Good Luck Charm

He was allowed to bring on thing that reminded him of his District, of home. So he brought Rue.

.

"Hello? I've brought you some food?"

Her voice was soft, gentle. But, very, very quiet; it carried on the breeze, lingering in the air above where he rested. She knew they were the only two there, in that area of the arena, but she didn't dare raise her voice on octave or say much more then she needed to.

It had become somewhat of an exciting twist for the people of the Capitol, and possibly the surrounding Districts. The little bond between the two. If they could really call it that. The threat of having to finish one another off as the final two still hung above them, but Rue doubted she'd make it that far anyway, and she might as well help him, as in turn it would to help their District.

"Hello?" she repeated, hating the sound of doubt in her voice. The anxiety, the nerves that welled up inside her chest clenching at her lungs making her hard for her to breathe. He'd told her she needed to be strong here, show no weakness. That was how they got sponsors that were how they won. The thought of winning never really sat well with Rue, it was like those dreams where she was a bird and could leap from the branches of the orchard and just take flight, soaring higher and higher until District 11 was nothing more than a small dot on the ground.

"I'm here." His own voice. Gruff and deep, like the groan of a mother black bear before it's defends its young. He steals from the cave, dodging the small spots of sunlight that filter through cracks in the rock. "What did you bring?"

She pulls her pack for him to see, bits of rabbit among the root and berries. The meat is welcoming, but alarming. And the look on his face shows his suspicions, one eyebrow cocked, his pale lips pursed in doubt, "You've made an alliance?" he guesses, his voice raw, and possibly if she's hinted correctly, disappointed, maybe a little sad.

Rue nods, then blows the chocolate curls from her face with a quick breath, "Katniss."

"District 12."

"Yes, she's nice."

"She can afford to be nice, there's enough of us left," he notes bitterly, cupping his hands to fill with her berries.

Rue doesn't reply. She begins handing him berries, sharing their descriptions their looks, so they if he needs to, he can gather more for later before she returns the following day.

"Thank you," he finally murmurs, as she packs up to leave, "Be careful Rue."

"I always am."

And she's about to bounce off, flying through the trees like the bird she believes she can be when he catches her thin little arm in his course thick one. "What are you doing Thresh?" But he just pulls her closer, wrapping his arms around her, breathing in the musky, innocent scent of wildflowers and mint leaves that is his Rue. The young child he's spent childhood watching grow from toddler to young child, and hopefully, he hopes though he knows if its to happen he won't be able to see it, to young woman. This is the girl who calls his work shift every morning, the one who used to bring breakfast, who sings as she works. This was his ball of sunshine here, clasped between the desperate hands of the Capitol as they attempted to control their rowdy Districts and for once, Thresh wanted nothing more then to yell his thoughts and every profanity he could think of into the cameras. This isn't fair, this isn't fair! He's cuddling her closer now, putting his lips to her forehead, at the hairline. She's too young. "Stay safe Rue," he murmurs, "I mean it. You have your whole life ahead of you." And though there is so much more he wants to say though he doesn't, she squirming desperate to get away from this change in his usual behavior. Instead he releases her, and she stares for a moment but then, as if waking from a trance she turns and takes off through the trees.

.

He's finishing off the berries, when he hears her scream.