it's your party;you can cry if you want to | sun.v.v

[gamemaker kelsier]

Let’s be happy
Don’t be sick, don’t be sick
Let’s be happy, let’s be happy
Don’t be sick

Sun watched the confetti rain down on day five from his place on the couch. Brightly coloured pieces of paper cut into shapes fell from the sky onto the tributes in an almost comical way.

It would have been funny if it weren't for the blood. It was shed quickly, as if the tributes knew that they were running out of time. The screen flashed from fight to fight, sometimes splitting in half in order to capture everything at once. Sun flipped through the channels on the television set, watching one fight for another on channel three, and then catching replays of the other on channel two. It all happened very fast, and many tributes were killed.

He dropped the remote and hid his face in his hands when one tribute stabbed another through the heart, cringing when the blind one who had played with the Avox in his personal training score stabbed another through his eye.

Sun turned the television off, fingers flying over the buttons, trying to remember how to work it.

Venus and Vepar had been gone for hours, having left the house at three in the morning in order to prepare for the new games day. Sun wasn't even sure if Venus had been home at all, he had waited but hadn't heard him come in.

He was worried about them both.

Sun rubbed his hands together carefully, working the muscle and bone the way that the physiotherapist Venus had hired had shown him to after the bones had begun to heal. His hands were still sore from the breaking of them, sometimes he had strange dreams about that night. Nathanial had stood on his fingers carefully, making sure to break every bone.

"Avox do not speak."

Sun had forgotten that in his time with the twins but Nathanial had been quick to remind him of that when he'd stolen him away that night.

He shuddered, suddenly feeling cold in the expanse of the living room. Large windows looked out on loud skies despite the sun and warmth of the arena. He felt like it was about to rain, the clouds kept threatening it, but so far it had stayed dry.

He stood up and his bare feet met with the fluffy carpet in a happy moment. He curled his toes in the softness and smiled at the yellowness of it. Despite everything that had happened over the past two months, there was still good things too.

Tomorrow he was allowed to go to work with the twins. Today Venus had told him that he couldn't because day five was very critical. Sun hadn't minded, he had been trying to make up an excuse to stay home.

He wandered into the kitchen where a cake was baking in the oven. He hadn't been sure what flavour to make so he'd made both chocolate and Vanilla in one cake. He'd swirled it around in the bowl until it looked like a strange sky and then poured it into the baking pan. It smelled like red and Sun smiled, excitement making him hop from foot to foot as he waited for it to bake.

He was pretty certain that Vepar and Venus did not know that he knew it was their birthday, they had never told him after all. Sun was an Avox though, it was his job to know. He'd looked at their birth certificate one night after finding it filed away in the desk in the den. Another telltale sign was the confetti raining down on the games.

He shook his head and opened the fridge, searching for a strawberry. After finding out that Sun liked them all those months ago Venus had kept the fridge stocked with them. Sun took one and stuck it in his mouth, holding it there and then took a few more and dropped them in his pockets.

Dinner was prepared as well, simply waiting for the twins to get home from work, ready to be cooked at a moment's notice. They came home at sporadic times now, sometimes at six at night, sometimes at one in the morning. Venus was spending more and more nights at the office but Vepar always made it home.

It was kind of lonely but Sun didn't mind too much.

He felt safe inside. They'd gotten new locks installed after Nathanial had stolen him. To get in and out now Sun had to press his hand against the door so that it could scan him. Now no one could get in unless they had the correct biological makeup.

He sat down on the counter and watched the cake bake in the oven. As he watched, the skies finally opened up and it began to rain. Droplets splattered against the skylight in the kitchen and Sun looked up to watch them hit the glass.

The twins would be home soon.

The oven buzzed loudly.
|

[Python]

VENUS AZRAEL

relapse
the stress of the matter
when i shatter like glass

The aftertaste of lavender tea was ripe on his tongue. He had lost count of the refills, of how many flavors bathed his palate and how many times he had switched over to coffee throughout the day. A concoction of different flavors had spread across his taste buds and now all he craved was mint. He sifted through his bag, shoving documents and gadgets aside to retrieve one. His phone vibrated against his knuckles, and with a grumble he glanced at the contact and rejected the call. That particular client was low on his priority list. She could leave a message.

With no such luck, he gulped a bottle of water and crushed the plastic, tossing it into recycling. He sorted the last of the tribute logs into their designated file. Today had been an eventful day, one of celebration and death. Six names could be accounted for on the anthem’s broadcast. Not all of them were sitting well in his chest, but a Gamemaker could not always win. There was only so much their eager minds could control. Down to every last drop of moisture in the air, the environment could be altered with the flick of a hologram. They could conjure hurricanes, tornadoes, poisonous fog clouds, hail rain; the clouds could be made of coal dust or hellfire if they so desired, but on the ground itself there was no control over a tribute’s choice.

He didn’t always get to decide who lived or died.

That was the proper position to take, to admit that he was at the tribute’s mercy so he could then manipulate their surroundings to increase the chances of certain events over others. Even then, one mistake and a mighty warrior could end up with a spear in her neck. That was the chaos of the Games. No matter how diligently they worked, there would always be that raw sense of unpredictability

Sighing, he shut his computer and packed it away. Birthday cards from various employees littered his desk. Most of them were cheesy or cute, referencing the tributes one way or another. He had finished reading them hours ago. The compliments were appreciated, although he knew most of these cards had been sent out of expectation. Still, a compliment or two didn’t hurt. He agreed that the raining confetti in the arena was a charming touch, but credit was owed to Vepar for that idea.

He didn’t check the time, but it was late. Tributes were likely setting up their camps or sleeping in moss beds. Their skin would be eaten alive by mosquitos while he stood snug in a suit, but these minor details never lingered in his thoughts. He was instead driven by the people in his own life. He thought of Sun, who had to stay home today because Venus couldn’t afford any distractions. It riddled him with guilt. Today was their birthday and he hadn’t invited Sun. Sometimes he didn’t understand himself, how he could function like a heartless robot instead of a human being.

He thought of Vepar, who was probably home by now. Venus had insisted they always drive separately because he functioned on his own strict schedule, and he didn’t want to tether anyone to him without their consent. Vepar didn’t enjoy his late nights and restless mornings. The two of them – his only family – were both worrying about him.

He was fine, he just didn’t always feel fine.

As predicted, the night was dark. Rain pattered against his windshield. City lights illuminated his path, but traffic was light to begin with. It was always a hassle driving into his property and imputing codes just to pass his own security system, but all of it was necessary. After that incident, he couldn’t take any chances. Nobody in this house wanted to relive that violent night.

He pressed his hand against the scanner and unlocked the door. The lights were on and it was quiet, but that was to be expected in a large mansion with only an Avox and his brother inside - if Vepar was even home. Had he seen his car?

Wow, I definitely need sleep.

A promise was a promise. He told himself he would come home early for his birthday, and he had. Perhaps early meant before sunset for most people, but this was early for him. This was not an all-nighter.

A sweet aroma wafted into his nostrils. Someone was baking.

”I smell cake,” he announced, wandering into the kitchen with a half-grin curled beneath worn eyes. Of course it was Sun.

It's vivid, turn your intimidation to timid
I'm in it, count down to self-destruction