Work Text:
“The District 8 Tribute for the 149th Life Games is… Liam!“
Cleo’s scream died in their throat as the panic set in. It was Liam’s first year, how could he be picked? She began hyperventilating, choking on her own sobs as their friends huddled around her. As their terrified little brother walked to the stage as if it where the gallows, Cleo struggled to keep herself standing, clinging to everyone around her for support. It was only once Liam was stood on the podium, looking incredibly tiny in his brand new suit compared to the microphone or the Capitol Escort that Cleo found their voice again. First no more than a murmur it soon became a scream for all the square to hear.
“I need to- I have to… I volunteer volunteer as Tribute!”
She shook off her friends, carving their way through the crowd to the foot of the stage, from which Liam basically leapt off to find himself caught in Cleo’s arms, embraced so tightly they couldn’t breathe, but it didn’t matter.
“You can’t Cleo. I need you.”
“I swore I would protect you, and that’s what I’m doing. Now go. Go home.”
Cleo struggled to put her brother down, with how tightly he was clinging to them, but some Peacekeepers showed up and pried them apart forcefully, one carrying Liam off and two securing Cleo’s arms to guide her onto the stage.
Standing tall beside the Joe, the violently neon Capitol Escort of District 8, who looked rather small compared to her, the weight of what was happening finally came to Cleo. She immediately began figuring out her odds and her strategy, how to get back to their family, even if she couldn’t protect Liam anymore. Realising that her mentor would be Scott who was much more of a Capitol sympathizer than they could tolerate, bright blue hair and clothing to fit their beauty standards, still he had won, and had managed to mentor last year’s District 12 girl to victory to so he must be good fro something. They barely noticed Joe beside her until they spoke up again, drying his tears, clearly moved by her actions.
“Wow, that was incredible, you are so brave and must love him very much. Is he your brother?“
Cleo looked back down at her, stumped by their reaction.
“Yeah… I had to protect him, I promised.“
“Well, please one big applause for-“
He realised they hadn’t even asked their name and looked back at Cleo.
“Cleo.“
“Cleo! The courageous Volunteer District 8 Tribute for these 149th Life Games, may the odds be ever in your favour.“
And the crowd did clap and cheer for her, their friends and colleagues teary-eyed, and somewhere amongst the 13 and 14 year old a group even began chanting their name. But what caught her eye was Scott, smiling and clapping politely while nodding knowingly at her, and they remembered that he too had a younger sibling of reaping age still. Maybe he wouldn’t be a completely useless preening princess after all.