In which a girl from the Capitol falls in love with her tribute's smile
or
in which a lumberjack falls in love with someone he should despise
𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫
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THE ROAD TO THE ARENA was not long, and the company of Lysistrata and Persephone was pleasant, the two girls had pulled Nesta to their edge and the girl gladly accepted.
However Nesta wasn't paying attention to the two other girls' conversation; her mind was in chaos; the conversation with Treech was fresh in her mind; and the feeling of guilt was spreading through her body. If Treech didn't come back home, it would be her fault; a family would be destroyed because of her; and Nesta felt sick thinking that she would be the cause of such suffering.
She could be to blame for ending a family, just like they ended hers.
Lysistrata and Persephone looked at each other when they noticed their friend silence and lack of attention. Although she didn't say much, Nesta was always attentive to what others were doing around her, and they both became worried for her.
"Ness is everything alright?" The girl jumped a little, startled by the question asked by one of her friends, but she just nodded her head, not wanting to worry them.
Nesta knew that it wasn't just her who was worried about the tribute assigned to her; the two girls in front of her were proof of that. Nesta noticed Persophone's worried face when the little Mizzen was assigned to her, and she also noticed the way Lysistrata seemed to feel comfortable with Jessup; she didn't want to be selfish, and putting her worries on her friends' shoulders wouldn't be fair.
"I'm fine; don't worry, I just didn't sleep well." But although Nesta had tried to convey all the gullibility she could to the girls, they did not feel enough confidence in her statement, and when they were about to protest, the train stopped and the doors were opened.
She was the first to go down, not waiting for anyone to go to the edge of the entrance where the tributes were, this time without the chains. Festus was one of the only ones who followed the girl to also be one of the first to speak to his tribute, Coral, who, as soon as she saw him, made a face of disgust; however, Treech, despite being nervous, seemed to relax as soon as he saw his mentor, and an almost invisible smile appeared on his face.
Slowly, the Capitol girl walked towards Treech, taking his arm and taking him a little away from the people, which left him confused, but he didn't protest; he trusted her enough to know that she was incapable of hurting him.
"I know you haven't eaten what I gave you yet; eat it before we go in there." It was the first thing Nesta said when he saw that they were at a safe distance from being heard by the rest of the people in the place, and it was true. Treech didn't want to eat next to the other tributes because he would feel bad about being one of the only ones, if not the only one, to be fed today, but he felt grateful for the food she had given him and even more grateful that she had moved him away from people to have space to eat comfortably.
Treech ate the food given to him slowly, as if he were afraid it would disappear at any moment or as if he were enjoying the taste. It was the same pie that Nesta had given him previously, and it was delicious. The taste of the blackberries and the cinnamon was so good that he could melt with happiness.
