Morning Breaks

[Holly Edison]

"Morning, sunshine."

Holly lightly kicked the corner of Deo's bed to wake him, keeping a steady grip on the two mugs of coffee she carried.

"You're pretty noisy in your sleep, rolling around and all."

Holly left a mug on his bedside table and exited to the common room.

Maybe he'll wake up before I get out of here, it's a big day and if I'M up already I don't know what his excuse could be.

Holly settled down and watched the sun rise over the rim of her cup.

[Deo Prisco]

The thump caused Deo to curl into an involuntary defensive sprawl under his covers. He shook off his sleepy haze, feeling foolish and a little confused confused. Being a part of many boyish pranks and training drills, Holly's kind gesture felt alien.

He eventually figured out that the second mug was for him. After taking a wary sniff of the coffee he took a sip, and studied his strange district partner. Daylight from the window gave the girl's hair a warm orange aura. Her face looked unlike the strict women officers who trained him, it was kind.

"Thanks for the coffee," he responded finally. "How did the feast go? I kinda skipped it myself."

[Holly Edison]

Holly turned noticing Deo had entered.

"No problem, Deo. I didn't really stay long myself. A tribute from District 8, Valeria, sort of popped up in front of me and stole me away. I ended up spending most of the night away from most. I got back pretty late, but then you weren't here so you must have arrived even later."

Holly sipped more of her coffee, appreciating the caffeine more than ever.

"I'm still waking up. Your turn to talk."

[Deo Prisco]

'Sorry,' said Deo 'I've been kinda out of it thinking about the games. A lot of alliances are forming. I wonder if they'll actually be useful during the games. Everyone has been selected for the games. I think Lombard will have a tricky way to get us to fight'.

Deo knew that Holly and him were chosen for their fighting prowess. It was only a matter of time before they had to kill.

[Holly Edison]

Holly smiled. "No worries, a lot of people have been grouping up that's for sure. I don't see any reason to distrust you and I think I have a few friends here now. You're a Career like me, but beyond that I don't know anything about you. What's your story?"

[Deo Prisco]

Deo took a big breathe. "I was selected for the career program at a young age, same as you. I've watched the Hunger Games Broadcasts worked on my skill set. Never thought I'd be chosen for the games. Don't know to much about the family. I have a younger sister maybe some more siblings, but the academy I was at didn't focus on the whole family aspect. We mostly stayed on the premise. I think my dad was a mason." he said, "not so much a story as much as me babbling."

He paused.

"Looks like you, Wren, and Eloise are pretty close to Millie. Haven't had a chance to talk to her yet. We watched a ton of film on her. I guess I'm a little star struck," he smiled. "Let me know if you need help pulling anything off. I'm not very outspoken, but I am loyal."

[Holly Edison]

"Good to know, there isn't a lot of time left to get to know everyone before the Arena, but I'll take you at your word. Even after getting to know people, it's all we have."

Deo didn't seem too bad. Holly took another sip of her coffee.

"Whatever happens then, I'll assume you're a friendly - until you prove otherwise. There's some talk going around that Millie and many of the others are planning something big. Something the Capitol won't be happy with, there are cameras even here so I hesitate to go into details just now. Get to know the others if you can. I think you'll find even the Peacekeepers being involved this year won't play out the way we think. There lives are at stake as well."

[Deo Prisco]

Holly's words didn't suggest it, but Deo could tell she was a a bit standoff-ish. She wasn't like the other careers, who were steadfast in there loyalty for the capital.

"Are you trying to start some sort of revolution? In the games? Is that even possible?" he half asked himself. Until this moment Deo didn't realize that he had a choice in the matter. Holly seemed to be tracking into dangerous territory, but something about her personality screamed of leadership.

[Holly Edison]

Holly laughed.

"I think Millie is planning something, as of this morning that's all I know. Judging by her year, I think she does want to destroy all of this."

Sipping her coffee, Holly took a moment to think. We may all end up having to fight together if she pulls that off.

"I said I was a Career like you, but that's not strictly true. I joined later than most. I was ten by the time I was accepted into a Career program, well behind most." She scowled remembering the years of hard work, harder than most she felt. "I didn't join because of hero worship or a love of bloodbaths. My family isn't exactly well loved by the Capitol and none of them have the stomach to do anything about it. We struggle. I've hunted for food and scraped by, we couldn't even afford a boarding program. I was in one of a handful of day programs. Not exactly the cream of the crop, but life is what you make of it, right? Anyway, I can't dismantle a system that punishes the people I love for having an opinion - one the Capitol isn't fond of. There is no better way to fix that than becoming the Capitol's darling, reversing their fortunes. But winners get perks in this world, and if I have to risk my life to help them, if that's the opportunity available to me... Well, I'm going to take it."

Holly turned to face Deo, looking him square in the eyes.

"I don't give a fuck about the Capitol or the games. I just know how it works. To the victor go the spoils. If there's a greater benefit to my family on another path, who would I be if I didn't consider it?"

There. Cards on the table. Your move, Prisco.

[Deo Prisco]

Deo exhaled a sigh of relief. "I had to be certain," he smiled, "wasn't sure if you were leading a bunch of tributes to an early death." Deo stood up. "I'm with you all the way. Honestly, I'm not sure where my family is because there's a good chance the capital killed them. I was young, but I remember hiding refugees in our house. The Capital found out I guess and sent Peacekeepers to tear a part the house... I wish I could remember more, but it all goes hazy." he finished looking down at his feet sadly. "I think it's time to end the madness."

[Holly Edison]

"Agreed."

Holly looked Deo up and down one final time considering the boy in front of her.

"I'll do what I can to keep you safe, return the favor."