[Fantasy Suites] [Katniss and Joshua]

[the_effect_she_has]

Who: Katniss and Joshua
What: Waking up abruptly on Valentine's Day
When: 02/14
Where: Joshua's ...ah, room.
Rating: PG-13



It wasn't that it was hard to get her out of bed - in fact it was all too easy. She slept lightly, and badly. Nightmares plagued her - from the Games, from the wars - melding into nightmares from her childhood and now, from some situations here.

The only time she had ever slept well after the Games was when she had slept with Peeta, her head buried into his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

So she should have realized something was wrong when she started to wake peacefully, one arm wrapped around someone's waist. There was warmth, and a heartbeat, and she whispered, "Peeta..." before she remembered.

Before she woke up screaming, pushing herself away, and then screaming again as she looked around because where the hell was she and who was this and why was he blonde?!

Comments

[the_effect_she_has]

Marvelous. So at least it was like every other castle event. She might die.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "No ... Kat-niss. Like the flower. Gale used to call me Cat, though." She wasn't sure she wanted Joshua calling her that, but god, it had to be better than 'Kathy'.

She herself plucked off a few grapes and popped them in her mouth, before she looked around for the closet. "That's not such a bad idea."

Getting up, leaving him the fruit, she went to find the closet and see what there was to wear around this ... whatever it was.

[ofhope]

The flower... Girls with flower names always seem to drift into his life, it seems. Or maybe he only has a habit of noticing once he realizes. He's not a stranger to the language of flowers, but that's one he actually hasn't heard of, which intrigues him enough to keep him from completely ignoring her now that he has food.

"You certainly slink around like a cat," is his jovial response before biting into the pear. For now he'll just watch her wander about, since once she finds clothes for her, he should hope there might be something for him.

...But looking at their surroundings, he doubts it will be a suit and duster.

[the_effect_she_has]

She glanced over her shoulder at him, before answering tartly, as she scouted out of the closet. "You have no idea. But if we're going to call people out on physical attributes, should I just call you 'Surprisingly Wiry'?"

There, wraps and the like. Of course there reminded her of all of her clothes in the Capital. Slinky and silky. She plucked out one in light grey, wrapping it around her shoulders.

She paused, before she half turned. "Are you some kind of ... warrior?"

[ofhope]

Surprisingly wiry, that's a new one... He only chuckles in response to it. Well, he's most definitely fit, but she's right that he's no Brock Samson; his muscle build is more lean. But they don't want to get into pointing out builds; it would probably end with him getting slapped by her.

"That depends on what you consider a warrior."

[the_effect_she_has]

"Someone who can aptly defend themselves when mostly asleep in bed with a complete stranger to the point where he can throw her across the room?" She answered dryly, as she flopped back down on the bed and grabbed an apple to munch on.

[ofhope]

"Then I think you just answered your own question," is his cheery, if snarky response while he finally musters the energy to drag himself off the bed. Silk sheets are pretty nice, he should consider getting them for his own bed. ...His real bed. "At least you admit I was defending myself."

He looks into the closet beside her, clearly having no qualms regarding personal space, though at least he's not rude enough to shove her over to get what he wants. Joshua doesn't care enough about what clothes look like to really complain about what's offered, so he grabs what he thinks is a shirt, although it seems longer like a tunic, and a robe more like hers.

[the_effect_she_has]

And cue Katniss rolling her eyes again. Oh, wasn't he just funny. Ugh. "I'll admit that if you admit I had a reason to be hostile in the first place. It's not nice waking up with someone you don't know, now is it?"

She took another bite of her apple, inching herself back slightly when he enters her space. It's not even a conscious movement - just something she does without realization. Always creating a little space between herself and strangers.

[ofhope]

He only shrugs at first in response, seeming like he might not add anything else, at least until he's fully dressed. If one would call this an outfit. He still can't quite place what country this is supposed to be like, but he's glad they weren't put in here to starve.

She'll probably flip out if he asks her to draw a bath, too. What an inconvenience.

"It's happened to me so many times, I don't think much of it." That's somewhat of a lie, but he's good at it. He dislikes being toyed with, not having his input included in events, but he is very much used to it. "One week I woke up in a different room every day with a different person."

[the_effect_she_has]

She would flip out if he asked her to draw a bath. She isn't a Vox, and she never would be, thank all the powers that were out there. She wrapped the wrap around her as she started to explore the room itself, frowning at the paintings on the wall. They all seemed have large animals with long trunks ... elephants. She remembered that, from school.

"That must have been horrible. I hate being pushed amongst strangers."

[ofhope]

Horrible indeed, although surely everyone would complain that it was much more horrible for them, even if it lasted longer for himself. It's difficult to be cooped up with someone like him, or at least it can be. In a good mood he's happy to mind his own business, but sometimes his curiosity does rule him.

"We shouldn't stay strangers, then, so you don't hate it."

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss glanced over at him at that statement, before she took another bite of food and tilted her head thoughtfully. Well, there was sense in that. If she was going to need an ally in whatever the castle was going to throw at them next, there would be no better time. Besides, there was little of her life story that she didn't care was public.

"What would you like to know?"

[ofhope]

Joshua wanders away from her and the closet after that, fingertips trailing along the ornate designs along the wall, stopping at a large tapestry to observe. Maybe he can figure out the origin from the art.

"I don't need to know anything about your past. The present and future is good enough."

[the_effect_she_has]

She pressed her lips together, twisting a piece of hair around her finger. Thinking about what her present looked like. As her future ... "Well ... I'm eighteen. I am thinking of becoming a writer - telling the story of my people and our history. Right now, I am a hunter and the owner of the shooting range, right outside of the castle. I'm also known as the Mockingjay - but that is more past present then present future."

[ofhope]

He wonders if he should be taking notes, both on what she's saying and what he's observing. So far he's figured that they're supposed to be in India, or something close. As for what she's talking about, he retains perhaps only half of what she's saying.

"Hmmm, writing about your past might make it more interesting. You should write that while here."

Joshua turns to look at her again, his smile half-cocked like he's still thinking about something else. Or dreaming about something, even while still awake.

"Paradisa could always use more records of people's worlds in the library, and I could always use something new to read. ...What's a mockingjay?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"What, in this room? Or here, as in Paradisa?" She snorted softly, before she pressed his lips together. It wasn't a bad idea, truth be told. She had all the time in the world to write about it and perhaps ... perhaps it was time. To let go of the ghosts of the past.

She blinked at him, concentrating back on the conversation. "It's a genetic mutation - between a mockingbird and a bluejay. They can perfectly remember anything being said to them, and sing it back. I got the name because ... I had the pin. A long time ago."

[ofhope]

He doesn't really mean in this presumably locked room, but if that's something to pass the time...why not. He's certainly not her caretaker, though he's not opposed to polite conversation. It's better than fighting.

Sometimes.

"Science. It has it's miracles, I suppose. Nothing like that could be done in my time."

[the_effect_she_has]

She looked over at him, her eyes going from wary to faintly curious. She took another bite of her apple, chewed, then asked frankly. "What about you? What's your story? I don't mind history."

In fact, sometimes she preferred it. Something bleak to be compared to.

[ofhope]

"Then read a history book."

It's a short answer, though not offered with much or any real venom. He could be serious, he could be joking, but it's rarely easy to know which, even if he wasn't turned away.

Joshua continues, though, before one can wonder for too long. "I'm not a story. I've been here a long time, that's all."

[the_effect_she_has]

Well, that finished that conversation. Katniss eyed Joshua, then shrugged as she simply switched to total apathy. She was going to feel the edge of being unbalanced now - and wondered if he was going to use it against her.

Probably, and she took another bite of her apple. "All right. So you're here. Been here." In other words, consider it dropped.