"Not all careers are evil... or rich for that matter."
Or in which Calypso Dubois goes through hell and back to keep her family together, despite the raging war in Panem.
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"Up! Get up! Everybody up!" The annoying voices of Clover and Astraea rang as they clanked things together to wake us up. "What time is it?" Lavender asked the girls. I groaned and sulked into the main room. "6:20, they need to be ready by eight," I answered, "what time did I say you can wake us up?" I asked the girls. "6:30," They answered. "You're ten minutes early," I growled. "Early bird gets the worm," Astraea said with that sickeningly cute smile on her face. "You spend too much time with Finnick," I told her.
"We're bored," Clover whined. "Not my problem, what'd I tell you to do when you're bored?" I reminded. "Go bug Haymitch," they answered. "Atta girls, now go," I ordered, shooing them towards the elevator. "I'll make breakfast," I told Lux who was still seething over my sister's lack of manners. I was making pancakes, eggs, and bacon for the last breakfast. I knew from experience that tributes needed a lot of carbs before the games as food wasn't guaranteed.
"Morning," Nola said climbing down the stairs. "Morning, made breakfast," I told her. "I don't think I can eat," she admits. "Then force yourself to," I told her, "down in the arena food is a luxury, not a right, you will go days without it so best eat now." Soon enough Brute and Bars came down accompanied by Cato. "Game day pancakes?" Cato asked. "Yup," I answered. "Girls bugging Haymitch?" Bars asked. "Yup," I said again. "Five, four, three, two..." Bruno counts down before the elevator opened to reveal two laughing little girls and 6 angry mentors.
"Stop sending your kids to bug me!" Haymitch shouted as he came into the room. The girls laughed and hid behind Bruno the second they got free. "What'd you do?" I asked the girls, "I said go bug Haymitch." They laughed even harder. I turned to notice Ilse and Alaric from five, Johanna from seven, Chaff, and of course, Haymitch. "We took a few pit stops," Clover said innocently. "You have whipped cream on your head," I told Haymitch. "Your brats are nightmares," Chaff told us, "stop sending them up here."
"Hi Uncle Mitch," Cato greeted. "Hey kid, are you ready to clobber my tributes?" Johanna asked. Cato nodded hesitantly. He was still apprehensive about killing people. "Tell you what, bet you can't beat my kill count," Alaric said sending me a not so discreet wink. "I bet he can't beat mine!" Clover added, despite having never killed someone. "Or mine," Astraea added, "my kill counts a hundred thousand!" I laughed. "What do you think kids, think you can beat a hundred thousand?" I asked, making absolute sure to include Nola in my reassurance. Just because I want Cato to live, doesn't mean I want her to die. "Totally," Nola said shooting me a thankful smile. "Yea, that's easy," Cato added flexing his muscles.
•§ •
It didn't take long for the mentors to leave to prepare their own tributes, and the stylists to come prep mine. I waited patiently on the couch for Cato to be ready. "Is Cato gonna win?" Clove asked as I braided her hair. "Of course he will," I promised her. "No one but Cato?" She asked. "No one but Cato," I agreed. "What if there's two victors?" Clove asked. "That's silly," I told her. "But what if the new game maker chooses to be really really nice and make it two winners?" She asked again. "Well then both victors would do their tour together and the victory party... would be huge," I answered keeping it light for her. In reality, that would never happen, and if it did, Snow would be pissed.
"Hey Little Luck," the familiar voice filled the room as Cato opened the door. "Cato!" Clove squealed as he lifted her in his arms. "You know when I get back we're gonna pull a really big prank," he told her. "Really?" Clove asked. "Mhm, and it can be on anyone you'd like," Cato told her. "Even the president?" Clover asked. "I don't know if we could get away with that one," Cato laughed, "but we can certainly try." I smiled at the interaction. Secretly, I'd love to see them prank Snow, but I know that even if he does come back, pranking is the last thing he'll want to do.
"Promise?" Clove asked, "that you're gonna come back and play pranks with me." Her bottom lip trembling as she shakily stuck her pinky out. Cato wrapped his pinky around her's. "Cross my heart and if I die," he started, "stick a dagger in my eye." Clover nodded. "And if I fail, then let me bleed," she said joining Cato, "for promises we're meant to keep." Clove latched onto him like a lifeline. "Now kiss it," Cato instructed as he kissed his side of the locked pinkies. Clove did the same. "Now that promise is sealed into the seams of the universe," He told her. "And you always keep your promises," Clover finished. "Exactly," he agreed. He kissed her head before sending her to get her belongings. We'd be spending the next few days in the mentor center.
"I'm sorry I put you through this," Cato told me once she left. "It's alright, you were only doing what's expected of you, I can't fault that," I told him. "If I don't make it out-" "You're making it out," I cut him off. "I know, but if something happens and I don't, I need you to tell my dad I love him and that I'm not mad at him for going to eleven," he said, "and I need you to divorce Articus so you can be happy." I shook my head. "Not without you," I told him. "I love you Lypsie," he told me, "and I know you don't want to hear this, but you're like the mom I never had, Lucky thinks that too." I cried as I held him in my arms.
"I'm ready," Clove announced coming back with our stuff, "And I have this for you, for your token." She handed Cato a knotty old bracelet she and Cato made for my games. "Everything's gonna be okay," Cato promised. As we walked into the elevator. The elevator ride was silent as both Clove and I held onto Cato. Once it opened we walked to the tubes with our heads held high. "Artie's not here," Clove noted, "that's a good thing." Cato and I had told her to think of good things so she wouldn't be so sad. "Yea," I said. Artie had taken the liberty of promising to be here today-like I needed him- only to not show up. I wouldn't be surprised if he was at a watch party or something.
It wasn't long before we got to Cato's tube. "Hey," Cato said as it opened, "bet I'll beat your kill count." I laughed as tears streamed down my face, "Not a chance." It almost felt normal until the tube closes and Clover latched onto my arms shaking as she cried. "Hey Lucky, you best think of something really good for when I get back!" Cato called as he was sent up to the plane. "I love you Cay Cay," she cried, but he was already gone. "Come on," I said, my face hardening as I lead her to the mentor center, "we have a job to do."
