Stopwatch

Punishment

     The day had dragged on for too long, longer than any day should be permitted to do. After the reaping, we were detained to give commentary to Lucky Flickerman, he pestered us with questions few of us were prepared to answer, such as "If your tribute dies, how would you prefer them go, for entertainment's sake?" Afterwards we were to convene with Dr. Gaul to discuss strategy for our tributes in the arena More so how to make them last long enough for a good show than to give them a fighting chance. Finally, it was announced that the tributes would be arriving by cattle car in two days time, after which we were dismissed. 

I was glad to leave, but my work for the day was not done. The moment we were allowed to leave Sejanus had shot up like a weed sprouting overnight, and disappeared into the crowd. If he really thought he was going to avoid the impending conversation that easily, he didn't know me as well as I'd thought. I weaved my way through the throngs of people until I was spat out into the snowy landscape. I scanned my surroundings from the top step until I zeroed in on the dark figure. I flung myself off the porch like a slingshot and sailed swiftly towards towards my target. I reached him, gulping large breaths of the stinging cold air. 

"What the hell, Sejanus?" I sputtered with incredulity. He didn't answer, and instead ran his hands down his face, attempting to disperse the tear trails that were evident on his warm skin. I grasped his shoulders firmly and spun him to face me, forcing him to stop walking in the process. 

"Look, Jay, we have to talk about this whether you want to or not. Its going to eat you alive if you don't." 

"So what if it does?" he countered hopelessly. "I deserve it". 

"What are you talking about? Why didn't you come to me with this before?" I said, my patience unravelling. 

"This whole thing is my fault, Ambrosia." he croaked. I raised my eyebrows doubtfully, but kept silent waiting for him to elaborate. 

"I tried to convince my father to pull the Plinth Prize, to stop all funding going towards the games, start a clean slate. It turned into an argument, and he's decided I'm a soft-bellied rebel sympathizer. So, to punish me and force me to, in his words, become a real man, he suggested the mentoring program to Dr. Gaul, and paid to have Marcus selected in the reaping. He thought that would sever my ties to district two by forcing me to see my friends from back home as different than me, lesser than....He believes it will make me give up my humanitarian ideas."

I felt like my brain was in overload as it worked to process what I'd just heard while consciously making an effort to keep my jaw from hanging open. Sejanus looked at me with searching eyes, waiting for my gavel of justice to fall heavily upon him. Instead, I slid my arms around him, drawing our bodies together tightly. He returned the grasp, as I slid one hand up to the nape of his neck, twirling his curls lightly around my fingers. 

"Its not your fault, Jay," I said softly. I felt the tension in his chest as he held back his torrent of emotions. "You were trying to do the right thing," I concluded. 

"Yes, but I failed and now Marcus is doomed to slaughter because of me" he huffed, exasperated while pulling away from our embrace. He linked my arm in his and began walking in the direction of my apartment. 

"You don't know that," I pointed out stubbornly. "He has a chance to win, you could help him." 

"And how am I supposed to do that?" he asked defeatedly. 

"I don't know," I admitted. "Maybe we can convince him and Reaper to have an alliance... either way we'll think of something. We have to try." 

"We?" he looked at me quizzically. 

I rolled my eyes before replying, "Yes, we. We're in this together, Sejanus, like we always are." 

It was then that we reached the stoop of my small apartment, Sejanus unlinked our elbows, sliding his hand down my arm and holding my hand in his bigger one for a moment. Simultaneously planting a gentle kiss on my forehead before releasing contact. "Goodnight, Rosie," he said turning to walk away. "I'll see you tomorrow." 

I stood breathlessly in the frigid air and watched him walk away until he was out of sight before finally going inside.