Work Text:
Lily was from District Eight. Of course she knew how to make friendship bracelets.
Looking back on it she realized why they were taught to make them: early practice in weaving and making little textiles that they could show their friends. Little slivers of meaning that were practice for when they grew up and had to stay quiet as possible. For when they had to put in patterns that stood for words, for feelings, for love.
But at the beginning it seemed hardly so futile.
She was taught how to tie knots and manipulate the threads in ways that she couldn't quite yet comprehend, but her little five-year-old fingers could. When Lily was old enough to start learning the meanings she started making them for classmates, for teachers, for anyone who even gave her the time of day, so much so that her parents had to make her take a step back.
A friendship bracelet, they told her, was one of real love, one of deep entrustment of one person to another. Of a potential long-lasting friendship, of a possible near-familial bond. You only give one to those who really mean something, they said. Lily thought that was stupid. She had so much love to give, why couldn't she give it away freely?
But she reluctantly agreed and stopped starting a new bracelet every other day. Instead, she worked her hardest to learn the patterns her parents taught her and gave them each a bracelet- a simple 'mom' and 'dad' but they treasured those bracelets with their whole hearts. In that minute, Lily got it.
She kept up the practice throughout her teen years, more diligently so than her classmates that had turned to textiles and given up the constant making of friendship bracelets. She made sure to stay practicing, though, and soon the thin bands around her wrists became sturdier and more impressive- not that anyone cared, they were too focused on carpets and polyester curtains to focus on how the bracelets were crafted. That's not to say Lily was neglecting her classes, no, but while others were taking their time learning the art of textile communications she was rushing through her woven characters and listening to mindless music while braiding string into a small strip of bracelet with sunrises that meant new beginnings and care.
When she was Reaped, just before they had taken her away, she had pressed a bracelet into Aria's hands. In case she died, Lily said, she wanted Aria to have something to remember her by. Reds and blues spiralling into a pattern for a sibling's love, a diamond-shaped charm hanging off the end. Aria was crying and Lily was crying and just as Lily was pulled away from her Aria clasped the bracelet around her wrist- a silent declaration of love to the bracelet giver. She'd shouted a message of good luck to Lily and Lily entered the train with a promise to herself that she wouldn't let Aria down.
~*~
Jenna had given her a bracelet before she had stepped into the arena. Lily didn't have a token in mind -strange, she knew- and every time she thought of trying to find one she just shut down so she honestly was prepared to go in without one. Jenna had approached her though, in the launch area, with a woven pink bracelet with a white lily near the bottom. It was for luck, she had said, and Lily knew she wasn't lying, Jenna had woven in trust and faith and made sure that Lily knew that Jenna believed in her. Lily offered her wrist to Jenna to let her put the bracelet on her, and after it was done Lily looked at her mentor and nodded- a silent acknowledgement of the message and reassurance that she would not let her down.
Afterwards, Lily's bracelet to Jenna was one of thanks and love from a favoured student to mentor. All pink, with blues and whites and yellows scattered about. They departed each other for the final time with a hug and a desperate whispering promise to not forget each other, emotions swirling around them in an angry and terrified haze.
They weren't allowed to see each other after that, they had already known. Jenna was one of the last of the Ground Floor to finally mentor a Victor, and they had seen what happened to the other ones. Scrubbed clean from history and-
Even though she couldn't bring it up in streams, Lily hardly ever took Jenna's bracelet off.
~*~
With the little time Lily had before she had to return to the Capitol, she visited Aria. They had hugged for a long, long moment and Aria held out a thin blue bracelet with the same patterns of sibling devotion and faith in a pale pink colour. She had clasped Aria's face in her hands and told her to never ever let her take the bracelet off. They hugged for the final time, and Lily felt hot tears run down her face.
~*~
Upon her arrival to Floor Two, Lily made a silent vow to herself to make each and every one of them a bracelet. Even if their friendship didn't go far, it would be nice to give them a bracelet to signify a hopeful start, right? And with that, she got to work.
~*~
Poki's bracelet was the first one, golds and pale yellows in stripes all across the band. A crown hung from the end, even if it wasn't her branding Lily still thought that she deserved a charm that corresponded to her status.
When Lily gave it to her, Poki just took it as a kind action, a gift that didn't have much deeper meaning in it. Lily knew she wouldn't get it, but that's not to say that it didn't hurt. It was a lukewarm spring night when Lily finally told Poki how much the bracelet meant to her and District Eight, they were sitting on Poki's bed, Lily being taught how to edit in an entertaining way. They had just finished with their small lesson and Lily was nearly incomprehensible, but she managed to get the words out. Of course, Poki immediately apologized, sweetheart that she was. She didn't know, she told Lily. Lily shook her head and placed a hand over the one with the bracelet on it and told her it was okay, it was okay because she knew that Poki had meant no harm, that it was alright because she was working on a new one with beads and love and secret patterns and care and family woven into every inch. Poki cried at this, and swept Lily into her arms, leading them to fall asleep in each other's embrace with gentle tears drying on their faces.
Poki's new bracelet was orange and blue and shining silver hearts, with sunshine charms and a little moon one hidden inside the band. It was woven in patterns of friendship and care and the kind of love you can only get with someone who has been your friend through thick and thin and who you know will never give up on you. Poki had cried again, and had made sure to let Lily know how much she loved her in return.
~*~
Mat's bracelet was green and silver- not the most inspired choice, but a pretty one.
She had given it to him second- she'd given her first one to Poki, it made sense that she would give bracelets in year order, right? After all, they did take some time to make and though she wasn't doing much in this solstice-forsaken tower, she thought that she might as well take her sweet time deciding who got what. Lily gave it to him in a small black box with, yet again, a green ribbon on top. She left it outside of his door in the middle of the night, adding a short note explaining why she had given it to him. She hadn't knocked, even though the flashing lights indicated that he was awake and very much able to answer the door. He was probably streaming a horror game anyways, she didn't want to disturb him with sentimental District Eight things that would hardly mean anything to him. The next morning he visited her room with a smile on his face and a bracelet around his wrist. He had already known that District Eight had secret patterns, he hold her, and if she could pretty please tell him what his bracelet meant? Lily had nodded, stunned, and told him how she had woven his bracelet with a hushed voice and a hidden grin, telling him that she was excited to explore the newfound relationship.
Mat's second bracelet is striped yellow and black with tiny translucent white and gold tassels hanging off the sides, the occasional bead group making it's way to the light in the form of small flowers, blue and pink and purple dotted across the bracelet landscape. Lily had made it with the patterns of knowledge and light and mutual respect and laughter and friendship. Mat had surprised her when she had given her second to him, gifting her one with wonky weaving and meanings that were a little off but it didn't matter, because he had made it for her when he didn't really have to, had made it with friendship and care, and that was all that mattered. Lily had smiled and wrapped it around her wrist almost immediately and she spent the rest of the eventing showing him more patterns and more meanings and how much he meant to her.
~*~
Yvonne's bracelet was dark yellow with silver thundering spirals running up and down the bracelet, with a small star hanging off where the clasp was.
When Lily first tried to give it to her, Yvonne hadn't been in the right mindset, so to speak. She was angry, she hadn't listened, and had brushed Lily off and slammed the door to her room, not coming out. Lily gave her a few hours and with a soft knock slid into her room with a piece of cake and an apologetic smile. While she wasn't the most receptive to Lily, Yvonne still listened to Lily's explanation of her District's seemingly strange behaviours. When silence hit, Yvonne filled it with her own District's rituals. Together they shared late into the night, and they both exited the room with a smile and on a search for more cake. When Poki and Mat saw the thin, woven band around Yvonne's wrist they didn't say a word, only silently pointed to the fridge where the cake resided.
Yvonne's second bracelet was gifted to her on Lily's birthday, pale pinks and blues with tiny white cartoon cats and a tiny bell dangling on the side. It was for understanding, for care and knowing that the space between them wasn't all that large. It was for an agreement to always stick by the other and mutual agreement to love each other for years. Yvonne had stars in her eyes as she asked how Lily was able to get the cats right, and how long it had taken her and how did she get the bells and how much love went into it and and and- and Lily laughed. She told Yvonne that she would tell her everything later, and to come on, there was something in the kitchen that they could see. Neither of them cried until Yvonne looked out the balcony five minutes later that she realized it had been given to her at sunrise, and they spent a minute there holding hands and keeping each other safe in each other's grasp.
~*~
Scarra's first bracelet was one that she didn't really think about much, if she was being honest. It was dark with bright yellow edges and a little smile near the bottom.
Scarra was the Victor before her and he was still adjusting, she was told, but as she was looking for him in order to give him the bracelet she found him in the common room, looking completely comfortable with himself. He looked approachable, but that didn't stop Lily from being nervous as she approached him with a small box in hand. He had looked over his shoulder at her in the doorway, and invited her in with a warm wave of his hand. Lily went and sat at his side on the couch, watching as he played some sort of shooter game and making small conversation with her- how her day was, how she was adjusting to the tower. When he had reached a pause, Lily spoke up, saying that she had a gift for him. She handed him the box nervously and as he opened it she quietly explained what they meant, and how excited she was to try and be friends with him. He had pulled her into a side hug and tried to make her as comfortable as she could possibly be. He thanked her, and told her that he was excited as well. They slowly went back to the game, Scarra offering and Lily accepting an offer for Scarra to teach her how to play the game. She wasn't all that good at it, but they were having fun and that was what mattered.
Scarra's second bracelet was a thick bracelet that was a deep emerald green with silver trim, the smile remaining the same. The patterns meant familial love, one of a sibling-type relationship, with a pattern of the love of a child to their parents hiding underneath. Scarra had run his hands over the patterns carefully and slowly, and Lily explained the meaning and said, with a small laugh, that she had made it extra sturdy so he didn't break it with stress from playing games. He recognized the hidden sentiment underneath- that she truly did care for him and that she trusted him enough to tell him so. Scarra squeezed her hand with that same sentiment and, well- if he had shown it off so that District Eight viewers knew how much he considered Lily family, that was only for him and his stream to know. (Lily was watching, of course, and she could have felt her heart burst with love.)
~*~
Austin's first bracelet was dark reds and pinks, white carefully looping around the two. About an inch thick with a small heart charm hanging from it.
It was Lily's first bracelet to those that weren't already in the tower, and she made sure to take care while making it. She'd given it to him the day after his Gala at breakfast, putting a box on his seat while he was up getting an orange from the countertop fruit bowl. He had almost sat on it but Yvonne, with her eagle eyes, pointed it out just in time. Lily looked away while he opened it, trying to hide behind Scarra instead, but he almost gave her away because he had softly placed a hand on her shoulder and looked almost moved to tears. Austin looked at the bracelet with confusion and slipped it on, fumbling a bit with the clasp. Lily could feel everyone's eyes on her and turned her full attention to her imbalanced breakfast. Austin visited her that night with a thank-you pastry and a hushed voice, saying that Poki had told him what they meant to her.
Austin's second bracelet was golden and electric blue, and woven in a pattern that means courage and the feeling of excellence and the love that only those who give themselves the respect that they deserve can give. He's strong, she tells him with tears pricking in her face, and he pulls her into a hug that had no right to be that comforting.
~*~
Shelby's first bracelet was simple: the sun and the moon. It was a flimsy pink and silver thing, but it got the job done.
Lily had quietly gifted it to her upon her arrival to the floor, though technically they weren't allowed to meet each other yet. Shelby had accepted it with shaking hands and as Lily fastened it around her wrist the next day. Shelby told her with a half-sneer that she didn't need pity. Of course, she didn't expect Shelby to know what a bracelet meant to District Eight. It was understandable, District Four was about hand signals and weather shorthands and saltwater daylilies. They don't know anything about woven patterns, Mat's told her. Only of nets and fishing line and the way a boat's flag turns in the cold midnight. But Lily shook her head and sighed and gently told her the trick to getting the bracelet on and off.
Shelby's second bracelet was the galaxy, dark, unbridled blue and tiny white stars that seemed to glow in the night, with plastic gemstone charms and a tiny pattern on the edges that meant the feeling of hope and love and uncontrollable happiness. Shelby laughed wetly when she received it, tears nearly ruining her Capitol-perfect makeup. She knew what it meant, now, and suddenly so much about Lily and her works made sense. Shelby made sure to tell her how much Lily made her feel like that in return, and gave her the patterns of her nets and fishing line and all the different ways that your hands can say that you love someone, and how they can say that they love you back.
~*~
Toast's first bracelet was brown. A lighter cream in the center and stripes of a darker brown doing up through the bracelet. Sure, she could have stood to be a bit more creative with it, but she got the feeling that Toast appreciated simplicity.
She gave it to him a few days after his arrival to the floor. He was in the pool (she made sure to put on a swimsuit before going inside) and it's not to say that Lily was searching for him, but just in case he happened to find him down here because he wasn't anywhere else on the floor she brought the bracelet with her. He was justifiably angry after his arrival to the floor, in a way that Austin or Shelby never were. He was spending his time making waves and trying to push all the water out of the pool- but when he saw Lily he stopped and gave her a wave that was almost sheepish. He didn't mean to disturb anyone, he said, and that he hoped he wasn't being too loud. Lily waved him off and sat down with her feet in the water, holding the bracelet out to him. Just a gift, she said. She didn't explain the meaning behind it, instead opting to take his offer to swim in the pool with him, and together they made sure to subtly try and splash the water out of the pool. And when Mat saw them exiting with towels around their necks and a new bracelet around Toast's wrist, he didn't say anything, just gave Lily a knowing smile.
Toast's second bracelet was a slate blue, with grey and white mountains all along the edges and stars shining in the distance. It meant trust and acknowledgement of protection, and when she told Toast he brought a hand to his mouth and looked away. Lily was worried, at first, but when he thanked her in a quiet and shaky voice she knew she had done good.
~*~
Sky's first bracelet was fading oranges and pinks and reds and sunsets and small clouds in the distance. The band was shorter in length, giving way to a thin gold chain that attached to the clasp.
When Lily was looking for him to give him the bracelet he wasn't hard to find. He was sitting with his back against the balcony rails and a small badge in hand. She sat down next to him with what she hoped was a soft, comforting smile and he buried his head in his arms. He asked her if it ever got better, if the sting and the trauma healed over time. It was all Lily could do not to cry, but she reassured him that it got easier with time and that it was alright to be distraught about it. He was a Career, she realized, and expected to win. He must have had pressure upon pressure and for all that Lily could reassure, she could never understand exactly what he had gone through earlier in his life. She put a hand on his back and leaned into his side, deliberately ignoring his glimmering token and slowly offering out the braided bracelet. It wasn't much, she apologized, but she hoped that they would make good friends in the future. He didn't say anything for a second, maybe it was a bad time, but he accepted the bracelet with a quiet nod and Lily left him with an open offer to come vent to her any time. He'd come to her that night with questions about why everyone had reacted to the bracelet like they had. She'd explain to him, and he would smile with emotions she didn't quite know how to categorize.
Sky's second bracelet was the dawn, glow-in-the-dark star charms she had asked to be carefully shattered hanging from the bottom and splashes of pinks and blues ran across the sky. She wove in determination and charisma, the white intertwining patterns creating lovely clouds along the sky. When she had given it to Sky he had forcefully given her a hug -she'd forgotten how strong he was- and held her tight. He was sure to be quiet when he told her how much he loved her and that even the solstices themselves wouldn't be able to tear this off of his wrist. She carefully wrapped it around his hand and he held it close to his chest the whole day.
~*~
Fit's first bracelet was a yellowy tan, with brown spots that were lined with gold. There wasn't much to say about it, but she felt like he would appreciate a bit of simplicity.
Lily gave it to him a couple months after his arrival to the Tower. He scared her a bit, and he was one of the people with more violent reactions to the tower. To say the least. When she approached him he was lying on his bedroom floor and everything about him screamed 'exhaustion.' She went over and sat next to him, peering at his closed eyes. He asked her what she wanted with all the venom he could muster up. Which was fair, she guessed he didn't really want to be bothered at the moment. She placed the small black box holding the bracelet next to his head. She just wanted to give this to him, she said, and to pretty please not destroy it? He shrugged but didn't say anything more. She stood up, accepting her silent dismissal, and waited for the next morning to see what would come of the situation. It turns out she didn't have to, he shook her awake at two in the morning and when she let him into her bed she noticed the little strip of string around his wrist and gently touched it. He huffed and said not to think anything about it, but she knew in her heart that he was starting to warm up to her.
She gave Fit his second bracelet in the kitchen. They were making hot chocolate for the rest of the house, it was winter and snowing and Lily's nose refused to stop running. So she was on hot chocolate duty while the other members of the floor filmed a happy winter solstice message for everyone else- it was remarkable that they didn't have Fit there, he was the most recent Victor on the floor, but it gave them a moment alone before they pretended to surprise the other members of the floor with hot chocolate. She asked him to hold out his hand, which he did cautiously. She giggled quietly and told him not to worry. She dropped the bracelet into his hand and he turned it over gently. Blue with little abstract green masses and small white streaks overlapping them. It was the Earth, she told him, and that it meant that she considered him a great friend and that she would be his side for as long as the Earth lasted. He gave her a hug just as the hot chocolate was ready to be brought in, and when Toast discreetly pointed it out after they were finished filming and in the common room, the couch they were filming on turned into simply an area where they could hug and wish each other a happy Solstice.
~*~
Lily took care to make each of her tributes a bracelet. Nothing too miraculous, just something, anything, to make sure they're remembered by her. If they won, she decided, she would give it to them. But as the number carefully labeled bracelets kept increasing, she began to wonder if it was truly worth it.
She told Poki about it, one night, about how she felt bad for not being able to save them all, not being able to gift any of them a bracelet as of yet. Poki had sighed and pulled her into her arms and comforted her, told her that remembering tributes was a great feat and that it would never be in vain, making sure that she was alright before sending Lily off to her room with warm slices of bread in hand and an order to get sleep.
~*~
Brian's first bracelet was dark green with flaming neon yellow edges. A name like TERRORISER, there was no way she would give him something mundane.
She gave him the bracelet at the end of his victory tour, where she stood behind him and watched as he had to, with a stuttering voice, lie through his teeth to District Eight about how much he was grateful for his victory. Lily felt bad for him, he seemed so nice. When he had stepped off the stage for the final time Lily had taken a moment with him off to the side as they waited for the crowds to disperse. She'd offered it out to him carefully, a little afraid he would reject it. He didn't have to accept it, she told him, but he quickly shushed her. He accepted it with a smile and tied it around his wrist. He would be honoured to try a friendship with her, he told her. An attendant called him away to go pick up his belongings and Lily watched him go with a melancholic hum. She hoped he would be alright.
Brian's second bracelet was gifted to him on his birthday, one of the few times mentors could see their victors. She had gifted him a bigger gift as well, one that played to what the Capitol wanted, but when the cameras weren't rolling and he had him to herself for a second, she slipped the bracelet into his hands. Dark pink and light blue swirls with meanings of pride and hope, with love of a teacher to student, of friends. He thanked her profusely and gave her one of his own- a dark purple bracelet with a white border, with a subtle pattern of a close friendship. He apologized, it wasn't as complicated or as pretty, but Lily made sure to quell his worries and clasp it on right away. She was taken back down to her floor before she could properly thank him, but she made sure that the next few times she streamed it was in clear view of the camera at all times.
~*~
Michael's first bracelet was one she hadn't been expecting to make. He was incredibly charismatic, she would give him that, and wiping the dust off of Offline was one of the greatest things anyone had done for them, but she really hadn't expected to get attached to the kid thirty years her junior. She made it for him in gold and lime, with a small cloud charm in the middle.
They were hanging out one day on Floor Five, under the guise of planning content together, and as the other members of Offline mingled with the various Floor Five members Lily and Michael found themselves with a quiet moment to themselves. She had given it to him with slight hesitance, not sure what would happen if she were to give it to him. Tommy was from District Eight, she knew, and if the practice hadn't died out she wasn't sure if Michael knew about friendship bracelets or not. But she gave it to him, regardless of her inhibitions, and he took the time to look it over before fastening it around his left wrist. He remarked on how it was beautiful, and then took care to playfully insult her directly afterwards. Eventually Offline had to go back to Floor Two, they knew they couldn't really stay long, and as the elevator doors closed Lily could hear a soft gasp from Tommy, who was standing near Michael. While they were travelling down Lily felt a small smile creeping onto her face.
Michael's second bracelet was a bit more complicated than the first. She worked hard, carefully creating a bracelet that could retain glow-in-the-dark qualities for long periods of time. The band was an inch and a half thick but it was functional, allowing her some breathing room to make it cute. She surrounded the glow-in-the-dark spots with silver and blue stripes, darker blues making up the rest of the bracelet. She gave him the patterns of finding close friendship in the most unexpected of places. She gave it to him just after a shoot and he looked at it with a bit of wonder in his eyes. Tommy had told him what one of them meant, after she'd given him the first one. It was regrettable to know she thought of him that way, he teased, but when Lily looked at his arm a little bit afterwards, she saw the new bracelet sitting right by the first one, snug as ever.
~*~
Every time Lily saw someone streaming with their bracelet on she hoped someone from home would see it and know how much she cared about her friends and floormates. She hoped that they knew that Lily had not forgotten her roots, that she still missed home, and that she was doing everything she could to come home, even if the bracelets weren't big enough to show messages on camera. She tried her best and even though it may not have been enough she still hoped they knew she cared about them.
Because after all- Lily was from District Eight. Of course she knew how to make friendship bracelets.