thecapitol | Mini-Arena Reaping

Mini-Arena Reaping

Who| All Tributes, mentors, stylists, escorts, and some citizens.
What| The mini-arena reaping.
Where| The grand foyer of the Tribute Center.
When| 7pm Thursday (11/6). Please note: This log is forward dated by one week.
Warnings/Notes| Unhappy tributes.

At approximately 5pm Thursday, all of the Tributes were notified that their presence would be required at a mandatory meeting in the grand foyer of the Tribute Center. It was to be a formal occasion, and all of the stylists were instructed to dress their Tributes in their autumn best. At 8pm, Peacekeepers arrived at each floor to escort the Tributes down to the foyer, which had been decorated in a playful, nostalgic manner. The Tributes were seated at one of twelve large, numbered tables, though they were told they could mingle, dance, or help themselves to as much punch as they'd like. By all appearances, this little fete was nothing more than a typical, if somewhat bizarre Capitol celebration.

[ooc notes: General arena information can be found here. If you would like for your adult character to react violently/riot after the reaping, you must comment to this post.]

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Eponine obediently parted her lips.

"Choose a nice one though. None of the silly flavours like coffee." She'd had that experience - not one she was willing to repeat. It felt weird though: she had always imagined being fed chocolate in such a way by a man, rather than by Felicity. But still... maybe everybody was right? And she couldn't let her friend down.

Felicity smiled, bringing the chocolate to her nose to sniff it before she popped it into Eponine's mouth. "There we are. Now, isn't that lovely? What is it? Cherry? Jam? It smells heavenly."

Eponine closed her eyes, letting the chocolate melt on her tongue.

"Strawberry." She grinned, showing chocolatey teeth. She swallowed the last of it, and licked around her teeth, just to make sure it was gone.

"Now that, I think is the best way to eat chocolate. No wonder in those books it always happens. I didn't think, perhaps it should be the same with a woman, but..." She smiles shyly. "That was nice."

The blonde allowed herself another grin, this time even wider and more teasing than before. "You've never thought about it with a girl, hm? I hardly believe that, Eponine. In fact, I'm sure you've considered it a great deal."

Fee leered at Eponine briefly, then reached for another chocolate, to tease the girl with it. "Shall I feed you another?"

Eponine could feel herself squirming under Felicity's laughter, and she tried to brush the whole thing off.

'Oh, just leave me be, Felicity.' she muttered. "You tease too much." Which meant that she was not denying Felicity's accusation. She opens her mouth though, wanting the next chocolate.

"If it pleases you, you might do whatever you like."

It was nice to watch Eponine squirm. It made Felicity feel powerful, made her feel as though she were in full control of something in her existence. Her lips pursed together in a thin smirk.

"Open wide," she said in a breathy voice, carefully placing the chocolate on Eponine's tongue. Briefly, lightly, her fingers brushed against the other girl's lip as she popped it in.

Eponine obediently opened her mouth wider so that Felicity could pop the chocolate in. But Felicity's fingers on her lips - did she imagine it? But surely... Or perhaps? Perhaps, for Felicity... Eponine's own fingers lightly traced where Felicity 's had been.

"It's a... Nice chocolate." She said, quickly. But her expression didn't match her words. She wasn't much concerned about the chocolate any more.

Feeling emboldened, the blonde let out a merry laugh, pretending not to notice Eponine's reaction, pretending that her own heart wasn't rattling in her ribcage like a frightened little bird. There were so many things she could do, so many wicked little things she might say, if only she were a man, if only she were brash enough to say so.

But then again, who was she kidding? If any lady here was accustomed to being bold and getting her way, it was certainly Felicity Worthington.

"Miss," Fee said, smiling still as she took Eponine by the hand. She bowed at the waist, then brought Eponine's hand to her lips briefly, a proper gentlemanly gesture. "Would you care to dance with me?"

Eponine began to chuckle and in return, pulled put her skirt and dipped an awkward curtsey which caused her to wobble just a little. But she used Felicity to balance and saved herself.

"Only if Mr. Felicity should have me." She pointed at Felicity's face, and carefully, gingerly, traced her finger over Felicity's top lip.

"We ought to draw a moustache here. Then you should make a more handsome man than you do a girl!"

Felicity's eyebrows raised and her lip twitched ever so slightly, despite her staunch command that it not. "But I'm not a man."

Nor did she want to be one, not really. She wanted the freedom to be who she was and love whomever she chose, and those freedoms were only afforded to men. That was why she envied them, not because she felt especially masculine or anything. Her rejection of the feminine was more of a grab for what she'd been denied all her life: autonomy.

But she wasn't a man, and never would be, and if she had to make pretend just to dance with another woman, well...

"Does that trouble you? That I'm a woman?" She tried to keep her face expressionless and only marginally succeeded. Somehow, she never quite lost the haughty undertones. Perhaps it had been bred into her over the years.

"Bother me?" Eponine shakes her head. Does she look unsure? She feels a little bit unsure. But she knows the answer that Felicity is looking for, and she is so eager to make her friend happy. She wants to be happy.

"It's just... I know how it is with a man. You know..." She gestures. Eponine's not stupid. She knows where this could potentially be heading. "I never thought of a woman... but it is strange with you."

"It isn't strange at all," Felicity said, perhaps a little too insistent, volume spiking for a moment. "In fact, it's the most natural thing in the world, to love someone."

The words left her lips before she could stop herself. Stupid, impulsive git that she was. Fee's eyes went wide and she tried to laugh then, as if she'd said nothing at all. "Besides, women are clever creatures. We can solve any problem we're presented."

"I love you?" Eponine can't help the question creeping into her voice. It feels a bit funny, really... is this what love feels like? She doesn't know. Maybe she's never really loved anyone properly. Maybe this is what it feels like? Is this what Diana had been urging her to feel?

"Felicity? Do you say that you love me?"

Whatever terror she felt in her heart, Felicity tried her very best to lock it away. Now was the time to be carefree and brave. To deny. To lash out. To hurt. But falling back on her usual defenses somehow felt wrong. She'd scorned Eponine so many times, mocked her, scolded her, wanted her to cry. Wanted her attention. Wanted her love. Was that what she wanted? Felicity couldn't exactly say. Did she love Eponine? No, no... she couldn't...

"I don't know." Was all she managed to blurt out.

"Oh."

Well... well, that's it. It shouldn't hurt as much as it does, should it? Eponine shouldn't care. So why does she feel so deflated? Is it just because, for one wild minute, she had thought that somebody actually loved her for a change? Or is it more that someone loves her as much as she loves them?

No... No. She shakes her head. "You have to know, Felicity. You have to. If you do not love me, it is cruel to make me think so. Do you want to be cruel to me?"

"No," Felicity answered quickly, quietly. "I don't want that."

Why did she suddenly feel panicked, like she'd done something horribly wrong? She'd only wanted to be honest. She didn't mean to be so wickedly cruel. And here she was regardless, incapable of gentleness or loving. Cutting down, when she hadn't even meant to. Did she have an answer for Eponine? Any answer at all? She cared for her, she knew as much was true, and she loved to play with her and tease her, and she sought her company always, the grubby little thing. So easy to dismiss and mock. So easily bruised. And yet... if anyone should bruise her, Felicity was certain she would be the one to avenge her. She was Felicity's to avenge. She might be a nasty, vicious, dirty little brat, but she was Felicity's little brat.

Oh, what a dreadful realization...

"What if I did? What would come of it?" She finally asked, regaining her bravado. Too bad it was a bit muddled by the tears pricking at her eyes. Stupid tears. She didn't want to cry, not now, not over this. This was utterly ridiculous. "You would be so cruel to me as to entrap me in some unrequited affair so that you could mock me and laugh at me and think me a degenerate. You don't care for me, Eponine. You want a man. You want a husband to make you feel like a proper lady. You want a man to make you feel like a woman. But what does a man know about women that a woman doesn't know ten times better?"

Her outburst was sharp, loud, and uncalled for, but Felicity didn't care. She was sick of playing along all the time, tired of pretending that these passions within her didn't exist. She wanted to be free. "If I loved you, Eponine, I could love you better than any man could. I'd never use you up like they do. I'd never cast you away as they have. No, no. It isn't if I loved you. It's if you loved me. If you loved me, you would be my world. But you don't, so you won't."

Oh Felicity.

Eponine listens, silenced by Felicity's words. It's true, isn't it? She loves men really. But... well, there was Diana, that time, that time when she... and as much as Eponine is loathe to admit it, it was perhaps the nicest Eponine has ever felt. And if Felicity cared for her as well... could she learn to truly love a woman? Oh, but how lovely to have somebody, somebody to care for her and sleep in the same bed, sharing body warmth and a pillow. Even if Felicity is bossy, and contemptuous sometimes and even downright rude to her... it appeals to Eponine. It's bad, but it does. It's what was so appealing about Montparnasse, despite hating it as well. And it is so with Felicity.

"Would it... oh, Felicity..." Eponine trails off, as she stares at her. And suddenly, before she can change her mind, she leans close in, and plants her thin lips on Fee's,

After a minute, she leans back, looking nervously at Fee. "If you are a degenerate, and I am a whore, we are a fine pair to make, no? Degenerate whores, the both of us?"

Her heart was racing so quickly, she was almost afraid it might give out and stop altogether. Of course she's kissed before. She's done more than kissing. And she's loved before, too, loved fiercely enough that she felt like her whole soul was ablaze. But this was different. There was a rush to it that Felicity couldn't quite name. All she knew was that she didn't want it to stop, and she didn't want to share it with anyone.

"Don't say that," she whispered, touching her lips when Eponine pulled away. "There's nothing degenerate about it. It's as right as the rain, as lovely as a rainbow. Don't say that it's wrong."

"I like being wrong." She leaned in closer, murmuring against Felicity's cheek. "I don't want to be nothing they say to be good. Be proud of it, of us, if you like it."

She leaned back and laughed. "So that is it, is it?"

Eponine was playing a different game, that much Fee could see. Felicity wanted sponsors and supporters and to one day win. Eponine never stood a chance, she must have given up ages ago. Which was fair for her, but Fee couldn't just accept the world saying she was a degenerate and Eponine was a whore, no matter if it were true.

"Yes, that's it." She answered, withdrawing some. "Is it funny to you? Are you happy now that I've given you something to laugh about?"

Eponine had long since given up on games. She didn't have the will to think up schemes that would get her liked. Privately, she had decided long ago that she was just someone to be put up with , and everyone would be glad when she died. So to have Fee who not only seemed to like her, but who wanted her as well, was like a miracle to Eponine.

"Why are you cross? I am laughing because I am so happy! Never did I think a lady like you would want a woman like me. Felicity, you must tell me what I have done wrong. Do you not think it funny what these idiots say of us?"

"I don't think they are funny. I think they are wrong." That was a distinct difference that Felicity needed to draw. She had to prove they were all fools, prove that she was in the right. And she'd do it too, if she could. And she could, she knew it in her soul.

But she could fuss over that later. When she was alone. When the world wasn't watching them. "Come. Let's dance. They will expect us to dance."

"And that is why it is funny. Laugh, Fee, laugh, or you will end up like me! "

She shifted closer to Felicity, and stroked a slender finger over her friend's cheek.

"I would say no, just to spite them, but for you, I'll do it. Come on. Let us give them a thumb to it all and dance for their pleasure."

Her expression was serious still, but she obliged and took hold of Eponine's hand to lead her to the dance floor. Her pleasure would be hers and hers alone. The moment would belong to them and not to the Capitol. And that was it.

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Mini-Arena Reaping

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end?