Leave out all the rest - a last goodbye(pthalo)

Julian had opted for a separate goodbye from his parents. He hadn’t spoken a word since his screaming fit that had just been aired on national television. He still didn’t care though; he was devastated and could think of nothing more than watching Midas die live on tv. The visions were streaming through his head over and over, in a million different scenarios. He stood frozen, wide eyed in horror at each death scene. Death by crocaconda... a tribute slitting his throat... stabbed through with a spear... a huge bear mutt mauling him to death... The visions were driving Julian mad. He was completely lost in a world that didn't even exist yet. It took a peacekeeper prodding him in the back to jolt his body into moving as he was given the call to go say his goodbyes.

Julian urged his feet forward; his whole body felt heavy and weak. Julian knew he would be heartbroken if Midas was reaped, but he had never imagined the pain would be this immense. Before he had even realized it, Julian found himself in Midas’s arms. He heard someone sobbing. Crying!? Who cries on Reaping Day! Oh wait… it was him, Julian was no longer in control of his own body. His hands clenched tightly against Midas’s strong chest.

“Please… please don’t leave me,” he finally found the strength to say it. It had taken him long enough; 9 years to be exact. “Midas… I love you! I told you I love you! Is that not enough? Stay here, Please! Let me volunteer! Your eye! Someone will… I can’t…” Julian couldn't continue speaking, his sobbing had begun to overtake his words which were now unintelligible.

Promise, promise, promise… everything was a promise with Midas, but it wasn’t appeasing Julian at all. Julian gazed up in to Midas’s dark brown eyes and lifted his hand to caress Midas’s scar. Though others had given the soft-spoken giant hell about it, Julian loved his scar; it showed Midas’s strength. Tears were welling up in Julian’s eyes again as he realized this may be the last time he was allowed to touch that face. When Midas saw the tears he had leaned back down and kissed Julian.

There were those shivers up his spine again, just like the first time after the Games just one year ago. Julian kissed him back as intensely as he could, wrapping his arms around Midas’s thick neck and pulling himself as close to Midas as he could be. He never wanted to let go, and he wouldn’t have if it weren’t for the peacekeepers entering to take Midas away. Julian looked to them in a panic, his eyes wide. He was about to lose the boy he loved.

Julian fished through his pockets, “Here, take this … it was going to be my token… I love you, Midas Farrow.” It was a small locket containing a picture of Julian and Midas at about 13 or 14 years old, arms around each other and laughing.

After a last goodbye, the peacekeepers started pulling Midas away. That’s when the breakdown began again and Julian screamed. “Don’t let him go! Take me! TAKE ME INSTEAD!” Julian was running for the door when he felt two strong hands grab him from behind, it was his father; Serge and Pashmina Bryze had re-entered the room to collect Julian as Midas was escorted out. Julian began flailing violently as his father began pulling him away.

“He’ll be fine, Julian, come on now, he’ll be fine…” Serge tried to say, but his words were lost under Julian’s cries.

“I’m going! LET ME GO! MIDAS, come back here! I’M VOLUNTEERING! Help me! Someone! LET ME GO!” Julian was screaming wildly, tears flinging from his eyes as he jerked his head from side to side, trying to escape his father’s strong grasp. Peacekeepers were entering now to hush the child.

“We’ve got him, we’ve got him,” Serge said, lifting his son into his arms and carrying him off. Julian was back to just sobbing now, holding tightly around his father’s neck as the Bryze’s went home.