New kind of victory.

[etcircenses]

Who| Everyone on the District Tours.
What| The Celebration dinners for all the Districts.
Where| Specified in thread.
When| The second night they are there.
Warnings/Notes| Find your district below. Leave any questions here. And please add any needed warning into your subject line when appropriate.

Comments

[mannersmatter]

Effie was quite for a long time, tucking Sandy against her side as they looked at the empty victory village. One she could never have hoped to fill.

"They don't understand what I try to do. They just see me as the person who takes their children away." Her voice was soft, emotions threatening to take it over. "They don't see that I'm trying to help in the only way I can."

[justoutrunyou]

"Oh." The truth settled into Sandy's stomach like a lead weight. She had gotten so caught up in trying to survive and win that she'd almost forgotten what life was like before she was "Volunteered."

She found herself feeling bad for Effie. The citizens had a perfectly legit reason to hate her but...Effie was still such a nice person!

"What is it you try to do?" She asked and then tried to correct herself. "I mean like...I see what you do every day but...what do you see it as? Or what it was before ya know...us."

Feeling some gloom over the situation she leaned into Effie gently and even nuzzled her head.

[mannersmatter]

There was another long silence as Effie looked across the cold, empty village. Trying to decided what, exactly, she should share with the younger girl.

"No one had won from 12 in...a long time. Their children aren't strong, or well trained, or well fed. But that didn't matter, they still had to be reaped. So I would do my best to make life as..." She sighed softly, a little dreamily. "As wonderful as possible for them. The best food, clothes, warm baths, soft beds. The things they would never have. To make the end as easy as it could be."

[justoutrunyou]

This was possibly one of the most morbid conversations Sandy had ever had with Effie. It was also...somewhat fittingly, one of the few where she could see Effie facing some of the darker truths about her life.

A thought struck her, and it was a horrible thought. It was a thought that she knew she shouldn't express or even consider but it was a thought that would not leave her. Such was the struggle that the question came out in a soft almost whisper.

"Do you cry for them?"

[mannersmatter]

There was a long pause.

Did she cry for them? The question alone brought up too many bad memories. As they came, she could feel the tears, even now.

"Less and less, as the years went by." She said softly, honestly. Her voice was thick. "But just...just when you think you have built yourself up, that you're ready, someone comes who you can't...can't get out of your heart."

Her eyes closed then, thinking of them. Of the hardest, a girl not unlike Sandy. She was near the start of it, when she was still young, and enthusiastic. That girl could have been her little sister, maybe even her own daughter.

She would never forget her.

[justoutrunyou]

That...was heartbreaking.

Her fingers curled into Effie's dress and she turned to rub her face against the other woman hoping to hide her tears.

They'd already been through alot, Effie and Sandy. More then Sandy would have ever guessed on that first day the fluffy fashionable woman had introduced herself.

But shivering here feeling even a fraction of Effie's pain it became clear to Sandy that she loved this woman dearly for everything she'd done.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, not even sure what she was sorry for. Just that she was.

[mannersmatter]

Effie twisted, gathering Sandy's small body to her and squeezing her tightly. Her tears over flowed, and she buried them against Sandy's blond hair, letting them fall. A few subs shudder through her, and it took her a long time to gather her self back up.

"I know...it is awful what you go through. But at least...at least you always come home to us."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy continued to tremble, as was her fashion when scared or miserable. But there was a flicker of light from this.

Effie understood.

For a long time Sandy had worried that maybe just how terrible the Games were wasn't something Effie saw. But she had said it right there. It was awful! That was an understatement sure but it was better then ignoring it!

"It's only home because you make it that way for me." She mumbled into Effie's expensive fabrics as she hid the red of her face or the shine of her tears from the stars watching over them.

[mannersmatter]

She felt her throat catch again, and just tightened her arms around the small girl.

That was it. That was everything Effie had always tried to do.

The fact it made a difference...she clung to Sandy, trying not to break down.

"I'm glad. I'm so very, very glad."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy turned into Effie and gripped at her, unable to find anymore words of comfort or support. This was a terrible situation, but at least she wasn't alone.

Neither of them were.

[mannersmatter]

Holding her tightly, she let the quiet stretch out. And in that silence, she remembered the faces she always tried to force herself to forget. The children who were gone. And others, who disappeared into the night.

Finally she pulled away, grudgingly, but knowing if they were away much longer, they would be sought out.

"We should get back in my dear." She smiled down, tucking one of Sandy's blond bangs behind her ear. "Thank you."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy looked melancholy as she finally met Effie's gaze again, and puzzled.

"For what?" The hug? Telling her how she felt? It was difficult for Sandy to imagine that anything she had done was helpful tonight.

[mannersmatter]

"For..." She paused, trying to find a word to sum up exactly what she was saying thank you for, before finally just smiling warmly at Sandy.

"For being you."

[justoutrunyou]

More red burned in Sandy's cheeks and she shuffled her boots in the dust and dirt.

"I'm nothing special. I'm just a girl surrounded by amazing people."

[mannersmatter]

"Oh my dear, you don't give yourself nearly enough credit." She gave her a broad smile, taking her hands and squeezing them.

"Being incredible means many things."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy couldn't argue with either of those points on any particular level. So she simply held onto the lovely but sad woman and watched her with a new found respect as she led them back towards the party.

Effie had done alot for Sandy to this point. The girl hoped she could return the favor some day with more then a hug.

[mannersmatter]

((Good end?))

[justoutrunyou]

((Great end))