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Bran and Meera Cassidy

Head bent over papers, Scarlett was busy writing requests for meetings to sponsors and the general paperwork that needed to be done prior to training finishing. In all honesty, she was glad of the distraction it provided, it kept her mind focused from dwelling on everything going on in her world. She could vaguely hear footsteps, and without looking up she murmured, ‘I won’t be long, if you’re needin’ the room.”

bran-cassidy-blog

"I can share." Bran sat down not far from Scarlett. No one in the Cassidy family would ever be accused of being good at sharing, but he'd been learning. Turns out that after forty-odd years some of it just began to sink in. "How you doing, Scar?"

#scarlett

River frowned and said, “Better than she should be, surprisingly enough.”

"You've got a large family River. We've got your back here." He gave his shoulder another squeeze. "Merle will have more advantages than most."

#river

River’s brow creased as his sadness started to settle over him like a heavy blanket. It felt overwhelming, like he couldn’t breathe. He swallowed spit down his throat, but it didn’t ease the dryness.

“I want her to know that I was afraid,” he murmured. “Afraid and determined that she made it out alive. It’s better for her to know that I want her to come out alive. The good memories can come after the fact.” Once Bran added that last part, River gave a hollow laugh and shook his head, looking toward the ceiling. “Yeah. Don’t I know it.”

Or never, Bran thought. It was a terrible thing to think but it was also realistic. He nodded his head in agreement to River, though figuring it wasn't time to argue about such a thing. "How is Glitter taking this?"

#river

If I live.

Everyone had been telling her “if you win,” but “if you live” seemed so much more permanent. She shook her head in response to his question. “Then I guess I’ll be fine with my discomfort

"You'll learn how to deal with it at least. You're in good hands though with Clover and Electra. But I'd watch out for those Blackwoods in the victor's village. Total agents of chaos, and their mother?" He shook his head, knowing that he could rib Belle when she wasn't going to turn the corner. "Now that she's in her forties all she's got is her scariness."

#pike

River frowned. “I don’t know if I have enough time to let her just be a kid for an hour, Bran,” he said. “If she has no fight or die instincts then that’s a problem. I’m planning on talking to that Gleam kid to make sure he knows how to handle it.” He shifted a little so he was sitting on his hip, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at Bran. He sighed again. “It’s so weird to find out something like this and immediately feel a paternal instinct rise up like hell on your heels. It’s terrifying.”

"An hour won't doom her. Tributes here train from sunrise to sunset and they still die in that arena. Do you want her to go in there without having at least one good memory with you?" He leaned back in his seat at River's words, sighing. "That's because you're a good man. Some look at their kids and only see a means to an end."

#river

River huffed and said, “Easy to say that I really don’t doubt it.” He shifted a little until he was completely slouched, taking a last drink from the glass before putting it on the side table, completely done with alcohol for the morning. He knew Glitter would get pissed at him if he kept it up. “But now, Merle feels betrayed by her mother. She’s frightened and I can’t help her with that other than teach her how to kill.”

Bran nodded slowly. There was no easy path to understanding just how flawed your own parent could be. Bran had once thought he knew exactly how that felt, but he hadn't really. At least not until he had kids of his own and had personally met his father. "There's nothing I can tell you that will help, River. I'm sorry. All I can suggest is taking her out one day before training or during. Spend an hour with her that isn't devouted to this horror. She has to figure out what happens with her mother moving forward."

#river

River went quiet again. Of course he would and Bran knew that without a doubt, but as Bran started asking about Merle’s mother, River started shaking his head. “Don’t worry about her,” he said. “I’ve already confronted her. I made he explain the truth to Merle. She convinced the girl that Melina and I had been in love once and I abandoned her as a baby. On top of it all–” River laughed bitterly at this part. “–she convinced Merle that the Games weren’t even real. That people didn’t actually die.”

"Typical capitol bullshit." Bran's anger lit in his stomach. Of course parents would say that to their kids, especially before when no capitol child had anything to fear. Now it was all going to rain down on their heads as well. "Do you think they teach some of this in school? How to be a lying asshole 101?"

#river

River rolled his head a little so he could look over at his brother. River looked more than beaten down at this point. He listened to every word he said, taking value in it. He smiled a little as Bran offered to help him with Merle. He nodded his head, blue eyes stormier than they had ever been.

“I know,” River said. “Thank you, Bran.”

Bran shook his head. "I know you'd do that same," he said. He took a deep breath, knowing that no matter how this turned out Merle would either end up dead or as property of the capitol. "Her mother? What the hell is that woman's name? Should I give her a little visit? Let her know how I feel about this being kept from you."

#river

River laid his head back against the couch, letting his drink just sit on his knee as Bran got up, moving over to him to sit. He didn’t look at him as he made that statement. At this point, River was so drained and tired and overwhelmed that he wasn’t sure what to do. Feeling the man’s hand on his shoulder did bring him some comfort.

“About a day,” he murmured. “Glitter knows. I sent Belle a message explaining everything. But other than that, you’re the first one I’ve told. I haven’t told my mother yet either. It’s just… hard to talk about it, I guess. Mostly because I have no idea what the fuck to do.”

It was an impossible situation and one that Bran had feared every night since Meera had been born. Their children were prime targets for the reaping bowl and with the bi-annual games they would face more reapings than either of their parents. "There's nothing you can do," he told him. He squeezed his shoulder. "Nothing but do everything in your power to get her out of there. She's young, but so were you, me, and Belle."

He thought of his own tributes. "I have Calypso with me now. I can split some of my attention and help Merle. We can give her all the tools she needs but in the end this comes down to her."

#river

River couldn’t even look up after that. He sighed in irritation, though. “You don’t think I would be thorough in figuring it out before I started telling people?” he asked. “I confronted Melina Briversdoom. She had official Capitol records of a paternity test using the blood samples they accumulated from Reaping registries. She’s mine.”

"I'd think you'd tell me right away, actually." Bran got up and placed the bottle of liquor on the table. He took a seat beside River and put a hand on his shoulder. They'd gone through a lot throughout the years and Bran would trust River with his life. His own life was shitty right now, but that meant little when he knew his brother was in pain. "How long have you been sitting on this, River?"

#river

River hesitated. Yes, Bran was right. He had known him for most of his life and there had been a lot of insane shit that had happened overtime, but this was insane and he knew it. So, River just went ahead and blurted it out to his greatest friend he’s ever had over the last twenty-six years.

“The female tribute from the Capitol is my bastard daughter,” River said before throwing back the rest of the drink.

Bran's eyebrows drew together at River's words a fizzle of shock working through him. He had a good memory for names though and he plucked it out of his head. "Merle?" A million questions ran through his head, but he filtered them out. "The Briversdoom girl? You're sure? I wouldn't put it past these assholes to lie about something like that."

#river

River sighed through his nose and took a long drink from his glass as Bran asked that question. He didn’t really want to answer it, but he knew he had to. once he swallowed it, he gave a harsh breath. “Glitter and I are fine,” he said. “But you wouldn’t believe me if I told you the real story.”

Bran raised an eyebrow, taking another swig from the bottle. "Really? River I've known you most of your life, I can damn near believe anything. You've been brainwashed by a goddamn chip in your head. What could be worse than explaining that?"

#river

Pike looked back to see… a man she assumed was a victor, but she probably hadn’t seen his games. She was only seventeen, after all.

At his suggestion, she gave him a small smile and shook her head. “Yeah, I’m… not good with crowds, so… here’s just perfect for me.”

"Better to get used to them," Bran told her. He sat down in a chair not far from her. "They'll be all over you if you live."

#pike

River huffed a soft laugh and shook his head. “Me neither,” he said before he finished off the rest of his drink, poured himself another one before he leaned over and handed the bottle to Bran

Bran drank it straight from the bottle, holding the whiskey out to read the label as it burned his throat. "Nice choice, bro." He held the bottle between the two stuffed animals on his lap. "What's keeping you up then? Problems with Glitter?"

#river

She rolled her eyes a little, covering Jett’s ears. “okay enough of the marriage talk,” she muttered, “And stop trying to get the kids on side.”

"Mawwy," Maize said. He had a mouth full of strawberry and chocolate ice cream. Bran flashed his son a thumbs up. "Even Maize Cassidy thinks it's time, Conduit."

#electra

Air best represents your personality. You have a harmonious and peaceful nature, resulting in an inner balance. Your optimism influenced the being of many people, and if you continue with your adventurous attitude, your free spirit is guaranteed to carry you into your highest desires. Keep up that wonderful smile, and your sense of humor is going to make your friends never forget the impact you had on their lives.

#ruleandtask

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