CuteLikeMurder
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Post by CuteLikeMurder on Nov 26, 2013 18:52:10 GMT -5
She was giving him that look. They were on the train going home. They had just dropped off Ashlynn and Brad’s bodies. They were going back to District Nine to do the same with Issac and Psyche. And Ember was giving him a look that he had become very familiar with. “Have I mentioned that I kinda love you?” she asked with a devilish grin. He chuckled. “Only a little? I must be losing my touch.”She reaching over to the cabin door and locked it. He knew this dance. They had done it enough and he knew all of the steps. So did she. It’s why they worked so well together. Because they actually worked very well together. He moved the loose fabric on her shoulder to the side and kissed her neck. “You still mad at me?”He turned her around so they were facing each other and she responded by reaching for his shirt. In her impatience, Ember ripped it rather than bother herself with unbuttoning it. “Probably… But I’ll get over it.”<><><> “You owe me a new shirt.”She cocked an eyebrow at him and held up a garment that he had torn. “You really want to go there?” He grinned. “I never liked those.”She laughed. “Well, you know how much I hate you… clothed.”“So, I’m just going to have to get an endless supply of shirts?” he asked, straightening himself out the best he could. “If you want to get be married to me, yeah.”She smiled and he mirrored her. But the moment shattered when someone banged on their door. “Mr. Colton. There’s a situation.” <><><> The black smoke rose in the night sky blocking out the view of the moon. Jan was off of the train doors as soon as they opened. He didn’t know if his sister or Ember had followed him until he looked to his left and right and found Maxine and Ember at his side, keeping pace. Because all three of them had a pretty good idea where the smoke was coming from. When the reached the farm the fire was still raging. They could feel the heat even where they were, some 15 yards away. People were working to put out of the flames. Allison stopped them before they could go any further. “Where’s Ma and Pa?”Ally looked down. “No. No. No…”Ember put her arms around Max and held her as she broke down. They were gone. Summer was upon them and everyone in District Nine knew what that meant. The Hunger Games were approaching. They were busy putting together the stage so it would be ready tomorrow. It should have been a hot day. But a gentle wind from the west cooled District Nine. Even if the odds weren’t in their favor, the weather was at least.
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QuinnTalon
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For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
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Post by QuinnTalon on Nov 27, 2013 11:23:37 GMT -5
[/SIZE] "Who is it that chooses our steps in the dance? Who drives us mad? Lashes us with whips and crowns us with victory when we survive the impossible? Who is it, that does all of these things?"Who honors those we love for the very life we live? Who sends monsters to kill us, and at the same time sings that we will never die? Who teaches us what's real and how to laugh at lies? Who decides why we live and what we'll die to defend? Who chains us? And Who holds the key that can set us free... It's You. You have all the weapons you need. Now Fight! ”[/color][/font][/center] He shouldn't be doing this alone.
They should be here. His brothers. Kal. Jace. Sam. Well...maybe not Sam. Sam was a mess of teenaged nerves and anger right now. He was spending his days with the Mayor's granddaughter, trying to keep his senses. Trying to keep that barely tempered ember of anger from sparking into full-fledged rage.
He couldn't lose his brother. Not another. Not so soon.
But Kal was living in the Capitol. He hadn't even come home to have a Parting Glass for them, and really Jan wasn't surprised by that. Max he almost wanted to get a travel pass for to send her to District Seven. Wistar would look after her. Wistar would see to it that she was distracted from the overwhelming miasma of sadness.
She wouldn't go. Jan knew that. She wouldn't go for quite a while. Not until after her last Reaping.
But Jan was here, two bodies--charred and barely recognizable--wrapped up in a single tarp because they'd been found twined and fused together--and digging a single grave her in the fields.
Not far from him was Jace's parcel of land. Where he was sleeping peacefully, and he never had to know the pain of this. Never had to know the mess Jan had made of things, and he was alone doing this.
They'd had to hold him back. Three other farmers had to hold him back from running into that burning house, and by The One he fought them. Tooth and nail and he was sure that Sawyer Larkin's father had a broken nose because Jan had elbowed him in his face.
Jan was a Victor. He could fight. And fire and being held back took him into the Arena again, but all he could see was his home--his parents' home--burning to the ground with them in it.
Eventually, he knew they'd had to sedate him to calm him down. He'd woken in his own house in Victor's Village, groggy and loopy. His brother and sister sleeping in two of the other rooms.
Sam was a mess. Max was a mess. Ember was...not doing hard labor like this for at least nine months if he had any say. And Ally was very near to bursting with her second baby.
He'd been there about an hour and a half when he saw it though. When out of the corner of his eye he saw a man carrying his own shovel up the road, and he joined him without a word, beginning to dig.
Jan looked up to see his Uncle Zeke there, and then his cousin Eli, and then his cousin Isaiah--who was Sam's age but at least three inches taller.
They hadn't spoken to his father's family in years. Not really. Things had started getting better between them when Jace had been called into the Arena, and when Jan had won, but the relationship had still been strained. His father's family hadn't approved of his mother, but here they were right now. Helping him put them both to rest.
Quietly they were telling him that now? They weren't alone. Rory had lost...her entire family this year. And her freedom. She'd been shackled to that Capitol boy. A Capitol boy who was reportedly the son of one of Jan's many, many Patrons. He'd told Rory last year that Aelia was by far not 'the worst' of them. Vitus Laurentius could classify as 'The Worst'. It was why whenever he saw her, he catalogued. Watched her move and made sure she wasn't moving stiffly. Exposed skin wasn't bruised, though he knew Vitus was forbidden from leaving marks where people could see them on Jan or whatever other Victors he paid to have for a night. Still, he watched. Rory was his best friend. He wasn't going to let bad things like what happened to him happen to her. He'd slit the fucker's throat first. Though from what he heard about the man's son--Junius--it was probably a decent match. Junius was rumored to be sort of...academic in his own way. Didn't spend much time around Aelia and others. Kept to himself. Most assumed it was because he was a 'bastard'--whatever that was--and he wouldn't necessarily be welcomed anyway, but Jan just figured he just didn't find them interesting. Jan couldn't blame him. He had his boys though. Jacob Josiah and Felix Wistar. Both were named after a total of 'four great men'. Only one of those men was still alive, and The One willing would be married to his younger sister in the next year or so. He and Ember had taken to calling the twins--identical twins--'JJ' and 'Lucky'. The other Victors had done it too. 'JJ and Lucky Colton'. And these were his last few hours of freedom with is boys before the stylists arrived to 'pretty him up' for the cameras. He'd give the boys over to his older sister, who would take them for the day and Sam would pick them up later to take them home. Of everyone in the world, he trusted Sam to look after his little boys. Max had insisted on coming with him again. Mostly for Wistar, he was sure, but at the same time he knew she was afraid for him. "So, boys...breakfast, and then we'll go see Uncle Jace. Sound good?" Felix just looked up at him with bright blue eyes, but JJ made a sound that sounded like a gurgle-laugh.
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CuteLikeMurder
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As if killing the bard impresses us.
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Post by CuteLikeMurder on Nov 27, 2013 13:39:54 GMT -5
[/SIZE] “There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: “Not today.””[/color][/font][/center] This. Was. So. Strange. Ember wondered what her sister would think. Ember Colton, wife, mother of two, Hunger Games Victor. Holy hell. She caught herself watching them sometimes. And it was odd. She could see herself and Jan in both of them. His eyes (thank the one), a cross between their skin tones, her nose, his cheekbones. She could go on and on. But it wasn't just the physical traits that that she noticed. J.J. had their fire, their spirit. He'd be a force of nature when he grew up. But Lucky, he had a pensive disposition that reminded Jan of Jace, no doubt, and reminded Ember of her sister, Cinder. J.J. was the ham. Lucky was very selective of who could pick him up without wailing. She walked inside holding a cup of coffee in her hand and grinned when she saw her three favorite boys together. “I like seeing you like this, Mr. Colton.”
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QuinnTalon
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For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
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Post by QuinnTalon on Nov 28, 2013 12:14:40 GMT -5
[/SIZE] "Who is it that chooses our steps in the dance? Who drives us mad? Lashes us with whips and crowns us with victory when we survive the impossible? Who is it, that does all of these things?"Who honors those we love for the very life we live? Who sends monsters to kill us, and at the same time sings that we will never die? Who teaches us what's real and how to laugh at lies? Who decides why we live and what we'll die to defend? Who chains us? And Who holds the key that can set us free... It's You. You have all the weapons you need. Now Fight! ”[/color][/font][/center] He was in the process of getting JJ clothed, with was always an ordeal. The kid moved around and fought and giggled, and even at six months old seemed to ham it up for anyone who would watch. Lucky was the easy one. At least, for Jan and for Ember and Sam. For whatever reason, he tended to 'pull a JJ' with Max. She loved it, no matter how much she would say otherwise. "I love being like this." He picked up his kicking and giggling son, and frowned at the state of his clothing. "I think JJ will be more cooperative with you, My Lady. Seems he isn't fond of socks, and who can blame him?"The only person he knew though who seemed to be at full on war with the concept of shoes was Zale Sewell, or as Ember called him: "Priest'. That guy would go barefoot everywhere if you let him. Or in sandals at the most. Jan had caught him pulling his boots off in an elevator at one of the Capitol functions this year. He'd gotten in, pulled off his boots, and left them right there in the elevator and walked to his rooms barefoot. The guy was weird, but at least he was consistent. "And of course, Lucky looks perfect." He looks down at the younger twin, who was contentedly chewing on his fingers and watching his brother. It was like deja vu, really. Jace used to look at him like that. "You go back to Twelve in a few hours, right? We could take the boys for a walk before you have to go." And before his stylists arrived.
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CuteLikeMurder
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As if killing the bard impresses us.
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Post by CuteLikeMurder on Nov 28, 2013 16:55:57 GMT -5
[/SIZE] “There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: “Not today.””[/color][/font][/center] Ember smirked. She wished that she could have told Josiah and Katie the news. She wanted to add to their ever-growing clan of grandchildren. She wanted to see Katie's face light up the way it had when Ally shared her news. She wanted them here so she could share her insecurities. Mostly she just wanted them here. Her folks weren't the best of people. The Old Man and Katie treated her like a daughter. And Ember for a very brief time had experienced what parents were supposed to act like. Still there were days that Ember felt like she was drowning. “Socks are overrated...” Ember said, taking J.J. from Jan. “We made some pretty babies, Charmin'. But don't get any freakin' ideas, I'm not doing this again for a bit,” Ember said. She was almost certain that that was true. However, if she was honest with herself, she wanted more of these little guys. A little girl, maybe. She lifted up J.J. shirt and gave blew a raspberry on his stomach. He chortled, loudly and joyous. Ember spun with him in her arms and J.J. had lost himself in a fit of laughter. Ember's face lit up. She had never wanted children. Hell, two years ago she didn't think she'd make it to 20. And yet here she was, almost blissfully happy. J.J. had calmed enough for her to dress him. “You just wanted to play a little, didn't ya? Daddy just don't understand sometimes, huh?”Ember turned to Jan and nodded. “The style team's already there. I swear to the One if they try to dress me up like a fisherman, I'm going to set everything on fire.”
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QuinnTalon
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For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
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Post by QuinnTalon on Nov 29, 2013 14:33:54 GMT -5
[/SIZE] "Who is it that chooses our steps in the dance? Who drives us mad? Lashes us with whips and crowns us with victory when we survive the impossible? Who is it, that does all of these things?"Who honors those we love for the very life we live? Who sends monsters to kill us, and at the same time sings that we will never die? Who teaches us what's real and how to laugh at lies? Who decides why we live and what we'll die to defend? Who chains us? And Who holds the key that can set us free... It's You. You have all the weapons you need. Now Fight! ”[/color][/font][/center] He watched Ember with J.J., smiling even as he picked up Lucky and let him cuddle close. The younger of the two liked being held, and would just watch the world with too-wise eyes that reminded him terrifyingly of Jace, and of his namesake--Felix. Felix Grayling of District Seven. If he ended up with pipes like Wistar's, Jan would know they'd chosen the right men to name him after, and he put a little hat on Lucky's head to keep the sun off. It wasn't 'hot' the way it normally was today--he could swear he heard Jace's voice on the wind sometimes--but the sun was still strong and they were both barely three months old. "At least it's light and comfortable. And this year it's been all about gray, black, silver, and blue. I can totally deal with that. But I hear you. Because..." He looked down at Lucky and grinned. "...Not sure anyone who isn't from District Four can pull off that look with anything like dignity. The rest of us look ridiculous. Right, Lucky?"The boy looked at him for a long moment before he smiled, toothless and without his brother's 'hamming it up', but still...it was charming. "By The One, we're in trouble. Two little heartbreakers here, My Lady. I think I won't have my kharma kid until we have a daughter though. So it's sung."
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CuteLikeMurder
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As if killing the bard impresses us.
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Post by CuteLikeMurder on Nov 30, 2013 11:12:18 GMT -5
[/SIZE] “There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: “Not today.””[/color][/font][/center] Ember mirrored Jan and put a hat on J.J. which he promptly pulled off. “Hey, none of that mess,” Ember told him in a light but still stern voice. J.J. stopped and looked up at her as she replaced the hat. He didn't take it off this time. “S'ok, your daddy always does what I say when I sound like that too.”Ember nodded. “I'd feel ridiculous. But you know me, I'm more comfortable in rags than fine fabrics.”Then she chuckled. “The little girl comes out with our personality and Max's resolve... if we weren't in trouble with these two, we will be.”
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QuinnTalon
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For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
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Post by QuinnTalon on Dec 1, 2013 12:31:40 GMT -5
[/SIZE] "Who is it that chooses our steps in the dance? Who drives us mad? Lashes us with whips and crowns us with victory when we survive the impossible? Who is it, that does all of these things?"Who honors those we love for the very life we live? Who sends monsters to kill us, and at the same time sings that we will never die? Who teaches us what's real and how to laugh at lies? Who decides why we live and what we'll die to defend? Who chains us? And Who holds the key that can set us free... It's You. You have all the weapons you need. Now Fight! ”[/color][/font][/center] "If our little Lily shows up with half of Max's resolve, we're royally..." He looked down at Lucky, who was watching him with that intensity that only very, very small children could master. That, or he was just frighteningly wise already, and at three months? Maybe Jan was just seeing what he wanted to see. For all he knew, Lucky would grow into a total goofball. Which would be perfectly alright with him. Their family could use a little laughter after this past year. "And yes: Your Pa knows when to argue with your Ma. Pick your battles, J.J. Pick your battles."He wanted to get moving for the day. Spend some time with his boys and his wife before the stylists showed up and Ember had to go to Twelve. "Let's go take in the square, then go see Uncle Jace. They'll be putting those tropical flowers up that The Capitol are crazy about right now. You know: The ones that'll wilt before today's over due to the heat. Let's go see 'em before they look pathetic."
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