Pulling Away-after the reaping [zakattak]

I've got my heart set on anywhere but here
I'm staring down myself counting up the years

I glanced up at Midas, and a warm comfort spread from where his hands were clenching my shoulders. Midas wasn't a talker; just like me. I knew somewhere deep down that this boy would never voluntarily hurt me. I decided that, at least for the time being, I could trust Midas. I managed a weak smile, and forced myself to stand.

"Thanks Midas...really."

Despite the fact that the floor was now covered in sick because of me, I felt much better. I glanced at the attendant who had rushed in to clean up my vomit and decided that it was too crowded in the small entrance. I looked across the smelly pool at Midas and flashed him a real grin.

"Fancy getting some food?" I asked, my voice still vibrating slightly. Even when I was younger, it had always taken me forever to return to full health. I frowned slightly and then tossed my hair over my shoulder; pressed the small circular button next to the door and stepped through it into the main cart.

We wandered through the carts to our ease-poking our heads through the doors when they appeared. I excused myself for a moment at my room to change out of my vomit-stained clothes; re-emerging in a simple black pants and tank top combination. When we finally found the food car; it had already been stuffed full of every food imaginable. My eyes scanned the plates; my stomach trying to pull me in every direction. Finally my eyes fell on a bowl of small, round purple fruit and I exclaimed in delight.

"GRAPES!" I rushed forwards, snatching the bowl up and plopping down in one of the many plush chairs. I glanced up at Midas and smiled. "Come. Eat. Share in my bounty!" I said, laughing slightly at myself. I wondered momentarily if Midas would think me odd-joking at a time like this.

And every glance is killing me
Time to make one last appeal for the life I lead

ooc: Sorry if I pp-ed you a bit there. I couldn't think of any way of making a decent post without doing that a little bit.

Midas returned Alliance’s smile, glad to see her calming down a bit. At the mention of food, Midas’s stomach seemed to growl on cue. The omelet and a half were not nearly enough to satiate his appetite this morning. He was used to the morning spread at the Bryze’s, especially after actually living with them for the better part of the last month or so.

“Food would be great,” Midas said, laughing a bit as his stomach growled again. He let Alliance lead the way through the train and the two ogled together at the different cars. Midas knew the Capitol was wealthy, but he didn’t know anything could be quite this fancy.

Alliance excused herself to the cart to change for a moment, and Midas decided to do the same in his own cart. He unbuttoned his too-tight pants and took off his dress shirt; he hated dressing up as it was, but it was even worse when the clothes didn’t fit. As he looked through the drawers for a change of clothes he found all sorts of ridiculous capitol apparel. Finally he settled on a plain blue t-shirt… it was the color of Julian’s eyes, and a pair of black athletic pants with an elastic waste. The shirt was still a little snug on him, but he’d had to wear worse. Plus, he figured most capitol men probably weren’t his monstrous size. After he was finished readying himself, he met Alliance back out in the hall and they continued together to find the dining cart.

Midas’s mouth began watering the moment they entered the room. Wow, he thought as he gazed at the unimaginable feast before him. This made the meals Pashmina Bryze prepared look like nothing but an afternoon snack. There was every assortment of meet you could find, even some he had never seen before. The tables were loaded with sides and dressings; there was even a side table laden with desserts. Midas was definitely thinking the elastic pants were a good choice about now. He looked up to see Alliance rushing for the grapes. Grapes! Of all the things!

“Come. Eat. Share in my bounty!”

Midas gave her an odd look for a moment. The girl who was sick at the thought of heading to the Capitol just moments before was now cracking corny jokes. He liked her already. He let out a genuine laugh and took a place sitting across from Alliance at the dining table. He began loading his plate with as much as he could fit onto it, and quickly finished it, filling the plate again. He had spent the last month bulking up even more for the Games, and he wasn’t about to stop now. He knew he’d need all the strength he could muster in the arena, and his size was one of his greatest assets. He was distracted though when the door to the cart slid open again. Cornish was entering with a bubbly air again after Alliance’s spill incident.

“Alright! Midas, Alliance, I would like to introduce you two to your mentor! There was a bit of a last minute change, but he is quite capable and has mentored many tributes before you. I’d like to introduce you to Serge Bryze, though I believe you already know him Midas.

Midas stood from his seat in shock as Julian’s father entered the cart. The middle-aged man was about an inch shorter than Midas, but just as bulky. His salt and pepper hair had been buzz cut, and was starting to show a permanent crease between his brows. He beamed at the two tributes, particularly Midas whom he was emphatic to have entering the arena this year.

Midas leapt to his feet, “Serge! Julian! How is he? Is he alright? Has he calmed down!?” Midas’s expression was filled with sorrow as Serge walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Serge took a deep breath, but didn’t answer Midas. He turned to survey Alliance to see what he had to work with.

“Eat up,” he said as she picked at grapes, “you’ll want some meat on your bones before you enter the arena. Don’t be shy about it; Midas isn’t,” He said patting Midas on the shoulder and pushing him back into his seat. Midas’s expression was serious as he sat imagining Julian being dragged home in his panicked state. Serge walked over to Alliance and extended a hand. “Call me Serge,” he said with a grin.

((don't worry about having to pp me sometimes, it happens. Midas is usually pretty quiet and often will just shrug or sniff as a response, so it's fine. Also, feel free pp Serge all you want. He's just and ends to a means that Pthalorarity and I use. Basically his persona is just tough, no-nonsense and very competitive.))

Midas was lost in a world of his own thoughts. Julian’s screams stabbed through his ears like knives as he sat with staring blankly at the table. He distantly heard Serge speaking with Alliance, but the sound was drowned out by Julian’s cries. The only time he had seen Julian cry before today was when Midas came home to him with his scar from the gunpowder incident. Even so, that was nothing compared to the hysterics Julian displayed today. The sound would haunt him forever.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when the wobble in Alliance’s voice revealed her distress. “I don’t do anything…” Midas heard. He truly felt sorry for the girl; he knew her chances in the arena were likely slim. He wouldn’t be the only one his size in the arena, and they most likely weren’t as nice as Midas. Then again, once in the arena; anything goes. Nothing would stand in his way of returning to Julian, nothing. Maybe he wouldn’t have to kill Alliance. Who knows, maybe he would die, and if he did, he still wanted a District 2 Victory.

“Hm,” said Serge with a serious expression, “well you better hope to pick up something valuable in the Training Center then. I’m not going to sugar coat this: I’m here to help whom I think I can get home alive.“

Midas dug into a second plateful to avoid the awkwardness of the moment. Serge was the one pushing for Midas to enter the arena, so of course he would be pulling for him. He didn’t want this to come across to Alliance though, he felt guilty enough about her being reaped. A career should have volunteered to save this poor girl. Why hadn’t they?

Serge excused himself to speak in the next cart over with Cornish. Apparently there was a lot to discuss since Serge was stepping in last minute. And just like that, Midas and Alliance were alone to dwell on their fate. Midas continued to stuff his face to avoid any awkward conversation—he was terrible at that kind of stuff, but he knew the silence couldn’t last forever. When Midas’s stomach felt too full and painful to take one more bite, he finally decided to get up the nerve to speak.

“So, um, do you think your family is excited for you?” Midas asked quietly. For someone with such a deep voice, it sounded so small. Julian was the only one who could get Midas to really open up. Social situations just weren’t Midas’s thing. In fact, he realized quickly after his question that it was probably the worst thing he could have asked.

Guilt swept over Midas as Alliance began trembling. This was exactly why he rarely spoke; he just knew he would say the wrong thing. He wanted to look away, but his eyes were locked with hers as the bowl dropped from the girl’s shaking hands and shattered across the floor. Two attendants rushed in and cleaned up the mess quickly, not leaving a trace of the once beautiful glass bowl.

As Alliance shared her brief history with Midas, he felt the blood drain from his face. Her family had already lost a child to the Games and now they were likely to lose another. There would be no excitement in this for them. Midas looked down, unable to keep eye contact with those sad eyes any longer.

“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have asked...” he mumbled. He looked up as so grabbed his hand. Her skin was so soft in contrast to his scarred, rough hands and it reminded him of Julian, who’s mother had supplied him with dozens of fragrant lotions to keep his hands pristine. Julian… Alliance had just said his name. Suddenly Midas felt sick to his stomach. He wasn’t sure if it was from eating too much or the sounds of Julian’s screams filling his mind. He dropped his head into his hands; almost forgetting Alliance was there.

“I keep telling myself that this is the only way. If I don’t become a victor, I’ll never be able to give Julian the life he’s used to… the life he deserves. I have to get back to him, Alliance… those—those screams… those were my fault… He’s usually the strong one; I’ve never heard him like that… I just—I hope I’m doing the right thing,” Midas said as his brain was fighting itself over his decision. He had argued the point with Julian so many times, that this was the only way. But the sobs of Julian, the panicked look in his eyes, Midas had never expected those, and they made him question everything. He had to be strong for the both of them now though, he was going to take care of Julian just like he promised. Suddenly it occurred to Midas that he was sharing a lot of information with a girl he barely knew; a girl who's life stood in the way of him and the boy he loved.

Midas looked up at alliance, and a wave of guilt swept over him. In order to get back to Julian, her already broken family would have to suffer. He didn’t want that either, but it would be the only way. He did hope however, that if it couldn’t be him, it would be her to return home as a Victor to District 2.