Thicker Than Blood Start

[gamemakers]

For Tributes with keen eyes, they'll notice that Peacekeeper presence seems increased and yet infinitely more ineffective in the last few weeks. Peacekeepers seem harried, as do the Stylists, and most of the Escorts titter and plot without alerting the Tributes as to what, exactly, is so exciting. They simply say that this weekend they'll know.

And so it happens that on the weekend in question, the Tributes are woken by their Escorts early and brought to a restaurant for a hearty breakfast. The restaurant is nothing spectacular, although they seem to be trying to make an impression on the television cameras that float around. The sleepy, cranky meal goes by and then the Tributes are led back to their Suites for a mandatory meeting.

Sitting on couches and the floor, in chairs and on windowsills, standing off to the side - people from the Tributes' homes are waiting to greet them in each District Suite. Some are confused, some accepting, some frightened and some elated to see their beloved. Either way, it should be an eventful reunion.

Comments

[asmilinggod]

Something about the edges in the look on her face needled him.

He couldn't say why.

Instead, he canted his head to one side, his grin fixed and his eyes inquisitive. Everyone else in this room was clearly...important to everyone else. What he couldn't understand was...who was this woman to him? She certainly wasn't dressed in Strex-approved apparel.

"Yes, I'm Kevin! Being known on sight is so weird - I mean, I'm used to people knowing my VOICE back home, but...that's radio for you. And now? Now I'm here, and people know my face, they watch me. It's so exciting!"

Confidence cemented back into place, he stuck out his hand for a handshake, arm straight and strong.

"And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

[justvisiting]

His excitement, at least, brought a little bit of joy to her heart. Because at least, if nothing else, he enjoyed what he was doing. Even if it was a false happiness, it was happiness none the less.

And being here seemed to be even better for him.

"Kevin...dear. I'm your mother." She said calmly.

[asmilinggod]

The smile remained, fixed, almost painfully artificial.

The eyes were hollow as ever, black voids, wide and staring.

His voice when he spoke sounded forced, scripted. For show.

"...That's...gosh, that's a silly thing to say. I would remember seeing you at least once, wouldn't I? I mean, if you were my mother, I'm...pretty sure I would know you, wouldn't I? You must be joking with me! What a kidder!"

His hand is still sticking out for a handshake. It's trembling, faintly.

"...So...who are you, really?"

[justvisiting]

"That's who I am."

She was calm, not blinking, not shying away. Slowly, surely, she reached up to grasp his larger hand between her frail older ones. No arthritis, she was lucky on that front so far, but that didn't mean her hands didn't show age.

The hands of a mother.

One who had never gotten to raise her son.

[asmilinggod]

The instant her hands touched his, it was like a dam broke open in his brain; memories poured across his minds eye, powerful but black - so black - a life remembered with no light and no color.

No light, but it wasn't cold. It was warm. The warmth of his mother's hand on his shoulder. The warmth of his home, well-lived in and well-loved. The warmth that came not from a smiling god, not from the light of Strex, but from...something else. Before the cold of machinery and the sterility of business.

Kevin's eyes widened...and then he slid them shut, brows knitting together as he tried to pull the fragments into coherence. The back of his neck burned, but he ignored it for now, he fought it - he let the world go dark and he focused on the touch.

His free hand, shaking, moved upward to alight on her cheek. Feeling the contours of her face, gently running over brows and lips and nose....

A little noise escaped him, half breath, half sob.

When his eyes opened up again, they were as black as ever, as black as his world used to be, but there was a plea there. What was left of his grin was what had been torn into his face - what could never leave. Happy. Be happy, Kevin. Even when he wasn't he was.

He both was and wasn't right now. It was confusing. His neck hurt, sending little twitches down his spine. Tears welled up and rolled out of cavernous voids.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"...Mom...?"

[justvisiting]

Her hand came up to cover his, old but strong, soft but her grips still firm as she squeezed his hands and leaned into it.

"You've gotten so big, little boy." She said with a smile, voice husky with emotions she was trying not to let out.

This wasn't the time or place, but oh it was hard to keep it in.

[asmilinggod]

The shocks running through the back of his neck and spine were barely felt. The pain in his chest, however, was more real than anything else in his world.

For a moment, he stared down at her hands, grin more of a grimace, tears running down his face and through his shark-like teeth...and then when she spoke, the dam broke completely.

He swept in for a tight hug - a real one, arms flying around her torso to hold her tightly - sobbing into her shoulder.

[justvisiting]

She held him tight, her small frame dwarfed by the now grown man. The last time she had seen him, she could still pick him up.

Now he could pick her up.

She tried to keep a stiff upper lip, to be a strength for him, but even still she felt hot tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Shhhh, shh it's all right. I'm here. Don't you cry."

[asmilinggod]

"Mom - MOM...."

His tears were hot where they soaked through the fabric of her clothes. Tears were hotter than Kevin remembered.

"Mom, I didn't think - I didn't think I'd ever get to talk to you ever again...I hoped maybe - did you hear me? On the radio? Do you listen?"

His speech is confused, a grown mind trying to reconcile long forgotten things with years of programming.

[justvisiting]

She held him as tight as she could, although really he was much bigger than her, and she didn't feel like she could offer him the hug he deserved.

Squeezing tightly, she let out a soft, content sigh. It had been far too long.

"You've been doing well for yourself, yes?" She asked, not sure what to say now. It was rare she didn't know what to say, but here she was struggling for small talk.