15th Throw - [ written ]

[shenevermisses]

[It's a question that's been on Clove's mind.

Okay, she's had a lot of questions lately. Valentine's Day and that whole week... It wasn't unkind, but it made her think too much. There were too many uncertainies. The ones with Cato... She didn't feel like thinking about.

But Katniss. She can talk about some of that.]

What do you all do for a living, where you're from? Or what were you going to do? Does everyone in your area do it?

In Panem... your district says a lot about what your job will be. Not always, but probably. Like me... If I hadn't gone to the Games? I'd probably have been the foreman in a factory. Or an overseer of a quarry.

And what you do... When did you learn to do it? And from who?

Comments

[rashness]

Of course it's useful. You make friends and enjoy yourself. Most people like both've those.

[shenevermisses]

Allies are useful. Friends aren't, really.

[rashness]

Friends are so useful! Because friends you'd trusting and depending on more than "allies!"

[shenevermisses]

I don't like depending on anyone but myself.

[rashness]

Not even your classmate?

[shenevermisses]

Cato? No.

[Calm. Perfectly simple.]

I don't rely on him, and he doesn't rely on me. We're allies, but that's it. The moment we don't have a common goal, we'll go our separate ways.

Even if that puts us against each other.

[rashness]

...That's just sad, isn't it? I mean, if you're classmates and buds and you're not even a situation where you're competin', why not depend on each other a little?

[shenevermisses]

Because that's not how we were trained. And we'll still turn on each other if it means our survival.

[rashness]

Yeah, and here it doesn't. Here, people depend on each other and we survive because of it. So why not make friends?

[shenevermisses]

Because this doesn't last. There's a war going on outside, and we've been pulled into it before. All that fighting? It's going to come here. Sooner or later. Or we're going to get thrown in and left there. And those supplies shipped in? They've stopped them before, and they can stop them again.

We're not safe.

Me and Cato? We know where we stand with each other if and when all that happens. The rest of you? Are going to be so surprised when you turn on each other for food or shelter or weapons or something like that.

[She doesn't even sound angry. Her voice is calm and even. Someone laying out a factual situation, not an emotional reaction.]

1/2

[rashness]

There's plenty of people here who aren't going to turn on people for stuff like that. And that kinda' thinking would just make it happen faster. I know there a war, I've been in that stuff, but that just ought to make people want to stick together more.

[He says this darkly, seriously, thinking back to Vaskoth. His emotions are on his sleeve, he can't help it, it's how he's wired. If anything, her factual assessment is... unsettling. It reminds him of something Yukio might say. Which perhaps pulls at his heart a little and-]

[rashness]

[And he sighs]

...Look, I don't think we're gonna agree right now, and I can't convince you or anything right now either. So how about we hang out at the Rec Center some time? I'll show you the games there.

[shenevermisses]

If you're looking for a friend, look somewhere else. I know what I am, and I'm fine with that.

[rashness]

Then I can be an ally, look, just give it a shot!

[shenevermisses]

Why does it bother you so much?

[rashness]

Because I'm stubborn, I guess! I don't know!

[shenevermisses]

And way too insecure.

[rashness]

I'm not insecure!

[shenevermisses]

Seems to bother you that someone doesn't want to "hang out" with you.

[rashness]

No I don't-- look, I was just concerned about you, that's all.

[shenevermisses]

You don't need to be.

[rashness]

That's how concerned works.