After The Storm (A Hunger Games Fanfic)

Training Day 3: Morning Session

Not that he's bitter or anything.

This could - probably will - be his last day in Panem. Which is odd, because Panem is the world; that's how he's been taught. And this will be his view of it. Not the ragged pylons and smooth turbines of home, but rain soaked candy-coloured buildings and puddles gleaming from pavements, zombies shuffling on street corners and media lights gawping up at him. Well, not exactly at him. He's done a good job of slipping under the radar, including with the other tributes. Their eyes seem to pass over him like he isn't even there. It's good, but lonely. Jamine. Jamine annoys - or should that be annoyed? - the hell out of him, but he always noticed when he was in the room.

No, Ezekiel thinks, I don't want any of this lot to notice me and talk to me.

Rain streaks miserably down the windows. His own reflection stares back at him, short black hair ruffled from not sleeping or combing it, his pretty hazel eyes the exact image of Jamine's, a small smile playing about his mouth even though he's never felt less like smiling in his life. His mouth just naturally turns up at the corners. He's thankful for it; if it wasn't for this he could have really annoyed people.

Gently, almost without realising, his thoughts turn to his mother. Did her mouth turn up at the corners, like his? He certainly didn't get it from his father, the grumpy git. But it doesn't sound like his mother smiled much either. Nine months and labour was too much for her; she breathed her last just as baby Ezekiel took in his first shuddering breath. People said it could have been avoided, but never how. His father insisted that it was because she was too stubborn to accept proper healthcare, but then again Ezekiel has never heard him say a nice word about his mother. But she must have had her good points, certainly, because otherwise why would he have married her in the first place?

If, after this, he finally gets to meet her, he's going to want a lot of answers.

Is she reunited with Theresa? Jamine's mother, Ezekiel's bossy older sister. The last time he saw her was to identify the body, burnt all over to the point where he just couldn't do it.

Please don't let him burn to death. It would be just like the Capitol to find out about Theresa and use it against him...

"Ez, are you coming?"

He's tracing a pattern on the sodden window without realising it. At first he isn't even sure that Elektra is talking to him. Nobody calls him Ez. It's always Ezekiel, a pretty name for a pretty boy. Play that up, Millament said, but does he have the strength to do it?

"Hello? Ez? Come on or we'll be late."

With a long sigh, he hauls himself away from the window. Strange. He hates this view, but he doesn't want to leave it. It's still Panem. It doesn't matter that it's the Capitol; by extension, it's home. Elektra stands tall and bold by the door, half-smiling at him. She's used to him zoning out.

"Are you sure?" she asks as she throws open the door. It crashes into the wall, sending some flakes of light green paint onto the floor. There's a dint in the wall where the handle lands; tributes have done this before. Ezekiel could probably name them all, but he doesn't want to because almost all of them are dead. Rumour has it the other is banned from mentoring. Rumour says the Capitol don't have any copies of that Games, because they feared it might start another rebellion.

Fact says it did, and it was quashed.

Elektra waves a hand in front of his face.

"Sure about what?" he asks, jumping regretfully back into the real world.

She smiles sadly at him. "Going solo. Are you sure you don't want to be allies?"

He nods vigorously. "Certain. Totally. One hundred percent." If this was at home, he'd want to talk to Elektra. Nothing makes her uncomfortable or afraid, and she's quite pretty. But she has Gabe. She loves Gabe. She never shuts up about Gabe. So he won't go there.