#c:jacksongates

[marinazale-archive]

@jackson--gates

The mere thought of the Victor Ball was exhausting.  Her due date was rapidly approaching and Marina didn’t know if it was even wise for her to attend the party, not that she had much of a choice.  There were certain things demanded of the victors that it was impossible to avoid.  Marina knew that all too well.

The newest victor seemed like a sweet girl and Marina felt for her, but she had more important things to worry about now.  She’d lost track of Jackson after arriving at the party but eventually spotted him again.  Capitolites had cornered her to talk about the impending birth of her child, but Marina didn’t want to share those personal details.

Instead, Marina tracked down her boyfriend.  “If one more Capitolite tries to touch my bump I’m going to need you to hold me back,” she told him in a hushed tone.  It was too much and too exhausting.  Marina couldn’t wait for her baby to be born.

[marinazale-archive]

@jackson--gates

Training meant they were both going to be busy.  Marina wasn’t thrilled about leaving Waverly with an avox while they dealt with the tributes, but she knew it was for the best.  She couldn’t very well just bring an infant to the training center.  What sort of mother would she be then?

She had worked with her tributes for awhile and observed some of the others before spotting her boyfriend sitting on one of the benches.  She came up behind him and put her arms around him.  “Missed you,” she started lightly.  “How’re your tributes doing?”  Marina knew she’d offer to help.  She wanted to make sure Jackson had all the support he could get, but she also wasn’t about to cross a line and upset him if he didn’t want that help.

[marinazale-archive]

@jackson--gates

Pregnant.  Marina had taken three tests and they all said the exact same thing.  She was pregnant.  It felt impossible to wrap her mind around the reality of that.  Since she was fifteen and fresh out of the arena she’d thought motherhood was off the table.  That was what the doctors made her think.  They told her it was unlikely, would be difficult.  She chose to believe them.  After all, why would they not be honest?  Maybe they were honest and things just got better over time.  Marina didn’t really know.

All she knew was she was pregnant.  She was terrified, but also excited.  Motherhood had felt like an unattainable dream, but now if everything went according to plan she’d have a child of her own in less than nine months.

Marina was in a daze when she stepped off the elevator on the Twelfth floor.  She hadn’t even really given her tributes a rundown of the Tower.  Lincoln, Finnick, and Annie could handle things for a little bit.  She’d find them after.  This was too important and Jackson had a right to know.  There was no denying that.

So when she found him, she smiled.  Closing the distance between them, Marina leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips.  The last thing she wanted was to stress him out.  Still, when the kiss broke she spoke.  “Hey, um, can we talk?”

[marinazale-archive]

@jackson--gates

The garden party was something Marina hadn’t expected, but she wasn’t foolish enough to turn down Snow’s not quite invitation.  So, Marina made the journey to the Capitol and arrived at the party, eager to see some of her friends.  After all, that was the only thing parties like these were good for.  She walked through the gardens as the sun shined overhead.  It felt like something out of a story.  It was beautiful, peaceful, you could almost forget the veiled threat that brought her there to begin with.

When she spotted Jackson, Marina smiled and moved through the throngs of people to find him.  She had a drink in one hand, but her other moved to rest on his back.  “Guess who,” she laughed before stepping into his field of vision.

“Are you enjoying the party?”

[marinazale-archive]

@jackson--gates

Morning sickness had delayed Marina’s arrival in the viewing rooms.  The launch had already begun and a quick glance at the screen told Marina that her tributes would have an advantage.  She smiled slightly and looked around to find her boyfriend.  She spotted Jackson just moments before the girl from Two killed the boy from Twelve.  Instantly her heart twisted and she moved her way over towards him.

When she approached, Marina put her hand on his shoulder before moving to sit with him, half on his lap in the hopes of distracting him from what was happening.  “I’m sorry,” she murmured, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.  Her eyes were on Kai and Misty but she lazily played with his hair to calm him.

[marinazale-archive]

@jackson--gates

The sunlight filtering through the window roused Marina first.  She shifted in bed and blinked against the light.  Her head was throbbing, but she felt content.  The more she woke up, the more pieces of the night before came rushing back to her.  She remembered the party, the drinks, laughing with Holiday and Thalia.  Then kissing Jackson.  Jackson.

Marina’s head turned on the pillow in search of him immediately, but the bed beside her was empty.  Her freckled hand reached out and felt the warmth in the blankets.  He hadn’t been gone long.  For a moment she tried to think about where he’d gone, if he was trying to bail on her, or what this meant for their friendship before she heard the water running in the bathroom.

Sitting up, Marina reached for the discarded button up haphazardly tossed on the nightstand and pulled it on.  Buttoning a few of the buttons, Marina’s gaze flicked towards the bathroom door when the water shut off.  The moment he appeared, she felt embarrassment heat her cheeks.

“Morning, Jack...”

[marinazale-archive]

@jackson--gates

After the parade, Marina had gone back to the fourth floor for awhile.  She had talked with her tributes, encouraged them, spoken with her fellow mentors, and eventually once people were beginning to retire to their rooms, Marina headed up to the twelfth floor like she promised Jackson.  They had a lot to figure out, and she had missed him terribly over the last two months.  She wanted to just curl up and spend some time with him.

Marina didn’t expect things to get more intimate, but they did and once they were finished, Marina curled up against his side, her head pillowed on his chest.  Her breathing was even and her eyes were closed, but she was content.  This was what she wanted.  Already she was dreading her inevitable return to District Four once the Games came to a close.

“I could get used to this,” she admitted after a few moments of silence.  “Curling up with you at night.”