The night before (Marree)

There's not much I can still do as of this moment. Healing is taking a bit too long for me to deal with so, right now, the night before the last fight, I just want to relax. Relax... how the hell can I relax when my boyfriend is about to be matched with the same guy that tore me apart? I take a breath as someone knocks on my door. I groan loud enough that the person on the other side of the door can hear.

"What?" I ask out, a bit too harshly considering my nerves are completely shot and I'm really about to scream. I fold up my arms the best I can with what I've got. Although I've ditched the sling, I find that I can't keep it hanging down for long before it starts to throbbing. My right arm though, I keep bandaged. It's not been long since I had the stitches removed the other day, but the ones on my stomach remain for a little while longer considering how deep the wound was. I sit up in my bed though as the door is cracked open and my brother's face appears, grinning sloppily. He gives me a crooked look with his eyebrows and he opens the door fully without waiting for my word to enter.

"Kyanite, I know that you want to be left alone, but I just wanted to see how you were doing?" His voice comes out with nothing but brotherly concern. I shake my head, and let my eyes fall to my feet that's extended along the length of the bed. He takes the chance to sit beside of me, and sighing. "You know... I'm not sure what's going on between you and that guy that I ran into that day after your first battle, but he's the one going up in a battle tomorrow, you know that right?"

"Yes. I know! How could I not?" My responce is immediate, triggering Jeran to give me that look like he's done something wrong. I feel guilty already and let my voice whisper out. "Sorry... I'm not really looking forward to seeing my... Matthew going up against the guy who hurt me in my last fight. I've seen what he can do and I know what kind of shape Matthew is in."

"You and him are together aren't you?" His accusing voice comes out and who am I to deny it in front of my own flesh and blood? He keeps his gaze on me for the longest while until I nodd my head and let this small grin appear on one side of my lips. He chuckles lightly. "I figured as much. I know we usually don't talk about that kind of stuff, but I'm telling you now.. as your brother. If he hurts you in any way, shape or form..."

He stands up from the bed, patting me on the head. "Hey!" I immediately come out with, and reach for my hair to pull down the strays that he pulled out of place. He walks to the door, letting his fingers touch the knob before turning back around to me, and this time I see the huge grin that is as plain as the nose on his face. "... I'll kill him. Good night, lil sis."

I shake my head and watch as the door begins to close again, only to have the door pressed open once again. I groan louder this time when my brother's face appears in the doorway not more than just a few seconds after he left.

"Can't you just leave me alone?" I beg him, but the smile on his face is gone.

"Kyanite... you may want go see whose here talking to dad before he lays into him. Just saying." He tells me and I immediately find myself pushing myself off my bed, grimacing at using the weight against my arms and race down the hallway to see my father talking to Matthew.

"Dad.. it's alright, I got it." I stare directly at Matthew for a few moment, letting a smile escape my lips. While I wanted nothing to be alone from my brother's pestering, to have Matthew's company is most wanted. So, I match my fathers stance beside of him and give him a look. "Dad, this is Matthew. Matthew, Eirren, my dad. Everything alright, MAtthew? Come on in." I can already see the look on my dad's face, but I don't meet his gaze as I usher Matthew in and show him into the house. Only then do I realize that at this late of an hour, I'm just hanging out in my sleep pants and tank top. Oh well. Don't bother me. Though, I'm curious about what my dad thinks right now. I've never had a guy come to the house before. I guess, I'll be getting a lecture later. For now, I think I know what's going on.

"Dad, can you give us some time, please?" I ask him and as much as I see the curiosity in his eyes and the hatred of having him here, he slinks off down the hallway and shuts the door to his office. I place a hand to Matthew's arm and show him to the now empty living room. "What's up Matthew?" I ask, as I embrace him for a hug.

I havn't a clue what my dad was saying to him before I came into the livingroom, only to see Matthew standing there. Something about the way my father was looking at me and then to Matthew, I can tell he didn't like that he was here, although, there was something that I'd never seen in his eyes. Was it interest? What were they talking about?

I can sense the urgency already in Matthew's entire stance as we go to the living room where I embrace him a hug and question his intent on being here. It actually bothers me slightly that of all the places and times, he comes to my place when I havn't formally introduced him to my family. Already, my brother seems generally okay with it considering only a few minutes ago, he peiced together my like for the guy standing in front of me. Another reason was his need to inform me to save him from my father before he went off on him. I give him a half grin when he gives me quick kiss. The feeling is so calming to me to have that kiss while I'm standing in my own house. It's also weird in it's own way. I look to the closed door before he suddenly just blurts out that he's nervous. For some reason, I can't help but surpress a chuckle by placing a hand up to my mouth and shaking my head.

"If you wasn't nervous, I'd be worried and I totally agree. Tomorrow will be massive. I'm nervous just for you but I know you got this in the bag. Come sit." I tell him and I pull on his newly casted arm and pull him to the couch. I sit really close to him, allowing one of my legs to be drawn up to my chest but the pull on my stomach makes me relax my leg and cross them over as I sit with my arm touching his.

"You're going to do great tomorrow. No matter what happens, you have already won." I tell him and take a deep breath. He has no idea that I had went to see Mark the day after I told him I'd wait to see Mark. So, now is as good of a time as any to reveal it.

"I went to see Mark the next day after you were in the hospital." I let my voice come out in a whispered tone for a moment, worried about what he would say to that. I also know that he said to take someone with me when I went as well, so I decide to also include that in my conversation. "Gala went with me. The talk was... well." I turn to meet with his gaze cause I could already feel the stare burning into me with his need to know what was said. I just had no clue what I needed to say. "He got the message loud and clear, lets put it that way, that me and him are no longer friends, nor anything remotely close to that."

I don't know what it is about having Matthew here, but it feels odd. It's totally different than just having my dad and brother living here, but to add another male to the mix, I'm even more outnumbered, but I couldn't care less right now. I watch as Matthew takes to looking around at everything, much like I did his room when I first seen it. It only occurs to me, that the way both of our fathers reacted, it's rare to have the opposite sex in the house, let alone someone that might care for each other. Looking to the door once again, it stays shut and I can't help but feel uncomfortable since I can't see if my dad or brother is lingering behind it, though I have nothing to hide really except for the fact that me and Matthew have something to discuss of importance right now. Things that my family don't need to know about.

I push him to sit beside of me on the couch, which he does, but he's so awkward about it when he sits on the ede of the chair instead. "Relax. My dad won't kill you. Not around me, at least. Besides, he usually don't take interest in my friends and ... you, so why should I care about what he's okay with? As long as I want you to be here, it's fine." I state with a bit of humor to get him to relax. He's so tense! That's actually kinda cute.

"Well, the way I see it.. any form of pain you give to him to make him hurt, is like winning to me. The marks I made on him, were barely anything. What he did to me... well, I guess he was right about using a long ranged weapon against his close range, but you know we didn't really get to see what weapon the other picked until it was too late." I turn my body just slightly toward him when I reveal the next part of the conversation I felt he needed to know and his reaction was mostly expected.

"I didn't really promise that I wouldn't go. I told you I would take someone with me. Gala went with me and stepped in when it was needed. Everything was fine, Matthew. He didn't touch us." I tell him but remember how I shoved him backward and the biting pain it did to me in order to do so with my healing wounds and broken arm. I leave that out cause I don't want him to know that it hurt me all night from doing that. However, Matthew's more concerned that he might not keep his word to keep the ties severed between us. I nod. I'm fairly certain.

"Yes. I'm sure he will accept it. He has too. I gave him no other option. He didn't seem to be bothered by it much. He even claimed that he had someone else already in mind. I really don't think we have to worry about him anymore." Mainly, to say that I won't have to worry about him still wanting me anymore. Still, something else seems to be on Matthew's expression telling me that this wasn't over with and he needed to know more. I make myself be blunt about what he just asked and I nod to what he wanted to know.

"I felt it was the only way to actually make him realize that it would never happen. I only said it to him so that he would know that it was really over with. That any attempts that he may try to take will be only hurting himself. Cause I gave him a very clear warning that he better make it a fair fight." The threats that he inclinded on both me and him has me worried just slightly. I know that I will never go near his family again but Matthew? What will he do to make sure to take him down? Will he go that far just to get revenge against him should the match not turn in his favor? I move my hand to reach for his plastered arm and move my fingers across the hard cast. "When I was in the hospital after the second round, both me and Gala signed each others cast. You should let me make my mark on yours. Then we will be triplets."

I bring my casted arm up to and turn it over to reveal Gala's huge signature and drawings. I smile at it once again thinking how childlike it was for the signature, but it was well needed. I also remember how I hurt him by shoving him away and how much I hurt that night when he didn't appear. Right now, it's almost as if it never happened. Forgive and forget... well, in my case forgiven. Things that I regret doing always seems to stick in my mind longer than needed. To hurt someone unintentionally is what makes me a human being and also my weakness as I am starting to find out. I give in to my emotions.

Although he may not appriciate that I told Mark about we had, I know I did it for the right reason and that reason was for the simple fact that Mark would know he had no chance. My affection was for Matthew alone. Whatever had been going through Marks head from the beginning was just fabricated from one training session that I decided to use a luring method to make him vulnerable. That was it. The only thing was that I never expected for him to actually fall for me. That was my mistake. Even from the various other times that we had met up, it never happened again. Thus, now? It was over with and Matthew seemed to be blaming me for it. I can't help but drop my head just a little thinking I had done him wrong by doing him a favor to sever the ties only to get this kind of reaction?

"I did it you, you know. I know you didn't want anyone to know, heck I didn't want him to know either, but I felt it had to be that way. Mark isn't the type to take hints, I did that already." I tell him and watch him run his hand over his face. Watch the aggrivation in his actions. I pull up my arms close to my body, and just sit there for a moment before showing him the cast which he seems to take a very small amount of interest in saying something about drawing an arrow through one of the drawings. However, his words are laced with some sort of resentment for what's going on right now. Then he leans in for a kiss. Who am I to deny his this small token? Tomorrow is the biggest day of his life? Tomorrow is going to the soul deciding factor of whether mine and Mark's meeting will take effect in a positive or negative way. Now, I will not get sleep tonight. Not with what MAtthew has said about it unleashing a beast. I let my fingers grace the side of his face as his lips meet mine and I give him a meaningful kiss back.

"It'll all be good."

I nod to him without hesitation. "It will be. I have nothing to fear that you will give him something to remember you by." I give him a grin, and lean into him, letting my eyes run over my cast and his. As if I couldn't notice, I hear Matthew's stomach making noise and that in turn elicites a small chuckle from me.

"Hungry, much?" I tease him and it makes me curious. "Have you not eaten yet? If you want, I could see about getting you something to eat?" I get up from the chair and hold my hand out for him to take. "Come on. Lets go to the kitchen? We've got a small island in there. We can still talk and stuff, though don't expect anything huge. I live with two men that know nothing about the kitchen, so it's rather small."

Living in a household with only two men, I've learned that food is certainly one way to get on their good sides and that they are always hungry. At least, in my brother's case. While, I'm usually the one that cooks, my dad will sometimes takes over the meals especially as of late with what's been going on with the pregames and until two days ago, I wasn't able to mess around much. Still, with a cast on my arm, i've learned to adjust and now, I have no problem with it. I'm actually rather glad since my dad's cooking isn't really the best, even though all he made was simple meals. I offer up the kitchen to Matthew and lead him to it, but his reaction wasn't what I was expecting. He calls it huge? I didn't get to see his kitchen that one time, but I imagine that his might be smaller than mine, and I already think its small. Matthew takes an apple and bites down into before he asks. I let a grin play on my lips and nod to him as I bring out a pan and place it on the cook stove.

"Most of the time I do the cooking. If I didn't, we'd starve, though my dad has taken over for the past few week since the pregames have started. You know, to give me a break. My brother can't cook to save his life. So, I've taken over the last couple of years, and its best he leaves it to me, too." I tell him as he starts rumaging through the drawers of the fridge and mentioning that he can cook. By this time, after all the surprises, I'm not that shocked. Playing the piano and other things, right now, I couldn't imagine that somehow I figured Matthew would be worth it in the end. Each and every day, there's something new I learn about him.

"I ate something small earlier and my dad and brother ate not long ago. I'm totally up for a Matthew special though." I wink at him, and with a question directed back at me, I have to take a second to to let it settle within my thoughts before I realize what he means.

"It's perfectly alright with me, however, I'm not really sure if it is or not with my father. He's not in the loop. He's never met you before but I'm guessing he's really curious who you are now because a guy suddenly shows up at his doorstep, late at night, asking to meet with his daughter." I playfully tease him and stand next to him at the fridge, taking out the eggs and placing them on the counter. Looking back at him, I give him a questionable grin. "I'm going to have a hard time explaining to him who you are though. I imagine already he's prepping his weapons and ready to charge."

OH, that's right, Kyanite. Just scare him away while you got the chance... it's all in teasing and fun, but hopefully he'll get the jokes. I begin to crack a few of the eggs, placing them in a bowl and look over to MAtthew. "I'll let you take over from here. Just let me know what you want me to do?"

"Not that late? Hmm. If you say so." I playfully tease him again, but I'm beginning to wonder if I'm really starting to worry him or not because he asks me what kind of weapons my father is harbouring. That's when I actually move my hand up to cover my mouth to hide the grin wanting to display on my face. After a second, I play off the smile and keep the facade going for as long as I can.

"What kind do you think? He's trained me since I was ten and little more before that. Knives, swords. The bow and arrow as well, don't forget that. Though, that's for long range. He prefers close ranged weapons." I tell him. Is he sweating it now? Have I gotten him scared or nervous? I have to look at him now because I'm not sure whether he is taking me serious or not. To seal the deal, I have to add one more small bit of information. "Besides, where do you think I learned how to throw like that? I didn't just have a talent for it." I bite the inside of my cheek for telling him this stuff and making it exaggerated as it was. In truth, I'm not sure what my father thinks or how he has reacted to having Matthew here. Right now, it's just fun messing with his head. My overly exaggerated scenarios works quite well against Matthew to the point that when I hand him the bowl of eggs, he simply lays them on the counter and confesses he'd rather make a sandwich to go.

"You won't get me into trouble?" I state, putting an emphasis on the word 'me', but it seems to make the situation a bit more hectic when he kisses me. I take that kiss with so much eagerness and kiss him back quickly. I let my arms wrap around his neck when he decided to head for the fridge. I let my body mold to his for a moment when tries to keep explaining more that he told my father that he was my training partner. I nodd my head to him.

"You are my training partner." I give him a low voice. A double meaning. We are both full of them. "And I must say that I also have to agree with you on what you just said, too. My father wouldn't know what to do if he knew I was with someone like you. Strong. Determinded. Sexy." The peck on the lips doesn't seem to do for me, though I'd rather not get caught kissing him. I give him a subtle wink. "Maybe some other time when I don't feel like someone's watching." I tell him and move to grab the eggs and grab a fork to start mixing up the contents.

"I was just teasing you, Matthew. I'm sure it's fine with you being here. Also, I'm pretty sure my father isn't getting out his weapons. He's probably just dumbfounded why your here since I've never introduced you, though, I think now would be a good a time as any. If he asks why your staying, I'm making you a good luck meal for tomorrow so you're all prepped and ready to fight. You need stength. Energy. And lots... of sleep." I do a quick once over on him, letting my eyes linger on him before turning back to the eggs to season them with salt and pepper.

"You go ahead and start on the eggs. I'll go ask him if he wants to give you any good advice for the fight tomorrow just to make your story plausible about the fight tomorrow. Be right back." I push the bowl once more to him and raise my eyebrows just slightly in a curious state, and walk out of the kitchen.

My mouth drops at the mention of the age that he gives my dad. Of all the ages he could come up with, he thinks my dad is some old man! How could he? I shake my head, and drop my arms to that comment, letting my mouth gape open at his accusation. There's not much more I can do at this moment then just wanting to scold him for what he's saying about my father. Sure, he's got some age on him, but all father's do. Though, Matthew seems to think of him as a joke.

"I can't believe you just called my dad an old man?" I'm not about to tell Matthew his age cause that is just unheard of for me to do, but I can surely assure him that he is no 'old man', as he states. I mutter out. "Old man that can take you down in the blink of an eye. Keep your eye out behind you while your in his territory. He knows all. Sees all."

Once again, I'm back to teasing him heartily and this time, I actually chuckle slightly then leave the room to go get my father. There's a few words that we discuss together. Some of the normal like about his name and age. Then he gets into how long I'd been training with him. I have to think back to the first time we had met and begin to wonder that we've kinda been seeing each other about the same time. A weird coincidence I'd rather not say. So, I tell him a little over a month and a half at this point. Reluctantly, he agrees to come with me to talk to Matthew and give him some advice on the fight. What advice he'll give, I'm not sure. So, the moment we start walking down the hallway, I glance upstairs to the landing and see my brother leaning on the railing and grinning at me. I give him a harsh stare and turn my attention back to the kitchen to see Matthew drop the untensil and offer up an excuse to be cooking.

"He's not eaten all day. The fights been preoccupying his mind. So, I'm making sure he's ready for tomorrow, so I let him cook something." I tell my dad. "Matthew, this is my dad, Eirren." I give the solemn introduction and watch my fathers face. His hard dark brown eyes study Matthew for a minute. The wrinkles on his forehead is creased just enough to give off the impression that he's really staring him down. His lips are pursed before he lets them raise with a small amount of amusement.

"Made it to the last round, eh? And you're training with my daughter?" He states as a matter of factly and crosses his arms across his body. He is sturdy, barely even faultering or moving from the way he stands. "She needs more training, you know that right?" He starts off easy, already mentioning my faults but I roll my eyes.

"The advice is suppose to be helping him, not me." I huff and push pass the two and go to the fridge while I keep an eye on the two of them. My eyes linger on him though, never leaving Matthew once my father keeps talking.

"I was impressed with your last battle. Happened to catch it on the recap the other night. You've got the stuff to make a decent career. Are you planning on volunteering this year?" The question strikes me down thinking that my father had expected me to volunteer this year until I joined the pregames. What would he do if by chance, both Matthew and myself are reaped? Or what if we both happen to volunteer through the pressures of our parents?