the cw games

District 6 | Chris & Cassie

They barely spoke to each other at all at first; preferring to keep to their own devices. However, after their mentor decidedly overdosed they realized that they had nothing but one another to rely upon. Well, each other and their manic Capitol escort. Ideally one would think that this ‘glitch’ in their best laid plans would spur Cassie and Chris into action, that they would train their hardest and do their best to charm potential sponsors, assuming the role of the dedicated underdogs. If anything, the lack of a mentor was another reminder of how futile it all was and so they skipped most of the training sessions, opting to sneak up to the roof of the training center and share a joint along with some fond memories of District 6. As for charm, well, both of them were already quite charming enough on their own. 

The eve of the games they found themselves back up on the roof once again, watching as the city lights below them blurred into brightly colored dots before their eyes. Cassie exhaled deeply, passing the joint over to Chris. She examined him for a moment as he inhaled, tilting her head to the side inquisitively. “We’re friends, right?” 

“Hmm?” Chris looked at her in surprise. “Yeah, yeah, of course.” 

She twiddled her fingers. “Promise we’ll stay friends?”

“What do you mean?” Chris asked, sobering up for a moment as he thought over her request.

“I mean… let’s promise not to kill each other, kay?” 

Chris looked her seriously for only a split second before shrugging his shoulders and offering a flippant smile, “Sure. We won’t kill each other.” He leaned back against the roof, glancing up at the stars as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. It was funny, actually, the fact that Cassie seemed so sure they would live long enough that offing each other would even be an issue. 

District 7 | Quinn & Finn

“You’re pregnant.” Sue Sylvester stated blankly, looking down at the tiny, quivering blonde who was now doubled up on the floor, overcome with exhaustion and a wave of nausea.

“How do you know?” Quinn snapped back weakly, “It’s not like you’ve ever been.” 

“Yeah, you’re right, I never have.” Sue replied calmly. Too calmly. “That’s because A.) I’m not and idiot and B.) I have no intention of making more babies for the Capitol to kill.”

“It was an accident.” Quinn stressed. The older woman simply chuckled, shaking her head.

“Well, all is not lost.” Sue replied thoughtfully, scratching her chin. “Look Blondie, I had a three-game winning streak up until last year’s games when those bozos they sent me decided to off themselves. I have every intention of making sure that one of you snotty, sniveling, acne-prone disasters wins this year and frankly, my money’s on you over Dopey over there,” She nodded in the direction of Finn, who had managed to entangle his hand in a series of irreversible knots over at the traps station. 

“Finn is the father of this baby, I’m not throwing him under the bus.” Quinn replied resolutely, slowly pushing herself to a standing position so that she could better look her mentor in the eye.

“Then help him by announcing your pregnancy tonight during your interview with Caeser.” 

“If Finn finds out about this baby, he’ll risk his life to protect it. I can’t allow him to do that.” 

“If no one finds out about the baby, no one will have a good reason to sponsor you.” Sue looked at her in a way that indicated that this discussion was clearly over. She held up her megaphone, barking into it, “Now get out of my sight, and for goodness sake, stop sucking in your stomach!” 

District 8 | Cook & Effy

The last time Effy had seen her brother she was twelve years old and even then she had only seen him through a television set. She’d since heard rumors from the traveling peacekeepers that passed through District 8— talk of the company he kept, a different woman every night, sometimes even a man. He was never alone, but his suitors never remained the same. She didn’t expect anything less from the boy who at 14 charmed and seduced his enemies to their death.

“Effy.” Tony offered a weak smile as he sat down across from the silent girl. “You know I would have visited if I could.” He looked at her imploringly, “Look, I usually try not to involve myself in the games, but when I heard it was you… Nothing happens by coincidence in the Capitol. If you’re here it’s my fault and I’ll do anything I can to make sure you make it through this.” 

“This is touchin’ an’ all, but when’s we gonna get to the part where you teach us how to kill n’ shit?” Cook inquired, crossing his legs and looking at the older boy expectantly.

Tony leaned back into his seat, defeated in his attempts to get through to Effy. “I’ll go ask our escort if we can book the training room to ourselves…” He decided, more for just an excuse to leave the room. He quickly excused himself, leaving the two teenagers alone.

“So sweetheart,” Cook grinned, inching closer to Effy in his chair and arching his eyebrows suggestively as he leaned forward. “You and I both know we aren’t gonna make it through this,” He propositioned, “So how about it, what do you say… one final shag?”

At first Effy looked at him as if he were mental, and then realizing that in fact he was, her lips formed the ghost of a smirk before she grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the nearest wall.  

District 9 | Dan & Marti

“What the hell are we going to do?” Dan whispered to the tense blonde sitting next to him. They sat tucked away in the bleachers of the training room, watching wide eyed and terrified as some of the more advanced tributes displayed their spearing techniques.

“Shh,” Marti interrupted, while holding her gaze forward. “First of all, we can’t let anyone know that we’re friends. You should scoot a few feet away from me.”

“What?” Dan shook his head, but shifted slightly to the left anyway. “Don’t you think we should use our relationship to our advantage? Try to garner some sympathy sponsors?”

“Not until the time is right. Plus, no one’s going to give a shit about us next to Romeo and Juliet over there…” Marti nodded her curly head in the direction of the delicate looking couple over by the traps station.

“Well, it’s a little too late for that.” A sharp female voice alerted their attention and both of them turned to find their Capitol escort, Vanessa, looming over them. “Everyone already knows and Dan is right, it’s a good PR move. Now,” She paused, directing their attention the tall, dark, mysterious stranger walking towards them. “Meet your mentor, Julian Parish.”

“I apologize that I couldn’t be here until now, I was busy attending to some Capitol affairs.” The tall man explained politely, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both.”

“Right…” Dan eyed the older man skeptically.

“So, Julian,” Marti straightened up in her seat, looking at him challengingly. “You probably think our cause is as hopeless as any. Why waste your time?”

“That is not true—” Vanessa began, before the elder man interrupted her.

“I suppose… I simply can’t help but fall victim to the emotional appeal of an underdog.”