Bottoms Up [Claude and Mary Ellen]

[Anna Banana]

MARY ELLEN GOULDING

"WE'LL BURN THE WORLD TOGETHER"
_____________________________

One good thing could be said about the Capitol, their selection of booze was certainly large. It allowed me to satisfy all my desires basically in one sitting, and who'd ever heard of "taking things slow" I'm only going to live once so I might as well enjoy myself. Even better was that I could walk around this steel cage without anyone telling me to put down the booze; I was a celebrity. With one of the smaller bottles slipped into my back pocket I wandered aimlessly through the racks of weapons searching for the one that would be suitable for me.

None of them seemed to be me though; the knives were to light, the swords too heavy, and I wasn't even going to try for the heavy weapons. If only I could take one of these bottles in the arena with me, I could use it like a club. I chuckle to myself and grab one of the swords on the rack, testing the balance in my hand; like I had so many times since I'd been here. Something still didn't feel right about it though, but that might have more to do with the fact that I wasn't built for fighting. A thin, sickly frame wasn't really much for fighting, but I could definitely hold my own. The real trouble was finding someone to spar with, for the most part people were ignoring me. Which was either a good thing or a bad thing...I'd yet to decide.

I spotted someone who seemed to be doing nothing; at least it looked like nothing from here, but that could be the booze talking. Sauntering over to him, none too gracefully, I rest the flat of the sword on my shoulder. "Hey...Claude right, District 5? I remember watching the reaping there; pardon my bluntness but you're a little weird. I mean that in the nicest way too, I mean who am I to judge who's weird and who isn't, just look at me." I gave him a grin and dropped my sword down, my heart fluttering a little as I looked him over. What the hell was with that though, I didn't find boys attractive, I was a girl's girl, and he was definitely NOT a girl.

"Do you want to spar or something? I mean you don't have to obviously, but I'd like to have some fun around here before I die. Maybe we can just wander around and talk, I'm completely flexible." I was rambling now, stupid idiot, letting a boy get me all flustered. He looked nice enough though, at least good enough to talk to for a little while and kill some time. Sizing him up I came to a decision and looped my arm through his. "Come on, I'm not giving you an option anymore, I want to have someone to talk to, and you'll do just fine. Do you know anywhere private where we could talk?"

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[Kire]

◘ C l a u d e ◘ A e g e r ◘

Does, Says, Thinks

I need this, is it a good time for you?
And if it's not just know
I may not be here when you need me

How did I end up in this accursed room so often when I only felt so out of place here. It might be that there was some small, desperate part of me searching for a way to put my imprint on this place. When I died - there was no question of if, it was only a matter of when, in no circumstance would it end up being me coming out of that arena alive - it might be nice to wander a hall for the rest of my eternity. Of course, this hall wasn't exactly preferable, but I was drawn to it anyway. For the moment I had it to myself, wonderfully silent except for my footsteps and breathing. Until Claine decided to be noisy. He banged on the wall, knocked swords together, shouted about nothing in particular, and all the while he gave me his most innocently devious grin. Annoyed, and not for the first time, with him, I tried to find somewhere to sit down at a quiet task.

No sooner had I done that, plunking myself down at the painting station, than I was tapped on the shoulder. Thinking it was Claine, I spun with harsh words on my lips. Instead, there stood a girl. I mumbled my words, trying to swallow them before I accosted her, worried she might hear the awful things I was going to say and hate me for them. Enough enemies would come when we were all thrown in the arena, I didn't need to help that along. "Hey...Claude right, District 5? I remember watching the reaping there; pardon my bluntness but you're a little weird." I felt my eyebrows raise, Claine sniggering at my back, and simply looked at her. Any concern I had had about accosting her falsely vanished, I was beginning to think I should have just yelled. "I mean that in the nicest way too, I mean who am I to judge who's weird and who isn't, just look at me."

Claine made a comment about how it was only her mind that was weird and not her body. I shot him a glare. Smirking at me, he gave me a push and sent me a step closer to the girl. "Do you want to spar or something? I mean you don't have to obviously, but I'd like to have some fun around here before I die. Maybe we can just wander around and talk, I'm completely flexible." My devil of a companion put words in my mouth, I swear it, because otherwise I never would have said what I did. "I'm sure you're very flexible." I didn't even blush, my outburst surprisingly not embarrassing for me. The lack of emotion it left me with made me feel odd, but truthfully it wasn't all that unpleasant.

All of a sudden her arm was linked through mine and I felt her slowly tug me tighter to her. "Come on, I'm not giving you an option anymore, I want to have someone to talk to, and you'll do just fine. Do you know anywhere private where we could talk?" My words faltered in my throat and I think I stumbled and stuttered some - a string of jumbled sounds that made no sense of any kind - but I didn't fight her. Question, she had asked me a question about talking. "I mean this is private, kinda. I get left alone in my rooms too, that's private. Avoxes don't really listen to things." My thoughts were racing too fast for my mouth, or maybe it was the other way around. I was saying things simply to fill up space now, trying to let my mind catch up. "Talk right? Just talk? That's a bit boring. Talking is so normal." Except when I try it, then it turns from normalcy to a mangled art.

OTHER
Words: 641
Lyrics: Pleads and Postcards by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

[Anna Banana]

MARY ELLEN GOULDING

"WE'LL BURN THE WORLD TOGETHER"
_____________________________

This boy was an obvious flirt, yet despite that I found myself oddly attracted to him. There was something about his charm that caught me off guard, the bluntness with which he said some of the things to me. The comment about my flexibility causing a deep shade of crimson to cover my cheeks as I looked him over, and I found I was a bit flustered by it. I rubbed my arm nervously and gave him a smile, flattered by the compliment, but also searching for the hidden meaning in it. Flexibility meant a number of things, but the way he said it led me to believe he had a few images in his head about what I was doing with my flexibility.

He didn't seem at all flustered though, barely breaking a sweat at his own comment; not even tripping over his words. I began to wonder what exactly I had gotten myself into with this boy, but there was no going back now. I listened to him list off a few places where we could be alone, and I hung on each word until I heard him mention his room. A small spark of interest came to life in my head, and I couldn't stop the mischievous smile from returning to my face. His room might be just the perfect place to do a few things, work out a few deals, and assuming he was to be trusted about the Avoxes not paying attention to us.

I'd love to go to your room if I'm being honest Claude, I'm interested in exploring every inch of this place...and all the people in it." I give him a mischievous smile and kick my leg up behind me, hitting his ass. "I assume that's not lost on you big boy, or were are you not quite as bold as your words imply? As for talking...well, you know that talking leads to other things, this leads to that and suddenly you're not talking anymore." I couldn't help but laugh as I pulled him along the hallway towards the elevator. I couldn't help but wonder if he should press the button that would take us to his room, but thought it might seem more flirty if I did.

Quickly taking another swig from my bottle I punched the button that would take us to his room. I decided to be constructive with the time we had until the elevator reached his floor and pushed him back against the wall. "Sooooo Claude, you're sure no one will come in on us together? You aren't worried that a poor, little District 12 girl will be found in your room?" I smile again, another one of my rare real smiles and brush my lips along his jaw. No sense in giving him the full meal now, best just to let him get a taste of what he might get if he decided to go along with everything. I felt my heart rate quicken in excitement, adrenaline pumping through me as I felt us rise to his floor, barely a few inches separating us.

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