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up and out [thad jb oneshot]
Jun 19, 2021 7:48:35 GMT -5
Post by djed carnelian . d8m [kap] on Jun 19, 2021 7:48:35 GMT -5
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After I got reaped, I was excited. It hadn't all quite sunk into my brain yet, the reality of what had just happened, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to get going. I wanted to get into that arena, fight, win, and get out of that arena. I'd do my damndest to get to that point, no matter what, too.
I was escorted to the Justice Building, where my visitors came and went. My parents were the first to come in. My mother was already sobbing, and my father spoke to me sternly.
"Why in the world would you even try to volunteer, Thad?" he demanded to know. "I know you can't help getting reaped, but even trying to volunteer? You made your mother cry!"
"I- I'm sorry... I just-" but I was interrupted with a hug from him. He held me tight, and I felt the wetness of tears on my shoulder as he started to cry, just like my mother was doing.
When he released me from the hug, I looked at both of them.
"I really am sorry. I love you both, I really do, and that's why I want to win the Games. I want to win and come back with all that fame and fortune for you guys, and Harmon, and Larry, and Alex and Sammy. It's because I love you all," I tried to explain.
Eventually, my time with my parents came to an end, and I didn't truly know if I'd ever see them again. I was determined to get out of the arena alive, but I was pretty damn sure every other tribute going into the arena felt the same way. I hugged them each one last time before the Peacekeepers pulled them away from me.
Next to come in was Harmon. He was clearly just coming off of his high that he'd had before the reaping.
"Hey, Harm," I greeted him. "You doing okay?" I asked him while the expression on his face was revealing nothing but pain. Apparently, he hadn't really thought it all through when he backed the idea of me going into the Games. Now that it was a reality, it started to hurt him a little bit, too. He might not have shown himself to be pained by it as much as our parents were, but I could still tell he wasn't happy.
He nodded slowly. There were now tears forming in his eyes.
"Harmon, I know it's tough, but I'll fight my way back to you guys, alright?" I was making a promise that I wasn't one hundred percent certain I could keep.
Harmon chuckled.
"I know you will, man," he said, his voice showing that he was a little choked up. He gave me a fist bump on his way out of the room.
Alex and Sammy came in one after the other. Both of them ended up crying. I hugged Sammy. I forgot to hug Alex. I felt like shit as soon as he left. I should've hugged him. He was sobbing- clearly he needed a hug, and I didn't give it to him. What kind of shitty brother was I?
Larry was the last to come in. My goodbyes with him were the ones that I would remember most vividly later.
"Thad? I need to talk to you about something," he said.
"Okay, isn't that why we're here?" I asked, a little bit confused on why he had prefaced with that.
"Yeah, but... It's something really important that's been eating away at me for a while. I told Sammy and Alex. I told Harmon, too. I need to tell you know."
"Alright then, spit it out, buddy," I told him. Larry was never this talkative when we were alone. Usually, it was just when he was trying to make an impression on someone around us that he'd say this much. It clearly must have been something important, so I put all of my attention on him.
"Thad, I'm gay." He looked at me nervously as he said it.
A small smile formed on my face. He clearly trusted me enough to tell me before telling Mom and Dad. I understood why he told the others first, though. They typically weren't as quick to speak their immediate thoughts. It all made sense. Maybe he hadn't been planning on telling me yet, but now that this might be his last chance to, he felt it was the right time.
"Thank you for telling me, Larry. It means a lot, and I'm proud of you for figuring that out about yourself." I probably sounded really cheesy, but I was saying exactly what I was thinking, just as I usually did.
"Do you want a hug?" I asked him. Larry was shaking. He nodded, and I wrapped my arms around him. I held him there for a moment or so, until the Peacekeepers came in.
"I'll miss you, Thad," Larry told me as they pulled us apart.
"I'll miss you, too, Larry."
That was it. After that, it was off to the Capitol for me, heavy emotions and all.
I was escorted to the Justice Building, where my visitors came and went. My parents were the first to come in. My mother was already sobbing, and my father spoke to me sternly.
"Why in the world would you even try to volunteer, Thad?" he demanded to know. "I know you can't help getting reaped, but even trying to volunteer? You made your mother cry!"
"I- I'm sorry... I just-" but I was interrupted with a hug from him. He held me tight, and I felt the wetness of tears on my shoulder as he started to cry, just like my mother was doing.
When he released me from the hug, I looked at both of them.
"I really am sorry. I love you both, I really do, and that's why I want to win the Games. I want to win and come back with all that fame and fortune for you guys, and Harmon, and Larry, and Alex and Sammy. It's because I love you all," I tried to explain.
Eventually, my time with my parents came to an end, and I didn't truly know if I'd ever see them again. I was determined to get out of the arena alive, but I was pretty damn sure every other tribute going into the arena felt the same way. I hugged them each one last time before the Peacekeepers pulled them away from me.
Next to come in was Harmon. He was clearly just coming off of his high that he'd had before the reaping.
"Hey, Harm," I greeted him. "You doing okay?" I asked him while the expression on his face was revealing nothing but pain. Apparently, he hadn't really thought it all through when he backed the idea of me going into the Games. Now that it was a reality, it started to hurt him a little bit, too. He might not have shown himself to be pained by it as much as our parents were, but I could still tell he wasn't happy.
He nodded slowly. There were now tears forming in his eyes.
"Harmon, I know it's tough, but I'll fight my way back to you guys, alright?" I was making a promise that I wasn't one hundred percent certain I could keep.
Harmon chuckled.
"I know you will, man," he said, his voice showing that he was a little choked up. He gave me a fist bump on his way out of the room.
Alex and Sammy came in one after the other. Both of them ended up crying. I hugged Sammy. I forgot to hug Alex. I felt like shit as soon as he left. I should've hugged him. He was sobbing- clearly he needed a hug, and I didn't give it to him. What kind of shitty brother was I?
Larry was the last to come in. My goodbyes with him were the ones that I would remember most vividly later.
"Thad? I need to talk to you about something," he said.
"Okay, isn't that why we're here?" I asked, a little bit confused on why he had prefaced with that.
"Yeah, but... It's something really important that's been eating away at me for a while. I told Sammy and Alex. I told Harmon, too. I need to tell you know."
"Alright then, spit it out, buddy," I told him. Larry was never this talkative when we were alone. Usually, it was just when he was trying to make an impression on someone around us that he'd say this much. It clearly must have been something important, so I put all of my attention on him.
"Thad, I'm gay." He looked at me nervously as he said it.
A small smile formed on my face. He clearly trusted me enough to tell me before telling Mom and Dad. I understood why he told the others first, though. They typically weren't as quick to speak their immediate thoughts. It all made sense. Maybe he hadn't been planning on telling me yet, but now that this might be his last chance to, he felt it was the right time.
"Thank you for telling me, Larry. It means a lot, and I'm proud of you for figuring that out about yourself." I probably sounded really cheesy, but I was saying exactly what I was thinking, just as I usually did.
"Do you want a hug?" I asked him. Larry was shaking. He nodded, and I wrapped my arms around him. I held him there for a moment or so, until the Peacekeepers came in.
"I'll miss you, Thad," Larry told me as they pulled us apart.
"I'll miss you, too, Larry."
That was it. After that, it was off to the Capitol for me, heavy emotions and all.
table by Pogue
