pretendingly | HUNGER GAMES AU

(Both, perhaps? Frank nudges Jessica's shoulder.)

Hey, wake up. You're havin' a nightmare.

[ She wakes up violently, swinging blindly in the broad direction of the touch. Jess flails herself off balance and off the bench and braces herself on the wall to keep herself from faceplanting. ]

Jesus — [ Her free hand goes to her head. She can’t tell if her eyes are open or closed, everything is blaring and blurring. Still an improvement from a moment ago. ]

(Frank is like a ballet dancer with how quickly he gets out of the way of her (un)happy ass.)

Hey, you want me to walk you home? Boss says you're free to go.

[ Words take a longsuffering moment to register as such, first hitting her head as broad, bulky sounds. Something about walking her home. She’d ask what happened to the truck but she’s sure it’s a matter of prevention. Good call: She definitely would throw up in it.

Jess grunts inarticulately as she straightens up. He can work out what it means through elimination. A rejection would sound deeper. She wouldn’t mind sleeping in her own bed and having him with her as a spotter is her best chance of getting to do that. ]

(He keeps his hands to himself, but hovers around her in areas she needs to move away from. Like herding a hungover sheep.

They make it out into the air and Frank finally speaks.)

About what I said last night...

[ What he said last night... Oh yeah. The treason. ]

Peacekeeper bullshit. Interrogation bullshit. Trying to get me as a traitor on record. [ Jess doesn’t believe any of that, as betrayed by her tone, but it’s a good story for them to get straight, in case they were overheard. She got his kids killed and gets caught up in his professional life. Who wouldn’t buy that he’d conspire against her? ]

What about it?

No-- I was hoping I could trust you not to mention it to anyone. Especially if I come up missing.

(His hands are shoved in his pocket, his voice low and rumbling in his chest. He's soft spoken when he wants to be.)

[ Maybe it's her hangover speaking but she sort of likes that tone of voice. Hers is a little softer in turn. ]

I won't. [ What's one more secret? She's already protecting him. She protects everyone in this whole damn district whenever she hops on a train and puts on a smile. At least this time, he's aware of it.

Seeing as she doesn't know exactly what he means by "missing" -- of his own volition or disappeared for seditious talk, she mutters, ] I see people, you know. In the Capitol, that had the same idea. They're servants. Workers. Tongues cut out.

I'm not people. I'm trained.

(It almost sounds like a child trying to reason with their parent, "I'll be good," like he's asking for a fucking puppy.

She makes him weak. He realizes with the whine that was supposed to make her feel more sympathetic to him, instead made him sound like someone she'd call a weak little bitch.)

I could do it.

You're trained by them.

[ She's stern in pointing it out, but her tone doesn't harden entirely. Even more than the urge to run, she understands the belief that he could make it. She survived the Hunger Games. Couldn't she do it too? Beyond the fence, they don't lay traps or hide cameras. That they tell the citizenry about.

Maybe they do. Maybe that's why nobody who tries to leave ever comes back. There are a lot of avoxes in the city. Jess doesn't think anyone makes it to Thirteen. ]

I've heard things about Thirteen. That something's there still. I don't think it's wiped off the map.

(He's too far gone to listen to her now. He might actually do this. What does he have to lose?)

Heard where? From peacekeepers?

[ She's genuinely curious. Asking simply "who" would be asking too much. She neither needs nor wants his exact sources. ]

(Frank gnaws his lip and shakes his head softly.)

People being transported out of here. Who were captured. I know all the mistakes, Jones. I have all the intel.

[ She can't help but look over at him, then remembers herself and looks away. Her lip is worried too. It's a lot to process and it would hurt to believe. She's taught herself to crush her own hope before anyone else gets the pleasure. ]

Why are you telling me this? [ She asks softly, uncertainly. Why her specifically? She's done nothing but make his life less bearable. ]

(He smiles sheepishly. Might as well admit to everything, if he is going that direction anyway.)

Because I've been in love with you since we were younger.

Fuck off.

[ Jess scoffs, instinctively taking that as a joke. A hideously bad, extremely out-of-nowhere joke that's disconcertingly incongruous with his sense of humour. Her stare swings over to him again, almost angry in its bemusement. ]

You're kidding me. [ Right? It's absurd that she needs confirmation. ]

I just want to keep you safe, Jess.

(He takes a step towards her, palms up.)

[ She swallows thickly, shocked still. She ought to step away; the Capitol sees everything. The hopelessness of the situation anchors her feet to the ground. ]

Take my sister. If there's really a chance you can make it, if Thirteen's really out there... There is no "safe" for me. [ God, but she wants to go. Her eyes glisten from the longing ache. And from the thought of what would happen to Six if she were to disappear. Victors can't be allowed to deny their privilege or they'll expose it for the horror it is. ]

HUNGER GAMES AU

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bringing this back from the dead, ignore if you ain't got it anymore.

i'm always here for this

woot

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she'll uh have to meet him there around quell time ;;