people that hate you are the President," she reminded gently, "and that is only because you defied the system her family implemented so many years ago."

"What about the districts?" I muttered, "we did what none of their previous tributes could do. We were two winners."

"That decision was taken on behalf of the Gamemakers. That has nothing to do with what you've done in the games," Carda gently reminded, "if anything, I believe that both District twelve and Five will be in eternal debt to you. Helping that poor young boy like you did."

"It was only decent of me," I reminded and Carda immediately nodded.

"It's been years since we've had such decency from a tribute in the games," she reminded quietly.

Venus had decided to interrupt our conversation then. First gushing over how nice I looked in my dress, before getting to why he actually was there. They were waiting to start the ceremony.

I followed with Venus out through the corridors and eventually onto a large balcony, on which Jungwon was already waiting - forcing himself to wave at everyone in the audience that cheered for us. 

The president would join us seconds later and force a certain silence over the audience. A satisfied smile spread on her aged face as her short white fair thrashed from side to side when she turned her head to look over every part of the audience.

"Panem! Today we crown this years victors of the 99th Hunger Games!" she announced and immediately loud cheers erupted from the audience, "These two winners have not only survived the longest, they outlasted, outlived, outdid and killed all the other tributes," the president continued, making both Jungwon and I flinch a bit in our spots at the mention of how we had killed all the other survivors, "they're loved by the country and today we show them our last act of love when we bid them goodbye to go back home to their districts."

As two crowns were brought onto the balcony the president lifted up the first one. A wide smile on her face as she announced to the audience that it of course was ladies first, and walked over to stand in front of me.

"Congratulations," she murmured and placed the golden crown on my head. Letting me wear something that was worth more than any money that had ever been spent on me back home in Thirteen, "you must be very relieved."

"If a week without proper sleep is counted as relieved, I believe so," I replied and she snickered slightly. Either in amusement or spite.

"You've done something very brave, been given a second chance at life. Don't give me a reason to end this life before nature does," she whispered and slowly let her hands flop down by her side, "there was always only supposed to be one winner. You've created an uprising in the public, stop it before I stop you."

I simply stared at her in silence before she smiled and went back to pick up Jungwon's crown, crowning him with no problem and no comments to him. I watched in silence as the president declared us winners of the 99th games. I didn't hear what she said properly, a loud ringing had started in my ears and deafened any other sound around me.

After the ceremony Venus had rushed me inside once again, getting me to a private room to sit down while he and Carda wandered around and moved their mouths as if they were having a conversation. The ringing in my ears still making it impossibble for me to hear anything. It was only when the door burst open and Jungwon rushed in with Marianne and his stylist that it seemed that the ringing went away.

"What'd she say?" Jungwon immediately questioned and rushed over to grab my shoulders. At first I didn't notice he had said anything and just stared at him in silence, "what did she say? The president, what did she say?"

"There's uprising in the public," I whispered and Jungwon's eyes darted around on my face, "she only wanted one winner... I have to stop it. She said I had to stop the uprising."

"That'll be easy," Venus immediately declared, "just don't give a reason for an uprising," he pointed out as I looked over at him, "you don't show yourself too much in the public eye until the Victory tour and the reaping and they'll forget about it eventually. Just don't do anything stupid."

"Did she threaten you?" Jungwon questioned and I looked back at him before finally looking back at Venus.

"How am I supposed to make sure that works?" I questioned and Venus just sighed, looking quite agitated in comparison to how bright and happy his clothes and hair made him look, "she'd kill me if I don't make it happen."

"She'd kill you?" Jungwon questioned loudly, trying to get my attention away from Venus.

"Do you love him?" Venus questioned and nodded towards Jungwon, lifting a hand up to his face, rubbing one cheek thoughtfully.

"Of course I do," I hummed shortly.

"Only let them see that side of you then," Venus insisted, "don't let them see anything defying in you. Whenever you make appearances on television or out in the districts, you're just that. You're just in love with him and that's all you ever were and that's why you won."

"But why would there be an uprising just because of that?" I questioned quietly, "wasn't that what caused it while we were in the games?"

"We'll take it on the train tomorrow," Venus excused and quickly nodded for Carda to follow him out of the room. Leaving me bewildered and confused as to what I had done wrong.