A Father's Pride [Matthew]

[Artemis]

Nolan couldn't remember the last time he'd been this excited, and he wasn't usually the kind of man that got himself all riled up.

It had been several years since his son's last year at the Reaping, and he'd never expected to see Brody on the big screen after another name was pulled from the glass balls that normally stood on the stage in front of the Justice Building. But when President Snow had announced the impending second Panem Olympics and the criteria for participating, it had taken him all of half a second to know what Brody was thinking; he'd called his son as the story broke, asking which events he planned to enter.

So now he found himself in the Town Square, the work week having been all but called off much in the spirit of the Hunger Games, so they could watch the representatives of their district compete in the Olympics. Unfortunately, his wife McKenna had been called elsewhere in the district on another one of her cases, leaving Nolan to take the train to the Town Square alone. The platform had been crowded with many of their friends and his coworkers from the quarry seeing him off with hearty slaps on the back and promises to bet their money on Brody; watching him win the first match was all the convincing he needed to go. As it was with the Hunger Games, the news and sports stations providing coverage of the Olympics would interview the friends and families of the competitors as the final matches were impending.

He probably wasn't going to be very hard to find. Nolan had a notorious appetite for competition and a tremendous amount of pride in his son, whom he'd personally taught how to grapple and use his fists. Nolan had always been Brody's loudest fan, and today would be no different.

There wouldn't be anyone in the square who didn't know who his boy was.

In the meantime, Nolan was standing near the crowd watching some of the preceding events, patiently waiting for the wrestling and boxing events to be aired. Many of the restaurants, cafes and bars surrounding the square had placed tables outside for patrons to sit at while they watched, and spectators all around them were taking bets on the various competitors and events. Nolan in particular was standing at a table, beer in hand, where he'd have a clear view of the screen when Brody's events came on. During the break in coverage to go to various sponsorships he could care less about, he was scanning the crowd, rather unexpectantly scanning the crowd for faces he might recognize.

Well I'll be damned.

"Oy! Matthew, Matthew Dunham!"

bb7d00 - Nolan
1979e6 - Matthew

[Jack Lexington]

Everybody in our district has heard of the olympics going on...hang on, everybody but me. I only realized what was happening when the show was almost over because I had been too wrapped up in training and studying for the tests as peace keeper plus the little incident with my girl friend hd wrapped my mind into a thousandlittle knots.

Of course my trainer wasn't the type of guy to brag about his participation so I only found out about it when I accidentally had a look in the paper the guy who was sitting next to me on the bus was reading. Brody O'Rourke I read his name, first silently, then out loud. How many Brody O'Rourkes could be there in district two? I only know one and he's my personal ass kicker, so I might as well go and watch him get his kicked for a change.

After todays courses were done and I had stored my books away fro the day I made my wayto the town square and pushed through the gathered crowd to get a look at the big screen when suddenly somebody was calling my name. I looked around but couldn't instantly spot who had called for me.

Finally my eyes settle on a man in his mid 50ies waving a strong arm in the air: Nolan.

A smirk instantly finds its way to my face because the man's good stuff.
I weave through the crowd to meet him.

"Mr. O'Rourke. Good to see you. Brody's big day, huh?"

I'm assuming his son had at least told him that he was competing.

"Has he started yet?"

I look at the big screen where various pictures of previous events are flashing across the screen.

[Artemis]

Matthew didn't seem to have a rhyme or reason for being in the town square; evidently, Brody had forgotten to mention to him that he intended to participate in the festivities. It didn't matter; Matthew saw him and grinned, making his way through the outer edges of the crowd towards him. Whether he saw it coming or not, Nolan put out his hand to shake Matthew's, pulling him in for a one-armed hug and a slap on the back. If the kid hadn't figured out by now that he was a very hands-on kind of man, he sure as hell knew now.

"Mr. O'Rourke. Good to see you. Brody's big day, huh?"

"Please." He waved Matthew off, "Just Nolan. 'Mr. O'Rourke' makes me feel old."

He was well aware that his son warned guests to refer to his parents as 'sir' and 'ma'am'; not that Nolan was going to tell Brody that Matthew had gotten so casual so quickly. Besides, he didn't consider himself nearly important or uptight enough to merit being called 'sir' all the time; McKenna was a different story, but then again she did have that commanding presence and it was so very sexy that made it difficult not to. But he digressed.

"Has he started yet?"

Nolan looked at the screens expectantly; wrestling was the third event of the day, and unfortunately its predecessors (foil and epee, two forms of swordfighting Nolan couldn't fathom giving less of a shit about) were one-on-one matches that were allotted far too much time. Even still, he didn't know when during the wrestling event Brody would compete; for all he knew, his son would be in the last match.

"Sadly, no." On that note, he flagged down one of the waitresses maneuvering her way through the crowd. "Get a cold one for my friend, would you lass?"

Thankfully, she either didn't question or didn't care about Matthew's age; Nolan's philosophy was the same here as it was with Brody, if he was old enough to serve his country, he was old enough to drink goddammit.

"I'm surprised you're not competing." He remarked, "Strapping lad like yourself, I had you pegged for a wrestler or a boxer like Brody."

[Jack Lexington]

It's strange to be pulled into a hug by Brody's father. My dad never hugs me and he's my father! Even stranger it is when he offers me to call him by his first name right away. It's not like I've seen him more than once. I gladly accept the offer though because I like the tough but sweet man.
"Okay, ...Nolan. You know Brody drilled it into me to call you sir. Wat do I say now...Nolan sir?" I joke a little.

We watch some other guys compete for a bit because his son's not fighting yet and Nolan orders me a beer. The waitress doesn't seem to care how old I am so I gratefully tell him. "Thanks, although I'm not sure drinking in public is a good idea when you're becoming a peace keeper."

The conversation moves on to the fight and the older man briefly gives me the once over. "I'm surprised you're not competing. Strapping lad like yourself, I had you pegged for a wrestler or a boxer like Brody."
"To be honest, sir...Nolan. I was so wrapped up in the training that I didn't even know this was going on. Brody never said a word."

The waitress comes back to hand me a beer and I pull some cash out of my pocket and thank her.
Then I lift my bottle to the man next to me and have a quick drink.
"My times of fighting in public are over. Not unless it serves a purpose." I let him know because I feel the pressure and attention of the pregames isn't something that I enjoyed.
"I took part in last years pregames. Became second." Finally I'm over not winning the competition. It had taken long enough.
"I wasn't very fond of all those eyes on me. But that wouldn't keep me from participating."

Our eyes go back to the screen where short clips introduce the fighters coming up next.
So we fall quiet and listen to the announcer all out. "Brody O'Rourke. He is twentyone years old and comes from the quarry county. This fierce young competitor is part of our beloved peace keepers. He's been fighting since he was a little boy because he previously was a career. Watch out for this young man." A few scenes from previous matches are being replayed leaving me in awe of how incredibly strong and fast my trainer is.

"He's looking good up there." Imention and can see the pride in the fathers eyes.
Did my dad ever look like this when I fought? I think he did.

"Boxing...would be my kind of thing. Do you box?" I wouldn't mind a fight with Nolan who would probably be a good match for me.

[Artemis]

Nolan couldn't help himself but smirk at Matthew's apparent discomfort at calling him by first name; it seemed Brody had already gotten to him about minding his manners. The recruit in him was showing something fierce, though; he didn't refuse the offer of a cold one, though he seemed the tiniest bit reluctant to actually partake.

"Thanks, although I'm not sure drinking in public is a good idea when you're becoming a Peacekeeper."

He shrugged dismissively, taking a swig of his own.

"I told Brody this same thing when he was at the Academy: 'if you're old enough to serve your country, you're a man and you're old enough to drink'."

The idea that Matthew had been so wrapped up in his studies that he somehow managed to miss the announcement of the Olympics was incredible to Nolan, but it was probably for the best. There would be other Olympics, since it appeared President Snow didn't want the festivities to be a one-time thing, but joining the Peacekeepers would last Matthew for a sizable part of his life; Brody was 3 years into his service, and by the time he got out he would be nearly 40 years old.

"To be honest, sir... Nolan. I was so wrapped up in the training that I didn't even know this was going on. Brody never said a word."

"Color me surprised that he didn't strong-arm you into signing up with him," Nolan remarked, "What with the athletic rivalry you two seem to have going."

Nolan hadn't seen Brody connect with another person in quite that manner besides Marcus Roman, the latter of whom had the benefit of going through the Academy in the same division as his son. Even then, Brody and Marcus were best friends; his son seemed to have taken to Matthew as more of a mentor or an older brother.

"I took part in last years pregames. Became second." Matthew explains, "I wasn't very fond of all those eyes on me. But that wouldn't keep me from participating."

He was about to ask Matthew more about his time in the Pregames; he'd already seen that the kid was a fighter, and even with minimal training had shown promise as a swordsman using a style that neatly married Brody's speed and agility with Nolan's strength. But the broadcast of the Olympics was back on, and before they returned the epee, the familiar voices of Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith were describing with great enthusiasm the crop of competitors for the next event: wrestling. Nolan turned fully to face the screen, watching as they gave a brief description of each competitor, starting with District 1. The crowd booed with each District 1 entry, but when they panned to their first District 2 competitor, they went wild. They cheered for their own district of course, but District 2 was the home of the Peacekeepers; there up on the screen, strong and handsome and looking very much like he belonged on a Peacekeeper recruitment poster, was Brody in a black-and-white wrestling uniform with a massive Seal of the Peacekeepers superimposed on the animated background behind him. Next to him were a series of stats about his weight class, his home town and the events he was entered in, as well as who he would be facing in short time.

"Brody O'Rourke. He is twenty-one years old and comes from the quarry county. This fierce young competitor is part of our beloved Peacekeepers. He's been fighting since he was a little boy as he was previously a career. Watch out for this young man."

The feed smash-cut away from the statistics display to a series of clips; Brody stretching as he stepped onto the mat, wrestling Olympic trainers before the game began, and the first match where he had made short work of the girl from District 1. Every scene was a display of agility, power, and brutal efficiency; Nolan couldn't help himself but holler at the screen with the rest of the crowd.

This was going to be good.

"He's looking good up there." Matthew said, as if thinking aloud.

"He does." Nolan replied, the pride evident in his tone. "He looks like his mother when he focuses like that."

One of the things Brody had most certainly gotten from McKenna was that incredible focus of hers; when she had to take work home with her, there was nothing that could break her concentration. It had taken some honing, with his son's temper, but Nolan's patience and especially the Peacekeeper's discipline had sharpened his focus like a finely-pointed knife. The clips had been fast, but Nolan could see it; Brody wasn't thinking about anything except staying ahead of his opponent.

"Boxing... would be my kind of thing. Do you box?"

Nolan grinned. Matthew may not know it yet, but he'd struck on one of his favorite topics. "Well of course." He replied, "Brody didn't teach himself to fight."

d3d3d3 - Announcers
bb7d00 - Nolan
1979e6 - Matthew

[Jack Lexington]

The clip makes Brody look very focussed and strong. It will surely intimidate his opponents. I wishI had that kind of focus. I mean I'm not one to chat my way into the arena but I get a little cocky at times whereas Brody displays strength through action.

"Well of course." Nolan says to me with a hint of pride in his voice "Brody didn't teach himself to fight."

One day...I think to myself...one day I'll say that about my kid. The thought fills me with joy for some reason. I think I found my role model. It's my trainers old man.

"You box?" I can't help the smirk creaping onto my features while I sip on my beer and watch the screen flicker to his opponent.
"Care for a sparr?" I challenge his father to a fight.
"Not today...some time. Maybe after I graduate."
The crowd has stopped moving and is standing still with their focus on the big screen as the referee counts down and gives the fighter the instructions followed by a loud.
"May the best man win."
A bell rings and we become witness of Brody stepping into the ring with a larger but less fierce looking man.
"Game on." Is all I can say because I know my trainer can take home the trophy judging by what I've seen from him. How he holds his own in a fight, how perceptive he is and how fast. He can go a long way.

[Artemis]

Nolan grinned at the prospect of a fight; he'd gotten a small glimpse of Matthew's fighting style when Brody had brought him over and they had sparred in the backyard. It wasn't often that he came across an opponent that fell both into his weight class and was similar in height... This had a lot of potential, if Matthew was half as much of a natural in a boxing ring as he was with a sword and shield.

"Care for a spar? Not today... some time. Maybe after I graduate."

"You're on."

The crowd mulling around waiting for the Olympics to come back on suddenly roared; the wrestling matches were about to start. For a moment, the broadcast showed a bracket of the matches thus far (apparently Brody's first opponent was Scout Fray), then animated who would be facing each other today. The bottom left bracket lit up, highlighting Brody's name and that of his opponent: Genesis Reese. The camera cut to the arena, where the referee was standing in the middle of the ring; the two competitors stood just outside the ring, and even before the camera panned in Nolan knew immediately which one was Brody. He was standing on the balls of his feet, shifting his weight around and rolling his shoulders to stay loose and alert.

The camera cut to his opponent first, a boy from District 4 with a lean swimmer's physique befitting his district; the crowd booed, as they had for the clips of the competitors from District 1, almost drowning out the kid's introduction. Then it cut to Brody's corner, and the crowd roared again for District 2; as if he could hear them, Brody raised his arms in the air, striding into the ring to face his opponent. Nolan raised his eyebrows; from behind, though somewhat obscured by his white-and-black-trimmed wrestling uniform, was a tattoo that he didn't remember seeing on his son's back. It was appropriate, though; very little was known about anyone's heritage from before the Dark Days, but Nolan knew what many of the symbols in the O'Rourke family's old books meant. Emblazoned on Brody's back in black ink was a shield knot, one he knew was considered a symbol of protection.

Fitting.

Brody and Reese stepped into the ring, shaking hands as the referee directed and getting into position; his son stepped back into the staggered stance, and even before the referee called the start of the match, Nolan knew what was going to happen.

"Game on." Matthew said quietly.

The crowd cheered as the bell rang, and sure enough, Brody didn't waste a moment throwing his shoulder directly into his opponent's abdomen, grabbing him behind one thigh and throwing him onto his back; Reese was shorter with less reach, but had a lower center of gravity. Brody had sized him up and chosen his strategy in the mere moments they'd had before the match to look at each other and taken his chance; sure enough, Reese is barreled over backwards, immediately on the defensive as Brody attempted to pin him.

"Get 'em Brody!" Nolan shouted, pounding his fist on the table as if his son would be able to hear him, "Kick his ass!"

Reese put up a more serious fight than Scout Fray had, but had been caught off-guard so quickly that Brody soon had Reese's arm locked against his shoulder, unable to push him off his chest with only one free arm (not that it stopped him from trying). The camera cut to a close-up of the competitor's faces, and Nolan felt the pride in him swell seeing the focused determination on his son's face. The bell signaled the end of the round, and he joined in the wild cheering of the town square crowd as the referees pulled the opponents apart.

"That's my boy!"

d3d3d3 - Announcers
bb7d00 - Nolan
1979e6 - Matthew

[Jack Lexington]

I can only imagine what Genesis Reesemust be feeling right now. One glance into that determined face of Brody O'Rourke and he'll know this will be a tough match.

Together with his father I watch the screen to see that tatoo on Brody's back. Some circular symbol.
"What's that?" I wonder whether it's something Nolan cares to explain. Does he even know about it? I know I've never seen it before. But maybe my mind was too occupied with swimming rather than checking out his tattoos. One day I want one as well. But something that means a lot to me.

Nolan gets into a wild cheering frenzy when Brody wins the first round. There's so much pride in his voice that I can only hope to be like him one day. I join his cheering and clap my hands as if my trainer could hear it from here.

"He's good....as long as he keeps his anger in check, right?"
It was something I had earned the weekend before.

"The only thing that can bring him down is a lack of self controll. But that won't happen!" He's too professional for that.
"Your sons going to bring home the trophy. Something to go up on the wall in your house."

[Artemis]

Nolan had to pause and think for a moment when Matthew asks the significance of the symbol on Brody's back, which was visible again as the camera followed him leaving the arena to prepare for the boxing event later that day.

"He must've gotten it from the books."

Sensing Matthew's confusion, he elaborated.

"Our family has been keeping books for generations about our heritage. I wouldn't be able to tell you the exact origins of some of them, but besides names and family trees they're filled with symbols from some country dating back before the Dark Days."

He pointed to the screen where an instant replay was showing of the start of the match.

"That thing on his back is called a shield knot, and it's a symbol of warding and protection; it's a warrior's symbol."

Nolan himself had an array of tattoos on his chest and back, as Matthew had seen when they'd sparred out in the back yard some weeks ago. Among others, of course, there was a shield knot on the rounded part of his left shoulder, his shield arm; McKenna had thought his tattoos were absolutely garish when they'd first met, but after showing her the history that came with them (and incorporating the love of his life into the artwork, with a claddagh over his heart) she found them irresistible.

"He's good... as long as he keeps his anger in check, right?"

Speaking of those weeks ago. Nolan sighed, taking a swig of his beer.

"I'll be honest with you, Matt. I don't know where he got that from."

"The only thing that can bring him down is a lack of self control. But that won't happen!" Nolan couldn't help himself but smile; in spite of how messily their sparring had gone, Matthew's opinion of Brody was admirably high. "Your son's going to bring home the trophy. Something to go up on the wall in your house."

He was probably right. If Brody took home any medals, he'd bet nearly anything that he'd insist on giving them to his parents.

"I'll be betting on him. Think you're gonna enter next year?"