indisposed in disguise

[mediumdrip]

Who| Blaine and OPEN
What| Blaine lost three good friends (Diana, Atticus and Lottie), watched his own body rot away, and was killed a little more violently this time around. He's not okay in the head but he'll be damned if he lets you know that. Too bad his mask might be cracking.
Where| Tribute Tower. Three settings; District 2 Suites, Boxing Area in Training Center and Common Mess Hall
When| Final week of the Arena
Warnings/Notes| Blaine's a little broken. I'll add warnings as needed.



[District 2 Suites]

When Blaine woke up he took a shower and paid extra attention to his hair. The movements of the comb as he flattened out his curls was almost therapeutic. Each time he slid it's teeth through the black strands he felt himself getting a little more control. There were dark circles under his eyes, but he knew how to use the products of the Capitol by now and it was surprisingly easy to cover them up.

He had been back in the Capitol long enough now to know that he couldn't find Lottie, Atticus or Diana. He knew sometimes people didn't come back because he had seen posts on the network about it before. He had convinced himself that it wouldn't happen to the people that he knew though. They couldn't be among the unlucky. Diana had been a sure win for Victory. Lottie was popular because she was so flirty and fun. He and Atticus could play up their matching faces for the camera, and hadn't the werewolf and Kurt provided enough heartbreaking entertainment for the way that they stuck together? What did these Capitol people even want if it wasn't a good show?

It hurt to think about that, so instead he focused on his hair. He flattened it until it was stuck to his hair, all hint of curls hidden away. He couldn't look like Atticus right now because that hurt too.

He gathered up work out clothes and folded them carefully into a duffel bag before leaving his room. A cheerful enough expression was plastered onto his face as he walked through the Suite. He planned to get to the Training Center as quickly as possible, but he also did his best to not seem opposed to the idea of stopping and taking to his Suite mates.

[Boxing in Training Center]

He didn't eat breakfast. Instead he went right down to the Training Center. The gel here was even better than the stuff back home as he could work out and sweat without a single curl breaking free. He supposed he ought to be grateful for that, just as much as he should be for finally becoming a star.

He picked out a bag and wrapped his hands in tape before he started to hit it. Each time he let a fist land against the bag he considered all of the things the Capitol would expect him to be grateful about.

Hair gel. Good food. Clothing. His face on TV.

The honor of being killed for their entertainment.

His face was focused entirely on the bag as he pounded away at it, imagining himself with the ability to push each of those things away.


[Common Mess Hall]

After working out, Blaine really needed to eat something. He had been careful to clean himself up and was dressed as impeccably as ever. He sat with his back to the screens, not wanting to watch any more death. It was surprisingly hard, as they seemed to want to display the Games everywhere.

It probably would have been smarter to eat in his room, but he still was holding out the hope that he'd see one of his missing friends.

Comments

Mess Hall, maybe?

[doc_holi]

Since the arena was over, at least for her, Holiday had been working over time. She planned to put herself into this date auction thing and, with her mentor fluttering over her shoulder about it every ten seconds, there was no getting out of it. Since she didn't know what it entailed or how long she would be... bought for, Holiday was using the time beforehand to get in as much training as possible.

Holiday wasn't really about winning, but she was all about helping her friends win and to get through an arena or two without losing a major appendage. The loss of her arm in there was still messing with her even though she had it back now.

She liked the punching bags and the nice relief they offered by imagining a few smug faces on their plastic surface, but she preferred to be alone and the young man currently using them seemed to want the same thing, so she stayed around the weight lifting equipment, eventually watching him every now and then. The fact that he seemed troubled was a little obvious...

Still, she didn't bother with conversation since he looked as if he wanted to be left alone. It was an unexpected surprise when she spotted him again in the mess hall. She gathered her food together and moved closer to him, moving in front of him to face the screens to his back. "Would you like some company?"

[mediumdrip]

Blaine hadn't really noticed her in the gym. He had been so focused on what he was doing that he hadn't really paid attention. He did, however, know her from watching the Games and from the network. He smiled at her when she asked if he minded being joined.

"Of course," he said, standing as she sat in some kind of old school sign of manners. Once she was settled he sat back down. "I don't think we've met before? I'm Blaine."

[doc_holi]

"Dr. Holiday." She extended her hand to shake. Blaine was very polite and she didn't want to seem rude at all to him. "I've seen you around a couple of times before. Have you been here awhile?"

She had noticed him in the Games and network before, but hadn't paid any real attention. Holiday didn't want to gain more attachments than she already had here. Oh well.

[mediumdrip]

"This was my third Arena," Blaine offered after shaking her hand, because that seemed to be the only way to track time that mattered. "My first was the glacier." He hoped that would give her some idea to how long he'd been around.

"I've seen you around too, Doctor. How long have you been here?"

[doc_holi]

Well, that was coincidental. "It's the same for me, as well. I arrived around the middle of the glacier arena." Never mind that she hardly lasted five minutes. "Something we have in common then."

[mediumdrip]

"Yeah. That is. That was one heck of a way to be introduced to this place. I'm sorry someone else had to go through that. It was pretty intense." Just the memory of the cold and the blinding white was enough to make his body almost want to shiver.

[doc_holi]

She shrugged. "Most of us had to. It's just... how things are here." She took a bite of food to shut herself up for a second, but she couldn't help but slip out more after. "I understand what you mean, though."

[mediumdrip]

Blaine nodded. "I think it's a way to up the ratings," Blaine said. "Put new blood into the Arena that the audience knows nothing about. Before, each Tribute had interviews and appearances before they had to fight for their lives, so people already knew what they cared to about each kid who was fighting."

[doc_holi]

"They've changed a lot of things since the old arenas. Those may have been annually, but I think the citizens enjoy watching ours more. Interesting people, different age groups, we all know each other. Makes things different for them."

[mediumdrip]

"That and we keep coming back, so they can have a favorite for a few Arenas," Blaine pointed out. It was strange how much of his bitterness he could keep out of his voice. He made the comment as if he was talking about a reality tv show back home.

Wasn't it great how he came back for Survivor All Stars? I really missed his antics.

The thought made Blaine's stomach twist up a bit, but he managed to keep it off of his face.

[doc_holi]

Holiday didn't realize what was going on behind his mask, but she felt exactly the same.

"Another good point. Honestly, I think they also favor those of us who try to avoid killing rather than the others. More drama that way."

Okay, maybe she shouldn't talk about this stuff while eating, but it's true.

[mediumdrip]

Blaine nodded about that. "Have you managed to take any one out? I still haven't been able to." He couldn't stomach it, especially not after his last death. The memory of it was going to haunt him for a while. His voice dropped a bit, and he managed to frown without giving away too much of the trauma from this last Arena.

[doc_holi]

"No, I haven't." A part of her was very happy for that fact. All of her deaths had been a constant ghost in her mind especially the first one, but it was better than killing someone.

Especially killing someone and not being haunted by it. She couldn't understand how Six or even these tributes could do it.

"I suppose there's a first time for everything, though," she said with a grimace.

[mediumdrip]

"I hope not," Blaine admitted after a moment. "For both our sakes."

[doc_holi]

Yeah. She looked down to her plate. "Agreed. So how are you finding this place so far, aside from the arena, of course?" Holiday gave a glance to his arm to see if he had been cuffed like her.

[mediumdrip]

It wasn't, but he felt that was because he wasn't as brave. Noticing hers, though, made him relax a bit.

"The food and clothes are nice, but..." He let himself trail off for a moment and then got a little more honest. "My ex-boyfriend is here too. He's the one person from home I would never, ever want to to see hurt and he's here." He let her draw her own conclusions from that.

"At least when we're back here, we can enjoy a treat or two without worrying about getting too fat?"

[doc_holi]

"... I'm sorry. I try not to imagine what it'd be like if someone I loved were here."

She missed them so so much, but Holiday forced herself to not think of them or home. It was too much. She really was sincerely sorry.

[mediumdrip]

Blaine pressed his lips together for a moment.

"It's not easy," he said. "It was really hard this Arena. They separated us and then kept showing me video of him just to make things worse."

[doc_holi]

They did the same to her with the friends that she had made. If that had been Rex or Six or... or Beverly-

"You're not alone, though. You have a connection to home." Holiday glanced down to her cuff. It was still obvious what it was, but her mentor wrapped a dark green fabric around the band in an attempt to hide it. The color had become her connection. "That's a valuable and rare thing, even if it hurts."

[mediumdrip]

Blaine nodded. "I'd be much happier if he was safe though."

[doc_holi]

"Understandably. We just have to deal with what's given to us."

[mediumdrip]

"Is that what you really think? I thought the people who got the cuffs were the ones trying to change things."

[doc_holi]

She stared at him for a moment before giving him a smile. He was smart, but he didn't seem to see things how she saw them. Yet, she liked him.

"Yes. I think everyone should deal with what they're given. I didn't say anything about how they should use what they're given."

Holiday shifted in her seat, eager to make him understand. "Let's take you for example. You've been given your ex. From the sounds of it, you still care very much for him. A gift like that could very easily be abused by the Capitol. If you step out of line, they could kill him, torture him. They could do the same to you to punish him if he were to step out of line.

"The point is that the Capitol knows this and they fear it. They don't see our loved ones as weaknesses, they see them for what they are--a source of power and hope. You're stronger for his being here because it drives you to survival. They'll want to take that away if you go down the wrong path, but love is more than just life and death... Do you understand?"

It was putting her political standpoint in the open, but she's kind of known for doing that lately. If she wanted to hide, she should have started months ago.

[mediumdrip]

Blaine listened to her as she spoke. He found that he liked her too. After a moment, he nodded.

"I think so," he said.

[doc_holi]

"Good," she smiled again, very glad he didn't just get angry. Now all she had to do was hope that little speech didn't result in Calico locking her in her room for a day or something.

"I wish you luck in the next arena."