9th July 74PD
"I'm going to pull this blanket back." Brutus' warning is the first thing that Clio and Cato hear the next morning. "I swear, you two better be clothed."
Clio opens her eyes to find herself laying on the sofa, drowsily half-draped over Cato's chest with a blanket covering their bodies. As she fights to keep her eyes open, it feels like someone is stabbing them as the morning sun comes flying through the large sliding doors at the end of the lounge area. A pounding starts inside her head as she wakes that makes her groan and shows her how sore her throat was feeling. Fuck I need water, she thinks and she lifts her head slightly, straining every muscle to search her immediate vicinity for some form of water. "Water," she croaks.
"Get up." Brutus laughs unsympathetically before he yanks the blanket from the sofa and throws it over the tall palm plant in the corner.
"Stop yelling!" Cato whispers as he rubs his eyes. His hair is a mess, shirt buttons undone and a red scratch travels across his jawline.
"I'm not yelling." The older man's voice purposefully increases in volume. "Now c'mon, everyone else is already up and we have a lot to discuss today."
With a whine, Clio uses her hands to push herself up to a sit and then an unsteady stand, whilst it takes Cato three attempts to rise from his position on the sofa. They take a look around the room, and it looks as if a tornado had passed through the suite last night. Furniture such as the lamps are knocked over; the floor is littered with various glasses and empty bottles of liquor; several items of Enobaria's Capitol makeup kit lay discarded along the coffee table; and Clio sees what she can only assume are her heels strapped to the electronics - one on the speaker and the other around the corner of the large television screen. A few of the pillows have stains that look suspiciously like wine, whilst another contains remnants of last night's makeup look with shades of beige foundation, red lipstick and dark brown eyeshadow mixing together in a jumbled mess that mirrors the same blur of colours of Cato's chest.
"There they are!" Enobaria exclaims when they reach the table.
"Noisy." Clio mumbles, noticing the glass of water that the woman has placed on the coaster in front of her usual seat at the table.
"How's the hangover?" Ajax taunts them both. He waves a spoon around in a blur of precious metal that makes Clio feel dizzy just looking at it.
"I think I'm dead."
"You definitely look it, man." The male tribute smirks, as he sees Xanthe entering the dining area with a pained expression on her already heavily painted face.
"Please tell me it isn't true!" Xanthe pleads, turning only towards the couple for her answer.
Oh shit, Clio thinks, the fuck have I done? What is she so stressed about? Yeah, sure I was wasted last night but I don't remember doing anything stupid enough to warrant a question like that? She shoots Xanthe a nervous smile, "what isn't?"
The escort sits down at her place down the end of the table. "Please tell me you didn't cause a twenty person pile up for the lavatories!"
Although the woman's eyes bore into Clio's, it's Enobaria who answers her. "Oh, it's true alright. Regretfully I can confirm it for you."
Brutus lets out a laugh that proves he and Enobaria have already found time this morning to discuss last night's events. "I'm just glad it wasn't me."
"It wouldn't have been anyone if Luna could've just held her piss." Cato scoffs at the very moment that several Avoxes set platters of pastries down on the dining table.
YOU ARE READING
A Game Of False Fates ✭ Cato Hadley
Fanfiction"Being the sibling of a victor makes you a liability. The gamemakers will make certain that Clove has an interesting games in order to avoid the appearance of any favouritism." "You've got to be shitting me!" Clio's first year as a mentor was alway...
