[YLIP] Coupling #1: Your Boat Ride Home

[Deleted]

♡  HOST P .

"All's fair in Love & War and things are just heating up in the Young Love in Panem Villa. If you missed it, last episode our 21 lovebirds from the districts arrived via luxurious limousines (courtesy of Washington Motors) and met each other for the first time in the Capitol! To kick this crazy summer off right, the contestants competed in a little challenge I like to call: the SNOG-A-THON ! 

If you haven't heard, it kinda went viral or whatever. #HitSensationInPanem. District 12's Hermes took a surprising lead until the charming likes of Beau & Beatrice popped up on the leaderboard. Our winner turns out to be none other than Wolfgang Mae! With a score of 21 which is like, nuts. 

With his house mates rating him 5 out of 5 snogs, Wolfie will get first dibs here at The Coupling!"

Whew, talk about a mouth full. She takes a sip of water as they adjust the lights for the next take. They only lit the lanterns a minute before the camera's started and they're already starting to float away- we've got more of those, right? Uh-oh. 

There's a brief minute where the producers talk to some of the higher placed contestants, making sure they've all thought out their choices & one liner's before the camera's start. They've been doing a great job, all things considered. Even Hermes, surprisingly. 

Back on?

Green light! "Lovebirds, 21 of you entered the Young Love Villa this morning, and only 18 will stay to see the next challenge. Dramatic, right?" She asks with an arched brow and a smirk. "As the losers of the Snog-a-Thon, both Etta and Priscilla have been dumped and sent back to their home districts. Tonight, we'll be eliminating 1 more person." 

The air's tense as she stops talking for a second. This is the fun part! "We'll also be assigning bed partners tonight, EEEE! Isn't that exciting? As the winner of the challenge, Wolfgang will get to claim the Hot Suite - the giant fancy room upstairs, it's got a locked door that only he will have a key with. Well, he and whoever he chooses tonight at The Coupling!" 

Dramatic sound effect, BOOM!

"Wolfgang, you may now rise from your seat and make your way to the front of the dock to read out your choice. You and your partner will then write your #Shipname on the lantern paper to signify your unity for next week's Challeng-uh!" 

let it begin !!

---

Hello hello everyone! Welcome to the first coupling of the season, the rules have been described both IC here and OOC on the plot page. The Coupling takes place as the pier of the Villa, with endless lanterns floating into the sky upon arrival. In ranking order of the Snog-a-Thon, contestants will pick their partners for the next challenge, who will double as their bedmate for the week. Couples will create a #shipname and sign their lanterns with the moniker to signify their new bond.

To make things spicier, the odd man out will be set home on a candle boat ride for one.

posting order: elegant, ryan, frankel, kaplan, tristen.

[ 💌 ]

[ want more reality television? 
check out the 90th hunger games, go on
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[✌ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

♡  WOLFGANG .

The challenge ends and Wolfgang's left standing there on the deck looking slightly deranged. His lips are raw, near bitten through and he's been kissed and passed around so much that it's getting hard to remember which way is up anymore. His hands ache from holding on too tight and he's light-headed from lack of air. Or maybe that's just the champagne even though he only had one glass.

He runs his thumb over his lips as Petelia speaks into a camera about the show and winces. It feels like he's been stung by a bee or some shit. Some guy with a clipboard walks up to him and starts whispering about how he has to make a choice and Wolfgang tries to listen but he's tired and everything's going in one ear and out the other.

Something something he get's the big room on the top floor, (okay fuckin' cool.) pick someone and write down a ship name and put a lantern out and then he gets to go the fuck to bed, cool.

Wait, why a ship name?

A clipboard lady pushes him down into a seat, powder baby powder(?) or flour maybe on his cheeks and ask him who he's going to pick, that he has to know for the camera and he has to say something cool about it. Wolf blinks at them, "Wha-" he starts but the lights are changing and the makeup team is scattering away like a bunch of rats into their little holes.

Petelia invites him up to the front and Wolfgang smiles for the camera when it falls on him because he's supposed to. All those time's Lysander smiled at the crowds and the lights and the people, was it like that? He feels so hollow after everything, chewed up and spit out and ugly.

Wolf looks around and it feels like everyone else on the dock is looking back at him. All three camera crews are focused on him but then one breaks away to pan across the other competitors and the other points back at Petelia to get her reaction.

Wolf makes his way to the front of the dock, turning to walk backwards as he goes. His gaze jumps from person to person but it's hard to tell which one of them is most likely to want him to pick them. Maybe none. He's the youngest one here, the least experienced and his sister's a victor. Who would want to tie himself to that?

More than that, who does he actually want?

"Hey," he says and waves a little at everyone. "Thanks for-" he gestures over vaguely at where they were all just kissing, "This is gonna be tough."

There are a few obvious choices. His gaze slides right over Trylle to land on Benito. He's got this stupidly cute smile that makes the pit of Wolf's stomach feel like it's full of burning embers. There were definitely a few other good kisses though, like Marley or Dionysus, Ajax, jeez even Carly.

Then he sees Axel, the boy that showed up late, the Morrison with a victor cousin from that talent show. Somehow he's got a little tray of those tiny little appetizer hot dogs from the table with the champagne. There are like ten already in his mouth and he's still trying to scoop them in as if someone's going to take them from him.

"Yeah that guy," Wolf says and points at Axel, "I want him, Legs."

In those first few minutes when everything had been so fucking overwhelming and Wolf had tried to hide, that tall guy had stumbled right into his hiding spot. When Wolf kissed him, he'd moved in so close that for a moment it was hard to hear the rest of the room. Everyone else seemed to just disappear.

That safe feeling hasn't gone away yet, it just floods in again like the tide when Wolfgang looks at him.

Guess you never forget your first good kiss.

There are a few little hollering sounds as Axel gets up and walks up to Wolf in a way that should be dorky but looks oddly cute on him. A guy with a headset behind camera one gestures madly at them to hold hands so Wolf slips his into Axel's, blushing hard. It's only because all of those is so fucking embarrassing. A panicky feeling starts to fill him, like he's breathing it in.

This was a mistake. Why would he think it's a good idea to take the pretty boy from Four? He was trying to keep it low key or whatever but he just had to-

Axel squeezes his hand tight, just once. "You okay bro?" His hand is bigger, the palm rough in a way that feels right against Wolf's own calloused hands.

"Uh yeah," he mutters and then drags Axel over to the lanterns, "I guess we need a ship name."

Wolfgang looks uncertainly at Axel while behind them, the next couple is already pairing up. "You're from Four, you know a good ship?" he asks. In the end it's kind of up to him as the winner but Wolfgang's from Five and yeah, he learned about boats and shit but that subject was boring in school.

"Aw wait," he says and then scribbles 'USS ENTERPRISE' onto a lantern.

"Bangin'."

He nods and hands it to Axel to release.

[ 💌 ]

[ryan]

♡  MARLEY .

You take a sharpen deep breath as you realize that the event was coming to a close. The last kiss was something memorable, or at least, that is what you think as you submit the last number of the event. It felt like an eternity since this whole thing had started, your lips were tired, but you were ready to see how it all shook out.

The timer had struck zero and everyone was told to come to a halt. You had found a chair to sit in and decided to take a load off your feet as you looked around at the exasperated expressions of the other people sharing this room with you. Petelia looked regal in the distance as she talked about just how interested she was in the results. To be honest, you were too, because you had a feeling that you might have not done as well as you thought you were. Some of the people here seemed nice, but others worried you, like Carly, and Beatrice. Their scores could have affected you, but lingering on that for a long time was not wise.

After all, the more you worried about it, the more that it would take away from you getting to know the people that you share a somewhat intimate moment with. You had a couple in mind as your eyes floated around the room, making mental notes of the ones you felt just a little closer too.

Needless to say, you were pretty sure that everyone that you had matched with had shared a strong kiss with you. There were a couple that were lingering on your tongue, but you did not try to keep your eyes on them too long, because you had a feeling that you could have been shoehorned into something you did not really want to be apart of. You did not know what was on Petelia's mind, and as much as you wanted to pick it, you would not benefit from it. At least not right now.

You had a game to play after all.

You sat there for a moment and wondered what Bella would have thought about all of this. Part of you thought that maybe she would have been a little bit worried, seeing as you were in a completely different place. This was not ten, and to be quite frank, you had a feeling that she would not trust what was going on here in the capitol. Sure, you didnt trust it either, but you were not going let that stop you from experiencing what the world did have to offer.

The memory of what and who Bella was would always stay with you thanks to the locket that Stella Blakesley had returned to you, but that did not mean that you had to become the person that she was. The games had changed her, but they had also changed you. You had to learn to be independent and self sufficient enough to survive. You had the other kids in the pound, but there werent many of you left. The games had took its toll on everyone, you knew that, however, the emptiness was starting to become more apparent. You wondered if the pound would ever become lively again.

A part of you wondered if you would be gone by then.

---

You were given some time to collect yourself for a moment, in which you took a couple deep breathes before the scoreboard was finally revealed. You felt your heart skip a beat as Petelia gleefully laughed in the background. You reminded yourself that you did try your best, and it was nothing to beat yourself up over.

Much to your shock though, you saw your name right below Wolfgang, you had not only provided you with your own exceptional kiss, but also, only had beaten you by a couple points. To think that you would have scored second overall out of this whole thing. You had never kissed anyone in your life before all of this, and there you were, trying to wrap your head around the fact that you were going to make it to the next challenge. Another night before you meant another chance for you to get to know a couple more people here.

You could feel more eyes on you, but you did not let that stop you from being swept up in the moment. You were ushered away by some scary looking people, but the cameras also followed, and you took that chance to at least blow a couple kisses at the public as you thought about how it might help you later down the line. Sure, you were not usually this gregarious, but learning to play a part was just one part of this competition, and if the public did have to play a part in all of this? Then so be it.

You were just as brave as your sister.

---

The night time had come quickly, and a part of you wondered if you were really in Panem at this point. It was almost seamless, like someone had pushed a button and the sky dimmed to a crisp midnight blue. It was breathtaking, but as you sat in a chair and let people prod at your face with various makeup tools, you wondered if all of this was going to be worth it.

At the end of the day, probably, because Bella would have wanted you to at least commit to something in your life. You sat idly as you waited for Petelia to divulge more about what was going on tonight. You heard that two people had been dumped from the competition, Etta and a girl named Priscilla. She didnt ring a bell as you waited for them to apply a soft red eyeshadow to your eyes. "A little shimmer too yeah? To make them pop?" you asked kindly as you waited for them to give you a response. The stylist had smirked and clicked her tongue twice, commenting on how they liked someone that knew what they wanted.

You smiled, realizing that you had never been that type of person until right now.

The real choice was about to be in front of you anyway. You had to choose someone to pair up with for the night. At least, that was what you could make out from all the chatter that you could hear from a distance. Petelia had made sure to make everything somewhat hard to decipher, probably because she was trying to create suspense. You did not mind it too much, however, being direct was one of your own personality traits. So you did sort of expect that in return. That was not the game you were playing here though. You were just trying to make it by, and it was already enough that you had a guaranteed spot next week. No need for you to push anymore than you had.

---

You were decked out in a shimmery black and red dressed that hit the light in a way that refracted waves of color as you walked down the lit pathway. You couldnt help but twirl in it for a moment, standing right behind Wolfgang, but also keeping up the pace to not knock anyone else out of rhythm. Trish had been right behind you, which you could figure that meant she had probably gotten third in the competition. You wondered how she rated you, seeing as her kiss was not something that left desire. It was a first impression after all, so nerves could have played a huge roll in that.

Whatever it was, it did not matter too much, because you both were standing at the top of all of this. Petelia had appeared out of what seemed like thin air, standing on one of the many boats that had been right in front of you. You had to admit, she did look gorgeous herself, but this was not the time to play kiss ass. You had sometime to think about who you were going to choose tonight. However, Petelia had explained that one more person would be going home tonight.

Would that make a difference in who you were going to pick?

Going through the list, the only person that you probably couldnt pick was Wolfgang, because he was going to be able to pick first. A part of you wondered if he was going to pick you, but that was quickly dismissed as you realized that he had spent time with other people. You didnt think of yourself as too special. You resolved to pick the person that would be considered enchanting to you. You had a couple in mind, even the ones that did not offer the best kiss in return.

Everyone deserved second chances.

Petelia explained that the tops also had to write their ship name on a lantern and christen their boats with a name. You were already overwhelmed, but you had an idea that might suffice as long as the person you had in mind wasnt chosen. Wolfgang is told to pick out his choice for the coupling, and a part of you wondered if he was going to pick you. It would be totally unexpected after all. He passed right by you though, and while he gave you a light smile, you could tell that his mind was on someone else. That did make it a little easier.

When he picked Axel, you sighed with release. You matched with Axel, but there was someone else that was on your mind. To be very honest, you kind of thought about him, simply because your kiss left a lot to the imagination, and you wished you could at least give it another shot. Maybe there would be another opportunity, but for now, as you watched them scribble something on a lantern you had been called over to make your choice.

You stood at attention and gave Petelia a huge smile from ear to ear. Your hand had started to twist your curls as you looked at the others. You had a lot of choices, as most of them had rated you to be one of the best kissers of the group. Of course, there was more to your personality, but everything had to be taken at face value for now.

Cameras followed you for a moment as you walked through and gave smiles to everyone that had made eye contact with you. "Hmmmm..." you vocalized as your eyes shifted from a couple choices. Of course, you already had your mind made up, but that did not stop you from trying to at least play the game just a little bit. After all, anything that made you look better for the camera was going to help yeah? Maybe the capitol would just see you as some floozy bimbo if you overdid it.

Your eyes finally settled on the boy you had been thinking about since your kiss. "Hey stranger." you smirked for a moment, your hands pulling on his wrist and pulling Trylle forward before stepping forward with him. "This is who I choose Mademoiselle." you smile as you squeeze his wrist and then clasp your hand in his. This did feel a little awkward, but a part of you had a feeling that this was all part of the game. If you both wanted to stay here, then you needed to play the part.

This was just one of the boys that you felt sparks with when your lips had touched after all.

You took a deep breath as you walked forward, realizing that you know had to come up with a ship name. A part of you wondered what the term was, but another part of you could put two and two together. You pulled a lantern forward and looked at Trylle. "I think this is how it is supposed to be done?" you pulled out the lipstick that you had kept in your purse and asked him to hold the lantern steady. You spelled out Marylle on the soft paper as it crinkled under the pressure of your lipstick. The vibrant red looked lively with the well lit backdrop.

"Im excited to get to know you just a little bit more." you say with a smirk before stepping onto the boat with Trylle. "Go ahead, release it." you let him do the honors of course.

This was the start of something new.

[ 💌 ]

[☢️]

♡  BEATRICE .

Trish’s lips are dry, they are starting to break, and the skin is peeling away. The stylist has spent five minutes now, applying layers and layers of lip moisturizer. Whenever Trish tries to speak, the stylist sends a curse with their stare. It was never like this during the talent show, she had some freedoms in her act. In the style that she chose. Literally everything. She is assured that she is safe for tonight, a bronze medal in the kissing match. Though that is not good enough.

Who even talks about third place?

In the Hunger Games she would be dead now. Beat by the other victor relative. It is just not good enough. She has tonight to try and turn it around for whatever nonsense obstacle they throw out in front of them next. Trish is really not feeling the love tonight. Not yet anyway. The only perk of being third to pick is that at least the other two make some eliminations to make her choice easier. She is just glad she is not last to pick, she can’t imagine being left with two unpleasant choices.

”The camera will turn to you after Marley has chosen, have you decided who you are going to pick yet?” One of the production crew tells her. No not yet, the decision has been a battle that has been circling in my mind while the stylist has poked and prodded her. It should be an obvious choice, there have been a few memorable kisses from the last round but none of them top one.

Trish will be bedding with someone a little familiar tonight, someone who is close to home.

She waits her turn on the deck, arms crossed tight to her chest as the victor brethren picks her loser cousin. Dammit! She has not shaken off the sharksucker yet. There still some more rounds to come, it will be embarrassing if she returns home before him. Nope, she won’t allow that!

Now it is her turn to smile into the camera lens and offer her hand to someone she hopes to ripred does not snore in their sleep. She knows her pick is last in the leaderboard and damn, that is one way to stir the drama in the pool of faces that are hoping they have a warm hand to hold onto tonight and not the handle of their suitcase.

”This person was so clearly downgraded by all of you during the snog-a-thon, it is clear not many of you have taste!” Trish announces, grabbing hold of the stirring spoon in the pot of drama. ”Their kiss was the most memorable and fiery one I had earlier and I want to experience it again!”

She looks towards her pick, the fake smile turning a little real as their eyes meet. ”I am picking Psyche.” Trish grabs hold of the fellow District Four’s hand, it is not a romantic grip, more like a look here is my trophy!

”Me?” Psyche says and Trish nods, relieved that she will finally be heading towards some chill time soon. ”Of course, the sea always choose water. I should have known.”

Now there is the whole lantern ceremony to get over and done with before she can finally drop her head into a pillow. ”We need to make up a ship name, lets maybe combine our name?” Psyche and Beatrice, there are a whole lot of letters to swap and merge. Trish taps the pen against the lantern, looking at Psyche for some help.

”Tryche?”

”Kind of like Scythe?”

”Yeah that’s cool, let’s go with that.”

Trish pens the made-up word onto the lantern. The pair of them hold onto it, counting down from three before releasing. Then she turns to Psyche, smiles all around as they stand close to each other.

”I hope you don’t snore.”

[ 💌 ]

[kap]

♡  DIONYSUS .

Fourth place. I definitely could've done worse. The snog-a-thon hadn't been my favorite experience, that was for sure. Although, there was one person in particular that I certainly wouldn't have minded kissing again. I kissed him twice during the whole thing, after all, even if that second time didn't count for any points.

The three people who placed ahead of me all claimed their pairings and came up with their ship names. Shit, ship names. I would have to think of one on the spot, I realized.

The first few pairings were made, and luckily for me, I already knew who I wanted to pick.

I walked up to the podium when it was my turn, and mentally made sure he wasn't already picked. Good, everyone else had made different choices. Thankfully. I wouldn't have to think too hard about this.

Glancing to the host and flashing a smile her way, I then look out to those gathered in front of me.

"Okay," I start. "This actually is a pretty easy choice."

I give a smile to my choice among the contestants.

"Hermes, you're with me," I say to him.

I look to Hermes for a moment when I step away from the podium and over to our lantern. We have to come up with a ship name, and all I can think of are stupid puns having to do with our names. Apparently there were some deities that shared names with us. So, I figured, if I couldn't think of anything better, might as well make puns of that.

Hermes's name came from the messenger God and the God of thieves. My name, Dionysus, came from the God of wine. How (sarcastically) original on my parents' part. We literally own a vineyard.

So, I wrote what I thought of on our lantern and said it out loud. Hopefully Hermes wouldn't hate me for it.

"Stolen Wine,"* I announced with a slight feeling of embarrassment as I said it. I knew it sounded super cheesy, surely. Regardless, it's what I'd decided to go with. I looked to Hermes.

"I hope you're fine sharing a bed with a career," I said to him, half-joking and half-seriously. I knew he didn't like careers, but from what I could tell, he at least liked me a little bit. Enough to kiss me a second time, at least.

-----

*ship name credit to Birdie
382 words

[ 💌 ]

[gamemaker 🍒 maryn hale]

♡  CARLY .

Consistently ranking in the top throughout the first competition, Carly checks her nails a little smugly — and a little anxiously — as she waits for her turn in the Coupling. Dressed all in black, wine coloured lips frowning in distracted thought, you could almost mistake her for a girl in mourning. One with a knife hiding behind her back, and a hefty inheritance waiting to be wired into her bank account, but still. She's dressed for the occasion. Lifting her gaze to survey her surroundings, she holds her chin high with pride.

As always, she makes no apologies for her glory thirst, waltzing between people like they are ribbons — like it doesn't suffocate her to be wrapped in them — forging relationships where they are of use to her. Nothing more. She thinks of meeting Morty, and she wonders for a moment if her walls will ever break, just so that she can hope to experience that kind of joy again; and then she thinks of losing Aneesa, and it feels like maybe she'll never know how to escape from her own skin. Because here she is, willingly, standing on the home soil of the people who stole her friend from her. Wanting to be one of them.

Resentment is a strange flower, and yet it grows here.

"Don't worry. I know I'm up." She raises her hand to interrupt the producer approaching with his headset and clipboard, walking casually into the frame of the cameras without instruction. Strolling up to Petelia with a warm smile, she nods graciously to the host for welcoming her to the front. "There really needs to be no suspense. Achilles, do you mind joining me?" She extends a hand to him, secure in her decision to continue trusting the contestant she had been voted into the show alongside.

If it's not broke, don't fix it. That's what they all say.

Clutching a sharpie delicately between her fingers, she smirks at Achilles, hoping that he doesn't particularly mind being stuck with her just a little bit longer. "I've already thought of a cute ship name for us," she admits while in the process of writing, revealing a cursive 'cares' scrawled across the paper lantern. "Trust me," her voice lowers so that only he can hear her. "That's literally the only combination of our names that didn't make me want to bash my head in. Thank me later."

She winks for good measure.

"Ready to set sail, lover boy?"

[ 💌 ]

[Deleted]

♡  HOST P .

"And... take five! " 

"Whew! Good take kids, good take," Petelia says in her best mom voice, thumbs up'ing her cast on her way off set for a much needed pit stop. It's hard work making good television, but she really had expected to cram everything in one shoot. Oh well, her notifications had been blowing up all throughout Karlie's speech and so she couldn't wait for a second to check. 

Margarita first though, priorities. Her fiancé prepped the station for her before she even left the set, which is just a reminder that ladies: if he wanted to, he would. Petelia's squeezing lime over her marg when her buzzer rings, answering it with a perky tap and a "hello, hello - Jemima?"

Oh shoot, lime juice on the fuzzy pink button cover. Whoops, "heeey auntie!" Knowing her it's either good news or very, very bad news, and Petelia doesn't wait to ponder. She's got '19 districter's to match make and manipulate for views',  also known as shit to do. "Hey baby - " long sip from a strawberry lime marg here " - make it quick, running off um, less than 5 minutes here."

"Okay, okay! I just though as your official assistant I would break the news that Young Love is already winning awards-"

"NO WAY?"

"That's all!"

*click!*

---

Commercial Break: Camp CAREER is a summer camp dedicated to bringing careers from all over the districts of 1, 2 and 4 to test their abilities in an actual arena! Using the generously provided 88th Hunger Games arena, careers will attend Camp CAREER as campers to enhance their fighting abilities. Shoved into a hot, sweaty cabin with limited plumbing and the beaming hot sun on your faces as you go through your day, these campers are sure to return with an experience (and sunburn) of a lifetime!

Volunteer today here!

---

Welcome back to Young Love in Panem, everybody! Our first 5 pairs have been made, so that leaves 9 contestants on the pier looking to couple up at tonight's Coupling. Again, the odd man out will be dumped from the Villa and take a boat ride home for 1. Posting order was decided upon by the ranking's of the Snog-a-Thon. 

Remaining posting order is: griffin, cait, mattio, dars.

Still seated in the Coupling are: beau, olivia, lux, arcadia, eneas, ivy, barrsy, ajax

[ 💌 ]

[ want more reality television? 
check out the 90th hunger games, go on
i support you! ]

[ines izar d11a 🖤 cait]

♡  ARCADIA .

The commercial break comes, and within seconds a stylist is running over to me, powdered compact in one hand and fluffy brush in the other. She insists on dabbing the makeup over my cheeks despite the fact I haven’t said a word, let alone moved a facial muscle since the Coupling began. But she’s just doing her job, so I smile at her earnest face and silently count the freckles dotted across nose until an official looking dude wearing a microphone and earpiece comes right into my personal bubble.

“Arcadia, honey, just a quick heads up – we’re gonna skip Benito and have you pick next, mkay? That boy is a nervous wreck! Cannot make a choice to save his life. You’ve got someone in mind, yes?” But he’s not really wanting an answer; he’s already starting to walk away, nodding his head as someone parrots commands into his ear. Everything happens so fast in here: the producer glances back over his shoulder at me and shouts, “you’ve got this, sweetheart!”. Petelia is signalling to everyone that “it’s go time!” and I’m left coughing in a cloud of translucent powder as three cameras zoom in on my face.

I look at the people left to choose from as the rest of the cameras pan across the contestants, suddenly feeling very nervous. I’m grateful to be one of the top achievers in the challenge – not that I can say I’m surprised. I’ve had plenty of practice after all. But I feel slightly guilty for the ones that came last in the challenge. I can barely imagine how stressed they must be at the thought of going home already.

I see Beau, mysterious and brooding and definitely someone I’d need to check in with later on.

And then there’s Oli, standing directly across from me with a smirk on her face, likely thinking about our brief encounter in the bedroom yesterday.

Ivy, immediately next to her, looks the complete opposite: a picture of nerves, and I smile sweetly at her when I remember our kiss during the challenge.

Ugh. No wonder Benny was struggling so much to pick someone.

“Well, firstly I just want to say that this is a really hard decision, and I hope I get the chance to talk to each and every one of you whilst we’re in here! You all seem so lovely!” Did someone really have to leave so soon? It didn’t seem fair.

“But unfortunately I have to make a choice.”

I pause, sigh for dramatic effect and I know Petelia is gonna love that. I feel relief fill my lungs at the stream of fresh air. Time for the grand finale.

“I came in here to make connections with people, and I’m really hoping to get to know this person a lot better. Hopefully I can make a better second impression on them and break down some walls in the process. Plus, us District Oners need to stick together! Soooo…” I look down the line and skip over towards Eneas, extending a delicate hand out to him as my heartbeat threatens to burst out of my ribcage. “Babe, would you do me the honour?”

He takes my hand in his own larger one, and I’m too scared to look into his eyes out of fear he’s actually disappointed in this turn of events. Did he have someone else in mind that he wanted to pick? Should I have warned him in the break?

I don’t like the feeling of unease. I’m always in control, so sure of everyone around me and their intentions, and yet now I feel like a silly little girl, butterflies in my stomach and not a clue on how to get rid of them. I smile with all my teeth and force happiness to flow over the both of us.

We walk hand in hand towards the end of the pier, only separating so I can lean down and pick up a waiting lantern and black marker. I kneel, quiet in concentration for a few moments until inspiration strikes and I scribble down the first thing that comes to mind, Arcaneas, and sign the crepe paper with a small heart.

Only when I’ve capped the marker do I turn to look at Eneas, finally, extending the lantern out to him slowly. It’s too dark to see the features of his face, and I’m grateful that the stars are hidden behind the clouds tonight, dousing us in greyscale shadows. “I hope this is okay.” I pass him the lantern and jump slightly when our fingertips graze against each other.

Release the breath I’ve been holding as he accepts my offering.

Watch it float away as he lets the lantern go.

[ 💌 ]

[gunner, d9 ₊⊹ 👹 ɢʀɪғғɪɴ.]

♡  BENITO .

He doesn’t remember how he got here.

It’s a blur. A whirl of a kaleidoscope, the glide of a spotlight, a hurricane of a ballroom, and now Benito’s here, trying his best not to sweat through his silks.

He looks good, though. Cladded in all the privilege the Capitol has to offer, Benito’s hair has been done up with a fruit-scented gel that makes it gleam, and he is dressed in a suit tailored from silk and glass: an odd combination that makes him appear like a mirrorball, light fractures everywhere. He has a thousand specks of light around him and, behind their sparkling dome, he is the shiny pearl of District One.

It feels bizarre.

All his social etiquette abandons him when needed, leaving him wringing him his hands as the set flurries around them for the next shoot. Time is running out, who will he choose? The thought is like a fishhook and it tugs his eyes towards Trylle.

He’s been trying not to stare at him all night, trying not to make it seem like he wants to be noticed, but Benito never had a flair at subtlety. He wants to see if Trylle is looking, wants to see if he notices. It’s naïve, embarrassing, and oh so terribly kindergarten, but Benito gives the cold shoulder in hopes that it’ll have the other warm up to him.

That’s when the lights go green, a signal he’s gotten used to, and the room quietens as the camera’s eye reopens. It watches them, all as Wolfgang rise from his seat. There’s a moment of baited breath when their eyes catch, and perhaps he would have been glad to be chosen by him, but the moment he picks out Axel Morrisen is also relieving. Benito laces his fingers together and makes a decision. He brings up his eyes, looks across the room at Trylle, and is about to smile when …

“What?” he says out loud.

And his cheeks redden.

Because Marley is there, taking his hand, and it makes his the skin down his shorn head prickle with a feeling he hasn’t felt before but knows instantly as jealousy. Don’t show it. But it’s too late, the cameras are on him, and pakshet, they’re giving content spoon-fed to them.

Benito looks elsewhere; it makes him appear guiltier.

His turn comes and the room goes quiet. He doesn’t look at Trylle and Marley, not as he climbs down to where the lanterns, not as he picks up his moniker. But he has a plan now, born of pettiness, and he writes down the name of his choice rather quickly before he looks at him up.

“Ajax,” Benito breathes out, studying the boy, remembering how beautiful he is. It’s a kind of beauty that melts into your eyes like candy on tongue, sweet and good enough to savor, and he knows it’s enough to make anyone—not just Trylle, who cares about him?—jealous. And maybe it’s a bad thing, picking Ajax simply to make others jealous of them, but Benito doesn’t have his morals intact at the moment, only a stung heart and an embarrassing amount of red in his cheeks. He makes his choice recklessly, unwisely, and it’s all very on brand.

“I think Benjax sounds like banjo and that’s, you know, a very fine instrument.”

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[admin dars]

♡  BEAU .

As the names were called and the familiar faces started to dwindle, Beau was struck with an increasing sense of panic. He was last in the order, which made it a very real possibility that he would be the one deciding who was going home tonight. He didn't want that for a number of reasons:

First, he wasn't sure yet if anyone here was actually attempting to find love, but if they were then Beau didn't want to be the thing that kept anyone from finding it. Second, Beau was certainly not trying to find love himself, and by that logic should've been one of the first few to go if that was the only deciding factor. Third, strategically, no one who pissed people off early in one of these competitions ever lived to tell the tale. His options were lingering and he watched as the grew more and more scarce by the minute, but it wasn't until the very last second that it became certain that the choice wasn't Beau's to make. When it was his turn to decide, there were four others remaining: Lux, Olivia, Ivy, and Barrsy.

He genuinely couldn't even remember if he'd kissed Lux or Barrsy, so both of them were out as options, and the only reason he remembered his kiss with Olivia was because it had been completely awful. Ivy was the first person Beau kissed, and also seemed like- at the very least- she had a decent head on her shoulders.

He needed numbers, and she seemed like someone who might possibly be open to an alliance, should it become necessary for him to have one.

He cleared his throat and smiled.

"Ivy," he said simply, and waited for her to walk over and join him. He handed her the rose from his lapel and uncapped an ink pen for the lantern. He was glad to go this late in the round, because he decidedly had no fucking clue what a ship-name was until using context clues from the other couples. Essentially, unless he had misunderstood, it was meant to be a couple's names mixed together. Seemed pointless to him, but sure. He considered their options for a moment, cringing at the lack of non-vowel letters the two of them had.

"Beauvy?" One letter off from beauty- there were way worse things they could've been called, like... Ieau, but pronounced 'ew' or Bivy, which for some reason sounded explicit or offensive when he said it in his head, or Beavy, which was dangerously close to 'beaver.'

"Beauvy it is."

[ 💌 ]

[alex 🐺]

♡  LUX .

She’s the last person to choose, which is fine by her, honestly. She was born for the spotlight and having to share it with so many damn other people for so long today has been absolutely draining.

So, needless to say, after the endless commercial breaks and operational pauses in which Lux’s makeup was touched up and then retouched up and then retouched up, she was about ready to strangle the poor makeup girl with her bare hands. Thank goodness they had taken away the tweezers towards the end of the ceremony and were sticking to powder and foundation, or else that poor makeup artist would have found herself without an eye and probably…a job.

Oh well, pain was beauty, right?

Lux has a bored look on her face throughout the shot, biting her tongue as everyone chooses their bed mates with as much fanfare as a fucking tacky fucking wedding, lanterns included.

But then again, as she straightens her shoulders and moves a tress of hair out of her eyes (she can hear Petelia in her head ranting about ruining the shot), she had asked for this, hadn’t she? Wasn’t this all a part of her master plan to restore the Bellisario name after Love had so thoroughly tossed in the mud? Vanya was off doing Vanya fucking things and Lux…well, she was born to be a star.

Plastering on a doe-eyed look after Beau chooses Ivy, Lux steps up, right in front of the camera, facing the the two remaining contestants. She honestly couldn’t even remember if she had kissed Barrsy and then there was Olivia.

Olivia.

Who had sought her out twice during the Snog-a-thon. Who had marched right up to her both times, smelling like flowers and tasting like sugar.

Lux hasn’t ever been one for sentiment. It wasn’t the Bellisario way, but in the war between her head and her heart and making a decision to further her standing or give herself a fighting chance in this thing, there really was only one option.

And fuck making heartfelt speeches. That was for those idiots in One. Lux knew what she wanted. Who she wanted.

“Olivia, obviously.” Her smile feels forced and too large for her face, but damnit, it was real, wasn't it?

It’s only then that Lux feels the pang of nerves in her stomach and a fluttering in her chest as Olivia walks towards her. But her fears are assuaged when Olivia laces her fingers through Lux’s. She ducks her head to whisper in Olivia’s ear her idea for the ship name, because Lulivia sounded like a stupid fucking medicine that the Capitol was peddling to reverse aging and Olux was just idiotic.

”Hell’s Belles,” because really, nothing else seemed to fit and if they were going to have any chance of going far in this thing, they definitely needed to employ the darker arts in this game of hearts. 

The lantern, once lit, floats away from them slowly until its just a pinprick of light in the dark. Lux squeezes Olivia's hand as she watches it go. 

[ 💌 ]

[Deleted]

♡  HOST P .

Oh, the drama. Petelia tried to stray away from guessing who'd be eliminated ahead of time, but let me tell you, she wouldn't have guessed either way. She had been worried filming would be cut over a difficult contestant - Benito causing a stir long enough to last past the commercial break. 

Insane! Do I smell a Olly? 

But eventually they came to with Arcadia taking the rails, Petelia found herself getting caught up in the anticipation of the looming elimination. Incase you hadn't heard, this the chance of a lifetime to win not only your shot at love, but your shot at one million dollars. That's kind of a big deal, and someone's dream at that would be ending. 

Tonight. In fact, now! As Lux is miraculously turned into a top, she escapes the bottom 3 and gets to choose her partner for the next game. To raise the stakes even further, the contestant who doesn't get chosen is dumped and must leave the Villa immediately. Just like Priscilla, but less embarrassingly. 

The anticipation lasts only long enough for a brief cut to Petelia's staged nervous face before Lux abruptly selects "Olivia, obviously." So much for drama, but as they light the final lantern, Petelia takes her place at the podium in front of none other than "Hamilton Barr, well, Barrsy."

She directs him to the pier behind him, a short stretch to the now approach boat ride home for one. "As it's written, so it shall be. Don't worry, we'll bring your bags to you!"
 

18 remain!

---

Thanks everybody for participating, day 1 is done! Snog-A-Thon was a looot so I just want to give a shout out to the 19 of us who went ham on that. It was ... kind of insane. Young Love continues right here! This thread is open for anyone wanting to write a celebrating post with their partner or a goodbye post with Barrsy.

That's all folks! 

[ 💌 ]

[ want more quartz ?
check out the molly whoppings mutt fight here! ]