six - dulcet

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the next morning, i am immensely glad when the sunlight coming from the huge window wakes me. the night had been restless, leaving me tossing and turning and unable to find an uncomfortable position to sleep in, and when i finally did sleep, i was plagued with nightmares about the oncoming games. i saw matthias being brutally murdered by asher, who was stabbing him in his heart repeatedly. then asher fled and was shot by an arrow to the throat not much later.

one by one i saw all the tributes die until it was only me and another i had yet to meet face-to-face. it didn't take long for us to find each other, and when we finally did, i realized i would rather have spent my entire life in that arena searching rather than finding him so quickly. it wasn't just some dumb, random career. no. it was roy. and this roy didn't hesitate in killing me.

so naturally, when i wake up, i am a mess. i have to force my eyelids to open due to how heavy they are and i stumble into the bathroom sleepily. because i don't want to end up smelling like something odd and unpleasant, i take extra caution into which buttons i press. luckily for me, even in my uncoordinated state, i manage to shower decently in lukewarm water and lemon-scented, bubbly soap with the vanilla shampoo again because i love how it smells.

when i am blow-dried and have a towel wrapped around me, i find an outfit already prepared for me in front of the closet– tight black pants, a burgundy tunic, and leather shoes. i put my hair in the same kind of ponytail as yesterday and suddenly freeze when i realize something– my phoenix pin is nowhere to be seen.

my heart races. where was it the last time i saw it? i remember; it was on my shirt before my prep team rid me of the hair on my body. what did they do with it? did they just throw it away?

"looking for this?"

i turn and am surprised to see peeta mellark standing in my doorway, holding up my silver phoenix pin in between his thumb and index finger. i sigh in relief, my shoulders relaxing and my body losing its tension as i nod.

"where did you find it?" i ask as peeta begins walking toward me, turning the pin between his fingers thoughtfully.

"your prep team had it and gave it to me," he replies. "they figured it must be yours. i'm glad they didn't lose it– it's a nice symbol."

i can tell that he is thinking of katniss's pin because of the distant expression on his face and the faraway look in his eyes. he comes to a stop about half a foot away from me and reaches out, pinning the phoenix to my collar with care.

"thank you," i say, looking right into his crystal blue eyes as i say so. i want him to know i genuinely mean it.

"you're welcome." peeta smiles warmly, and it is then when i realize what katniss sees in him. peeta is kind, gentle, and very caring for others. i already see him as a good friend of mine.

but then i remember gale, and i wonder what he looks like. katniss didn't describe him, but i imagine him to be a lot like roy- tall, strong, determined, and brave. why didn't katniss choose gale? he would have made a great husband if he actually was like roy.

but as i see how genuine peeta's smile is, and yet there is so much pain in his eyes, i realize why. peeta levels katniss out. their personalities balance each other, and i think that is what makes them the perfect pair of mentors. katniss is the lemon in the lemonade, slightly sour, while peeta is the sugar, sweet and cloying. without one of them, the drink would be incomplete and wouldn't be the same.

"we'd better hurry to breakfast," peeta says, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts. "are you ready?"

i nod and follow him to the door, grinning slightly when he lets me go through it first. i notice that manners have not died out as i thought. or maybe it's just peeta.

when we make it to the dining area, it is completely empty except for matthias, who is munching on a slice of melon. the rising sunlight leaks in from the solar windows and floods the room in bright light, making matthias's hair appear blond at the ends as he digs into his breakfast. i notice juice dripping down his fingers and resist the urge to scoff. 

"where's katniss?" peeta asks, a troubled look on his face. matthias shrugs and swallows his food before responding.

"i haven't seen her yet and i've been sitting here for an hour," he replies. peeta nods and walks off, probably to find her.

i sit across from matthias and take in the options i have- eggs, sausage, breakfast biscuits, oatmeal with brown sugar, cakes covered in thick raspberry jam, bacon, a fruit salad, and the slices of melon like matthias is eating. i fill up on most of the options, but am careful in not over stuffing myself. i know just by my outfit that today is a very, very important day.

i then notice that matthias is wearing the exact same thing and that it shows off his bicep muscles. i tear my eyes away from them and focus on the sunrise outside. however, that becomes nearly impossible when peeta returns with katniss, who looks battered but awake. she sits at the head of the table and peeta sits on the other side so we are spread out evenly.

"so, what's happening today?" matthias asks, leaning his elbows on the table in interest.

katniss clears her throat. "for the next three days, you'll be training with the other tributes; all of them. then, on the last afternoon, you'll perform in private in front of the gamemakers." her voice sounds robotic and very rehearsed. she must have practiced this in the mirror or in front of peeta or something. "i would suggest making sure they remember you. don't be just another face in the crowd."

peeta nods, approving of her words. "that's right. also, you'll be training together."

i choke on the hot chocolate, spitting it back into the mug. quickly grabbing a napkin, i dab at the liquid that's dripping down my chin. "we'll what?"

"if you want to," peeta corrects himself quickly, looking sheepish and alarmed at my negative response. "i mean, you obviously don't have to, but it would be easier, i guess. it's what we did."

i think about having to stand there as matthias practices his sword fighting and him having to watch as i throw my knives. it would take way too long, and we'd be less likely to get more done. we wouldn't be utilizing our time efficiently. besides, we'd probably be the laughing stock of the training session if we stuck together. 

i shake my head, setting the mug of hot chocolate down on the coaster. "no. i can't just stand there as he's sword fighting–"

"he won't be sword fighting," haymitch interrupts as he walks in wearing a bathrobe. he looks more sober than usual, probably because we're on capitol grounds and he doesn't want to drink too much before the games. "katniss, peeta, remember what i told you last year?" he raises his eyebrows and points to matthias and i. "please enlighten your tributes."

katniss sighs, appearing as she'd much rather be digging into food than be 'enlightening her tributes.' "thalia, don't throw knives. matthias, steer clear of the swords."

"why?" matthias asks with a puzzled look on his face, eyebrows scrunched together.

"you don't want to show the others what you can do," peeta explains calmly, leaning forward on his elbows so he and matthias are in twin positions. "if you practice at what you're good at, they'll know your weaknesses and use them against you. plus, you can learn snares or how to build fires and other useful things. save your innate talents for personal training."

i relax and realize that our mentors' advice is right. if i show the careers – or anyone, really – exactly how i can handle a knife, they'll have a bigger chance of taking me down.

it's almost ten by the time we all finish. effie is nowhere to be seen. i spend my time brushing my teeth until my mouth burns from the mint and making sure i look presentable, not as tired as i had been this morning. i realize that i've looked in the mirror more times today than i ever have in my entire life.

i feel the nerves start to swarm as soon as i step into the elevator with haymitch, matthias, katniss, and peeta. the doors close and we shoot down to below the ground levels. we stop at an enormous gymnasium with stations set up everywhere they can fit.

not everyone is here yet, i notice, but most of the tributes are. they are standing in a tense circle, each with the number of their district pinned to their backs. as someone tacks a twelve onto my shirt, i do a quick check and realize matthias and i are the only two dressed alike and bite the inside of my cheek. i catch asher's eye – it's not hard, considering he is at least two inches taller than the majority of the tributes – and notice he is smirking mockingly. i narrow my eyes at him.

after we join the circle and the district eight pair arrives, the head trainer, a short, stocky man named everett steps onto a platform and explains the schedule. we are able to move from area to area to our will, per our mentor's instructions. the stations require different skills– survival, fighting techniques, etc. combat with another tribute is forbidden, so assistants are on hand if we want to practice with a partner.

i take another sweep of the tributes and pick out the careers almost instantly. they are muscular and have been fed and trained throughout their entire lives for this moment. the winner will most likely be one of them. however, there's one girl who stands out from the rest. the bold number one on her back makes her a career by default, but she's not as well-built as the others. she's small and thin, almost ethereal in the way she moves as gracefully as a wraith. her white-blonde hair goes down to her hips even in a braid.

i barely notice that everett has released us until someone "accidentally" shoves me aside with ease, knocking me off my feet and sending me sprawling to the floor. i look up, shocked. before me is a brutal-looking, overly muscular boy with dark skin who must be at least a hundred pounds heavier than i am, sneering at me. he has a number one pinned onto his tight black shirt.

i roll my eyes and am about to push myself back up when a hand reaches out to me. i expect it to be matthias, but i am shocked to see not his blue eyes, but asher's deep hazel ones. i am puzzled, but accept his offer and allow him to pull me up. i half expect him to drop me again and further humiliate me, but he doesn't and holds onto my hand until i am standing steadily on my feet again. then i realize that asher himself is a career. why would he be helping me?

"that guy's name is emrys," asher explains, not bothering to keep his voice low as his sharp eyes follow emrys. "he's a jerk, even for a career."

"he doesn't seem too friendly," i agree, then notice that some of the other tributes are staring at us weirdly and start to inch away. "thanks, asher." then i decide to make a play on his own previous statement as i add, "nice talk, four."

and then i turn around, seeing asher with a surprised look on his face as he registers what he said to me and matthias the day before. it quickly morphs into his trademark smirk and he rolls his eyes in a playful way, turning toward the stations.

i huff as i look around the gymnasium, wondering what i could do that wouldn't show off my skills.

gif is peeta aw i love him sm

---

this ending is the definition of suckish but the beginning was just a little bit too long so im putting the actual training in the next chapter, which will be a bit shorter bc its six and a half

ps peeta is so cUte aw aw aw

fun fact: i died from feels while finding that gif and i have resurrected as a strong independent woman who dont need no man

(jk pls love me)

also, just to point out, asher and thalia are NOT supposed to have any romance between them. another person comes along for asher later. they are merely just friends. plEAse dont start shipping thasher or ashalia or whatever. though ashalia sounds pretty cool.

ok thats it for now!! see you next week ((:

xoxo,

-kristyn