"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...
Enobaria flings the door open to Clio's room at exactly ten forty-five. The two glasses of wine from the night before have obviously caused the younger victor to sleep in because in all her years of knowing her, she can count the number of times Clio has slept past nine on her fingers. Shaking her shoulder, the girl wakes up with a start to find her mentor looming over her with a fork. The dark-skinned woman takes a step back, nodding in the direction of the dining room and informing her that the stylists will be arriving in twenty minutes to lead her sister onto the hovercraft that will take her to the location of this year's arena. Clio then flings her legs out of the bed, sliding her feet into the plush, red, velvet slippers hidden underneath the duvet that hangs dangerously low off her side of the mattress, before pushing herself to her feet and moving towards the doorway that Enobaria just left from. The change in weight rouses Cato from his sleep and he groans when he realises everything the two have to do today and shoves his face into the pillow.
The girl leaves the room with a laugh and reaches the dining room, where Enobaria and Brutus are conversing over coffee. "Where's–"
"Her room." Enobaria interrupts her with the answer she wants.
Clio turns on her heels, narrowly avoiding bumping into a tired Cato as he walks towards the dining table mumbling about needing coffee for the tension headache he's about to have. She doesn't knock as she reaches Clove's door, pushing the door inwards to find her sister sitting cross-legged on the centre of her bed, already dressed in her training outfit - what she was instructed by Juno to wear for the journey to the arena. "Hey. Are you ready?"
Clove nods. "As ready as I'll ever be."
It's clear that there is an attempt at a joke lingering in her words but Clio only closes the door behind her. Clio watches carefully as Clove swallows her emotions down, a lump bobbing in her throat, knowing that she is trying her hardest to appear akin to the strong, confident girl that she portrays herself. Trying to match the aura of courage and self-assurance that she gave off during her interview, because now was not the time for emotions, not the time to go soft. She couldn't enter the arena anything less than focused.
"I don't know why you're so worried, Cli..." Clove starts but she can't bring herself to lock eyes with her sister. No matter how hard she can feel her eyes boring into her, Clove stares straight ahead at the corner of her duvet. Clio understands why she won't look at her, for it's the same reason that she wouldn't look at Clove last year when she came into the justice building to say her goodbyes, and it's the same reason that she couldn't look Cato in the eye right before her arena last year either. Any semblance of doubt or fear in their eyes would have completely crushed her confidence and her soul. Her and Clove are so similar and therefore, she's fully aware that her baby sister, no matter how tough, would rather wait in unmoving silence than see any dread in her face.
Eventually, Clove brings her head up to look at her sister; seeing not only the victor she wants to be in a few weeks time but also the over-protective big sister who guarded her from the sharp blades of her parent's words, of the only person to - despite her initial anger - not be disappointed in her decision to volunteer. The time the two sisters have together before she enters the arena is dwindling, and fast. Clio waits for a few moments, and in the silence they can hear the faint ding of the lift that signals the stylists have entered their suite. There's an important message she needs to relay. "Clove, I–"
"No." Clove interrupts her. "I know what you're about to tell me."
"This is important, Clove."
"No." She repeats. "Stop it. I need to focus and I can't have you doing this right now, you know this."
Clio knows because Cato tried to say the exact same words to her when he was in her position last year. She knows she should just wait; just give in like he did and tell her when she comes out victorious but something is worrying her. Something, and she doesn't know what, had dawned on her overnight and made her adamant that she needs to force her words out even if her sister doesn't want to hear it. "I need to tell you–"
"Stop." Clove cuts her sister off again, forcing her words out of her mind.
"I love you."
"Ugh Clio." The younger sister whines, dragging out her syllables. "Stop telling me these things. Please."
She's persistent and Clio can't get another word in before she's wrapped in a tight hug as Juno pushes the door open, it being time to board the hovercraft arriving at their floor any minute. "You've got this." Clio whispers to her sister. "Don't die, alright."
"Not planning to." Her reply is short as Juno places her hands on Clove's shoulder and breaks the two siblings apart.
"C'mon." Juno says as she leads Clove towards the door. "It's time to get you arena-ready."
"Hey Clove?" Clio repeats.
"Yeah?" The younger girl turns on her heel to face her, an assured smile on her slim face; though it doesn't quite reach her eyes.
"I love you."
"Damnit, Clio." Clove sighs, a small laugh tumbling involuntarily past her lips. "Tell me when I get back, but I love you too." Her voice trails behind her as she is ushered out of the door, leaving Clio alone once more.
───────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────────
𝙉𝙊𝙏𝙀𝙎!
Have the last wholesome sibling moment ever. Good luck for whats to come.
For this fic.....
Clio and Clove like:
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I know this one is a tiny chapter (under 1k words) but it's short for a reason. To crush you spiritually and emotional
