To Be Home Again (Hunger games/Clove)

All That Glitters Is Gold And Green

AN: Orion is pronounced oh-Ryan incase any of you don't know how to pronounce the name, on with the story!

I hardly slept a wink last night on the train which my stylist Orion didn't hesitate to comment on, though I could tell he spoke more out of concern than to be mean, "I know I look tired, I just could not fall asleep." I chuckled quietly, trying to keep still as he dabbed another layer of makeup under my eyes, "I can't sleep on trains either my dear, don't be too hard on yourself." he smiled as he dusted my whole face with powder. "remind me again who is on your team, your nails are a crime." he said, picking up my hand and inspecting the plain brown polish I'd had put on just hours earlier. "well Chanel did my nails-" I started before he jumped in, "I should've known it was her, I'm going to have to talk someone about her."

He went on his tangent while digging around in one of his many drawers and pulled out something that looked like a thin book that was filled with squares of colour. He glances over the bright colours before poking his brush into a bright green one. "I think they're fine, they look better than they normally do." I chuckled nervously, inspecting them briefly before being instructed to close my eyes. "nonsense, the devil is in the details sweetheart. Me and Hilaria have been working together for years to style for district 7 and if she notices even a hair out of place she'll lose it. Nothing you have to worry about though, who else." he asked, swishing the brush around my eyelids.

"Astoria did my hair and Fauna did hair removal." I explained, trying to keep my face as still as possible. I won't lie, as scared as I am my prep team have all been very nice to me. They've been asking me questions about 7, about my family, anything to keep me talking. Usually I hate talking about myself, especially family but it's been a nice reminder about what I'm fighting for. I told Orion all this when we first met over lunch and he said nice things about them as well, assuring me that it wasn't an act and that they're good people which made me feel even more comfortable. "okay, you are all done." he said, with a smile as he painted a dark brown cream onto my lips. He spun my chair around to face the mirror behind me and all I could do was stare.

I didn't recognize myself at all, I'm used to being just the girl that was small for my age, the one who wears hand me downs and is overall just dull. But now looking at myself I've never felt more beautiful. I told Orion this which made him clutch his heart with a sincere smile, "you are beautiful my dear, now let's get you dress because I have to have you up by the chariots in half an hour. Why do I always do this to myself." he said the last part under his breath as he rushed towards the closet, his fitted silk navy blue suit shimmering under the chandelier in the middle of the room, painting the walls with a faint blue for only a moment. He turned around holding a long pale green dress with a faint gold pattern all over it.

I stared at the dress in awe, reaching my hand out and running it over the fabric. I heard Orion chuckle, causing me to pull my hand away and blush, "sorry, I've always really liked fashion, there's just something about the colours and fabrics, the details that go into clothes." I explained quickly, "no need to apologize, I love fashion too, that's why I do what I do. I was born in district 3 you know." he explained as he was zipping me into the dress, "really? I thought you had to be Capital to work with the hunger games?" I asked, feeling angry just by mentioning the capital, nothing bothers me more than the residents of the capital. "well, to be an escort you do but actually a lot of the stylist and people that work on the prep team are from the districts." he explained as a nodded along. He shuffled through a bin of accessories and began putting them on me as we continued talking.

"alright, you're all ready to go, do you want to see your final look?" he asked, straightening up after putting my shoes on. I nodded thought I barely heard him over my heart pound in my ears; needless to say I was nervous. I stepped up to the mirror and couldn't believe my eyes. I looked like a completely different person, older, more mature, for the first time ever i felt as though i looked like my mom and my eyes teared up at the thought. "Oh no, please don't cry, you look too pretty to cry.' Orion said, dabbing under my eyes with a tissue before taking a brush to it again. I chuckled at this, feeling almost embarrassed. "Sorry its just that i haven't seen my mom in years and i look just like her."

I sniffled while Orion smiled sympathetically. He took my hand and helped me down from the platform. We walked to the door and made our way into the hall which was surprisingly vacant. He wasn't joking when he said he put himself behind schedule. As we walked to the elevators as i learned they were called him i told him more about home. "We didn't have.... Makeup you called this stuff right?" I asked gesturing to my face to which Orion nodded for me to continue. "Anyways we didnt have 'makeup' back home so if you wanted to get done up you had to get creative. My mom had a little table in her room where she would sit every morning when she was getting ready and she had a small basket on the desk that help her 'makeup' if you can even call it that."

"If you can even call it that?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow, "yeah, its nothing like the stuff you guys have here. It was all made out of stuff that we had around the house. She would take talc that we got from the market and dust it all over her face to make her 'less shiny' as she'd explained to me once. And she had a little glass jar when she mixed coco butter and crushed berried and she'd put that on her cheeks and sometimes her lips. She even crushed burnt nut shells and talk and smudged on it on her eyelids but that was only on special occasions." Id been talking to much that i didn't realize we were riding the elevator until the doors opened up and we stepped out into a big cement room. I felt my insides begin to shake and i felt like i was floating.

"You look great darling, nice work Orion." A woman wearing a big curly pink wig and an angular vibrant green dress said as she looked me over; im assuming that's Hilaria. I tried my best to muster a smile as the stylists began to talk to our mentors and escort. I drowned them out as i looked around the room only to lock eyes with the girl who kept me up last night. She must have been over 20 feet away from me but even from there i could see her piercing green eyes and dangerous smirk. She looked me up and down before her eyes met mine again, her smirk deepening when she saw that my gaze was still locked on hers. Clearly pleased with herself she looked away while i tried my best to tune back into the conversation and prayed the blush on my face would settle.